Specialization is for Insects

A while ago, Molly gave Liz a copy of The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. Liz seemed to like it and I mentally put it on my list of books to read someday. Recently the book was made into a movie and I thought it would be a good idea to read the book before seeing the movie.

The Good News: The Time Traveler’s Wife is a very well written, thoughtful book. Its the sort of book you pick up and don’t want to put down because you get so absorbed in the story. The characters are interesting and full of contradictions. The author deals intelligently with the philosophical implications of time travel.

The Bad News: This book is not a pleasant read. The book says some very unpleasant things about free will and about the nature of “romantic” relationships. The fact that these things are hard to refute make the book even more unpleasant.

(more…)

We rented the movie Stardust a little while ago. It is a very entertaining film, based on a book I’d never heard of. This week I got the book from the local library.
(more…)

My brother Mark gave me a book for Christmas: Freakonomics by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner. Yes, I know, Christmas was 4 months ago. I just read the book last weekend. I could claim I’m super busy (and I often do make that claim) but the truth is I just don’t read much anymore. Not books, anyway. After reading Freakonomics, I think maybe I should read books more often.
(more…)

Life of Pi is a novel by Yann Martel. It’s the story of a boy who spends 9 months in a lifeboat with a tiger. If it were a movie, I imagine it would be directed by Carroll Ballard.

(more…)

Children of Men is a novel by P.D. James and a movie by Alfonso Cuarón.

Cuarón’s Children of Men is one of the best movies I’ve ever seen. Liz and I saw it in a theater this past January, and we just watched it again on DVD last night.

(more…)