The Red Tent

I read The Red Tent by Anita Diamant at the suggestion of my friend, Hannah. I suggested that she read The Alchemist, one of my favorite books, and she reciprocated by suggesting I read one of her favorite books. I put it off for a couple of weeks, as I was reading a few other things in my queue. However, in the last week of the semester, I picked it up to give it a read.

The Red Tent focuses on the (minor) biblical character Dinah, Jacob's only daughter. While Dinah is the daughter of a rather important patriarch in the Bible, her famous father and brothers have relatively minor roles in the book. The story focuses mostly on the women in the family- Dinah, her mother Leah, and her three aunts. It's a book focuses on women's narratives, in a world that is mostly patriarchal.

Diamant does a great job of recreating the world of shepherds, tribes, traders, and caravans. It is an interesting narrative about a character about whom I knew very little. I enjoyed the story, especially as it focused on one of my favorite areas of the world, the Middle East.

The Red Tent

Killing Floor

I read Killing Floor by Lee Child at the suggestion of a friend and colleague, Mrs. Tricia Smith. We were chatting about books we were reading and she mentioned that she was currently deep into the Jack Reacher series. I had never heard of the series, but I knew there was a new movie coming out soon called Jack Reacher. So, I figured I'd pick up a copy of Killing Floor and read it, as it was the first of the series. Unfortunately, I was unable to find a copy of that book. It appears that it was going to be re-released sometime in the near future and the only other addition I could find was as an e-book. Fortunately, however, I found a lot of 5 Jack Reacher novels for $12 on ebay.

I really enjoyed the novel. It was a fun read. It wasn't anything too deep, but was full of action. Reacher is an ex-military policeman who stumbles into strange situation in a small town in Georgia. He's a bit of a drifter who just happened to visit the town to find the fate of a bluesman whose music he enjoyed. What follows is an action-packed mystery.

The story seemed to be a bit better thought out than some James Patterson novels I had read, although I could find some comparisons between the two authors' writing styles. Overall, it was good and I look forward to reading more of the Jack Reacher series.

Killing Floor

South of Broad

I received South of Broad by Pat Conroy as a gift from Dr. Terry Papillon, Virginia Tech's director of University Honors. He has a yearly tradition of giving the Honors staff a book at the holiday party each year. Apparently, Conroy is one of Terry's favorite authors and this is one of his favorite books. Somehow, it took me nearly a year to read. I kept buying other books and putting it lower on the queue.

However, I am really glad I finally read the book. It is a great piece of Southern literature. Set in Charleston, South Carolina, the book is set over the course of two decades. The story follow protagonist Leo King, his slightly dysfunctional family, and his very close friends. It follows the group through many trials and tribulations. It is simultaneously funny and achingly sad. The lives of these individuals are hauntingly broken, and consequently there is something very authentic about the novel. I rather enjoyed it. One of the quotes from the book that I found to be rather poignant is, "Growing up is odd, no matter where you do it

For anyone interested in a story that will make you laugh, cry, and consider the human condition, this is a novel for you. It also captures the spirit of living in the South.

South of Broad

Favorite Father Brown Stories

I picked up a copy of Favorite Father Brown Stories by G. K. Chesterton from a discount bin at Barnes & Noble. The back of the book indicated that Chesterton liked to probe topics of Christian theology through his writing, especially through the stories involving his priest/detective, Father Brown. It seemed like an intriguing combination and worth the cost of two dollars.

The stories proved to be fairly entertaining. I enjoyed the twist of having a Catholic priest solving mysteries in early 19th century England. As a fan of Victorian era crime fiction, I thought this would be intriguing. The stories were fairly interesting. The mystery did not always present themselves early in the story and Brown's methods were not always the most clear, but that added to the fun. The resolution often occurred in the concluding paragraph of the story. I can't say I favored these stories as much as I do the Sherlock Holmes canon, but I enjoyed them nonetheless.

Favorite Father Brown Stories

Ryan Adams: Losering, a Story of Whiskeytown

I was excited when I saw that there was going to be a new book about Ryan Adams. I have been a fan of Adams' music for about a decade. So, I immediately ordered David Menconi's Ryan Adams: Losering, a Story of Whiskeytown. I was excited to read a book about one of my favorite artists during a period of his life when he was playing with one of my favorite bands.

