Three More Books

So, what am I (or rather, have been) reading these days? Well, here’s the answer, somewhat delayed due to my return to work:

“Made In America”:ISBN:0552998052 “Look to Windward”:ISBN:1841490598 “Wyrd Sisters”:ISBN:0552134600
★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★
If, like me, you are interested in the evolution of language and culture as it flows (or stumbles) through the nooks and crannies of history, Bill Bryson is sure to provide you with hours of entertainment and chuckles as he walks through American history and associated etymology with his usual wit. Banks and his Culture series have become a favorite of mine in recent years, not just because they play out against a wide backdrop of time and space but also because he is one of those rare craftsmen of writing that happen to write science fiction full of thoughtful (or unexpected) twists. An inexcusable omission of mine until recently, since I have been reading the Discworld series out of “proper” order for years now. Like all of Pratchett’s books, it is a delightful romp through a fantasy world that is, in many aspects, uncannily like our own. You gotta love the underlying critique of our society through unforgiving – and utterly hilarious – parody. Witches, indeed.