32 - Sea of Poppies, by Amitav Ghosh
WHY I PICKED IT: Recommended by my friend Wendy
ELAPSED TIME: 5 Days
RATING: REQUIRED READING
Wow! This story is engaging. Multiple interlinked stories - The widowed opium farmer. The bankrupt raja. The white orphan girl whose parents died in India, and her "brother," the orphan son of her wet nurse. The carpenter turned sailor. All aboard an old slaving ship.
Amitav Ghosh's tale is gripping and engaging. The backdrop is realistic and troublesome (a believable picture of India during Colonialism and the Opium Wars), and all of the characters have depth (albeit, without flaws), and you want to root for each of them.
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, September 18, 2013
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
2013-31 - Outliers, by Malcolm Gladwell
31 - Outliers, by Malcolm Gladwell
WHY I PICKED IT: Recommended by my friend Emily
ELAPSED TIME: 3 Days
RATING: Very Good
This is a really interesting read. Gladwell tries to show that success is more than a product of intelligence and ambition. Hard work and passion are key components, but so are culture, timing, and opportunity.
Timing - Being born early in the cutoff is a benefit that carries forward in both athletics and academics. 5 year olds who are born in January are more likely to be considered advanced than those born in December (either as hockey players or as students)... and are more likely to get advanced coaching or advanced placement - resulting in added coaching and support that gives them an even greater advantage.
Hard Work - A lot of studies show that talent and innate ability are actually hurdles rather than on a continuum. Once you have enough talent (IQ or athletic ability), it's actually a tonne of hard work that gets you from Good to Great... about 10,000 hours seems to be the magic number.
Would recommend this book to parents, as there is a lot in here that is relevant to positioning your kids for success.
WHY I PICKED IT: Recommended by my friend Emily
ELAPSED TIME: 3 Days
RATING: Very Good
This is a really interesting read. Gladwell tries to show that success is more than a product of intelligence and ambition. Hard work and passion are key components, but so are culture, timing, and opportunity.
Timing - Being born early in the cutoff is a benefit that carries forward in both athletics and academics. 5 year olds who are born in January are more likely to be considered advanced than those born in December (either as hockey players or as students)... and are more likely to get advanced coaching or advanced placement - resulting in added coaching and support that gives them an even greater advantage.
Hard Work - A lot of studies show that talent and innate ability are actually hurdles rather than on a continuum. Once you have enough talent (IQ or athletic ability), it's actually a tonne of hard work that gets you from Good to Great... about 10,000 hours seems to be the magic number.
Would recommend this book to parents, as there is a lot in here that is relevant to positioning your kids for success.
Sunday, September 8, 2013
2013-30 - The Ocean at the End of the Lane, by Neil Gaiman
30 - The Ocean at the End of the Lane, by Neil Gaiman
WHY I PICKED IT: Recommended by a saleslady in the book store
ELAPSED TIME: 2 Days
RATING: Meh
A middle aged man comes to his childhood home for a funeral, and visits the house of a friend who lived down the lane. What follows is his memory of an adventure they shared (involving other worlds and something that is not quite magic).
I finished this feeling the same as I do when I finish a book by Murakami: A bit confused. The difference is that with Haruki Murakami, I enjoy the book a bit more. This is not a bad read, but I wouldn't recommend this book because there are much better books out there.
WHY I PICKED IT: Recommended by a saleslady in the book store
ELAPSED TIME: 2 Days
RATING: Meh
A middle aged man comes to his childhood home for a funeral, and visits the house of a friend who lived down the lane. What follows is his memory of an adventure they shared (involving other worlds and something that is not quite magic).
I finished this feeling the same as I do when I finish a book by Murakami: A bit confused. The difference is that with Haruki Murakami, I enjoy the book a bit more. This is not a bad read, but I wouldn't recommend this book because there are much better books out there.
Sunday, September 1, 2013
2013-29 - Everybody has Everything, by Katrina Onstad
29 - Everybody has Everything, by Katrina Onstad
WHY I PICKED IT: Saw it in a book store
ELAPSED TIME: 3 Days
RATING: Good
Ana and James have a quiet marriage. Unable to have kids, and with a plodding marriage, they live their lives... until their friend Marcus dies and Sarah is in a coma... and 2-year-old Finn is thrust into their lives.
