Khadaji's Whatcha Readin' - August 2013

[Eleanor_of_Aquitaine]

@Eleanor_of_Aquitaine

… I’ve just ordered a copy of Hilary Mantel’s 1998 novel The Giant, O’Brien, which is about Charles Byrne, whose extremely tall skeleton Hunter collected (against Byrne’s explicit wishes) and which remains in the Hunterian Museum today.

@Malthus

The Hunterian is well worth a visit. I went there when I was in London, as a result of reading The Knife Man, and it did not dissapoint!

Also, I read a horrifying theory that Hunter may have participated in serial murder in pursuit of knowledge. The evidence is entirely circumstantial, though, and it is based on this (if I remember it correctly): Hunter gained fame by publishiung an anatomical study of the uterus during all stages of pregnancy that is very accurate, and must have been done “from life”.

As is well known, Hunter employed a gang of toughs as his “resurrection men” to get desireable human corpses for him to study and collect (that’s how he “acquired” the Irish Giant, Byrne). Clearly, his gang must have gotten bodies of pregnant women for him to study.

However, someone did a statistical analysis, and according to them, it is more or less impossible for Hunter to have obtained the necessary “examples” of pregnancy at various stages in order to make his study by “natural decease” - insufficient women dying at exactly the right time in their pregnancy in a city the size of London during the time of him doing the study. It is far more probable (or so the theory goes) that his gang of thugs did some “selecting” of women on his behalf, from among the London underclass (from which they would not have been missed).

Well, I didn’t like The Giant, O’Brien very much. I like Mantel’s writing style, but this had an awful lot of style without much substance. The subject was fascinating, but the book is poetic and chaotic and nearly incoherent in places. It does have a few brilliant scenes, one of which is John Hunter’s practical lecture to a group of potential resurrection men.

This fictional account doesn’t show Hunter actually killing anyone, but he’s paying paupers to be infected and experimented on. There’s a ludicrous scene to explain how he infects himself with syphilis while trying to infect one of those paupers. (There’s strong suspicion that Hunter did deliberately infect himself to study the course of the disease.)

Hunter has a cameo in one of Diana Gabaldon’s historical time-travel novels (The Scottish Prisoner). A couple of men are about to duel, and Hunter is lurking around, hoping to obtain a fresh corpse. One of the duelists leaves frantic instructions to his second to prevent this.

[Siam_Sam]

@Elendil_s_Heir

That’s The Great Game. This is Kim’s Game: Kim's Game - Wikipedia

I see. That’s different. We never did that in Cub Scouts. And I sucked so badly at being a Cub Scout that I ended up blowing off Boy Scouts.

[phungi]

@FoieGrasIsEvil

Yes please. I’m in a time travelling zone.

An oldie but goodie: The Reincarnation of Peter Proud

[delphica]

I just finished Kate Atkinson’s Life After Life. I thought it was fantastic. It’s the story of an English woman, born early in the 20th century and living through WWI and WWII. Well, mostly living. The idea is that her life “resets” multiple times, so say, if she meets with a childhood accident that would cause her death, she goes back and gets a do over. Her different choices, many of them minor, create ripple effects that lead to entirely different futures. She’s not consciously aware of this, but the character has a lingering deja vu quality that does give her some measure of distress. Overall, it’s excellently written, the language is simply beautiful and I highly recommend it. I was surprised that even after I bought into the premise of dying multiple times, many of the deaths still packed a huge emotional punch.

Some questions for those who have read it, and the questions are major spoilers: [spoiler]

Sometimes comparing the events and players in a new life gives some insight into what happened in a previous life – do we ever get a hint as to who the man was who Ursula saw with her mother in London? That seemed like such an important thing, but a total one-off.

Also, any clues as to the identity of the child molester that kills Nancy in some of the time lines?

How do people feel about the plot about killing Hitler? I can imagine how this book might have even come about as the result of one of those conversations about “could you go back in time and kill Hitler? What if he was a baby?” But I almost wish she had kept the action to more personal events. I guess I feel like “killing Hitler” is too much of a tired cliche, but at the same time, if you’re going to explore this particular cliche, this is a really innovative way of doing it.

