(See all my Book Reviews and Author Interviews) – Author Robert Jordan published the fifth novel in his ‘The Wheel of Time’ series, The Fires of Heaven, in 1993. He published more than 20 novels during his writing career.
I recently listened to this book on Audible. I had read it once several years ago. When we heard that a TV series based on the Wheel of Time novels would be on Amazon Prime, both my wife and I decided to read/listen to them again. I categorize this book as ‘R’ because of scenes of violence. The fantasy series spans 15 novels.
With the coming of the Dragon Reborn, the world has sunk into turmoil. The Shaido Aiel, led by a false Car’a’carn, have left the Waste. He is leading them on the trail of destruction. The White Tower has split, forcing Aes Sedai to take sides.
Rand al’Thor continues to learn the ways of the One Power. He still does not trust the Aes Sedai, not even Moiraine Damodred. He must use anyone, even his friends, to enable himself to be ready for the final battle.
I thoroughly enjoyed the 36.5 hours I spent listening to this 704-page fantasy. I like the art selected for the hardback cover. I rate this novel as a 5 out of 5.
(See all my Book Reviews and Author Interviews) – Author Monica McGurk https://monicamcgurk.com published the novel The Agency earlier this month. This is the first book in her Norwood Nanny Chronicles series and her fourth novel.
I received an ARC of this book through https://www.netgalley.com in return for a fair and honest review. I categorize this book as ‘R’ because it contains scenes of violence. The primary character is Briana B. ‘Bree’ Parrish.
Parrish has just arrived at Norwood College in the UK. She is an orphan from Alabama and is there on a full scholarship. Norwood is an elite school in the UK for young women to train as nannies. She is the first and only American to be admitted to Norwood. She and her assigned study group struggle to successfully complete their first half-year and be included in the exclusive certificate program.
They all knew that Norwood trained world-class nannies. To their surprise, they discover that it also trains spies for MI6. As they undertake their first training mission, it becomes apparent they may be a traitor in their midst. Parris is a suspect in the failure of their mission. She can trust no one and wants to uncover the traitor to clear her name. She also wants to find out more about her own past. Both of those goals lead to her being in life-threatening situations.
I enjoyed the 9.5 hours I spent reading this 362-page young adult thriller. I was surprised that the book was labeled a Middle-Grade Mystery / Thriller. It contains violence and drinking, as well as implied mature situations. The plot was not very complex, but it is a young adult novel. I did enjoy it and will be looking for sequels to the series. I like the chosen cover art. I give this novel a rating of 4 out of 5.
(See my other Mac related posts) – While Apple’s Activity Monitor (Finder ==> Go ==> Utilities ==> Activity Monitor) does a great job of giving performance feedback, it takes time to fire it up. I like something that I can check performance at a glance.
I came across the MenuMeters App in the fall of 2021. I installed it on my Mac (2018 Mac Mini, macOS Big Sur 11.6) in mid-November. I have been running it ever since. One of the things I like about MenuMeters is that it is Free Open Source Software (FOSS).
What is MenuMeters? It is a set of CPU, memory, disk, and network monitoring tools for macOS.
Once installed, MenuMeter displays real-time data in each category within the Menu Bar.
Clicking on each icon will give you a pull-down panel with further information in each category. Going from left to right, the icons for Memory, Network, Disk, and Processor:
The Preference Panels for MenuMeters offers several configuration options to customize the App.
As with many modern programs, MenuMeters will automatically check for updates. MenuMeters is a port of the App developed by Alex Harper at http://ragingmenace.com. To get MenuMeters, visit https://member.ipmu.jp/yuji.tachikawa/MenuMetersElCapitan/. You will find links to download the App and instructions for installing it.
Pro:
It is FOSS software
Has run without any problems
Con:
limited configuration choices
Visit my macOS Software Directory page and find new software for your Mac. Currently, there are over 930 titles indexed with more than 300 available for FREE https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/macos-software/
(See all my Book Reviews and Author Interviews) – Author Robert Jordan published the fourth novel in his ‘The Wheel of Time’ series, The Shadow Rising in 1992. He published more than 20 novels during his writing career.
I recently listened to this book on Audible. I had read it once several years ago. When we heard that a TV series based on the Wheel of Time novels would be on Amazon Prime, both my wife and I decided to read/listen to them again. I categorize this book as ‘R’ because of scenes of violence. The fantasy series spans 15 novels.
