New Content in Sidebar
I’ve added a little thingy to the sidebar that I will keep my current book stack in. The one on the top is the one I’m about to start reading or am currently reading. As you can see, right now I’m reading Nelson DeMille’s Night Fall and really enjoying the read.
The book is about the crash of TWA Flight 800, a crash which took the lives of over two hundered people on board. While the official explanation for the crash is a short circuit in the center fuel tank I’ve never been fully satisified that that was all there was to it. I don’t necessarily believe it was a terroist attack that brought the plane down but I’m certainly not satisfied that it was just a short circuit in a level probe.
There is a short essay on Amazon about why Mr. DeMille wrote this book.
Books, General | Larry D. Burton | 13 June 2005 |
By Felix Miller, 6/14/2005 @ 8:43 am
Neat idea to put your current read and TBR list in the sidebar. I have read several of the Tony Hillerman series and enjoyed them all. Never read DeMille, have read some Grisham (who hasn’t) and one Patterson.
As I recall, the flight of TWA 800 was a subject of great interest to ThermalSeeker, who drew on his knowledge of flying and airplanes in general to criticize the findings of the investigators. Thermal maintained that at the altitude reached by TWA 800, jet fuel could not ignite from a spark, since the o2 content of the air was so small. Do you agree with that observation? My knowledge of all things areonautical is zilch, so I have no opinion.
By Larry D. Burton, 6/14/2005 @ 11:17 am
I really enjoy Hillerman. He is just flat out fun to read. He’s great for times that I’m on the road. I’ve also read The Gold Coast and Plum Island by Nelson DeMille. I can recommend both of them and Night Fall.
I’ve read most of Grisham’s books even though I keep saying I’ll never read another one. In my opinion his best books are all behind him, although I did enjoy The Last Juror. This will be the first Patterson book that I have read and I’m considering taking it off the stack until after I’ve read a couple of other of his books.
Felix, I’m a controls engineer and I look at this from what I know. Any electronic device that is installed in a hazardous location has to be intrinsically safe, opertating at currents far below having the potential to ignite a flammable atmosphere, or housed in an explosion proof housing, a housing capable of containing any explosion that might take place within the housing.
I find it difficult to believe that the probe in the center fuel tank could cause a spark strong enough to ignite the vapors in the tank from a short circuit. I’m not saying that I believe a missle took TWA 800 or that it wasn’t some accident, I just don’t fully buy the explanation that has been given as I understand it.
By Felix Miller, 6/14/2005 @ 11:40 am
The past two years, PBS “Mystery!” series put on several Hillerman book adaptations, including “Coyote Waits” and “Thief of Time,” two of my favorites. They were well done.
I agree that Grisham’s best books are behind him. I still think that “A Time to Kill” was his best, although I liked “The Pelican Brief.”
Larry, that is interesting info on the TWA 800 disaster. The investigators certainly spent a lot of time and effort on reconstructing the plane itself and looking for answers. As I said, I have no standing to form an opinion. Thanks for sharing your information.