Sourdough: a Novel

by Robin Sloan

This fun science fiction novel brings together computing, engineering, robotics,...and of all things, sourdough. Mr. Sloan has a delightful way with words, and had me laughing at the visualizations he developed. Our protagonist, Lois, has "lost" herself to her job, as many teachers have done. Lois "inherited" a sourdough starter, and is determined to keep it from dying, so she does what all good students do - she reads a book. She joins a local "Lois" group (you have to read it to meet the ladies in the group), she makes bread, and integrates robotics.

All in all, this is a very easy read, maybe two hours on a rainy day to yourself (if you have such an endangered species). Get lost in the fun. You'll be glad you did.

Comments

Dragon's Teeth - by Michael Crichton

What a fun story based on history! The plot winds around the animosity between paleontologists Marsh and Cope, as told by a fictional member of the dig party. We are taken (in the form of our protagonist, William Johnson) to the Badlands, Deadwood, into Indian raids, labeled as a traitor, attacked on all sides by all kinds of people, and then we get home a changed young man. If you know history, you will enjoy they way Crichton weaves momentous events and remarkable historical persons into the story. You will find yourself thinking "I know what's coming," because you do, if you know anything about the WEST in the 1870's, or know some of the background with Marsh and Cope. I listened to this story as a traveled each week, getting about 2 hours of the book on each trip. After each two hours, I wanted more, but I forced myself to wait for the next week. I was sad to be finished with it yesterday.

Reverend Guppy's Aquarium

by Philip Dodd This is a delightful book which gives us the origins of product names. One of my many "I heard it on NPR" books, this one has not disappointed this reader. I am halfway through the books and have loved learning the origin of the name "Jacuzzi" and "frisbee." Part of this is because I love WORDS and LANGUAGE. The other part is the beauty of invention. I'll have it for swap in October at our book swap session.

The Blooding

by Joseph Wambaugh While Wambaugh usually writes fiction, he broke from his mold and wrote this nonfiction book about DNA evidence. He wrote about the FIRST time DNA was used to exonerate a suspect, and also how DNA was used (in the same case) to convict a suspect. The book is a good tale of how the British government obtained blood from all men in a certain area of Britain (which would never happen in the USA) to use the new technology provided by Sir Alec John Jeffreys. Jeffreys's research had only been used once prior to this case, and that was to determine a citizenship issue. Being a police/crime writer, Wambaugh does get bogged down in the case work and the investigators, but read on - the science is good. I find copies of this book at every used book store I enter - and I buy them to place in the school library. And then read "Pointing from the Grave" by Samantha Weinberg - you'll be glad you did.

Aleta's Book Report

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