Summary: This an enjoyable, engaging microhistory, full of lots of fun facts about some really interesting places.
Travel writer Eric Weiner's exploratSummary: This an enjoyable, engaging microhistory, full of lots of fun facts about some really interesting places.
Travel writer Eric Weiner's exploration of genius begins with the observation that, historically, geniuses often appear in clusters, with many geniuses originating in one place during one era. To explore what made these places inspire genius, Eric visits places of past and present genius, from Athens to Silicon Valley. He observes similarities and differences between the places he visits and connects them to many theories about what inspires creative thinking.
Like Michael Blanding's The Map Thief, the story was organized around the author's experience doing research. I found this an engaging way to tell the story, although in this case, it did sometimes lead to disorganized jumping between different theories of genius. I also wish each idea were explored in more depth. Most often, the author mentioned only one study that supported a theory or just supported it anecdotally. I think it's possible that this is about as good as it gets with theories of genius though - if we knew the answer to the questions the author asks, we'd all be geniuses :)
Even though I wish that there had been more science and definitive answers, I found this book very enjoyable. The author has an irreverent sense of humor that reminded me a bit of A.J. Jacobs. It seemed genuine, not over the top, and made the book even more fun. I also appreciated the author's efforts to be inclusive. Although Africa and Australia were left out of the author's travels, I'm pretty sure he at least mentioned both. He also notes that there are few women recognized as geniuses because of the social constraints preventing women from pursuing the work necessary to gain that recognition.
I would recommend picking this book up when you want a microhistory, looking at the world through the lens of studying genius. I expected something a bit more about science and maybe a little about self-help, but instead it was full of all the fun facts and interesting stories I look for in a good microhistory.
This is my first read out of my Futuristic Friday picks for this quarter. If you're looking for some more exciting reads coming out this year, be sure to check out my and Tamara's other picks in our Futuristic Friday post over at her blog, Travelling with T. This review was originally posted on Doing Dewey...more
Jennifer Buhl was struggling to make it in LA until she decided to try her hand at being a paparazzi. That’s not to say that being a paparazzi was easJennifer Buhl was struggling to make it in LA until she decided to try her hand at being a paparazzi. That’s not to say that being a paparazzi was easy. Paparazzi often tip each other off and it took Jennifer some time to make connections. She faced bullying and discrimination, both for being one of the few women in the business and for being successful. Despite the challenges, she really was successful, getting some fantastic shots with celebrities, as well as many fascinating stories to tell.
As I mentioned in my review of Jennifer, Gwyneth, and Me, I haven’t gotten into celebrity culture much, with the exception of fangirling about authors. I couldn’t say no to Shooting Stars though, because I love books which share an insider perspective on offbeat jobs. On that count, this book definitely delivered. Paparazzi have all kinds of interesting cultural quirks and tricks for doing their job. The author included details I wouldn’t even have thought to ask about. For example, I loved learning about the differences between paparazzi in America and Europe. I thought it was surprising and fascinating which shots of celebrities were most valuable.The author also included some details I’d rather not have known about, like how one manages to go the bathroom while staking out a celebrity’s house.
The last third of the book switched focus to Jennifer’s attempt to have a baby, another part of the story I could have lived without. Although I liked hearing about A.J. Jacobs’ and Rachel Bertsche’s attempts to have babies with their partners, this was different. Perhaps because I don’t want to have children, I didn’t relate to the author’s desperation to have a baby, with or without a partner. I also thought she was a bit hypocritical with her constant statements about her unwillingness to sleep around contradicted by her actions. I hate to judge a book by the author, but when an author shares their intimate, personal experiences, I need to relate to them. In this case, I didn’t relate, so the personal story felt like a distraction from the fascinating bits about the author’s career. The majority of the book was about the author’s career so overall this was an enjoyable book to read. I think someone interested in having children or more interested in celebrities might enjoy it even more.
The Serpent of Venice draws on a number of classics, including The Merchant of Venice, Othello, and The Cask of Amontillado, and then adds a large helThe Serpent of Venice draws on a number of classics, including The Merchant of Venice, Othello, and The Cask of Amontillado, and then adds a large helping of irreverent humor. The fool Pocket has made enemies of the merchant Antonio, senator Brabantio, and soldier Iago by opposing a war which would make them rich. In order to get Pocket out of the way, these three men invite him to a party with an assassination attempt in mind. However, Pocket is not as easy to kill as they might think and he’ll be back with revenge in mind.
