RichC | February 28, 2023
This past month on our trip to Florida, I downloaded an audiobook on Hoopla from the library in order to save on iPhone data (our Mint Mobile plan has a 4GB limit). I started it on my AfterShokz headset while on the beach, but Brenda soon wanted to listen with me … so we both […]
RichC | February 11, 2023
The WSJ reading list caught my eye this week … most likely due to "The Ship Beneath The Ice" book talking more about the story of Ernest Shackleton’s 1914 expedition to the Antarctic. I’ll be watching for it as a library ebook, but probably after I finished my current history read, "Vietnam: An Epic Tragedy […]
RichC | December 6, 2022
No … we don’t have snow in Cincinnati just yet, but the snowbelt areas of western New York sure got their share in November. I’ll include a leftover Twitter photo from the Buffalo NY area that is sure to make someone smile (very creative snowman or mailbox)? On the Amazon rant subject, I ordered an […]
RichC | November 20, 2022
Maps and history have always held my interest (as they do for my son Taylor too). Having grown up when schools glossed over most of American the history prior to Columbus in 1492 (or perhaps the Vikings) … it is interesting to learn a little bit more about the “approximately 20 million” Native Americans that […]
RichC | November 4, 2022
Posting this late on Thursday night after watching the Houston Astros win game 5 of the 2022 World Series against the Philadelphia Phillies making the series 3 games to 2; it has been an enjoyable five games so far … especially since I really am not invested in either team. As for the Tech Friday […]
RichC | October 29, 2022
My friend Jeff and I enjoy discussing and debating nearly every topic under the sun, but few subjects have held our attention over the decades like the impact of technology on society, geopolitics and how changing governments handle or don’t handle the demographics shifts. I tend to look at it from the perspective of an […]
RichC | September 8, 2022
The WSJ book reviews are a great place to find new and interesting military history books and biographies. The recent download for me is a book by Robert L. Connell highlighting several bigger than life U.S. military generals. “Team America: The Age of Generals,” looks at often written about World War A-list leaders: Gens. Douglas […]
RichC | September 4, 2022
Having recently read an article about Dr. Doom and “his pinnacle of influence” on August 17th, 1982, I’m adding Henry Kaufman’s book “The Day the Markets Roared” to my Amazon Kindle “want to read” list. Obviously since it is a look back on financial market history, it is not all that crucial that I read […]
RichC | August 28, 2022
Neither Brenda or I have fully retired yet (although I loaf more than I should), but there is no reason THIS couldn’t be every day during retirement IF the weather was perfect all year around. I probably take more time off during the summer than I should and having the girls for a week in […]
RichC | August 21, 2022
While I generally do not plug things on My Desultory Blog, I do enjoy reading the paper edition of a couple of publications. Barron’s Magazine is my go-to weekend reading, but their shrinking size and poor delivery has me giving up on renewing again. If they would promise Saturday delivery again, perhaps with the WSJ, […]
RichC | July 3, 2022
With a little travel and vacation time coming up, I went into my “want to read” list and downloaded “The Dying Citizen” from the local library to my Kindle. The 2021 book is a longer read (433 pages) from Victor Davis Hanson, a professor and military historian seen regularly on Fox News and Fox Business. […]
RichC | June 14, 2022
Although I once enjoyed reading biographical and history oriented books by Douglas Brinkley, as well as enjoyed interviews with him on TV, I’ve recently noticed a bit more political partisanship in his commentary and his appearances. To be fair, I wanted to give his writings another shot and try to remain open-minded. The book “Rightful […]
RichC | June 8, 2022
In keeping with a previous book, I downloaded another book: “Land Of Big Numbers” by Te-Ping Chen. It is a collection of stories … on the “diverse and legion Chinese people” and according to a review, this book offers an “acute social insight” on Chinese history, their government, “and how all of that tumbled—messy, violently, […]
RichC | May 24, 2022
My buddy Jeff Pitts is my go-to source for interesting books to read. For my birthday this year (we had lunch last Friday … a Mexican restaurant, of course), he gave me an older 1950’s era book by Robert Ruark called “The Old Man and The Boy.” I passed on reading my other books and […]
RichC | May 5, 2022
Although I don’t know all that much more than what I read about China, the culture and history intrigues me. After moving to Sidney, Ohio in high school, I felt like a fish out of water since most kids grew up in town and had gone to school with each other their entire life. When […]
RichC | February 27, 2022
