Jeffery Harvey

Another one of the books that got me into literature. The number of references to this one throughout not only literature, but also many other disciplines (including leadership, sociology, etc.) is impressive.

This book was a portion of the required reading for a class on quantitative research. Though I have not read every page, I am finished with it (for the purposes of the class). As an initial caveat, I am not mathematically inclined. I did well in math as a primary/secondary school student, but my advanced studies have been in the social sciences (qualitatively) and liberal arts. Math, and especially statistics, have been beyond the scope of my thinking for some time.

All that is to say that I was intimidated by this (and the other) text for the class. Salkind, though, does an excellent job of describing statistical analysis in lay terms, and my statement extends beyond the sometimes snarky, fun language he chooses to use in this text. It is one thing to understand what a correlation coefficient is; quite another to understand how and why one would want to know what it is. Salkind does an admirable job and providing insight into the latter. The Microsoft Excel material in this text is also top notch. Very helpful indeed.

The one qualm I have with this text is that there appear to be a number of typos throughout. For example, I was able to find Data Set 3 for Chapter 5, yet only the column headings were listed, not the data. As such, I could not work through the practice problems referencing that data set. In full disclosure, we were required to utilize the third edition; perhaps some of these discrepancies have been tidied up in the fourth version.

The true magic of this book was the simplicity of the message. The authors have found a way to drill the concept of leadership down to three simple words: “be”, “know”, and “do”.

Truthfully, I was just never really excited to pick this book up, but I always enjoyed reading it. I really drew a lot from it for my business. If you're interested in leadership, this is a good read.

Very interesting book that is, quite frankly, on a topic about which you have to be in a mood to read: survival. Most people take survival for granted and those that don't attribute it to sheer luck. Gonzales, though, lays out the mental toughness that it takes to survive and describes the chemical and physical happenings of one's body and brain during survival situations in terms we can all understand.

This is not just a how-to manual. It is not a typical piece of non-fiction. Gonzales expertly uses personal stories, accounts of accidents, and vivid language to create a piece that reads like fiction. This is a book that is full of humor and poignant advice.

The most striking “take-away” from this book is Gonzales' urging to see reality. So many of us only see what we are told to see. We only see the “mental map” that we've created in our mind. In extreme survival conditions, this could be deadly. Seeing reality is something that we can practice in everyday, routine situations. Like Gonzales, I would encourage everyone to practice it.

Just finished this one today and I am reading it along “with” a very dear friend. As such, I shall await his completion before commenting further!

This was a quick little number that I downloaded from Kindle Buffet. There wasn't a whole lot of substance here, but it was worth the 60 minutes it took to read. Pick it up for a number of basic, common sense ideas on how to strike up a conversation with someone new.

First, I enjoyed the case studies included in the text. However, I challenge the authors' success in accomplishing their stated goal - that is, the show how we have moved away from the “Great Man” theories of leadership. The case studies do show collaborative leadership, joint decision-making at several levels, etc., yet the final section reiterates the importance of the leader.

True, we have moved away from the purest sense of the “Great Man” theories. Yet Davenport and Manville have stumbled upon a modernization the definition of a “Great Man” theory - call it the “Great Leader” theory. Though the responsibility for decision-making is not as frequently vested solely in an organization's leader, decisions are still resultant from the strategic course upon which an organization is set by its leader.

The Court of Owls was, easily, one of the best Batman graphic novels I have ever read, right up there with Miller's Year One and Moore's The Killing Joke. (Disclaimer: While I'm making rapid headway through the great ones, I have not read every - or even a lot - of the Batman graphic novels out there.) Equal parts suspense thriller and comic sci-fi, literary achievement and accessible story, Scott Snyder keeps it authentic for comic fans and deepens the Batman ethos through insinuation, metaphor, sociological reference, and light psychology.

The notion of the Court of Owls hiding in the “false” thirteenth floors of Wayne-built buildings - that is to say, hiding in the populace's fear and superstition - terrific. The apparent architectural authenticity backing up the thirteenth floor legend in Wayne buildings felt factual and pushed the narrative in a surprising way. Batman's Gotham has always been a caricature of our own society's fears, failures, and achievements. The idea that a secretive Court of Owls that watches over the city and upholds its own style of justice plays right into our own fears of Big Brother - an example of Snyder's subtle way to grab the buy-in, the emotional connection from the reader so necessary to making a great story.

