When I was enumerating (in the Java, not the combinatorial sense) the comforts of being back in my Midwestern Industrial Hub, one that I’d neglected to talk about was the public library. Usually my library visits involve a lot of impulse borrowing, but this time I was organised: I made a list of books in my Visor, and hence went in fully intending to come out with a massive armload of tomes… rather than that just happening by accident.
In case you’re curious, here’s what’s now on my reading list:
- American Aurora, based on a recommendation on Tristero’s website. The story of a somewhat contrarian newspaper in revolutionary and post-revolutionary America, and by extension a somewhat contrarian take on the Founding Fathers. It looks a little dry, though; I might just dip in and out of this one, rather than reading it cover to cover.
- Robin Hobb’s Liveship Traders trilogy. I was obscurely disappointed with her earlier Farseer trilogy — at least the third book thereof — but I’ve been assured by a couple of people that this series is more satisfying.
- Some books by Matt Ridley, who writes about evolution and genetics. Wendy speaks highly of him, which is a strong point in his favour. One of the books — I can’t recall the title off the top of my head, and foolishly left my books in the car when I discovered that two arms would be inadequate for carrying them and my groceries — deals with the evolution of co-operation, a topic that’s been dear to my heart ever since I read Hofstadter’s articles on the Prisoner’s Dilemma, way back when I was in high school.
- The Last Light of the Sun, Guy Gavriel Kay’s newest novel. Set in the same world as his last few books, but in a part of it we haven’t seen of heard much of yet: the analogues of Scandinavia and the British Isles. Though I know a number of other Kay fans, I can’t think of anyone who’s actually read it yet, or at least anyone who’s told me about reading it.
So I guess I’m pretty much set for the next few weeks. Especially if you add to the list the textbooks for the courses that I start teaching next week. You’ll forgive me, though, if I don’t count them.