Schedule Finally Normalized

I've finally got my rotation rolling for almost two weeks now and my daily schedule seems to be nearly finalized. Thankfully, I've been able to read a fair amount even though I have much less free time.

Since the last post, I've finished Oracle Bones and started Starship Troopers and The Great Shark Hunt. The end of Oracle Bones didn't require a post; everything that could be said has already been stated in previous posts. Hessler's conversational tone was refreshing, the vignettes were brisk yet dense and the overall sense of Chinese cultural (at least the migrant aspect) was eloquently conveyed.

Starship Troopers continues more great Heinlein fiction. While I don't anticipate this being as philosophical or dense as Stranger in a Strange Land, it seems to be getting into the heart of ethics/morality of war and military service very soon. Heinlein's prose is remarkably concise, yet at the end of a page you come to realize that how well rendered the world really is. This time around, the story is in first-person and shows off Heinlein's conversational side. Its a stark yet refreshing contrast to Stranger.

The Great Shark Hunt is also something I'm unfamilar with. While most nonfiction I've read contains a central thesis (GGS) or at least a central theme (Oracle), the only common element of the articles in the Great Shark Hunt is the author, Hunter S. Thompson. The complete lack of cohesion allows different aspects of his writing to manifest. While some articles are as decadent as Thompson's notoriety (The Kentucky Derby is Decadent and Depraved), other have cutting social commentary (A Southern City with Northern Problems) or a unique insight into remarkable individuals (The Temptations of Jean-Claude Killy). So far, Thompson's writing isn't nearly as drug-addled or indulgent as he is advertised. However, I still haven't read anything that would warrant the tremendous praise he has received.

Should an interesting Thompson article pop-up, I'll post about it. Similarly, because Starship Troopers is fiction, I'll probably only post about it when I finish it (although its refreshing to read a book less than 400 pages for a change).