22 November 2009

The Time Traveler's Wife


    By Audrey Niffenegger.

Format.
    An Audiobook read by William Hope and Laurel Lefkow.

The Book in One Sentence.
    Henry DeTamble involuntarily travels through time and tries to live a 'normal' life.

The Good.
    Beautifully crafted characters.

The Bad.
     The bizarre dream sequences.

Who would I recommend it to?

    Anyone who likes loves stories with a scifi twist and/or bitter-sweet endings.

A Quote from the Book.
    "I sleep.  I inhabit sleep firmly, willing it, wielding it, pushing away dreams, refusing, refusing. Sleep is my lover now, my forgetting, my opiate, my oblivion."

Verdict.
   A worthwhile read.  Lots to like here.

15 November 2009

Twelve Angry Men

Format.
    Netflix dvd

The Movie in one sentence.
    Twelve jurors must decide the verdict in a murder case.

The Good.
    A diverse group of twelve people coming together to create a bit of ordinary extraordinary.  It is a delight to watch and puzzle out who will be the next to switch their vote.

The Bad.
     They are in the jury room for nearly all of the movie.  It was hot in there and I can sympathize its hot where I am too.  The room is cramped in the film and, well, don't watch this if your prone to claustrophobia.   Also, nothing supernatural happens.  It is all pretty serious and real.

Who would I recommend it to?

    Anyone who likes black and white films and Henry Fonda.

A quote from the movie.
"Let's take a vote."

Verdict.
I've seen this movie several times and come away with something different each time.  If you haven't seen it,  rent it.  Clear away the distractions and enjoy.

08 November 2009

The World Without Us


    By Alan Weisman.

Format.
    Audiobook read by Adam Grupper.

The Book in One Sentence.
    What would happen to the planet and the structures we have built upon it, if we the Earth's human inhabitants were to disappear?

The Good.
    It was very interesting to learn about the kind of maintenance that goes into 'civilisation'.  Weisman, doesn't just stick to the states, but takes in the wider world as well.  
    The book takes in a wide range of phenomenon.  Not only discussing what would happen if we should disappear, but also taking in the range of plant wide changes, our past and continued presence has and will cause.

The Bad.
    This is not a particularly cheerful book.  It is not meant to be.  You've been warned.

Who would I recommend it to?

    Those interested in doomsday books, in learning more about our impact on the world around us and/or curious about how our city infrastructure is maintained.

A Quote from the Book.
    "In 2000, the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service reported that 77,000 towers were higher than 199 feet, which meant that they were required to have warning lights for aircraft.  If calculations were correct, that meant that nearly 200 million birds collided fatally with towers each year in the United States alone.   In fact, those figures had already been usurped, because cell phone towers were being erected so fast.  By 2005, there were 175,000 of those.  Their addition. would raise the annual toll to half a billion dead birds --except that this number was still based on scant data and on guesses, because scavengers get to most feathered victims before they're found."

Verdict.
    A good read.  Weisman took many environmental studies and interviews, and crafted them into a very readable and entertaining story.