This is one of those three star ratings which is really me wanting to give two stars to some parts of the story and four stars to other parts. The idea for the plot was definitely a four start bit and my favorite part of the book. The author does a great job merging the plots from the classics he references. He preserves some lines and scenes to give exciting flashes of recognition but also creates something very unique. After I got used to the author’s writing style, I also was very absorbed in the plot and felt like something exciting was always happening. The two star part of the plot was the introduction of the titular character, a mythical beast who showed up to rescue the good guys every time things were looking hopeless. I would have preferred to see the characters find solutions to more of their problems themselves.
The humor was another part of the story which was hit or miss for me. The humor involves some strong language, which I expected, but was also very focused on sex. In some cases this felt very forced and I thought it detracted from the story. Initially the swearing also pulled me out of the story, because, even knowing about it going in, it just wasn’t what I expected from a story set in historical Venice. However, as I got further into the story, I became more accustomed to the author’s writing style and sense of humor. This made the swearing much less distracting. The good part of the humor is that some if it was really funny. My favorite parts where were characters broke the fourth wall and interacted with the narrating chorus. At the end of the day,I had a lot of fun reading this and would definitely try another book by the author, especially now that I’ve gotten used to the writing style. I would recommend this to fans of creative retellings, especially those with a high tolerance for swearing and sexual innuendo.
Parts of this book really worked for me. Other parts, not so much. Many of the jokes were punny and ridiculous and over-the-top, but I enjoyed them beParts of this book really worked for me. Other parts, not so much. Many of the jokes were punny and ridiculous and over-the-top, but I enjoyed them because of the love of cats underlying the jokes. Some of the jokes were truly hilarious, regardless of context, and made me laugh out loud as I read. I was a bit disappointed with the focus on making fun of celebrity culture though. This isn’t because those parts weren’t funny to me. I just hoped for more of a focus on cats, which interest me far more than celebrities. There were a few suggestions for things to do with your cat that could be harmful to your cat. While to me it was obvious this suggestions weren’t meant to be taken seriously, I personally wouldn’t ever bet against human stupidity. The responsible choice, I think, would have been to leave those suggestions out. However, those small complaints aside, I definitely got enough amusement out of this book to justify the time spent on it. The funny cat pictures alone are enough reason to pick this up, if you love cats and are looking for a fun, short read.
I love historical fiction where the plot is tightly integrated with the setting. Sandra Gulland achieves that well here. The story could take place inI love historical fiction where the plot is tightly integrated with the setting. Sandra Gulland achieves that well here. The story could take place in very few other time periods and by following the plot, I learned a lot about this particular time period. The details of daily life as both a player and as a lady’s maid are fascinating and sometimes scandalous. The scenes the author chose to share painted a vivid picture of the poverty and opulence which existed side-by-side in the middle ages. The use of archaic terms, helpfully explained by a glossary, added to the ambiance. The writing did strike me as a little stiff at first, but as I got to know Claudette better, I began to feel the narrative style suited her. I was also swiftly distracted from thoughts about narrative style, as the action naturally built momentum and kept me constantly wanting to know what would happen next.
I felt we got to know Claudette pretty well, but Athenais was often the star of the show. Athenais reminded me a bit of Anna Karenina (which I loved!), because both are beautiful and alluring, but also reckless, even self-destructive, when passionately pursuing what they want. Much of Claudette’s life ended up being all about Athenais. I think some readers might actually like this, since Athenais is a fascinating character and the inequality of their relationship is appropriate to the times. However, I would have liked to see more of Claudette. Several incredibly emotional events happen in Claudette’s life during the course of the story. I thought some of these were glossed over too much, particularly those that occur when Athenais is around. I just didn’t get a good feel for Claudette’s emotions. Claudette also lacked agency, making only a few decisions for herself, and the end has the feeling of Deus ex machina Claudette and I both hate. Things just wrapped up too neatly with little help from Claudette.
Despite this small complaint, I really enjoyed the book as a whole. In fact, I think my wanting more of Claudette is indicative of how engaging the book could be at times. I’d definitely suggest giving this a chance if you like well-researched historical fiction which will immerse you in a different time.
