Walden on Wheels – Ken Ilgunas

(January 2014) Memoir / Self-help / Minimalist

Walden on Wheels, by Ken Ilgunas, really resonated with me.

Partly it was the minimalist message, about the benefits of going through life with less, and partly it was the appeal of nature (he spends a lot of the book in Alaska).

This is a very readable book, and I polished it off in a couple of days. Basically it’s autobiographical and describes the author’s life after he realizes how much debt he is taking on in college, and his subsequent struggle to get rid of it and figure out how to live.

It’s a funny book and seems very honest. The only drawback might be that it can be a little preachy at times, and even somewhat smug. I agree with the author almost completely though, so neither of those bothered me 😉

At $3.99 for the Kindle version, I wholeheartedly recommend Walden on Wheels.

8/10

Inside Out – Barry Eisler

(January 2014) Thriller

I also re-read Inside Out by Barry Eisler this month. It’s actually a sequel, but I haven’t read the first book Fault Line.

The book is a pretty good action thriller, all based on contemporary events (from a couple of years ago now). The characters are great, especially the antagonist Larison. The story is engaging and very plausible.

Where the book falls down though, is in how the author allows his political views to swamp the story. I actually pretty much completely agree with how Eisler sees the world (I would characterize him as a realistic liberal) but even so found the political commentary and explanation a bit tedious.

He’s kind of like the anti-Tom Clancy, whose later books were coated in a kind of right-wing slime that spoiled the stories.

Inside Out is an entertaining read but a pulpy one. You will probably enjoy the book but won’t remember it much a few months down the line.

7/10

A Lonely Resurrection (Hard Rain) – Barry Eisler

(December 2013) Thriller

I re-read A Lonely Resurrection by Barry Eisler for the third time last week. To be honest, I like the original title Hard Rain better, but the content is just as good as it was before.

This is the second title in the Rain series (the first used to be Rain Fall, now it’s called A Clean Kill in Tokyo), and I think it’s the best one. To be honest, I only like the first and second books, as I think the third and subsequent ones become a bit samey and less interesting once they leave Japan.

In the books John Rain is an assassin whose speciality is killing people and making it look accidental. We meet him and his enemies in the first book, and this second one puts him up against a more visceral opponent: a kind of dark mirror image of himself.

The books are set in Japan at the beginning of the century, and frequently mention Japanese society and politics. They are well-plotted, exciting, and contain lots of seemingly authentic detail (the author worked for the CIA briefly).

Well recommended, but skip the later books in the series.

8/10

This Will Never Happen Again – David Cain

(December 2013) Essays / Self-help / Learning

This Will Never Happen Again, by David Cain, is a collection of essays from his blog Raptitude. I really enjoy his writing, so this book went down a treat.

David writes about life and his essays are philosophical and inspiring. Basically, I would recommend having a read of his blog, and if you like it go ahead and get the book (it’s only $3 on Kindle).

4/5

Little Brother – Cory Doctorow

(November 2013) Thriller / Young adult

Little Brother, by Cory Doctorow, is a young adult thriller that basically attempts to make the case for why the US government’s security policies post 9-11 are ineffective and harmful.

I tend to agree with this viewpoint, so I enjoyed the book in that sense. Little Brother is also well-paced, and keeps the reader emotionally involved in the story.

Unfortunately, I found some of the writing awkward, especially the parts where Doctorow explains various aspects of technology or geek culture. It reminded me of Tom Clancy and his long-winded explanations of military technology…

The plot is also somewhat implausible, but if you can suspend your disbelief a little, this book has a lot to say about a topic that is still a very important issue for Americans and others around the globe. It also manages to be an exciting read 🙂

3/5.

Searching for Bobby Fischer – Fred Waitzkin

(October 2013) Memoir / Chess / Autobiography

Searching for Bobby Fischer, by Fred Waitzkin, is the story of his experiences as the father of a gifted young player. I read The Art of Learning, written by his son Josh, last week, and in a way that book set this one up for me.

It’s an interesting read, probably more so if you understand chess, but the book is really about competition and the complexity of parenting. It’s also a look at an interesting time (the ’80s) and includes a visit to Russia towards the end of the Soviet Union.

I enjoyed the book and now want to watch the film!

BZRK Reloaded – Michael Grant

(October 2013) Science fiction / Young adult

I finished BZRK in a couple of days, and BZRK Reloaded in one day. Luckily it was a travel day, so I could spend the whole day with my head in a book without neglecting my responsibilities too much 😉

Basically, it’s more of the same. If you haven’t read the first book, read it before this one. If you have, you know what to expect.

Grant uses foreshadowing and builds tension expertly in this book. The story develops, and we got to know the characters better.

If anything, it’s better than BZRK. Can’t wait for the third one…

BZRK – Michael Grant

(October 2013) Science fiction / Young adult

Now this is more like it. BZRK, by Michael Grant, is a dark, grim, SF-noir vision of the near future. I’m not even sure if it counts as Young Adult fiction due to how violent and nasty some of it is. I guess it does as the main characters are teens.

The premise, while a bit implausible, is executed impeccably. Grant can write!

I finished this late last night, and immediately downloaded the next book (I overslept this morning). Well recommended.

The Art of Learning – Josh Waitzkin

(October 2013) Memoir / Self-help / Learning

I really enjoyed The Art of Learning, by Josh Waitzkin, but I don’t think it will be for everyone. The one-star reviews on Amazon are valid from a certain perspective.

If I had to describe this book, I would say it was a very readable autobiography about someone who mastered two very different pursuits. It also touches upon learning, but for me at least in an ‘interesting but so unlike me as to not be useful’ way.

This is no So Good They Can’t Ignore You, which I think does have a lot to say about learning and work.

I played chess (not particularly well) when I was younger, and also dabbled in martial arts for about fifteen years (also not very well) which made this book fascinating for me. It’s basically about the author playing chess and practicing competitive Tai Chi. He ended up being world-class at both and writes well to boot.

Basically I don’t think this has much that will apply to my life, despite the author’s aim of helping others with his story, but I sped through the book. If you understand chess and/or martial arts, or you just want to read about an obsessive person, you may also enjoy this book.

I’m going to read his dad’s book, Searching for Bobby Fischer, next.

Space Cadet – Robert A. Heinlein

(October 2013) Science fiction

I needed something to get the taste of Insurgent out of my mouth, so I downloaded this classic book by Heinlein.

Space Cadet was written in 1948, and is basically the UN in space (or at least how people thought the UN was going to turn out back then). It is very dated now in terms of both language and content. I found it a bit hard going at times because of this.

However, it is amazing if you take into account when it was written. Heinlein predicted so much of what we now take as commonplace. He even nailed cellphones!

The story is very readable too. I recommend this museum piece to SF fans, but if you are not particularly hardcore you might enjoy something more contemporary (like my favourite Iain M. Banks book).

Anyone else read Space Cadet?