The book proved to be interesting, but not great. Menconi, a music critic for the Raleigh News and Observer, has been witness to Ryan and his music since the early 90's when Ryan first started playing in the area. However, Menconi never quite manages to remove himself from the narrative of the book. Obviously, since this is an unauthorized "biography," the author needed to rely on second-hand sources and  his interviews with Ryan during the time period of Whiskeytown. That is understandable. However, Menconi continues to find ways to insert himself into the story, as though he was an important part of Whiskeytown or Ryan's story. The downside is that his narrative doesn't truly provide deep insight into Ryan, the band, or the music. Instead, the book feels like an attempt for Menconi to make money off his limited interaction with Adams and Whiskeytown. He gets some facts wrong, crediting Ryan with songs he either co-wrote or didn't write at all. At times, the writing/research seems sloppy. He even goes so far as to provide critiques of albums and an example of his iTunes playlist. It's as though the book is unable to have a consistent voice throughout the narrative.

While not the strongest narrative, or most well-researched book, it will nonetheless be interesting for any fan of Ryan Adams or Whiskeytown.

Ryan Adams: Losering, a Story of Whiskeytown

The Poe Shadow

I picked up The Poe Shadow by Matthew Pearl in a discount bin sometime over the past year. It had an interesting looking cover and appeared to be a mystery, so I thought I'd grab it. It seemed like a decent investment for $3. I didn't realize that it was written by the same author as The Dante Club, another novel that I enjoyed quite a bit. That novel used historical figures to solve a fictional mystery, while this novel uses fictional characters to solve a historical mystery - the death of Edgar Allan Poe.

The protagonist of the novel is Quentin Clark and the novel is written in first person. It chronicles Clark as he tries to discover the truth of the mysterious death of author Edgar Allan Poe. They were only loose acquaintances, but Clark was a fan of Poe's work, so he feels compelled to look into what others fail to deem important. The pursuit of the truth leads to Clark's downfall as an attorney in Baltimore and he also loses his fiance in the process. To gain assistance, Clark travels to Paris to enlist the help of Duponte, the alleged inspiration for Poe's detective, Dupin.

The novel was a bit slow at times, but was ultimately a fun read. Pearl seemed to capture the speech of Poe's era. I enjoyed the overall plot and ultimately found myself disappointed when the novel ended. It's worth a read for anyone who is a fan of mysteries, Poe, or a combination of the two.

The Poe Shadow

I decided to read  The Covert Conspiracy by Adam Joslin simply because I know the author. Seriously. Adam is one of my RAs here at Virginia Tech. Now, I'll give you a moment to let that sink in. He's an RA at Virginia Tech. That means he's an undergraduate. A sophomore. Adam is a published author as a sophomore. Impressive.

This is not Adam's first published work. He has a book of poems that he self published a few years ago. But, this is his first novel and the first to be published by an outside company.

The novel is about a teen, Nick Tavers, who witnesses his neighbor's murder and ends up in the witness protection program. The Tavers family, along with their US Marshall escort, Hal, end up the wrong plane and land on a little-known island called Iosuni. While on the island, Nick makes new friends and uncovers a sinister plot. With help from his new friends, he attempts to stop this plot.

The book is definitely teen fiction, but the story was fun. There is a bit of drama, action, mystery, and romance in this story. It is the first of what will hopefully be a series of books, which will further explore some of the subplots in the novel.

Check it out!

The Covert Conspiracy

Complete Stories and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe

I started off the month of October with the goal of reading nothing but Halloween related books and stories. As Halloween is one of my favorite holidays, it seemed fitting. I intended to read works by Stoker, Irving, Shelley, and Poe.

I was having a Poe-themed Halloween party this year, so it seemed only natural to read the Complete Stories and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe. I gave it a valiant effort. I have long known some of Poe's works, as my dad used to tell them to me when I was younger. So, I would say I am a fan. The complete works, however, is a daunting collection of works. Poe is known for his macabre stories, and this collection contains those, but there are also some that a just downright weird. I read 50% of the works (according to my Kindle) and decided to give it a break. I was just finding myself bored.

I enjoyed "The Cask of Amontillado," "The Gold Bug," "The Fall of the House of Usher," and "Hop Frog," as well as a few others. Some of them I was familiar with and some I was not. I do still intend to read these works at some point. I just seemed to have last my stamina for this collection at this point in time.

Complete Stories and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe

A History of God: The 4,000-year Quest of Judaism, Christianity and Islam

I have wanted to read A History of God: The 4,000 Year Quest of Judaism, Christianity and Islam by Karen Armstrong for several years now. I have several friends who entered the seminary (in different denominations) and they had it as part of their reading list. With my interest in religion, it seemed like something I would enjoy. In fact, I have owned it for a bit of time and have never gotten around to reading it. A few weeks ago, I noticed it on my pile of books that make up my queue and decided it was time to read it.

