Masks

Etymology of Man

Book Excerpt for the Day

    “It’s the best thing I’ve ever read!” Milo declares vociferously.  “It’s even better than that book with the chocolate factory!”

    “What’s it about?” I ask.

    “There are all these men and ladies and they wear strange costumes and they have magical powers which they use to help people.  It’s not like normal books, though, it’s got pictures as well as words!”

    Megan nods her agreement.  His enthusiasm makes me proud.  I’m glad I gave him such an intriguing gift.

    “It’s a bit childish if you ask me,” Mother remarks.

    “They are children,” I remind her.

    (from The Fall by David L. Dawson)

 

    6*/10.  The complete review is here.

.

Ultimate Spinach

    Jimi Hendrix is the big name here, and rightfully so.  But Ultimate Spinach is the act I'd most like to see.

Middle-Aged

Book Excerpt for the Day

    “I think we’ll be good for a month at least.  More if we go on reduced rations.”

    “Which is a wise course of action,” Hellatz replied.

    “Agreed.  Once the replicators are back online we can replenish the supplies, but for now, it seems we’re going to have to tighten our belts.”

    “I do not wear a belt, Captain.  My uniform is tailored to my—”

    “It’s a figure of speech, Hel.”

    (from Deep Space Boogie by Scott Baron)

 

    7½*/10.  The full review is here.

.

Inspirational Friday

Quote for the Day

Book Excerpt for the Day

    With a good estimate for the speed of light, we can come close to a reasonable estimate of the age of the universe.

    The concepts are not exclusively cosmic.  True, when you flick on a wall switch, you don’t have to wait around for the light to reach the floor.  Some morning while you’re eating breakfast and you need something new to think about, though, you might want to ponder the fact that you see your kids across the table not as they are but as they once were, about three nanoseconds ago.  Doesn’t sound like much, but stick the kids in the nearby Andromeda galaxy, and by the time you see them spoon their Cheerios they will have aged more than 2 million years.

    (from Death By Black Hole by Neil deGrasse Tyson)

 

    9½*/10.  The complete review is here.

.

Monday Poetry

Fraud

Tactful Vocabulary Saturday

Book Excerpt for the Day

    Even if it took centuries to travel from star to star (…) this might be no obstacle to sufficiently determined explorers.  The technique of hibernation, used on Discovery herself, was one possible answer.  Another was the self-contained artificial world, embarking on voyages that might last for many generations.

    In any event, why should one assume that all intelligent species were as short-lived as Man?  There might be creatures in the universe to whom a thousand-year voyage would present nothing worse than slight boredom…

    (from 2001 – A Space Odyssey by Arthur C. Clarke)

 

    8½*/10.  The full review is here.

.

Stupidity Vaccine

Wednesday Geography Tip

Book Excerpt for the Day

    “I can’t thank you enough for introducing Nicholas to me.”

    “Introducing Nicholas?  Carol, I didn’t introduce you two.  We were out on a date, you and me.  I was attempting to ply you with Cosmopolitans if you’ll recall.  Then that Nicholas guy showed up and took my stool and the next thing I know you’re speaking French.”

    “Oh, don’t be silly.  It’s just that he is so different, so interesting, so, so, romantic.  He’s… oh, I don’t know… so really different than you.  I mean in a number of good ways, I guess.”

    That didn’t really help me.

    (from Bombshell by Mike Faricy)

 

    7*/10.  The complete review is here.

.

1971 Albums

    It was a rather good year.

Word for the Day

Book Excerpt for the Day

    “And you spoke to a human?”

    Tal listened for any trace of disapproval in that, but he came up empty.  Torg only sounded curious, maybe even too curious.  Consorting with humans had been forbidden since the ashes settled on the Final War.  They weren’t even supposed to exist, and he’d announced himself like a fool to the old hag.  “She mostly spoke at me.”

    “What was she like?”

    “Wrinkled.”

    (from Horded by Frances Pauli)

 

    7*/10.  The complete review is here.

.

Safe

Sunday Sermon

Album Cover Saturday

Grammar Friday

Thursday Puzzler

 I must admit this one stumped me.  I had to look up the answer.  We'll leave a hint in the comments.

Book Excerpt for the Day

    ”What’s taking your friends,” Filipov asked for the hundredth time.  “They keep on stalling.”

    To his surprise, the man’s eyes finally met his.  It made him uneasy.

    “You complain of the silence of my friends?”

    “Right, exactly.”

    “In that case, I apologize on their behalf.  But let me assure you that, when the time comes, they will be delighted to meet you.  Although I fear that, on the off chance you survive the encounter, you’ll wish you hadn’t met them.”

    (from The Obsidian Chamber by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child)

 

    5½*/10.  The full review is here.

.

Philosophy Tuesday

Eyewitnesses

    Why writers make lousy eyewitnesses.

Grammar Saturday

Multilingual Friday

Thursday Punnery

    It took me way too long to get this one.

Book Excerpt for the Day

    Although not common on the Discworld there are, indeed, such things as anti-crimes, in accordance with the fundamental law that everything in the multiverse has an opposite.  They are, obviously, rare.  Merely giving someone something is not the opposite of robbery; to be an anti-crime, it has to be done in such a way as to cause outrage and/or humiliation to the victim.  So there is breaking-and-decorating, proffering-with-embarrassment (as in most retirement presentations) and whitemailing (as in threatening to reveal to his enemies a mobster’s secret donations, for example, to charity).  Anti-crimes have never really caught on.

    (from Reaper Man by Terry Pratchett)

 

    9½*/10.  The complete review is here.

.

Bath Temperature

    Your weekly dose of Calvin & Hobbes.

Photosynthesis

    To say nothing of mispronouncing words I've read, but never heard spoken.

Chocolate Omelets

Book Excerpt for the Day

    While cuneiform was first invented, it is currently thought, by accountants, and developed by scribes and scholars, the alphabet seems to have had much more plebian origins.  The latest archaeological discoveries suggest that alphabetic writing was the brainwave of a group of expatriate Semitic workers resident in Egypt early in the second millennium BCE.  Inspired by the pictographic Egyptian writing system we call hieroglyphs – ‘priest signs’ – they dreamt up a shorthand to use with their own language.

    (from Babylon by Paul Kriwaczek)

 

    9½*/10.  The complete review is here.

.

Friday History Lesson

    Or Friday Crossword Puzzle definition.  Whichever.

Wednesday Wordplay

Superheroes

Book Excerpt for the Day

    “You’re going to let Professor Rapson tinker with your chair? You’ll probably go into orbit.  What sort of idiot are you?”

    “I’m hoping I’m the idiot who works for you, Dr. Maxwell.”

    “So am I.  You sound too good to be true.  What’s your position on chocolate?”

    “You can never have enough,” he said, pulling a handful of miscellaneous chocolate bars from mysterious depths.

    “You’re hired,” I said.  “Starting now.”

    (from A Symphony of Echoes by Jodi Taylor)

 

    9*/10.  The complete review is here.

.

Science Sunday