User Profile

Jim Fulner

re@d.jimfulner.com

Joined 4 months, 3 weeks ago

I'm think I got this bookwyrm thing right. I ended up more-or-less manually importing ~1,000 books. I'm sure there is supposed to be any easier way.

I previously had accounts @fu@bookwyrm.social @fu@millefeuilles.cloud and @fu@bookwyrm.world, I think this one will be here to stay but I might need to find a less expensive hosting solution.

You can find my Pleroma account @hey@r.jimfulner.com

This link opens in a pop-up window

Jim Fulner's books

Up Next (View all 6)

Currently Reading

2026 Reading Goal

77% complete! Jim Fulner has read 58 of 75 books.

Robert A. Heinlein, Lloyd James: Citizen Of The Galaxy (AudiobookFormat, 2004, Blackstone Audiobooks)

From helpless slave to beloved son to aspiring merchant to prodigal heir, Citizen of the …

This book was much deeper and darker than the others ind Heinlein's "Scribner's Junior" series. returnreturnOur protagonists begins as he is being sold as a slave. We then follow him throughout his life, living with his new owner who frees him and raises him as his own, a beggar in the street, to his father's surprising death, to a life on the "road" that is illusive to FireFly, to joining the military, to learning his birth identity. The book finally gets interesting in a move that will believe the whole universe could finally be changing for the better, and then its over.

Robert A. Heinlein: The Star Beast (AudiobookFormat, 2006, Full Cast Audio)

Lummox had been the Stuart family pet for years. Though far from cuddly and rather …

This audio boook is the story of Lumex. A pet of the 23rd century. A large dionsaur like creature that has been in John Thomas's family for generations. returnreturnLike the other books in the Scribes Juvenile series it is a stand alone story of one ~18 year old "boy" in Heinlein's universe, each book going forward a generation from previous (starting in 1950). Like the other "FullCast Audio" recordings, this is "cinematically" beautiful. returnreturnJohn Thomas is supposed to go off to college, But he can't take Lumex with him. His mom will go at any lenghth to try to get rid of him. Lumex goes for a walk on his own and practically destroys the town. The city government wants to put him down. Bu "The boy with the famous name" will do anything to stop it, even if it means running away, maybe to join a circus. returnreturnLow and …

reviewed Redshirts by John Scalzi

John Scalzi, Wil Wheaton: Redshirts (AudiobookFormat, 2013, Brilliance Audio)

Ensign Andrew Dahl has just been assigned to the Universal Union Capital Ship Intrepid, flagship …

But why would they do that?

This audiobook takes place in an alternate universe very similar to Star Trek: TOS. The plot line is along the idea that the ship's captain, doctor, first officer and other "main characters" never seem to get hurt seriously, but the lower deckers, the red shirts all die whenever dramatically appropriate. It's the story of these low-profile folks trying to find out why. As weird as that seems, it gets even odder when the crazy conspiracy theory that they are actually a part of a really bad science fiction show turns out to be correct. As much as that sounds like a spoiler, it's not. It's really out there, it's really bad, but it's really good at being bad. You know that going into a story with such a preface, and for what it is, it's certainly an expansion on philosophy of fandom and science fiction, it's the "birds of …

David G. Dalin: The Myth of Hitler's Pope (Hardcover, 2005, National Book Network)

In 1999, John Cornwell excoriated Pope Pius XII as "Hitler's Pope." In this book, Rabbi …

I don't feel this book was a good as it could have been. It suffers from the same as films like "Farenhype 9/11" in that they are released far too quickly, primarily to challenge some incorrect "truthes" presented by a more popular work. Much of "The Myth of Hitlers' Pope" is almost unusable without having read John Cornwell's "Hitler's Pope"returnreturnThat being said what is there appears to be well documented and properly calls out the errors in the more popular work. Our author David Dalin is a Conservative Rabbi. And I do mean Conservative with a Capital C. He probably thinks folks who vote Democrat can't be true believers, with chapters like "The Liberal Medias Lies about the Pope past and present" BUt I digress. returnreturnDalin interviews suriveros of the holocaust who were able to make it through the work of the Church. Some became Catholic after the war (technically …

