Books: By Rating

And here’s my book list arranged by rating: best to worst.

Swap Clubs by William and Jarrye Breedlove

8/10
Published in 1964, this book presents itself as a scientific analysis of swinger culture. The opening chapters are filled... more

The A.B.C. Murders by Agatha Christie

8/10
Nothing to see here.

The Almost Nearly Perfect People: Behind the Myth of the Scandinavian Utopia by Michael Booth

8/10
Billed as a travelogue, this book covers the culture, politics and history of the Nordic countries from the perspective... more

The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler

8/10
Gritty crime fiction. Basically the blueprint for the entire genre. The writing and language are a tier above most... more

The Captain Must Die by Robert Colby

8/10
Another solid pulp novel from Prologue Books. This time the story follows a group of ex-soldiers out for revenge... more

The City of Gold and Lead by John Christopher

8/10
Ok. I may have goofed on the first book in The Tripods series earlier, but these are actually pretty fun reads. It’s not... more

The Colour of Magic by Terry Pratchett

8/10
I’m continuously on the lookout for a new fantasy series to fill my Kingkiller Chronicles/Song of Fire and Ice void. I’ve... more

The Commodore by Patrick O'Brian

8/10
Ending is pretty anti-climactic, but the meat of the story is very interesting.

The Dance of Death by Hans Holbein

8/10
This is a weird, hybrid art book. Not exactly coffee table ready, and not exactly an art history paperback.... more

The Declaration of Independents by Nick Gillespie and Matt Welch

8/10
This was a nice manifesto of sorts that hits all the right marks in terms of what it means... more

The Evil Friendship by Vin Packer

8/10
I started reading this book without knowing anything about it. I had previously read and very much enjoyed Vin... more

The Future and its Enemies by Virginia Postrel

8/10
Postrel makes the case for decentralized, dynamic systems. The obvious application of this is in free-market versus command-style economies,... more

The Golden Spiders by Rex Stout

8/10
Nero Wolfe is a dick. It’s a wonder that this mostly unlikable character spawned such a successful series of... more

The Happy Return (aka Beat to Quarters) by C. F. Forester

8/10
Thought I’d give this series a try after finishing the Aubry/Maturn series. Hornblower is definately a simpler read, and... more

The High Window by Raymond Chandler

8/10
Phillip Marlowe has been hired to track down a stolen gold coin and, of course, it leads to murder.... more

The Iliad by Homer

8/10
This is the sort of book that I feel like I have read already but that is mostly because... more

The Ionian Mission by Patrick O'Brian

8/10
Listened to it as a book on tape. Good but lacked an over arching plot.

The Joy of Hate: How to Triumph over Whiners in the Age of Phony Outrage by Greg Gutfeld

8/10
Gutfeld’s latest is a bit more focused than his last book. The primary theme of the book is that people... more

The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski

8/10
I’ve played the games, watched the television show, and now I am going to work my way through the... more

The Light Fantastic by Terry Pratchett

8/10
The story picks up right where The Colour of Magic with our heroes tumbling off the edge of the world. Book... more

The Making of Nox Archaist by Mark Lemmert

8/10
Here we go, yet another post about Nox Archaist. This book probably won’t be of much interest to people... more

The Mandibles: A Family, 2029-2047 by Lionel Shriver

8/10
Apocalyptic dystopia from a libertarian perspective. Biases confirmed! In this story it’s not war, plague or environmental catastrophe that... more

The Mauritius Command by Patrick O'Brian

8/10
Much better than the last book in the series.

The Mezzotint by Carol Wax

8/10
This is probably the definitive guide to the history and process of mezzotint printing. There are tons of images... more

The Nutmeg of Consolation by Patrick O'Brian

8/10
The Nutmeg of Consolation

The Odessa File by Frederick Forsyth

8/10
I vaguely recall reading this.

The Pool of Fire by John Christopher

8/10
The final book the The Tripods trilogy delivers a satisfying conclusion to the story. I picture the aliens looking like Sigmund... more

The Price of Everything: A Parable of Possibility and Prosperity by Russell Roberts

8/10
This book is really an economics lesson presented in layman’s terms. The plot and characters are merely a device... more

The Raft by Robert Trumbull

8/10
The harrowing true life account of three airmen who are adrift in a rubber raft for thirty-four days following... more

The Renaissance of Etching by Catherine Jenkins

8/10
A better title for this art book would be Etching from the Renaissance. The book covers the dawn of... more

The Seven Deadly Virtues by Jonathan V. Last

8/10
A compilation of humorous essays by eighteen conservative authors in which each tackles the merits and faults or various... more

The Thrill Kids by Vin Packer

8/10
Another yarn about corrupted youth from Vin Packer. This time it’s four disenfranchised teenage boys who become a vigilante... more

The Time of Contempt by Andrzej Sapkowski

8/10
The Witcher continues with more of Geralt not fighting monsters. There’s a conclave of sorcerers, a double-crossing, a big... more

The Tower of the Swallow by Andrzej Sapkowski

8/10
After a very Geralt-centric novel, this fourth book in The Witcher series returns to the Ciri being the primary... more

The Twisted Ones by Vin Packer

8/10
The Twisted Ones was another 1950’s pulp novel reprinted as an eBook by Prologue Books and available for free download.... more

The Tyranny of Clichés: How Liberals Cheat in the War of Ideas by Jonah Goldberg

8/10
The main thesis of Tyranny of Clichés begins with the notion that conservative and libertarian arguments tend to get rebutted, not... more

The Yellow Admiral by Patrick O'Brian

8/10
No review written.

