Network Effect by Martha Wells (Murderbot 5)

Another short murderbot book, this one in two major story arcs. Interesting, mysterious space operatic sci-fi tech, bad science, but fantastic characters and anthropomorphised AI's. I can't wait to read the 6th book (Hugo award winner!) 4/5 Stars.

When we cease to understand the world by Benjamin Labatut

I received this short book as a gift.  It is very gripping and melodramatic as the great scientists from the turn of the 20th century struggle with big ideas and the societal  (and personal) consequences of their discoveries.  However the fictional parts of the stories -- gothic horror and insanity stuff --  are silly and bad.  A much better and similar book is Jim Holt's  When Einstein walked with Gödel because Holt's book is historically accurate.  3/5 Stars.

Door into Summer by Robert A Heinlein (1956)

I read many of Heinlein's books in the 1960's and 1970's but I missed this one.  In 2021, Netflix adapted the story to film (in Japanese).  Friends (and Reddit) claim the adaptation is good.  I have added it to our Netflix queue.  Meanwhile, I read the original.  It is quite good and holds up surprisingly well.  It's a fun story 3/5 Stars.

Artificial Condition by Margaret Wells

The stories continue to be fun.  They are short enough to get through in a few sittings and they are wonderful escape literature.  I enjoy the psychology and personalities of the AIs. 4/5 Stars.

Unterleuten von Juli Zeh

Dies ist ein großartiger Roman über das Leben in einer ländlichen Gemeinde und die Komplexität von Beziehungen. Das Buch ist äußerst gut gemacht. Es hat eine breite Palette von tiefen Charakteren. Es ist lustig, satirisch, berührend und erschreckend. Die Handlung ist fantastisch. Ich war die ganze Zeit in der Geschichte gefangen. Dieses Buch ist das beste deutsche Buch, das ich dieses Jahr (bisher) gelesen habe. 5/5 Sterne.

Agent Zigzag by Ben Macintyre

Another fun, interesting, true story by Ben Macintyre, recommended by the friend who told me to read Agent Sonya. I loved the hilarious twists and turns in the story and how truth is so much stranger than fiction. 5/5 Stars.

Rogue Protocol (Murderbot Diaries #2) by Martha Wells

These novellas are very short and continue to be fun.  4/5 Stars.

Imperative (Starfire #7) by Steve White & Charles Gannon

This sixth repetition of the same wet fleet navy strategy set in a space opera is not worth reading.  Despite my curiosity about the story's resolution, I shall likely not read the last book (#8).  1/5 Stars.

The return of the pharaoh by Nicholas Meyer

Fun, well-researched, wild romp through Egypt in 1910 with Sherlock Holmes & John Watson. 3/5 Stars.

All Systems Red by Martha Wells

Martha Wells won the Hugo award in 2021 for her sixth "murderbot" book so I picked up the first book in the series to find out what all the fuss is about.  The book is not bad and I understand the appeal.  The characters are quirky, three-dimensional, and the social situations (e.g. company went with the low bidder, controls costs by giving us cheapest, crappy equipment, etc.) are fun.  The main character (murderbot) is extremely neurotic and hilarious.  Much like Jasmine Bashara in Artemis, she is an anti-hero with a big heart embarking on her redemption arc.  The author writes a decent awe-and-wonder space opera with magical tech in the background while focusing on the drama and social dynamics.  The mystery and character building are excellent but the plot is mediocre and the close-combat is awful.  4/5 Stars.  The book is also surprisingly short.  I shall continue reading the series.

Das Leben ist kurz von Seneca (Lucius Annaeus Seneca the Younger)

Seneca schreibt, dass das Leben nicht kurz ist, sondern schlechter Gebrauch macht es dazu. Das Schicksal gibt uns genug Zeit, um gut zu leben. Aber wir verschwenden unsere Zeit mit der Jagd nach der Befriedigung sinnlicher Begierden oder mit Gier und Ehrgeiz. Das Buch ist kurz und zugänglich. 4/5 Sterne.

Science Fictions: How fraud, bias, negligence, hype undermine the search for truth by Stuart Ritchie

This book is the best non-fiction  book I have read in 2022 (so far). The suggestions and concepts to repair the economics, expectations, incentives, and ecosystems of our severely flawed institutions in science are brilliant.  Highly recommended, 5/5 Stars.

A savage war of peace, Algeria 1954 - 1975 by Alistair Horne

Sometimes I question my masochistic tendency to pick up these thick (625 pages), detailed "phone book" history books. I always chase down the references on wikipedia, pause to review earlier details and spend months of agony assimilating everything that happened in a broader context as I read them.  I shudder when I consider the pain I would have endured if I had chosen a career in history or historiography.

"Savage" is a gross understatement for how terrible this period of history was in Algeria.  The deprivations and inhumanity were extremely painful to get through, especially the shocking, nauseating, and horrific details cited by the author. The Polish/Nazi holocaust, Rawandan genocide, Stalinist purges, and Yugoslav civil war are comparable in their horrors, but this civil war (10% of the population was killed or permanently maimed) is more savage and depraved.

I disagree with about half of the author's analysis and conclusions and I am not enthralled by Charles de Gaulle's cult of personality or his destructive politique de grandeur.  So I did not appreciate Horne's gushing praise (he should have read Barbara Tuchman's take on some of the events).  However, the book is extremely well-researched and the facts are well-presented, so I am giving it 2/5 Stars.  And finally: I did enjoy brushing up my French, as there are numerous, long French citations and all of the original source materials are in French & Arabic.

Go, Venti!

Congratulations to Venti for rounding out their C-suite dream team.

Flight Proven

This stuff never gets old.

But this part continues to be amazing