Review - A Common Wealth of Thieves - 6/10

A Commonwealth of Thieves: The Improbable Birth of Australia

As the title suggests, the country of Australia was founded with the intentions of being a penal colony housing the unwanted criminals of England.  Remarkably, now Australia is one of worlds most technology advanced and desirably advanced countries in the world.

This book chronicles the first five years of the countries founding.  It details the different stories of the criminals, what they did to be shipped to Australia and how they lived once they got there.

To be honest I could not really get into this book, and I think it is probably mostly my fault.  I just lost interest early on and could never get it back.  I think it was because the stories were just so foreign to me that they I just did not care.  The book is written well and there are some interesting stories, but it was not for me.

Review - Black Rednecks and White Liberals - 10/10

Black Rednecks and White Liberals

Author, Thomas Sowell, who often appears on the Rush Limbaugh show when he is on vacation, being interviewed by another black conservative professor who's name escapes me at the moment, has written a book that documents how blacks in America are getting raw deal by the very people who proclaim to be helping them.

In a most ironic thesis, Sowell documents how much of the ghetto black culture is actually not a black culture at all, but it found its roots in a not so admirable culture of white people who lived in northern Britain and migrated to the southern U.S. during the countries founding.

He also pointed out that slavery is not necessarily a white on black thing but is a greater society on society thing.  As matter of fact, in africa many whites were enslaved by Islamic Blacks.  He points out that until 18th, 19th centuries no one thought there was anything wrong with slavery and it was western civilization that stopped it in its own region and then used its great influence to end it all over the world.  Here I would make a stronger stand and say it was Christianity that put a stop to slavery and used it's influence to end it all over the world.

This book is quite informative and a easy read.

Review - Rally Cry 10/10

Rally Cry (Lost Regiment)

Well, when Colonel Kean and his soldiers were somehow transported to this new mysterious land I had my doubts about this story, but I must say that after completing it I not only wanted more, but I bought the second book in the series.  What a great story!

Kean is the consummate hero.  Like other heroes in other stories I have read, he knows how to kill lots of people and lead others in killing lots of people; but unlike other heroes I have read, Kean struggles with this ability and wants to do what is right and hates the fact that he has turned some of his young naive soldiers into ruthless killing machines.  Kean is man of honor, so much so, that even his enemies are amazed at his strength of character.  He is sort of a fictional George Washington.

The surrounding characters are interesting also and even the villains in this story have points about them that you can admire.  The battles are intense and character development is intriguing.

One of the best books I have read this year.

Lost - I Do

Read the recap of the episode here.

 

• John Locke has that little sparkle in his eyes.  I'm glad to see the old John is back.
• It sounds like the table are going to begin to turn for the Lostees.
• I'm still peeved that Echo was killed off.
• I still think there is only one island.
• SPOILER:  I here there is a Desmond episode and in his back-story he also has the ability to predict the future.
• Is the guy with the patch someone else who is hiding on the island?
• I don't like the fact that the writers had Kate and Sawyer gett'n busy?  I think that ruins the tension between them and makes them less interesting characters.

City of God - Book IV

City of God

 

IN THIS BOOK IT IS PROVED THAT THE EXTENT AND LONG DURATION OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE IS TO BE ASCRIBED, NOT TO JOVE OR THE GODS OF THE HEATHEN, TO WHOM INDIVIDUALLY SCARCE EVEN SINGLE THINGS AND THE VERY BASEST FUNCTIONS WERE BELIEVED TO BE ENTRUSTED, BUT TO THE ONE TRUE GOD, THE AUTHOR OF FELICITY, BY WHOSE POWER AND JUDGMENT EARTHLY KINGDOMS ARE FOUNDED AND MAINTAINED.

In this book, Augustine ask the question, "If the Romans thought that one god would suffice then why would they then worship many other gods?  Essentially Augustine concludes that it is a result of their proud will.

"For he cannot be free from infelicity who worships Felicity as a goddess, and forsakes God, the giver of felicity; just as he cannot be free from hunger who licks a painted loaf of bread, and does not buy it of the man who has a real one."

Augustine argues that the Jews never worshipped these gods however they were freed from Egyption bondage and given a land to settle.  Had the Jews continued faithfully worshipping the one true God they would still be living in their land today and also have even more land.

"And if they had not sinned against Him with impious curiosity, which seduced them like magic arts, and drew them to strange gods and idols, and at last led them to kill Christ, their kingdom would have remained. to them, and would have been, if not more spacious, yet more happy, than that of Rome. And now that they are dispersed through almost all lands and nations, it is through the providence of that one true God; that whereas the images, altars, groves, and temples of the false gods are everywhere overthrown, and their sacrifices prohibited, it may be shown from their books how this has been foretold by their prophets so long before; lest, perhaps, when they should be read in ours, they might seem to be invented by us. But now, reserving what is to follow for the following book, we must here set a bound to the prolixity of this one."

Lost - The Cost of Living

See a review of the this episode here.

 

• I CANNOT BELIEVE THEY KILLED OFF ECHO! HE WAS MY FAVORATE CHARACTOR!  I AM REALLY FIRED UP!
• I don't believe that little display that Juliet presented to Jack.  Is Ben concocting some even crazier scheme?
• Paulo is an annoying charactor.  he whines and complains too much.  Hopefully that will change as the season progresses.

Review - Eye of the Needle - 7/10

Eye of the Needle

This the second book I read from Ken Follet.   I really enjoyed his book Hornet Flight finishing the book I went back and read the review and a lot of the reviews said that "Hornet Flight" was no where near as good as "Eye of the Needle".  I must say after having read both books, I like "Hornet Flight" more.

This book is about a German spy who surveys the U.S. plans in Britain to raid the German front.  The Brit's learn this man has pictures of the U.S. formation and is going to send them to Germany and the chase is on.  Much of the book is about his ruthless attempt to escape Britain.

I guess, that is why I was turned off by this book.  The main character of the book is the bad guy.  By circumstance he tries to leave Britain by boat in the middle of one of the worst storms in history and ends up washed a shore, ironically named Storm Island.  The small island has three residence: a self loathing  veteran who lost his legs, his unfaithful wife who sleeps with the enemy with a couple nights of meeting him and old sheep herdsman who does not factor much in the book and get killed off.

The book is suspenseful and well written but I just did not like any of the characters.  There was really no one to root for.

Lost - Every Man for Himself

You can see a synopsis of the episode here.

• So what's up with Demon?  He made a lightning rod exactly where lightning was going to strike.
• The others have a Submarine?!
• I agree with Mac.  They sure have a lot trust in Jack.  Didn't he just try and escape?
• Stay tuned for a Ben and Jack confrontation.

Review - Mariel of Redwall - 8/10

Mariel of Redwall (Redwall, Book 4)

 

Oh to be a kid again.

In the continuing children's series about a clan of noble mice and other peaceful creature who live in a fortress called Redwall introduces to a heroine named Mariel.

Mariel is a brave and brash younger mouse maid who was thrown off the ship if the evil rat Gabool and left for dead.  Meanwhile her father remains imprisoned by the same rats.

Mariel washes ashore in Mossflower country and is taken in by the Redwall creatures.  She vows to kill Gabool and rescue her father.  It is at this point the story really begins when herself and some of her new friends from Redwall begin the journey to save her father.

I say at this point because because it was some what of a slow start for this story but other than that this book a pleasing read and I enjoyed it as much I did the first three stories.