Big BOoTY List #14 Galagapos

#14 Galagapos



I went for a third book of KV's, something I had yet to read. This one is a bit strange in narrative style, and reading his bibliography, it came out about 5 years before Hocus Pocus, which is similar in style but better executed.

Another 'end of the world' type thing, written 1 million years in the future, looking back at the moments that lead to an evolved human race, which through subtle clues are some type of seal/people. The narrator of the story is a ghost, the son of Kilgore Trout, whom most Vonnegut fans will be familiar with. I would have preferred to know that earlier in the story, which is why maybe that comes as a bit of a spoiler alert but whatever... the book was written in 1985.

Big BOoty List #12 and #13 Sirens of Titan/Mother Night

Sirens of Titan

Wow. Started strong this year and then Spring happened and all the chores/kids/lawn care/school practicum and things caught up with me, leaving little 'me' time to read anything other than skimming through social media posts.

But I did re-read this great piece of sarcasm from Kurt Vonnegut; one of his earlier works which generated enough interest for him to continue writing. It also made me want to brush off another work of his I own, Mother Night, and re-read that as well. Two different styles, two great books.

Sirens of Titan is about a series of events which answer the philosophical question as to 'Why are we here?' It delves into religions, civilizations, space travel, inter-dimensional travel, capitalism and the need for people to believe we are here for some purpose. It turns out we are, but it's not what you might expect.

#13 Mother Night

After Sirens, I needed more Vonnegut so I went to the bookshelf and pulled out this one, a little find from Parry Sound, childhood home of my wife and little-known hockey legend, Bobby Orr.

Mother Night is a first person account of Howard Campbell, an American who is awaiting trial in Israel for Crimes Against Humanity and treason sometime in the late 50s. He was a German radio propagandist, working with the German High Command to promote hatred towards Jews and is beloved by American racists and finds himself outed by a white supremacist group which leads to his arrest. He claims he was a spy, working for America in sending secret messages through his broadcasts but the only problem is, he doesn't know who the man was that recruited him.

The book talks of his life in Germany, the loss of his love and the moments of civility he saw in a time of lunacy. In a brief conversation, his character answers the age-old wannabe writer's question of 'inspiration or dedication?' - does one wait for inspiration to write or simply write every day, no matter what the output may be? I think Vonnegut answers for himself, a hint into his writing style when he says it is dedication, not inspiration.

Sadly, I have not had that dedication lately.

Big BOoTy List #11 - The Collapse of Parenting

Big BOoTy List #11 - The Collapse of Parenting - Dr Sax


Funnily enough I found this book for my wife as I knew she would love the provocative title and it wasn't until after I read #9, Boys Adrift I found out it was written by the same person.

Basically, man up, parents. Especially you in the USA. No, the whole world isn't like your kids; your kids are future and current problems caused by parental lack of responsibility, changing social values, lack of ambition, fame-fucking and over-medication.

Problem is with these type of books, the only ones likely to read them are good parents, not the majority of parents who want to avoid the leadership needed in being a parent first, friend second.

Big BOoTy List #10 - Night Watch

Big BOoTy List #10 - Night Watch - Terry Pratchett

Again. This guy is amazing. If you know Discworld, you know that Guards! Guards! is often recommended as a great book to introduce you to the world and dynamics of Ankh-Morpork, the biggest city on Discworld, the flat world which rides on the back of four elephants which are standing on the top of the great space turtle A'Tuin as it swims through the universe.

Of course you knew that.

In Guards! Guards! you are introduced to the honourable, yet drunken and cynical Sgt. Samuel Vimes, a City Watch officer who tries his best to do his job, despite the evil that men do. I won't get into it only to say, like many others, it's a must-read.

In Night Watch, it is many, many years, books and promotions later, Sgt Vimes is now the City Watch Commander and a leading, if unwilling member of high society. Longing for the old days, he takes off in foot pursuit of a man who has killed one of his officers and being Terry Pratchett, magic transports him back in time to what was to become a turning point in the history of the city, full of maniacal leaders, gestapo-like police who 'disappeared people' and most importantly, a young Sam Vimes who has just entered the ranks of the City Watch. Old Sam Vimes now becomes the mentor to his younger self, which makes the brain start to twist.

Now time travel stories always have their share of plot 'what ifs' and Night Watch is outstanding in this way. Sir Terry does a great job in not making the young Sam/old Sam the main plot, instead concentrating on the main villainy of the times.

Fun. Great. Heart. Beautiful book.

Big BOoTy List #9 Boys Adrift

Big BOoTy List #9 Boys Adrift by Dr. Leonard Sax




I'm falling behind on my updates! Curses, life... anyways, this is a book about how come 'boys just can't be boys anymore'. It talks about the lack of being outside, binging on the alternate reality of video game worlds, how being the 'provider' to girls/women isn't really a thing anymore, leading to a sort of nancy-boy who doesn't need to go out and make money for the family and the willingness of parents to put their kids on medications instead of adjusting their parenting...

Just a casual, not overly scientific discussion of the changes in parenting and North American social culture is changing the stereotypical 'boy'.

I enjoyed it.