For the most part, I enjoyed the book. Karen Armstrong is a nun of the Roman Catholic tradition and has written a number of book on various religious traditions. I have read some of her works on Islam and have found her to be a fairly accessible author on religious topics. She may not be someone whom religious scholars would turn to, but I believe she presents these topics in a way that is understandable to lay people. This book is no exception. As the title indicates, this book is a look at the history of God through the lens of the three monotheistic prophetic traditions. It does not focus so much on the argument of whether or not God exists, but rather explores mankind's relationship with "Him" through the ages.

The book starts approximately 4,000 years ago, providing a glimpse of the social context of polytheism and pagan beliefs before the revelation of God to the early Jews. The next chapter gives a look at the way in which God was revealed to the early Jewish prophets and it's impact on planting the seeds for Judaism. Following this is a look at the role of Jesus of Nazareth and the advent of Christianity. A discussion of the Prophet Muhammed and Islam follows. After looking with some depth at the three prophetic traditions, Armstrong next provides a survey of God as understood by philosophers, mystics, and reformers. She then looks at the understanding of God during the Enlightenment and beyond.

I found the early chapters to be very interesting. I have long been interested in the relationship between Judaism, Christianity, and Islam and these chapters provided some interesting context, history, and at times, clarity. I also found the latter chapters to be intriguing, especially as Armstrong focused on history closer to the modern era. It seemed more accessible because I knew many of the figures about whom she spoke.

All in all, it was a very interesting book. There are a number of pages on which I bent down the corner because I found a particular passage to be interesting and thought provoking. While this is no light read, I would certainly recommend it for anyone who may be interested in the topic of religion or philosophical discussions about God.

A History of God: The 4,000-year Quest of Judaism, Christianity and Islam

Murder in Three Acts

I chose to read Murder in Three Acts by Agatha Christie on the suggestion of another author of crime fiction. However, much to my dismay, I am unable to recall the author that suggested this book. I do recall reading, however, that the author said Murder in Three Acts was one of his (or her) favorites and that it defines the genre. I could hardly pass up such a recommendation. As someone who enjoys detective stories, it seemed like the perfect novel to add to my reading queue.

I rather enjoyed Murder in Three Acts, having only read one Christie novel before this. That, of course, was Murder on the Orient Express. This book also features her famous detective Hercule Poirot, who is pulled into the investigation rather late into the story. In fact, he almost plays a supporting role in the book, until the very end. The story is well written, with rather intriguing characters, and a plot that will keep the reader engaged in the story. It centers around two murders that feature the same witness, and consequently suspects. I had my suspicions about who the murderer would turn out to be, but must say it was only that. A hunch.

I would definitely recommend this book for anyone who enjoys crime novels, especially those set in the past.

Murder in Three Acts

My Life on the Run: The Wit, Wisdom, and Insights of a Road Racing Icon

I picked up My Life on the Run: The Wit, Wisdom, and Insights of a Road Racing Icon, by Bart Yasso on a bit of a whim. I had just finished Again to Carthage and was finding books on running to be rather inspirational. So, while perusing Amazon, I saw this book and decided to purchase a copy. As an avid reader of Runner's World, I am familiar with Bart Yasso and decided to give it a shot. Soon after receiving it, however, I pulled a muscle in my right leg rather badly and had to take some time off running. I found the idea of reading books about running while being unable to run rather depressing, so this book sat on the shelf for a while.

I picked it up maybe four days ago and have managed to read it fairly quickly, despite being in professional staff training for approximately 12 hours a day. However, I have recently started running ago (no more than 3 miles, and at dreadfully slow paces), so I thought the book might prove to be somewhat inspirational as I make my return to running. I really enjoyed Bart's conversational writing style and the stories he chose to tell. He talks about being unathletic and wanting his father's approval (something to which I can loosely relate), his addition with drugs and alcohol (and how running saved him), as well as memorable trips around the globe to run races. The back of the book also has recommended training plans from Bart and a list of suggested races to run, both domestically and abroad.

All in all, it was a good book to ease me back into running and provide some inspiration. It even fueled my wanderlust and desire to find interesting races to run in unique parts of the world.