Portia Cuthcart has spent years suppressing her cooking magic and trying to be the perfect politicians wife. Even after her husband’s betrayal and an Portia Cuthcart has spent years suppressing her cooking magic and trying to be the perfect politicians wife. Even after her husband’s betrayal and an acrimonious divorce, Portia is afraid to let magic have too much control over her life. However, her sisters are facing difficulties of their own and want Portia’s help reviving their grandmother’s restaurant. Portia has an even harder time saying no to her attractive neighbor and his children, all of whom are still coming to terms with losing their wife/mother. Portia wants to take a chance on magic again but she’s not certain that even a cooking a good meal can solve all of her problems.
I picked up The Glass Kitchen immediately after finishing the beautiful but heartbreaking The End of Your Life Book Club and it was exactly the heartwarming read I was hoping for. I loved the idea of cooking magic, with Portia drawing on the power of food to make people feel certain emotions to give people exactly what they need. I also loved the way Portia often compared things or people to food. Since we all have experience with food, I thought it was a good way to create descriptions people could relate to. It also added to the cozy feel of the book.
Portia’s personality in general was one of my favorite parts of the book. She’s compassionate and caring, but quirky and stubborn too. I was less fond of the love interest, her stubborn, possessive, over-protective neighbor. Even though Portia was able to stand up to his powerful personality, even though he had to learn to compromise and admit he was wrong, I finished the book still not sure how I felt about him. I wasn’t completely convinced their relationship wasn’t mostly based on sexual attraction and I wanted more than that for Portia. On the other hand, I loved everything about her relationship with the neighbor’s daughters. Portia’s interaction with them helped differentiate this story from all the other fluffy, you-know-they’ll-end-up-together books out there. This still wasn’t my favorite ever book of that variety, but was a very sweet story and one I’d particularly recommend to foodies looking for a happy, cozy read.
The plot for this book is identical to the original Northanger Abbey. In fact, the book is basically just the original, modernized sentence by sentencThe plot for this book is identical to the original Northanger Abbey. In fact, the book is basically just the original, modernized sentence by sentence. Surprisingly, I really liked that about it. I didn’t love the original book. I probably wouldn’t re-read the first book. Yet something about a retelling that just changes the setting while staying otherwise true to the source material appeals to me. This does, of course, mean that the plot was still largely nonexistent. Unlike Joanna Trollope’s writing in the Sense and Sensibility retelling for the Austen project, Val McDermid’s writing didn’t match how I imagine Austen would write if she were alive today. However, she did keep the writing tricks I liked the most from Austen’s writing in Northanger Abbey. This included her humorous under-selling of the heroine, her occasional breaking of the fourth wall, and her impassioned speeches in defense of the novel.
I was surprised to find that there were some things I liked even better in the retelling than in the original. I love Austen’s writing and the way we learn about social mores of the time, but the writing about places isn’t especially descriptive. In McDermid’s version, the setting was almost a character, with great descriptions of the film festival taking place, the local culture, the landscape, and the weather. I also thought McDermid did a fantastic job modernizing this story. References to social media didn’t feel at all jarring, something I find very few authors can accomplish for me. I also thought the modernization helped make some characters more relatable. In the original, some things that were socially acceptable in Austen’s time come across as rude now and sometimes a joke a character is telling is harder to get because of the archaic language. I also thought the references to modern books were a lot of fun.
There were a few changes from the original which I didn’t like as well. Being intentionally vague to avoid spoilers, there was an occurrence which caused some opinions about LGBT individuals to be expressed by both the characters and the narrator. While I got the impression that the author was trying to be politically correct and generally pro LGBT rights, I think what she wrote could have used some tweaks to make sure there was nothing that could seem offensive. I also strongly disliked the ending which McDermid completely made up in which she basically says “it’s ok that there’s no point to this story, because it is not the job of fiction to teach us”. Although Austen was clearly making the point that we shouldn’t confuse fiction with reality, I hope she would never have been so silly as to say that fiction has nothing to teach us. As a great believer in the ability of both fiction and non-fiction to educate, I found this a profoundly unsatisfying ending to the story. I would, never-the-less, recommend this to fan’s of the original, since it’s a fun way of experiencing the story for the first time all over again.
I really enjoyed spending time with the characters in this story. I don't know that I'd be friends with all of them in real life, but all of the "goodI really enjoyed spending time with the characters in this story. I don't know that I'd be friends with all of them in real life, but all of the "good guys" were quirky and a bit madcap. It was fun to see what silly things they'd do next, especially Olivia. Despite the small surprises, the overall plot was predictable. This book was your average romance with little to set it apart from other books in the genre. The "terrible wrong" referred to in the official blurb isn't a big deal and the only part of the book I didn't see coming was something I didn't find believable when it happened.
