BOOKS: Hemingway's Patrols

Hemingway's Yacht

The idea seemed grand__lure a German U Boat to the surface and throw a grenade into an open hatch. Quixotic? Definitely__ but just plausible enough and more importantly, just exciting enough for a scheming and adventure seeking Ernst Hemingway to put it into action. Hemingway’s 1942 plan to rid the Caribbean of German U-Boats by using his 40 foot yacht Pilar has been given scant coverage in biographies until recently with the publication of Terry Mort’s book, “Hemingway’s Patrols: Ernst Hemingway And His Hunt For U-Boats.” Where the expeditions silly? Somewhat, but Mort’s book gives the reader an intimate glimpse into Hemingway’s multifaceted personality. Was the line between Hemingway’s’ fictionalized imagination and real world becoming blurry? Mort thinks perhaps, but justifies Hemingway’s behavior saying, “Maybe the patrols were quixotic, but that was part of their appeal--that and the sense of doing something useful and of being in command." What’s brought out by Mort is a portrait of Hemingway as both brave and foolhardy, a domineering man full of storytelling bravado. I got the sense that Hemingway was looking to use the patrols as fodder for his stories. Whatever the reason for the patrols Hemingway’s wife, Martha Gellhorn thought his expeditions were little more than excuses for fishing and drinking with his cronies. Their marriage didn’t last long. In addition to Hemingway’s adventures the book contains an excellent overview of the German submarine threat in the Atlantic during WWII, as well as the Nazi spy threat in Cuban and the atrocities of the Spanish American War. “Hemingway’s Patrols,” is a fascinating book and an intimate portrait into his thoughts, feelings, adventures and relationships. This is an entertaining and informative read.

PLACES: Barcelona

OBSERVATIONS: Driving Italian Style

Lamborghini GTT

Beautiful Tuscany

BOOKS: Ender's Game

This is the story of Ender Wiggin., taken at a young age and trained at the “Battle School” to fight an insectoid race that are invading the earth. Sound like a hokey plot? Yes but, “Ender’s Game” by Orson Scot Card is one of the all time classics of the science fiction genre. Ender is special, a gifted child, a tactical genius, but also a bit violent. In this futuristic world all children on earth are tested and only the brightest will be trained to battle the Formics also known as the, “Buggers.” Because of Enders’s genius he is immediately resented by the other children at the “Battle School” and is isolated. Over time and after suffering grueling battle simulations he is promoted. His final exam is to defeat a Formic fleet that outnumbers earth’s fleet a thousand to one. Ender decides to use a new very destructive weapon, the “Molecular Disruption Device,” knowing it will destroy the entire race of the attacking enemy. Thinking this is only a simulation and knowing the use of this weapon violates the rules of the game he decides to use it anyway hoping that he will be kicked out of “Battle School’ and sent home. Unfortunately he is told that the simulation was actually real and he is now responsible for the destruction of an entire race. The guilt from his action sends him into a coma. He recovers, of course, but that is not where the story ends… Is the ending worth it? Yes. “Ender’s Game” is a great read. Even though the plot sounds like a B movie, Card does an extraordinary job of making this story and the angst of its characters come to life. There has been criticism of this book for its justification of genocide and violence. The thing is Card seems to be saying that every bad thing Ender does is for the greater cause. Is that proper? Ultimately I think it’s a tale of tough decisions. Some read justifications galore into it some do not. You decide. If you enjoy science fiction in the hands of a skillful author “Ender’s Game should be on your list.

BOOKS: China Mountain Zhang

China Mountain Zhang” has been on my reading list for sometime. A friend suggested it and I told him yes I know it exists and I know I should read it, but… Well I finally got to it about a month ago. It took me a while. It was published in 1997, but hey I read a lot of books. Everything gets stuck in a queue. I’ve always liked speculative fiction about the future and “China Mountain Zhang” fit the bill better than I had thought. If I knew it was this good I would have bumped it up in the old queue a few slots. The plot? It’s the future. The world is dominated by China. Mandarin is the new world language. The United States is now the "The Socialist States of America" and the main protagonist a Asian American man and various other characters must make their way and live their lives within a technologically advanced and oppressive society. If your looking for a neat story with a happy ending__not here. “China Mountain,” has a loosely devised plot. This book is more dependent on characterization than plot. But it works. One main character emerges but it’s still more like a series of biographies, each with its own chapter, with some overlap. The character lines all come together slightly at the end of the story. The relationships are what’s interesting and how the characters have to interact with this draconian society. Because the Chinese dominate the world all the best jobs go to the Chinese so the main character Zhang, who is half Chinese half Hispanic must hide is genetic inheritance as well as his sexuality if he is to make his way in life. First he loses his job as an engineer because he won’t go out with his boss’s ugly daughter. Then out of desperation he takes a job at the Arctic Circle which he is then able to parlay into admission into Nanjing University. From there he is further educated and then returns to New York. Does he finally achieve personal fulfillment? Well.. it’s a pretty nasty society. The strength of the author's portrayal is that the society she creates is quite believable and it makes reading about it fascinating. Unfortunately the writing is somewhat unfocused (plot wise) and that detracts, but even still it’s interesting to read about interesting characters making their way in a possible scenario of the future.