Treason’s Harbor by Patrick O'Brian

8/10
This book in the Aubry/Maturin series benefits from a clear plot line of espionage.

Truth and Fantasy: Goya the Small Paintings by Juliet Wilson-Bareau

8/10
Most of the paintings featured in this coffee table art book are preliminary studies for major works. The time... more

Tunnel in the Sky by Robert A. Heinlein

8/10
A well-paced survival story about a bunch of teenagers abandoned on a desolate planet. There is some delving into... more

Unfaithful Wives by Orrie Hitt

8/10
Another quality pulp novel from Prologue Books. This one is filled with at least half a dozen cheating spouses... more

Van Eyck by Till-Holger Borchert

8/10
This is your standard mass-market artist overview with plenty of high quality color images. The writing is to the... more

Words on the Move: Why English Won’t – and Can’t – Sit Still (Like, Literally) by John McWhorter

8/10
While it’s almost structured as a defense of the “misuse” of words such as literally and like, McWhorter’s book is a very... more

World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Brooks

8/10
A bit of speculative fiction showing how the world would deal with a zombie apocalypse. The book is written... more

Wyrd Sisters by Terry Pratchett

8/10
Another solid Discworld novel with lots of vivid characters and humorous situations.

You’re Better Than Me by Bonnie McFarlane

8/10
Another comic’s memoir, but this time it’s actually funny. The first half is really is much better, in which... more

Against Empathy: The Case for Rational Compassion by Paul Bloom

7/10
I think it’s telling that throughout this book the author in constantly having to backtrack and clarify what he... more

Babylon’s Ashes by James S.A. Corey

7/10
The sixth Expanse novel is the last of the series that was adapted for the show. The biggest problem... more

Bad Penny by John D. Brown

7/10
I enjoyed his fantasy series, so I thought I’d try out Brown’s crime thriller series. This is the story of... more

Barbarella by Jean-Claude Forest

7/10
The French comic upon which the movie was based. Stunning 60’s stylized artwork, but the story is just a... more

Black Hole by Charles Burns

7/10
Decent and weird graphic novel. Lots on indy comic cliche.

Blue at the Mizzen by Patrick O'Brian

7/10
Not the strongest book in the series. It doesn’t help that many of the regular characters are gone in... more

Caliban’s War by James S. A. Corey

7/10
This the second book in The Expanse series. It felt like a bit of a retread but with less interesting characters.... more

Connecticut Privateer Samuel Smedley by Jackson Kuhl

7/10
A short book about a lesser known hero of the American revolution. As the captain of a Connecticut privateer vessel,... more

Cosmic Retribution: The Infernal Art of Joe Coleman by Joe Coleman

7/10
Joe Coleman is a sicko and he wants you to know it! While I still like his art, I... more

Curse: The Dark God Book 2 by John D. Brown

7/10
Despite an exciting opening, the second book in this series is not as good as the first. The stakes... more

Death in the Clouds by Agatha Christie

7/10
Poirot on a plane, a blow dart, and many suspects all with reasons to kill the old hag. I... more

Diamonds Are Forever by Ian Fleming

7/10
James Bond #4 pits Bond against the mob in America. I’m surprised at how little actual spy-craft takes place... more

Discrimination and Disparities by Thomas Sowell

7/10
Sowell is always an interesting read. However, I find that he can be a bit repetitive in his points... more

Empire of Lies by Andrew Klaven

7/10
I like Andrew Klaven. His Klaven on the Culture videos are good natured and entertaining little bits of political satire that... more

Falling Up the Stairs by James Lileks

7/10
I know Lileks mostly as a humorous conservative commentator and a connoisseur of cheesy 50’s pop culture. I wasn’t... more

Financial Fiasco by Johan Norberg

7/10
This book presents a history of the current financial crisis thingy in a way that tries to be as... more

Food: A Love Story by Jim Gaffigan

7/10
An entertaining read that pretty much says everything funny that can be said about food. I’ve read a couple... more

Freezer Burn by Joe R. Lansdale

7/10
Well, this is why I write these reviews. I got about a quarter the way into this book and... more

From Russia with Love by Ian Fleming

7/10
Bond travels to Istanbul to meet with a rogue Russian agent who claims to be in love with him.... more

Hieronymus Bosch by Walter S. Gibson

7/10
This short and small volume does a good job in contextualizing the work of Bosch. Lots of images but... more

How We Decide by Jonah Lehrer

7/10
I am not usually a non-fiction reader outside of the occasional political tome, but I bought this after it... more

Kill All Normies by Angela Nagle

7/10
This is a pretty good overview of the roots of (mostly) right-wing Internet subcultures and trolls with a little... more

Lady of the Lake by Andrzej Sapkowski

7/10
The final Witcher book is a solid conclusion to the series but doesn’t quite stand up to the previous... more

Last Argument of Kings by Joe Abercrombie

7/10
The final book of the First Law trilogy was a sort of step backwards from the previous book. In... more

Lord Edgware Dies by Agatha Christie

7/10
A perfectly serviceable Poirot mystery involving the most despicable kind of people on earth. That’s right, theater people.