The writing is good and I think the author's creation of her main characters is particularly strong. The people characterized as villains are much less fleshed out though. They mostly feel like stereotypes. The main character is frustratingly stupid about her relationships, thoughtlessly doing things which are obviously going to hurt other people later. Despite my complaints about this story, I had a surprisingly good time reading it. I think as long as you go into it expecting a fun, light, predictable story and don't mind suspending disbelief a bit, this could be an enjoyable read for you too.This review was originally posted on Doing Dewey....more
Always the bridesmaid and never the bride, Jen Doll has been to a lot of weddings. As a bit of a party girl willing to do anything for a story, her weAlways the bridesmaid and never the bride, Jen Doll has been to a lot of weddings. As a bit of a party girl willing to do anything for a story, her wedding-going antics have given her many wild stories to tell. She uses these stories to thoughtfully ponder what weddings mean to us and what she wants out of life, while relating many humorous anecdotes.
This was more of a memoir than I expected, with short stories in loosely chronological order. Although each story connected to a wedding in some way, the wedding wasn’t always the main focus. Sometimes they were more about other big events in Jen’s life. Like most collections of short stories, some of the stories worked for me and some of them didn’t. I thought the author always did an admirable job not sounding bitter. She was occasionally cynical or resigned though and these were some of the bits I found funniest. I particularly enjoyed a story about one of the first weddings she remembers. Her eight-year-old self had some pretty funny ideas about weddings!
I didn’t always enjoy her experiences as an adult. To an extent, I like that she included the sordid details of even her worst wedding decisions. Some of them were decisions I could empathize with and sharing our mistakes can make us more relatable. However, the author is clearly more of a party girl than I am. She might also have a bit of a drinking problem. Even at the end of the book, although she knows she should drink less at weddings, she’s still choosing to drink too much and do stupid, thoughtless things. In many of these cases, I empathized far more with people who had to put up with her at their weddings than I did with her! On the other hand, as someone who’s never had a one night stand, I found living through her experiences vicariously to be an interesting experiences. I also particularly enjoyed her more philosophical musings about the purpose of weddings and the baggage participants bring with them. I wasn’t wowed enough by this memoir to recommend it to everyone, but if you particularly like weddings or attend them often, you’ll probably find a lot to empathize with here.
I hate starting in the middle of a series so I was happy to find that Return to the Beach House stands alone very nicely. The author does throw a lot I hate starting in the middle of a series so I was happy to find that Return to the Beach House stands alone very nicely. The author does throw a lot of names at you at the beginning of each of the three short stories, but it’s manageable. With all the different characters in each story, I thought the author did a great job sharing everyone’s perspectives and transitioning smoothly between characters.
My one complaint with this book is that it was simply too short. I loved that each story involved characters dealing with relatable life challenges. They were all very emotional and really pulled me in. However, the short length made it inevitable that conflicts would often be tied up too neatly or inadequately. That meant this book fell squarely in the light, feel-good, beach read category for me. I was still impressed by some of the tough topics that were tackled though and overall I found the book a fun, enjoyable read.
This book was inspired by the life of Xenia, patron saint of St. Petersburg, but is told from the perspective of her (imaginary, I think) cousin. We wThis book was inspired by the life of Xenia, patron saint of St. Petersburg, but is told from the perspective of her (imaginary, I think) cousin. We watch as Xenia falls madly in love and her complete devastation following her husbands death. As Xenia finds solace in giving her belongings for the poor and slowly transforms into a pauper revered as a “holy fool”, her cousin must decide whether Xenia needs saving from herself or just support in her choices. Her cousins life is also deeply impacted by Xenia’s transformation which helps her find love in the most unlikely of places.
The first thing that struck me about this book was the gorgeous and evocative imagery. Early on, the narrator remembers a fire that occurred when she was very young and the author did an amazing job conveying the feel of the scene with just a few of the narrator’s impressions. Every sentence was well crafted, every word carefully chosen to form a certain image. This was true throughout the book. Because the author did such a wonderful job conveying what it felt like to be in a particular scene, I felt as though I was present with the main character and empathized deeply with her feelings.
