Category: Writing

author: Laura Miller
name: Elaine
average rating: 3.74
book published: 2008
rating: 5
read at: 2009/07/30
date added: 2009/08/10
shelves: biography, fantasy, history, religion, writing
review:
Best book I’ve read in a long time. Re-examination of the Chronicles of Narnia by a woman about my age, who was in love with them as a child, then horrified to discover the Christian elements. Ranges all over through the books themselves, Lewis’s biography, the author’s own psychology, the Tolkien connection, and so on, and so on. Gave me a lot to think about from my own youthful readings of Narnia. (Over and over and over.) I think I discovered the Christian stuff about the same age that she did, but my reaction (initially) was quite different. Mom bought me a glossary (?) of Narnia, and I was fascinated trying to work out the symbolism, like a puzzle. Not that I was especially converted (that’s a long story), but I liked the idea of a story inside the story. Also greatly appreciated the little quotes; had forgotten how lovely Lewis’s writing could be.

author: Frank Partnoy
name: Elaine
average rating: 3.49
book published: 2009
rating: 4
read at: 2009/07/20
date added: 2009/08/10
shelves: biography, economics, history, non-fiction, politics
review:
Fascinating, a great follow-up to Lords of Finance. The intro & jacket mentioned Madoff several times, I assume because that’s what’s in the news, but the story reminds me much more of Enron. There were real products & businesses in there, but everything went wrong because people — in this case Kreuger — wanted to get fancy. Engaging telling of a amazing story.

author: John R. Gribbin
name: Elaine
average rating: 3.33
book published: 2005
rating: 2
read at: 2009/07/15
date added: 2009/08/10
shelves: biography, history, non-fiction, religion, science
review:
I’m fascinated by this era, the transition from magic to science, but this particular book just didn’t hold my interest. Had it recommended in relation to Stephenson’s series set in the same era, found myself wanting to re-read his books instead.

author: Michael Shermer
name: Elaine
average rating: 3.93
book published: 1997
rating: 3
read at: 2009/07/13
date added: 2009/07/20
shelves: non-fiction, psychology, science, sociology
review:
It had to go back to the library before I finished, but that was okay by me. To be honest, nothing new to someone who reads a lot of science-type blogs. I dunno, it just didn’t grab me, although I enjoyed it while I was actually reading.

author: Liaquat Ahamed
name: Elaine
average rating: 3.93
book published: 2009
rating: 4
read at: 2009/07/12
date added: 2009/07/14
shelves: economics, health, non-fiction
review:
The story of international finance between the Wars, told through the stories of the central bankers of the US, Britain, France, and Germany. A bit like the slowest-mo disaster story ever, as the world financial system lurches from one mess to another.

I think I understand a bit more about monetary policy and the gold standard, although I think I might’ve gotten more out of the book if I’d known more ahead of time.

Full of detail about these 4 guys, plus the entire social and political world they moved in.

Honestly? A bit too much detail, almost to the point of weighing it down, and some of it told with a heavy hand and in caricature. It’s a freaking doorstop, and could’ve been just as good w/out being so huge.

Still, I’m glad I read it, and in these crazy times, it’s well worth the time.

author: Walter Jon Williams
name: Elaine
average rating: 3.72
book published: 2009
rating: 5
read at: 2009/07/14
date added: 2009/07/14
shelves: fiction, sci-fi
review:
I’ve never been into fiction about ARGs (alternative reality games) or indeed the games themselves. I blame Michael Douglas, my least favorite actor ever.

But I’ve liked Williams’ other books, particularly Metropolitan, so I gave it a shot. C read it before I did, and was quite enthusiastic, too.

Having just finished, I find myself melancholy. The story ends on that sort of note, and as with the whole book, I found myself carried along the emotions of the narrative.

As a longtime MetaFilter member, I love the enthusiasm of the game group’s "hive mind", and it feels realistic to the genuine article. He doesn’t glorify or mock the game players.

The twists & turns are delightfully twisty and turny, but not so much that the final twist feels forced. In fact, it has that delightful (?!) sense of "getting it" just before the protagonist figures everything out.

I loved it. Even stayed up too late AND went over on my lunch break because I got completely and totally absorbed. If I had more thumbs, they’d all be up.

author: Gary L. Reback
name: Elaine
average rating: 3.67
book published: 2009
rating: 3
read at: 2009/07/02
date added: 2009/07/10
shelves: business, economics, history, legal, non-fiction, politics, technology
review:
A review/history of anti-trust law in the information age, how the laxity in antitrust law enforcement in the last 20th/early 21st century has coincided with the rise of software companies and the consequences. Reading about Microsoft in particular was like watching a slo-mo car crash. It’s interesting — I followed that for a while starting in about ’97 or so, but this had lots more detail that I either didn’t know or had forgotten.

More fascinating for me was reading about the consolidation in legal publishing companies, because it was entirely new to me, and a good illustration of the issues involved with information-based antitrust law.

A little slow/dry in spots, but generally a good book.

author: Sonja Lyubomirsky
name: Elaine
average rating: 3.76
book published: 2007
rating: 5
read at: 2009/06/25
date added: 2009/06/29
shelves: non-fiction, psychology, science, self-help, wishlist
review:
Fantastic book on positive psychology. In the vein of my favorite self-help type books, a good mix of science and hands-on. The thing I found most clever and useful was the quiz to determine which types of happiness-building activities would be the best fit. I wasn’t super-surprised by the outcomes for me (savoring life, increasing flow experiences, building optimism, practicing gratitude), but it did help me narrow down what to look like and what to try. I think it could be easy to be overwhelmed otherwise. Already I’ve found it to help my day to day enjoyment of life, even without working on the specific exercises/activities.

author: Laurie Helgoe
name: Elaine
average rating: 3.62
book published: 2008
rating: 3
read at: 2009/06/20
date added: 2009/06/23
shelves: non-fiction, psychology, self-help
review:
Kinda on the cheesy self-help side, and I didn’t finish because it had to go back to the library. On the other hand, I got some useful tips for attending to my introverted self. (When I take those Myers-Briggs tests, I pretty much always score all the way over on the I side.) Mainly, how not to apologize and how to pay attention to my energy levels.

author: Paula Uruburu
name: Elaine
average rating: 3.51
book published: 2008
rating: 2
read at: 2009/06/20
date added: 2009/06/23
shelves: biography, history, non-fiction
review:
As a few other reviewers have said, I really wanted to like this book. The story on its own is incredibly compelling, and for me was worth putting up with the author’s somewhat gaudy style. I’m of two minds about the style — it’s often cloying, but at the same time, it feels right to the period. It is, after all, a quintessential late Victorian era melodrama from start (almost) to finish. Honestly, I think it’d make a great movie in the hands of the right director.

Also, the photographs were stunning: Evelyn Nesbit was an amazingly beautiful young woman.