Under the Skin

“And what we students of history always learn is that the human being is a very complicated contraption and that they are not good or bad but are good and bad and the good comes out of the bad and the bad out of the good, and the devil take the hindmost.”  We've talked about how the lab scientists like to have book discussions late at night, and how we all like to read each other's favorites, right?  Well, this is a find from one of those. To be honest, I'm rather shocked at myself that I had never even heard of this book (nor of its movies)...sorry. However, now that I've read it, it is quickly going onto my list of favorites, so I'm quite glad that I did. Willie Stark is just a country lawyer.  He likes his life, he likes his wife, he likes his family, his friends, and everything else that he has worked for and been blessed with.  Then, a man comes and asks him to run for a minor political office, saying that he's just what is needed--someone down...

Well guys, in the next two months the following will happen: 1) I will leave Salt Lake City 2) I will move to Cincinnati 3) I will run Camp Little Oak 4) I will start my PhD.  As such, my mind power to come up with blog stuff is dwindling.  But I will continue the book reviews, as I can write them if I have a topic.  I just can't come up with other topics right now.  But perhaps when I settle into my new routine, I will be able to do that. Today's book review is of a series which I don't recommend starting.  Not because it isn't any good. It's actually fairly likeable.  I only don't recommend it, because I did start it and now I'm very let-down, as the fifth and last book of the Theodosia Throckmorton Series, Theodosia and the Flame of Sekhmet, which was supposed to come out in 2012, still hasn't. And now I'm just sitting here waiting.  Yep... Theodosia Throckmorton has a problem.  Her parents, who run the Museum of Legnds and Antiquities, ha...

“There are some things you don't learn about yourself until you let someone else into the most intimate places of your heart.”  So, we're making some progress here about how many books I sstill have to review.  Today, I get to write a scathing review, and those are always quite fun to write, for better or for worse. So, here we are. Remember The Selection series? If you don't, you can read that scathing review (I must add, however, that my younger sister has since realized they are trash).   But, basically it is best described as a cross between Hunger Games and the Bachelor.  But not in the exciting way that you could imagine they cross.  The other sides crossing. It's just bad.  Well, we finished it and I let out my breath, quite relieved that I didn't have to worry about this anymore.  Unfortunately, the author is now continuing the series with the main characters' daughter.  And she's marketing it as a continuation of the series, not ...

“Whatever you are physically...male or female, strong or weak, ill or healthy--all those things matter less than what your heart contains. If you have the soul of a warrior, you are a warrior. All those other things, they are the glass that contains the lamp, but you are the light inside.”    About a year ago or so, I gave my review of The Mortal Instruments series.  As you may remember, or as you can now read , I liked the series, but didn't love it.  So, I was hesitant to try to the spin-off series, The Infernal Devices.  Especially since I liked the series better before the author had a crisis of new income sources and expanded the very nicely packaged up trilogy into a six-book series, basically because she was making too much money.  I was afraid that Infernal Devices would be another one of those.  I was pleasantly surprised to be proven wrong.  This series was significantly better than The Mortal Instruments, even thoug...

 “Morale was deteriorating and it was all Yossarian's fault. The country was in peril; he was jeopardizing his traditional rights of freedom and independence by daring to exercise them.”   Another book review!  We will get through this.  Just as long as I don't read them as fast as I review them.  But to be honest, I really do enjoy doing this book review thing.  In case you were not aware, I really love books.  I don't think that comes as much of a surprise to you all. At work, I have a few coworkers who I will discuss books with.  This one comes out of these discussions, as someone told me that I had to read Catch-22. Basically, guys, I need to stop judging whether or not I'd like "high school English" books.  I thought that'd never like this book.  For a few reasons: 1) I was told that it was smutty.  It's not.  It has some more mature content, but I wouldn't call it smutty.  2) Some people who read it ...