The Demon-Haunted World by Carl Sagan

I found this review I wrote in college for the Demon-Haunted World by Carl Sagan. Apparently I wasn't too fond of the book:

 

   The Demon-Haunted World is a very intelligent book that demands respect in its thoroughness and longevity. Carl Sagan identifies today’s misconceptions and systematically picks them apart piece by piece. That being said, I believe The Demon-Haunted World to be repetitive and somewhat insulting in its processes.
     The repetitiveness of Sagan’s book is most likely due to its format and origin. The Demon-Haunted World is a collection of essays, and being so does not feel uniform or smooth in its transitions. When I say that the book does not feel uniform, I mean each chapter doesn’t assume that you’ve read the chapter before it. There is a knowledge build up with most books that you read, but each chapter in The Demon-Haunted World has its own introduction and explanation of concepts which were explained in the previous chapter and the chapter before that. This leads to a sort of irritation and reluctance to keep reading.
     In one of the opening chapters, Sagan points out that one of the top box office movies during the time that he was writing his book was Dumb and Dumber. He also tells the reader that a very popular television show of this time is Beavis and Butthead. Sagan presents both of these pieces of information and alludes to a decline in 21^st century human intelligence. This makes Sagan seem like a bitter old man pointing out the flaws with the whippersnappers of the current generation while he reminisces upon the golden age of his hay day.

     To be specific Sagan states, “The dumbing down of America is most evident in the slow decay of substantive content in the enormously influential media, the 30-second sound bites (now down to 10-seconds or less), lowest common denominator programming, credulous presentations on pseudoscience and superstition, but especially a kind of celebration of ignorance.” What Sagan sees as a celebration of ignorance, I see as an escape from multitasking mania. In the go-go-go world that we live in today, where it’s nearly impossible to accomplish everything that we need to without multitasking all of the time, it’s nice to turn your brain off for an hour or two to watch some mindless entertainment.

     The Demon-Haunted World is a fantastic book with valuable processes, quotes, and cautions, however I do not agree with all of Mr. Sagan's views. I would consider it somewhat dangerous to think of everyone of Sagan’s notions as gospel. Sagan says it best himself, “if we can’t think for ourselves, if we’re unwilling to question authority, then we’re just putty in the hands of those in power.”

Patriot Games by Tom Clancy

     The events in Patriot Games take place before The Hunt for Red October. The story begins with Jack Ryan and his family in London. Jack stumbles upon a terrorist attack and manages to disarm the situation, saving members of the royal family in the process. While this puts Jack and his family in the good graces of British royalty, it marks him as an enemy to the Ulster Liberation Army (ULA), an Irish terrorist organization. Jack teams up with the CIA to unravel the mystery of the ghost-like ULA. Jack doesn't have to look far, as the organization makes two attempts on his family, the final of which results in the capture of the ULA members.
     While Jack is cracking the code on the ULA, he is simultaneously being recruited by the CIA to be more than just a consulting analyst. Jack struggles with an internal conflict while considering the job offer. Knowing the information he dissects will be used to capture and kill other humans does not sit well with Jack. It is not until terrorists nearly succeed in killing his own family that Jack comes around to accept the job offer.
     I found myself on-edge for the duration of the novel, hoping that Jack and his allies would piece together all the clues before it was too late. The threat posed on Jack's family had me despising the antagonist, more so than if Ryan alone had been in danger. My emotional investment into Patriot Games is the result of excellent character development by Mr. Clancy. Clancy goes out of his way to describe how lovely Jack's little girl and pregnant wife are. "Nothing better happen to Jack's family," repeated in the back of my mind as I read.
     As I mentioned in my recap of The Hunt for Red October, one of my favorite attributes of the main character Jack Ryan is how undeniably human he is. Jack is not omniscient and pieces together information slowly with the help of others. He falls down, breaks bones, gets shot, says what he is thinking, and learns lessons along the way. Having a main character who is so normal, helps the reader identify with the character and creates more emotional tie in. I'm interested to find out if Jack will become less clumsy and more confident as his work with the CIA continues.
     The Cardinal of the Kremlin is the next book in the series. Let's see if my interest will hold for another Clancy novel. I plan to watch the Patriot Games movie as well. I was not impressed with Alec Baldwin's impersonation of Jack Ryan, let's see if Harrison Ford can do any better.
   

The Hunt for Red October by Tom Clancy

   

     I decided to read Tom Clancy's "Jack Ryan" series in the order which the books were released. The Hunt for Red October is the first book of the series, and an exciting one at that. I was skeptical at first as to how much excitement there could possibly be in a book about submarines. Tom Clancy does an excellent job in telling the story of a defecting Russian submarine from various points of view. You could feel the difference in cultures when Clancy shifts from American to Russian point of view.

     Another great part of the book is how human Jack Ryan is. Jack starts off as an analyst who does consulting work for the United States Navy and the CIA. Jack is soon after recruited as a field agent for the CIA. Circumstance brings Jack deeper and deeper into the unraveling story of the Red October. He fumbles through scenarios on various Navy vessels encountering sea sickness, minimal sleep, and clumsily steering the Red October in its final battle. Jack ultimately saves the day, but in a clumsy, nerdy way. 

     Clancy does a good job in describing the intricacies of the military world in which The Hunt for Red October is framed. I do feel that someone who has more familiarity with the US military would more easily picture the scenes in which Clancy describes. I am fortunate enough to come from a military family and have prior knowledge to some of what Clancy describes, military aircraft in particular.

     Overall, I like this book very much. I had to re-read certain parts more than once in order to comprehend what exactly was taking place. Clancy tells the political side of the story, the military strategy aspect, and Jack Ryan's personal side for character development. It is sometimes difficult to keep track of all the moving pieces and character names, especially when they are in Russian.

     The only thing left to do now is watch the movie. Although, I don't know if I want Alec Baldwin taking the image of Jack Ryan in my mind for the rest of the series. Patriot Games is the next book in the series. I may alternate to the next book in another series before returning to the Jack Ryan saga. This helps keep me from getting burnt out on the characters.