A Bit of Irony?

Many moons and one child ago I was a book reviewer for the Pleasant Hill Community Focus. This was just one of the many extra-curricular activities I partook in on top of being a full-time teacher. About four months into my second child I realized that I needed to start trimming my work load. Sadly, one of the activities that I needed to cut was the monthly book review for the Pleasant Hill Community Focus.

I went back to their website a few days to see if the articles were still available and found something very surprising and ironic. To be clear, I was not surprised (or upset for that matter) to see that my reviews had been taken down. The last one I wrote was December of 2010 (I think). What I did find surprising (and ironic) was that the new book reviewer is non-other than Pleasant Hill City Councilman Micheal G. Harris!

For those new to the blog and/or don't see the irony...
http://pleasanthillbookclub.blogspot.com/search/label/Michael%20Harris

Maybe it's the healing power of time or the fact that the Pleasant Hill Library has shown some solid improvement recently, but I am actually very excited to read his work. In his first post Harris gives an introduction to his life as a reader.
http://www.ourcommunityfocus.com/pages/full_story/push?article-Read+My+Mind%20&id=19176610#comments_19176610

It seems like he'll bring a lot of enthusiasm to his work and I am looking forward to reading his first review which I presume will be published in the August issue. You can find a link to the Pleasant Hill Community Focus book reviews on the right of this page just under the PHBC Book-Montage along with the book reviews of other publications. To see some of my old book reviews, you can travel even further down the right of the page and find them located under the interviews with local authors.

In the Shadow of the Cypress by Thomas Steinbeck

With some books you can tell after reading the first few lines that they are going to be good. This was not one of them - quite the opposite in fact. As I read In the Shadow of the Cypress I had to keep encouraging myself to keep reading. I had to keep telling myself, since I was reviewing it; I needed to finish it in order to give an accurate review. With that said, I can say with the utmost confidence and sincerity that In the Shadow of the Cypress is one of the worst books I have ever read.

Every aspect of this book is painfully, gut-wrenchingly, eye-stabbingly boring. The dialog, the narration, the story, everything was bad. In fact the only positive I can think of is that, thankfully, it’s less than 250 pages. This book is basically a poor effort at a Dan Brown-esque mystery about the Chinese discovering America before Christopher Columbus. It sounded like a very interesting premise and coupled with the recommendation by a Random House editor that Thomas Steinbeck wrote like his father (John Steinbeck; Of Mice and Men, Grapes of Wrath, Cannery Row, etc.) I was incredibly excited to read this book.

What I got instead was a ‘mystery’ that required very little thought and a book that read like a final paper of a freshmen community college creative writing course. Thomas Steinbeck seems to be an author who loves his extensive vocabulary more than putting together a quality story. It is very clear from reading this book that he made several trips to his ancient Oxford thesaurus to pick unnecessarily academic words and had a checklist that included the task of writing at least four to five descriptive words before every noun or verb.

After the arduous task of reading the book I have come away with three conclusions. One, Thomas Steinbeck is not his father. Two, Thomas Steinbeck is probably only a published author because his last name is Steinbeck. Three, you should stay far, far away from reading this book.

The Communication Problem Solver: Simple Tools and Techniques for Busy Managers

Local author Nannette Rundle Carroll’s debut book, The Communication Problem Solver, is a how-to for business managers who need help communicating effectively with their workers. However, what I learned early on in reading this book is that it is also a book for anyone who would like to communicate more effectively. Whether its with your co-workers, employer, or anyone else you may come into contact with as part of your job. For myself, as a teacher, I found that I could even apply most of these same strategies in my classroom or when I communicate with my students’ parents.

The book, which includes such chapters as Giving Feedback, Compelling Coaching Techniques, Communicating Your Expectations, and How to Break the Judging Habit, basically boils down to three simple rules. Be honest, be open, be positive. These themes seem to run throughout the many strategies the author describes.

Additionally, the thing that distinguishes this book from other business how-to’s of its kind is that it is very readable. The writing style of The Communication Problem Solver reads more like a Malcolm Gladwell book (The Tipping Point and Blink) rather than a the typical text book how-to for business. Carroll mixes real life situations with analogies to help the reader fully understand the concept being explained. Moreover, this book has short, to-the-point, easy navigable chapters and sub-chapters so that it can be used as a reference book for cases when you need a quick answer on how to approach a situation.

Nannette Rundle Carroll does a fantastic job in her debut book. This The Communication Problem Solver is an absolute must for anyone working in the field of business management, sales, education, or just anyone who would like to better communicate with the people they work with.

The (Very) Lost Symbol

In the third installment of the Robert Langdon series, Dan brown’s Ph. D. of symbology takes a break form his adventures overseas to conduct a more domestic adventure of the World’s greatest mysteries. Set in Washington D.C., Robert Langdon is tricked and later forced into helping a psychopathic murderer solve ancient puzzles hidden around the nation’s capital to crack the secret codes of the Free Masons.

