Title: Night of Thunder
Author: Stephen Hunter
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Copyright: 2008
ISBN-13: 0-978-14165-6511-6
I highly recommend this novel.
Stephen Hunter is one of my favorite authors. I anxiously await each new novel and his latest, “Night of Thunder” is a good one.
Bob Lee Swagger, Mr Hunter’s finest character and protagonist of this and many other Stephen Hunter novels, is getting long in the tooth; but not too long in the tooth to find out who injured his grown up daughter, Nikki and why. He’s still at heart the Marine Corps sniper with 87 kills in Viet Nam; tough as nails and deadly accurate with a gun.
As always, with Stephen Hunter’s novels, I loved every second of it.
Links to other Book Reviews in this Blog
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
The Corporate Blogging Book
Title: The Corporate Blogging Book
Author: Debbie Weil
Publisher: The Penguin Group
Copyright: 2006
ISBN: 1-59184-125-9
I recommend this book.
As you can tell – I’m into blogging. “The Corporate Blogging Book” is an introduction to the world of corporate blogging - as in blogging as marketing, blogging as customer service and blogging as communication; and, internal corporate blogging – as in project management and employee communication and feedback.
Blogging is still relatively new but its growing fast. This 2006 book is dated in many respects, but as an introduction to how and why blogging is being done by corporations it was an eye opener. I’m looking at ways to incorporate blogging into my job as a direct result of reading this book.
If you have an interest in blogging, or perhaps in developing a new marketable skill within your current organization, “The Corporate Blogging Book” is worth the read.
Links to other Book Reviews in this Blog
Author: Debbie Weil
Publisher: The Penguin Group
Copyright: 2006
ISBN: 1-59184-125-9
I recommend this book.
As you can tell – I’m into blogging. “The Corporate Blogging Book” is an introduction to the world of corporate blogging - as in blogging as marketing, blogging as customer service and blogging as communication; and, internal corporate blogging – as in project management and employee communication and feedback.
Blogging is still relatively new but its growing fast. This 2006 book is dated in many respects, but as an introduction to how and why blogging is being done by corporations it was an eye opener. I’m looking at ways to incorporate blogging into my job as a direct result of reading this book.
If you have an interest in blogging, or perhaps in developing a new marketable skill within your current organization, “The Corporate Blogging Book” is worth the read.
Links to other Book Reviews in this Blog
Monday, November 9, 2009
Red Lightning
Title: Red Lightning
Author: John Varley
Publisher: The Berkley Publishing Group
Copyright: 2006
ISBN: 0-441-01364-3
I recommend this novel.
John Varley is a solid science fiction writer and “Red Lightning" does not disappoint. It’s the provocative story of a colony on Mars that achieves political independence and the critical exploits of one prominent Mars colony family in making that happen.
It was fun to read.
Links to other Book Reviews in this Blog
Author: John Varley
Publisher: The Berkley Publishing Group
Copyright: 2006
ISBN: 0-441-01364-3
I recommend this novel.
John Varley is a solid science fiction writer and “Red Lightning" does not disappoint. It’s the provocative story of a colony on Mars that achieves political independence and the critical exploits of one prominent Mars colony family in making that happen.
It was fun to read.
Links to other Book Reviews in this Blog
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Mind Over Muscle
Return to "Martial Arts Library"
Return to "Martial Arts - Neko Ryu Goshin Jitsu"
Title: Mind Over Muscle
Author: Jigoro Kano
Publisher: Kodansha International Ltd
Copyright: 2005
ISBN: 978-4-7700-3015-3
I highly recommend “Mind Over Muscle” to martial artists and those curious about the martial arts.
After training in various other martial arts Jigoro Kano created Judo in 1882. He assembled Judo by picking, choosing and modifying techniques to make Judo effective yet safe to practice at full speed and power.
Once he’d defined the physical essentials he gave considerable thought to the philosophical and social underpinnings of his new martial art.
“Mind Over Muscle” is a collection of Jigoro Kano’s writings on the founding of Judo, the philosophical and social underpinnings of Judo, and the individual and social virtues developed through the practice of Judo.
