Michal

Wow, what a book. A monumental work.
I admit I skimmed over some of the physics chapters.
Good to have them though.

A bit of a hard read at moments, due to details.
Still relevant after 10 years and I think it will be for a long time.

A great no-nonsense approach to energy.
Worth putting on a book shelf.

Only 3 stars because the book is old. Nevertheless it makes some important points that are transferable to present.Some glyphosate resistant weeds started appearing and it's effects on humans are by no means negligible.

This was my second attempt to read the book. I only tried reading it the second time because of great opinions about this book of people who I think know their stuff (aka books they recommend are mostly amazing for one reason or another). This book is not for everyone and you can't blitz through it. It is difficult. There are also parts which are outdated, it is 46 year old after all.

For the first 80% of the book I was trying hard not to doze off, so much complexity, so many examples and you don't see the point. But then you get to the epilogue and everything makes sense.

It's like you are sitting with Campbell with at a table and he shows you through a landscape and there are all those interesting meticulously made pieces, they are nice, but you don't see the point. Then you get to the epilogue and he suddenly says: Come on now let's fly a balloon and every 1000 m or such you are repeating: “Aha!”, “Wow!”, “I get it now”.
The thing is you don't, not all of it, not at first. This book is a big steak for the brain, it takes time to digest and get all the nutrients out. Wile shall see how I will look at it in a few months...

Good read, definitely quality over quantity.
I loved how it makes philosophy approachable and inspires
to go and read the classics (at least it inspires me).
How do we connect the West and the East philosophically?
What is quality and how and can we define it? After all it is relative.
Reminds me of Ferdydurke by Gombrowicz.

This is a good book, most of the advice given is very useful and has been scientifically validated either before or after this book was written. Book needs references. You have to keep in mind that Mark is very smart guy and spent endless hours reading, thinking and talking about all that he has put in this book. The book is written from a perspective of a wealthy Californian so it can be annoying in some ways (like the slight obsession with organics and wild caught), but no use spilling the baby with the bath water.