sharing my love of books with you
Good morning my friends! It is a beautiful, though chilly, morning here. My tea cup says, “Don’t let today be a waste of Makeup”, but honestly, I’d rather not put any makeup on today. I’d like to stay inside and finish some of my draft posts. Then, my goal is to finish the last 50 pages of The Hunt for Red October. If I do that, I can start next week with a new book. What new book? I have no idea. But for now, I’m going to sip my cinnamon pear tea and write. Have a wonderful Saturday!
Senescence – growing old; aging
“Ethan Allen‘s was generation-old technology. Her S5W reactor was too dated for much more use. Nuclear radiation had bombarded the metal vessel and its internal fittings with many billions of neutrons. As recent examination of test strips had revealed, over time the character of the metal had changed, becoming dangerously brittle. The system had at most another three years of useful life. A new reactor was too expensive. The Ethan Allen was doomed by her senescence.”
The Hunt for Red October, Tom Cancy
Feint – a movement made in order to deceive an adversary; an attack aimed at one place or point to distract from the real target
“A hundred miles behind the four fighters, ninety aircraft were following at thirty thousand feet in what would look very much to the Soviets like an alpha strike, a weighted attack mission of armed tactical fighters. It was exactly that – and also a feint. The real mission belonged to the low-level team of four.”
The hunt for red october, Tom Clancy
Supernumerary – being in excess of the usual, proper, or prescribed number; addition; extra
“Everyone was busy – except him. The pilots were up twice a day or more, exercising with their U.S. Air Force and Navy Counterparts working from shore bases. The ships were practicing surface war tactics. As Admiral White had said at breakfast, it had developed into a jolly good extension of NIFTY DOLPHIN. Ryan didn’t like being supernumerary.
The hunt for red october, Tom Clancy
Deadpan – marked by a fixed air of seriousness or calm detachment
“Dr. Tyler thinks we should hold onto [Red October] if we get her,” Harris said deadpan. “And he thinks he has a way we can do it.”
General Harris, The Hunt for Red October, Tom Clancy
Obfuscate – to confuse; to make unclear
“[Ambassador] Arbatov probably has his instructions on what to tell us already, but he’ll play for all the time he can. It’s also vaguely possible that he’s in the dark. We know how they compartmentalize information. You suppose we’re reading too much into his talent for obfuscation?”
The President, The Hunt for Red October, Tom Clancy
Folderol – useless accessory; trifle, nonsense
“Anyway, I hardly thing we need to attach legal folderol to a situation involving nuclear weapons.”
Admiral Daniel Foster, The hunt for red october, Tom Clancey
“We have our differences, gentlemen, but the sea doesn’t care about that. The sea – well, she tries to kill us all regardless what flag we fly.”
Dr. Tait, The Hunt for Red October, Tom Clancy
“He decided that the Russians were on some sort of fishing expedition. His job was to show them that the fish in these waters were dangerous.”
Commodore Zachary Eaton of the USS New Jersey, The Hunt for Red October, Tom Clancy
Privation and defect, wherever seen,
Are mirrors of the beauty of all that is.
The bone-setter, where should he try his skill
But on the broken limb? The tailor where?
Not, surely, on the well-cut finished coat.
Were no base copper in the crucible,
How could the alchemist his craft display?
("The Necessary Foil" translated by R.A. Nicholson, Rumi, printed 2006)
Hi! I'm Cadie. Welcome to my Collection of Bookish Thoughts where I will share with you everything I love about books.
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