This book felt really long but it might just be because I read it for such an extended period of time because things kept getting in the way of actualThis book felt really long but it might just be because I read it for such an extended period of time because things kept getting in the way of actually sitting down and reading it. I had a hard time keep tracking of names and who was who because it talked about a lot of different people through out and because I kept putting it down for periods of time before I could pick it up again. I actually really enjoyed this however. I didn't really know much about the Russian Revolution, I know we actually learnt about it in school but I didn't pay attention so a lot this was new to me. I can't believe so much happened in a span of 17 years to be quite honest. It covered a lot of ground and I think its a good way to get overall context into what led up to the revolution. I kind of wish I knew more about Stalin coming out of this though and I feel like other things I've heard about Rasputin weren't mentioned so now I'm unsure how true any of those things were. I also want to know more about the Soviet Union itself before its collapse now so maybe I'll look into finding something on that front....more
I really enjoyed this actually, even though any collection of essays/stories tends to be uneven. I probably also enjoyed it more since it said a lot oI really enjoyed this actually, even though any collection of essays/stories tends to be uneven. I probably also enjoyed it more since it said a lot of things that I already agree with or thought to begin with. I tend to just like being reaffirmed in my view point, what can I say? I really didn't enjoy the essay on drugs and religion and spiritualism very much. I did enjoy the ones on feminism a little more, like the ones examining the way lodging any criticism at any woman becomes grounds for calls of sexism. I liked the undercurrents of the fragility of identity and the ideas about performing an identity that went hand in hand with the idea of commodification of the self. I enjoyed that there was context brought to each of the essays though maybe at times it felt a little excessive like other readers have mentioned in their review (lots of excerpts from books, the list of items of Amazon almost made me put the book down). Personally liked it but I think if you go into this expecting some kind of new hot take on things then you'll be disappointed. It does cover a lot of the things people have already talked about and especially talks a lot about this current cultural moment so I do think there's a limitation to new things that can be said....more
Definitely much more bearable to read than Capital itself, most likely because it's at least 700 pages shorter. I really like the way that it covered Definitely much more bearable to read than Capital itself, most likely because it's at least 700 pages shorter. I really like the way that it covered volumes II and III as well, mostly because I was hoping not to read them after trudging through volume I. To be fair volume I is the longest so it might have been so bad to read the other two as well. Anyways this was a good overview of Marx that covered a lot of his writing while also expanding on it and tying it back into the modern political situation. I enjoyed it and it did give me some things to think about like the function of credit and it's intertwined nature with exponential growth. Things I've heard talk about and had feelings toward that were formally written out in a more cogent way that really allows me to articulate my own opinion on the situation in a more coherent fashion. Might check out David Harvey's other books in the future as well since this was pretty accessible. ...more
I'm not sure this needed to be a whole book honestly. Like the book says, private prisons are the minority of prisons and I'm not sure they deserve suI'm not sure this needed to be a whole book honestly. Like the book says, private prisons are the minority of prisons and I'm not sure they deserve such disproportionate amounts of attention (I don't mean the attention towards them from this book but rather in a larger general sense). I personally am sympathetic to the moral arguments against private prisons outlined through out the book, especially about the prison's profit motives that are tied with keeping incarceration rates high. I do think for those people who like hearing both sides of the argument this book will provide that. I personally think at this point I have my own set opinions about prison and incarceration, built from knowing a lot already about the things in this book, and so I didn't get much out of this. This probably would be a better read for someone trying to learn more about private prisons and the dynamics/politics around them....more
I really am glad I finally got around to reading this. The book examines the history of the feminist movement in the United States with an eye towardsI really am glad I finally got around to reading this. The book examines the history of the feminist movement in the United States with an eye towards the ways in which the movement fell short on meeting the needs of women who had other marginalized identities. I personally knew some of this history but not all and as Davis mentions it's crucial to grapple with the historic actions of movements when trying to address why certain people choose not to engage in those movements. I also think most people don't have a good understanding of what intersectionality means necessarily and have a tendency to reduce it down to being about who is "more oppressed". I think the book could do a good job of helping one develop a more nuanced understanding of intersectionality as the ways in which different identities intersect to create differing needs and experiences, which need to be addressed individually. This was 4.5 stars for me and I would totally recommend it to others who want to learn more about feminism or those trying to cultivate a better political analysis around women's liberation and the way it intersects with other movements....more
This was so good, between this and Bad Blood I feel like I'm really getting into books about investigative reporting. Like a lot of times it feels preThis was so good, between this and Bad Blood I feel like I'm really getting into books about investigative reporting. Like a lot of times it feels pretty overwhelming trying to keep up with the news and read reporting regularly but this really allows for a more accessible way to know find out about those same stories. I also really enjoy getting more detail and break down about the process of covering these stories, and I think that was especially important here because of the implications of NBC trying to sit on the story and its broader tie back into the constant concealing of these stories. Also Ronan Farrow is just really likable and I really enjoyed the transparency about his own experiences with his sister and they way he had initially asked her to stop speaking about it and how it eventually played into his own reporting on the issue. Totally enjoyed this and would recommend it to anyone. Also if anyone has recommendations for other investigative reporting books, I would love to get them. ...more
