16 - The Street Lawyer, by John Grisham
WHY I PICKED IT: Wanted something quick and light
ELAPSED TIME: 3 days
RATING:Good
The 12th in my library of John Grisham, this book doesn't disappoint. A quick and easy story that follows Grisham's standard story... good lawyer navigates his case against a big bad firm. If you like Grisham, you'll like this book. It's not his best work, but it is quick and light.
This blog is a simple review of every book that I read... For all books I’ll tell you why I picked it, how long it took me to read it, and give it a rating (burn it, not good, meh, good, very good, and required reading). I ask (encourage?) all readers of my blog to post their thoughts of any of the books in my comments :). Thanks!
Wednesday, July 30, 2014
Saturday, July 26, 2014
2014-15 - The Secret Language of Doctors, by Dr. Brian Goldman
15 - The Secret Language of Doctors, by Dr. Brian Goldman
WHY I PICKED IT: Met him at the Fail Forward Conference
ELAPSED TIME: 2 weeks
RATING: Meh
I'm counting this book as complete, despite getting through only 230 of it's 340 pages. Goldman shares the slang that hospitals use to convey information quickly between people. In it, he shows that the slang is a necessary component of communication, but also the biases and failures of the system to retain its humanity.
The challenge that I have with the book is that half way through he seems to stop conveying how language is the factor (the interesting component) and has entire chapters dedicated to single terms ("frequent flyers" are definitely a drain on the system, and there are systemic issues in the health care industry that enable the continuance of them, but I learned one concept in 20 pages... got it, moving on).
WHY I PICKED IT: Met him at the Fail Forward Conference
ELAPSED TIME: 2 weeks
RATING: Meh
I'm counting this book as complete, despite getting through only 230 of it's 340 pages. Goldman shares the slang that hospitals use to convey information quickly between people. In it, he shows that the slang is a necessary component of communication, but also the biases and failures of the system to retain its humanity.
The challenge that I have with the book is that half way through he seems to stop conveying how language is the factor (the interesting component) and has entire chapters dedicated to single terms ("frequent flyers" are definitely a drain on the system, and there are systemic issues in the health care industry that enable the continuance of them, but I learned one concept in 20 pages... got it, moving on).
Sunday, July 20, 2014
2014-14 - The Love Affairs of Nathaniel P., by Adelle Waldman
14 - The Love Affairs of Nathaniel P., by Adelle Waldman
WHY I PICKED IT: Saw it in a book store and it seemed interesting
ELAPSED TIME: 3 days
RATING: Not Good
Nate is a smart guy. He broke out of his middle class upbringing and made it through Harvard and has (with work) started to make it as a writer. Nate is also a bit of a sexist prick. He finally breaks out of his mould and starts to date a woman who is his intellectual equal.
What follows is frustrating. He pulls away, he plays games, he acts like an ass... What the hell? Waldman writes well, but Nate is not a character whose life I would want to impose on anybody, and without any underlying value, why would you do it? This book is a portrait of an anti-feminist. It may be reasonably well written, but he's not a protagonist that I'd recommend.
WHY I PICKED IT: Saw it in a book store and it seemed interesting
ELAPSED TIME: 3 days
RATING: Not Good
Nate is a smart guy. He broke out of his middle class upbringing and made it through Harvard and has (with work) started to make it as a writer. Nate is also a bit of a sexist prick. He finally breaks out of his mould and starts to date a woman who is his intellectual equal.
What follows is frustrating. He pulls away, he plays games, he acts like an ass... What the hell? Waldman writes well, but Nate is not a character whose life I would want to impose on anybody, and without any underlying value, why would you do it? This book is a portrait of an anti-feminist. It may be reasonably well written, but he's not a protagonist that I'd recommend.
2014-XX - Worst. Person. Ever., by Douglas Coupland
XX - Worst. Person. Ever., by Douglas Coupland
WHY I PICKED IT: Coupland is generally quite great.
ELAPSED TIME: Weeks... and quit on page 74
RATING: Not Good
Wow. This book was terrible. I loved Coupland's early work almost without question. His last few, however, have been so bad that I think I may be done. Coupland is off the must-read list for me.
Raymond Gunt is an ass. A B-unit cameraman who is on a downward spiral... and his constant failures are supposed to be... Who the hell knows? I can tell you that I didn't even bother to read the last chapter to see if he turned it around. Rare is it a character that I am utterly disinterested in experiencing life in their shoes. Coupland's latest book is amongst the Worst. Books. Ever.
WHY I PICKED IT: Coupland is generally quite great.
ELAPSED TIME: Weeks... and quit on page 74
RATING: Not Good
Wow. This book was terrible. I loved Coupland's early work almost without question. His last few, however, have been so bad that I think I may be done. Coupland is off the must-read list for me.
Raymond Gunt is an ass. A B-unit cameraman who is on a downward spiral... and his constant failures are supposed to be... Who the hell knows? I can tell you that I didn't even bother to read the last chapter to see if he turned it around. Rare is it a character that I am utterly disinterested in experiencing life in their shoes. Coupland's latest book is amongst the Worst. Books. Ever.
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