Bill G

Cover of The Stars My Destination, by Alfred Bester.

Continuing the retro science fiction binge…I give you the single best Space Opera ever. #booksky

Cover of I Am A Part of Infinity by Fox

I Am A Part of Infinity is a short, readable, high level overview on Einstein’s spirituality. Lots of followup reading to dig deeper. I found it synergistic with How Life Works by Ball, which had me wondering: just like cells are part of the body, what are humans unknowingly part of? #booksky

Cover of How Life Works by Philip Ball

I found How Life Works an absolutely mind-blowing read. Deep questions and deep answers. Tons of leads for additional reading. Can get quite technical—I couldn’t follow a lot of the deep detail. Highly recommended! #booksky

I enjoyed this book and would recommend it. It’s a bit predictable at the end, but all the loose ends tied up tight. The very definition of a cozy mystery, I suppose.

Cover of The Briar Club by Kate Quinn

A very readable, meticulously assembled mystery that builds low level suspense up steadily. I am enjoying it! #booksky

Several books: The Plot Against America, The Cycles of American History, Nicked, and the Briar Club. Also my daily note journal.

The reading backlog at the moment. Starting with Schlesinger. Very enlightening to read about the cycles we’ve experienced heretofore. Today feels especially rotten, but maybe… #booksky

I have a soft spot for this book. It is enjoyable for what it is: basically a YA novel for (probably white) boys, with just about that level of insight. Mindless fun with a bit of brains. Still wildly sexist but only passingly racist.

The Book of Daniel, by E.L. Doctorow

Next up on my random walk through literature. #booksky

Glory Road by Heinlein

Probably the last escapist reading for the year. This one is a lot of fun! Much advanced from the 40’s/50’s pulp. #booksky

Cover of an early (70s?) edition of Assignment in Eternity by Heinlein

Nearing the end of my foray into early Heinlein with this collection. Interesting to see racism subside over the decade. The sexism continues though. Dumb fun adolescent adventures, but I’m going to be happy to move on to hopefully more enlightened pulp in 2026. #booksky

Read elsewhere: Apparently Heinlein took it on at the request of John Campbell, plus he needed the income. He thought the whole thing was old fashioned and racist. He tried to fix it but wasn’t pleased with the result. He also tried to give writing credit to Campbell, who declined.

Three+ boxes of random cords on a baker’s rack

MY PEOPLE

Oh, and nice allusion to “white replacement” tinfoil. Page 24 for those following along at home.

Cover of The Day After Tomorrow by Heinlein

Next escapism. Thirty pages in, a good adventure, but…the (anti-Asian, specifically) racism in this one! Yikes! I wonder if it was held by the author, or a reflection of the sentiment at the time (1941-1949). I’m guessing a bit of both. #booksky (PS this is not related to the same-titled movie)

Cover of Library of America edition of some of Hemingway’s writings 1918-1926

The next (several) reads… #booksky

4) all of the above

The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, by Heinlein

And the evening escapism. This used to be my favorite Heinlein, and it is certainly miles ahead of his earlier work. Far less problematic than Stranger. #booksky

This is an entertaining read. I wonder how closely it tracks to reality. So far it seems, pretty close. The writing reminds me of Hemingway with the directness and Vonnegut, a bit, with the humor.

Cover of Ragtime by EL Doctorow

I headed over here looking for more insight into the Rosenbergs and Red scare, but I think I landed several decades too early. No matter! A good read. #booksky

Cover of Run by Ann Patchett

I meant to read Bel Canto (as one does) but this is what was at the library. It’s really good! #booksky

Cover of volume 3 of Bertrand Russell’s autobiography

Next up, the last volume in Bertrand Russell’s amazing autobiography. #booksky

Appropriate visitor in Los Gatos last night

A panoply of pumpkins

Pumpkin array

Rainy day punkinscape.

Cover of the book “Time of the Child” by Niall Williams

Time for a happier read. I think I can count in Williams for calm, meditative happiness. #booksky

Romulans.

Astounding, like the first book. “Then I met with Lenin. I didn’t think he was very smart.”

Anniversary editions of the entire Southern Reach series of books

Oh boy oh boy oh boy! Reward for rereading the series last month. Couldn’t make the event with @jeffvandermeer.bsky.social last week, but thank you for the signed copies! #booksky

Yah. One chapter at a time!

Cove it the book V, by Pynchon

It seems like a thing a serious person should do. So far, exhausting. #booksky

Camping stove, cup of tea, me seated with a book on a trail in Point Reyes

Some of Alamere Falls

Arch North of Alamere falls

Sunset

A few days in Point Reyes. No Internet, just Aurelius and the ocean. Lost my Wordle streak but regained some sanity. #nature #california