I think I missed something, and I suspect it’s probably the entire crux of the book, BUT what is the change that leads to Teddy surviving being shot down?

And not a question, but an observation … the death in Berlin, with the suicide pills, nearly killed me. Gawd, that was brutal. [/spoiler]

[Elendil_s_Heir]

My book club will be reading Life After Life soon. I restrained myself from reading the spoiler box.

Still really enjoying Roy Jenkins’s Churchill. Jenkins has a wry sense of humor that has me smiling often, and even laughing now and then. I’m up to the outbreak of WWI, when Churchill was First Lord of the Admiralty, having great fun but running himself ragged as the top politico in charge of the Royal Navy. Haven’t gotten to the bungled Gallipoli campaign yet.

[Grrlbrarian]

@Politzania

I downloaded a free audiobook version of The Peculiar early last month, thanks to www.audiobooksync.com - I wasn’t familiar with the novel or the author, but the description intrigued me.

The novel is set in an alternate-history Dickensian England, some time after an invasion by the Fairy Folk and the Smiling War (so named due to the innumerable grinning skulls in the aftermath of the fighting). The humans and the Fairy Folk have come to an uneasy truce, with highborn members of the Fae as representatives in Parliament, but each group generally keeps to themselves. What mixing there has been resulted in The Peculiars - half-breed children scorned by both groups.

[Full description snipped]

I’d recommend the novel to fans of period urban fantasy looking for something on the light side.

This caught my interest too, Politzania, when you described it. I’m about halfway through, and it’s wonderful! Thanks for the recommendation.

I’m also reading the first volume of The Order of the Stick, Dungeon Crawlin’ Fools. I don’t know how I missed this for so long. I was giggling as I read it last night.

Last but not least, I’m reading Joe Abercrombie’s Before They Are Hanged, the second in the First Law series. Loved the first one, love this one just as much, if not more.

[delphica]

@Elendil_s_Heir

My book club will be reading Life After Life soon. I restrained myself from reading the spoiler box.

Remember to come back to it! It’s one of those books where I really want to talk to someone about it, but none of my friends have read it yet.

[Elendil_s_Heir]

@delphica

Remember to come back to it! It’s one of those books where I really want to talk to someone about it, but none of my friends have read it yet.

I shall! The premise is intriguing.

[BrassyPhrase]

I got off my Pterry high. (Look, sometimes one has to skinpop!) And I’m reading Zealot And re-reading The Devil’s Teeth by Susan Casey.
It’s my SharkWeek (kinda disappointing) hangover ‘hair of the dog’

[Eleanor_of_Aquitaine]

@delphica

I just finished Kate Atkinson’s Life After Life. I thought it was fantastic. It’s the story of an English woman, born early in the 20th century and living through WWI and WWII. Well, mostly living. The idea is that her life “resets” multiple times, so say, if she meets with a childhood accident that would cause her death, she goes back and gets a do over. Her different choices, many of them minor, create ripple effects that lead to entirely different futures. She’s not consciously aware of this, but the character has a lingering deja vu quality that does give her some measure of distress. Overall, it’s excellently written, the language is simply beautiful and I highly recommend it. I was surprised that even after I bought into the premise of dying multiple times, many of the deaths still packed a huge emotional punch.

Some questions for those who have read it, and the questions are major spoilers: [spoiler]

Sometimes comparing the events and players in a new life gives some insight into what happened in a previous life – do we ever get a hint as to who the man was who Ursula saw with her mother in London? That seemed like such an important thing, but a total one-off.

Also, any clues as to the identity of the child molester that kills Nancy in some of the time lines?

How do people feel about the plot about killing Hitler? I can imagine how this book might have even come about as the result of one of those conversations about “could you go back in time and kill Hitler? What if he was a baby?” But I almost wish she had kept the action to more personal events. I guess I feel like “killing Hitler” is too much of a tired cliche, but at the same time, if you’re going to explore this particular cliche, this is a really innovative way of doing it.

