June 29, 2005
Book Stats part 2
I thought the long tail of the author distribution would be of some interest (to me if nobody else), so here it is. These are all the authors who I’ve read 5 or more times (including re-readings):
- Brian Aldiss - read a whole load of these in my teens. A great SF stylist.
- Greg Bear - also in my teens. Terrific SF ideas - Blood Music was way ahead of the curve on nanotechnology ideas.
- James Blaylock - whimsical fantasy - I liked The Digging Leviathan and The Last Coin. Couldn’t read his recent stuff.
- John Brunner - another SF master - read The Sheep Look Up and Stand on Zanzibar. I was at the 95 Worldcon in Glasgow when he died.
- Raymond Chandler - I love these.
- GK Chesterton - terrific sense of wonder and paradox. Somewhat dodgy politics.
- John Crowley - number 2 in my most read authors list.
- Robertson Davies - complex, satisfying novels with a great depth of humour and wisdom.
- Dan Dennett - I started reading his philosophy at University before I knew who he was. Consciousness Explained is a really good study even if you completely disagree with it (I don’t).
- Philip K Dick - great SF with a huge helping of paranoia.
- Greg Egan - a terrific SF writer who really knows his science.
- Umberto Eco - not so keen on the recent stuff but I liked The Name of the Rose and some of the non-fiction.
- Philip Jose Farmer - read the Riverworld books. Shouldn’t bother with the rest.
- George McDonald Fraser - Flashman of course. Read Black Ajax too. Great sense of history.
- William Gibson - king of cyberpunk. Not sure how Neuromancer etc would hold up now, but they blew me away at the time.
- Frank Herbert - Dune and sequels. A great bit of SF worldbuilding.
- Stephen King - a master storyteller.
- Joe Lansdale - fun crime novels in the deep South.
- Ursula LeGuin - terrific SF.
- Primo Levi - I love The Wrench.
- Armistead Maupin - number 3 in my author chart.
- Robert Pirsig - re-read both his books at least once.
- Anthony Powell - makes it onto the list because A Dance to the Music of Time is in 12 books. It’s worth it though.
- Terry Pratchett - I read no end of these in my teens and 20s - I got the first 3 discworld books as a school prize after reading Dave Langford’s review of The Colour of Magic - “my ceiling is covered in brown spots from where I tried to read Pratchett and drink beer at the same time.”
- Chris Priest - strange, psychological SF and fantasy. Later stuff is actually better - check out The Prestige
- JK Rowling - ’nuff said.
- JD Salinger - especially Franny and Zooey
- Dave Sim - the Cerebus comics were collected in about 6 graphic novels up to where I gave up. The guy is a loon, but the first parts of Cerebus are good.
- Ian Watson - terrific SF imagination. I haven’t read anything by him for a long time though.
- Gene Wolfe - my number one fave author.
June 28, 2005
Book Stats
I just looked at my reading list and I noticed that at the end of 2006 I shall have been logging books I’ve read for 20 years. Since the rate has dropped off to almost nothing I thought I’d pre-empt the anniversary and see what interesting stats I can derive from it.
The numbers are that I’ve read about 700 books - that’s about 35 a year average, but the numbers are skewed as my reading habit has dropped right off in the last couple of years (partly having children, partly not commuting to London). There are about 630 distinct titles, but only 240 distinct authors - so I don’t re-read that much, but I do read more by the same person if I like something.
Top re-reads by Title:
- AEgypt by John Crowley
- Tales of the City by Armistead Maupin
I’ve read both of these 4 times it seems, and funnily enough I was just talking about both these authors recently. I’m not sure they have much in common, apart from both evoking very fully realised characters in a world that seems just a little richer than the one we inhabit day to day.
3 readings:
- Franny and Zooey by JD Salinger - my favourite Salinger. Short, but wonderfully drawn characters.
- Little, Big by John Crowley - start here with Crowley if you have time to read it.
- Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons - I re-read this quite recently and it holds up well. The ending now has (to me) a layer of sad irony since 9/11.
- Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert Pirsig - I read this when I was very unhappy at college and it resonated with me then. I’ve read it again since and it still seems to say some smart things.
- The Mathematical Experience by Philip Davies and Reuben Hersh - I read this first in 6th form and it was one of the books that inspired me to do my degree in mathematics. It bears re-reading, and it gives a real insight into the range and depth of the subject.
The strange thing about the lists above is that they omit my favourite author - Gene Wolfe. I don’t seem to have re-read any of his stuff more than once - I’m not sure why, maybe they seemed too daunting. Also, Wolfe is a lot more prolific than Crowley. If you look at the list of most-read authors though, you get a more accurate view of who I read the most:
- Gene Wolfe - 40 readings
- John Crowley - 18 readings
- Armistead Maupin - 16 readings
The author distribution has a more interesting long tail than the books, so I might post about that later.
June 23, 2005
Reading
I’ve really not managed to read very much at all so far this year, but while I was on holiday I re-read two of the Tales of the City books that I didn’t re-read before: Babycakes and Significant Others. I enjoyed them both a lot - there’s something about the atmosphere that the books conjure that I just want to be there in San Francisco.
Then two things I discovered on the web - Charles Stross’s Accelerando is available for free download. I read the first part - Lobsters - when it was in Asimov’s but the rest is new to me and I’m really enjoying it.
The other is kind of the apex of literary anticipation for me - John Crowley’s new book is out. It’s called Lord Byron’s Novel - The Evening Land. I’ve ordered from Amazon already. There’s a good review by John Clute available. I’ve read pretty much everything by Crowley and I’m really looking forward to this.
Clute suggests that the fourth AEgypt novel may also be done soon (although that’s a bit of a relative term for Crowley) and will be called Endless Things. True Crowley fiends may also be interested in the Little, Big 25th Anniversary Edition - check it out, it will be a tremendous edition if the subscription succeeds.
June 20, 2005
Back from my holiday
Just back from a week away in Watchet (near Minehead). It was really nice to get away from work, email, blogs etc for a while and just spend some time with my family.
I’ll try to work up a post about what we did and where we went, but I’m not really feeling up to it at the moment. I still seem to have the tail-end of a cold that started the week before we went away, and just about lasted through to the end.
I meant to write about going to the London Geek Dinner, which was great fun - everyone I met was really friendly. I got to meet Bob Scoble - ironically he’d been up in Cambridge all day, and I’d just come down from there to meet him in London. I spoke to him about the idea of having a geek dinner in Cambridge but since then my cold and the holiday intervened so I haven’t pursued the idea any further yet. Bob - I will get in touch, and you can tell me if this is a really a good idea or if you were just being polite to me 
June 6, 2005
For any newcomers who may have wandered in…
I’m going to the Bob Scoble + Hugh McLeod Geek Dinner in London tomorrow night so I’m unlikely to be posting again till I get back. Since a few people might check out the site as a result, I thought I’d just post a brief intro to what’s going on here.
So, I’m Matt Freestone. I’m married with two young daughters, and I live and work in Cambridge (UK). I work for Sungard as a software developer in their trading and risk group. I don’t really blog about that, but I’m happy in my job - I’m working with some smart people, the company doesn’t mess me around, and I’m close to home. My CV lives here if you are interested in that sort of thing.
I’ve built various websites pretty much since I got a Demon account with some webspace in the early 90’s. Furthermore is the latest incarnation - it’s been going nearly 2 years now. As you can tell, it’s a personal site - I get about 20-30 site visits a day, according to latest stats. Some things you may want to check out:
- Cambridge - posts about living and working here. I’ve been back here nearly 4 years now - I studied my degree here, then moved to London for several years. I’m currently cataloguing Cambridge blogs - you can see my list on Del.icio.us, or there’s an OPML file you can use if you want.
- Book, film, and TV reviews.
- Family Tree - I’ve been trying to get some of the family tree online. This is the tree so far.
