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sharonus's reviews
533 reviews
The Pomodoro Technique: The Acclaimed Time-Management System That Has Transformed How We Work by Francesco Cirillo
hopeful
informative
fast-paced
4.0
Pomodoro Technique Illustrated: The Easy Way to Do More in Less Time by Staffan Nöteberg
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
2.5
This is the first book I have read on the Pomodoro Technique and did appreciate the step-by-step walk through of planning out your day of Pomodoros, including documentation, dealing with interruptions, and reporting.
As for the structure of the book, the illustrations were very primitive and I actually found them distracting. People were represented as stick figures with a dots for eyes, a curved line for a smile, a scribble for hair, and a large rectangle or triangle to represent clothing. The graph paper used for the drawing was visible and some of the illustrations actually had ink smearing. I'm not sure if the author can actually draw and there was some reason the illustrations were so rough (maybe each had to fit into one Pomodoro?) but they didn't add much to the book.
Another thing I found an odd choice were the "A Cucumber and an Artichoke Meet at" (a Bar, the Movies, a Library) anecdotes that began each chapter. Clearly, they were supposed to introduce us to the theme of the chapter, but they didn't add much value and if I were to recommend this book to someone, I would tell them to skip those.
I plan to read the official "The Pomodoro Technique Book" next, and expect that will do a better job of detailing the technique without the unnecessary fluff that was in this one.
As for the structure of the book, the illustrations were very primitive and I actually found them distracting. People were represented as stick figures with a dots for eyes, a curved line for a smile, a scribble for hair, and a large rectangle or triangle to represent clothing. The graph paper used for the drawing was visible and some of the illustrations actually had ink smearing. I'm not sure if the author can actually draw and there was some reason the illustrations were so rough (maybe each had to fit into one Pomodoro?) but they didn't add much to the book.
Another thing I found an odd choice were the "A Cucumber and an Artichoke Meet at" (a Bar, the Movies, a Library) anecdotes that began each chapter. Clearly, they were supposed to introduce us to the theme of the chapter, but they didn't add much value and if I were to recommend this book to someone, I would tell them to skip those.
I plan to read the official "The Pomodoro Technique Book" next, and expect that will do a better job of detailing the technique without the unnecessary fluff that was in this one.
Listen, Liberal: Or, What Ever Happened to the Party of the People? by Thomas Frank
challenging
informative
medium-paced
4.0
Interviewology: The New Science of Interviewing by Anna Papalia
hopeful
informative
medium-paced
3.0
I found the book enlightening. I definitely found myself and other family members in the styles. It’s disappointing that after buying the book, I still have to pay to get my own profile.
Fourteen Days: A Collaborative Novel by The Authors Guild, Douglas Preston, Margaret Atwood
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
I was so excited about this book, but ended up disappointed. The characters were one dimensional stereotypes who sat around telling stories—mostly pretty bleak ones. It’s unfortunate because this novel had so much potential. Sure it took place during the Covid lockdown, but I didn’t expect it to be so depressing. And that ending? Convenient.
The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel
informative
medium-paced
2.0
TL;DR - stop trying to keep up with the Joneses, save your money, invest wisely, and be patient.
Meandering book filled with discussions of research and anecdotes supporting the same point--over and over. In the introduction, the author say of his own work: "It’s not a long book. You’re welcome. Most readers don’t finish the books they begin because most single topics don’t require 300 pages of explanation." The author should have listened to himself and made this book much, much shorter.
Meandering book filled with discussions of research and anecdotes supporting the same point--over and over. In the introduction, the author say of his own work: "It’s not a long book. You’re welcome. Most readers don’t finish the books they begin because most single topics don’t require 300 pages of explanation." The author should have listened to himself and made this book much, much shorter.
How to College: What to Know Before You Go (and When You're There) by Andrea Malkin Brenner, Lara Hope Schwartz
informative
medium-paced
4.0
Death Threat by Vivek Shraya
fast-paced
1.0
Good art, but there was not nearly enough content for a book.