Little Boy Writing A Letter, Norman Rockwell, 1920
Daily Thoughts 12/5/2015
I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.
Last night, I finished reading Thunderbird by Jack McDevitt. I like Jack McDevitt because his stories are very thoughtful. This is another of his archaeological science fiction stories.
A stargate is uncovered on a Sioux reservation in the United States. It is about the fears and desires of humanity. People discover three locations for the gate, an abandoned space station, an artistic simian civilization, and a very advanced civilization where they accidentally bring something back.
This is not a story of gun battles and actions. It is well thought out. The alien simians are not violent. They think humans are a bit dumb in some ways. The space station presents challenges which are technical and survival oriented.
It is fear which ultimately ends the stargate. A discovery of a frightening looking alien scares people enough to reconsider what they are doing. There is a bit of a surprise ending.
I like Jack McDevitt's writing because the characterization is excellent. People act like people, not overblown heros. His stories all have an element of mystery in them. There is also the use of hard science. This is a well thought out science fiction novel. I did not want to put it down and finished it one reading.
I checked the New York Times Bestseller lists and the Publishers Weekly Bestseller list today. I also watched some more of the Management Tips video on Lynda.com. The video is over 4 hours long. I am about half way through it.
I watched a dvd tonight, Mr. Holes starring Ian McClellan. Sherlock Holmes is retired in this story, 93 years old and frail. He is remembering his last case and tending his bees. It is a very different interpretation of Sherlock Holmes.
Web Bits
Building the LIbrary of Congress -- In A GIF
Children's Books Head to International Space Station
New Cleveland Library Card Captures Visually the Impact of a
Great Library: Editorial
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