Book Report Time, The Great Divorce

C.S. Lewis, The Great Divorce,
This is one of my favorite books of all times.
I have read this little book more than 20 time over the years.
The story starts out with this man wondering around in the mean streets of Gray town.
His story is.
" I never met anyone. But for the little crowd at the bus stop, the whole town seemed to be empty. I think that was why I attached myself to the queue."
These people at the bus stop start fighting for places in line, to see who can be first on the bus.
Once the bus start moving away from the stop, different fellow ride come to talk to our Man, telling there stories of how there came to be on the bus, till the bus leaves the ground and start to fly, higher and higher, till the Gray Town is gone from view.
What is ineresting, is the main character has no name, and never does He ever get a name through the hole story.
With Lewis wonderful writing style, you find yourself in the character shoes, think and asking the same question that He dose.
The book is a study of peoples attribute, how they act and believe.
So you find yourself looking, to see if you fall into one of these character, who believes that there are right.
Just as we believe, that we right in what we are doing.
Fun book to read, only 128 pages long.

Book Report " Hidden Creek"

Title: Hidden Creek
Aurthur: Katharine Newlin Burt
Published: 1920
Sheila, a 17 year young lady living in New York, a short time when Her artiest father dies.
A man that was buying her fathers painting, come to pick it up and finds Sheila, on the floor next to here father's body.
Older Mr. Hudson offers to take Her to his home in Milling, WY, to live with his two daughters and help his wife with house work.
After been in Milling, for 3 week Sheila find out that Mr. Hudson real intentions, was to have her be a barmaid, in his bar in Milling.
That lasted about a month, before Sheila, had, had enough, and run off into the wilds of WY, to live with a female rancher by the name of Miss. Blake.
Shelia, must find what she really wants out of life, and meet the man that she will marries.
At time a little wordy, but the story hold your interest.
I gave a 3 out of 5 starts.

Book Report " The Spy"

Title: The Spy (An Isaac Bell Adventure)
Aurthur: Clive Cussler and Justin Scott
Clive as been adding his name to these books, but not writing at any part of it.
This is not a Dirk Pitt book, but Isaac Bell is the hero in this story.
The story is about US building up sea power, for World War 1.
What nation has the greatest sea power at this time?
The Great White Fleet sailed around to world, to show the sea power of the American had at that time.
The fleet was an aging fleet at the time, but in the other hand, no nation had sent there war fleet, around the world in friend meeting of other nation, so the US was the first.
On the other hand all nation were building a ship called the dreadnought.
You can see more about the dreadnought ship in Wikipedia.
These ship had 12 inch guns that could shoot a 805 pound round, a distance of 6,000 yards to 20,000 yards.

Back to the story, some one killed the head designer, and then another one was killed, and before long, most of the head designers were killed and the US ship building program was in trouble, of not have any ships that could defend the US in time of war, if the need should arise.
I would give the book and 5 out of 5.

Book Report " Waking Lazarus"

Title, Waking Lazarus
Author,T.L. Hines

Starts out, about this boy that falls though the ice and when there get to the hospital, He is declared dead and his body is moved to the morgue.
The boy wakes up, with a sheet over his head, not knowing where He is.
The Nurse comes in to move the body and scared half to death when He sets up.
Later when has grow up, people start to follow him, so He moves to another town and takes a new name and hides for 6 years till, something happens, that He can help fix, with his special power.
I gave it a, 5 out of 5.

Book Report"Guns Of El Kebir"

Title, Guns Of El Kebir

By John Wilcox
In 1882 Simon Fonthill a British solder and his servant number 352 a Welshman who also goes by the name Jenkins.
The two were hired to go under cover and find out great war secirets for the war in Egypt at El Kebir.
The battle at El Kebir is real history and a famous, battle, this story is build around.
Aliceson, a lost love, Simon can't stop thinking about, ever after she has been married for 2 year to a higher ranking solder, but there paths keep crossing, even when far from London in another country that Aliceson should not be in.
Simon end up save Her life 4 time before the story is over..

