I’m currently rebuilding the website as the old one got totally messed up when i was playing around with things (no idea what happened).
So i thought that while it was a total clusterfuck mess of SQL, i would take the opportunity to give it a whole new life and everything.
So if you go clicking on things you might find that very strange things happen. Don’t moan, i know a lot of things are broken, i’m working on it, it takes time.
I’ve got tons of old posts and pages from three websites that i’m working through and will be gradually posting all the stuff i want to keep on here while fixing all the broken things as i go through, one post, one page, at a time.
On top of doing all that, i will, of course, be continuing to add more new content and my latest posts will always appear directly below.
Or, if you prefer, you can also follow me on Twitter and Pinterest where i put a link to all new posts.
Enjoy
Before Your Memory Fades — Toshikazu Kawaguchi
The third book in the Before The Coffee Gets Cold series, and what a great book.
If you haven’t read any of this series yet then i really, whole heartedly, suggest you get back to the beginning and give them a go. The time-travelling-chair-in-a-cafe really is such a great story telling device, especially with the rules that come along with it.
And it’s in those rules that the stories shine. The main one being that you cannot change anything in the present by going back to the past. This rule really does sort the wheat from the chaff and creates stories that are deep and meaningful for all of us.
This third book takes us away from the first cafe to another cafe in Japan with it’s own chair and ghost. The owner has gone away so some of the crew from Tokyo have taken over because only a female over the age of 7 years, from their family, can pour the coffee.
A lot of this book is about death, and how we all deal with the death of a loved one, and the ending is incredible: Toshikazu really nailed the ending, it’s so perfect and so moving. It’s not often that my eyes get soggy at the end of a book, but this one did it perfectly. While the whole book is really good, it’s only when you get to the ending that you realise that it’s all been about building up the ending, where Toshikazu brings everything to a perfectly sharp focus.
And don’t forget, the next book in the series, Before We Say Goodbye, is coming out in September 2023, so be sure to put that in your diary.
Bye for now.
Toshikazu’s Page
#scifi #japan #toshikazukawaguchi
The Midnight Library — Matt Haig
A bit of a strange book. I like the idea of being stuck in limbo, just on the edge of death, and going through all your regrets and considering what you could have done differently; how it might have all worked out if only you’d gone for that cup of coffee, or hadn’t quit the band, etc.. But what i don’t like at all is why it had to be dumped into the parallel/multiple universe twaddle. Parallel/multiple universe twaddle is just twaddle and it really doesn’t need promoting.
Scientists who bang on about god being nonsense who then claim that every time we make a decision a whole new universe if formed are obviously more deluded that people who believe in god – and that’s pretty deluded.
Schroedinger’s cat is not neither alive nor dead, it’s not stuck in a quantum state in between. It’s either dead or alive, one or the other, you can’t have both. Locking it in a toxic box and pretending that it’s neither of either until you open the box is just the most ridiculous thing to come out of science. Yes, if a tree falls in the woods and you don’t hear it does still make a rather big noise, ask the fox.
That said, if you just read the book as about someone stuck in limbo, in that timeless moment just before death, then it’s a really good book. It just doesn’t need the twaddle.
Bye for now.
Matt’s Page
#fantasy #matthaig
Born to Run — Christopher McDougall
As a bare foot runner myself i’ve been meaning to read this book for a very long time, but it just kept on sitting in my to-read pile always being overlooked for some exciting fiction to read instead. But now, finally, i dived in and got it read.
And it’s really good. Christopher has a way of writing that is just captivating and really takes the reader into the depths of the Copper Canyons to meet the Tarahumara and to experience a world that was left behind a long time ago.
To be able to look back in time in this way with the Tarahumara and to see just what super healthy, wonderful, running machines, Natural humans truly are when they’re not pampered by modern appliances and poisoned by modern diets.
This book is a must for anyone who runs, especially for anyone who is even thinking about taking up running, and also for anyone remotely interested in Human evolution and what makes a Homo sapien so special amongst all other animals.
So if you haven’t read it yet, just do so. It’s wonderfully written and a super page turning read meeting some really interesting characters (all true life characters) along the way. It’s not only a great read but a great journey.
And, having enjoyed his writing soooo much, i’m now very much looking forward to reading Christopher’s other books.
Bye for now.
Christopher’s Page
#gettingfitter #roads #transport #fitness #health #running #christophermcdougall
Bobble Made a Pretty
Click on picture for a nice biggy look.
Every once in a while the Lophophora williamsii, that also lives in my house, makes a pretty. Every once in a while being like 4 or 5 years.
