Reading - MAR > DEC 2020

Kept up with tracking, but not publishing out into the ether, what I've read this year. Last time was in February, apparently. Wild ride in 2020, many distractions. Not to mention moving back overseas and related complications. Regardless, something like a book a week, give or take. On average. Plus comics. And OCD surfing of the internets. Lot of fiction this year, apparently. Coping mechanism for the stresses of the 'real' world? Possibly. Reread a bunch of Crichton this summer. Reminded me of my dad, who I got the 'reading habit' from - and who got it from his mom - and who used to read all the Crichton, Clancy and Griffin he could get his hands on. A handful of biographies, some financial literacy, some positive psych. We'll see if in 2021 I can post up more often, maybe monthly. Onwards.

Gladiator by Philip Wylie

Anno Dracula by Kim Newman

Anno Dracula: The Bloody Red Baron by Kim Newman

Anno Dracula: Dracula Cha Cha Cha by Kim Newman

Helltown by Dennis O'Neil

Richard Dragon: Dragon's Fists by Jim Dennis (Dennis O'Neil and James R. Berry) 

Devolution: A Firsthand Account of the Rainier Sasquatch Massacre by Max Brooks

The Stranger by Harlan Corben

Anno Dracula: Johnny Alucard by Kim Newman

Peace Talks (Dresden Files Book 16) by Jim Butcher

World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Brooks  

Rising Sun by Michael Crichton

The Greatest Miracle in the World by Og Mandino

Travels by Michael Crichton

Congo by Michael Crichton

Timeline by Michael Crichton

A Newcomer's Guide to the Afterlife: On the Other Side Known Commonly as The Little Book by Daniel Quinn and Tom Whalen

Sum: Forty Tales from the Afterlives by David Eagleman

The Mystery of the Iron Samson: The Life and Training of Strongman Alexander Zass by Yuri Shapshnikoff (Author), A. Drapkin (Author), Logan Christopher (Editor), Professor "Stone" Paul (Translator)

A Feast Unknown (Secrets of the Nine #1 - Wold Newton Parallel Universe) Book 1 of 3: Secrets of the Nine by Philip Jose Farmer 

The Psychopath Test by Jon Ronson

Resurrected Destiny (The Last Witness Book 1) by Gerald Welch

Ballistic Kiss: A Sandman Slim Novel by Richard Kadrey

Playing with FIRE (Financial Independence Retire Early): How Far Would You Go for Financial Freedom by Scott Riecken

The Holy by Daniel Quinn

Dirty Jokes and Beer: Stories of the Unrefined by Drew Carey 

Battle Ground: The Dresden Files 17 by Jim Butcher 

8 Mins: An Anthology of the Last Eight Minutes of Earth by Victor Dandridge 

After Dachau by Daniel Quinn

The Sentinel: A Jack Reacher Novel by Lee Child & Andrew Child 

Levon's Home by Chuck Dixon

Art in the Blood (A Sherlock Holmes Adventure, Book 1) by Bonnie MacBird 

Unquiet Spirits: Whisky, Ghosts, Murder (A Sherlock Holmes Adventure, Book 2) by Bonnie MacBird

Uncaged: My Life as a Champion MMA Fighter by Frank Shamrock 

Shamrock: The World's Most Dangerous Man by Jonathan Snowden 

The Devil’s Due (A Sherlock Holmes Adventure, Book 3) by Bonnie MacBird

The Size of Your Dreams: A Novel that Transforms Lives by Dave Mason and Chana Mason

The Cash Machine: A Tale of Passion, Persistence, and Financial Independence by Dave Mason and Chana Mason

The Mandibles: A Family, 2029-2047 by Lionel Shriver 

The Motion of the Body Through Space by Lionel Shriver

--

The Way of the Househusband, Vol. 1 & 2 by Kousuke Oono

Savage Wolverine Vol. 1: Kill Island by Frank Cho

Second Coming: Volume One by Mark Russell, Richard Pace, Leonard Kirk, Andy Troy

Skybourne by Frank Cho, Marcio Menyz

Black Hammer Volume 4: Age of Doom Part Two by Jeff Lemire, Dean Ormston, Dave Stewart

Green Arrow: War of the Clans by Jeff Lemire, Andrea Sorrentino

Secret Volume by Jonathan Hickman, Ryan Bodenheim, Michael Garland 

Punisher: Soviet by Garth Ennis, Jacen Burrows, Paolo Rivera

Wonder Twins Vol. 1: Activate! by Mark Russell , Stephen Byrne 

Captain America: White by Jeph Loeb, Tim Sale 

Scott Pilgrim Vol. 1 (of 6): Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life by Bryan Lee O'Malley & Nathan Fairbairn 