- Jobhunting - from late 2003, but it still gets a lot of hits. I was working for a company called Mercator that was bought out. Pretty much all my office were made redundant. These pages are about how I went about getting a new job.
- Existential Horror Song - written and performed by my brother. Just the thing to cheer you up.
Charity Gig - Portland Arms
There’s a gig at the Portland Arms (near Mitchams Corner) on Friday 10th June at 7.30 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Live Aid. The money is going to Comic Relief.
Tickets are �3. Confirmed bands: (don’t ask me who any of these people are)
- Christena Maloney Band
- Quite a Smaller Believer
- Knights of Spring
- Triple H
More details from liveaid20 at gmail dot com
June 3, 2005
Freestone Family Tree
This will be the permanent link page for the family tree of my dad’s ancestors.
b. c1795 m Mary Ann (Mansfield?)
- William Mansfield Freestone b1818 d1819
- Caroline Mansfield Freestone b 1820
- William Mansfield Freestone b1821
- George Freestone b1823
- Charles Freestone b1825
- James Freestone b1825 d1829
- Eleanor Freestone b1828
- James William Freestone b1830
- John Freestone
b1831 m Elizabeth Jane ?
- John William
Freestone b1857 m Fanny Crossley
- John W Freestone b~1878
- Edward Freestone b~1881
- Thomas Mansfield Freestone b~1883
- Elizabeth A Freestone b~1887
- Herbert Freestone b~1890
- Fanny Freestone b~1893
- Alfred Freestone b~1895
- May Freestone b~1899
- Sidney Freestone b~1901
- Caroline Freestone b~1860
- Thomas Mansfield
Freestone b1861 m Ellen Ryalls
- Edwin T Freestone b~1885
- Frederick C Freestone b~1888
- John W Freestone b~1890
- Alfred Freestone b~1893
- Ernest Freestone b~1896
- Walter Freestone b~1898 - my grandfather
- Ada Freestone b~1900
- Charles HM Freestone b1866
- Benjamin Freestone b1833 d1833
- Eliza Freestone b1835
Thomas Freestone of Chelmsford (~1795 - 18??)
Thomas Freestone was my great great great grandfather - see the Family Tree
I haven’t looked at these records myself, but a person from the Freestone mailing
list kindly did this research for me.
| Date | Event | References |
| ~1795 | Thomas Freestone born in Chelmsford?, Essex | |
| ~1815 | Married Mary (or Mary Ann) Mansfield(?) | |
| 19 Oct 1817 | Mary Ann Freestone born in Chelmsford | parish records |
| 31 Dec 1818 | William Mansfield Freestone born in Chelmsford (buried 5 Jan 1819) | parish records |
| 28 Jul 1820 | Caroline Mansfield Freestone born in Chelmsford | parish records |
| 27 Dec 1821 | William Mansfield Freestone born in Chelmsford | parish records |
| 17 Aug 1823 | George Freestone born in Chelmsford | parish records |
| 6 Mar 1825 | Charles Freestone born in Chelmsford | parish records |
| 1 Aug 1825 | James Freestone born in Chelmsford (buried 29 Aug 1829) | parish records |
| 23 Jul 1828 | Eleanor Freestone born in Chelmsford | parish records |
| 11 Jul 1830 | James William Freestone born in Chelmsford | parish records |
| 5 Apr 1831 | John Freestone born in Chelmsford | parish records |
| 3 Apr 1833 | Benjamin Freestone born in Chelmsford (buried 9 Apr 1833) | parish records |
| 12 Mar 1835 | Eliza Freestone born in Chelmsford (buried 9 May 1835) | parish records |
| 3q1870 | ?Mary Ann (wife) died age 58 | parish records |
The family seems to have lived in Union Yard/Barrack Lane. Thomas was
feltmonger/leather dresser.
Other factoids I have from my correspondent’s email:
A Mary Ann Freestone of old Barrack Lane was buried in 1 Jul 1835 age 40yrs. Not sure
who that is.