My son Taylor is a history buff and turned me on to Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History podcasts. I particularly enjoyed Carlin’s long running Supernova in the East series and commented a couple times previously as it corresponded with quite a few books that I’ve read (and am still reading) detailing World War II and the […]
RichC | January 21, 2022
The hefty book (1139 pages) that I tried to finish by the end of 2021 is finally done (halfway into January 2022) … so now in that same World War II Pacific vein, I’m starting Martha MacCallum’s “Unknown Valor” this week. I remember hearing about it last year, but never added it to my to-read […]
RichC | December 7, 2021
As we remember the day that the Empire of Japan bombed Pearl Harbor and try to “never forget” our ill-preparedness “date that will live in infamy” on December 7, 1941, I’ll finally finish the hefty book “Shattered Sword” by Jonathan Parshall and Anthony Tully. (it’s a 1139 pages!) The “untold story of the Battle of Midway” […]
RichC | November 16, 2021
The author Joe Scarborough is not one of my favorite TV commentators … although I did like him as a politician back in the 1990s. In 2020 he wrote (and narrated) a book published by Harper Collins called “Saving Freedom.” I’ve been contemplating it and since the digital is on my Glose reader app, thought […]
RichC | August 24, 2021
On Sunday night to escape from the distressing domestic politics of the day as well as the Afghanistan debacle … and partly wanting to get my mind on my faith and my attention on what I can control in life … I turned off the TV and put aside the pile of secular topical books […]
RichC | August 15, 2021
For decades now I’ve had a fairly positive relationship with both business (CPP) and personal banking … and particularly with local banks. I grumbled the 1990s when multiple bank mergers forced out the manager I worked with in NE Ohio. He knew me by name and often pulled me aside to see if there was anything […]
RichC | July 16, 2021
My Amazon Kindle Voyage is not used much for reading anymore as I have gravitated to using my iPad, but every time I’ve picked it up lately the battery has been dead. So after ordering an inexpensive replacement lithium battery – it is surprisingly small – I popped the back off with the help of […]
RichC | July 7, 2021
One of the segments from the Wall Street Journal that I especially enjoy are the book reviews … or the “bookshelf.” I’m always intrigued by the history selections and the review on Stephen Walker’s book “Beyond” was no exception. It so happened that it is also a WSJ+ “free book club read” for the month […]
RichC | June 13, 2021
The current pile of books to read is too high for my nighttime side table; I think I need to move a few to my office … or better yet, finish reading them! Since Alistair Begg is a favorite teaching pastor of ours (Parkside Church was our home church when we lived in NE Ohio), […]
RichC | June 6, 2021
For years now … no, it is now decades … my buddy Jeff and I have gone out for lunch ever other week and almost exclusively to a Mexican restaurant … primarily for the chips and salsa (and relaxed conversation). Before that, we lived in different cities (he in Florida and then Alabama … and […]
RichC | May 16, 2021
When it comes to reading, I once again have started more books than I can finish. It started with our “rest and relaxation” vacation where I wanted to be sure to have a “paper book” to read on the beach and while relaxing at the condo … but I still haven’t finished “A Random Walk […]
RichC | May 8, 2021
A few times before I’ve thought, and blogged about MMT or Modern Monetary Theory, when it comes to newfangled economics. Personally, I (nor many economists) can accept the thinking or rationalize the large deficits and debt path our country is on. In order to better understand the mind-set, I decided to read Stephanie Kelton’s book […]
RichC | April 7, 2021
In keeping with a New Year’s resolution from “years ago” to read more non-fiction books and some classic literature still sitting unread on our new bookshelves, I’ve picked up a new edition of an “older” book. For April and more likely May (statistically good months for stock market investing), I’m reading “A Random Walk Down […]
RichC | January 10, 2021
Thanks to my daughter Katelyn and her family, I’m in the process of reading the Tim Challies book, “EPIC – An Around-The-World Journey Through Christian History.” It is the new book I mentioned in my 2020 Christmas wrap-up post … and it has been challenging to put down. BUT … I’m sort of using it […]
RichC | December 30, 2020
When it comes to being the first to read a book, I’m not the guy to turn to, but eventually I do get around to some of them. I’m particularly fond of the history oriented books from the last century and “I Marched With Patton” by Frank Sisson fits that criteria. This World War II […]
RichC | October 14, 2020