I found Professor Kano’s thoughts applicable to my life outside martial arts and worthy of study and contemplation.
The collection was complied and edited by Naoki Murata and translated from the original Japanese by Nancy H Ross.
Return to "Martial Arts Library"
Return to "Martial Arts - Neko Ryu Goshin Jitsu"
Link to the Special Report: Mind Over Muscle - Jigoro Kano's Judo
Link to other Book Reviews
Return to "Martial Arts - Neko Ryu Goshin Jitsu"
Title: Mind Over Muscle
Author: Jigoro Kano
Publisher: Kodansha International Ltd
Copyright: 2005
ISBN: 978-4-7700-3015-3
I highly recommend “Mind Over Muscle” to martial artists and those curious about the martial arts.
After training in various other martial arts Jigoro Kano created Judo in 1882. He assembled Judo by picking, choosing and modifying techniques to make Judo effective yet safe to practice at full speed and power.
Once he’d defined the physical essentials he gave considerable thought to the philosophical and social underpinnings of his new martial art.
“Mind Over Muscle” is a collection of Jigoro Kano’s writings on the founding of Judo, the philosophical and social underpinnings of Judo, and the individual and social virtues developed through the practice of Judo.
I found Professor Kano’s thoughts applicable to my life outside martial arts and worthy of study and contemplation.
The collection was complied and edited by Naoki Murata and translated from the original Japanese by Nancy H Ross.
Return to "Martial Arts Library"
Return to "Martial Arts - Neko Ryu Goshin Jitsu"
Link to the Special Report: Mind Over Muscle - Jigoro Kano's Judo
Link to other Book Reviews
Sunday, October 4, 2009
The Road to Damascus
Title: The Road to Damascus
Author: John Ringo & Linda Evans
Publisher: Baen Publishing Enterprises
Copyright: 2004
ISBN: 0-7434-7187-3
I highly recommend “The Road to Damascus”.
The title references the Apostle Paul’s encounter with the risen Jesus while Paul was on the road to Damascus. It’s an apt title.
Sonny, a 20,000 ton sentient war machine called a Bolo, is on a mission during which he encounters a four-year old child armed with a pop gun. Sonny stops and is unable to move for a time while he reviews his memory banks recalling the events that led him to be at this time and place and he reconsiders his mission and the purpose of his creators.
In recounting twelve years of history from Sonny’s perspective, John Ringo and Linda Evans present a timely and prescient discussion of a political party, PAPPA, which wins control over all three branches of the representative constitutional republic of the planet Jefferson.
PAPPA, motivated by strong populist socialist ideology proceeds to disassemble the capitalist economy justifying each incursion as a response to a new crisis. In the end, the economy is destroyed and a major portion of the population is in open armed rebellion. Sonny, by historical accident, is on the wrong side.
That the book was published in 2004 precludes the possibility that they wrote it in response to the current lurch to the left we are experiencing under Barack Obama. But while reading “The Road to Damascus” one wonders which of the authors is the prophet.
Links to other Book Reviews in this Blog
Author: John Ringo & Linda Evans
Publisher: Baen Publishing Enterprises
Copyright: 2004
ISBN: 0-7434-7187-3
I highly recommend “The Road to Damascus”.
The title references the Apostle Paul’s encounter with the risen Jesus while Paul was on the road to Damascus. It’s an apt title.
Sonny, a 20,000 ton sentient war machine called a Bolo, is on a mission during which he encounters a four-year old child armed with a pop gun. Sonny stops and is unable to move for a time while he reviews his memory banks recalling the events that led him to be at this time and place and he reconsiders his mission and the purpose of his creators.
In recounting twelve years of history from Sonny’s perspective, John Ringo and Linda Evans present a timely and prescient discussion of a political party, PAPPA, which wins control over all three branches of the representative constitutional republic of the planet Jefferson.
