jake_jo's reviews
97 reviews

When We Cease to Understand the World by Benjamín Labatut

dark emotional informative sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Really strong book on how scientific progress  can have consequences, but also how that same progress requires or causes the insanity of a scientist. Not sure how I feel about real characters having false information written about them, makes it hard for me to separate truth from the story.

Artificial General Intelligence by Julian Togelius

informative fast-paced

4.0

Children of Dune by Frank Herbert

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

This was a weird one man.

The Double Helix by James D. Watson

challenging informative fast-paced

3.5

This book was an interesting peek into how Cambridge scientists worked and lived in the 50s, but it’s also a shame of how sexist and chauvinistic Watson himself was. He’s a disgrace to the scientific community and the fact that his extreme prejudice against women was brushed aside because of “his” work on the double helix is a stain on science. However I’m torn because he still decided to publish his actual thoughts on “Rosy” and had a some what halfhearted apology about his words towards her, the book falls flat is considering her as one of the rightful scientists that helped discover the double helix. I mean there’s even a section when he steals her ideas from a lecture where he writes instead how he focused on how she’d look cuter if she fixed her outfits and didn’t wear glasses. Yuck 

Livewired: The Inside Story of the Ever-Changing Brain by David Eagleman

adventurous informative medium-paced

3.5

Really interesting theories about how the brain works, but which there was more direct research. Still cool concepts I haven’t heard before.   written like a pop science book with way to many analogies and examples, book could’ve done without reiterating the same ideas 3 times  

The Hundred Years' War on Palestine by Rashid Khalidi

informative sad slow-paced

3.5

Really informative book from the perspective of someone
who was actively involved
in the political discussions for Palestine. However for someone who doesn’t know much about the history already will get confused.

San Fransicko: Why Progressives Ruin Cities by Michael Shellenberger

informative medium-paced

2.5

It does an ok job highlighting some
major policy failures but then the solution is that it’s a mental health issue or that they choose to stay homeless? So close to a material explanation but ends up going conservative and blaming the “woke” left with no actual solutions. Just read the NYT article by Wes Enzinna instead

The Enchiridion by Epictetus
Did not finish book. Stopped at 58%.

going to read another version

How Your Brain Works: Neuroscience Experiments for Everyone by Tim Marzullo, Greg Gage

informative inspiring fast-paced

4.0

Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly (Updated Edition) by Anthony Bourdain

adventurous funny informative lighthearted medium-paced

4.5