A good action story and reads will, keeping you interest, pretty much though the hole book.
I gave in a 4 out of 5.

Book Report " Faces in the Fire"

Faces in the Fire
By T. L. Hines

Really good story.
Starts out with Kurt waking up and not knowing who he is.
The only way he, finds out what his name is, is by check his only piece of ID he had was his driver's license. He had a application for truck drivers school and 10 thousand dollars in cash in a money belt.
He buys cloths at estate sales, and the dead people who owned the cloth before, talk to Kurt.
And he does art work from what they say to him.
At some point this list of ten numbers show up one the scene, and the number play a big part in each stanza of the story.
The story is written will and the story flows will with out any slow spots in the story line.
It one of those books that, once you get in about 5 charters, you can't but it down.
A good 5 stars.

Book Report "Wheel of Time"

Authur Robert Jordan
Book one: The Eye of the World

Book two: The Great Hunt.

Book three: The Dragon Reborn.

All good books.
Rand the main character and two other friends Mat and Perry are from the same little town and grew up together and each one seems to have there own special power and job to do in there world or in saving the world.
The stories seem to drag a little and then about the last 3 charter they have the big battle.
But the stories seem to improve in the later books, but I have only read 3 of the 13 books at this point.
Time will tell.

Book Report "Lost Symbol"

Lost Symbol.
Authors Dan Brown.
Another new book came out I think in 2009.
Robert Langle is in the story as will, and plays the main caritor
There is the really bad guy, who wait the great screct,
The interesting part is this all takes place in Washington D.C.
So some of the weid stuff he bring up in the story is mostly true stuff, I check into some of the facts and thing and items and building with there odd stuff about them is pretty much on the mark.
I like the book and would give it a 4 out of 5.

Book Report "Strnager In A Strange Land"

Title: STANGER IN A STANGE LAND.
Aurther: Robert A. Helinlein
Date writen: 1961
Story is about a young man name Michael who's parents travel to Mars, and just as they land He is born and the crew of 20 all die.
This trip took 3 years to get there, and was the first humans to go to Mars.
Valentine Michael Smith, was raised by the Martian.
By the time the next trip to Mars arrived, 20 years had past and little Mike was grown to a man.
And of course Mike grew up learning Mars language and custom.
Mike being born on Mars first, by the laws of earth made Him King and Ruler of Mars.
His parents being very smart, had made some cool thing and patent them, before going to Mars and after 20 years on the market, Mike was a very rich man, so rich, that Mike had to be protected, from those that had control of the moneys.
Mike had to learn how to be human, the language, and the custom.
Mike was taken to a hospital when first can to earth because the gravity here is much stronger and Mike was very weak.
Took all his strength to walk 10 feet.
He had never seen female, so He had no female contact while in the hospital.
The government, did not let the new media or anyone talk to the Man from Mars.
A nurse heard of the man from mars and so, as nurses do, she went to made sure that all his needs were being taken care of.
Mike just learning to talk, asked for something that sounded like water, so the nurse gave Him a glass of water.
On Mars, there is a water shortage, and so water is very sacred on Mars, and so when anyone offers you water to drink, you become a Water Brother.
Or it like getting married, you pledge you self to each other.

Any was, this was a good book till about half way through and then is go weird.
Mike had powers, mind powers, to do many thing, make thing float, and vanish.
Mike even started his own church.
So its okay, I would gave it a 5 out of 5 for the first half and 2 out 5 for the last half.

Book Report, "The Mote in Gods Eye"

Book: The Mote in God's Eye.
Authors: Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle.
Printer in October of 1974.
This is a science fiction, space thing, were they meet some aliens.
The star cluster is called god's eye and a spot in it is the mote's plant system.
The aliens are called Moteis.
Very interesting story, with some battles and even a love story part were the captain and a beautiful scientist fall in love, not to bad, only about 3rd or 4th sub story.
Gets real interesting in the last quart of the book were the humans have to decide weather to let the Moties leave there system and to start anew, and the lies that must be uncovered.