Though the book is genuinely riveting and thought provoking, for much of its beginning you feel as though you are reading the script for the 2004 movie National Treasure starring Nicholas Cage. The book alludes to much of the same secrets and urban legends that the film brings up about the history of the Free Masons.

On the whole however I was very impressed with Dan Brown. You would think that an author like him could sit back and turn out mimicked fluff of his previous work just to cash in a large pay check and score a movie deal. On the contrary, Brown actually shows real growth as a writer.

He takes some very bold steps with his characters and adds layering that I have not read in any of his previous works.

Besides the characterization, the story in this novel is incredible. The twists and turns, unlike some of his past works, are unexpected and quite original. As you read you are constantly astounded at how wonderful a story Dan Brown has crafted... and then you get to roughly page 460. For as great as the first 460 pages are, the final 50 are equally disappointing. It feels as though he writes his ending to pacify the religious critics who were upset by the Da Vinci Code. And that would not necessarily be a bad thing if the ending actually made any sense. That what the characters were working so hard to find, and what people had worked so hard and sacrificed so much to hide was what it turned out to be is unfathomable. It would be like Sir Edmund Hilary and Tenzing Norgay climbing to the top of Mount Everest just to find a Starbucks and McDonalds waiting there for them.

This book raises the long debated question of whether the journey is better than the destination. If you are a fan of the journey you will absolutely love this book. If you are a fan of the destination then you should pass.

PS- Just as an aside, I always find it ironic how a book about symbolism and allegory has none.

Big(ger) Time

Your humble blogger has gone black and white! Starting with the October issue of Pleasant Hill Community Focus you can now read my book reviews in print! In this month's issue I review local author John Keibel's book Behind the Barbed Wire. If you live outside of Pleasant Hill and didn't receive a copy in the mail you can read it online at http://www.pleasanthillcommunityfocus.com (page 9).

If you enjoyed this review, look out for the November issue in which I will be reviewing The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown as well as giving some book gift ideas for the holiday season.

If you are a local author, or know one, and would be interested in having me review one of your books for the paper please contact me at avkondon@pleasanthillbookclub.com.

Behind the Barbed Wire: by John Keibel

After interviewing local author John Keibel I decided to check out his book from the library (currently 10 copies available located at various libraries in the C.C.C. Library system). Behind the Barbed Wire is an incredibly extensive and inclusive history of the Naval Weapons Station that was located in Concord, CA from 1942-2005. The book includes every last detail you could possibly want to know about this important part of US and California history that is sitting right in our backyard.

The book provides hundreds of primary source documents. Some of the most impressive items are the dozens of maps and historical photos of the area and the people who worked at this site. Additionally, there are incredible details on housing, entertainment for the personnel (including a movie schedule from December of 1983), flora and fauna, the railroad (including the surprisingly fascinating "10 Commandments of Diesel Engine Maintenance"), workforce (demographics, pay scales, etc.),and community activities (the Pet Parade and the city of Concord's Pow Wow Parade).

Moreover, Behind the Barbed Wire gives a detailed account of social issues that have not only greatly affected the Naval Weapons Station over the past sixty-plus years but the United States as well. The book talks about various labor disputes, the economic impact of the station, the Red Scare during the Cold War, and the multiple protest rallies outside of their gates from the War in Vietnam to the illegal weapons sales to Central America all the way up to our current war in Iraq. Other social issues the book gives compelling history to are impact of the civil rights act of 1964, atomic weapons, and modernization.

On top of all this great historical text we get some pretty interesting stories of events that happened on the base during these sixty three years. One story tells about the time when an eccentric millionaire, who was traveling around the world in a hot air balloon, crashed onto the base. This would probably would not be so note worthy if it wasn't for the fact that this happened at the height of the the Cold War and he happened to be traveling with a photographer from East Germany!

Another very compelling story is the recounting of the Great Port Chicago Explosion of July 17th, 1944. There are great interviews with those who survived this explosion that left hundreds either dead of severely wounded.

When I finished the book I was so impressed with it that I wanted to ask the author some questions about his experience writing it.


What inspired you to write the book?

My basic inspiration for this or any undertaking may be summarized best with two Bible passages. Because "God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16) I aim to respond in gratitude for this free gift by working at whatever I do "with all [my] heart, as working for the Lord, not for men" (Colossians 3:23).

With the foregoing, prerequisite understanding, it was a so-called "Historic Resource Study" (1996) written by Harlan D. Unrau of the National Park Service that most impacted how I went about Behind the Barbed Wire: History of Naval Weapons Station Concord. The title of Unrau's momentous two-volume, 910-page study is: The Evacuation and Relocation of Persons of Japanese Ancestry During World War II: A Historical Study of the Manzanar War Relocation Center. Its format, level of detail, use of photographs and incorporation of human interest accounts were in the back of mind throughout Behind the Barbed Wire.

