Why "books what I read?"

So, over the holidays I read quite a few books and thought it would be a good exercise to make a couple of notes on them. However, such a thing could (in other hands) be in danger of becoming something of a literary review, so to help keep it from getting too full of itself, "books what I read."

These will frequently be science fiction books, as I have something of an interest in this direction, but I have been known to go outside the field quite a bit. Most recent posts have been the most recent reads, but I will also go back over some of the more interesting books when I get a quiet moment.

SF: Man Plus by Frederik Pohl

Interesting one, this - it pays a lot of attention to the effects of cybernetic enhancement on the donor, rather than so much emphasis on the resulting capabilities. The terror when the previous candidate expires is palpable. The reasoning (we have to adapt a man to live natively on Mars) seems a little weak when he travels there with "normal" people equipped with space suits, but if you take the argument as a given the rest hangs together well.

Every now and then an anonymous narrator pops up saying how they have worked hard to do this and that. At the end you discover their identity, a thought provoking twist...

SF: Death of Grass by John Christopher

Ok, opposite end of the spectrum from Mockingbird this time. The English go brutal, more than a hint of J.G. Ballard there then. A virus breaks out in the far east which attacks some kinds of grass. Gosh, isn't that a thing? Then it diversifies and starts to attack all grasses: rice, wheat, oats, you name it. Suddenly it becomes rather more significant doesn't it old chap? Better plant the potatoes then.

Much of the story takes place over a couple of days post-tipping point, less "old chap", more shoot first and kill the bast**d. Not one to read if you're of a sensitive disposition, but very gripping.

SF: Mockingbird by Walter Tevis

Read this one in a few days, very good (part of SF Masterworks, gives it a head start.) Essential principle is that the human race has been dumbed down and largely dehumanized by their own creations and is dying out due to an apparent administrative error. Nice take on the world going out with a whimper rather than a bang. Easy reading, if a little too carefully planned.

Excellent bit about the futility of making toasters.