My Life on the Run: The Wit, Wisdom, and Insight of a Road Racing Icon 

The Emporer's Assassin: Memoirs of a Bow Street Runner

Having read T. S. Banks' first novel, The Thief Taker: Memoirs of a Bow Street Runner, and enjoying it, I was looking forward to reading the second novel featuring the protagonist Henry Morton. As a fan of Victorian-era crime novels, these stories are particularly enjoyable to me (although these books are actually Regency-era). I am fond of Banks' depictions of Regency-era London and the was in which the various classes interact. The books tend to provide interesting social commentary and compelling stories simultaneously.

This book focuses around Morton's attempt to solve the murder of a young French widow who was found to have been tortured via thumbscrews. The plot thickens as Morton becomes entangled with French expatriates of various factions and follows an attempt to kill the recently exiled Napolean. For anyone who enjoys crime novels and/historical fiction, this is worth a read.

It is important to note that while the books are called memoirs, they are in fact not written as such and the narrative is portrayed in the third person.

The Emporer's Assassin: Memoirs of a Bow Street Runner

A Study in Sherlock: Stories Inspired by the Holmes Canon

Having recently watched Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows and the BBC's Sherlock Seasons 1 and 2 (which is a brilliant television show), I developed a renewed interest in the Great Detective. As such, I ordered A Study in Sherlock: Stories Inspired by the Holmes Canon, edited by Laurie R. King and Leslie S. Klinger, from Amazon. The book had received a fair number of positive reviews and I thought it might merit a read.

Now, I have a read the entire Sherlock Holmes canon by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, as well as a number of short stories and pastiches, so I would say I am a considerable fan of the Great Detective. I am also a fan of the recent adaptions of Holmes, such as the aforementioned movie and TV series, not to mention  House M.D. and the soon-to-air  Elementary. However, as a whole, I was rather disappointed in this collection. Allegedly, the editors had collected these works for today's best mystery and suspense writers, indeed most of their biographies boasted awards they had won. However, I was not taken in by very many of the stories. To be fair, a few captured my attention (and imagination) and caused me to continue reading. But, most of them did not full capture the spirit of the Holmes stories. Some had Holmes as a character, while others merely mentioned his name at some point in the story.

A Study in Sherlock: Stories Inspired by the Holmes Canon

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter

When I lived in Qatar, it was fairly common for me to fly through either Heathrow or Manchester on my way to and from the US. I remember browsing a bookstore during a layover in one of those airports and seeing a book titled Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith. At the time, I thought the book was probably ridiculous and soon forgot about it. However, after seeing the preview for the movie, I remembered the book and thought the premise might actually be interesting. I ordered it from a discount book warehouse and set about reading it. For those who have seen the movie, the book is worth a read. While the stories have some similarities, the screenplay is rather different.

The book was a fun read. I enjoyed Mr. Grahame-Smith's use of fact as a framework around which to drape a work of fiction. The book was interesting, clever, and witty. It focuses on Mr. Lincoln's personal journal as the vehicle through which to tell the story of how our 16th president battled the nosferatu in America. As a native of Illinois, it was fun to read about Honest Abe's exploits in New Salem, Springfield, and Decatur (home to my alma mater, Millikin University). The book was well-paced and well-written. It's definitely a great read for anyone who enjoys history and/or vampire stories.

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter

Tigana

I read Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay at the suggestion of Carl Krieger, my supervisor here at Virginia Tech. He gave me the audiobook because he knew I liked to listen to them on my drives to and from Illinois. I listened to it this past weekend when I went back to Illinois to attend my cousin's wedding. I will admit that fantasy is not typically my preferred genre (although I love George R. R. Martin's books). This book, however, was fairly interesting.

Tigana is set on The Palm, a fictitious peninsula reminiscent of medieval Italy. The story focuses on a group of freedom fighters and their quest to liberate the Palm from two sorcerer tyrants, who have divided the palm between them. This group of freedom fighters are mostly comprised of citizens from the state of Tigana, a region renamed to Lower Corte by the tyrant ruler Brandon. Brandon has cast a spell to make the name Tigana unable to be heard or memorized by anyone not from that region. As such, the group of freedom fighters struggle to make meaning of their lost cultural heritage. While a little long in some parts of the book, overall the story was entertaining and worth a listen on a 20+ hour round trip.

Tigana

Ben Hogan's Five Lessons: The Modern Fundamentals for Golf

This is actually the second time reading Ben Hogan's Five Lessons: The Modern Fundamentals of Golf, having read it once before after receiving it as a gift from my father. As an avid golfer, he thought it might provide some tips to improve my game, which is mostly miserable.

