Well, this book isn't about the Titanic, it isn't about surviving, and it isn't about books. How sad to witness such a unique premise devolve into yetWell, this book isn't about the Titanic, it isn't about surviving, and it isn't about books. How sad to witness such a unique premise devolve into yet another run-of-the-mill love triangle! If you're interested in love triangles, you might find something useful here, although I doubt there is much to set this one apart from the crowd of romances. The characters are mildly interesting, the pace at some points isn't egregiously slow, and prose is only distractingly over-written in a few places. So it's okay. Mediocre, sure, but definitely okay. I was perhaps most disappointed by the historical setting, which seems to fall flat, at least to me, as the characters feel quite modern. The whole book seems a little out of focus: the Titanic elements are good, but shoved into the background; the love of books is alluded to but not allowed to shine (which was just a constant reminder to me, the reader, that I could be reading something else); and the supporting characters in the book club scenes are so much more interesting than any of the three leads. If you got something out of this, good for you. I found I didn't care enough about the characters even to make it to the end....more
I suppose it's all right for what it is. The story is interesting and the characters likeable. The stunning artwork elevates the book and endows it wiI suppose it's all right for what it is. The story is interesting and the characters likeable. The stunning artwork elevates the book and endows it with beauty. I enjoyed the experience of reading it. That plot, however. Ooh. I feel like the book couldn't quite decide when to be a fairy tale for adults and when to be realistic, and—given that the premise is a talking whale who apparently never needs to eat, who also has a library inside of her—I found some of the more "realistic" elements of the story to be quite unbelievable, even jarring and out-of-place. This book tried to be a lot of things: atmospheric, beautiful, joyful, funny, and tragic. Unfortunately, they just didn't mesh....more
What an excellent collection of short fiction! There were, of course, a few stories that didn't seem as strong as some of the others, but I don't thinWhat an excellent collection of short fiction! There were, of course, a few stories that didn't seem as strong as some of the others, but I don't think there was a single one that I disliked—an unusual occurrence with anthologies and something that impresses me greatly. These exceedingly well-chosen sea stories have been grouped here into four different thematic sections, each of which explores a different element of the sea. The tales complement each other perfectly, and each section is an adventure unto itself. I cannot praise this book highly enough. Absolutely amazing collection.
Out of an already-strong collection, these seven were my favorites: • The Fog Horn (Bradbury) • A Descent into the Maelström (Poe) • The Cruise of The Jolly Roger (Vonnegut) • One for the Islands (Highsmith) • The Open Boat (Crane) • The House of Mapuhi (London) • Sail Shining in White (Helprin) ...more
I greatly enjoyed this very short story. This tale makes good use of detail to portray complicated subject matter; there is, first of all, a descriptiI greatly enjoyed this very short story. This tale makes good use of detail to portray complicated subject matter; there is, first of all, a description of the atoll where the story takes place, and a description of the valuable pearl that has been found, and of course, the hair-raising details of the powerful storm that hits the island. Just as interesting are the characters. London treats with nuance the delicate economic situation, in which Europeans send people to the atoll to do business with the local Polynesians. One main character is the pearl's finder, and the other is biracial, whose family represents both sides of this cultural divide, and whose approach to his business dealings is at once strong and humble. Will he purchase the pearl? Will he survive the storm? And what will become of the man who found the pearl? A page-turner, for sure, and thought-provoking....more
A wonderful short story by Bradbury: creepy and memorable. The descriptions of the fog and the dark ocean create a vivid setting, and the drama pays oA wonderful short story by Bradbury: creepy and memorable. The descriptions of the fog and the dark ocean create a vivid setting, and the drama pays off nicely. Ten years after I read it, I could still recall it in detail. Recommended for fans of science fiction or of tales about the sea....more
Not necessarily a fun read, but incredibly well-written. Distinctive, memorable, and eerie. Highsmith has shown herself to be a talented writer who fiNot necessarily a fun read, but incredibly well-written. Distinctive, memorable, and eerie. Highsmith has shown herself to be a talented writer who fills a scant amount of pages with extraordinary power....more
Moody, atmospheric—a story of the sea so vivid in its descriptions that I could practically taste the salt air. I had a tougher time deciphering the dMoody, atmospheric—a story of the sea so vivid in its descriptions that I could practically taste the salt air. I had a tougher time deciphering the dialogues; one of the characters makes many long-winded speeches (rants?) in what I can only describe as a strong Scottish dialect. This adds flavor to the story but makes the reading a bit more difficult for readers unused to it. The plot is spare (thin?) and ends abruptly. For such a long short story, not much happens, and what story remains is a bit on the odd side. But oh! Those evocative descriptions! Easily the best part of the book....more
Well, this was different. I had never heard of most of these works by Edgar Allan Poe, and I can see why: these are tales that stray from Poe’s usual Well, this was different. I had never heard of most of these works by Edgar Allan Poe, and I can see why: these are tales that stray from Poe’s usual fare of horror and mystery. Here, he tries his hand at sci-fi and even comedy. And believe it or not, I did laugh out loud a little bit in places. This is a bit of a mixed bag: some of Poe’s classic poems are included alongside bizarre tales of adventure and even a silly satirical response to the legend of Scheherazade. As to the quality of some of these stories, that’s a bit tougher to judge. I listened to an audio recording, but I’m not sure that that is the best format for these tales. There is, for example, a great deal of dialogue and some long-winded explanations given by different characters. Parts of this collection felt a little tedious to me, but it’s possible—and, I suspect, likely—that these stories would flow better in a traditional print format. As to the content, one of the stories was so disturbing I couldn’t finish it, but most were interesting. I tend to like 19th-century sea tales, so that helped a bit, too. This would probably be interesting to people who like Poe, or who are interested in short fiction from this era....more