Wilfried Voss: A Comprehensible Guide to Controller Area Network (Paperback, 2005, Copperhill Technlogies Corporation)

Controller Area Network (CAN) is a serial network technology that was originally designed for the …

I am a guy who has worked in automotive for six years, but until recently never had to be too concerned about the CAN Bus, as long as my part turned on it was enough. returnreturnThis is a great book that simplifies the story and goings on of the cheap and effective single wire network in a way this Political Scientist can understand. returnreturnI appreciate it and highly recommend anyone wanting a refresher or an introduction.returnreturnShort and easy to read

Robert A. Heinlein: The Rolling Stones (AudiobookFormat, 2005, Full Cast Audio)

SciFi YA - The rollicking adventures of the Stone Family on a tour of the …

I cannot recommend this book highly enough. While I have loved everything in Heinlein's "The Scribner's juveniles" series. But this one has been the best. Unlike "Rocket Ship Galleio" this one is actually believable. I really love this old time science-fiction. It is great to see what the author for the 1950s thought of, that we already have, and what he didn't think of, that we already have. For example there is a scene where Grandma Hazel is going out for the day so she can't stay home and play Chess with the 5 year old. They, however, indicate that they could play by phone. I thought it was great, Heinleni though of cell phones and playing games on then. However before the end of the chapter we learn that he had thought of cell phones, but not of playing games on them, instead she called in her moves to …

Dorothy Day: The Long Loneliness (Paperback, 1997, HarperOne)

Wow! I have heard of Dorthy Day for years. The famous Catholic Anarchists. Being a radical myself I have been drawn to the idea for some time. In her autobiography I learn that she was much more complicated that I had originally thought. returnreturnI see so much of myself, and my wife, in her journey. My love of God no matter what, and no way to understand how one could ever live without him. My wife's content skeptism of the world and weariness of those outside of our immediate circle. An undying love for a child no matter how frustrating. A conversion story that occurs just as her loved one is strengthening resistance to religion. returnreturnShe never meant to write about herself, and the autobiography only left me wanting more. How to live in peace with neighbors above all. How to love Christ with a heart, even when it seems …

Seth Godin: Linchpin (AudiobookFormat, 2010, Books on Tape)

There used to be two teams in every workplace: management and labor. Now there’s a …

This audiobook was okay. He did quote himself muchore freequently than I felt was honorable. When I first got this book I had expected it to be sort of self-help make yourself an entrepreneur like "TGE FOUR HPUR WORK DAY" then when I started it I thought it was a "Stand in solidarity with your brothers in the factory" book. But it ended up being none of those. It was a we can't all be entrepreneur, but factory work doesn't exist anymore book. A you need to be happy and get your work done and if you can't you need to leave your job book. Did I follow his advice? I'm honestly not sure. So if you are at a place with more ?Questions than answers TG his might help or it might just be another book that has lots it's way.

S. D. Perry: Cloak (Paperback, 2001, Simon & Schuster, Limited)

They are the self-appointed protectors of the Federation. Amoral, shrouded in secrecy, answerable to no …

One of the better Star Trek novels I have read in some time. Kirk has been sent a on a mission to steal a Romulan cloaking device. No one questioned it as the time. They take some R&R at a science symposium. Things turn weird when one of the scientists starts spotting some bigoted conservative propaganda. returnreturnS.D. Perry is a great author. She did a fine job letting us get inside of Kirk's head, in particular she did a great job as showing as to how Kirk justifies to himself his treatment of women.returnreturnThis would be the first time in the Star Trek timeline that I am aware of Section 31, the Federation's NSA, shows its head. If it wasn't for the giveaway on the cover, it would be much more suspenseful, then again if it wasn't for the giveaway on the cover, I might not read it at all. …

L.R. Knost: Jesus, the Gentle Parent (Paperback, 2014, Little Hearts Books, LLC)

In this examination of mainstream Christian parenting practices and the doctrinal beliefs behind them, best-selling …

Knost does one of the things I hate when authors do, quotes themselves and their other works in their own writing. Other than that, it is pretty good. Gives a good argument for not being an ass to your kids and to not smack 'em even though you want to.