OBSERVATIONS: An Artist And His iphone

Hockney's Phone on an ease. Photo: MailOnline, UK

Artist meets iphone__British artist David Hockney fell in love with his iphone. It wasn’t long before he discovered an app called Brushes, that allowed him to create ipaintings, miniature masterpieces of iphone art. And they are very good. Of course Hockney is no stranger to using the latest technology with his work. In the past he has created art using faxes and Polaroid collages. But what does this all mean? A phone? Art? “Surely you jest,” as the saying goes. Well for one it says that a great artist can use just about anything to create. But it also shows just how versatile the iphone can be. Remember this device is a cell phone not paint and tempera. Hockney’s creations gives new meaning to the Apple advertising slogan, “there’s an app for that.” Hockney paints mostly landscapes and flowers with his phone and beautiful ones at that. He likes to email the flowers to friends so that they have fresh flowers that won’t die. What has Hockney said about his phone? He told the British newspaper the Telegraph that the iphone has a, “"a sense of the absurd about it and is therefore close to life". I haven’t heard any better description of this strange, but wonderful device. Hockney has even taken sides in the iphone BlackBerry war, telling the Telegraph that, "BlackBerries are for secretaries and clerical workers while the iPhone is used by artistic people." And advice for aspiring iphone artists, Hockney says, "stroke the screen very softly.” Indeed. Who would have thought a cell phone would usher in a renaissance of drawing. Hockney’s iphone sits proudly on a little easel on his desk at his studio in London.

BOOK: Lost City of Z

Percy Fawcett at Mato Grosso where he disappeared.

They were never heard from again, gone disappeared swallowed by the jungle of the Amazon. Percy Fawcett’s, his son and a companion seemly swallowed by unknown factors as they searched for the legendary “Lost City of Z.” The expedition and it's inconclusive end have fascinated the world since 1925. Fawcett was the last of the great expeditionary explorers financed by the Royal Geographical Society in London. He was obsessed with this legendary, “city of gold,” supposedly an ancient place of great sophistication and culture; a city that beckoned with the lure of ancient riches and treasures, yet was shrouded in danger, mystery and excitement. It all sounds like an Edgar Rice Burroughs novel and it is out of that era of exploratory jungle adventures that this story grew and had its genesis. The legend had been around for 400 years and many had perished in the jungle trying to find what was also called El Dorado. Fawcwt believed the stories and headed for the jungle. But word never came from that jungle, months passed then years, Fawcett had vanished like others before him. The mystery went unsolved for decades, but in 2004 author David Grann stumbled upon the story and also became obsessed. The result, Grann’s own expedition and then book, “The Lost City of Z A Tale of Deadly Obsession In the Amazon.” If you like classic tales of adventure this book is for you. In the first part of the book Grann describes the jungle terrors that Fawcett and his small party of three faced daily: starvation, bloodthirsty tribes, maggot infestations, tropical diseases, deadly rapids, poisonous snakes, anacondas and piranha. But the draw of this book is the mystery__what happened to Fawcett? Did you think I would tell you and spoil the book and your fun. And fun it is, which comes from reading this book and anticipating its ending. It’s truly an adventure and a well written one at that. But I can say there is a satisfying ending. Does Grann romanticize Fawcett’s story? Perhaps, but this is just too good of an adventure story not to read. And my hunch is that Grann’s assessment of Fawcett’s expedition is pretty much on the money. If you want to read a true to life adventure in the vain of Edgar Rice Burroughs or H. Rider Haggard, read this book.

