Books

Newcastle Herald

Saturday January 12, 2008

EDITED BY ELVIRA SPROGIS

Genius at Apple source

iWOZ: Computer geek to cult icon

Steve Wozniak with Gina Smith

Headline Review, 343pp, $27.95

From little acorns . . .

In 1975 I remember leaving high school and buying a pocket scientific calculator.

They were new, you see. Just like everybody else at school I'd been using a slide rule and trigonometry tables and figured I'd need something more high-powered if I was to survive at university.

Meanwhile, in a garage in Menlo Park, somewhere in the US, a group calling themselves the Homebrew Computer Club met for the first time.

Later that night Steve Wozniak, a brilliant young guy who was working for Hewlett Packard designing calculators, wanted to show the group that a home computer could be built cheaply. At home, sketching rough circuit diagrams, Wozniak began the home-computing revolution by designing the Apple 1.

The story of Apple's genesis is a riveting read, honest and hilarious. From undergraduate pranks (TV jamming and using a blue box to make free phone calls) to changing the world, Wozniak's story gives an insight into one of the defining periods in history.

I'm typing this review on a 40-gig laptop that owes its development to those rough sketches of a machine that worked with only eight kilobytes of RAM.

Oh, and my pocket calculator still works; they really knew how to design things in the old days.

Steve Woodman

SINGING THE LIFE

Elizabeth Bryan

Random House, 306pp, $39.95.

There have been a number of inspirational stories written by cancer patients recently.

They all serve a useful purpose, not the least being to convey a sense of hope to others whose lives have been affected by life-threatening illness.

This is the first such story written by a doctor. Bryan was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer two years ago when she was 63. Cancer had already created havoc in her family, killing two members.

A cancer gene called BRCA1 had passed on to the children from the father.

This memoir is a moving and at times deeply inspirational account of how she is surviving the nasty diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. Her medical knowledge greatly adds to the interest of her story.

Worthwhile reading, whether or not your life has been directly or indirectly touched by cancer.

Paul Kraus

SOFTIES: 22 friends for you to sew, knit and crochet

Penguin, 152pp, $29.95.

Those who are familiar with sewing blogs on the internet will probably recognise some of these creatures, or at least their makers.

This book is a collaboration of a range of bloggers (Nest Studio, My Little Moochy and Hop Skip Jump are just a few of those featured) who make softies, or soft toys, and most of the designers hail from Australia.

The toys come complete with patterns and well-written, step-by-step instructions to create creatures from traditional animals to alien-like creations. Most are sewing patterns, with only a few knitting and crochet patterns, and there are patterns for basic sewers to competent seamstresses.

I've already had the machine out whipping up a creature, but the beauty of this form of sewing is that deviating from the pattern isn't a problem, in fact it is encouraged. Softies is a great starting point for those who want to try their hand at something different.

Jenny Tarran

SOUL CATCHER

Michael White

Quercus, 418pp, $29.95

Do not be turned away by the seemingly heavy historical context of this novel, which is based around the subject of slavery and the bitter divide between the USA's north and south during the 19th century.

It is fiction with an historical basis, focusing on the human face of a brutal trade.

It subtly empathises with those in bondage and, to the author's credit, does not shy away from humanising their masters and those colloquially known as "soul catchers" who make a living chasing runaways.

Protagonist Augustus Cain is a reluctant soul catcher.

Through most of the book we follow him as he embarks on one of his toughest assignments yet.

The variety of characters from caring to cruel we meet along the way are vividly realised. The scenarios heart-wrenching, unnerving and moving are highly engaging.

There were moments where I read with my heart in my throat, a testament to the merit of the story and Michael White's talent in telling it.

Jacqui Jones

THE NAME OF THE WIND

Patrick Rothfuss

Hatchette Livre, 662pp, $35

This is one of the most enjoyable novels I have ever had the pleasure of reading.

The very first pages inspire interest, continuing throughout the book.

It tells the story of the sorcerer Kvothe, from his captivating childhood and its destruction, through his years as a ragged beggar and thief in a dangerous city, and also his first few years in the Arcanum of the most renowned university of the ages, where he learns the study of magic and craft.

His quick mind and hands soon earn him a reputation of power as he masters his education and progresses through the ranks of students at a speed unheard of, earning him some powerful enemies in Ambrose, a noble's son, and Hemme, one of the masters of the Arcanum.

Twists at perfect moments make it all the more enjoyable, and the suspenseful ending left me eagerly awaiting the sequel.

Daniel Habashy, 15

BEST SELLERS

FICTION

Best Australian Stories Various

$27.95

Into the Wild

Jon Krakauer

$24.95

Homecoming

Bernard Schlink

$32.99

The Stone Gods

Jeanette Winterson

$32.95

Almost Moon

Alice Sebold

$32.95

NON-FICTION

Through the Valley, Writings from the Hunter

Various

$30

Musicophilla

Oliver Sacks

$32.95

Exit Right: The Unravelling of John Howard

Judith Brett $14.95

In the Frame: My Life in Pictures

Helen Mirren $49.95

Dangerous Book for Boys: Australian

Ed Conn & Hal Iggulden

$45

List compiled by MacLean's Booksellers.

Phone 4969 2525

© 2008 Newcastle Herald

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