books read: 2015

this year's total: 57 books!

~ Religion & Spirituality ~

The Last Word (N.T. Wright)
Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time (Marcus Borg)
The Meaning of Jesus: Two Visions (Wright & Borg)
Jesus: A Revolutionary Biography (Dominic Crossan)
Zealot (Reza Aslan)
Four Views: Hell (Counterpoint)
Justification & Regeneration (Charles Leiter)
Spiritual Warfare: Christians, Demonization, and Deliverance (Karl Payne)
Possession (Frank Augustus)
Go Small (Craig Gross)
Crash the Chatterbox (Steven Furtick)
Recovering Redemption (Matt Chandler)
The Twilight of Atheism (Alister McGrath)
The Dawkins Delusion (McGrath)
God and the New Atheism (John F. Haught)
The Last Superstition: A Refutation of the New Atheism (Edward Feser)
What's So Great About Christianity? (Dinesh D'Souza)
The Reason for God (Timothy Keller)

~ History Books ~

The First Total War (David A. Bell)
Waterloo (Bernard Cornwell)
A Short History of World War One (James Stokesbury)

The First World War (John Keegan)
The Battles of World War I (Christopher Catherwood)
The Weapons of World War One (Chris Bishop)
An Illustrated History of World War One (Phil Carradice)
A World Undone: The Great War (G.J. Meyer)
World War One (Norman Stone)
World War I Companion (Mathias Strohn)
Storm of Steel (Ernst Junger)
Under Fire (Henri Barbusse)
A Short History of World War Two (Stokesbury)
Inferno (Max Hastings)
An Army at Dawn: The War in North Africa, 1942-1943 (Rick Atkinson)
The Day of Battle: The War in Sicily & Italy, 1943-1944 (Atkinson)
The Guns at Last Light: The War in Western Europe, 1944-1945 (Atkinson)

~ Dinosaur Books ~

The Greatest Show on Earth (Richard Dawkins)
Why Evolution Is True (Jerry Coyne)
Three Views: Creation & Evolution (Counterpoint Series)
The Dinosaur Heresies (Robert Bakker)
The Permian Period (Sanjit Sen)
The Triassic Period (Sanjit Sen)
The Earth Before the Dinosaurs (Sebastien Steyer)
A Field Guide to Dinosaurs (Henry Gee & Luis V. Rey)
Extreme Dinosaurs (Rey)
Dinosaur! (David Norman)

~ Fiction, Narratives, et. al. ~

The Walking Dead: The Rise of the Governor (Robert Kirkman & Jay Bonansinga)
The Walking Dead: The Fall of the Governor, Part I (Kirkman & Bonansinga)
The Walking Dead: The Fall of the Governor, Part II (Kirkman & Bonansinga)
The Walking Dead: The Road to Woodbury (Kirkman & Bonansinga)
The Walking Dead: Descent (Bonansinga)
Spartacus (Howard Fast)
Freedom Road (Fast)
From a Buick 8 (Stephen King)

Pet Semetary (King)
Cell (King)
The Mist (King)
Carrie (King)

[books i've been reading]

Rise of the Governor, by Robert Kirkman and Jay Bonansinga. "In the Walking Dead universe, there is no greater villain than The Governor. The despot who runs the walled-off town of Woodbury, he has his own sick sense of justice: whether it's forcing prisoners to battle zombies in an arena for the townspeople's amusement, or chopping off the appendages of those who cross him. The Governor was voted "Villain of the Year" by Wizard magazine the year he debuted, and his story arc was the most controversial in the history of the Walking Dead comic book series. Now, for the first time, fans of The Walking Dead will discover how The Governor became the man he is, and what drove him to such extremes." (from Amazon)

The Road to Woodbury. "The first book explained how the Governor was created; this thrilling sequel to The New York Times bestseller further reveals his ruthless, inhuman conquest of Woodbury The zombie plague unleashes its horrors on the suburbs of Atlanta without warning, pitting the living against the dead. Caught in the mass exodus, Lilly Caul struggles to survive in a series of ragtag encampments and improvised shelters. But the Walkers are multiplying. Dogged by their feral hunger for flesh and crippled by fear, Lilly relies on the protection of good Samaritans by seeking refuge in a walled-in town once known as Woodbury, Georgia. At first, Woodbury seems like a perfect sanctuary. Squatters barter services for food, people have roofs over their heads, and the barricade expands, growing stronger every day. Best of all, a mysterious self-proclaimed leader named Philip Blake keeps the citizens in line. But Lilly begins to suspect that all is not as it seems. Blake, who has recently begun to call himself The Governor, has disturbing ideas about law and order. Ultimately, Lilly and a band of rebels open up a Pandora's box of mayhem and destruction when they challenge The Governor's reign . . . and the road to Woodbury becomes the highway to hell in this riveting follow-up to Robert Kirkman and Jay Bonansinga's New York Times bestselling The Walking Dead: Rise of the Governor." (from Amazon)

