What I've Read.

Haven't done one of these in about six weeks... so it's due, lest it stack up more constiderably.

Read the first two books in Lee Child's Jack Reacher series, Killing Floor and Die Trying. Deftly and well written thrillers/suspense/action novels, featuring an ex-Army military policeman. Enjoyable. I think though, that I actually read the first book years ago. Strikes me as one of the books that my Dad wouldn've picked up back in the day. Course, that would've be a decade ago or so. I remembered a couple of the plot beats, though not all the twists.

Read the next 3 books in the Robert Parker/Spenser series - Promised Land, Mortal Stakes and Judas Goat. Mortal Stakes was good, but the level of game and writing steps up with Promised Land the Judas Goat. The characterizations, already sharp, get razorly fine well done. Plus, Parker starts to weave the Hawk character into the Spenser mythos, which amounts to all sorts of ass-kickery awesomeness. Funny, witty, engaging, well crafted. Officially addicted to the series with Judas Goat. Great book.

Atomic Dog - The Testosterone Principles by TC Luoma - collection of columns from the Testosterone Nation/T-Nation/TMuscle author. Think of Dave Barry, but from a physical training, no bullshit perspective. Words of wisdom wrapped up in hilariousness and profanity. Entertaining and thought provoking.

The Primal Blueprint: Reprogram Your Genes for Effortless Weight Loss, Vibrant Health, and Boundless Energy by Mark Sisson - if I had to pick only one book to read about nutrition or health, this would probably be it. Advocating a primal/paleo/low to medium carb/real food style eating plan. Explains step by step, in a quite readable manner, optimal evolutionary nutrition. Much stronger on nutrition than exercise, but it still provides a solid, well thought out discussion on that as well. Highest recommendation. A good summary of the ideas here.

Mind-Reach: Scientists Look at Psychic Abilities (Studies in Consciousness) by Russell Targ and Harold E. Puthoff - a mostly very dry book about a fascinating subject. Recounting investigation and the protocol for a series of ESP experiments back in the 1970s. Interesting in particular their experience with Uri Geller, noted psuedo-psychic/magician/charlatan/tapper into of the unknown. [My own personal undeducated opinion, having read more than a little on Geller is this - he's a magician [in the stage sense] who may have had authentic psychic experiences and abilities at one point. But he's also a huge egomaniac, who, having gotten a little bit of attention and notoriety, goes to any lengths, including fraud, to perpetuate his rep.] One thing that the book shows, in its dealings with Geller and famed professional debunker/skeptic James Randi is that so-called professional skeptics, supposedly dedicated to the "truth" are more than willing to play fast and loose with the "facts" in pursuit of their own agenda. Of course.

The Question, Vol. 4: Welcome To Oz by Dennis O'Neil - continuing adventures/reprints of the outstanding 1980s series. Highly recommended.

Walking Dead by Greg Rucka - If this does turn out to be the last Atticus Kodiak book, as the author has hinted, it's a thoroughly enjoyable and engaging conclusion to the series. Rucka's craftsmanship is at his deftest here - it's one of those books that will get its hooks into you and not let go to sleep until your eyes utterly fail you. He explores some dark areas and topics of the international scene, and as usual, mixes up kickass action with great locales, research, character beats and humor.

While not my favorite of the Atticus series - still Critical Space for me - it's still a 5 star/can't put it down book. Highly recommended.

The Sivananda Companion to Meditation - equal parts excellent insight and the same bat-shit crazy theology of any religion. I think it suffers from the same problem of any religious philosophy, it conflates effective techniques for altering and developing consciousness [the techniques of meditation] with the metaphors some have developed to explain reality. These metaphors then become religious "truth." Ultimately though, a worthwhile read. A lot you can learn.