The Complete Jon Sable Freelance Volume 1 by Mike Grell

Absolute Planetary V1 by Warren Ellis & John Cassaday

Green Lantern: Legacy by Minh Le & Andie Tong

Doomsday Clock: The Complete Collection Paperback by Geoff Johns & Gary Frank 

Jacked by Eric Kripke & John Higgins 

Serenity: The Shepherd's Tale by Zack Whedon, Joss Whedon, Chris Samnee 

Batman: Three Jokers by Geoff Johns, Jason Fabok 

"So, uh, how come you don't care where you're going?"

"Cause how you get there is the worthier part." RIP Ron Glass.

'Barney Miller' actor Ron Glass dies - CNN.com: "Actor Ron Glass, known for his role on the police sitcom "Barney Miller," has died, his agent says. Glass, 71, died on Friday night, Jeffrey Leavitt told CNN. "It is with a very heavy heart that I confirm the passing of my dear friend and client Ron Glass," Leavitt said. "Ron passed late last night of respiratory failure. Ron was a private, gentle and caring man. He was an absolute delight to watch on screen. Words cannot adequately express my sorrow," he said."

He got there with grace, humor & enormous heart. He was, among so many other things, my Shepherd. Raise, appropriately, a glass. Rest, Ron. pic.twitter.com/yzPly7TmgE

— Joss Whedon (@joss) November 26, 2016

"You must promise me one thing. That you will stay who you are, not a perfect soldier, but a good man."

whedonesque: "So we’re watching that Joss Whedon Facebook Live Q&A from yesterday and he says he wrote most of Stanley Tucci’s dialogue for Captain America. And we’re like oooooh."

Giles.

"There’s no grand plan, no big win."

whedonesque: "Angel: It doesn’t. Kate: Doesn’t what? Angel: Mean anything. In the greater scheme, in the big picture, nothing we do matters. There’s no grand plan, no big win.  Kate: You seem kind of chipper about that. Angel: Well, I guess I kinda worked it out."

"We attack the Mayor with hummus."

Classic.

#SeemsLegit

9 Crazy Conspiracy Theories About TV Shows | Mental Floss:

AoS: Evolution.

Via whedonesque — agents of shield episode 1: skye, coulson, ward,...:

"agents of pop culture references"

whedonesque: 

Engineers in the Star Wars universe have a lot to answer for, really.

Preach.

 "You know, the last time I was in Germany and saw a man standing above everybody else, we ended up disagreeing."

"Maybe it's the syphilis talking, but some of that made sense."

"Buffy the Vampire Slayer" Pangs (TV Episode 1999) - Quotes - IMDb: 

"Buffy: But even though it's hard, we have to end this. Yes, he's been wronged, and I personally would be ready to apologize, but I... 

Spike: Oh, someone put a stake in me. 

Xander: You got a lot of volunteers in here. 

Spike: I just can't take all this mamby-pamby boo-hooing about the bloody Indians. 

Willow: Uh, the preferred term is... 

Spike: You won. All right? You came in and you killed them and you took their land. That's what conquering nations do. It's what Caesar did, and he's not goin' around saying, "I came, I conquered, I felt really bad about it." The history of the world is not people making friends. You had better weapons, and you massacred them. End of story. 

Buffy: Well, I think the Spaniards actually did a lot of - Not that I don't like Spaniards. 

Spike: Listen to you. How you gonna fight anyone with that attitude? 

Willow: We don't wanna fight anyone. 

Buffy: I just wanna have Thanksgiving. 

Spike: Heh heh. Yeah... Good luck. 

Willow: Well, if we could talk to him... 

Spike: You exterminated his race. What could you possibly say that would make him feel better? It's kill or be killed here. Take your bloody pick. 

Xander: Maybe it's the syphilis talking, but some of that made sense."

"What matters is the fight."

Cavemen. Obviously.

"Yes, this is a fertile land, and we will thrive. We will rule over all this land, and we will call it... "This Land.".

Oz, still the best.

"The history of the world is not people making friends."

Trying to Set the Record Straight on Hawaii's History | Al Gonzales: " The foundation for our protests is often based on half-truths, innuendo, naiveté, hate, hysteria and ignorance of our Hawaiian history. We need to base our claims on the truth...