Lord Hornblower by C. S. Forrester

7/10
Starts out nicely with Hornblower sent off to deal with a mutinous crew and keeps up the pace for... more

Lovers and Madmen by Barry Devlin

7/10
Above average 50’s pulp trash. See my Bent Pages recap.

Murder in Mesopotamia by Agatha Christie

7/10
Now much to say. It’s a swell Poirot mystery that is written in the first person from the perspective... more

Mysteries of the Unknown: Mysterious Creatures by Time-Life Books

7/10
The first chapter about sea creatures is probably the best part of this book. Lots of great illustrations of... more

Mysteries of the Unknown: Time and Space by Time-Life Books

7/10
Seems like they are scraping the bottom of the barrel with this MotU entry. The book is roughly divided... more

Not Accountable: Rethinking the Constitutionality of Public Employee Unions by Philip K. Howard

7/10
Public sector unions stink and cause all sorts of problems. This book points out just about every reason why... more

Old Man’s War by John Scalzi

7/10
This is a science fiction tale based on the premise that, sometime in the distant future, our planetary defense... more

Open: The Story of Human Progress by Johan Norberg

7/10
In many ways this is a continuation of The Future and Its Enemies with a heavy emphasis on open... more

Pictures of the Socialistic Future by Eugene Richter

7/10
An incredibly prescient book from the 19th century that basically lays out everything that is wrong with the practical... more

Presto! How I Made Over 100 Pounds Disappear and Other Magical Tales by Penn Jillette

7/10
Penn details his weight-loss journey and his wacky diet. It’s an interesting take on how we view food and... more

Prey: The Drovers, Book 1 by John D. Brown

7/10
Looks like I am ending the year on a YA fiction kick. Prey is the story of a young boy (aren’t... more

Prisoner’s Base by Rex Stout

7/10
Decent mystery. A nice change of pace from A. Christie.

Resurrection by Leo Tolstoy

7/10
In the 1960s Fritz Eichenburg illustrated many classics as part of the Heritage Press series of books. This one... more

Sourcery by Terry Pratchett

7/10
I enjoyed the first half of the book in which the Discworld is introduced to the first all-powerful sorcerer... more

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain

7/10
I want to eventually read Huckleberry Finn, so I figured I should read this one first. It’s pretty entertaining, but... more

The Bible of Unspeakable Truths by Greg Gutfeld

7/10
I think I would have liked this book better if I had listened to the audiobook version instead. As... more

The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable by Nassim Nicholas Taleb

7/10
Admittedly, I didn’t finish this book. There’s a point about halfway through when he tells the casual reader that... more

The Broken Branch by Landon Knepp

7/10
The final book in the Tower and the Tree doesn’t quite work as well as the earlier books. I... more

The Case of Charles Dexter Ward by H. P. Lovecraft

7/10
Sometime during my late teens I started reading a bunch of H. P. Lovecraft books. His style never fully... more

The Cave and the Light: Plato Versus Aristotle, and the Struggle for the Soul of Western Civilization by Arthur Herman

7/10
This is yet another summation of Western philosophical thought. In this case it’s presented as a perpetual oscillation between the spiritual... more

The Coddling of the American Mind by Jonathan Haidt & Greg Lukianoff

7/10
I did not like this nearly as much as The Righteous Mind, but there are a handful of decent insights... more

The Cosmic Computer by H. Beam Piper

7/10
Pulpy science fiction about a remote planet on which the inhabitants are convinced exists a super-computer that could solve... more

The Gay Detective by Lou Rand

7/10
A short, fun read with a simple plot and one-dimensional characters, but that should go without saying for just... more

The Gulag Archipelago (Vol. I & II) by Aleksandr I. Solzhenitsyn

7/10
This massive book has been sitting on my shelf taunting me for twenty-plus years. Ages ago it was recommended... more

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie

7/10
The ending was spoiled for me, but a clever twist indeed.

The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie

7/10
Pretty good mystery.

The Occult in Art by Owen S. Rachleff

7/10
This massive coffee table book seems like it would be a lot cooler than it is. Despite its size,... more

The Power of Glamour: Longing and the Art of Visual Persuasion by Virginia Postrel

7/10
Virginia Postrel is a great, thoughtful writer and, although I am not terribly interested in the topic of glamour,... more

The Prestige by Christopher Priest

7/10
A tale of dueling magicians who go through ever more elaborate lengths to uncover each other’s secrets. It’s all... more