The First Four Notes

The First Four Notes: Beethoven's Fifth and the Human Imagination (2012) by Matthew Guerrieri. The first four notes, of course, are the da-da-da-dum that starts and recurs throughout Beethoven's Fifth Symphony. Guerrieri goes deep into history and many related fields in explaining the profound impact Beethoven's Fifth had on humanity and on human thinking. This is a very erudite, thoroughly researched book, and it was mostly way over my head. I liked it, but I didn't completely understand it. So it gets a partial recommendation from me. Readers who are musically inclined, who play an instrument, who know anything about the history of music, will doubtlessly enjoy it immensely. Grade: A-

The Hobbit

The Hobbit (1937) by J.R.R. Tolkien. A beloved book which is nevertheless not quite what I remembered it to be. As an introduction to hobbits, it is fine, but it's not a seamless narrative. Instead, it is episodic, and Tolkien goes to the well one too many times when he places the party in danger and has the eagles come to the rescue twice. Readers of the Lord of the Rings trilogy will know that the eagles frequently come to the rescue when all seems hopeless, and clearly it's a flaw in Tolkien's style to rely so heavily on one device like this. As for the rest of the book, it has not lost its charm. This is the crucial book in which Bilbo Baggins finds the One Ring and "steals" it from Gollum. We are also introduced to Gandalf and some of his wizardly ways. Altogether, a thoroughly enjoyable book. Grade: B+ 

Drinking with Men

Drinking with Men (2013) by Rosie Schaap. This is a memoir about Schaap's experiences throughout her adult life in finding bars where she felt comfortable hanging out and becoming a regular -- although becoming a regular was complicated by the fact the she is a woman. She writes feelingly and fluently, and the book flies by in a flash. It's not a heavyweight memoir, but it is an enjoyable read, and one feels slightly envious of her ability to walk into strange bars and manage to make friends and consume large quantities of alcohol. This is a unique book and I liked it rather well. Grade: B+

Standing in Another Man's Grave

Standing in Another Man's Grave (2013) by Ian Rankin. Another in Rankin's John Rebus series, in which the retired detective involves himself in a string of serial murders. I found the book entertaining to read, although it takes place in Scotland and I think I missed a lot of references and wordplay that a Brit would have caught. The book has an elegiac air that makes it heavy with implications -- most notably of Rebus's approaching death (no, it doesn't happen in this book, but he is obviously getting older). The Detective Inspector Rebus series contains almost 20 books, and I regret that I came to it so late. I'm sure that there are some gems among the books in the series, but this is not quite one of them. Grade: B 

God's Jury

God's Jury:  The Inquisition and the Making of the Modern World (2012) by Cullen Murphy. The book's range is wide. It turns out there was a Roman Inquisition in ancient times, and a Medieval Inquisition, and a Spanish Inquisition, and actually too many inquisitions under other names to count. Its offices even extended into the present century. God's Jury encompasses the diverse stories of the Knights Templar, Torquemada, Galileo, and Graham Greene. Established by the Catholic Church in 1231 A.D. the Inquisition continued in one form or another for 700 years. The Inquisition pioneered surveillance and censorship and "scientific" interrogation. In this well written, fascinating book, Murphy traces the Inquisition and its legacy in modern times. Grade: B+

Going Clear

Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood, & the Prison of Belief (2013) by Lawrence Wright. This book is a thoroughly researched, incisive and insightful study of Scientology -- all the way from L. Ron Hubbard's early days to the present day when celebrities like John Travolta and Tom Cruise profess to be adherents of the church. Wright demonstrates that Hubbard is a liar, that the Church of Scientology is a sham, and that membership in the church is like a voluntary prison sentence. It doesn't take much to convince me that Scientology is hooey, and this book provides an avalanche of evidence to that effect. It makes for some very fascinating reading, and taken all together it's a masterful work of nonfiction. Grade: A 

The Miniature Wife and Other Stories

The Miniature Wife and Other Stories (2013) by Manuel Gonzales. The stories in this collection are weird. In the title story, a man is at war with his wife, whom he has accidentally miniaturized. In "Escape from the Mall," the protagonist is hiding in a closet from zombies who have taken over the mall and are rampaging. In "Pilot, Copilot, Writer," an airliner is hijacked and circles Dallas for 20 years, while people on board grow old and die and even have children. This may sound entertaining, but the stories seem to be weird just for the sake of being weird. None has a discernible point. I did not really enjoy reading this book, and I wouldn't recommend it. Grade: C

Tenth of December

Tenth of December (2013) by George Saunders. This collection of short stories featured a wide variety of bizarre topics. Most interesting to me was "The Semplica Girl Diaries." In this story, an assortment of foreign and immigrant young women are exploited by being used as human lawn ornaments. They are kept in place by having a  monofilament run through their skulls in a process developed by a scientist named Semplica. The story is a scathing satire and at the same time an amusing tale of one family's struggle to "keep up with the Joneses." Another story, "Victory Lap," has a boy witness the attempted abduction of a neighbor and struggle whether to take action or to adhere to his parents' ridiculous strictures. This short story collection has been widely praised, and I wish I could say I enjoyed it, but I really found it more of a chore to read than not. The stories don't seem to me easily accessible, and I had to bulldoze my way through the book. Grade: B

The Tragedy Paper

The Tragedy Paper (2013) by Elizabeth Laban. Tim, a 17-year-old albino, falls for Vanessa, a girl who attends his boarding school. Tim leaves a set of recordings for Duncan, who inherits Tim's dorm room. Duncan loves Daisy, and struggles to give her the attention she deserves because he is preoccupied with the recordings Tim has left him. This is a "young-adult" novel, and may appeal to teenagers. I found little to like about it, the novelty of the albino character notwithstanding. The target audience is teens, and adults will have trouble relating to the angst expressed in this book. Grade: B

Double Fudge

Double Fudge (2002) by Judy Blume. The much-loved children's author has cranked out another of her children's books. I was curious about what was so special about her, so I checked this book out. Apparently, kids love her books. I can't tell why, but I'm not an expert. In this book, not much happens. The protagonist, Peter, has a little brother nicknamed Fudge. Fudge gets in some trouble. Peter's father has a long-lost cousin who unexpectedly comes to visit, along with his wife and three children. The visit is unwelcome and unpleasant. Peter suffers through it all, then it ends. And yet, it is not  a bad read. It's just not targeted at adults. Grade: B