I’ll definitely want to find a non-fiction book about this era as well, because the historical details were fascinating. Overlapping the beginning of Catherine the Great’s rule of Russia, it seems being part of the court could be very dangerous as harsh punishments were visited on those who displeased the empress. My one complaint with this book is that despite the sometimes dangerous situations, I never felt concerned about our protagonist. And for all that the events sound exciting when you describe them, I found the plot somewhat bland and un-engaging because of my lack of worry about what was going to happen next. However, I can’t put my finger on any one thing that may have made me feel uninvolved with the plot, so I think other people might enjoy the book even more than I did.
Moth is a young girl living in the slums of lower Manhattan until her own mother sells her as a servant. When she tries to escape and finds her motherMoth is a young girl living in the slums of lower Manhattan until her own mother sells her as a servant. When she tries to escape and finds her mother gone, few options are left to her. Moth is forced choose between returning to the abusive woman who bought her; returning to her old life; or living a life of comparative luxury as a prostitute. With the help of a caring, female doctor named Dr. Sadie, Moth must decide what is most important to her and what she’s willing to sacrifice to survive.
Shortly after finishing The Virgin Cure, I read The Civil War in 50 Objects and I was struck immediately by what an amazing job Ami McKay did capturing the feel of the era. Everything from exciting new inventions to diseases people worried about to forms of entertainment was captured beautifully. The inserts between chapters in the form of diary entries and newspaper clipping added to the feeling that this story really could have happened. I had more ambivalent feelings about the in-chapter commentary by Dr. Sadie. Many of these comments included irrelevant details about things like lovebird mating habits or boring things like overly detailed descriptions of real dresses like those Moth was wearing.
More important than the content of these asides was what they did to the feel of the story. They made this a story that you weren’t living with the character or as the character, but a story you were watching as an outside observer. For most of the story, I didn’t really feel Moth’s desperate desire to be more than a poor person or to have a safe place to stay. As a result, some of her choices seemed ill-considered and incomprehensible. A story this well written and this well researched should be a shoe-in for a four or five star review, but the lack of connection robbed it of the spark it needed to be truly great.
Although dystopian novels have been in vogue for a while, I’ve just started getting obsessed so I was very excited to review The Registry. Initially, Although dystopian novels have been in vogue for a while, I’ve just started getting obsessed so I was very excited to review The Registry. Initially, however, I wasn’t too impressed. Our heroine is gorgeous but hopelessly sheltered making her come across as too ditzy. It also seemed as though the plot was going to be far to predictable. The minute she runs into a handsome farm hand you know he’s going to be a potential love interest and obviously the man interested in purchasing Mia is going to be a self-entitled jerk. We also got a rather thin and unbelievable first explanation for how the society in the novel developed. Fortunately, everything got better from there!
The writing was generally very good and we quickly learn that there are many explanations for how the registry system came to be. I’m still hoping for a slightly better explanation in the next novel, but as is, it’s a mystery our heroine is getting closer to solving instead of a poor explanation by the author. The initially unlikable Mia adjusts to her new circumstances quickly, becoming braver and more self-reliant. I loved the character growth, as Mia wasn’t annoying for long and changed in believable ways. The plot wasn’t complex but the action and pacing made for an exciting escape story.
At the very end, we almost get an annoying love triangle, with Mia deciding to swap spit with the first guy who is obviously interested in her, even though she likes someone else. At first, this bothered me, but I felt Mia’s actions were believable given the sheltered life she led and given her desire not to be owned. She also always knew who she liked, which saved it from the indecisiveness that makes me hate so many love triangles. Overall, this ended up being a fast paced and enjoyable read. I can’t wait for the next book in the series!
The publication of the Pentagon Papers, top secret documents leaked to a reporter, was contentious from the beginning. First, there was internal debatThe publication of the Pentagon Papers, top secret documents leaked to a reporter, was contentious from the beginning. First, there was internal debate at The New York Times over whether or not to publish. Then publication led to one of the most important first amendment cases ever, as the government sought an injunction to keep The Times from continuing to publish more of the Pentagon Papers. As the chief legal counsel for The Times, James Goodale is able to share his first hand experience and his thoughts on the personalities involved in this momentous historical case.
