About Dave

 

Dave DriftlessThe obsession began as a wiry teen.

While the lovely young fillies would beg Dave to come out and play, he was up in his room with his books.

Asimov, Bradbury and Clarke were so prolific that he never ran out of options and Tolkien’s world was so complex that repeated readings were always on the agenda.

The affair progressed to compulsion with reading lists and wish lists and constant strategizing; eventually evolving on to hoarding so many volumes he could never hope to actually read them all. Alas, adult responsibilities intervened and the passion became quiet for many years. Despair not, as the old flame still smolders and lately the graying bibliophile has regained some of the old fanaticism, focusing on more mature, but equally nerdy topics.

It’s rare for a science, nature or history book to fail to pique his interest and he’s developed a new enthusiasm for writing about his reading experiences. It’s clear that this love affair was meant to last.

Dave’s Reviews

Slave Ship book cover

Slave Ship, The

Human cargo and the birth of capitalism... Author:  Marcus Rediker Terror.  The word comes up again and again.  It was ...
Sea People book cover

Sea People

Pacific puzzle... Author:  Christina Thompson How did they get here?  Where did they come from?  When Europeans explorers first met ...
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Fisherman’s Blues

Tradition faces the rising seas... Author:  Anna Badkhen It sticks right out into the Atlantic Ocean.  Located on the westernmost ...
spineless by julie berwald book cover

Spineless (Juli Berwald)

The science of stings and slime... Author:  Juli Berwald Charisma.  Some animals have it in abundance, from honey bees to ...
Being Caribou book cover

Being Caribou

True love... Author:  Karsten Heuer It was going to be one heck of a long walk.  And they were going ...
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Half-Earth

Half full or half empty...? Author:  Edward O. Wilson Which parts are essential?  As humanity slowly dismantles and unravels the ...
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Horizon

I can see for miles... Author:  Barry Lopez He’s spent a life time traveling the world.  He’s also an acclaimed ...
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How to Hide an Empire

Beyond contiguity... Author:  Daniel Immerwahr You probably think you know American history.  But what about history on the fringe?  What ...
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Storm in a Teacup

Physics for everyone... Author:  Helen Czerski It’s unlikely that there will ever be anyone like him again.  Possibly the most ...
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My World

Peter the Greatest... Author:  Peter Sagan He may not be the world’s fastest sprinter.   He may not ascend the Alpine ...
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World’s Fastest Man, The

Two-wheeled Triumph... Author:  Michael Kranish Most people find it hard to believe, but there was a brief moment in history ...
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Vulture

Bald bird is beautiful... Author:  Katie Fallon If you know what you’re looking for, you can see them almost every ...
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Bastard Brigade, The

Nazis and nukes... Author:  Sam Kean It was a real-life nightmare scenario.   Whenever he deemed it expedient, Hitler could load ...
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Spider and the Fly, The

Webs we weave... Author:  Claudia Rowe It’s hoarding with a truly morbid twist.  If you’re a hoarder show enthusiast, you ...
Ice at End of World book cover

Ice at the End of the World, The

Drip, drip, drip… Author:  Jon Gertner The poles were where all the glamour was.  International fame and glory was assured ...
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Zoo Man

Bringing zoos back to life... Author:  Terry Maple He was a formidable beast.  Even these many years later, I still ...
big burn book cover

Big Burn, The

Frontier on fire... Author:  Timothy Egan The new frontier was open for business.  As white Americans spread west across North ...
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How To

"We're scientists,  we're here to help." Author:  Randall Munroe Creativity and imagination.  They aren’t the first traits you think of ...
Strange Harvests book cover

Strange Harvests

Loved to death... Author:  Edward Posnett We destroy what we love most.  There may be no better way to sum ...
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Day It Finally Happens, The

What, me worry? Author:  Mike Pearl You may think you’ve got enough to worry about.  I know I do.  Unfortunately, ...