I picked the book up again due to a golf outting I have coming up at the end of this week.Typically, this is not the sort of thing for which I would actively or readily volunteer. However, it is part of a wedding weekend and I chose to focus on my golf game so as not to be an embarrassment. The book actually proved to be rather useful. My performance at the driving range has increased significantly in the past week I have been reading the book. The tips are practical, useful, and well-illustrated. It goes to show you can read your way to a better golf game.

Ben Hogan's Five Lessons: The Modern Fundamentals of Golf

No Depression: An Introduction to Alternative Country Music. Whatever That Is.

No Depression: An Introduction to Alternative Country Music. Whatever That Is., is a book edited by Grant Alden and Peter Blackstock, two of the founding members of the No Depression magazine. For those who are unaware, the magazine (now only available on the web) has been part of the alternative country scene since the mid 90's. It takes its name from a song by the Carter Family and Uncle Tupelo, in effect, tracing the history of this hard-to-pin-down sub genre.

The book is comprised of select articles that have appeared in the magazine (though mostly in the 90s as the book was published in 1998). The article read as part biographies and part press kits/releases. They shed some insight into the various artists that make up this genre and serve to introduce the readers to bands/artists of which they might be previously unaware.

Articles feature such bands as: Waylon Jennings, Billy Joe Shaver, Wilco, Son Volt, the Old 97's, the Bottle Rockets, the Jayhawks, Whiskeytown, Golden Smog, and more. It is definitely an interesting collection.

No Depression: An introduction to alternative country music. Whatever that is.

The Sherlockian

I just finished The Sherlockian by Graham Moore. While I did not know what to expect, it turned out to be a really great book. As someone who has been a fan of the Sherlock Holmes canon for several years, I thought this was a well-written mystery.

The is not a novel about Sherlock Holmes per say. It is instead about two stories, both that are closely related to the great detective. One of the stories centers on Arthur Conan Doyle, the celebrated author of Sherlock Holmes, as he works to solve a case of murders in London with his friend, Bram Stoker. The other story centers on Harold White, a member of the Baker Street Irregulars, a group that is obsessed with Sherlock Holmes and contributes scholarly articles to its members. Harold is working on another mystery in an attempt to solve the mystery of who killed Alex Cale, another member of the Irregulars, who was long in pursuit of Conan Doyle's missing diary.

The book proved to be very good and both stories were intriguing with well-developed compelling characters.

The Sherlockian

Again to Carthage

Again to Carthage is the sequel to Once A Runner, the classic running novel by writer John L. Parker, Jr. I thoroughly enjoyed this book as much as the first one.

This book also focuses on Quenton Cassidy, the protagonist of Once A Runner. In this book, Quenton has returned from the Olympics and is an established lawyer in Florida. He still engages in running, but spends a fair amount of time practicing law, playing in various recreational leagues, and boating down to the Bahamas where he dives and fishes. After the death of his friend and some of his kin in North Carolina, Quenton decides to try running competitively again. This time, however, he has his eye on the marathon. So, he enlists the help of his trusted friend and coach, Bruce Denton.

This book beautifully captures the thoughts of an aging male coming to terms with his mortality. Plus, it brilliantly portrays the trials and tribulations of training for a race.

Again to Carthage

Once A Runner

As a amateur runner (some might even say a wannanbe runner), I have been aware of the nover Once A Runner by John L. Parker, Jr. for a few years. I have tried to track it down for a number of years, but it was a rare release and copies could run upwards of $100. So, I was happy to see that the book was rereleased. I know that many of my running friends who have read it have raved about it and Runner's World practically worships the book. So, I was excited to read it.

I will say, the book did not disappoint.

The story centers around Quenton Cassidy, a collegiate miler at a Florida institution. He is a fan of running the 1600 during track season and essentially despises cross country season. The book is full of witty banter between runners as they log training miles. The story really captures the playful spirit of undergraduate athletes living, training, sweating, studying, and playing together. The story features the trials and tribulations of being an undergraduate and is full of lovable characters.

However, it is definitely also a story about running. I found the book to be so inspirational. It's given me new energy in my own runs. It's an entertaining and inspirational book.

Once A Runner

Raiders from the North: Empire of the Moghul

This book was an interesting piece of historical fiction. While not entirely fast-paced, it was nonetheless enjoyable.

The book centers around a central character, Babur, who at the beginning of the books becomes King after his father was killed in an earthquake. The rest of the book follows Babur's life as he progresses into adulthood, taking wives, winning and losing kingdoms. Babur is an easily likeable character, trusting friends and striving to make a name for himself as he acquires an empire.