BOOKS: The Rivalry Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain And The Golden Age of Basketball

Chamberlain and Russell

The “Rivalry”__ number 13 and number 6, There has been nothing like it ever since, at least for basketball fans. Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell__Chamerblain on the Sixers, Russell on the Celtics and the whole milieu that swirled around them. It was the golden age of basketball, the fledgling days of the NBA. I must admit Wilt Chamberlain is my all time favorite athlete, so when a friend gave me a copy of, John Taylor’s 2005 book, “The Rivalry Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain And The Golden Age of Basketball,” I couldn’t wait to finish the book I was reading and start Taylor’s book. I wasn’t disappointed. If you are a basketball fan and even if you are not, Taylor’s book is a fine example of social history made accessible through the medium of sports. You don’t necessarily have to like basketball to enjoy this book. Why? The characters of Chamberlain and Russell and the competition that existed between them are so compelling. This book is better than biography because you get not only enough biographical information on Chamberlain and Russell and Red Aurbach to satisfy any fan, but also a social context in which to better understand it. The “Rivalry,” can be seen as a treatise on the psychology of conflict as well as rivalry presented in an entertaining and readable format. Taylor describes the racism that was rampant in the 1960s and how that racism affected blacks coming into the league. But more than that he gets inside the heads of these titanic sports figures and tries to show why they did and said the things they did. The most interesting part to me was the Chamberlain information. There are just so many “Chamberlain stories” floating around. Know one knows if most of them are true. But to many they seem believable because Chamberlain was such an unbelievable athlete and personality. A prime example is the claim that Wilt sleep with 20,000 women. Could that be true? You do the math. He died at 63. But it’s all part of the lure and its what makes reading about Chamberlain so fascinating. If you combine these fascinating personalities with the social context in which they moved you have one great book.

BOOKS: Warlord A Life Of Winston Churchill At War

Churchill, Western Desert, 1942

Winston Churchill never advanced beyond the rank of lieutenant colonel, yet he would eventually lead the armies of Europe to some of the greatest military victories in history. If you are interested in Churchill and Churchill in his most native and glorious element Carlo DeEste’s, 2008 biography, “Warlord a Life of Winston Churchill At War 1874-1945, “ is a must read. Here is the definitive account of Churchill as one of the world’s most renowned military leaders. This is a book you can savor, its big, its thick and it’s detailed. It’s everything a military history fanatic could wish for. Everything is here from Churchill’s service in colonial India up until the end of WWII. The material is richly textured and based on many new archival and printed sources. DeEste does a particularly good job of rendering Churchill’s complex character as both a statesman and as a warrior. What was the character traits that made him such a good warrior and at other times a poor one? DeEste claims that Churchill was headstrong, opinionated and impossible to control. These traits carried over into council chambers as well as into the battlefield, making him an almost impossible foe to defeat. Many of Churchill’s political foes were all to aware of his tenacious stubbornness, especially when it came to the issues of India and preparedness for Germany’s rearming prior to WWII. He was relentless in political debate and this bullish relentlessness was carried over into his battle plans. DeEste isn’t all praise, he also covers in detail Churchill’s personal weaknesses and questionable policies. Many of Churchill’s military campaigns were disasters, notably Anzio, Gallipoli, and Antwrep, but DeEste notes his personality traits and the strategies that sprung from them ultimately led to victories. Essentially Churchill was the right person in the right place and the right time. His tenacity both political and militarily saved Europe from another dark age. The strength of DeEste’s book is that it uncovers like no other Churchill’s personality and it is this personality that not only helped save the world, but also remains so intriguing to the public. Read about it here.

BOOKS: Shakespeare and Modern Culture

“Shakespeare makes modern culture and modern culture makes Shakespeare.” Well that’s according to Marjorie Garber in her recent book, “Shakespeare and Modern Culture.” Garber in this book sets out to prove her premise that Shakespeare’s writings, mainly ten plays which she cites as examples, have influenced society and individuals ever since they were written. Does Garber succeed? Yes for the most part. According to Garber Shakespeare actually makes modern culture and modern culture through reinterpretation of Shakespeare remakes Shakespeare. And round and round it goes! For example psychiatrists use Shakespearean constructs to advise their patients, modern advertisements abound with Shakespearean phrases, rock music lyricists apply the Shakespearean magic__well it does get a bit trite as Garber tries to apply Shakespeare to inconsequential things. And that’s the only problem with this book. Garber tries to go to far. Does Shakespeare really reach down into the inconsequential vagaries of modern life? Garber should have stopped short. Have the ideas in Macbeth been used to demonize woman politicians? Well maybe? But who is actually to say? Did George Bush use the same arguments we see in Richard the III when with his claims about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq? Did George Bush ever read Richard III? Perhaps, but ironically we learn that Laura Bush provided George with a list of Shakespeare’s plays he should read. I wonder if he got bogged down in Richard III? Don’t get me wrong there is a lot of Shakespearean scholarship in this book and it is a worthwhile read. The real strength of Garber’s work becomes evident when she discuses Shakespeare’s impact on modern art and thought. Here her thesis is strong and her work becomes a fine analysis. On balance the book works and Garber’s premise is sound. If nothing else this book encourages a much deeper engagement with Shakespeare’s plays than we might otherwise likely experience. And I think this is what Garber’s main intention was, to shows the glory of the plays, how deep they are and how pervasive their influence has been. Shakespeare is ubiquitous in modern culture and Garber’s book goes a long way to prove that point, but on the other hand I think she stretched the bards influence a bit to thin, especially when applying it to some of the triteness in modern culture. But don’t let that discourage you this is a good read. Recommended.

