Reading:
The Man Who Was Thursday by G. K. Chesterton
This is the first of Chesterton's fictional works that I have really been able to get into - and it's pretty unputdownable! Chesterton's prose is as unexpected and strangely lyrical as his philosophical work. Not finished it yet, but enjoying very much.
Murder on a Midsummer Night by Kerry Greenwood
This book... was OK. I mean, not badly written, nice imagery, cool 192o's setting, pretty usual murder mystery plotline (although the plot really isn't the point of the book, one realises) and the protagonist was perfect. Don't get me wrong, that doesn't mean I liked her. Phryne Fisher (catchy name, much?) is the self sufficient daughter of a baronet; she's a private detective, stunningly gorgeous and graceful, socially adept, art critic, gourmet, owns a lovely big house in Melbourne with two adopted daughters. Her problem? She has no problems. I found Phryne incredibly annoying in this respect - and her habit of walking all over the other characters really got to me by the end of the book. And the fact that she has a casual sexual relationships (not to mention her continually blase attitude towards debauchery in general - I mean, one passage had me wondering if she had experimented with bestiality. Ew.) just seemed implausible, considering the setting.
The Female Brain by
Louann Brizendine
This book is rather different to those above... in that it isn't a novel, let alone a mysterious thriller. It's a book about how women's brains are different from men's.I found it very interesting and informative - plenty of stuff that I'd already figured out for myself, but it's nice to have scientific writing backing you up, isn't it? I was annoyed by all the 'when we were cavemen' imagery - particularly considering that I have read other (secular, if it matters to you) scientists decry the use of such outdated anthropological suppositions as 'neanderthal man' and his animalistic behaviour. Oh, and Louann Brizendine is a big advocate for hormone therapy, which I'm not entirely cool with. But certainly a fascinating read.
This is the first of Chesterton's fictional works that I have really been able to get into - and it's pretty unputdownable! Chesterton's prose is as unexpected and strangely lyrical as his philosophical work. Not finished it yet, but enjoying very much.
Murder on a Midsummer Night by Kerry Greenwood
This book... was OK. I mean, not badly written, nice imagery, cool 192o's setting, pretty usual murder mystery plotline (although the plot really isn't the point of the book, one realises) and the protagonist was perfect. Don't get me wrong, that doesn't mean I liked her. Phryne Fisher (catchy name, much?) is the self sufficient daughter of a baronet; she's a private detective, stunningly gorgeous and graceful, socially adept, art critic, gourmet, owns a lovely big house in Melbourne with two adopted daughters. Her problem? She has no problems. I found Phryne incredibly annoying in this respect - and her habit of walking all over the other characters really got to me by the end of the book. And the fact that she has a casual sexual relationships (not to mention her continually blase attitude towards debauchery in general - I mean, one passage had me wondering if she had experimented with bestiality. Ew.) just seemed implausible, considering the setting.
The Female Brain by Louann Brizendine
This book is rather different to those above... in that it isn't a novel, let alone a mysterious thriller. It's a book about how women's brains are different from men's.I found it very interesting and informative - plenty of stuff that I'd already figured out for myself, but it's nice to have scientific writing backing you up, isn't it? I was annoyed by all the 'when we were cavemen' imagery - particularly considering that I have read other (secular, if it matters to you) scientists decry the use of such outdated anthropological suppositions as 'neanderthal man' and his animalistic behaviour. Oh, and Louann Brizendine is a big advocate for hormone therapy, which I'm not entirely cool with. But certainly a fascinating read.
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