Book Report "Ender's Game"

Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card.
Very good story.
Ender is boy who is 6 years old and his job is to learn how to save the world.
So the Army come to his home and takes Him on a space flight to space station, and He starts playing these war game.
Will written and good flow to the story.
Look forward to the other books Card writes.

Book Report. INK WORLD

By Cornelia Funke
The first book is good and it holds your interest as the story grows and develop into a real story. The other two just draw out and take forever to get to
the point. So do read the fist one.

Book Report "A.D. Chronicles""

Aurthur's are Bodie & Brock Thoene (pronounced Tay-nee)
This is for books, one and two of the twelve.
One is called "First Light"
Two is called "Second Touch"
Its mostly about this blind beggar named Peniel, who meet Jesus and gain his sight, and what happens to him when He tell people how it happened, and what Simon the Pharisees thinks of the hole thing even when the table are turned.
And sweet, Lily who is a leper, that lives in the valley of Mak'ob, with 612 other lepers, and her mission to take a baby that is born there, and dose not have leperses and find a home for the bady to live.
Great insight into the jewesh laws and tradation.
This is a real tear jerker series. many time my heart would jump up into my throat.
So if don't want to cry, and read at the same time, don't read these books.

Book Report Time "Tenth Stone"

Read lots of books lately, but been pretty lazy, time to stop that.
So, here it goes.
The Tenth Stone by Bodie & Brock Thoene.
This story is about a family of lepers that meet Jesus in the valley Mak'ob and what happen on there trip to the temple to show them self to the priest.
And at the same time, the story of the prodigal son, and how bad his life was, and why He left.
This is all fictional , but the Jewish tradition and as will as some of the historical info seems pretty real, as will as how there lives where lived, is very interesting.
It seem there is a few more books on the same bases, people that meet Jesus, how there life's may have been, by the same authors.
Short book about 250 pages.
I give it 4 stars out of 5.

Book report"The Lost World"

The Lost World
By Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

And older book, publisher 1912.
We've seen the movies over the years.
Starting in 1925, 1960, 1992 and 2001.
And also a TV series for about 4 season.

Any ways, the professors start out in England and head to South a American in search of a land that time or the environment had not changed.
The land is on and raised ground pushed up by and earth quake, that was raise 1000 feet from the jungle floor.
By going up the Amazon River, to find this place.

An interesting story with a 3 out 5 starts.

Book Report" Indiana Jones"

Indiana Jones and Seven Veils.
By Rob MacGregor
I gave it and 3 out of 5 stars.

Indiana Jones, is on the trail of Colonel Percy Fawcett who is a real person who went missing in South America in about 1920 or so.

Colonel was looking the lost city of Z and never came back.

Many went looking for the Colonel, but came up dry.

Now the funny part is the Colonel was an Indiana Jones type person or another words.
So the Indian caitor is based on the real life Colonel.

Indian start out in England and then to New York and on the South America, following the Colonel's trail and even finds the Colonel.

Book Report Time "Sahara"

Sahara

By Clive Cussler

A Dirk Pitt story, almost the best I read of Cussler's.

Great story, with lots of action and as will as the history side of his stories that He throw in to keep you interested.

Now if you saw the move you think the the book would be a re-run of that.

Not in this case at all. The move only touches on about quarter of the real story.

So reading the book is like see and all new story.

I gave it 4 starts out of 5.

Books Read in 2008

Mormon Doctrine6++++

The Children of Hurin+3

Fire Ice+++4.5 The Tipping Point++3

Three Weeks with My Brother+++4

Gentlemen of the Road+++2

His Dark Materials I, II, III 13++

Treasure of Khan6 +++++

Star Trek, strange new worlds4+ The Chase4+++

An Acceptable Time 4+++

Many Waters3++++

The list of books for 2008 come to 15 books and total of 5600, pages a far cry from 15000 I have planed to read. A good try on my part.