Using a court of owls - natural predators of bats - as a rival of the Wayne family was another of Snyder's solid decisions. While it is true that the Wayne family's contributions to Gotham's charities, skyline, etc. have certainly not been “nocturnal”, the court of owls appeared to be one step ahead of the family in knowing that its ultimate greatest contribution to Gotham - the Batman - would be. The court knows the Wayne family better than the family knows itself.

In what I have read regarding DC's “The New 52”, reviews are mixed. To a certain extent, I agree. But the launch of The New 52 gave this particular Batman title a chance to reset and Snyder appears to have taken full advantage of that opportunity. It is with anticipation that I begin Batman, Vol. 2: The City of Owls.

Ever wonder what would happen if you threw Ian Fleming's James Bond, Dan Brown's Robert Langdon, and Steig Larsson's Mikael Blomkvist under one cover? Read Tom Cain's “The Accident Man” and you'll find out.

Tom Cain takes us on Samuel Carver's journey on one last hit that turns out to be Princess Diana. With the factual event as the backdrop, we're free to let the conspiracy theories run wild. Enter corrupt British spies, the Russian mafia, some greedy Frenchmen, etc. This book was, at times, predictable, at times, unexpected, altogether entertaining. The sexual tension between Alix and Carver is believable and the way that Cain depicts Carver's vulnerability is a welcome addition to the standard tough-guy spy character. And while I can certainly say that I enjoyed this one and that I would sometime entertain reading the subsequent Samuel Carver novels, I can't say that I was completely blown away.

The second half of the book definitely read much easier than the first half...such is the case in a novel with a number of characters.

I must also admit that this novel made me want to do a little research. I know shamefully little about the fall of Communism in the Soviet Union and eastern Europe and the subsequent formation of Russia and the Baltic states. While my wife knows a good deal about Diana's death, I do not and realized that I should at least understand the basics.

So, as a good friend (@Dave Brown) said in a recent post about this one, “It's a good story that makes us think, what more could you ask for in a summer read?”

~J.

I began reading this after a recommendation from two people that I trust very much and was not disappointed. The storytelling, including the perspective of the narrator, was creative and engaging. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a quick, enjoyable read.

That being said, I would also recommend this to the literary types looking to pick up on a number of language tricks and other literary devices (e.g. metaphor, symbolism, etc.). In this context, I felt there were some minor glitches. The narrator is the 14-year-old Susie. At times, the language, thoughts, reflections, and presentation is akin to what a 14-year-old would say or how one would act. At other times, we're reading what a very well read adult would say, yet we are told that aging does not having in Heaven. I would have liked to see some consistency there.

The book was well-written, but it wasn't until the latest 10 or 15 pages that I felt I came on any quotable material - nothing super memorable about the language is all I'm saying.

I enjoyed the book and look forward to reading more of Sebold's stuff. My “recommendors” have put her other books on my radar!

I loved this book. I couldn't put it down and even wrote song lyrics about it after the fact. I think that Goodman's work fell off a little after this one (her first), but that doesn't diminish the power of this one. Can we really escape our past? How much does place affect who we are as people? What is the nature of the parent-child relationship? How important are friends? Can we bleed together? All of these questions and more are explored in this book. The lake is as deep as you want to make it - a quick “day or two” read or a month-long analysis. Either way, you'll enjoy it.

This is one where I actually think the first movie is better than the book. The book read too slow - a little too dense for my liking.

I had been wanting to read The Devil All the Time for quite some time. Fortunately, I wasn't disappointed.

Further, this was the first Donald Ray Pollock that I had read. His sensibilities about areas with which I am familiar (i.e., southern West Virginia as well as Appalachian Ohio) were acute and engaging. I understood that he had contacted the historical society in Greenbrier County, West Virginia in an effort to get those portions of the novel right, and I appreciated that.

For a first novel, it was an excellent effort. Generally, I enjoyed the storytelling, the pace, the imagery, etc. Generally, I think Pollock succeeded in presenting a grittier side of life without making a caricature of it. Pollock's own heritage in these economically depressed areas informs a realistic yet romantic depiction of the people that live in them.

Pollock successfully integrated a number of themes throughout the novel: moderation vs. excess; the haves vs. the have nots; grin and bear it. Two of these, in particular, stood out to me: “grin and bear it, work a little harder” and “have vs. have not”.

