The Evolution of God

I recently finished reading Robert Wright's The Evolution of God. I've already written a very long review at my main blog. Here's the beginning of that review.

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It is hard to put concisely just what it is Robert Wright sets out to do in The Evolution of God. It is not that there’s no clear agenda — because agenda has its fingerprints all over this book — but more that the book is a little too ambitious in how it tries to carry out that agenda. Put in simplest terms, the book’s agenda is to urge the Abrahamic faiths toward tolerance, in order that the whole world can receive salvation. (And in case there’s any ambiguity here, this term “salvation” is used in a very un-Abrahamic-faith way, to mean strictly a social salvation in completely material terms.)

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Go to my main blog to read the rest of the review.

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Yesterday's Promise

I recently finished Delia Latham's novel Yesterday's Promise. You can find my review of it at Christian Fiction Online.

I should have some more reviews to point you to in the next few weeks. I've been a little behind schedule, but it looks like I should be able to get caught up before too long.


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Leviathan Who?

It's kind of nice to see Herman Melville remembered in the naming of the creature recently found in fossil form and dubbed Leviathan melvillei. It looks like a pretty ferocious beast, one who does Moby Dick's heritage proud.

Or, wait... who exactly is of whose heritage here?
This is confusing....


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Suzhou Basics

My first book-length travel guide is out in Shanghai bookstores now. Entitled Suzhou Basics, it gives a pretty thorough introduction to the city of Suzhou.

Suzhou is one of China's most historic, and most beautiful, cities. It is well worth a visit for travelers to China.

It was a lot of fun writing the travel guide, and I am pleased to see the finish product out in stores now. If you happen to travel to China, you can look for your copy in English language bookstores there.


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The Broken Sword

I recently finished reading Poul Anderson's The Broken Sword. Sad to say, this is the first of Anderson's books I've ever read — and yes... I do find that hard to believe myself!

I really enjoyed the book, for the most part. The fantasy world really sucks you in, the battle scenes are intense, and the book is generally well-written. I found some awkwardness in the dialogue between Freda and the men who wooed her, but other than that, thought the book quite masterfully written.

It took me a while to get into the book — more to do with my schedule than the book — but once I got into it, I didn't want to put it down. It is very enjoyable, and very worth the time.

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Richard H. Fay — poems and pictures

I recently did an interview with Richard H. Fay that will be coming out soon. I was pleased, then, tonight when I was reading the most recent issue of Illumen and came across a poem and picture of Fay's. My youngest godson (2 years) was very pleased too. He crawled up onto my lap, and "read" the picture to me, pointing here and there and letting me know what it was all about with an enthusiastic "Wheel!!!" here and a gleeful "mop!" there. We both had lots of fun.

If you haven't come across any of Fay's work before, I highly recommend it. And don't be stingy, because it's even better when shared.


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Home Lighting

Home lighting is one of the most important parts of any house. If it is done just right, it creates the perfect effect, without ever calling attention to itself.

At Lighting the web, you can find whatever you need to address your home lighting needs, whether you are looking for Hunter ceiling fans, or any of a wide range of lights, lamps, and ceiling fans.

Stop by today, and get your house lit just the way you want it.

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Not So Bad After All

May started out really slow for my reading, but turned out to be alright at the end of it all. You can see my May reading list at my main blog.

June is again, off to a slow start, but not as bad as May was. I've been rereading several plays, and enjoying that. And, I just started on a Poul Anderson novel. So far, it's pretty fun.

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A Slow Month So Far

It's been a very hectic month of May for me, with no promise of slowing down in the next couple of weeks.

A hectic schedule means little reading time. I've hardly completed any reading this month, mostly just catching up on short pieces here and there.

It may continue at this slow reading, fast-paced life throughout the summer. We'll see how it goes....

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Malice

A friend recently loaned me a translation into Chinese of Higashino Keigo's Malice. I am a slow reader in Chinese, so took quite some time with the novel, but was really quite absorbed in it all.

The story of Malice is intriguing not for its unraveling of who committed the murder in question — that is made obvious fairly early in the narrative. It is more interesting for its investigation into why the crime was committed, and what that all says about the human psyche.

I've not read anything else by Higashino Keigo, but have heard that all of his works are similarly intriguing detective tales. I would be more than happy to read any others I happen across. His work definitely makes for a pleasant way to pass the time.

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