BOOKS:The Devil Drives

Ten years ago when a friend recommended a biography of Richard Burton, I thought he meant the famous actor. He laughed and handed me Fawn Brodie’s 1984 biography, “The Devil Drives: A Life of Sir Richard Burton.” Wow what a read and I soon discovered a person far more interesting than the Welsh actor. Sir Richard was an extraordinary individual, a 19^th century polyglot who excelled in many things. He was an explorer, a translator, a linguist, a writer, a soldier, an orientalist, ethnologist, a poet, a hypnotist, fencer, a diplomat and an expert on the sexual practices of India and the Middle East of which he indulged in happy abandon. We’re not talking dilettante here. He was extraordinarily accomplished in all his endeavors. He knew 29 languages, translated an unexpurgated translation of, “One Thousand and One Nights,” traveled in disguise to Mecca, traveled to Africa to seek the source of the Nile, and brought an English translation of the Kama Sutra to publication and practiced a forbidden sexuality unheard of in his time. His writings are unusually open and frank about sexuality. His travel notes are especially full of this, with one section givings the measurements of the sexual organs of all males in the various regions where he traveled. Quite a guy! Huh. Was he gay? Most likely bisexual, but historians disagree. Fawn Brodie’s book gives a fascinating account of Burton’s wild life. It is one of the best and a good book to start with if the reader is unfamiliar with Burton. Burton was an amazing individual and he deserves an amazing biography. Brodie’s book accomplishes the task. It reads like the adventure story, a fast paced, meticulously researched, ‘barn burner.,” to use a gratuitous cliché. Rarely does an accomplished historian write this well. However, I did find Brodie’s amateur application of Freudian psychoanalysis of Burton’s behavior a bit annoying. It seems to me a bit of a stretch to place a dead person on the couch. If you want to read a book that encapsulates the spirit of Burton’s zest for life read this book.

BOOKS: Poseidon's Steed

Seahorses have strange sex lives! The males give birth. Hmm. Seahorses are strange horse shaped little fish that have fascinated humans for thousands of years. They are shy enigmatic creatures that practice their strange ways in dark places and are rarely seen. Yet they are the creator of myths. But what are they, a fish, a horse? Does anyone know? Take heart, that is if you care to know about what swims around on the bottom of the sea for seahorses swim there and recently marine biologist Helen Scales put on her scuba gear to take a closer look at what she calls the, “mighty steed.” The result of all her swimming around on the bottom? __a perfect little book called, “ Poseidon’s Steed The Story of Seahorses From Myth To Reality.” British author and journalist Simon Winchester called “Poseidon’s Steed,” small, delicate, elegant, charming, unusual, fascinating and uniquely memorable, a classic of its kind. In fact, now I come to think of it, Poseidon's Steed is itself a sort of seahorse of the book world." Does it live up to Winchester’s mighty praise? It does. This is one perfect little book. It won’t take you long to read, but you will come away immeasurably enriched. It’s the kind of book that takes one small fascinating creature in nature and shows just how wonderful, intricate and delicate nature can be. Scales shows that nature can create a rare and wondrous creature and how it is worth the time of humans to sit back take a look, to study and to appreciate. The thing that is most fascinating about the seahorse is how it moves through the water,. It has no fins. Scales says its motion is, “like glimpsing at a unicorn trotting through a garden." Somehow it manages to stay upright and glide through the water. Apparently it has a swim bladder that controls its buoyancy. But there is a sad aspect that enters into this book. The seahorse’s habitat is becoming endangered, mainly from commercial dredgers who scrap the bottom while trawling for shrimp. Ultimately, Scales book seems to be saying that the world is a better place just because we know that these delicate intricately carved little creatures are swimming around out there.