The Fall of the Governor (Parts I & II). "In Rise of the Governor, uber-villain Philip Blake journeyed from his humble beginnings directly into the dark heart of the zombie apocalypse, and became the self-proclaimed leader of a small town called Woodbury. In The Road to Woodbury, an innocent traveler named Lilly Caul wound up in the terrifying thrall of Phillip Blake's twisted, violent dictatorship within Woodbury's ever tightening barricades. And now, in The Fall of the Governor, the Governor's descent into madness finally erupts in a tour de force of action and horror. Beloved characters from the comic book, including Rick, Michonne, and Glenn, finally make their entrance onto this nightmarish stage, and fans of The Walking Dead will see these characters in a whole new light. Simmering grudges boil over into unthinkable confrontations, battle lines are drawn, and unexpected twists seal the fates of the innocent and guilty alike." (from Amazon)

The Descent. "Out of the ashes of its dark past, Woodbury, Georgia, becomes an oasis of safety amidst the plague of the walking dead - a town reborn in the wake of its former tyrannical leader, Philip Blake, aka The Governor. Blake's legacy of madness haunts every nook and cranny of this little walled community, but Lilly Caul and a small ragtag band of survivors are determined to overcome their traumatic past... despite the fact that a super-herd is closing in on them. This vast stampede of zombies, driven by inexorable hunger and aimed directly at Woodbury, becomes their first true test. But Lilly and company refuse to succumb, and in a stunning counteroffensive, the beleaguered townspeople save themselves by joining forces with a mysterious religious sect fresh from the wilderness. Led by an enigmatic preacher named Jeremiah, this rogue church group seems tailor made for Woodbury and Lilly's dream of a democratic, family-friendly future. The two factions meld into one, the town prospers, and everything seems hopeful for the first time since the plague broke out. But things - especially in the world of the walking dead - are often not what they seem. Jeremiah and his followers harbor a dark secret, the evidence of which very gradually begins to unravel." (from Amazon)

[books i've been reading]

The Greatest Shown on Earth, by Richard Dawkins. " 'Intelligent Design' is being taught in our schools; educators are being asked to 'teach the controversy' behind evolutionary theory. There is no controversy. Dawkins sifts through rich layers of scientific evidence—from living examples of natural selection to clues in the fossil record; from natural clocks that mark the vast epochs wherein evolution ran its course to the intricacies of developing embryos; from plate tectonics to molecular genetics—to make the airtight case that 'we find ourselves perched on one tiny twig in the midst of a blossoming and flourishing tree of life and it is no accident, but the direct consequence of evolution by non-random selection.' His unjaded passion for the natural world turns what might have been a negative argument, exposing the absurdities of the creationist position, into a positive offering to the reader: nothing less than a master’s vision of life, in all its splendor." (from Amazon)

Why Evolution is True, by Jerry A. Coyne. "With great care, attention to the scientific evidence and a wonderfully accessible style, Coyne, an evolutionary geneticist at the University of Chicago, presents an overwhelming case for evolution. Ranging from biogeography to geology, from anatomy to genetics, and from molecular biology to physiology, he demonstrates that evolutionary theory makes predictions that are consistently borne out by the data—basic requirements for a scientific theory to be valid. Additionally, although fully respectful of those who promote intelligent design and creationism, he uses the data at his disposal to demolish any thought that creationism is supported by the evidence while also explaining why those ideas fall outside the bounds of science. Coyne directly addresses the concept often advanced by religious fundamentalists that an acceptance of evolution must lead to immorality, concluding that evolution tells us where we came from, not where we can go. Readers looking to understand the case for evolution and searching for a response to many of the most common creationist claims should find everything they need in this powerful book, which is clearer and more comprehensive than the many others on the subject." (from Publishers Weekly)

[books i've been reading]

The Dinosaur Heresies, by Robert Bakker. "Bakker is undoubtedly the controversial and exciting dinosaurologist of the day. His ideas of active, behaviorly complex, warm-blooded dinosaurs have shaken orthodox views and stimulated both public interest and renewed scientific research. In this book he reviews many of his well-known ideas about dinosaur physiology, feeding habits, running ability, taxonomy, and extinction, and offers tidbits on more minor details, e.g., whether dinosaurs had a gizzard. He writes in a colorful, even impassioned prose more akin to political rhetoric than analytic science." (from Library Journal)

