Cheaper by the Dozen

cheaper by the dozen frank and ernestine gilbrethCheaper by the Dozen by Frank B. Gilbreth Jr. and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey, 5/5

I can’t believe I didn’t get around to reading this classic until now.  I think that I had a bad impression of it from my mom, who had a bad impression of it from the movie versions.  At any rate, this book is hilarious and, to someone who knows big families or comes from one (like I do), it is utterly believable.  It made me laugh so hard that I had to read a couple parts aloud to the family.  It would make a great read-aloud book, by the way, if the reader can control the giggles.  I’ve requested the much-less-well-known sequel, Belles on Their Toes, from the library, as well as an autobiography of the mother, so I have more Gilbreth escapades to look forward to in future.

[Why I read it: I wanted to find out why a couple family friends found it so amusing that I’d posted Morse code in the bathroom for the kids to learn.  It seems Mr. Gilbreth had the same idea, though with a much cleverer execution…]

Doctor Thorne

doctor thorne anthony trollopeDoctor Thorne by Anthony Trollope, 2/5

I was equally surprised and disappointed by this novel, which almost completely lacks the charm, wit and originality of the first two books in the series.  An anorexic plot, weak characterization, and constant harping on the now largely-irrelevant topic of marrying below one’s station make this a tedious read and one I was glad to see the end of.  My enthusiasm to read the rest of the Chronicles of Barchester series has been dampened but, in light of the first two books’ excellence, I hold out hope that the fourth will not be a waste of time.

[Why I read it: I’m reading through the series, which starts with The Warden.]

Grooks 1–5

Grooks 1 2 3 4 5 piet heinGrooks 1–5 by Piet Hein, with the assistance of Jens Arup, 5/5

Poetry doesn’t come more witty, concise and hilarious than the gems found in this collection, which contains just a small sample of the over 7000 “grooks” written by Danish polymath Piet Hein.

Here are a couple of my favourite examples from the first book:

Consolation Grook

Losing one glove
is certainly painful,
but nothing
     compared to the pain
of losing one,
throwing away the other,
and finding
     the first one again.

 

The Road to Wisdom

The road to wisdom? — Well, it’s plain
and simple to express:
                   Err
                   and err
                   and err again
                   but less
                   and less
                   and less.

 

Sadly, these books are long out of print and, since little information is available about the different versions that were published in Denmark, Canada and the U.S., it is a confusing task to try to assemble a matching set.  I settled for Doubleday editions from the mid-1960s to early-1970s and was able to buy the books individually from AbeBooks (relying on ISBNs, not cover images, which were often missing or incorrect).

[Why I read it: the first three books were a random find at the thriftstore and I passed them along to my brother after enjoying them.  Years later, I happened to be visiting him and saw these books on the shelf.  They were so funny a second time that I decided to buy a complete set for myself.]

The gallery below contains large images of the front covers, so you can get a feel better feel for the artwork and style of poetry:

 

Laughing Gas

laughing gas p g wodehouseLaughing Gas by P.G. Wodehouse, 5/5

Definitely the most bizarre Wodehouse story I’ve encountered, this tale of an English Earl who inadvertently swaps bodies with a Hollywood child star during a routine tooth extraction is told with a rate of quips and quibbles quaint per paragraph that your average author would be thrilled to achieve per chapter.

[Why I read it: Wodehouse is one of my favourite authors, so I was pleased to find a title I didn’t recognize in the rather impressive selection of Wodehouse books at Michael’s Books in Bellingham, WA.]

The Midwife’s Revolt

midwife's revolt jodi daynardThe Midwife’s Revolt by Jodi Daynard, 3/5

This fun and competently-written story about the adventures of Abigail Adam’s midwife during the American Revolution was a bit too much of a page-turner to fit my customary pre-bedtime reading schedule, leaving me somewhat sleep-deprived over the last couple days.  The book is impressively long and Daynard doesn’t succumb to the first-time novelist’s temptation to rush the ending.  I thought she also did a good job of incorporating period-specific vocabulary in a natural way.  Ultimately, though, the plot felt lacking to me, the characters puppetish and I found the ending unsatisfying in its predictability and mushy romanticism.  Suspension of disbelief was difficult for me to attain and I often found myself wondering just how accurate the author’s perception of the era really was.