Yeah, Bobble (that’s his name) is a bit stingy with his pretties. I grew him from seed and he’s about 20 years old now.
So, not only one of the slowest growing plants ever, but also one of the rarest flowering plants. It’s so rare that i even published this in a full colour photo on this monochrome website, which is also about as rare as Bobble flowering.
Anyway, i just thought i’d share.
Bye for now.
#5t4n5 #flowers #lophophorawilliamsii
Musashi’s Dokkodo — Miyamoto Musashi
Just before Musashi died, he wrote a set of precepts for his favourite student. In this book the precepts are discussed one by one by five martial artists from different backgrounds and careers.
A really good look at Musashi and his ideas with five different interpretations of both the man, the legend and his precepts.
A must read for those of us who are interested in Japanese culture, especially from the feudal era.
Bye for now.
Musashi’s Page
#japan #miyamotomusashi
Bone Silence — Alastair Reynolds
This trilogy is twaddle. I gave it a good a go but gave up on book two, didn’t get around to reading this.
Hopefully Permafrost will have Alastair back to grown up books and may he never attempt young adult stuff ever again, he really isn’t very good at it.
Bye for now.
Alastair’s Page
#scifi #alastairreynolds
Shadow Captain — Alastair Reynolds
I tried, i really did, but i just can’t take any more and i’ve given up on this stupid trilogy. It’s all too much young adult for me and, worse than that, it’s not even very good young adult. It’s just totally unbelievable nonsense.
A child is playing silly games with grown ups, the grown ups know the child is playing silly games with them but they keep letting the child have its way even though the child is probably going to get them killed. Yeah, right!
Alastair should stick with what he does best, sci-fi for intelligent grown ups.
So, unfortunately, my quest to read everything by Alastair Reynolds has come to an end. I’m not reading the rest of this trilogy unless someone pays me £1000.
So, skipping ahead, the next book in Alastair’s literary arsenal is Permafrost. Let’s hope he’s back to normal and it’s as good as his usual stuff.
Bye for now.
Alastair’s Page
#scifi #alastairreynolds
The Molecule of More — Daniel Z. Lieberman and Michael E. Long
A rather interesting book all about dopamine, and how it controls us and shapes our world.
Me thinks everyone should read all the books they can about neurotransmitters, this being a fairly good one.
The annoying thing to me is that while there’s quite a lot of discussion on how our genetics affect out dopamine levels and responses, there is a complete lack of discussion on epigenetics, as though they have no influence whatsoever. There’s also a complete lack on how diet and lifestyle affects dopamine and other neurotransmitters. So while this is a fairly good look at dopamine in general, i wouldn’t take it all at face value because there’s simply too much left out, IMHO.
But lots of people just want to blame the genes they were given and take the “It’s not my fault” path, so maybe this book is written for them.
Bye for now.
Daniel’s Page Michael’s Page
#5t4n5 #danielzlieberman #michaelelong
Revenger — Alastair Reynolds
Not the greatest story Alastair has ever told. It’s all very young adult-ish stuff, and it’s really not anything like what i love about Alastair’s usual sci-fi.
But, i suppose, every writer may wish to have a try at some YA stuff occasionally. I just really hope that Alastair doesn’t ever do it again, thank you.
I mean, let’s be serious, a child who isn’t even old enough to leave home, escapes and takes on the system’s most feared and devastating pirate? Really? And adults just fall over themselves to do her bidding?
But, as i’m committed to reading the whole of Alastair’s writings, i must continue with this farcical trilogy and see where it leads.
So next up it will be Shadow Captain.
Bye for now.
Alastair’s Page
#scifi #alastairreynolds
Upgrade — Blake Crouch
Wow!
Once again, Blake has written one of the best pieces of sci-fi i’ve ever read. A literary wonder. Totally un-put-down-able.
Not only is this a great story about the coming environmental apocalypse and the extinction event that will wipe Homo sapiens from the face of the Universe, this is also a great critique of Homo sapiens’ hubris and arrogance with regard to Nature.
Homo sapiens has got this seriously fucked up idea that it can control and rule Nature and that there’s no need to change the way we are because science will always find an answer to all our woes.
This is one of those books that i’ll be telling everyone i know to read — it’s that good — even though i know probably none of them will bother to read it because, hey, what do they need to know that they can’t watch on television or Youtube?
Anyway, i’m off back to Alastair Reynolds to finish off the last 7 of his books that i haven’t read already.
Bye for now.
Blake’s Page
#scifi #blakecrouch
Fiction
. . .me thinks it’s a good time to re-read Asimov.
Nonfiction
Nonfiction
