Category Archives: Uncategorized

Why this book: Selected by my literature reading group for our bi-monthly selection – something different. I’d read Hesse’s  Siddhartha, Steppenwolf, and The Glass Bead Game before, but not this one. Considered by some to be his masterpiece. Summary in 4 … Continue reading →

Why this book;  I had read it some 45 years ago, and then, listening to Yuval Harari’s 21 lessons for the 21st Century recently, he noted that Brave New World is more relevant today than when it was written and … Continue reading →

Why this book: I just finished reading The Sparrow for the second time and was inspired (again.)  I wanted to follow up with reading Children of God again, and be inspired again, and that was a good call.  Summary in … Continue reading →

Why this book:  I had read this book about 12 years ago in my literature reading group.  It resulted in one of the richest discussions we’d had after reading a book.   All of us who were in the group at … Continue reading →

Why this book:  After reading My Journey to Lhasa in which she describes how she became the first Western woman to visit Lhasa (and which I review here), I felt inclined to learn the rest of the story of the … Continue reading →

Why this book: I was preparing to do a bike ride in Provence starting and finishing in Avignon, and riding for 8 days in the environs.  This book came strongly recommended to provide a historical perspective on the world we … Continue reading →

Why this book: I was preparing to do an 8 day bike tour through Provence, beginning in Avignon, and I was looking for something light to read that would give me a different perspective on the region I was biking … Continue reading →

Why this book: My friend Doug recommended it to me. After looking at it and starting to read it, I convinced several of my friends to read it with me, in order that we could meet on zoom and discuss … Continue reading →

Why this book: Recommended by my friend Chris in my literature reading group. Chris is a retired intel professional and said he found this novel powerful and recommended it for something different. So we agreed and selected it for our … Continue reading →

Why this book: I’m in a SEAL reading group and one of our sessions was a pick-your-own-book in the genre of explorations, discovery, survival.  I had read and been fascinated by Shackleton’s Endurance experience and of two failed American attempts … Continue reading →