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This book could have been better if there was a lot more tell and a lot less show. There's some complicated world-building, some complicated social prescriptions, and an obtuse conspiracy. I can't make sense of most of it. 16% in, I'm done.

Loved this book. This is how you write people working in police without pretending like there are a "few good apples" and pretending like police is what keeps sanity. This book tackles heavy topics of child abuse in churches. I also learned about Larry Casuse who kidnapped the mayor of Gallup (Larry does not have a Wikipedia page) to highlight the plight of Navajo nation people who are tormented in Gallup and he was shot dead by the police. A+++

@mkaz Welcome to SFBA.club!

@dwillobeck Welcome to SFBA.club!

@EverydayMoggie I have that reaction with books sometimes.

Starting another book from the large backlog of stuff in my ebook library.

The origin story of the dragon Temeraire, captured from the French by the captain of an English ship, William Laurence. The person who drew the short straw is rejected as a rider by Temeraire, and Laurence becomes the rider in his place, but must give up his career in the navy. Training and battles in the dragon air service follow.

It is well-written, but the extended treatment of the proper relationship between riders and dragons was not interesting enough for me to want to seek out the sequels. People who like tales of manners will find this more enjoyable.

Man this dude was lucky; this could be a tale of warning (at one point he heads off into the hills with a cyclone coming)… but he wasn’t the only one doing this. He makes this walk seem accessible, which is inspiring, but also worries me a bit. But on the flip side, it’s an easy and beautiful and inspiring read. I think he benefitted from the hospitality of the girls more than he let on, but it was also cool to see how things worked for them. Will give this to my mum, I know she will enjoy it a lot. Very pretty book.

new vocabulary: knout

(in imperial Russia) a whip used to inflict punishment, often causing death

This book was fantastic. It was rage-inducing and awe-inspiring. Anyone who wants to understand German migration politics needs to start with who is most affected: by listening to stories of the refugees and asylum seekers who deal with Germany's racism and institutional violence every day.

This is a propaganda book passed off as nonfiction and written to discourage kids from doing drugs. I know a lot of people had a connection to the book and that it did impact some growing up so that's why I don't want to rate it. I'm an adult with a whole lotta life experience and it's not a book that was written for me. I do feel it's more antiquated at this point because fear tactics are not the best way to discourage drug use in teens, so it's not something that I would ever give to my kids to read. I understand now why my library does not have a physical copy of this book available.

I'm surprised that a book written in 1974 is this correct about urban planning.