Raiders from the North: Empire of the Moghul

Hickory Wind: The life and times of Gram Parsons

Just finished Hickory Wind: The life and times of Gram Parsons by Ben Fong-Torres. I have long been a fan of Gram Parsons (former member of the Byrds, Flying Burrito Brothers, and International Submarine Band), so I greatly enjoyed reading this book. I got turned on to Gram a few years ago and have enjoyed his brand of country-rock music, which he called "cosmic American music." However, I only really knew the rough sketches of his life: he liked Nudie suits, sang on Sweetheart of the Rodeo by the Byrds (one of my favorite albums ever), and died young.

This book provided some more details into the somewhat scattered life of Gram Parsons. While not necessarily a true biography, it was a helpful read. Fong-Torres spent time interviewing key figures in Gram's life and includes snippets from these interviews throughout the book. This is definitely a good read for those who are familiar with Gram and would be good for those who are unfamiliar but are curious to learn about his somewhat influential role in modern American music.

Hickory Wind: The Life and Times of Gram Parsons

Tell No One

I read Tell No One  by Harlan Coben at the suggestion of my friend and colleague, Matt Grimes. I was glad he recommended this book to me, as I greatly enjoyed the story. It was a fun and quick read.

I will actually not spend too much time describing the story, at the risk of spoiling the many twists in this suspense novel. However, the protagonist is David Beck, a doctor who is widowed after his wife is brutally kidnapped and murdered. The suspense of the story comes when Beck receives a cryptic email leading him to believe his wife may still be alive. The ensuing story is full of interesting twists and turns that continually keep you guessing.

The story is rather well written, reminding me of a James Patterson novel, except better. This is definitely pop-fiction, but Coben's characters are dynamic and he provides plenty of detail in ways that Patterson does not. Coben appears to understand the genre in a way that makes Patterson look lazy.

I would definitely suggest the book.

Tell No One

Community: The Structure of Belonging

I picked up Community:The structure of belonging by Peter Block, at the suggestion of Dr. Frank Shushok, the Associate Vice President for Student Affairs at Virginia Tech. Dr. Shushok had referenced this book several times during the planning meetings for the Residential College at West Ambler Johnston and at one point indicated that he thought Dr. Stephens and I should read it and discuss it with him.

My initial thought after I read the book was that I did not much care for it. I thought that it was too abstract and that Block provided too few concrete examples to actually be useful. I was annoyed at the extensive use of the word "context," while the author actually failed to provide much context. I got the impression that Block perceived the decline of authentic community in the US, that he understood something must be done, and had a general idea, but nothing specific enough to write about. In some ways, the book reminded me of candidates during some interviews I have been part of, where there is an answer to a question that might lead one to believe the interviewee vaguely knows what he or she is talking about, but the answer is not specific enough to be certain.

In some regards, I still hold those opinions. However, after sitting with the book for a while and contemplating the message, I also think Block provides some important philosophical insights. Ironically, some of the most important takeaways for me are the titles of some of his chapters. This is not to say that the chapters themselves do not have content, they do. But really, one could find inspiration from the titles themselves. The ones that really spoke to me were "The Small Group Is the Unit of Transformation" and "Questions Are More Transforming Than Answer." These things might seem intuitive, but reading about them forced me to deeply reflect on the idea behind them. Additionally, the book poses some questions that I think will be very helpful when I convene the HRC RA staff together next year for fall training.

This book is definitely worth a read if you are interested in the idea of creating community. Just don't expect to have practical examples or step-by-steps. However, it is a great though piece.

Community: The Structure of Belonging

Pronto

I have been aware of Elmore Leonard for several years now, due to praise in magazines for his crime writing, the mention of his name in an Old 97's song, and because he created the character upon which the TV show Justified is based. However, I had not yet had a chance to read any of his work.

I chose Pronto, because I knew that it featured his character Raylan Givens, the lead from FX's Justified. As I was already familiar with the character, I thought it might be a great introduction to Elmore Leonard. The book was actually pretty great.I thoroughly enjoyed Leonard's writing style - it is casual and descriptive, reminding me of the way people actually observe the world.

The story centers around Harry Arno, a Miami bookie, with ties to the Mob. The Feds want an in to the Mob, so they spread rumors about Arno so that the Mob will make a move on him and the Feds can move in.This doesn't exactly work, but does in fact put a hit out on Arno. Aware of this, he flees to Italy, where he had previously served during the great war. Raylan is a figure in the story, as he was the US Marshal assigned to protect Arno. He gives chase to Italy in an effort to protect Arno and bring him back to the US. The end of the book actually ends with the beginning scene of Justified.