I was struck by the general moods displayed by characters throughout the novel. First, there was the ultra-religious group - the type of character that exemplifies the start of the Baby Boomer generation: religion, hierarchical family structure, etc. - and second, on the other end of the spectrum, the dirty, gritty, evil-leaning group. In between, there are characters like Willard Russell and Sheriff Lee Bodecker who exemplify both. All characters seem to think that when things go wrong, just grin and bear it...do what you're doing a little more or a little harder and “it” will get better. Willard's incessant efforts to pray Charlotte back to health were the primary examples of this theme.

Moderation vs. excess was explored again and again. Pollock included the almost cliche notion that a simple life is richer than a wealthy life, but he spun it in a way that we don't often see in literature. The Russell clan had very little, but rather than having a fulfilling life, Pollock wrote about how hard they had to work just to get by. There was no transcendent spirituality experienced by any of the Russells; they did not find any meaning in life. They simply worked hard and....nothing. Just hard work. Further, within this theme, Pollock explored the various definitions of “having” something. The Carl and Sandy characters had nothing until they took their “vacations”, in which case they still had nothing, but found thrills in photographing and killing “models” along the road. Once Arvin moved to West Virginia, he still had very little but he became a fierce defender of what he did have (e.g., protecting his “sister” Lenora). While Carl and Sandy made their own “something”, Arvin best played the hand he was dealt.

Some of the characters in the novel were born to be buried. Lenora, for example, was a tragedy from day one, her life shrouded in death from a very young age with the death of her mother. Her character also represented the death of the goodness of religion in the novel. Even though a number of characters questioned (and even exploited) religion, Lenora's suicide represented the end of the last best hope for the story's faith. Arvin was also on a course toward a fall (and follow the example of this father). With his first kill (i.e., Teagardin), he was destined to kill others. (Pollock's depiction of Arvin's moral indecision regarding the murder of Teagardin was excellent; the reader could honestly think Arvin would decide against it up until the shot was fired.) Arvin still had hope when killing and escaping Bodecker, but the novel ends with a realization that Arvin had a hard road ahead of him. Finally, even the characters represented as wholly “good” - Emma, Charlotte - were worn down to nothing (Charlotte in a literal sense as she died of cancer and Emma through losing her entire family) by the end of the novel. All characters started with something and ended with nothing.

This was a book that triggered a number of mind-races. I could go on an on and on in this review...but I won't. Suffice to say, this is a book worth reading. I look forward to reading his short story collection Knockemstiff (which actually pre-dated The Devil All the Time.

There are times when read a book that seems so painfully ordinary that you wonder why you even made it to the last page. I thought this was going to be one of those books until I took my first deep breath upon finishing it. A story of a man with a seemingly un-ending list of obsessions, peculiarities, neuroses, et. al. How could any of us not relate?

All of us likely have a trigger that, if discovered, would snap our lives into focus. For Daniel Pecan Cambridge, it is Teddy, the son of his former psychology-intern counselor. Teddy is also proof that we cannot understand or guess the influence an action today will have on our life of the future - enter Zandy, the pharmacist at Daniel's local Rite Aid. With love and purpose, even the most slippery of the slopes toward insanity can be overcome. Finding love isn't the hard part; we can put that emotion onto anyone, regardless of whether it is returned. Finding purpose is more difficult, and perhaps it takes someone of Daniel's idiosyncracies to find it. I know there are many days when I am left searching.

This book was a pleasant surprise for me - I have never read Steve Martin. He has been highly recommended and I'm glad I finally took the time. The entire text is obviously written by someone who has an eye for describing what he wants the reader to see. Part of the narrative to me seemed like stage directions. “The Pleasure of My Company” reads almost like a sequel to Martin's movie “LA Story”.

Most definitely a good summer read for those just wanting to pass time or for those who long to wax poetic about the progress of their lives. That's a difficult line for a book to walk, yet Martin does it with ease.

I've wanted to read this one for quite a while and it didn't disappoint.

