The Imager Portfolio: Scholar and Princeps

Last updated on: September 27, 2012 at 7:40 pm By willduquette

Scholar and Princeps, by L.E. Modesitt, Jr., are the fourth and fifth books in his series The Imager Portfolio. An imager is capable of bringing things into existence by imagining them carefully and in detail. Different imagers can image different things, and they vary greatly in strength. Interestingly, imagers don’t bring things into existence ex nihilo; they need raw materials like everyone else. There are dangers, here; an imager who tries to image a large quantity of iron, for example,... Read more

Pippa Passes

Last updated on: September 26, 2012 at 11:55 pm By willduquette

Pippa Passes, by Rumer Godden, is exactly the sort of book I always have trouble reviewing. I discovered Rumer Godden some years ago, and devoured In This House of Brede and Five for Sorrow, Ten for Joy; and then I was stuck, because she wasn’t in print. About that time Jane discovered PaperbackSwap.com, so I had her ask for books by Rumer Godden. An Episode of Sparrows came shortly thereafter, and then a number of others which have been sitting... Read more

The Rite by Matt Baglio (and a book giveaway at SnoringScholar.com)

Last updated on: September 26, 2012 at 7:53 pm By Jennifer Fitz

Hey everyone, I’m Jennifer, and I’d like to make my debut here on the Happy Catholic Bookshelf by talking about demons. Just a coincidence, I promise. What happened is this: The very day Julie invited me to the ‘shelf, fellow bookshelf-writer Sarah Reinhard announced a book give-away of Matt Baglio’s The Rite on her blog. I reviewed it last year at my own blog, highly recommend it, and encourage you to go over to Sarah’s right now and sign up... Read more

The Nightingale by Hans Christen Andersen

Last updated on: September 26, 2012 at 12:29 pm By Julie Davis

In which a Chinese emperor learns the value of one of his humblest subjects. Now playing at Forgotten Classics and read for us by Joseph from Zombie Parent’s Guide. Thanks to Joseph and Will, it’s a regular smorgasbord of good listening over there! Don’t miss out! Read more

This Week’s Book Notes – Mini Reviews and Jottings by Sarah

Last updated on: September 26, 2012 at 9:59 am By Sarah Reinhard

Is someone else other than just me proud of me for doing this a second week in a row? No? Well, I’m okay with that. Maybe I’ll even keep going with this. (Maybe not. I make no promises, as Destructoboy’s in the background doing…well, nevermind what he’s doing.) Glorious Ruin: How Suffering Sets You Free, by Tullian Tchividjian – Christian Life/Spiritual Growth, 5 out of 5 stars Reviewed at length at my place earlier this week. I had no idea how much I... Read more

Jeeves and the Unbidden Guest

Last updated on: September 25, 2012 at 2:24 pm By Julie Davis

“I’m not absolutely certain of my facts, but I rather fancy it’s Shakespeare–or, if not, it’s some equally brainy lad–who says that it’s always just when a chappie is feeling particularly top-hole, and more than usually braced with things in general that Fate sneaks up behind him with a bit of lead piping. There’s no doubt the man’s right. It’s absolutely that way with me. Take, for instance, the fairly rummy matter of Lady Malvern and her son Wilmot….” Will... Read more

The Expanse

Last updated on: September 24, 2012 at 6:54 pm By willduquette

The Expanse is a recent science fiction series by James S.A. Corey. At present it consists of two novels (Leviathan Wakes and Caliban’s War), a short story I have not read, “The Butcher of Anderson Station,” and a novella, Gods of Risk. I thought I saw a notice on Amazon that a third novel is scheduled for next year, but I can’t seem to find it now. It’s a pity, because I want to read it. The Expanse stands out... Read more

This Week’s Book Notes – Mini Reviews and Jottings by Sarah

Last updated on: September 26, 2012 at 9:48 am By Sarah Reinhard

You know what I hate more than not having time to read? Not having time (or making time?) to write about what I read. I’ve been doing a fair job of keeping Goodreads updated with what I’m reading and what I’ve read, but I’m not always so great at putting in notes. Julie had told me that she uses the update feature to jot notes about the books. I’ve done that for a few recent reads, but it’s still imperfect.... Read more

Wool

Last updated on: September 19, 2012 at 8:59 pm By willduquette

Wool is a series of five science fiction novellas by Hugh Howey. The novellas follow directly one after the other, and though they follow different main characters form one continuous narrative. I don’t know if you can get Wool as a paper book; I got the whole thing in Kindle format as the Wool Omnibus Edition: Wool 1-5. The tales take place some hundreds of years in our future. The surviving remnant of mankind lives in an underground silo, beneath... Read more

Moby Dick Big Read: an audio chapter a day

Last updated on: September 19, 2012 at 11:55 am By Julie Davis

Moby-Dick by Herman Melville I swore I’d never read this book after hearing about how much time was spent on the technical aspects of whale species differentiation and whaling itself. However, the Moby Dick Big Read came along to change my mind enough to gingerly essay the first chapter, wonderfully read by Tilda Swinton. I’ll continue and see what makes this book so essential to so many. I’m also intrigued by their mixture of celebrities and unknown readers as an... Read more