Read 2008/8 – Way Station

Book: 8
Title: Way Station

Author: Clifford D. Simak
Genre: Science Fiction
Why did you get this book? Because I like Simak’s work.
Did you enjoy the book? Yes. I am not sure why but this is one my all time favorite science fiction books. I have read it many times.
Was the author new to you? No. I had previously read this book, Shakespeare’s Planet, The Goblin Reservation, Cemetry World and Highway of Eternity.
Would you read something by this author again? Definitely.
Are you keeping it or passing it on? I am keeping it. I revisit this book every now and again.
Anything else? A study of loneliness. A civil war veteran is employed as the caretaker of an interstellar way station. Though living a life in lonely seclusion he is getting more and more noticed. Things come to a head as problems of both Earthly and galactic sources tower up. In one of the subplots a traveler has died while at the way station. Out hero is instructed to dispose of the body “as if he was one of your own”. He does this and marks the grave stone with this epitaph:

Here lies one from a distant star, but the soil is not alien to him, for in death he belongs to the Universe.

I like that a lot. Something about it resonates in me.

Number of pages: 189
Total pages for the year: 2572

The Bad Astronomer talks about the Phoenix descent

Dr Phil Plait in an animated video describing the image taken by the HiRISE camera on Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter MRO of Phoenix’ descent to the surface of Mars.

Note: A quick google search tells me that there is dispute about the genitive of Phoenix. Some use Phoenix’ and others use Phoenix’s.

Read 2008/7 – Sense and Sensibility

Book: 7
Title: Sense and Sensibility

Author: Jane Austen
Genre: Literature.
Why did you get this book? Because I am trying to catch up on some of the great classics of English literature.
Did you enjoy the book? Yes: though not as much as Pride and Prejudice. I was struggling to get through this one. Next time I will download the audio version. I suspect I will find that easier to assimilate.
Was the author new to you? No. I had previously read Pride and Prejudice.
Would you read something by this author again? Yes. I want to read Mansfield Park and Emma.
Are you keeping it or passing it on? I am keeping it – when have I ever done otherwise?
Anything else? Two sisters experience trials and tribulations. Their circumstances largely parallel one another but they react with different temperaments – one with sense and the other with sensibility.
Number of pages: 323
Total pages for the year: 2383

Sun Arise

Another blast from the past from YouTube. This time a cartoon featuring Sun Arise sung by Rolf Harris.

I first heard this song sung by Rolf in the nineteen-sixties. This song has gathering dust in my brain ever since.