Since my friend Alison, who is an enthusiastic connoisseur of historical fiction, assures me that the book is well-written and convincing, the foregoing complaints no doubt stem from my deep mistrust of the historical fiction genre in general (which is surely not Jodi Daynard’s fault).  I know that all history is subjective (filtered as it is through human perception) but some sources are more subjective than others, with historical fiction being the most untrustworthy and potentially misleading of all, in my opinion.  I don’t mind so much when iconic time periods are used as settings or major historic events are incorporated into plots, but it grates on me no end when famous people from the past, people who were once as fully alive, independent and individual as you and I, are co-opted for major roles in other people’s made-up stories.  What right does an author have to put words into these once-alive mouths?  To invent experiences and reactions, emotions and opinions, for people who can no longer defend or explain themselves?  Most historical fiction seems written by people who are either expert writers OR expert historians, but how rarely is a synthesis of these two qualities achieved.

[Why I read it: it was my friend’s end-of-summer book recommendation.  Our library didn’t have a copy, but I put in a request and they bought it!  This is the second time in as many months.  I’m definitely feeling spoiled.]

Kon-Tiki and I

Kon-tiki and i erik hesselbergKon-Tiki and I by Erik Hesselberg, 5/5

This humorous account of the Kon-Tiki expedition is written and illustrated by multi-talented Erik Hesselberg, artist, writer, composer, sculptor, and the only professional sailor aboard the balsa raft during its 4,300 mile journey from Peru to the Polynesian Islands.  I only meant to read a few pages of this book before bed, but ended up reading the whole thing in one go, laughing out loud at Hesselberg’s witty observations and admiring his art, which ranges from the sparse, spontaneous lines of caricature to more detailed, scientific drawings of  various sea creatures the crew encountered.  The book is very accessible and appeals to readers of every age, from children to those older people looking for a fun companion to Heyerdahl’s more in-depth account of the Kon-Tiki expedition.

[Why I read it: my brother recommended it to me.]

Smoke on the Mountain

smoke on the mountain joy davidmanSmoke on the Mountain: An Interpretation of the Ten Commandments by Joy Davidman, 2/5

I couldn’t find much to like in this preachy, dated commentary on the Ten Commandments, which joins hundreds of thousands of useless, forgettable sermons on the topic that have been written over the centuries.  Davidman does little more than poke at low-hanging fruit, criticizing society’s moral failings in a manner calculated to appeal more to the smugly self-satisfied or the masochistically guilt-ridden than the individual (Christian or non-Christian) who is searching for Truth.  Also, the tone of authority with which the author treats issues of theology, anthropology and history does not seem well-supported by any expertise or original thought.  The most remarkable aspect of the book is C.S. Lewis’s incredibly graceful foreword, which I think evinces approbation more benevolent than spontaneously appreciative.

[Why I read it: I was curious to learn more about the woman who some consider C.S. Lewis’s intellectual equal and whose death inspired A Grief Observed.  Unsurprisingly, my library didn’t have a copy of this book.  Surprisingly, they bought a copy when I requested it.  Pretty cool.]

Blood Rites

blood rites jim butcherBlood Rites by Jim Butcher, 3/5

An abundance of one-line groaners and an entertaining plot make this a fun read (albeit not one I’m proud to be seen with in public).

[Why I read it: this series is a guilty pleasure and gives my brain a welcome break from more serious literature.]

Barchester Towers

Barchester Towers anthony trollopeBarchester Towers by Anthony Trollope, 5/5

Simply put, this is one of the funniest and most entertaining books I have ever read; the characters, scenarios and author’s commentary (Trollope breaks the fourth wall frequently) had me laughing out loud throughout and I was sorry to reach the last page.  Trollope’s delightfully fresh writing style and lack of idealized, stereotypical characters, combined with an unrelenting derision of organised religion’s faults make this novel stand out from others in its genre.  The continuing trials of meek Mr. Harding, the romantic perils encountered by his widowed daughter, the clerical ambitions of hateful Mr. Slope, and a cast of other new and fascinating characters form a literary enterprise that is even more enjoyable than the first book in the series, The Warden.

[Why I read it: I enjoyed the first book in the series immensely.]

QED

qed feynmanQED: The Strange Theory of Light and Matter by Richard Feynman, 5/5

Most of this book hinges on the bizarre idea of adding amplitude arrows to calculate the probability of certain events happening.  Probability equals the square of the length of an arrow, while the arrow’s direction is determined by the ending position of an imaginary stopwatch’s rotating hand, which turns during the event.  Surprisingly, this unintuitive concept explains a number of phenomena, from iridescence to why light appears to travel in straight lines to the focusing effect lenses have on light.

Of this book’s four chapters, I found the first two to be challenging but reasonably accessible, while the following two became increasingly confusing as the concepts became more complex and Feynman’s patience for explanations seemed to wear thin (if straightforward explanations are even possible, which I almost doubt).  I wish to reread the entire book at a later date and hopefully increase my understanding of the strange concepts it portrays.

[Why I read it: I love reading about quantum physics and have lately been on a Feynman binge.]