I just couldn't get into this at all, even though other people did seem to enjoy it. It was probably not that bad but it felt like someone had pitchedI just couldn't get into this at all, even though other people did seem to enjoy it. It was probably not that bad but it felt like someone had pitched this as a TV show and no one bought it so they just wrote a book instead. Each chapter is called an episode. It also felt childish and cliched to me. It just felt like an amalgamation of every supernatural book/tv show I've seen but lacked any depth character wise or plot wise. I didn't feel attached or invested in any of the characters and didn't get into the storyline. I just felt the whole time I was reading this bored and wanting to finish it and get it over with. This one just wasn't for me. ...more
My first reaction upon finishing this book is no. I didn't know what it was about, so I just kept reading and trying to decipher what was going on theMy first reaction upon finishing this book is no. I didn't know what it was about, so I just kept reading and trying to decipher what was going on the whole time. I got very annoyed by the choppy writing and the vagueness. It does become clear that it's about a women who recently gives birth in a world where things are unstable, but the instability is also itself vague, at points there's reference to war, though there are some things that allude to the environmental crisis/flooding that I just read about in the summary. The premise itself is an interesting one actually, and I would be down to read a novel about surviving in a world with marked instability while just having given birth and trying to deal with a new born. I think the writing style just threw me here, it felt annoying and it didn't really make me form any attachments to the characters so the whole time I was just like waiting to finish the book. Also what was the purpose of using the first initial instead of names? Like it just made it more detached. I'm sure an argument could be made for the writing style being a way to set a certain tone and capture the feeling of discombobulation around living in a world filled with sudden instability and of new motherhood. If that is what the author was trying to do though I don't think it was done very well....more
I felt kind of slow last night so I didn't want to keep reading my nonfiction book and I started this instead. I think though that was a slight mistakI felt kind of slow last night so I didn't want to keep reading my nonfiction book and I started this instead. I think though that was a slight mistake because I did feel like I missed things when reading this and went back a few times to reread sentences. I'm mentioning that to say I really liked how well written it felt and the writing style itself was really appealing to me. I like when writing is a little vague and disconnected, I really enjoy the stream of consciousness type of narration when its done well a lot.
The premise of the book was also really unique and the book did a really good job keep me engaged. (view spoiler)[I was kind of bummed we never find out what happens to the main character though and I'm not sure how I felt about that ending. I know it's supposed to imply that things eventually became more normal over time but it was hard to know. I might also have felt that way because like I said I was kind of slow last night and had trouble concentrating. I do think it was a good choice to never tell us the name of the main character though, that really went well with the tone of the book. (hide spoiler)] All in all I really enjoyed this one, this was 4.5 stars for me....more
Another one of the books from that back log I have on netgalley, I swear I'll finish them all one day. I actually haven't read Shakespeare's Antony anAnother one of the books from that back log I have on netgalley, I swear I'll finish them all one day. I actually haven't read Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra, not sure why I requested this book to be quite honest, probably because I liked the cover and just assumed it was actually about Cleopatra. This was really good though and it reminded me of how much I actually like classical literature or things that are considered canon when I get to consume them in a setting that gives me context about what to be looking for. Like I really have a preference for things that come with forwards or annotations I'm coming to realize because I've never had the patience for taking classes but I do want to understand what it is about certain literature that makes people hold it in such high esteem. I think this does a good job of explaining why someone would enjoy the play, walking us through specific parts of it with explanations of theme and then contrasting it with other plays Shakespeare wrote. Almost makes me want to read the play itself. I wonder if Bloom actually annotates the plays themselves and if so I think I'd want to read that. I'm going to go look into it. I enjoyed this though, even without having read the play, and I'm sure it serves as a good complement to reading the play if youre someone like me and can't ever come to the understanding of these overarching themes on your own while reading older literature because the whole time you're like wow isn't this boring. ...more
What does one say when one loves a book except that they loved it? I just read this in one sitting and spent all day reading it. I couldn't put it dowWhat does one say when one loves a book except that they loved it? I just read this in one sitting and spent all day reading it. I couldn't put it down. Actually though it was funny because at first I had thought this was fiction, but then I was reading it and I'm like no this is non fiction. I ask my boyfriend if he had heard of the band and he's like no what are you talking about and then later I was looking it up and I found out that no the book is actually just fiction and then I felt like an idiot and I don't know why I was feel emotional today so I just started crying that the book tricked me and my boyfriend was just like what. That's really all I have to share about this. I really enjoyed reading this, would totally recommend it. The pacing and build up was really good honestly and it kept me engaged the whole time. Definitely one of the best things I've read this year, but it's also only January, and like I said I'm also really emotional today, probably because I have a cold and took tons of cold meds, so not sure how reliable an opinion this is.