Unlike what many people believe, the "old days" were not paradise. It was only "paradise" if you were Ali`i. The Ali`i owned everything, the land, the people and the resources. If you didn't work or were unproductive, you were either killed or banished. There were no "lazy Hawaiians" allowed back then. Most Hawaiians that I speak to feel that we are "owed" what was "taken away" from us. The White Man, with the help of the U.S. government, they feel, "stole" our land. Don't get me wrong, the U.S. government should step up and give us the same recognition and consideration that has already been bestowed on other indigenous peoples -- the American Indian and Eskimo. However, we still need to get the facts straight before we make claims that aren't based on the truth...

The White Man and the U.S. government were just another conquering entity that took control. This happened all over the world; the early Hawaiians were no different. When the first Hawaiians arrived in these islands, there was another race of people living here, already. These people were, probably, what are now known as the "Menehune," the "little people." These people coexisted in peace and harmony for decades. Then the Tahitian migration came to these Islands. The existing people were enslaved, killed, tortured and abused for almost a thousand years by the first "Hawaiians" from Tahiti. Before the White Man came, who else tried to take control of these islands and finally prevailed? Kamehameha I, of course. For years, he tried to conquer Kahekili to become the sole ruler of the Hawaiian Islands. He only succeeded after the White Man came. Kamehameha I captured two Englishman and appropriated muskets and cannon. We all know what happened then. Why doesn't anyone say how terrible Kamehameha I was? If he was white and did what he did, he would be the most hated figure in our history. 

Why is Kamehameha I, who killed more Hawaiians than anything else -- excluding disease -- now known as the "conqueror of the islands" who became a famous hero? Back in those days, the people living here did not consider themselves as one entity. They were one race of "Hawaiians." There were three distinct groups. There were the people from the Big Island led by Kamehameha I. There were the people from Maui, Molokai, Lanai, Kahoolawe, Oahu and Molokai who were under the rule of Kahekili. Meanwhile, Kauai had its own king and the people there were very different from people on the other islands, especially in physical stature and language."

Can we believe that the other "Hawaiians," not under Kamehameha I, really wanted to be "united" and brought under one rule? Of course not. Especially, when they all knew that the price for this "unity" would be paid for with their own blood. Remember, Kamehameha and his army had tried, previously, on several occasions to conquer Kahekili who, along with his people, knew very well from past experience how brutal and ferocious Kamehameha I, his war chief Kekuhaupio and their warriors were. They already knew first hand the price of "unity." Let's quit trying to glorify the slaughter of thousands of Hawaiians and turn it around as though it was a "good thing." It happened because Kamehameha I was just doing his thing as the "Warrior King" that he was. Kamehameha I was a remarkable man of "his time" and should not be judged, revered or immortalized using present day parameters of reason, justice, ethics, morals, and that sort of thing. Think about this: Did you know that Kamehameha made John Young, Ali`i Nui and gave him rule over most of the Big Island? He remained Ali`i Nui until he died after a long, long life. And what if, during the battles involved in Kamehameha's quest to "unite" these Islands, the king had been severely wounded? On his death bed, would he have gathered all his war chiefs and made them swear allegiance to Ali`i Nui John Young? Imagine the invasion that would have continued after Kamehameha's death with Ali`i Nui Young as the supreme commander! Remember, John Young and Isaac Davis were a very integral part of Kamehameha's success in defeating the chiefs of Maui and Oahu.) Would we be celebrating "John Young Day" instead of Kamehameha Day? I don't think so, do you?"

Another thought to consider: We want the U.S. government to pay repatriations to us Hawaiians. What about the descendants of Kahekili? Shouldn't the descendants of Kamehameha I reimburse those displaced descendants of Kahekili and the other Hawaiians not from Kamehameha I and his legacy? Who gets paid reparations, first, and from whom? Forget about it, move on! Before the White Man came, there was a very strict caste system in place. Do you know from whom you are descended? Where would you be now if we were still a monarchy? Look around, you can see for yourself who the descendants of Kamehameha are -- Campbell Estate, Bishop Estate, Parker Ranch and others. How big are your land holdings? Most of us are, probably, descendants of (lower castes)."

Buffy always got it.  Well, Spike did, at least.  

"You won. All right? You came in and you killed them and you took their land. That's what conquering nations do. It's what Caesar did, and he's not goin' around saying, "I came, I conquered, I felt really bad about it." The history of the world is not people making friends. You had better weapons, and you massacred them. End of story."

"...Fitz is the new Wes."

"They'll swing back to the belief that they can make people... better."

"Let's just take a day."