Rand al’Thor fulfilled one prophecy when he took possession of the sword Callandor. He now follows the Aiel back to the Waste. Before he goes to the final battle, he must complete another prophecy.
Once at the Aiel Waste, he is allowed to travel to the sacred city of Rhuidean. Once there, he, Mat, and Moiraine step through a ter’angreal doorway. Days pass, but all three eventually find their way out. Each has been changed in their own way. Most impurely, Rand now bears the dragon symbols on both of his arms. To the Aiel, he is the Car’a’carn. He is the chief of chiefs in their prophecies.
I thoroughly enjoyed the 41+ hours I spent listening to this 704-page fantasy. I like the art selected for the hardback cover. I give this novel a rating of 5 out of 5.
(See all my Book Reviews and Author Interviews) – Author and historian Alexander Clifford published the book Hindenburg, Ludendorff, and Hitler: Germany’s Generals and the Rise of the Nazis in December 2021. So far over his career, he has published three books.
I received an ARC of this book through https://www.netgalley.com in return for a fair and honest review. I categorize this book as ‘G’.
Hindenburg, Ludendorff, and Hitler were all veterans of WWI, though at very different levels within the army. The first several chapters of the book focus on Hindenburg and Ludendorff. It addresses their WWI accomplishments and the years following the war. Both of them promoted or at least did not contradict the stab-in-the-back myth as the cause of the German loss in WWI. Ludendorff was involved in schemes against the government though he always stayed well back from the forefront of any movement.
Hindenburg and Ludendorff were both very conservative. They wanted the government to move in that direction. Ludendorff was associated with Hitler’s failed Beer Hall Putsch but kept in the background. He became friends with Hitler and supported him, though he felt that Hitler attempted the putsch too soon.
Hindenburg ran and was elected President of Germany in 1925. He was a well-known hero from WWI and was seen as a unifier of the various political factions. He was reelected in the 1932 election. He considered the position of President to be above party politics, but he wanted to have a conservative cabinet. His administration was filled with much political strife. That enabled Hitler to forge an alliance with Hindenburg in 1933 and be appointed Chancellor.
I enjoyed the 15.5+ hours I spent reading this 342-page WWII era history. Until I read this book, I had no idea how precarious the political situation was in Germany. After reading about the conditions in the 20s and 30s, it is more understandable how Hitler rose to power. This book definitely filled a gap in my knowledge of WWII era history. While this book is readable, the material is a bit dry. I like the cover art selected for this book. I rate this book as a 3.8 (rounded up to a 4) out of 5.
If you have an interest in the WWII era of history, you may find these three pages of interest.
The “World War II Resources” page is a constantly growing collection of more than 570 links to museums, memorials, websites, Facebook pages, Twitter feeds, and other sources with information on the World War II era in history.
The “World War II Timeline” page expands almost daily and shows events leading up to WWII, as well as during the war. Events are broken down into the Pacific and European Theaters by date.
The About WWII page is a collection of links to posts that I have made over the years that are relevant to WWII.
(See my other Podcast related posts) – I have been an avid podcast listener for many years. Recently I have been on the outlook for those of a historical nature, particularly those that cover WWII. One of the podcasts I recently subscribed to is History Hack. The series began in March of 2020 and currently has 590 episodes in their library. It is available from Apple Podcasts.
The podcast is hosted by British author & historian Alexandra Churchill, with Matt Bone and Zack White. While most topics are British-focused, they do cover the historical world. On the podcast website they claim – We’re the slightly mad podcast bringing you your dose of history lunacy three times a week.
If you like to listen to podcasts and are interested in history or WWII, you should subscribe to this podcast.
If you have an interest in the WWII era of history, you may find these three pages of interest.
The “World War II Resources” page is a constantly growing collection of more than 570 links to museums, memorials, websites, Facebook pages, Twitter feeds, and other sources with information on the World War II era in history.
The “World War II Timeline” page expands almost daily and shows events leading up to WWII, as well as during the war. Events are broken down into the Pacific and European Theaters by date.
The About WWII page is a collection of links to posts that I have made over the years that are relevant to WWII.
Since 2014 I have participated in the Goodreads Reading Challenge. I have met my goal every year except for 2019. That year, my goal was 120 books, but I only completed 91 (76%).
I have set my goal for 2022 at 100 books, the same as in 2021. I expect to do at least as well this year as last (I read 106 books in 2021). My reading rate has dropped a bit over the past few years. I think that is due to adding more history books to my reading list. A few of those have taken 20+ hours to read when a novel only takes about 6 hours.