First things first. I love the noirish take on the Batman mythology. It grounds Bruce Wayne's back story; gives validity to the killing of his parents. Also, it gives a basis for the rising of the super villains. One of the things that I prefer about Batman over other super heroes is that he is a real person - rich, yes, but not anointed with super powers. The gritty, dark, organized crime-ridden version of Gotham does the same thing to Batman's villainous foils as well. We see how those with a particularly narcissistic bent can grow out of a world where crime is rampant, the police force is corrupt, and villains and crime bosses are looked at as the heroes. The Long Halloween embraces this view of Gotham and Batman and expands on it with skillful precision.

Here's another thing that I appreciate about this graphic novel. Since, as I've noted, Batman is one guy with a lot of gadgets yet no superpowers, he needs the police to help put away the criminals he out-duels. Batman carries no more authority than any other citizen, so it is in his best interest to see a clean police force so that his job - cleaning up the streets - ultimately comes to an end. In this sense, Batman fights two forms of evil - overt criminals and villains who commit heinous crimes and a more subvert corruption that erodes away the goodness that does exist. While Gotham's populace wants to see the villains put away, Batman knows that this erosion is the real evil that will bring the city down.

The Long Halloween follows Batman, Gordon, and Harvey Dent as they investigate “Holiday”, a new serial killer on the loose who only kills on holidays. The twist - the killer primarily kills the mob and is systematically ridding Gotham of Carmine Falcone's and Salvatore Maroni's henchmen. Batman, Gordon, and Dent know that Holiday has to be caught and brought to justice and Jeph Loeb does an admirable job at presenting their ethical struggles as they almost appreciate the decline of the mob at the hands of Holiday. Loeb also integrates a number of Batman's traditional foes - Joker, Poison Ivy, Riddler, Catwoman - and their frustrations with Holiday and the headlines he grabs. These villains are employed by the mob to seemingly aid the mob and take care of Holiday and it is interesting to see them fail in doing so.

Tim Sale's art is on point with the theme of the novel. I particularly like the contrast in black/white and color. All-in-all, it adds to the dark theme and reinforces Gotham as a place in need of saving.

I would be remiss in not discussing the theme of family employed throughout. As with any real location, the families of the good and evil are inevitably intertwined, as were the Waynes and Falcones. There is the constant infighting within the Falcone family - as well as the Falcone crime “Family”. There is the competition between the Falcone and Maroni families. Loeb does a skillful job of characterizing Bruce's own struggles in dealing with his family's legacy and his own calling. Dent and Gilda wish to start a family and it is circumvented. Gordon makes his peace with Gotham and seems more comfortable in keeping his family there. Throughout, Loeb reminds us what is important and he stakes Batman as the head of a trio of heroes committed to protecting the family's importance.

In truth, I was not as enamored with Year One nearly as much as The Long Halloween. While some may be turned off as to the length of The Long Halloween, I feel the length gives the author enough time to explore the story and make it feel authentic.

Finally, I fully realize the connection of this graphic novel to the Batman trilogy of movies made by Christopher Nolan. In fact, the edition of the novel I own has a brief forward by Nolan. While I will freely admit that I loved Nolan's movies, I cannot say that this novel is inherently better or worse than the movies. In fact, the novel makes me like the trilogy of movies better. Nolan did a terrific job of using Year One and The Long Halloween as influences and created his own story of the Batman mythology. Pretty cool stuff.

This title was one of the more interesting books to capture my attention in 2022. The premise - that mentally illness can aid in the development of crisis leadership traits/skills - is just that: interesting. The extension of that premise - that mentally healthy leaders struggle in crisis situations is downright provocative for someone that studies both strategic leadership and crisis leadership.

All told, I'm glad to have read the book. I enjoyed it.

Yet, I find myself in a position where I cannot say that I agree with Ghaemi's premise, nor do I disagree with it. I do not believe the text developed the argument enough for me to decide. The author identifies several historical leaders and discusses their potential mental illness alongside their performance in career-defining crises. The text takes more pains to convince the reader that the leaders under consideration had some manner of mental illness than it does to connect the effects of the illnesses to their performance in crises. That's to be expected given the author's background, which is why the narrative serves as enjoyable fodder for ongoing consideration. For a more deliberate connection to leadership, though, I would loved to have seen what this book could be had Ghaemi written it in collaboration with a leadership scholar.

The value of this read doesn't end there, though. The reader can't help but ask hard questions about crisis.

What is crisis?
What does crisis do to leaders?
Do we resolve crises, or do we just adapt “around” them?