Inferno: The World at War, 1939-1945

Inferno: The World at War, 1939-1945 (2011) by Max Hastings. Hastings has written a masterful history of World War II, using extensive anecdotes, excerpts from letters, and historical records to tell the story in the words of those who lived through it. At 650 pages, the book represents a substantial investment of time, but I found it to be worth it. The only quibble I have is that the maps furnished with the text are frequently sketchy and hard to decipher. It matters little, though, because the book presupposes a knowledge of European geography and of the main events of the war. Grade: A-

The Sense of an Ending

The Sense of an Ending (2012) by Julian Barnes. I didn't quite "get" this book. The first time I read it, the twist at the end made me think I had surely missed something. At 163 pages, it's a relatively short book, and it reads quickly, so I decided to read it again and see if there were any clues that had got by me the first time. Perhaps something is lost in translation (the story is set in England), but I just couldn't parse out what the trick revelation near the end really signified. Why was Violet so angry at Tony? Why didn't she just explain the situation to him? Why did she destroy Adrian's diary? Why did she send Tony just one page? I was left with a lot of questions and no satisfactory answers. I can't help but feel that I really missed out by not clicking with this book, but I just didn't. Grade: B+

Physics of the Future

Physics of the Future (2011) by Michio Kaku. This book takes a no-holds-barred look at what physics might accomplish by the year 2100, and some of the predictions are pretty far out. They include contact lenses that act as computer screens, artificial intelligence that helps you shop, and jobs as robot operators maintaining the sea wall around large cities near the ocean. Although I think it is futile to try to predict 88 years into the future what science might achieve, I found Kaku's speculations to be entertaining and instructive. I would bet that the future will be radically different from what he envisions, but it's still fun to read his thoughts. Grade: B+

The Impossible Dead

The Impossible Dead (2011) by Ian Rankin. Disappointing followup to Rankin's "The Complaints." This one has a very convoluted plot and involves long-ago crimes committed in relation to the Scottish separatist movement -- not something Americans can easily relate to. Rankin is a good writer and this book reads well, but it doesn't add up to much. Grade: B