Andrew

Redwall was a nostalgic read, as it was the introductory book to one of my favorite series as a child. This book contains a variety of small animals set in a medieval world. The good guys (mice, moles, hares, hedgehogs, etc.) are peaceful creatures trying to live a happy life in their abbey, while the bad guys (rats, weasels, stoats, etc.) attempt to viciously take over.

There's a surprising amount of violence and death for a children's book, but I actually appreciated the realism. A primary critique is the simplicity of the plot, which, in fairness, I should have expected based on the reading level. My larger complaint is that the author seems to pigeonhole characters into morally good/bad based on their species. Whether intentional or not, this gave me an uncomfortable reminder of people making generalizations of others based on physical descriptors out of their control. It would have been nice to see characters exhibit different qualities without the predefined destiny.

Overall, this was a pleasant trip down memory lane to my childhood. I've unfortunately changed my mind about reading the rest of the series now though.

Born to Run was an educational and motivational book about the power of the human body. The author primarily focuses on the story of the reclusive Tarahumara people in the canyons of Mexico, who are somehow able to run ultramarathons each day without injury. He also interweaves the story of several American ultramarathoners and their journey to a culminating race. Finally, he details the life of a specific American who left the United States to live among the Tarahumara and run for weeks on end as a more content existence.

I originally read this book over ten years ago, and my recollection was that it encouraged barefoot / minimalist shoes, which sparked in popularity after its initial publishing. However, in re-reading it, the author somewhat pokes fun at the American character who insists on barefoot running. Instead, he encourages common-sense recommendations, like better nutrition and longer slower mileage. Whether or not you agree with the science (or pseudoscience) component of the book, the stories of the Tarahumara, the American ultramarathoners who raced them, and Caballo Blanco, the American who moves to the canyons of Mexico, were all incredibly inspirational. I'd recommend this for anyone who enjoys running.

This book was both well-written and a fascinating (but disturbing) exposure to the weaponry of World War II. The author presents thoughtful moral dilemmas that militaries encounter during war. At its core, the book asks whether it's more moral to use conventional weapons that preserve civilian human life or to use any means necessary to end the war as soon as possible. Ultimately, I'm somewhat reassured that our modern weaponry is more advanced and specialized, which minimizes impact to non-military targets. I definitely recommend this book for both a history lesson and evaluation of moral questions during wartime.

DisneyWar was a captivating historical analysis of The Walt Disney Company. As someone fascinated by the unique culture of Disney, this book provided a peek behind the curtain of the decisions at the upper levels. Because of this, I would caution potential readers that it may reduce some of the “magic” associated with the company.

While DisneyWar starts with the founding of the company, it primarily focuses on the era run by Michael Eisner. Overall, Stewart is fairly critical of Eisner, and this book portrays him as a somewhat ineffective leader. More so, it paints Eisner as an insecure person who can't bear subordinates who may be perceived as his competition. Time and again, he had seemingly productive relationships with people before turning on them due to their success. While most effective leaders surround themselves by the best they can find, it seems that Eisner pitted his subordinates against each other and created a culture of mistrust. In retrospect, it's shocking that the company has reached its level of success.

Many people have an emotional relationship with Disney. It's perceived as a company of creativity and joy, and because of its target audience of children, adults have nostalgic memories interacting with the company (through its park and/or media). DisneyWar provides a lesser-known view of the corporate side of the company, and it really made me appreciate the front-line staff's “magic” that much more.