Books 2012: a memorable smell
Nov. 7th, 2012 08:30 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
hawkwing_lbBooks 2012: 215-217
215. Alain Corbin, The Foul and The Fragrant: Odour and the Social Imagination. Papermac, London, 1996.
It would be wrong to accuse Corbin's magnificent work on the role of the sense of smell in 18th and 19th century French of being easily read: but it is, however, fascinating, detailed, and absorbing, and more than rewards the effort expended in its reading. I recommend it very highly, and wish I didn't have to give my copy back to the library.
216. R.M. Meluch, Jerusalem Fire. 1985.
A moderately interesting SF novel. I wave my hands at it, not necessarily in a good way. See a forthcoming Tor.com column for more details.
217. Lois McMaster Bujold, Captain Vorpatril's Alliance. Baen, 2012.
Oh. Oh. Sweet godless heavens, this is so much better that Diplomatic Immunity and Cryoburn. It's a happy adventure story, true, but Bujold does that excellently well, and Ivan's day in the sun is not nearly as slight or lopsided as the last two Miles outings.
I do think Bujold could stand to avoid epilogues, however.
215. Alain Corbin, The Foul and The Fragrant: Odour and the Social Imagination. Papermac, London, 1996.
It would be wrong to accuse Corbin's magnificent work on the role of the sense of smell in 18th and 19th century French of being easily read: but it is, however, fascinating, detailed, and absorbing, and more than rewards the effort expended in its reading. I recommend it very highly, and wish I didn't have to give my copy back to the library.
216. R.M. Meluch, Jerusalem Fire. 1985.
A moderately interesting SF novel. I wave my hands at it, not necessarily in a good way. See a forthcoming Tor.com column for more details.
217. Lois McMaster Bujold, Captain Vorpatril's Alliance. Baen, 2012.
Oh. Oh. Sweet godless heavens, this is so much better that Diplomatic Immunity and Cryoburn. It's a happy adventure story, true, but Bujold does that excellently well, and Ivan's day in the sun is not nearly as slight or lopsided as the last two Miles outings.
I do think Bujold could stand to avoid epilogues, however.