I think I missed something, and I suspect it’s probably the entire crux of the book, BUT what is the change that leads to Teddy surviving being shot down?

And not a question, but an observation … the death in Berlin, with the suicide pills, nearly killed me. Gawd, that was brutal. [/spoiler]

delphica, I really liked the book, but I’ve already forgotten some of the details you’re asking about! I think I’ll re-read it in a few months. I’d like to get a paper copy, too - while reading this I kept wanting to flip back to reconfirm dates (“Wait, what year is this again?”) and that was hard to do on the kindle.

[spoiler]I did think there was a clue about the man Ursula saw, but now I don’t remember what it was. I don’t think we find out who the child molester was, although Ursula gets a glimpse of him in some of the timelines. And I don’t remember if there’s a specific action that keeps Teddy from being killed.

Ursula’s proximity to Hitler in some of the timelines was my least favorite aspect of the book. It just seemed so implausible, compared to the other stories. But it seems to be obligatory for any sort of time traveler to go after Hitler.

I loved the scenes during the Blitz in London. They reminded me of the stuff witnessed by Connie Willis’s time travelers in her WWII books.

What did you think of the ending, in regards to Sylvie’s comment that “practice makes perfect”? Do you think the author is implying that everyone is looping just like Ursula?[/spoiler]

[Tethered_Kite]

When I was eight I traveled to the Black Hills in South Dakota. In Keystone there was an old Dakota man in full Indian dress and I went up to him and asked him to make me an honorary member of his tribe. I think about that now and imagine there were so many things awry about that from today’s perspective. But that’s how it was.

And he smiled, all crinkly-eyed and handed me a peace pipe made from pipestone, put some feathered headdress on me and said a few words I assume were Dakota. Then he told me my name was Zitkala.

Just the other day I was going through old photos and I found the picture and wondered about the name he had chosen and after searching realized what a gift he had given me for the future.

Zitkala-Sa was a young Dakota womanwho was taken from her tribe and educated in the east where she proved to be a talented writer. Her autobiography can be found on line and I am presently reading it.

I’ve read Jim Northrup’sOn the Rez Road and it makes a good, older companion piece.

[Tethered_Kite]

Missed the edit. I meant that Zitkala-Sa’s work is the elder of the two. It certainly emphasizes how persistent the old ideas and attitudes remain.

[TheMerchandise]

I just finished Helene Wecker’s The Golem and the Jinni. I know many others here have read it and loved it. It was just wonderful. I was sad when it ended.

I was lucky enough to stumble into an advanced copy of Scott Lynch’s Republic of Thieves, the third in his Gentleman Bastards series. I’m thinking about shutting myself away until I can finish it.

[Catamount]

@TheMerchandise

I was lucky enough to stumble into an advanced copy of Scott Lynch’s Republic of Thieves, the third in his Gentleman Bastards series. I’m thinking about shutting myself away until I can finish it.

There’s a third one? I haven’t even read the second one yet! adds another layer onto Mt ToBeRead Which O’ertops Everest

I finished Hard Times which lived up to its name. Next up in the Dickens pile is Little Dorrit. I’m also reading Terry Jones’ Barbarians, which is wonderful. It’s fitting in well with a current line of thought I’ve been working on which is how the supposed barbarians are actually more civilized than the supposed civilized nations.

[delphica]

@Eleanor_of_Aquitaine

delphica, I really liked the book, but I’ve already forgotten some of the details you’re asking about! I think I’ll re-read it in a few months. I’d like to get a paper copy, too - while reading this I kept wanting to flip back to reconfirm dates (“Wait, what year is this again?”) and that was hard to do on the kindle.

[spoiler]I did think there was a clue about the man Ursula saw, but now I don’t remember what it was. I don’t think we find out who the child molester was, although Ursula gets a glimpse of him in some of the timelines. And I don’t remember if there’s a specific action that keeps Teddy from being killed.