Do you have any connections to the US Navy or US military?

I am not a veteran, if that is what you are asking. In my immediate family, two uncles served in the US Armed Forces (Air Force - Korea; Army - Vietnam). Despite lack of a direct, personal connection with our military, I have a high regard for the men and women who have served and serve in the US Armed Forces.

The initial connection with the US Navy that ultimately led to Behind the Barbed Wire occurred in May 1997. I wanted to re-photograph the town of Port Chicago--what remained of it as compared with historic images of the town. I wished to make comparative "then & now" photographs. This site was within Naval Weapons Station Concord's "Tidal Area" and required permission from the Navy. The connections that resulted from this exercise laid the groundwork for what became Behind the Barbed Wire.

What challenges did you face in your research?

Certainly assimilation of the great amount of data was a challenge not soon forgotten. Nearly 50 years worth of base newsletters, hundreds of reports and various documents and thousands of newspaper clippings had to be read or skimmed and summarized in a retrievable fashion. I interviewed some 24 individuals whose lives were connected in some fashion with the weapons station. These recorded interviews required transcription and summarization.

Closely tied to the challenge of assimilation was the writing--and selecting what to include and what to exclude. I hope and pray I did a good job.

What surprised you the most in your research?

I was pleasantly surprised by the cooperation of the US Navy when it came to getting information on and gaining access to Naval Weapons Station Concord. Understandably, there remain some sensitive matters to which access was limited, but by and large I felt welcome. Thank you Navy!


Was it hard to find people to interview?

Surprisingly, no. As word got out that I was interested in the station's history and that of the land before it was Navy-owned, contact was established readily and interviews ensued.

Now that Behind the Barbed Wire is out, I'm finding still more that I would like to interview if circumstances permit.

Who was your most compelling interview?

Oh boy! Each interview was compelling in its own way. Which do I choose: Dudley Knisley's eyewitness account of what he found on base following the Port Chicago Explosion, Harold Bollman's story of his father's business struggles and accomplishments thwarted by the Navy's expansion, Wilfred Scott's details of missile maintenance, Nancy Weiser's memories of a little girl's life interrupted by WWII? If I must choose one, let it be Morris Rich.

Morris Rich was assigned to the ill-fated SS Quinault Victory. Recounting the night of the Port Chicago Explosion (July 17, 1944), Morris recounted for me:

There were eight of us men off duty that night. All eight of us went ashore and were the only survivors of the SS Quinault Victory crew. My shipmate Richie and I tried getting off the ship three different times. Each time the gangplank had not yet been lowered. After the second attempt, we agreed to try once more. If the gangplank had not been lowered, we would stay aboard and save our leave for another time. The plank was finally lowered and we, Richie and I, departed the ship at 9:20 p.m. (The other six that also took leave followed soon after.) We invited others to join us, but they opted to stay aboard. Most of the men were already in their bunks. They never knew what hit them.

How long did this process take from start to finish?

Photography that made its way into the book goes back to 1997. Research, writing draft and further photography began in 2000. Full time writing commenced in August 2007 and concluded in December 2008. Following revision work, design and printing, Behind the Barbed Wire: History of Naval Weapons Station Concord came out in late May 2009.

For more information on the book please visit www.behindthebarbedwire.com.

Book-signing!
Book signing and sale at the August 1st Concord Naval Weapons Station Neighborhood Alliance block party, 4-6 p.m., at the end of Denkinger Road adjacent to the station.

The Hollow Chocolate Bunnies of the Apocalypse by Robert Rankin

The Hollow Chocolate Bunnies of the Apocalypse tells the story of Jack, a small town factory worker, who moves to the city to find wealth and power. However when he finally makes it to the city, after avoiding a cannibalistic farmer, its not opportunity that he finds. What he finds instead is a collection of drug addicted, alcoholic, vice-ridden toys and nursery rhyme characters. Oh, and he finds one more thing...a demonic homicidal maniac bent on killing off all the humans in the city and taking over the world.

Now if that does not grab your attention, I don’t know what will.

Author Robert Rankin does a masterful job of telling this story with a quick wit that reads much like the classic absurdist play Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett. There are also a fair amount of post-modern features to the book. The main character Jack, who is coaxed into becoming the detective partner of a stuffed bear who is trying to solve this murder mystery, very often will compare their actions to the detective novel genre and use that as a guide to how they should respond in any given situation.

The stuffed bear, Eddie, is probably the best character in the book. He’ full of sawdust, loves to drink, and due to a mental condition cannot make corroborative nouns. So everything is, “as wet as”, “as drunk as”, “as dead as.”

If you are looking for a book with depth or some deeper meaning about humanity, culture or civilization this probably isn’t the book for you. If, on the other hand, you just want a book that will put a smile on your face then this book is as good as. This book was a fun read and perfect for a quick weekend read or long plane trip.