[books 2011] presented mostly without comment

[inulro]

I had a lot to say about some of these, but it's been so long I just can't remember or be bothered.

28. The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson
Not as good as I remembered, but still worth while.

29. Rough Crossings: Britain, the Slaves and the American Revolution by Simon Schama

A pretty scholarly work for something that accompanies a TV series. As I'd seen the series, I had Schama's voice in my head as I read it - a poor woman's audio book.

Recommended.

30. Naked Pictures of Famous People by John Stewart

I can't emphasize enough how un-funny this is. Which is a disappointment as I'm a huge fan of the Daily Show.

Consider yourselves warned.

31. The Crimson Petal and the White by Michael Faber

Recent BBC dramatization. Enormous book. Really, really good.

32. Dead in the Family by Charlaine Harris

Another day, another Sookie Stackhouse novel. Everyone who isn't a vampire is breeding, which is most annoying.

33.The Cassini Division by Ken Macleod

Left wing space opera. Interesting comparisons to The Diamond Age.

Probably the best of the series so far (though I've started the final volume and am loving that too).

Comments

[badnewswade.livejournal.com]

I used to really like Ken Macleod, but then after I learned he really believed all that shit I got really bored and annoyed with him using his talent to shoehorn in his dreadful politics. Much the same as The Diamond Age, really - extremes and all that. I guess there's not much of a gap in the market for social-democratic sci-fi...

[inulro.livejournal.com]

I always knew that Ken was hard left In Real Life but I still really like his writing, especially The Night Sessions.