Isaac Newton by James Gleick

This short biography lacks everything a biography needs - depth, focus, even interesting personal details. It is dry and chronological, and uses objectivity as a way of avoiding taking a stand on either Newton's genius or his obvious eccentricities. This is a man that changed the world, but Gleick merely paints him as a secluded scientist. He glosses over Newton's theology and interest in alchemy, sounding embarrassed that he has to mention them at all. In his attempt to show Newton's complexity, he leaves you with no feeling for the real man.

Precaution - James Fenimore Cooper

It's often hard as a modern-day reader to evaluate past work in the context of the author's time and not ours. That being said, the best novels are timeless. Precaution isn't one of those works. Cooper's first novel, said to be written after an off-hand comment that "he could write a better novel than the one he was reading", is a mark of the times. Written about nobility and propriety, it focuses a bit too much on Christianity and the idealized "innocence" of women for me to have enjoyed it. The twist was obvious entirely too early in the progress of the story, which made the rest of the novel plod as he slowly revealed the surprise. I don't blame Cooper - an off-the-cuff novel can't be expected to be quality, but I don't recommend this novel unless you are born again.