BOOKS: Oscar Wilde

The operatic life of Oscar Wilde! In terms of literary biography, nothing is more fun to read. In this regard Richard Ellmann’s 1988, “Oscar Wilde,” doesn’t disappoint. Ellmann worked 20 years on this biography and it shows. This work is reminiscent of Ellmann’s biography of James Joyce, which today is considered a literary classic. Much of the same skillful research, analysis and fine writing has also gone into “Oscar Wilde.” The portrait of Wilde that Ellmann paints is fascinating. All the major events in Wilde’s life are here of course covered in detail, but there is an incisive analysis that is often lacking in other biographies of Wilde. Ellmann’s biography is not just a recounting of events or the presentation of new material, it’s something different, a fascinating story told skillfully, The result: the reader comes away truly understanding what made Wilde tick, what made him take the risks he did with his various public dalliances. Particularly poignant is Ellmann’s recounting of the sad last years of Wilde’s life, after he was released from prison. Wilde eventually spiraled down into poverty and disgrace, cut off and ignored by both his family and his friends. But the little touches and details presented in this biography make it even better, for instance, we learn that Wilde was double jointed, he could speed read, he had tiny feet and that his teeth were blackened by mercury treatments. Somewhat voyeuristic, but fascinating to readers. Here we have a detailed portrait of a literary giant, an accurate assessment of his literary output and a generous supply of Wilde’s quotation and witticism. Every aspect of Wilde’s life is explored. If you are a Wilde fan this is a must read. Recommended.

BOOK: Army At Dawn

Rommel in North Africa

I’m always skeptical about journalists who make historical judgments. The ones that write books on a historical event or era and then reinterpret it. Usually they reinterpret it by projecting today’s norms on the past. It’s called by professional historians the, “Whig Interpretation” of history. These books are fairly common and are often met with much praise in the press and from readers. Professional historians often wince at such books. I had a history professor who said he read them for “light amusement.” Such reinterpretations are common in books and articles about women’s or societal issues. We tend to project the present onto the past. Historians are on guard against this tempting and bad behavior. It’s a glaring relic of 19^th century historical writing. But it made that writing interesting and opinionated. The difference with today’s reinterpretations is that they are usually uninteresting and oh so politically correct. So when a friend suggested that I read Rick Atkinson’s, 2007 book, “Army At Dawn The War In Africa 1942-1943,” I was a bit wary. He is a journalist from the Washington Post. I had grown up with my own infantile ideas about the North African Theater fueled by old reruns of the “Rat Patrol.” So I read with an open mind. What I found was a wonderful readable book, detailed and well researched. But I still have some misgivings about his interpretations of some events. Is the North African campaign as important as the battles of Stalingrad and Midway, where the "Axis ... forever lost the initiative" Hmm, maybe, but I’m not so sure. I’ve never heard it put that way, but perhaps it’s so. Atkinson’ certainly makes his case. Other historians may disagree. Either way this is an interesting book and one much needed for this often forgotten theater of WWII. This is the place where Rommel 21^st Panzer Division had his uncanny success. A place that made him the legendary “Desert Fox.” But the Americans would prevail. A particular strong point of this book is the sketches of all the personalities involved and the dynamics between them. If you are interested in the North African campaign get this book, it just may be the definitive account.

BOOKS: Thomas Mann

How about some incisive insight into the life of Thomas Mann, author of, “Death in Venice,” “Doctor Faustus” and “Magic Mountain.” Just what was going on with this 20^th century author and what was he trying to say in his writings. Mann has baffled many a scholar__a seemingly happily married man whose works were laced with homosexual themes. Anthony Heilbut tries to figure it out in his 1997 book, “Thomas Mann Eros And Literature.” According to Heilbut, Mann was a troubled self-doubting man whose suppressed homosexuality colored all that he wrote. Heilbut even throws in a little genetic theory of his own citing that three of Mann’s six children were homosexual and Mann, closeted all his life, watch his children enviously as they lived out their lives. According to Heilbut every aspect of Mann’s work was affected by this suppressed eroticism. Heilbut even goes as far as calling Mann, “a great erotic writer.” Well__ I don’t know. Most of Mann’s eroticism is sub textual, not overt. By today’s seamy standards it’s nothing that would get the blood pumping. In, “Death In Venice, his most overt work, the protagonist never even talks to his object of desire, but just leers at him from a distance. That’s not to say that “Death in Venice is not great literature. It is indeed and it is erotic and forbidden, especially for the time period in which it was written. And it did happen almost as it was written. It's based on Mann's real life experience. But Heilbut seems to be saying that every sentence that Mann put to paper was infused with eroticism. Hmm. Perhaps. Even if Heilbut’s conclusion is not entirely on the mark, his book is a fine biography full careful research and fresh insights. It’s a critical study of Mann’s life and work “par excellence.” This is a richly textured biography and should be read by anyone wishing to understand Mann, his writing, his psychological state and his complex if not repressed life. Mann truly was a great writer who deserves a fresh look at this life. Even if you have only read one or maybe two stories by Mann, Heilbut’s biography is still worth a read. It is that good.

