Alice
A lot of the book, especially the first half, was hard to get through. I felt a lot of anger toward the main character's antagonists, who were all reflecting the norms of society at the time. It was especially blood-boiling to read about women not supporting women. Obviously, the book has a happy ending, with redemption for a few of the characters, but yea, I didn't know if I was going to be able to get through it.
Interesting insights, boring delivery. Half the book is about racial stereotyping, which seems to be a hot media issue these days. You might think that this book about how everyone harbors some level/version of prejudice, but it's actually about how YOU harbor some level/version of prejudice. Even if you don't know it.
Intensely interesting, and immensely important.
This is not a parenting book. You can't help but take away some parenting tips and ideas, but the book is education and work too. How students from disadvantaged backgrounds (underdogs) overcome their circumstances, and how students from privileged backgrounds squander theirs. Basically a research and anecdote-based telling of The Tortoise and the Hare.
Very similar to [b:The Naked Future: What Happens in a World That Anticipates Your Every Move? 18114099 The Naked Future What Happens in a World That Anticipates Your Every Move? Patrick Tucker https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1394997672s/18114099.jpg 25441329] but includes a bit of a statistical primer and also a more academic, step-back, point of view.
I probably would have liked this book a lot more if I had read it when it was published in 2006 (when I was still in college). Now, it felt a bit too “young” for me. But I definitely empathized with Colin, a young socially-awkward prodigy who tries to decipher love using mathematical formulas. And the Chicago setting didn't hurt either.
The author details the lives of eight high-potential college grads throughout their first years on Wall Street. With the promise of big salaries and plenty of prestige, these promising Ivy League-caliber souls sacrifice almost everything in the name of money.
I majored in economics, and many of my former classmates entered the financial industry in mid-2007. Some of them lost there jobs in 2008. With my proximity, I didn't find any of the stories too surprising. In my world, the work-so-hard-that-you-jeopardize-your-health lifestyle of bankers is not some big secret. None of these 22-year-olds are going into in blindly. And yet they continue to do so - Wall Street firms recruit anywhere from 20 to 30 percent of every graduating class from the most selective universities away from other would-be careers.
The author seems to be making a plea for the brightest students of today to dismiss Wall Street from their lists of career options; instead, he wants them to become doctors, become scientists, and entrepreneurs... anything else that changes the world in a better way.
The main point is that loneliness can be as damaging to your health as smoking or over-eating.
I had to take a lot of breaks while reading this one - some of the stories were really powerful. I got emotional just looking at the cover photo.
This lady has a really admirable career, but this book of essays felt a bit amateurish, maybe forced, for me. But if you are a fan of her work (Kitty) and are looking for a very light read, then why not...
Written for any reader (not only climbing enthusiasts) to comprehend. I found it interesting and gripping at times.
Novak builds stories around concepts that a lot of people dismiss as passing thoughts or fleeting questions. Some stories are more serious than others. All have a touch of absurdity.
My favorite part was about how the culture of work, leisure, and parenting in other countries (Denmark) compare to that in the U.S. It doesn't have to be this way. But it is.
This book snuck up on me. All I knew about it before I read it was that it was about a bookstore, and that was going to be interesting enough. But the story ended up reminding me of a combination of Snow Crash, The Circle, and The Da Vinci Code, which means I definitely couldn't go to sleep until I finished it. One aspect of annoyance - the many references to Google may be interpreted as either an endorsement or a warning.
High recommend for a fun read. The story is written as a series of short dictionary “definitions.” Some entries will make you smile and others will crack open old heartbreaks. The story leaves a lot of blanks, so you will naturally fill them in based on your own experiences. Maybe I just read it in the right mood.
Blogger's story of going on 50+ “friend dates” within a year of moving to Chicago as a 27-year-old. A funny and interesting account of an impressive/exhausting feat, sprinkled with sound-bytes from related social psychology research. I thought it was cute, but I skimmed it - one can only take so much of a 27-year-old woman's musings.
Finally checked this one off the bucket list. It definitely lived up to expectations. I am just kicking myself for not reading it, say, 20 years ago, because I would like to know how it felt to read it as a kid.
This is a transcription of Rowling's 2008 commencement speech at Harvard. The text is available on Harvard's website, but the book includes some illustrations.
Amazingly complicated, truly unique book, or “reading experience.” Reading it cover to cover is not enough. The notes written in the margins by two “characters” are the real story, and it will take a lot of time to connect them all in the right order. Buy, don't borrow.
Obviously a well-received book. My only hesitation was its size. But it was a uniquely engaging and fascinating story, so I will say that it worth it.
This little golden book is a compilation of drawings (and one-line lessons) from the vast history of Little Golden Books. It was cute, at best, but it wasn't as clever as I would have wanted it to be. If you are curious, then you could probably find it in a bookstore and flip through the whole thing in under five minutes. I would like to see Muldrow, a director at Golden Books and children's book author, write a real memoir.
This book is a rollercoaster of emotions. Strayed draws a lot of stories from her own life (some of them very dark) to answer questions from her readers. Collected all together, her columns read almost like a memoir or autobiography. If anything, you should read the entry for which the book is titled: http://therumpus.net/2011/02/dear-sugar-the-rumpus-advice-column-64.
Interesting read! This is a compilation of blurbs about 150 different “artists,” which include painters, writers, scientists, politicians etc. I first skimmed the entries of my favorite historical figures, then went back to learn something new. Some patterns that seemed to be common across many artists and across all fields were: getting up early, keeping strict schedules for work time (if they weren't fitting it their art with another full time job), and taking walks(!). All and all, they were obsessive and systematic about their art. They did it with the mentality that they had to do it. It was work. They just loved it.
I really like Steinbeck's writing style, and this “travelogue” about his 10,000-mile road trip around the U.S. is right up my alley.