Review: A Burnable Book

Knowledge is currency.

It can be traded and it can be banked, and more secretly than money.

London, 1385:

A book and a cloth prophesy regicide.

Two aspiring poets hide their own a dark secrets.

Two ambitious men plot revenge.

Two fallen women desire a better life.

This is the scene and these are the principal characters of Bruce Holsinger’s A Burnable Book. A book of heretical verse prophesying the death of Richard II circulates through London. When the only known copy goes missing, it’s up to John Gower – enlisted by his friend Geoffrey Chaucer – to track it down and stop the assassination.

[SPOILERS AHEAD]

Distraction, deception, subterfuge, mendacity, all those unspoken tools of the subtler crafts: government and trade, diplomacy and finance.

As far is intrigues go, I found A Burnable Book relatively easy. It is quite obvious that Chaucer is the author of De Mortibus, that Gower’s son Simon is in it up to his ears, and the identity of the so-called “mystery girl” is evident early on as well. History tells us that Richard II wasn’t assassinated in 1385, so we know the plot will fail. (I really shouldn’t have to give a spoiler alert for something over 600 years old, you know . . .) However, this did not stop me from enjoying the book and seeing how the characters would figure it out. For me, the only real plot twists were (a) just who was responsible for Simon’s involvement in the plot and (b) just how much Chaucer “knew” beforehand.

As a work of fiction, I found A Burnable Book to be about as satisfying as a bag of chips: It filled time but had little actual value. Adam Scarlett really turned me off. A relatively minor character, his rather violent end was not really necessary to the plot. Furthermore, coming as it did in the final ten pages of the book, it somewhat ruined the denouement of the overall storyline. I understand the motives behind his death; I simply think it should have come at a different point (preferably not at all).

I borrowed this book from my local library; otherwise, I would have felt robbed. I definitely wouldn’t pay $26 for the hardback edition, and even $8 for a paperback may be a bit much.

My overall rating:

Saturday, 3 January, 2015

Resolved: 2015

Calvin and Hobbes ~ Bill Watterson

I (usually) avoid New Year’s Resolutions. However, this past year brought tremendous change (both good and not-so-good). The biggest change: I’m done with stupid. With that in mind, in 2015 I resolve to:

Be Less Negative and Avoid Negative People

I wouldn’t call myself a killjoy, but I’ve been told I have a tendency to suck the life out of the room by criticizing everything: books, movies, opinions – you name it. What I view as offering my opinion or starting a conversation others see as insufferable arrogance or a superiority complex. I’m sorry; I didn’t realize I was projecting that attitude. But now that I know, I’ll try to do better.

As humans, we tend to reflect the people we hang around with (or follow on social media). That means I might have to unfollow or mute some people; I’ll reserve unfriending (both online and in person) or deleting (definitely not in person as I’m not a Cyberman) for those rare, extreme cases.

Live A Healthier Lifestyle

Confession Time: I haven’t run at all since my last marathon . . . in November of 2013. That’s going to change. My wife has been encouraging me to run, and she’s right: I’m a much more pleasant person to be around when I’m not stressed and annoyed with literally everything. She’s also been instrumental in our eating healthier thanks to her own life change back in June. But, that’s a different story that’s not mine to share. I think she posted some of it on her blog.

Lighten Up

I suppose this goes back to being a less negative person, but I tend to take things way too seriously. Most of the people in my life tend to be spontaneous

Hey! We’ve nothing to do; want to go take random pictures downtown?

whereas I’m the kind of person who plans everything out – sometimes to the minute.

I said we needed to leave at 8:30. It is now 8:31.

Are you trying to make me have a bad day?!

Yes, I have actually said this. Unfortunately.

Manage Time Better

I’m not easily distracted. However, I don’t always make the best choices in what I focus on. Most things are fine in moderation, but I’ve been known to spend hours on social media or binge watch Netflix. Disclaimer: Yes, I watched the entire season of House of Cards the day it was released. Both times. It’s even worse if I find a show I haven’t watched before but has multiple seasons [cough]Warehouse 13[cough].

However, I want to spend my time more profitably. I guess this brings me to some sub-resolutions:

Listen to More Music / Podcasts

I love classical music, but it’s been quite some time since I simply made time to listen without any distractions (like grading papers or writing blog posts). I will make more time to listen to the things I enjoy: namely, German opera. My current iTunes balance is just $15 short of being able to purchase the 1990/1991 recording of Der Ring des Nibelungen.

I could say the same with my podcasts: Good Mythical Morning, Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me!, Serial, Science Friday, Stuff You Missed in History Class, Stuff You Should Know, Ask Me Another, A Prairie Home Companion, and I’ve subscribed to NPR’s new release: Invisibilia. I listen to them while I’m doing other things and fail to enjoy them for themselves. That’s going to change.