Although Fighting for the Press was occasionally hard to follow or a little repetitive as the case moved through the appeals process, it was mostly just exciting. And if James Goodale occasionally seemed a little too self-congratulatory, I can’t blame him too much given the role he played in winning this famous first amendment victory. Overall, the story was very well written. Precise language was used to explain legal concepts so clearly that they were extremely exciting even to someone with my lack of prior knowledge.
From the beginning, I felt as though I’d been given a priceless opportunity to interview someone who’d lived through a pivotal moment in our nation’s history. In many cases, I like for a non-fiction author to be unbiased, but this was clearly a memoir as well as a history. As such, the author’s personal recollections and impressions of the people involved in the case added some depth and intrigue to what could otherwise have been a dry legal story. There were actually moments when, despite knowing the final outcome, I was on the edge of my seat waiting to see how the details played out. This was an engaging read that I’d recommend to fans of history books and memoirs.
While I’ve read few other romances, I would still bet that the writing style in this book is typical of well-written books in the genre. The plot, howWhile I’ve read few other romances, I would still bet that the writing style in this book is typical of well-written books in the genre. The plot, however, seemed pretty unique. First, our heroine’s goal was definitely not to get married (a difference from many of Lauren’s other books, I think). Something Lauren’s seems to do a lot, but which I didn’t expect in a romance, is adding an element of mystery. This allowed the book to last longer and the reader to enjoy the main characters’ romance without artificially stretching out the formation of that relationship. It wouldn’t make me recommend the book to a fan of the mystery genre though, as the reader’s are never presented with enough information to solve the mystery themselves.
Despite the mystery, the book still felt a little drawn out to me. There were two or three sex scenes with nearly identical descriptions, where I’d have been happier with one. Lengthy discussions of what to do next could also have been eliminated. And please save me from descriptions of heroes with eyes “like chips of adamantine agate”. That said, I definitely enjoyed this book enough to read more in the series. The slow burn of the romance was brilliantly executed. I loved the choice to let us know a little of what James was thinking as well so we could see both characters’ feelings evolve. The regency setting was everything I could have hoped for. At least one real person made an appearance, which I always appreciate in historical fiction. And best of all the fantasy of living in such a society with balls and romance is, if unrealistic, still unspeakably appealing.
As you might guess, this book covers in great detail all aspects of Shelby mustangs with a particular focus on the story of their production. AlthoughAs you might guess, this book covers in great detail all aspects of Shelby mustangs with a particular focus on the story of their production. Although I’m not a huge car buff myself, I picked this to review because I love a good micro-history and I enjoy learning about new things. I was also impressed that the author based his book entirely on primary sources, from factory documentation to interviews with the people who were involved in the process. As soon as I got the book, I was struck by the quality photography as well. As a photography enthusiast, I appreciated how well done it was, but recognize that a Shelby enthusiast would probably be most impressed by the variety of Shelby’s the author managed to track down.
The first three chapters gave a broad overview of Shelby history. Once I finished those, I was worried that the following chapters focusing on each year’s Shelby would be too dry. Fortunately, my fears were unfounded. In the entire ~200 page book, there were maybe a dozen pages covering the nitty-gritty details of the Shelby’s engine in too much detail for me to understand. These were a little dry. But nearly every page had great pictures and fascinating stories about the people and the politics behind the Shelby, in addition to the technical details. For serious Shelby enthusiasts, fear not – there were nitty-gritty details on nearly every page as well. Just not enough to impact the enjoyment of this non-specialist.
There a few small typos, but also not enough to impact my enjoyment and over all this was a very high quality book. From the pictures to the impressive research, this is a great example of what a micro-history should be. I would most strongly recommend this to someone with some understanding of how cars typically work, since the details about the mechanics of the Shelby definitely assume you have some prior knowledge. Other than that, this is a book with something to teach the even a Shelby enthusiast while still remaining accessible. Finally, one of the aspects I think will most thrill enthusiasts are the incredible wealth of details about different Shelby’s made at different times even during the same production year. If you own or are thinking of buying a Shelby, it could be a lot of fun to find out where your specific car fits in Shelby history.
Can you learn to think like Sherlock Holmes? Drawing on both anecdotes from Holmes stories and exciting studies in psychology, author Maria Konnikova Can you learn to think like Sherlock Holmes? Drawing on both anecdotes from Holmes stories and exciting studies in psychology, author Maria Konnikova suggests ways in which you can. She’s clearly familiar with and enthusiastic about both her topics – Homes and the psychology behind his way of thinking – and she does a great job making you feel her enthusiasm too. As someone who understands loving a good book, she had me from her description of her first experience with Holmes. She also integrated real-world, relatable examples with her Holmes/Conan Doyle anecdotes and the psychology studies in a way that constantly piqued my interest.