Ursula’s proximity to Hitler in some of the timelines was my least favorite aspect of the book. It just seemed so implausible, compared to the other stories. But it seems to be obligatory for any sort of time traveler to go after Hitler.

I loved the scenes during the Blitz in London. They reminded me of the stuff witnessed by Connie Willis’s time travelers in her WWII books.

What did you think of the ending, in regards to Sylvie’s comment that “practice makes perfect”? Do you think the author is implying that everyone is looping just like Ursula?[/spoiler]

I thought about your last point a lot while I was reading, especially toward the end.

I think it’s possible that everyone else could be looping, too … except that Ursula seems to be the only one really impacted by it, with her deja vu and her visits with the doctor – she describes the experience as something she’s aware of on some level, at least. So I think either Ursula is the only one looping, or for some reason the looping is significantly more intense for her.

I also had this feeling that Sylvie got more … not unbalanced, exactly, but maybe more sad, or more disconnected, with each repeat of Ursula’s life. This got me wondering if maybe Ursula’s looping was dragging Sylvie along in some way that had subconscious effects on her as well. If you kept being born, and then dying, over and over, the person who would be impacted the most (well, the most other than you) would be your mother.

Another thing I liked about it is how most people stayed very much the same, even as the events in her lives changed. Pammy is still awesome, Maurice is still a clueless dork. (That actually might be another case against them looping … their hallmark paths seem to endure, with a permanence that Ursula lacks.)

I was thinking of the Connie Willis books, too! Great blitz scenes, definitely.

TheMerchandise, I’m jealous of your Gentlemen Bastards book! Hope it is a great read!

[Elendil_s_Heir]

@SpazCat

…a current line of thought I’ve been working on which is how the supposed barbarians are actually more civilized than the supposed civilized nations.

That’s certainly a subtext of Gary Jennings’s excellent historical novel Aztec, contrasting the Central American culture with its Spanish conquerors.

[hogarth]

I finished reading An American Tragedy (recommended in one of these threads) and Germinal by Emile Zola.

Both were very good, but pretty grim. An American Tragedy was particularly depressing; I thought it was as if the author had cut the happy endings off of Of Human Bondage and Crime and Punishment and he glued them together. Germinal was pretty sobering stuff too (I’m glad I’m not a 19th century French coal miner), but there were some funny parts and there were more ups and downs compared to AAT which started out as gut-wrenching and just got worse and worse and worse and then even worse.

[Catamount]

@Elendil_s_Heir

That’s certainly a subtext of Gary Jennings’s excellent historical novel Aztec, contrasting the Central American culture with its Spanish conquerors.

sigh Y’all are a bunch of enablers. You enjoy the fact that Mt. ToBeRead O’ertops Everest, don’t you?

[Malthus]

@Elendil_s_Heir

That’s certainly a subtext of Gary Jennings’s excellent historical novel Aztec, contrasting the Central American culture with its Spanish conquerors.

I haven’t read that one, but if I was going to be making the argument that the supposed barbarians are the more civilized, I’d not be using the Aztecs as my poster-child for the ‘civilized barbarians’. Even other Mexican societies of their time found them, shall we say, a trifle extreme. :eek:

[Gedd]

Don’t worry about fluff, I’m reading kid’s books.

On our 2400 mile car trip my wife and I started in on A Series of Unfortunate Events. Between the audiobooks* the library had (read by Tim Curry!) and me reading while she drove (trying to sound like Tim Curry) we got through the first four. I had hoped for more, but what can you expect with a 2-year old and 4-year old in the car too?

We’re both pleasantly surprised. The dreadful gothic style is quite different and humorous. The definitions he does were annoying at first, but he starts to change them up to fit the scene and it got better. The narrative breaks always have something funny. The Miserable Mill seemed different from the first three in that we were kept in the dark more, which I actually liked; we had been able to guess the plots so far, in this one we had so few facts we couldn’t.

The Austere Academy up next.

*I am so glad we had the first one on a CD, I never would have said “Baudelaire” that way. Kind of like all those Americans who tried pronouncing “Hermione” before the first Harry Potter movie came out.