Dinosaurs! by David Norman. "This is a tie-in to the television series of the same name that was shown on the Arts & Entertainment network. Many of the illustrations in this book will be familiar to dinosaur fans since they have often been reprinted elsewhere. However. the text is surprisingly interesting and scientifically sophisticated. Norman is a British paleontologist who was a contributor to the definitive scientific treatise on dinosaurs, The Dinosauria ( LJ 3/15/91). He describes the work of paleontologists as "a detective story," and shows how clues from the fossil record helped develop the current thought on dinosaurs. The subject is treated at a level for general readers, but without oversimplification." (from Library Journal)

The Earth Before the Dinosaurs, by Sebastien Steyer. "This beautiful volume introduces the incredible animals that populated the planet before the Age of the Dinosaurs. Readers voyage to a time, beginning about 370 million years ago, when the first four-footed vertebrates appeared, and ending 200 million years later at the moment when the dinosaurs begin their ascent. During this time, vertebrates emerge from the sea and there appears a parade of animals, each more astonishing than the last. On this expedition, we learn how paleontologists become detectives to understand the history of life and we discover that many widely held ideas about the evolution of species are completely false. Earth before the Dinosaurs is an entertaining and informative guide to an astonishing and little-known world." (from Amazon)

A Field Guide to Dinosaurs, by Henry Gee & Luis V. Rey. "Sensational discoveries during the past decade have shed new light on the most intimate details of dinosaurs’ lives, including their appearance and behavior, their family structures, and their sex lives. The latest dinosaur findings present a far more vivid and complete picture of this extraordinarily successful group of animals than would have been thought possible only a few years ago. Recent findings in South America, Madagascar, Mongolia, China, and Australia have revealed the existence of amazing and exotic dinosaurs. Paleontologist Henry Gee and artist Luis Ray have seamlessly integrated all of the most recent discoveries in the making of this unique book. In A Field Guide to Dinosaurs, Renowned dinosaur artist Luis V. Rey and paleontologist and writer Henry Gee use up-to-the-minute research findings to paint a vivid picture of the dinosaurs’ world. Their unique approach gives readers lifelike portrayals of dinosaurs similar to that of naturalists in the wild, observing living animals of our own era. Readers will experience dinosaurs as living, breathing creatures, with each kind described “from the field” and shown in breathtaking illustrations. Dinosaur physiology is shown in full-color paintings, anatomical sketches, and a host of fascinating incidental detail, much of it never published outside specialist journals. Readers will understand the dinosaurs’ environment in terms of the world’s changing face throughout the 180-million-year extent of the dinosaur-dominated Mesozoic Era, with a detailed, full-color chart that relates the time span of each dinosaur group. The book also includes at-a-glance icons that convey information about different dinosaur groups, including size, taxonomy, geological period, and geographical origins." (from Amazon)

Extreme Dinosaurs, by Luis V. Rey. "Eye-catching illustrations and an enthusiastic text make this an appealing addition. After an introduction focusing on dinosaur evolution, species are grouped by the continent on which they were discovered, including the first fossils found in 19th-century Europe, the first Tyrannosaurus rex in North America, and the 1996 discovery of the feathered Sinosauropteryx in China. Rey's acrylic paintings feature vivid color and light along with action-packed scenes. Some of the illustrations depict dinosaurs from different eras in the same setting, but the author explains his reasons for this, usually related to demonstrating visually the evolution of similar species. The paintings reflect current speculation about ancient reptiles; Rey paints a very birdlike Deinonychus, which some, but not all, scientists now believe may have been possible. Some of the artwork has appeared in other children's titles. The text flows fairly smoothly and the author's fascination with paleontology and art comes through. At times, though, there is an awkward shift between the strictly scientific voice and the more conversational enthusiastic presentation, with an overuse of such words as "bizarre," "strange," and "weird" in dinosaur descriptions. In general, however, the book succeeds as both an appreciation of these fascinating creatures and a useful, up-to-date, and visually attractive resource about a perennially popular topic." (from School Library Journal)

10.10.15

[books i've been reading]

Freedom Road, by Howard Fast. "Gideon Jackson, a former slave, returns to the home of his youth in order to begin his post-war life. His wife and children await him and they take their first, halting steps into a free future. Then the notice comes that all the men over age 21 are meant to go into town to vote. From this simple act comes more change than Gideon ever counted on, and maybe more than he wanted, at least at first. Based on historic facts for those who care to dig deeply enough, Freedom Road presents a searing, alternative view of Reconstruction, using the words and work of the people it helped; the people for whom freedom was recently earned with great difficulty, and not to be forsaken at any price." (from Amazon)

