Booked

Since being promoted to the position of Technical Team Lead in March I haven't been reading as much as I used to. I've been finding other things to do with my downtime at work, and therefore haven't had anything to read at work in quite some time. I have been reading when I've been able at home, completing Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea as well as The Time Machine before starting on Uncle Tom's Cabin.

Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea -- The edition I read was a wonderful hardbound edition featuring engravings by "Hildebrand". I'm glad I finally read it, but Verne gets so bogged down in the details that the plot suffers. I thought I was going to need a textbook on marine biology. The story is mostly a "man against man" plot with some "man against nature" subplots, but they're all a bit weak, and even Verne's sense of adventure and his typical perpetual forward motion of the story can't help. My favorite Verne novel remains Around the World in 80 Days.

The Time Machine -- Again, I'm glad I finally read it. I was surprised by how short it is, included as part of a beautiful hardbound omnibus of several of Wells books published by State Street Press and taking less than 100 pages. Wells spends a lot of time on the story about the Morlocks and the Eloi (indeed, the name "Eloi" is evocative of "Elohim") and seems to dwell on the future a lot without spending any time in the past. Wells could have been making a commentary on society and civilization. I'll reserve some judgment on the work until I've read more of Wells' work.

Uncle Tom's Cabin -- I haven't completed the edition published by Readers Digest. So far the story is a bit bogged down by the extensive use of heavy dialect, especially among the black slaves. I can see why it has often been called propaganda -- the book is full of biased words and editorial commentary. Final judgment will be reserved until I've finished it, though.

Mood: Thoughtful
Music: REO Speedwagon: "Music Man"