I could not find a marriage for Thomas and Mary Ann.
There was a girl named Susanna Mansfield who had about four illigitimate children
around this time period. I was wondering if she was a sister to Mary Ann.
Also I could not find John Freestone in the 1841 census, it was so faded
I could not read it.
He was not in 1851 census, but: In the 1851 Census there was the following
Family at Chelmsford.
At 4 Conduit Square Thomas Freestone, Head, Mar, 35, Glover, born in Chelmsford.
Ann Freestone, Wife, Mar, 38, born in Chelmsford
Elizabeth Jennings, Sister-in Law, 40, born in Chelmsford
This Thomas Freestone could be another son of Thomas and Mary Ann. He
would have been born about 1816, but there was no christening record for him.
Thomas and Ann were in the 1861 Census, but Thomas was a widower in 1871.
Thomas Mansfield Freestone (1861-1940)
Thomas Mansfield Freestone was my great-grandfather - see the Family Tree
| Date | Event | References |
| 3q1861 | Thomas Mansfield Freestone born in Sheffield to John and Elizabeth Freestone | GRO - Sheffield 9c 398 3q1861 |
| 3q1882 | Married Mary Ellen Ryalls | GRO Sheffield 9c398 3q1882 |
| ~1885 | Son, Edwin T Freestone born in Chelmsford | 1901 census |
| ~1888 | Son, Frederick C Freestone born in Grantham | 1901 census |
| ~1890 | Son, John W Freestone born in Nuneaton | 1901 census |
| 1891 | Family living in Nuneaton at 6 Seymour Rd near to John W (brother). Thomas M working as skinner in leather factory. | 1891 Census |
| ~1893 | Son, Alfred Freestone born in Nuneaton | 1901 census |
| ~1896 | Son Ernest Freestone born in Havant, Hants | 1901 census |
| ~1898 | Son, Walter Freestone (my grandfather) born in Worcester | |
| ~1900 | Daughter, Ada Freestone born in Worcester | 1901 census |
| 1901 | Boarding in Lincoln with son Edwin at 10 St Marks Sq, with Nicols family. Other children with Ellen in Sheffield. | 1901 census |
| 1q1940 | Died, Lincoln � recorded age 77 | GRO - Lincoln 7a1637 1q1940 |
John William Freestone (1858 - 19??)
John William Freestone was my great-grandfather’s brother - see the Family Tree
| Date | Event | References |
| 2q1858 | John William Freestone born in Sheffield, son of John and Elizabeth Freestone. | GRO - Sheffield 9c 365 2q1857 |
| 3q1877 | Married Fanny Crossley | GRO - Sheffield 9c 585 |
| ~1878 | Son, John W Freestone born in Sheffield | 1891 Census |
| ~1881 | Son, Edward Freestone born in Sheffield | 1891 Census |
| ~1883 | Son, Thomas Mansfield Freestone born in Sheffield | 1901 census |
| ~1887 | Daughter, Elizabeth A Freestone born in Grantham | 1901 census |
| ~1890 | Son, Herbert Freestone born in Grantham | 1901 census |
| 1891 | Family at Seymour Road, Nuneaton, John working as skinner in wool factory. Thomas M (brother) also in same road. | 1891 Census |
| ~1893 | Daughter, Fanny Freestone born in Grantham | 1901 census |
| ~1895 | Son, Alfred Freestone born in Grantham | 1901 census |
| ~1899 | Daughter, May Freestone born in Grantham | 1901 census |
| ~1901 | Son, Sidney Freestone born in Grantham | 1901 census |
| 1901 | Family living at 7 Temperance Place, Grantham. John W (son) and Edward not present. Tom working as grocers asst. | 1901 census |
| 19?? | died |
I’m looking for the following on John William (father):
- a death record - can’t find one on FreeBMD
I can’t find John W (son) in the 01 census. Edward is present - he’s working as a master baker in Worksop. I haven’t looked at his household record for children.
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