Spartacus, by Howard Fast. "Everyone knows the basic story of Spartacus, the anonymous third-generation slave sold to a gladiator school to fight for the amusement of decadent Romans, and how he ended up leading a gigantic slave rebellion that nearly destroyed the Republic. What Fast explores in the novel is how and why this rebellion came about, and what effect it had on the psychology of the Romans, whose culture even during the years of the Republic was enormously dependent on slavery. Most importantly, Fast explores the moral climate of Rome by following around the "victors" of the Servile War as they reminisce about Spartacus and how he was defeated. It is in this backward-looking manner that "Spartacus" unfolds. Fast draws his characters, most of whom are real-life figures, with wonderful clarity: Crassus, the general who crushed Spartacus' rebellion, is shown as "the bronze hawk of the Republic" -- ruthless, sensual, grasping, yet ultimately hollow; Cicero, the historian-philosopher, as a scheming opportunist of the worst sort; Gracchus as a basically decent man turned cynical and decayed by the evils of his society. The lesser Roman characters are much worse: empty-headed, venal, vain, cruel, parasitic, sexually depraved, almost unspeakably vicious and treacherous, all holding onto illicit fortunes wrung from the sweat and labor of slaves, and all desperate to increase their wealth, power and position relative to each other. Nor are the common folk of the cities and towns spared: Fast depicts them in passing as a lazy, bloodthirsty, amoral mob who live for cheap wine and the grain dole and the games, who "strangle their children at birth" and whore themselves on the streets for pennies. In contrast, Fast holds the slaves as being rendered pure and noble by virtue of their suffering. Spartacus is depicted as almost Jesus-like in his simplistic divinity; Varinia (his lover) as a pillar of wifely and motherly virtue; David (the Jewish gladiator) as a hate-filled soul brought to love and redemption through his apprenticeship at Spartacus' side. Once freed, the slaves live in perfect socialistic harmony, sharing their property, keeping no more than they need, living as equals and brothers, and -- inflamed by their passion for freedom -- fighting like lions against the numerically superior and better-equipped Roman legions. If all of this seems rather heavy-handed to you, it is. Fast's Rome is metaphoric. The Romans are modern-day capitalists, the slaves the modern-day working class; and in attacking capitalism and imperialism he is suggesting, as most Marxists did, that the triumph of socialism/communism is a "historical necessity"....not because it is stronger (the slaves are defeated), but because it is righteous (the slaves will rise again). It hardly comes a surprise that this book was required reading for many Soviet schoolchildren." (from Amazon)

[books i've been reading]

The Last Superstition: A Refutation of the New Atheism, by Edward Feser. "New Atheists Richards Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens, Daniel Dennett, and Sam Harris get their comeuppance from philosopher Feser in the spirit with which they abuse believers. “Their books stand out for their manifest ignorance” of the Western religious tradition, he says, “and for the breathtaking shallowness of their philosophical analysis of religious matters.” Far better than such no-quarters rhetoric, however, are the review of pre-Aristotelian philosophy and the summary of Aristotelian metaphysics and Thomas Aquinas’ refinements of Aristotle that make up the heart, soul, and bulk of the book. Feser chooses to argue from Aristotle because he was not arguing from any religious perspective and because Aristotle’s logic, his rationality, hasn’t been improved upon or refuted by modern philosophy. Aristotle’s proof that there is a prime mover or pure being—God—remains solid. Ignoramuses like the four horsemen of the apostasy, whose factual errors, half-truths, and mischaracterization Feser highlights with contemptuous glee, “refute” Aristotle only by changing the playing field from metaphysics to science, from philosophical realism to materialism. With energy and humor as well as transparent exposition, Feser reestablishes the unassailable superiority of classical philosophy." (from Booklist)


The Dawkins Delusion: Atheist Fundamentalism and the Denial of the Divine, by Alister McGrath. "When authors write books that criticize other books, they have usually already lost; the original book has set the agenda to which the critics respond, and the outcome is foretold. Not in this case. The McGraths expeditiously plow into the flank of Dawkins's fundamentalist atheism, made famous in The God Delusion, and run him from the battlefield. The book works partly because they are so much more gracious to Dawkins than Dawkins is to believers: Dawkins's The Blind Watchmaker remains the finest critique of William Paley's naturalistic arguments for deism available, for example. The authors can even point to instances in which their interactions with him, both literary and personal, have changed his manner of arguing: he can no longer say that Tertullian praised Christian belief because of its absurdity or that religion necessarily makes one violent. The McGraths are frustrated, then, that Dawkins continues to write on the a priori, nonscientific assumption that religious believers are either deluded or meretricious, never pausing to consider the evidence not in his favor or the complex beliefs and practices of actual Christians. They conclude disquietingly: perhaps Dawkins is aware that demagogic ranting that displays confidence in the face of counterevidence is the way to sway unlearned masses." (from Publisher's Weekly)