Timothy Ferriss: The 4-Hour Work Week (2007, Blackstone Audio Inc.)

The New York Times bestselling how-to and why-to guide to throwing out the old tools …

Frequently when I review audio books, particular nonfiction ones, I recommend that if you are interested in the topic to get the dead tree version instead. This could never be so true as with the 4 hour work week. Not only, as usal, would it be helpful to easlily reference what is discussed, but more importantly it is incredible annoying with the reader actually READS full web URLs. ech-tee-tee-pee-colon-forward-slash-forward-slash, etc. returnreturnThe content, however, seems solid, if sometimes seeming unethical, but then again it can be no more unethical than reviewing a book while at work. We all waste lots of time at work. There is no reason to do so in this day in age. return returnFrom time management techniques, why I got this book, to ways to automatize your entire business and start your own company, this book has something for everyone. I do highly recommend and will be …

Richard Stallman: Free Software Free Society, 2nd Edition (2010)

Free Software, Free Society: Selected Essays of Richard M. Stallman is a collection of writings …

While I cannot agree with his recommendation of a "software development tax" where the government could potentially pay the salary of free software developers, everything esle in here is fantastic. returnreturnHis many arguments, even the one I disagreed with, are well thought out and well written. He makes the case not only for the development community but for the community of the whole. We are loosing our rights everyday to restrictive end user license agreements (EULA) Digital Restrictions Management (DRM) and the like from Governmetns, the media, and corporations. We need to be teh residence. The more of our life is tied to computers the less it matters who controls the state and the more it matters who controls our computers. returnreturnreturnThis collection is a few years old, and misses some of the developments like Android/Linux and Microsoft joining the Linux foundation, which make me fearful that the open source …

Cyprian Davis: The History of Black Catholics in the United States (Paperback, 1995, Herder & Herder)

I really liked this book. I became more interested in Black Catholics in particular as when I lived in Texas I belonged to a primarily black Catholic church. returnreturnWhat I found most interesting actually wasn't related directly to Black Catholics but was actually learning how religious communities (like a new association of nuns) is actually established. It seemed amazingly easy, at least from a hierarchy perspective. The other is that I was surprised how deeply important it was for people to have the option of a Catholic education available. Most of the Church's largest opponents I have met are those that went to Catholic school, so this seemed odd to me. I know that at the time frame the public schools were basically protestant schools that were funded with stolen money, as opposed to the voluntarily funded Catholic schools, so I'm not sure if that is it, or if there …

reviewed Dark Money by Jane Mayer

Jane Mayer, Kirsten Potter, narrator: Dark Money (AudiobookFormat, 2016, Random House Audio)

Who are the immensely wealthy right-wing ideologues shaping the fate of America today? From the …

I read this book at the recommendation of my Aunt Pat because "OMG, Jimmy you don't know what those libertarians are really all about." I did so with the understanding that she would return the favor by reading some essential libertarian ideological literature.

Mayer is very liberal. She has so many assumptions, that the government has a right to the fruits of others labor for one, and that the anonymity is a vice as another.

Let us be clear I am not a fan of the Kochs, however, rather than exposing their great evil, Mayer has done nothing but give me more respect for them than I had had before. They do have a thorough up brining in the literature and the ideology. However, their willingness to use the laws to their advantage against that of their ideology, or even at times to focus on increasing government regulation …

Sally Malcolm: The Cost of Honor (Paperback, 2005, Fandemonium Books)

The sequel to A Matter of Honor - the team attempt to rescue Major Henry …

I felt the Matter of Honor deserved a better conclusion than Sally gave it here. Unclimatic and everything just worked. It was as if she had a deadline and tried to meet it. Didn't make we want to pick up the next in the series, particular when I know she is better than most others writing such licensed science fiction