by Leonard Lee ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 31, 1991
Cautionary tales by Minneapolis cable-TV news anchor Lee on how recent computer-system failures in business, government, and medicine have wrought death and chaos. As the world moves blithely toward a near-total dependence on computers, few realize the inherent danger that arises when these systems become so complex that designers cannot anticipate every combination of circumstances that a system must reliably handle. Going behind the headlines of several tragedies and scandals, Lee finds that the common culprit in computer lapses is often inadequate software. For instance, when AT&T (the world standard for computer reliability) suffered a complete nine-hour collapse of its long-distance network on January 15, 1990, the cause was an obscure software bug buried in a new multimillion-line software program. An Iranian commercial jet was shot down by the U.S.S. Vincennes partly because of design errors in a $500 million weapons system. Several patients were burned to death during routine radiation therapy and a new airliner (the Airbus) crashed because the machines involved used designs overreliant on computer controls, Lee asserts. He also explores the federal government's failures to develop adequate computer systems for air-traffic control, fiscal management, and IRS operations. Overall, the author's description of the brewing crisis in computerization is far stronger than his prescriptions for correction (such as support for pending legislation to fund software development research). Lee's lively style delivers potentially dry material in a form accessible to people concerned about social and management problems and to computer professionals seeking an overview on a potential nightmare.
Pub Date: July 31, 1991
ISBN: 1-55611-264-5
Page Count: 224
Publisher: Donald Fine
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 1991
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by Elijah Wald ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 25, 2015
An enjoyable slice of 20th-century music journalism almost certain to provide something for most readers, no matter one’s...
Music journalist and musician Wald (Talking 'Bout Your Mama: The Dozens, Snaps, and the Deep Roots of Rap, 2014, etc.) focuses on one evening in music history to explain the evolution of contemporary music, especially folk, blues, and rock.
The date of that evening is July 25, 1965, at the Newport Folk Festival, where there was an unbelievably unexpected occurrence: singer/songwriter Bob Dylan, already a living legend in his early 20s, overriding the acoustic music that made him famous in favor of electronically based music, causing reactions ranging from adoration to intense resentment among other musicians, DJs, and record buyers. Dylan has told his own stories (those stories vary because that’s Dylan’s character), and plenty of other music journalists have explored the Dylan phenomenon. What sets Wald's book apart is his laser focus on that one date. The detailed recounting of what did and did not occur on stage and in the audience that night contains contradictory evidence sorted skillfully by the author. He offers a wealth of context; in fact, his account of Dylan's stage appearance does not arrive until 250 pages in. The author cites dozens of sources, well-known and otherwise, but the key storylines, other than Dylan, involve acoustic folk music guru Pete Seeger and the rich history of the Newport festival, a history that had created expectations smashed by Dylan. Furthermore, the appearances on the pages by other musicians—e.g., Joan Baez, the Weaver, Peter, Paul, and Mary, Dave Van Ronk, and Gordon Lightfoot—give the book enough of an expansive feel. Wald's personal knowledge seems encyclopedic, and his endnotes show how he ranged far beyond personal knowledge to produce the book.
An enjoyable slice of 20th-century music journalism almost certain to provide something for most readers, no matter one’s personal feelings about Dylan's music or persona.Pub Date: July 25, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-06-236668-9
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Dey Street/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 15, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2015
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by E.T.A. Hoffmann ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 28, 1996
This is not the Nutcracker sweet, as passed on by Tchaikovsky and Marius Petipa. No, this is the original Hoffmann tale of 1816, in which the froth of Christmas revelry occasionally parts to let the dark underside of childhood fantasies and fears peek through. The boundaries between dream and reality fade, just as Godfather Drosselmeier, the Nutcracker's creator, is seen as alternately sinister and jolly. And Italian artist Roberto Innocenti gives an errily realistic air to Marie's dreams, in richly detailed illustrations touched by a mysterious light. A beautiful version of this classic tale, which will captivate adults and children alike. (Nutcracker; $35.00; Oct. 28, 1996; 136 pp.; 0-15-100227-4)
Pub Date: Oct. 28, 1996
ISBN: 0-15-100227-4
Page Count: 136
Publisher: Harcourt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 1996
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