** Update now that I'm not on meds and everything isn't making me super emotional: I want to stand by what I wrote yesterday. I really enjoyed the book. I think the complexity of the characters, the relationship dynamics and the portrayal of love is what really appealed to me. Just wanted to say that now that I have a renewed ability to be articulate. I also thought the transcript/interview format worked really well for the book and I think that can be hard to pull off. But yeah still good, totally would recommend....more
I think this was really good, and even better than The Emperor of All Maladies which I just read recently as well. I might have enjoyed this one more I think this was really good, and even better than The Emperor of All Maladies which I just read recently as well. I might have enjoyed this one more because it's relevant to my current day to day thing though. I really liked the way it ties in the personal elements of genetics through out the book and how it acknowledges really important questions of what we actually deem normal and healthy. I feel like a lot of times there isn't as much acknowledgement of the tradeoffs made when trying to eliminate genetic variants that in this current environment are maladaptive or considered pathological but may confer other advantages in a different environment. Also I think there isn't as much acknowledgement that we don't know enough to even say if a specific variant is abnormal, in the colloquial sense, and what the downstream effects might be to eliminating that specific variant. I think Mukherjee did a great job reckoning with that here. I also just really like have historical context and things explained to me accessibly but in a thorough fashion. This was really great, definitely going to end up being one of the better books I read this year. ...more
I feel like this book really exemplifies what I want from a science book written for a mass audience. It made everything really accessible and easy toI feel like this book really exemplifies what I want from a science book written for a mass audience. It made everything really accessible and easy to understand without sacrificing on providing details or explanations. It provides a lot of citations so I can go look up the specific research papers and experiments mentioned that are of most interest to me, which I did. It also just connected research to larger ideas and theories for why things work the way they do. I think the whole point of science and the interest in it has to do with its ability to provide insight and answers into the why of things, at least for me. I also think Yong was really good about explaining the limitations of the research while also making the reader excited about where things could potentially go. Like I think it can be quite hard to straddle that line between talking about the exciting potential of something while also being clear that it might not go anywhere and that there's a lot of complexity and limitation in science. Also he mentioned one of my favorite books of all time, The Vital Question: Energy, Evolution, and the Origins of Complex Life, at the beginning so that automatically made me like the author a lot more. Anyways I really enjoyed this, I know I've been reading a lot of non-fiction so far this year, and this has definitely been one of the best ones so fat this year....more
I think this is a really good and accessible book about cancer that traces the history of our understanding of it. I'm not sure if it qualifies as a bI think this is a really good and accessible book about cancer that traces the history of our understanding of it. I'm not sure if it qualifies as a biography of cancer per se and I only mentioned this because I kind of feel ambivalent about the anthropomorphizing of cancer through out the book. I feel like it wasn't really even anthropomorphizing really, especially not when compared to the way a lot of biologist speak of things like genes, but more metaphorical and a way of relating cancer to a larger cultural feeling and tone. I just found Mukherjee's attention to etymology and to larger metaphorical meaning in terms of the language used and the approach taken to treating cancer a really salient part of this book. I haven't decided how I feel about it though, whether I liked it or not. I enjoyed reading this though and found it really informative. I can see why everyone was recommending it. ...more
Honestly what the hell man, I thought I was picking up a book by a Nobel Laureate about their biology research but instead what I got was a book writtHonestly what the hell man, I thought I was picking up a book by a Nobel Laureate about their biology research but instead what I got was a book written by some health psychologist pushing the latest advice on being healthy that I'd already heard. I feel like yeah maybe I should have anticipated it somewhat from the title and branding but it also feels disingenuous to it say it's by the Nobel prize winning biologist. Or even to list that biologist first when listing the authors.
