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5teverin0's reviews
163 reviews
Instant: The Story of Polaroid by Christopher Bonanos
5.0
A good overview of the history of this storied company, fairly comprehensive but easy to read and not overly long.
Wool by Hugh Howey
5.0
An truly unique and original take on dystopian fiction
I had been wanting to read this book for some time, and am a little ashamed that it took it being on sale to finally pull the trigger. This book grabbed me from the first paragraph, and didn't let go until I finished the last page, desperate for more.
Howdy has a gift for writing characters that you care about, that you want to see through whatever trial they are facing. He is skilled at writing action sequences that play like movie scenes in the mind, and leave the reader breathless with suspense.
If you don't care for science fiction, don't let that keep you from this remarkable book. There are enough deep ideas and philosophical notions here, enough action and adventure, and even romance here to p!ease just about any reader.
I had been wanting to read this book for some time, and am a little ashamed that it took it being on sale to finally pull the trigger. This book grabbed me from the first paragraph, and didn't let go until I finished the last page, desperate for more.
Howdy has a gift for writing characters that you care about, that you want to see through whatever trial they are facing. He is skilled at writing action sequences that play like movie scenes in the mind, and leave the reader breathless with suspense.
If you don't care for science fiction, don't let that keep you from this remarkable book. There are enough deep ideas and philosophical notions here, enough action and adventure, and even romance here to p!ease just about any reader.
The Spark: A Mother's Story of Nurturing, Genius, and Autism by Kristine Barnett
4.0
I just finished this book, and I have to admit that I have mixed feelings about it. On one hand, it is a remarkable story with a valuable lesson for anyone who is a caregiver to any child - play is important, take an interest in what interests your child, and encourage those interests as much as possible.
I do, however, have the same reservations that some other reviewers expressed regarding the narrative and writing style. I found it somewhat off-putting in its sometimes breathlessly hyperbolic tone. The story itself was powerful enough to make me stay with it, but I did find it difficult to stomach the writing long enough to finish.
I do think, though, that the story told and the lessons that can be learned are worth the effort it took to get through this book.
I do, however, have the same reservations that some other reviewers expressed regarding the narrative and writing style. I found it somewhat off-putting in its sometimes breathlessly hyperbolic tone. The story itself was powerful enough to make me stay with it, but I did find it difficult to stomach the writing long enough to finish.
I do think, though, that the story told and the lessons that can be learned are worth the effort it took to get through this book.
The Drowned World by J.G. Ballard, Martin Amis
4.0
This book has much the same claustrophobic, tense feel as some of Ballard's other work (High Rise comes to mind). However, the mystical elements of this story make it stand out for me, even though I had kind of a hard time working through that part of it. Regardless of how successful I was in understanding some of the more cerebral elements of the story, I enjoyed them nonetheless. And, on the surface, it's a good dystopian tale with some decent action, if that is your sort of thing (it is mine).
Seven Brief Lessons on Physics by Carlo Rovelli
4.0
This is a slim volume, but (for me at least) not a super-quick read. Despite the fact that it is well written in a very clear, informative style suitable for the layperson, it contains some big ideas that took some careful reading and re-reading for me to begin to wrap my mind around. I picked it up hoping to get some answers about the world around me, but I finished the book with even more questions than I started with. But, that's a good thing, in my book.
Far from a dry, technical description of the physics of our universe, this book is, perhaps surprisingly, equal parts philosophy. In fact, although I was already aware of the blurry edge between philosophy and physics, this book really helped me to begin to grasp some of the bigger questions that both disciplines seek to answer, such as the nature of time, what makes us conscious, and what is free will?
This was a thought-provoking, mind-expanding and enjoyable read. well worth your time if you are at all interested in what makes the universe, and our minds, tick.
Far from a dry, technical description of the physics of our universe, this book is, perhaps surprisingly, equal parts philosophy. In fact, although I was already aware of the blurry edge between philosophy and physics, this book really helped me to begin to grasp some of the bigger questions that both disciplines seek to answer, such as the nature of time, what makes us conscious, and what is free will?
This was a thought-provoking, mind-expanding and enjoyable read. well worth your time if you are at all interested in what makes the universe, and our minds, tick.
Matty Matheson: A Cookbook by Matty Matheson
4.0
Matty Mathewson is a force of nature. I greatly enjoy watching his cooking videos, and the wit and personality that he displays in camera certainly comes through in his writing here. I did not, however, find many
the recipes in this book that I was compelled to try. I did find the story of Mr. Matheson's life and his journey to good world star to be interesting and compelling though.
the recipes in this book that I was compelled to try. I did find the story of Mr. Matheson's life and his journey to good world star to be interesting and compelling though.