kevin

Years ago I took a class on California geology (thinking it'd fill a physical science pre-req without having to take a lab (clever me)) and it, surprisingly, was one of the more interesting classes I'd ever taken.

That said, my eyes did glaze over a bit reading some of the drawn-out descriptions of rocks and geologic formations in this book.

That said, I really enjoyed McPhee's style and wit, especially when he mixed history into his writing. The section on the California gold rush was particularly compelling.

delicate people,

Swann, dude...that's not love!

although, maybe I have to continue the series for things to build into something approaching profundity.. 🎩🧐

The Mighty Powerfool

kicking myself for not deciding to become a damned intellectual

noir plot that eventually makes its way through some Invisible Cities.

plus one star for the candid afterword, in which the author states as much.

casual heartbreak

“From my observation and experience of all in flourishing nations everywhere, what is taking place, so help me God, is nothing but a conspiracy of the rich, as it were, who look out for themselves under the pretext of serving the commonwealth”
-500 years ago
(-and now)
((-and probably 500 years from now))
(((if there is a 500 years from now)))

besides the skewering of the self-serving wealthy and ineffectual ruling class, under a slightly different tone i feel what is being described is a dystopia and i'm assuming i'm the first to realize that in review.=P

🚶

:(

I ought to watch the special, too, I suppose.

+0.5 for reading after Stravinsky's autobiography.

My favorite part is when they held hands.

a world of high drama.

drugs

nice title and dedication:

“
The love in this novel is for Tessa,
and the love in me is for her, too.
She is my little song.
“

but the book doesn't live up so much.

exhaustive

“Whoop-de-doo. What does it all mean, Basil?” - Austin “Danger” Powers (1999)

broad strokes with some nice connections made, but a bit haphazard for my tastes. good stuff, warrants further ponders.

ramble on.

created stuff that creator has no intention of making public being made public, that's hard to judge.

I understood the implications of ‘kafkaesque' before reading but now no longer do.

i wonder which stater bros. she walked to.

+1 for genie Tapatio

tedious. okay ending. starts on a 1-star, ends on a 3-star.

he really didn't like teamsters.

🔥🏚️🌽💦

i am assuming all of this happened.

allusions and asides

the metaphor got murky

+1 stars for inspiring a pretty good Earth album.

I've had this book for quite a while, read about 150 pages when I was younger... well, I've finally read it through.