Write More / Contribute More

I want to publish at least one blog post per week and write about something important at least once a month. I’ve generally avoided more difficult subjects fearing I’d anger someone. But I’ve come to realize that I’d anger someone no matter what I said. Some things cannot be left unsaid.

I want to write something lengthy. NaNoWriMo, anyone?

I also want to get out and contribute to others’ blogs. Too often I leave a “like” or some trite comment. I want to have conversations with meaning. Practically, this means I’ll also have to

I’ll read more blogs and tackle my TBR. Since life is too short for bad or uninteresting books, I’ll also do something I’ve never done before: willingly give up on a book. I even made a shelf on goodreads for “abandoned/DNF” books. Radical, I know. For the record, my goodreads goal for new books read in 2015 is 78. I may even post some reviews here!

In the end, what I’m really striving for in 2015 is something we all want:

Be A Better Person

How we get there is up to us.

Thursday, 1 January, 2015

A Haiku of Ending

tick tock tick tock tick

Another year now gone by

Regret things undone?

Wednesday, 31 December, 2014

The Data Doesn’t Lie

I searched for a bit and finally found my Blogging Year in Review.

Hint: it’s accessible from the classic dashboard / stats page.

Let’s take a look, shall we?

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2014 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

The concert hall at the Sydney Opera House holds 2,700 people. This blog was viewed about 10,000 times in 2014. If it were a concert at Sydney Opera House, it would take about 4 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.

Click here to see the complete report.

I’m assuming you took the time to scroll through the summary.

For me, several things stood out:

I love the comparison of my blog to the Sydney Opera House.

I wonder if they’re playing Wagner this year?

Nope.

But they do have a performance of La Boheme, so there’s that . . .

My most popular post on my most popular day was A Most Interesting Man?

I would have thought it’d be . . . well, I don’t really know what. But not that one.

I only wrote 68 new posts?

Well, I suppose I did have a months-long blogging sabbatical.

I’m not going for a post-a-day, either.

Eh, I can live with 68.

Wait. This can’t be right. My most viewed posts are all from last year?

How did that happen?

Ok, the one about Monty Python I can understand; it was Freshly Pressed, after all.

I suppose those things get passed around.

But my number one viewed post is still that blasted You Can’t Name a Pig Napoleon?

I think that was the first post I ever wrote for this blog.

It was an exercise, an attempt, a throwaway piece of information.

Why are people still reading this?

No, WordPress, I won’t write more like this.

Except when I do.

Eventually.

People were directed to my blog from various and sundry websites, so I suppose that’s a good thing.

I wonder about the buttons – for – website dot com, though.

Nice to see some global representation, too.

I know I have a few readers in the UK and Germany, but I didn’t know about Canada.

Sorry, Canadians.

As for my commenters, it’s no surprise to find my wonderful blogging friends

vivachange77 (aka the Crone Chronicler)

Phil the Philosopher Mouse of the Hedge

Kathleen R. of Lehrer Werkstatt

stormy1812 (Stormy Musings)

schattenengel

Really, without these – and all other commentators – this blog just wouldn’t be the same.

Who knows what 2015 will bring?

Let’s find out . . . together!

Tuesday, 30 December, 2014

Achievement Unlocked

I’ve written before about my love for Lebkuchen (here and here).

Mom sent Lebkuchen for my birthday.

Or maybe Christmas.

The two tend to run together.

Either way, it’s Day’s Bakery Lebkuchen.

Just as good as I remember.

Mother-in-Law found Lebkuchen at the commissary.

She told Mr. Tom.

She/He/They bought me a bag for Christmas.

Let the Lebkuchen-Festival commence!

Thursday, 25 December, 2014

Lessons and Carols

Perhaps you have never heard of a Lessons and Carols service.

From Wikipedia:

The first Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols at King’s College, Cambridge, was held on Christmas Eve in 1918. It was conceived by Eric Milner-White, the Dean of the College, whose experience as an army chaplain had led him to believe that more imaginative worship was needed by the Church of England. The order of service was adapted from the order created by Benson for Truro Cathedral 38 years earlier, based on an idea from the future Bishop of Edinburgh, George Walpole . . .

The format of the first Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols did not differ substantially from the one known today. The order of the lessons was revised in 1919, and since that time the service has always begun with the hymn “Once in Royal David’s City” . . .

The Nine Lessons, which are the same every year, are read by representatives of the college and of the City of Cambridge from the 1611 Authorized King James Version of the Bible . . . The singing is divided into “carols” which are sung by the Choir of King’s College, Cambridge, and “hymns” sung by the Choir and congregation . . . The service ends with the hymn “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” . . .

If you have never attended a Lessons and Carols service – or, if you are unable to attend one or find a broadcast – I would like to provide one for you.

AB INITIO

FIRST LESSON

Genesis 3:8-19

8. And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden.

9. And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?

10. And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.

11. And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?

12. And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.

13. And the Lord God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.

14. And the Lord God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:

15. And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

16. Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.

17. And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;

18. Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;

19. In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.