This past week I finally finished Dan Hampton’s excellent historical World War II book titled “Operation Vengeance” about the operation to kill Isoroku Yamamoto and can finally move on to the book I mentioned in September after reading a WSJ review. Since the “reviewed” book was the third and finally Ian W. Toll’s book in […]
RichC | August 19, 2020
Since I spent most of the weekend outside again doing chores and projects as the weather has been great … I spotted a couple of insects enjoying summer as well. The normal bugs don’t grab my attention, but the brightly colored and unusual ones are worthy of photos (still impressed with the camera on my […]
RichC | April 30, 2020
Rather than close out the month of April 2020 with some depressing topic related to COVID19, I’ll post a photo for book lovers (right) and collectors along with a saved newspaper article clipped with a photo to highlight a future project (steps/ladder for the bookshelves) and the latest in the seemingly SLOW progress of putting […]
RichC | March 11, 2020
My friend Jeff gave me a couple “used” books for Christmas this year after we talked last year about our favorite authors and books over the decades. Sloan Wilson, of “Man in the Gray Flannel Suit” fame, also wrote several World War II US Coast Guard and Merchant Marine novels that both of us read […]
RichC | August 9, 2019
Currently, I pay for a few subscriptions. Some pricey (Wall Street Journal, Barrons, etc) because I avidly read them. Others, like monthly magazines, I continue to pay for and rarely get around to reading, especially online only subscriptions. Several others, I occasionally receive a link or click on one from those annoying “reader apps” that […]
RichC | March 7, 2019
I do miss browsing in bookstores … something our family would regularly do Sunday after church … and something my daughter and I would do “in the good ol’ days” when I would visit her in college. I suppose there are still a few bookstores around to enjoy, but nowadays I read what is recommended […]
RichC | January 18, 2019
The recent price increases rumbling through the economy are starting to be felt in the products we all use and have learned to appreciate. One of the services I’ll likely eliminate before the monthly price increase is the streaming service Netflix. We did this once before, but with all the new added content and lack […]
RichC | October 24, 2018
I can’t vouch for the complete book (I’ve just starting reading it), but for those of us who appreciate first hand accounts of heroism, survival and World War II history … spending $2 on Alistair Urquhart’s "The Forgotten Highlander: An Incredible WWII Story of Survival in the Pacific," is well worth it. An amazing story […]
RichC | August 26, 2018
I may have pick up my favorite political book of the year with Salena Zito and Brad Todd’s "The Great Revolt: Inside the Populist Coalition Reshaping American Politics." It analyzes the unusual rise of once "long shot" billionaire reality-tv GOP candidate Donald Trump who defeated 17 other Republican "politicians" and chipped off enough disgruntled Independent […]
RichC | April 28, 2018
While on the subject of reading and books (after posting about Robert Kurson’s Rocket Men a couple days ago), I realized I didn’t really share much a book I read a couple years ago (mentioned briefly in 2016). Star Sand by Roger Pulvers (May 2016) is currently a free Kindle download for Amazon Prime customers and […]
RichC | April 22, 2018
Ordered the book Rocket Men, The Daring Odyssey of Apollo 8 and the Astronauts Who Made Man’s First Journey to the Moon based on the author Robert Kurson and enjoying the writing style and content in his previous book Shadow Divers. If you enjoy history, space exploration, NASA and the heroic astronauts and scientist that […]
RichC | May 16, 2017
The Kindle ebook reader is my preferred choice ever since getting my "own" ereader. My buddy Jeff has found a new way to entertain me … gifting Amazon books (this one for my birthday). I sense that he assumes everybody reads as much as he does? I assure you that I do not … but […]
RichC | April 19, 2017
My friend Jeff and I try to get together for a Friday lunch once or twice a month. We often discuss work, politics and management, particularly as it relates to his job and potential advancement … although we recognized the limited number of years for that second part. Anyway, one of the books he is […]
RichC | February 23, 2016
Winter weekends (even warm ones) present an opportunity to catch up on a pile of articles collected during the week. These are one that aren’t necessarily timely or are “required” reading based on the news of the day. Those who know me, know that I’ve enjoyed a few minutes each morning leafing though the Wall […]
RichC | June 22, 2015
For those of you who are NOT Wall Street Journal readers, but have always wanted to try it out, here’s your chance. The $1 price is about as cheap as I’ve ever seen from WSJ.com … for a 3 month introductory deal. The yearly or normal monthly subscription is higher and can be hard to […]
RichC | April 10, 2015