PAPPA, motivated by strong populist socialist ideology proceeds to disassemble the capitalist economy justifying each incursion as a response to a new crisis. In the end, the economy is destroyed and a major portion of the population is in open armed rebellion. Sonny, by historical accident, is on the wrong side.
That the book was published in 2004 precludes the possibility that they wrote it in response to the current lurch to the left we are experiencing under Barack Obama. But while reading “The Road to Damascus” one wonders which of the authors is the prophet.
Links to other Book Reviews in this Blog
Thursday, October 1, 2009
The Last Centurion
Title: The Last Centurion
Author: John Ringo
Publisher: Baen Publishing Enterprises
Copyright: 2008
ISBN: 978-1-4391-3291-3
I highly recommend “The Last Centurion”.
John Ringo has become my favorite author. Mostly he writes science fiction with a military bent and he is very good at it. “The Last Centurion” can’t be called science fiction (not be me at least) because it is set in the near future of 2019 - 2021.
Published in 2008 the novel combines military adventure with serious social commentary. Ringo explains how the world works in many ways. He explains the difference between organic and industrial farming methods. He explains the spread of a flu epidemic and vaccinations. He explains socialism and capitalism.
“The Last Centurion” is a useful addition to conservative literature. He only missed the target on two points; (1) he guessed wrong on who would win the Democrat primary and the subsequent general election in 2008; and (2) he uses the “F” bomb too much for comfort – not too much for his professional solder protagonist mind you, just too much for the reader’s comfort.
Links to other Book Reviews in this Blog
Author: John Ringo
Publisher: Baen Publishing Enterprises
Copyright: 2008
ISBN: 978-1-4391-3291-3
I highly recommend “The Last Centurion”.
John Ringo has become my favorite author. Mostly he writes science fiction with a military bent and he is very good at it. “The Last Centurion” can’t be called science fiction (not be me at least) because it is set in the near future of 2019 - 2021.
Published in 2008 the novel combines military adventure with serious social commentary. Ringo explains how the world works in many ways. He explains the difference between organic and industrial farming methods. He explains the spread of a flu epidemic and vaccinations. He explains socialism and capitalism.
“The Last Centurion” is a useful addition to conservative literature. He only missed the target on two points; (1) he guessed wrong on who would win the Democrat primary and the subsequent general election in 2008; and (2) he uses the “F” bomb too much for comfort – not too much for his professional solder protagonist mind you, just too much for the reader’s comfort.
Links to other Book Reviews in this Blog
Sunday, September 6, 2009
1632 (The Ring of Fire Series)
Title: 1632
Author: Eric Flint
Publisher: Baen Publishing
Copyright: 2000
ISBN: 0-671-31972-8
I highly recommend The Ring of Fire series starting with the original novel “1632”.
Eric Flint is the creator and guiding light of this very collaborative science fiction alternate reality series. He authored “1632” but all other books in the series so far are collaborative efforts with an entire “bull pen” of stand out SF writers.
The short stories in the anthology volumes were entirely written by others - Eric Flint serving as editor. In all cases, in Eric Flint’s words, the contributions of the other authors have been integral to the main story lines of the series, including characters and events.
With so many contributors to this growing alternate history universe, and with Eric Flint’s guiding hand, The Ring of Fire is easily becoming the most rigorously complete “Future History” compilation I’ve seen.
The key event in this alternate universe is the sudden and unexplained transposition of the town of Grantville, West Virginia from 2000 AD to the hinterlands of the German principalities in 1632 - the height of the Thirty Years Wars. 21st Century Americans’ effects on 17th Century culture, beliefs, science, medicine, warfare, politics, and power structures give the authors a nearly infinite variety of themes, plots, characters, and surprises to keep this series going for many more years – I’m looking forward to them all.
I’ve not yet read all of the currently published volumes in The Ring of Fire series. Those I have read are without exception fun and interesting. At the bottom of this post are listed (with links) the volumes I’ve read over these past eight years.
Enjoy!