The book mostly flowed very well and I always enjoyed reading it. However, the book sometimes got a little wordy, particularly where there were long descriptions of a list of items. To help me always see where the author was going with her descriptions, a road map in the intro would have been useful. A summary of her most important pieces of advice would also have made the book more usable. Despite occasional problems figuring out how each piece fit together, I do feel like I came away from this book with some valuable advice, particularly the author’s emphasis on mindfulness. As the author acknowledges, mindfulness is a pretty common theme in self-help these days, but the way she presents it is unusually fun and appealing.
In fact, while this isn’t the most usable as a self-help book, it’s exciting and enjoyable in a different way. The author does a spectacular job explaining psychology concepts in clear way and her real world examples make me want to take action on her suggestions even though they aren’t spelled out in a self-help sort of way. And any bibliophile will appreciate her love of Holmes and the excitement of possibly being able to replicate his way of thinking. What I mostly took away from the book was the need to be more mindful, particularly of your own thought-process, plus a new appreciation for Sherlock Holmes. So, of course, I would highly recommend this to any Sherlock Holmes fans. But I would also recommend it to any one who wants to be more aware of the world around them and to any one who needs to make logical decisions at work, especially other scientists.
Starting during the 1936 Berlin Olympics and taking place just pre-WWII, Flight From Berlin is a fascinating look at a pivotal time period as the worlStarting during the 1936 Berlin Olympics and taking place just pre-WWII, Flight From Berlin is a fascinating look at a pivotal time period as the world decides how to react to Nazi Germany. Almost by chance, an English reporter and a beautiful American athlete-turned-reporter receive information which could effect the outcome of that decision. They also become personally involved with a Jewish family who they hope to help escape.
There were parts of this book I liked a lot and parts I really didn’t. I think one reason for that was the somewhat uneven pacing. Events start slowly, then there’s a lot of action, then a kind of boring lull followed by some very exciting action. The initial dialog also felt a little choppy and unbelievable to me, although I’m not sure if that changed because the dialog really improved or if my initial problems were simply part of the process of starting a new book. One thing that was well done from the very beginning was the creation of atmosphere. The author never just spells out the fact that there is both rising fear and fanaticism lurking beneath the surface of German society, but little events do a lot to convey that impression. It was both very cool and very creepy to get a feel for what that time might have been like.
The other strong point of this book was the author’s ability to build an awesome story so tightly tied to historical events and speculation that it very nearly could have happened. The use of real people for even some of the more minor characters appealed to me a lot. It made the book more exciting and believable to google the names of even minor characters and find out they were real! I also liked how much information was available at the end of the book, explaining which characters were real and which just modeled on real people, as well as identifying plot elements based on speculation by historians.
There were just two things which I think kept this from being up there with Tom Clancy novels for me. First, while the action scenes were incredible without being over the top, there were some lulls which made the plot drag a little. And second, I didn’t think the information everyone was trying to get their hands on was all it was cracked up to be. After the build up, learning the contents of the dossier seemed like kind of a let down. As a result, all of the attempts to control the contents felt less urgent. Finally, I think it’s worth mentioning that this was at times a pretty violent book. The violence was never described graphically, but it was still quite brutal and was just this side of being too much for me.
My knowledge of the psychology of serial killers is limited to the probably inaccurate information I’ve learned from TV shows. However, given what I kMy knowledge of the psychology of serial killers is limited to the probably inaccurate information I’ve learned from TV shows. However, given what I know, I felt the author did a creepily good job of capturing Dexter’s feeling of anticipation, need to kill, and satisfaction at doing so. He also did an impressive but even more creepy job of making Dexter likeable. In fact, while I enjoyed these books, being asked to empathize with a guy who, oh by the way, cuts people up while they’re still alive (!) was just too weird for me. I don’t think I’ll be reading any more of the series.
If you like thrillers though, I’d check this out. The author does a great job giving just enough details to make you imagine terrible things. This made the book readable for even someone with my aversion to gore without losing any impact. I liked the authors dark sense of humor and did enjoy Dexter’s morally ambiguous character. If you like being creeped out more than I do, this book might be just what you’re looking for.
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