Carrie Dils
It's been some years since I read anything in this series. VI Warshawski was one of my favorite female leads in this genre, but it seemed like her character has changed with time. For instance, I don't recall her being super impulsive (i.e. grabbing the gun out of her safe to go confront somewhere), but then maybe I've just slept too many times since my last read in the series.
I enjoyed this. At first I was a little put off by the “tips” – I just wanted to read their story and glean my own takeaways – but by halfway through I started enjoying the way the pulled the insights out. For anyone thinking of taking time off from “regular life” to travel extensively, this is a great read. Thanks to Patte Shetler for the recommendation.
Beautiful story centered on the background of ugly human history.
While the book doesn't spare you (at all) from the horrors of Auschwitz, the story in the forefront is one of strength, the goodness of (some) humanity, and love. There's also an interesting juxtaposition of Laly's strength of will + losing faith versus Gita's strength in faith + losing hope.
I listened to the audio version narrated by Richard Armitage and he did an amazing job of capturing the characters, accents, and emotions.
I picked up this book reluctantly in a second-hand bookstore in Ojai, CA. I say reluctantly because I wasn't in the mood for a memoir or non-fiction. But I was on a Steinbeck bender.
I'm so glad I did pick it up. This has skyrocketed into my Top 10 list. I don't know if it's because I'm on a cross-America roadtrip of my own, or because I wished Charley was my travel buddy, or because Steinbeck just writes in a way that resonates so strongly, with humor and honest assessment.
I loved it. I already look forward to reading it again.
It's been a long time since I read Steinbeck. Picked up this book off an Airbnb shelf (didn't finish during my stay so went and found a used copy). I enjoyed the easy (if not sometimes wary) camaraderie of the character cast. I gave a good LOL several times throughout the book while also feeling the weight of each's solitude (even the gopher). A few weeks ago I passed through Monterrey and saw the sardine canneries (no idea if they're still functional). It was fun to read about a place I've seen with my own eyes.
Wow. This was such a heavy read. It's beautifully written – I'm glad the author found her voice and the strength to tell her story.
I appreciate her wrestling with the complex questions of who's responsible and where does causality begin? I also found it interesting to consider how those questions can be answered in different ways, especially when a courtroom is involved.
I'd recommend the book, but it covers very sensitive topics (child abuse, molestation, murder) that might trigger some folks. Read it only if you're in a good frame of mind to start with.
I loved the writing, pace, and wonderful character development of this novel. I was so prepared to be disappointed at the end (based on how things were shaping up), but loose strings were tied up and Kia was someone to be respected and admired all along.
I listened to the audio version of the book and really enjoyed the reader's performance.
I first thought this was an allegorical read and then realized it's more philosophical. Some bits of wisdom from the Koran, some from the Bible, and other bits of wisdom from the author in the form of the “old king” and the “alchemist.”
Life is about the pursuit of dreams. In the pursuit of dreams, you achieve many, seemingly-unrelated milestones. Those milestones are all stopping points (meaning, places you could stop and say “This is an achievement in and of itself. I'll stay here.”). But if you use those milestones as lily pads to jump closer to your dream, you realize a couple of things:
* You would never experience the milestones (treasures) of the journey if you never took the journey. The milestones, in and of themselves, are beautiful treasures.
* The further you push, the more treasure you realize.
* The treasure was there all along, but you don't recognize it without taking the journey.
In closing, don't skip the prologue. So much is changed by perspective...
I really enjoyed the original trilogy. This just didn't do anything for me. I'm not sure I would have known just from the writing that it was a different author, but the book felt different from the first three. The story line took way too long to build and ultimately wasn't as interesting. I like you Lisbeth, but don't think I'll be reading any further.
I read this over a decade ago, but just listened to the updated version as an audio book. It's a little bit dry to listen to when you're on a long stretch of freeway, but the information is so good. Here I thought I've had good boundaries since I first read the book only to discover there were a lot of other boundaries I never set.
The book is heavy on OWNING WHAT IS YOURS from a responsibility point of view. If you think other people are wronging you, read this. It may change your mind about what you ALLOW in your life from other people.
I picked up this book after watching Brene Brown's TED talk. If you're not familiar with her work, she's a researcher who studies shame and vulnerability. I think I enjoyed the book so much because it's not your standard self-help fare. It's a scientific look at the dynamic between shame and vulnerability and how those things deeply impact our ability to connect with others.
I listened to the audio version of the book, which is narrated by the author. I highly recommend it.
“Compelling careers often have complex origins that reject the simple idea that all you have to do is follow your passion.”
This book resonated with me deeply. Nearly every piece of career advice I've come across in the past twenty years says something to the effect of “follow your passion.” As someone who's never quite identified a singular, overwhelming passion, I've experienced tremendous angst throughout my career, wondering if I'm doing the right thing, following the right path.
This book debunks the “follow your passion” cliche and instead encourages the “craftsman mindset” of putting your head down and getting really good at something that's valuable. To quote Newport's blog:
“The Career Craftsman believes that mastery is just the first step in crafting work you love. Once you have the leverage of a rare and valuable skill, you need to apply this leverage strategically to make your working life increasingly fulfulling. It is then — and only then — that you should expect a feeling of passion for your work to truly take hold.” (cite: http://calnewport.com/blog/2011/08/11/the-career-craftsman-manifesto/)
There are many other great principles in the book that I want to chew on, but this idea of rejecting the passion mindset is a tremendous “aha!” for me as I think about what sort of work I want to pursue.
The book started slow with what I thought was an overly-detailed description of the diving process, but as I got into the book I realized the importance of laying that foundation. I enjoyed learning about the mystery of the sub, the “treasure hunt” for an identity, and the tenacity of John and Richie. I admire their passion. Not surprising but very interesting were the incorrect historical reports (and probable reasons why they were incorrect) regarding WWII subs. You can't always take history books at their word...
I understand this book is award winning and very important in the science-fiction genre. I tried to appreciate it for that and think I succeeded. But this was not my cup of tea. I enjoyed the characters and appreciated the broader story but confess I got lost in the physics, nano-science, and astronomy discussions. My brain doesn't work that way. The spatial logic required to reposition the living room furniture taxes me. Unfolding protons in 11 dimensions was light years beyond my ability to imagine.