Novels:
1632 (The Assiti Shards)
1633
1634: The Galileo Affair (The Assiti Shards)
1634: The Bavarian Crisis (Ring of Fire)
1634: The Baltic War (The Ring of Fire)
1635: The Cannon Law (Assiti Shards)
Anthologies:
1634: The Ram Rebellion (The Assiti Shards)
Ring of Fire (The Ring of Fire)
Ring of Fire II (v. 2)
Links to other Book Reviews in this Blog
Author: Eric Flint
Publisher: Baen Publishing
Copyright: 2000
ISBN: 0-671-31972-8
I highly recommend The Ring of Fire series starting with the original novel “1632”.
Eric Flint is the creator and guiding light of this very collaborative science fiction alternate reality series. He authored “1632” but all other books in the series so far are collaborative efforts with an entire “bull pen” of stand out SF writers.
The short stories in the anthology volumes were entirely written by others - Eric Flint serving as editor. In all cases, in Eric Flint’s words, the contributions of the other authors have been integral to the main story lines of the series, including characters and events.
With so many contributors to this growing alternate history universe, and with Eric Flint’s guiding hand, The Ring of Fire is easily becoming the most rigorously complete “Future History” compilation I’ve seen.
The key event in this alternate universe is the sudden and unexplained transposition of the town of Grantville, West Virginia from 2000 AD to the hinterlands of the German principalities in 1632 - the height of the Thirty Years Wars. 21st Century Americans’ effects on 17th Century culture, beliefs, science, medicine, warfare, politics, and power structures give the authors a nearly infinite variety of themes, plots, characters, and surprises to keep this series going for many more years – I’m looking forward to them all.
I’ve not yet read all of the currently published volumes in The Ring of Fire series. Those I have read are without exception fun and interesting. At the bottom of this post are listed (with links) the volumes I’ve read over these past eight years.
Enjoy!
Novels:
1632 (The Assiti Shards)
1633
1634: The Galileo Affair (The Assiti Shards)
1634: The Bavarian Crisis (Ring of Fire)
1634: The Baltic War (The Ring of Fire)
1635: The Cannon Law (Assiti Shards)
Anthologies:
1634: The Ram Rebellion (The Assiti Shards)
Ring of Fire (The Ring of Fire)
Ring of Fire II (v. 2)
Links to other Book Reviews in this Blog
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Links to Book Reviews
1632 (The Ring of Fire Series)
A Boy and His Tank
A Desert Called Peace
A State of Disobedience
Benjamin Graham on Value Investing: Lessons From the Dean of Wall Street
Carnifex
Catastrophe
Chain of Destiny
Claws That Catch & the Looking Glass Series
Code of Honor
Dawn of Empire
Karate-Do: My Way of Life
Max: A Maximum Ride Novel
Mind Over Muscle
Nolo's Quick LLC
One Day On Mars
Night of Thunder
Persuader
Red Lightning
Red Phoenix
Steel Beach
The Corporate Blogging Book
The Kite Runner
The Last Centurion
The Proper Care & Feeding of Marriage
The Road to Damascus
The Tau Ceti Agenda
The Theory of Constraints and its Implications for Management Accounting
Trilogy - Kushiel's Dart, Kushiel's Chosen, Kushiel's Avatar
Trilogy - Kushiel's Scion, Kushiel's Justice, and Kushiel's Mercy
Twitter Power
Wikinomics
A Boy and His Tank
A Desert Called Peace
A State of Disobedience
Benjamin Graham on Value Investing: Lessons From the Dean of Wall Street
Carnifex
Catastrophe
Chain of Destiny
Claws That Catch & the Looking Glass Series
Code of Honor
Dawn of Empire
Karate-Do: My Way of Life
Max: A Maximum Ride Novel
Mind Over Muscle
Nolo's Quick LLC
One Day On Mars
Night of Thunder
Persuader
Red Lightning
Red Phoenix
Steel Beach
The Corporate Blogging Book
The Kite Runner
The Last Centurion
The Proper Care & Feeding of Marriage
The Road to Damascus
The Tau Ceti Agenda
The Theory of Constraints and its Implications for Management Accounting
Trilogy - Kushiel's Dart, Kushiel's Chosen, Kushiel's Avatar
Trilogy - Kushiel's Scion, Kushiel's Justice, and Kushiel's Mercy
Twitter Power
Wikinomics
Links to My Library Categories:
Catastrophe
Title: Catastrophe
Author: Dick Morris & Eileen McGann
Publisher: HarperCollins
Copyright: 2009
ISBN: 978-0-06-177104-0
I recommend “Catastrophe.