Book Report Time, The Children of Hurin

The Children of Hurin
By J.R.R. Tolkien and edited by Christopher Tolkien

This was a poem by the first Tolkien written in about 1920.
For this poem He used and ancient English alliterative merte, using a demanding patterns of stress and "initial rhyme".
(this is how it reads) LOL

till the faint flicker of fiery torches
flared before them; fitful murmur
as of many voices in meeting thronged
they heard as they hastened. High sprang the roof.
Round a sudden turning they swung amazed,
and saw a solemn silent conclave,
where hundreds hushed in huge twilight
neath distant domes darkly vaulted
the wordless waited.

So the story was wrote in this formate for about 2000 lines, then abandoned.
No one knows why, but Mr. Tolkien had done this many time, going up as high as 4000 lines of the same type of poetry, then abandoned. (writers block maybe?)

Any ways, the story in todays book, was compiled by J.R.R. Tolkien son and some other people, and written in story form with out any poetry stuff.

The story starts, out with the family tree, and you are soon lost on who's is who, and then the story goes on about the war in the north country, and how everyone s is soon dead.
The last Mother and Son and un-born sister, go on living the worst life possible.
The Son runs off to live in the hidden city to come back some day, when grown up and be a saving King to his people.
So everyone is blow to the four winds, and the Son living in a another city and meets and fair maiden and weds, and is soon to have his child and He goes off to fight a dragon.
The end.
So he kills the dragon, and was knotted out near the dragon body, and is laying there looking dead, and the maiden shows up and is doing the first aid stuff, and the dragon in his last dieing breath says,
" this is your lost brother that you have wed, and are about to bear his child"
Then the dragon dies.
The maiden, jump into a near by river and drowns, the Son, jumps on his sword.
The mother comes around, dies of a broken heart, the Father, is released from the northern King, to find every one died, and story end with Him stand there by Himself.
This is a very depressing story, no wonder J.R.R. Tolkien abandoned it.
The writing style is not of J.R.R. Tolkien quality , not even close to it.
My rating is a 1 star out of 5 stars.

Book Report Time, The Tipping Point.

The Tipping Point, by Maclcolm Gladwell.

How little thing can make a difference.

Its a story about how the Hush Puppies Shoes Company had almost gone broke in 1994,as sales were 30,000 pairs.
Then a bunch of kids in New York, start wearing them and, by the end of 1995, and the word of mouth only, there sales had jumped to 430,000 pairs.

Sesame Street programs for kids and Blue's Clues was shaped by the kids who watching the programs.
What was interesting, with kids of ages 5 years old and under, there interest would last longer, if there were able to watch the same episode 5 days in a role, instead of mixing up the episode through out the week.
The ideal was that kids like being able to guess what was going to happen next as they start to remember the episode from the day before.
OR
When a child was watching and found it enjoyable, it wasn't because it was fun, but that they were understand what was going on.
And when the child was not watching, it was not because there where bored, but that they did not understand the episode.

Another interesting thing.
The human brain is only able to keep track of some many relationship between other persons.
So if you belong to a group of 5 person, then you would have to keep track of 10 separate relationships.
The 4 person you are talking with and 6 other two-way relationships, totaling 10 relationships.
So now, lets say, its 20 persons, 19 person that you talk to and 171 separate relationships.
Now lets step this up to the max, 150 person, this turns into 44,849 separate relationship, science believe this is the max that the human brain can keep track of.

And I'm lucky to remember who I talked to this morning. LOL

So this leads to the fact that organization that are controlled by one person, that reach 150 persons on the team, don't and can't function with out relationship problems between team members.

The armies largest groups are between 150 and 200 persons

The Gore factories, in the Delaware, have a rule, when the work teams reach 150 persons, they build a new building, and split the work force down to smaller teams.
They have some of the building across the parking lot from each other, but there smaller then 150 person in each building working together.
Gore company has about 10 buiding in the Delaware area.

The book is very interesting when they start talking about these items I wrote about here, there is a lot of other stuff you will have to read thought that was not so interesting.
I will gave it 2 1/2 stars out of 5.