Pronto

Creating Campus Community: In Search of Ernest Boyer's Legacy

As we are rapidly approaching the end of the academic year, I have been doing a lot of reflecting on the work that we have done in the HRC so far. We came in with very ambitious ideas and have accomplished many of them. One of these is that of creating a strong community. As I start to think about next year, I have been thinking about ways to bolster what is already a robust community, in an effort to make it sustainable after those of us who started this endeavor move on to other tasks.

To this end, I have been thinking a lot about community and wanted to start reading a bit more about it. The first book I read was Creating Campus Community: In Search of Ernest Boyer's Legacy, by William McDonald (editor). This volume showed many examples of how various institutions have worked to construct community on their campuses. Each of the five campuses have recognized the impact that strong community has on student learning and invested resources to building community to that end. It posed some good points upon which to reflect, but probably the most inspiring aspects were the foreword and afterword by Parker Palmer.

Ironically, I was able to meet Dr.William McDonald the day after I finished reading the book, as he was at a table adjacent to ours at The Placement Exchange.

Creating Campus Community: In Search of Ernest Boyer's Legacy

The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul

Having just finished Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency, I was excited to read Douglas Adams’ follow up, The Long Dark Tea-Time of theSoul. While I thought the first book was fairly interesting, I found Tea-Time to be much funnier.

This novel focuses on Dirk Gently, far more than the previous book named after him. This book spends much more time on Dirk’s character. The novel itself focuses on the mystery of an explosion at an airport, the death of one of Dirk’s clients, and the Norse gods. Surprisingly, all of these stories come together into one unique plot.

As usual, Adams included plenty of funny observations, descriptions, and one-liners. I laughed aloud at several points during this book, something that reminded me of Adams’ Hitchhiker books. It is definitely worth a read if you enjoy Adams' writing and humor.

Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency

As previously stated, I have been teaching a course on the History of the Blues and Race Relations in America and as such have been reading multiple books at once. As such, I have not posted as frequently as I would like because I have slowed down in my reading. However, I intend to write more as much as I can.

I recently finished Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency by Douglas Adams. Adams is one of my favorite authors, having penned TheHitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy and its associated five-book trilogy. Just the numbering system for that book series should give some insight into Adams’ style of quirky writing. Reading much like a British sitcom, his works are satirical and often provide interesting insight into the human experience. At other times, it is just absurd. However, this is what often makes me laugh aloud at his writing.

This particular book, while not as funny as Hitchhiker, was a rather good read. It centers on Richard MacDuff, his college tutor Reg from St. Cedd’s College, Dirk Gently, and other equally as quirky characters. Richard is loosely involved in a larger mystery, in which Reg is a key player, and ultimately solicits the help of his long-lost college pal Dirk Gently. They mystery results in misadventures typical of Adams and concludes quickly.

A couple great quotes are found in the book. The first is related to someone sitting on a horse. “It is difficult to be sat on all day, every day, by some other creature, without forming an opinion about them. On the other hand, it is perfectly possible to sit all day, every day, on top of another creature and not have the slightest thought about them whatsoever.” Very great observation.

The other quote that resonated with me dealt with the idea of god and belief. “Capital letters were always the best way of dealing with things you didn’t have a good answer for.”

Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency

The History of the Blues

So, I am probably going to start reading multiple books at once due to the fact that I am teaching an independent study and will still want to read for pleasure. The independent study is the History of the Blues and Race Relations in the United States.

The first book we are reading for the class is The History of the Blues: The Roots, The Music, The People. Thus far, it has proven to be a really interesting look into the historical context that allowed the blues to be created. The author does a great job providing insight into the social, economic, and political conditions of the era.

I am very interested to see where the rest of the book takes us.

Order in Chaos by Jack Whyte

No, I have not been on hiatus ... I have been reading the book, Order in Chaos by Jack Whyte. A rather lengthy novel, Order in Chaos is the third and final installment of Whyte's Templar novels.

Set over a 7 year span starting in 1307, Order in Chaos chronicles the travels and exploits of Templar Knight William Sinclair, one of the last of the Temple's leaders to still be free after the events of October 13, 1307, in which French King Philip IV, or Philip the Fair, ordered the arrest of all the Templars in France.