Subtitled “How Obama, Congress, and the Special Interests are Transforming a Slump into a Crash, Freedom into Socialism, and a Disaster into a Catastrophe and How to Fight Back”, Catastrophe lives up to its subtitle.
Dick Morris & Eileen McGann present chapter by chapter the catastrophe that is the Left and its Messiah, Barack Obama.
Here is a selection of Chapter headings for flavor:
Chapter 1: “Obama’s War on Prosperity”
Chapter 4: “Obama’s Health Care Catastrophe”
Chapter 5: “Obama’s Blueprint for Political Domination”
Chapter 12: “Pay to Play: No-Bid Contracts Exchanged for Campaign Cash”
The authors include a recommendation for you to take specific action at the end of each chapter.
Catastrophe is an important resource for Americans motivated to stop the Socialist takeover of the United States.
Catastrophe
Links to other Book Reviews in this Blog
Author: Dick Morris & Eileen McGann
Publisher: HarperCollins
Copyright: 2009
ISBN: 978-0-06-177104-0
I recommend “Catastrophe.
Subtitled “How Obama, Congress, and the Special Interests are Transforming a Slump into a Crash, Freedom into Socialism, and a Disaster into a Catastrophe and How to Fight Back”, Catastrophe lives up to its subtitle.
Dick Morris & Eileen McGann present chapter by chapter the catastrophe that is the Left and its Messiah, Barack Obama.
Here is a selection of Chapter headings for flavor:
Chapter 1: “Obama’s War on Prosperity”
Chapter 4: “Obama’s Health Care Catastrophe”
Chapter 5: “Obama’s Blueprint for Political Domination”
Chapter 12: “Pay to Play: No-Bid Contracts Exchanged for Campaign Cash”
The authors include a recommendation for you to take specific action at the end of each chapter.
Catastrophe is an important resource for Americans motivated to stop the Socialist takeover of the United States.
Catastrophe
Links to other Book Reviews in this Blog
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Steel Beach
Title: Steel Beach
Author: John Varley
Publisher: The Berkley Publishing Group
Copyright: 1992
ISBN: 0-441-78565-4
I recommend “Steel Beach”.
Why do people kill themselves? Should humans be cloned? Could a person’s personality and memories be transferred into the body of his own clone? What if a sentient supercomputer developed a mental illness? Would or should people allow themselves to be governed by the ultimate philosopher-king?
These are issues John Varley tackles in “Steel Beach” where Luna is one of eight surviving human communities exiled from Earth after a short but successful alien invasion.
Hildy Johnson is a complex character at the heart of the conflict when CC, the sentient supercomputer in charge of Luna, goes split-personality schizophrenic. Hildy with her internal questions and struggles for answers is far more interesting than the plot. They make this book worth the read.
Links to other Book Reviews in this Blog
Author: John Varley
Publisher: The Berkley Publishing Group
Copyright: 1992
ISBN: 0-441-78565-4
I recommend “Steel Beach”.
Why do people kill themselves? Should humans be cloned? Could a person’s personality and memories be transferred into the body of his own clone? What if a sentient supercomputer developed a mental illness? Would or should people allow themselves to be governed by the ultimate philosopher-king?
These are issues John Varley tackles in “Steel Beach” where Luna is one of eight surviving human communities exiled from Earth after a short but successful alien invasion.
Hildy Johnson is a complex character at the heart of the conflict when CC, the sentient supercomputer in charge of Luna, goes split-personality schizophrenic. Hildy with her internal questions and struggles for answers is far more interesting than the plot. They make this book worth the read.
Links to other Book Reviews in this Blog
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