BOOKS: The Art of a Beautiful Game

Dr. J

Back in the day it was Dr. J__”poetry in motion,” as the cliché goes. Yes really he was that good, you could even call it amazing. And amazing without any hyperbole in it. One big fluid motion of bodily skill and coordination. And it was all so beautiful and all so effortless. Basketball is like that. Beautiful sometimes. Beauty in basketball? Yes, beauty in basketball. The connoisseurs know. They just keep it to themselves. The casual fan focuses on the score, the noise, the excitement, the occasional good play and the sometime unruly behavior of both fans and players. Don’t get me wrong the connoisseur loves the stats and the excitement and everything else that goes with the game. But he takes it just one step higher. He watches and takes in an absolutely wonderful display of coordinated physical prowess. Not much has been written on it. Not much is said. But you can see it on the faces of some fans. The ones that sit court side, not for a camera shot or for the closeness to fame, but just to get a better look. Thinking, “ I wish I could do that.” You know it’s what all the kids want to be able to do. Just to be able to do it. Just like it's done on the court. But no one mentions this aspect of the game. That’s why I waited with much anticipation for today’s release of, Chris Ballard’s knew book, “The Art Of A Beautiful Game The Thinking Man’s Tour of the NBA.” Deconstruction at last? Well I have only skimmed this book, dipped in here and there. Everywhere I dipped there was something interesting. But I couldn’t get a grasp on a central theme. Is the title misleading? Somewhat, but there’s a ton of interesting stuff in this book, especially if you’re a Kobe or Nash fan or just the hard core aforementioned connoisseur. Whoever he maybe? But it’s good to see some one has acknowledged that this is a beautiful game and that it takes years for players to get to the place where they can make something seem so effortless. My suggestion is: read it. Basketball is interesting anyway.

BOOKS:Galileo's Daughter

Monastery where Galileo's Daughter

Lived.

Sister Maria Celeste was a cloistered nun, but an unusual nun in the sense that she was able to have a powerful influence over on one of the greatest scientists of her time. How so? She wrote letters and many of them. The eminent scientist read them carefully absorbing each line and using them as a bulwark for his inspiration. Little known for hundreds of years, many know Sister Celeste today through Dava Sobel’s 1999 book, “Galileo’s Daughter.” Galileo named her after the heavens__Celeste, from which we derive the English word celestial. She was the illegitimate. As such he had her cloistered in a convent at age 13 in 1600. Sobel recounts a fascinating story based on 124 surviving letters. Sobel weaves the letters throughout her book, however at face value the letters show little material that would influence the course of Galileo’s famous inventions and discoveries. The letters were written to provide moral and emotional support and show the extent of societal and political pressures that Galileo underwent during his lifetime and how his daughter supported him. A fascinating bit of information that Sobel reveals is the medicines Sister Celeste made for her sickly father. The book is detailed enough on this matter that the treatments could be copied and made today. She truly was a loving daughter and the letters show that devotion. What emerges is a picture of a devoted daughter trying to maintain her father’s physical and a spiritual well being as he undergoes a trial concerning his greatest scientific discovery__that the earth circles the sun. Is the book anti-catholic? Remarkably Sobel is able to tread this fine line without making the book seem overtly anti-Catholic. The book is as much about Galileo as it is about his daughter and Sobel does a good balancing act at weaving the two lives together. Those thinking the book is solely about Sister Celeste will be disappointed. One thing is missing though: the letters Galileo wrote in reply to his daughter, they were likely burned by her convent. “Galileo’s Daughter’s,” provides a unique and fascinating angle on a familiar story. Recommended.