Wow! This book, while quite short, still offers a detailed analysis of many different aspects of ocean studies. Informative without being condescendinWow! This book, while quite short, still offers a detailed analysis of many different aspects of ocean studies. Informative without being condescending, short without oversimplifying—this book has the same kind of feel as one might get from listening to a knowledgeable professor expound on a topic that is dear to his heart. A love letter to the ocean, a scientific treatise on a remarkable natural resource....more
I greatly enjoyed this volume of poetry. These glimpses of the sea take in its vast presence and awesome power and offer a response that is both visceI greatly enjoyed this volume of poetry. These glimpses of the sea take in its vast presence and awesome power and offer a response that is both visceral and spiritual. There is a range of emotions here, and I greatly enjoyed the journey. That said, I also recognize that my perspective here may be a bit different from that of other people. For one thing, I just love all sorts of sea literature, and so the subject matter may impress me more favorably than it might. I also have a pretty high tolerance for Victorian-era sentimentality. Parts of this collection are highly emotional, perhaps even saccharine or cloying. Again, that doesn't bother me. This book's aesthetic might be a bit out of place in our modern times, but I rather enjoyed this foray into a now-unusual style. One major point is the poetry itself, which, I think, is not always as good as it could have been. (So maybe 3 stars for quality but 4 for enjoyment?) Everything rhymes here, and I think sometimes it might have worked just a bit too hard for the rhyme. I also got the impression that at times the ONLY poetical criterion WAS the rhyme. But I am not a poetry buff, and most of the poetry that I do read is either Tennyson or Frost, and while Springer is certainly not as good as they, well, I can't really hold that against her, either, as that's a pretty high bar. I also give her full credit for creativity here, and I applaud her for being willing to try new things with her art. For example, one of the poems reworks an excerpt from a common hymn by turning each line into its own stanza. I should add that the meter and rhyme of Springer's poem differs drastically from that of the hymn. Consequently, I enjoyed the chance to read a poem that played around with and expanded on a beloved hymn. My favorite element of this poetry collection is the theme of faith and Christian spirituality that pervades it. It showcases strength, power, and also quiet devotion. Splendid....more
This light and fluffy story offers a great deal of fun. A meteorologist who has lived in the desert for decades suffers a large embarrassment and damaThis light and fluffy story offers a great deal of fun. A meteorologist who has lived in the desert for decades suffers a large embarrassment and damages her career. Disgraced, she returns to her home state of Michigan, whose wintry climes and lake-effect snow are a stark reminder of why she fled the Midwest in the first place. This book is charming and sweet, and despite some of the cutesier elements, it contains a great deal of pathos. As a bonus, the whole thing feels a bit like a love letter to winter, to our Lake, and to the state of Michigan....more
Interesting, informative, and well-researched, this book is sure to delight any child who'd like to learn more about pirates. The book is highly readaInteresting, informative, and well-researched, this book is sure to delight any child who'd like to learn more about pirates. The book is highly readable, divided into chapters with 10 facts apiece, and these bite-size chunks are fun and quick without ever feeling simplistic. The content was well-chosen and offers a robust view of pirate life. Illustrations throughout add to the enjoyment....more
This was a bit disappointing. For one thing, there was very little information here. It's a very small book, and most of it is pictures, so that thereThis was a bit disappointing. For one thing, there was very little information here. It's a very small book, and most of it is pictures, so that there are maybe 3-4 sentences of text on a two-page spread. This seems strange to me; often, books with few words are intended for very young children, but the subject matter itself seems to be directed at a slightly older audience. Moreover, the information lacks detail and historical context. The book is filled with broad, sweeping claims, but there is little about specific pirates or events. Another disappointment was the subject matter: much of it doesn't apply specifically to pirates at all. For example, the author writes, "Cooks on pirate ships had little training and few supplies. They put salt on vegetables and meat to make it last longer. As time went on, food rotted. Cooks hid the rotten taste with spices." So the food was bad, and so the bad food was just one of many reasons why a life of golden-age piracy wasn't as glamorous as the movies would suggest. Fine. But this bad food wasn't unique to pirates. When I was in elementary school, in history class, we learned that salt was frequently used to preserve food in the days before refrigeration. It happened for centuries, with pirates and merchants and navy men, with pioneers and colonists and settlers, with different cultures, with normal everyday families preparing normal everyday meals. So it's a nice detail, sure, but it's hardly exclusive to pirates. I feel the same about much of the information here. Infection was tougher to treat before penicillin. Some pirates had infections. (Well, so did everyone else, right?) Some information about the ships and the battles, and about pirates codes, was more interesting. The author did a good job of defining certain technical words as they're encountered in the book, as well as in a glossary at the end, so that was nice. And the pictures themselves are quite interesting and fun. Consider this 2.5 stars.
This was pretty well-done. It's a second-person adventure with chooseable paths; this makes it interactive and something like a low-tech video game. IThis was pretty well-done. It's a second-person adventure with chooseable paths; this makes it interactive and something like a low-tech video game. I don't know how popular this format will be with modern children, but it seems pretty enjoyable, and it will likely be marketable to the children of that 1980s-1990s generation who loved the famous "Choose Your Own Adventure" series. This book is a lot like that, but with a more educational bent. The abundant full-color photographs that enrich this volume contain clear information on a variety of topics. Some are historical, such as the famous hoax picture from 1934, while others depict and describe elements of nature, such as real animals and their environments. The story is interesting, and the choices (and consequences thereof) are both logical and educational. The three main cryptids featured here are the Loch Ness monster, Champ, and Mokele-mbembe. I was deeply impressed with the organized layout of the book; each monster gets its own chapter, and the book ends with a final informational chapter, glossary, and index. The authors put a lot of thought into this, and it shows....more
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