Alerted in advance to the King's plot, Sinclair escapes France with a number of Temple knights, the Temple's most valuable treasure, and the Lady Jessica Randolph, fleeing to Sinclair's homeland of Scotland. The novel then chronicles the remaining Templars' exodus in Scotland, their interactions with King Robert Bruce, and Sinclair's attempt to keep the Order of the Temple intact.

A fictional work, this novel explores the possible connection of the Knights Templar with the modern day Freemasons. This connection is never explicitly stated, but there are subtle references woven throughout and anyone with a vague knowledge of Masonry should be able to make the connection. The book is rather lengthy, weighing in a bit over 900 pages, but proves an interesting read.

Order in Chaos by Jack Whyte

The Templar Legion

This adventure novel is set primarily in Africa and deals less with Templars, or even a legion, than the name implies. Retired Army Ranger Lt. Col. John "Doc" Holliday, a sometimes professor at West Point, is pulled into an adventure full of intrigue and historical reference in Africa when his cousin Peggy's husband makes an archaelogical find in Ethiopa. Traveling along the Nile river, the trio follow the historic path of a Templar scholar, a viking explorer, and the lost Roman legion, all searching for the legendary King Solomon's mines.

Simultaneously, Kukuanaland (an African country) is on the verge of another military coup, into which the trio is ultimately involved.  The overall story deals very little with the Templar connection and more with the various plans and double-crossing involving the two intertwined stories. However, this does not make the book any less of an enjoyable read. The story was entertaining and went by relatively quickly.

The Templar Legion

The Loved Dog: The Playful, Nonaggressive Way to Teach Your Dog Good Behavior - Finished

I finished this book last night and actually rather enjoyed it. It has what I hope to be some useful tips for training dogs in playful, non-aggressive ways. While at times, Tamar Geller's method seem a bit saccharine (repeating a dog's actions in a "sing-song" voice and "making a party"), it seems like they would work. Her entire training plan focuses on positive and negative reinforcement. You should positively reinforce behavior by praising your dog's actions and negatively reinforce behavior by turning your back and/or acting displeased. However, Geller's main thesis is that one should not scare, hit, frighten, or otherwise intimidate one's dog. Since I read the book in just a few days, I have not yet had time to try all of the methods on Sally, but I intend to.

If you intend to use Geller's methods, be sure to have plenty of treats on hand. She liberally uses treats to reward good behavior. Another time for stopping a jumping dog is to turn your back to it. If you are displeased a want to get a dog's attention, make noises "like a dolphin."

The book also has some interesting elements, such as Geller's disclosure of her own abused childhood, her stint in the Israeli army, and quite a bit of namedropping of the celebrities she has worked for. Additionally, there is an appendix to the book regarding puppy mills. However, overall the book was a quick read, easy to understand and presumeably has good tips.

The Loved Dog: The Playful, Non-Agressive Way to Teach Your Dog Good Behavior

The Loved Dog: The Playful, Nonaggressive Way to Teach Your Dog Good Behavior

I just started reading this book today, after owning it for about four or five years. My mother gave it to me several years ago because she knew I wanted to get a dog. However, I put off reading the book until I actually had a dog. Now that I have Sally, it seemed the appropriate time to start reading the book. So, while I was home for winter break, I dug it out of my boxes of books in the basement and brought it back to Blacksburg.

I just started reading it this morning and have actually only read about a page and half, but I am already impressed. The author, Tamar Geller, makes a comparison between bringing a new dog into the home and visiting another country that has different cultural norms. It was a really powerful analogy that highlighted the different expectations between the dog and the owner and the language barrier that can intensify the problem.

Based on this simple page and a half introduction, I am looking forward to seeing how Geller further explains the playful, nonaggressive way to teach good behavior. Hopefully some of these strategies will work with Sally, although she is already a good dog to begin with.

The Loved Dog: The Playful, Nonaggressive Way to Teach Your Dog Good Behavior

The Inner Circle by Brad Meltzer

This was an interesting political thriller set in Washington, DC. The story focuses on Beecher White, a staff member at the National Archive, who stumbles upon a book hidden in the bottom of a chair used exclusively by the president. This mishap catapults him into a mystery involving the President of the United States, an old high-school crush, an attempted presidential assassin, and a 200-year old secret society known as the Culper Ring.

Having read at least one other book by Meltzer, I was pleased with this book. It was a fairly quick read, but was also rather interesting. It kept my attention and provided plenty of twists that provided plenty of intrigue.

The Inner Circle by Brad Meltzer