Pamela > Recent Status Updates

I did not finish this book.

The perspective of the one traumatized. How unappealing is the life of one such person.

Interesting characters. Obituary focus.

I still keep reading these stories. I dislike some characters, though, and I think that is never going to change. Scarpetta’s entanglements are mistaken for loyalty, and loyalty is mistaken for love. She sees herself as getting “better”, and changing. I am not sure that she has.

Decides she will leave the force when this case is done. Is tired of dealing with the hassle she gets from other detectives. Withdraws from Steve after a fight. Meets her father and sends him away.

Getting to know the main protagonist, her history on the Murder Squad, her stress reaction—her anger.

Interestingly written. Slow character development at this point. Lucas is newest.

Another superb Caleb Carr novel. I love that he creates context, political and otherwise as he develops his characters. Subtle use of humor.

"In Anna's estimation, dead bodies were about the most trustworthy humans on the planet."

Apt description of the social status in Oceania. Some creepy parallels to possibilities in this day and age. An invisible location of leadership, for example.

Interesting discussion of the purpose of war (Written by the resistance)

So far almost all the story is taking place in Winston's head. I keep hoping for more action-I am a partaker of action. Now, he is puzzling about the past, whether it was better than the present. He has purchased what sounds like a paperweight in an antique shop.

Just getting back into this book a second time. First time: in my mid-teens. It left an impression then, and I am eager to refresh and update that.

It started out choppy. Poorly contextualized. Gets better later. Most eloquent parts are those that describe the characters. You get caught up in their struggle for survival and wonder how they could produce plays, or play music.

As ever, written like the reader is wandering into a surprise story. Then it deepens and takes hold of the beholder. Family, family love, brothers, sisters, adoption, black and white.

Moving introduction by David Mitchell, author of 'Cloud Atlas'.
Losing your "inner editor"…

Smugglers and wreckers.

From Africa , pirates, and the slave trade, to Cornwall, smuggling, scavenging and squalor.

An interesting view of 1700's coastal life in England-smuggling, salvagers and such.

Clear, even though covering a subject that is unknown to me: ancient ships, ship terms, masts, types of ships. Not over-described and full of unnecessary detail. I am able to follow the action of ship and men, the men's thoughts and able to visualize from what is written.

Extravagantly voiced story.

Beware: Ignorance
Protects itself.
Ignorance
Promotes suspicion.
Suspicion
Engenders fear.
Fear quails,
Irrational and blind,
Or fear looms,
Defiant and closed.
Blind, closed,
Suspicious, afraid,
Ignorance
Protects itself,
And protected,
Ignorance grows.

About a demagogue would be leader who is elected. "How much of this nonsense does he believe, I wonder, and how much does he say just because he knows the value of dividing in order to conquer and to rule?"

Something t consciously or unconsciously does.

"We’re sliding into undirected negative change, and what’s worse, we’re getting used to it. All too often, we shape ourselves and our futures in such stupid ways."
Too true.

"Once he’s made everyone who isn’t like him sound evil, then he can blame them for problems he knows they didn’t cause. That’s easier than trying to fix the problems.”
My god, it sounds like t. Good advice about prayer—praying to the god within you.