You can see my entire 2021 reading history here. Set yourself a reasonable goal for 2022 and start reading!
(See all my Book Reviews and Author Interviews) – Author Robert Jordan published the third novel in his The Wheel of Time series The Dragon Reborn in 1991. He published more than 20 novels during his writing career.
I recently listened to this book on Audible. I had read it the first time several years ago. When we heard that a TV series based on the Wheel of Time novels would be on Amazon Prime, both my wife and I decided to read/listen to them again. I categorize this book as ‘R’ because of scenes of violence. The fantasy series spans 15 novels.
The story of the three young men who are ta’veren and the three girls training to be Aes Sedai continues. Warfare has dwindled with the coming of winter weather. Rand has finally realized that he is the Dragon Reborn. He seeks to fulfill one of the Dragon prophecies – recovering the sword called Callandor. He must travel to the fortress called the Stone of Tear to obtain Callandor. Rand is not the only one who must endure danger and the forces of the Dark One. Moraine and the others have their own deadly confrontations.
I enjoyed the 24.5+ hours I spent listening to this 624-page fantasy. I am enjoying listening to this novel. It is every bit as good as it was when I read it the first time. I liked the cover art used on the hardcover edition. I rate this novel as a 5 out of 5.
(See my other Texas Military Forces Museum Related posts) – I have been volunteering with the Texas Military Forces Museum as a Docent for more than two years. While it has been open since the late 90s, relatively few Austin locals know about the Museum. When I speak with visitors, I have found that most are from out of town or out of state. If you live in or visit the Austin, TX area, you should make a point of visiting the Museum.
The Museum encompasses 45,000 sq. ft. of inside space, containing around 30,000 items in the collection. The collection continues outside the building with nearly 50 more military vehicles and aircraft. The Museum documents the story of the Texas Military Forces from the early militias in the 1830s through today’s War on Terror.
As with many Museums, funding is always an important consideration. Much of the Museum’s funding comes from the Texas Military Forces Historical Foundation. I have been a member of the Foundation since I began volunteering. You can help preserve our Texas Military History by either joining the Foundation or by making a donation. The Foundation’s largest fundraiser of the year is their annual Sweetheart Dinner Dance.
The WWII-themed event will take place at the Museum on 12 February 2022. It begins at 6:30 pm and will feature the talented Sentimental Journey Orchestra under the direction of Ted Connerly. Dinner will be provided by Austin Catering (see the menu). A photo booth and souvenir glass will add to the vintage atmosphere. The silent auction will feature items like a ride in the Sherman Tank, themed baskets, and much more.
Tickets are $100 per person. They can be purchased in person at the Museum store or via:
(See all my Book Reviews and Author Interviews) – Author ZENO published the novel The Cauldron in 1966. I categorize this novel as ‘R’ because it contains scenes of violence. While this is a fiction novel, it is based upon the author’s first hand experience at Arnhem.
The novel follows a British Pathfinder Parachute platoon during Operation Market Garden. The story begins with their landing and carries through to their final withdrawal. The bloody Battle of Arnhem, which lasted from 17 to 26 September 1944, is depicted. Many members of the platoon are wounded or killed. The novel presents a vivid image of the vicious battle that the British Paratroopers had to endure. You get to know the members of this fictitious platoon over the 22 chapters of the novel.
I enjoyed the 7.5+ hours I spent listening to this 278-page WWII action-packed novel. I listened to the novel as it was read by Al Murray. He, along with historian James Holland, are the co-hosts of the We Have Ways of Making You TalkWWII history podcast. This is one of several WWII history podcasts that I follow. On 23 March 2020, a 22 episode series was begun. Each episode is a different chapter of the novel. If you are interested in WWII and listen to podcasts, this is one I would recommend. I rate this book as a 4 out of 5.
If you have an interest in the WWII era of history, you may find these three pages of interest.
The “World War II Resources” page is a constantly growing collection of more than 570 links to museums, memorials, websites, Facebook pages, Twitter feeds, and other sources with information on the World War II era in history.
The “World War II Timeline” page expands almost daily and shows events leading up to WWII, as well as during the war. Events are broken down into the Pacific and European Theaters by date.
The About WWII page is a collection of links to posts that I have made over the years that are relevant to WWII.
John's Notes 