This book is an honest study in their emotional and professional failings. Too honest perhaps, redeemed with the warmth of the ending.
A decent read, perhaps, but many better books out there.
WHY I PICKED IT: Saw it in a book store
ELAPSED TIME: 3 Days
RATING: Good
Ana and James have a quiet marriage. Unable to have kids, and with a plodding marriage, they live their lives... until their friend Marcus dies and Sarah is in a coma... and 2-year-old Finn is thrust into their lives.
This book is an honest study in their emotional and professional failings. Too honest perhaps, redeemed with the warmth of the ending.
A decent read, perhaps, but many better books out there.
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
2013-XX - I Know This Much Is True, by Wally Lamb
XX - I Know This Much Is True, by Wally Lamb
WHY I PICKED IT: Recommended by my friend Sherri
ELAPSED TIME: 2 Days
RATING: Not Good.
I know this much is true: 2 days and 90 pages into this book, I am not invested enough in either brother enough to want to know what happens to them over the next 800 pages... but I did flip to the back and read the final two chapters to see how it ends :).
WHY I PICKED IT: Recommended by my friend Sherri
ELAPSED TIME: 2 Days
RATING: Not Good.
I know this much is true: 2 days and 90 pages into this book, I am not invested enough in either brother enough to want to know what happens to them over the next 800 pages... but I did flip to the back and read the final two chapters to see how it ends :).
Sunday, August 18, 2013
2013-28 - Lost in Shangri-La, by Mitchell Zuckoff
28 - Lost in Shangri-La, by Mitchell Zuckoff
WHY I PICKED IT: Recommended by my friend Sherri
ELAPSED TIME: 6 Days
RATING: Very Good
In mid-May 1945 a plane with 24 American service men and women crashed in a beautiful valley within Dutch New Guinea. Three survivors, badly injured, made it out. This, meticulously researched tale, is their story. Zuckoff interviewed those who contributed to getting them out, interviewed the indigenous population who were there, read US Army documents, diaries, and looked at photos and film footage to piece together the story of those who lost their lives, those who contributed to the survivor's return home, and of course, the story of the survivors.
This book was very very good. If you enjoy travel adventure, you must read Lost in Shangri-La.
WHY I PICKED IT: Recommended by my friend Sherri
ELAPSED TIME: 6 Days
RATING: Very Good
In mid-May 1945 a plane with 24 American service men and women crashed in a beautiful valley within Dutch New Guinea. Three survivors, badly injured, made it out. This, meticulously researched tale, is their story. Zuckoff interviewed those who contributed to getting them out, interviewed the indigenous population who were there, read US Army documents, diaries, and looked at photos and film footage to piece together the story of those who lost their lives, those who contributed to the survivor's return home, and of course, the story of the survivors.
This book was very very good. If you enjoy travel adventure, you must read Lost in Shangri-La.
Wednesday, August 7, 2013
2013-27 - Americanah, by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
27 - Americanah, by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
WHY I PICKED IT: I read everything by Adichie
ELAPSED TIME: 4 Days
RATING: REQUIRED READING
What can I say? Wow.
Ifemelu and Obinze fall in love while attending high school in Lagos, Nigeria. Ifemelu goes to the USA for university, and Obinze eventually works his way into England. They ultimately both return to Nigeria. This is their story.
This story gives insight into the black immigrant experience (where race and class collide), and into the middle class returner's experience (where fitting in either place is now a challenge)... but more than those, it is a love story of two smart and capable people who you can't help but love (warts and all).
I continue to be a HUGE fan of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Highly recommend.
WHY I PICKED IT: I read everything by Adichie
ELAPSED TIME: 4 Days
RATING: REQUIRED READING
What can I say? Wow.
Ifemelu and Obinze fall in love while attending high school in Lagos, Nigeria. Ifemelu goes to the USA for university, and Obinze eventually works his way into England. They ultimately both return to Nigeria. This is their story.
This story gives insight into the black immigrant experience (where race and class collide), and into the middle class returner's experience (where fitting in either place is now a challenge)... but more than those, it is a love story of two smart and capable people who you can't help but love (warts and all).
I continue to be a HUGE fan of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Highly recommend.
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