Jared Keller’s article in The Atlantic last month focused on the observation that “outside the U.S., fewer people in rich countries describe their day as a good day.” For the most part, Americans are hopeful and optimistic as compared to their peer in other first world countries. (the graphic below is interesting on several levels) […]
RichC | January 25, 2015
I picked up a book, The Rape Of Nanking: The Forgotten Holocaust Of World War II, published in 1997 and written by the late Iris Chang. I decided to read it after a bit of Twitter sparring with CBJapan1 and his/her “allegation of lying” about the book and movie Unbroken, as well as how America […]
RichC | January 16, 2015
It has been a few years since my wife and I have gone to the movie theatre, but when Katelyn and Drew were visiting they convinced us to go with them to the movie Unbroken. Besides being a history oriented true story based on the book by Lauren Hillenbrand, the WWII timelined story put to […]
RichC | September 27, 2014
The WSJ printed an interesting article by Jeanne Whalen earlier this month listing the benefits of s-l-o-w-e-r reading. A Wellington, New Zealand book club calling itself the Slow Reading Club consists of members who “miss old-school reading” and may be on to something. They get together at a café and spend an hour reading in […]
RichC | August 12, 2014
A long time client and now retired friend, Clyde Witt, is publishing his first novel. He has always written stories in a style appeals to me … although his politics still needs some work (a personal joke). I’m anxious to pre-ordered a copy of his book to read and review. One of the advantages of […]
RichC | June 15, 2014
As civil society’s long drawn out war on terror or GWOT continues dealing with Islamic terrorist organizations like al-Qaeda, the U.S. struggles in an effort to wind down military involvement and to leave political stability in Iraq and Afghanistan. After reading many of the biographies, political and history oriented books being published, I’ve gained better […]
RichC | June 7, 2014
I’ve probably read every book the Pardey’s ever published as the information help me learn about cruising and our first boat and caring for a spruce mast and boom. They were, and are, inspirational when it comes to “go small, go simple and go now” philosophy even though it has been challenging to incorporated the […]
RichC | May 24, 2014
After seeing some book advice from a friend, I checked with Nooeo.com and downloaded a $5.00 ebook to my Kindle app on my iPad for an upcoming trip. Since Elizabeth Bernstein is also an avid reader, sailor and Scuba diver, her recommendations are usually spot on for me. After reading the forward to Robert Kurson’s […]
RichC | December 5, 2013
I purchased a new 12 watt LED bulb for reading(larger bulb in left of photo) that promised to offer a few more “soft but bright” lumens from my chair side lamp. I “was” using two Cree LED bulbs (smaller bulb in left photo), but the light output still wasn’t comparable to a good three-way incandescent […]
RichC | December 1, 2013
Charles Krauthammer is one political analyst I always enjoy listening to, be he a regular panelist commenting on the nightly news (Special Report with Bret Baier), or as a guest on many Fox News programs. His columns at The Weekly Standard are always excellent and his intellectual prowess is even respected by those who politically […]
RichC | October 4, 2013
One of my favorite apps on my iPhone is the NPR podcast app and I particularly enjoy listening to the in-depth stories on my time, rather than trying to tune in when they are live or reading the stories later. I also download other podcasts using iTunes or Stitcher, but in some cases have found either […]
RichC | April 20, 2012
http://www.getpocket.com ReadItLater.com is/was one of the better services for saving web pages for later reading or archive research. I’ve used a couple different services over the year on the computer, but have found the new ReadItLater better than most — and the free services is excellent. It is now called Pocket (getpocket.com) and has an […]
RichC | June 22, 2011
Posting something marked as “advice” is rather egotistical, don’t you think … but then I’m not sure how else to label this? Reading for pleasure (and personal edification) is something many of us do and yet feel guilty when we take the time. It is a private/personal activity that closes one off from family, spouse […]
RichC | February 5, 2010
Books about fixing America’s dysfunctional economy are trendy again and partisan finger pointing is probably the most notable component in most books. The book by David M. Walker called Comeback America is no exception when it comes to the frustration and anger he shares when in particular chastising President George W. Bush. Irritation aside, Walker […]
RichC | July 31, 2006
I’m looking for a light reading book for my upcoming vacation. Geoffrey Nunberg’s book, Talking Right, might just be the ticket. It looks humorous enough to keep the reading light, but topical enough to hold my interest. I’m open for opinions and will offer a few tidbits if they are worthy after our family vacation. […]