I also feel like it's quite pathetic how bad a job this book does at justifying why one should aim to have longer telomeres as a goal. Like just a while ago I read Lifespan by David Sinclair and then complained how it wasn't focusing enough on the science and this was just so much worse. The author mentions confounding variables at a point, but seems to neglect the fact that longer telomeres being correlated or useful for predicting certain good health outcomes doesn't indict a casual relationship. There's like zero effort even made to at least offer up a plausible theory of the underlying dynamics that cause shorter telomeres to lead to the signs of again. At least Sinclair proposed a clear theory for aging and then made a cohesive argument for it.
This felt like an attempt to repackage advice, much of which is evidence based, in some unified fashion by making nebulous links to their correlation to longer telomeres, but without any justification for why it should matter that that link exists. It feels like an exercise in branding to create some wellness program with the veneer of science but without doing the work of creating any explanations for why things work a certain way. Also she named drop Deepak Chopra and that's just going to be a hard no from me.
All I wanted was a book about science and instead I got some god damn therapy, and if I had wanted therapy, I wouldn't have stopped going to therapy. I want to be like someone please teach psychologists how statistics work, but there was enough hedging in the book that makes me feel like she knows the limitations of the studies and science, which makes it feel like this is an attempt to build a brand (and sell book) more than an attempt to do science education about the current state of telomere research....more
This was a really interesting book about how religion emerged or formed through human history. It presented a few theories for the emergence of religiThis was a really interesting book about how religion emerged or formed through human history. It presented a few theories for the emergence of religion and the universal presence of religion in human societies. The thing though is that a lot of these ideas the author says aren't sound but then he doesn't make convincing case for why not. I think the cognitive biases are more than enough to explain the emergence of religion, regardless of if you are or are not religious, but he kind of brushes off them being the sole explanation without justifying why in a convincing manner. Also not sure if this is on the author but I also don't get how the things highlighted as paradoxes are actually contradictory? Like I've heard of the "contradictions" and issues with theology before outside of this book and it has never made sense to me honestly. Why cant god exist as one supernatural being and Jesus still be divine or like if Allah is unique and unknowable and omnipotent why can't he still give rise to the world. I'm not even religious but like I don't get what about those things are like causing an issue in people's minds. It seems like something you can easily accept as being true. Also that ending just didn't feel well written or like it wrapped up the book in a satisfactory way. I do think the book was interesting and I learnt a lot, I just wish the author had done more to justify his assertions through out it. ...more
I actually don't know how I felt about this, I did like the ideas and the broad themes covered through out. I personally align with Galeano's politicsI actually don't know how I felt about this, I did like the ideas and the broad themes covered through out. I personally align with Galeano's politics and am sympathetic to critiques of imperialism as well as the labor movement so that really appealed to me. I liked the metaphorical nature of a lot of what was being talked about. I enjoyed the sparse writing style and the way in which it alluded to other deeper meanings, or left one with a feeling or captured a certain state of mind. Not sure how I felt about how fragmented and scattered it felt though to have such small, self contained units of writing that seemed to flow into one another, even though they all were connected by certain themes and ideas and similar ones were placed together. I'm going to say this was 3.5 stars.
I didn't know about Galeano though and I do want to say that I really want to read Open Veins of Latin America at some point now though. It feels like the kind of thing that I would enjoy....more
When I started this book it didn't appeal to me right away. I kind of felt skeptical about buying into the premise at first. It grew on me though, I tWhen I started this book it didn't appeal to me right away. I kind of felt skeptical about buying into the premise at first. It grew on me though, I think mostly because of what felt like very realistic and understandable reactions from the other characters in the book. The beginning also felt somewhat disjointed and I remember feeling annoyed about it and how all of it fit together. Lang did a pretty good job bringing it all back together in the end though. I also felt like it was weird at points how even when we were reading something from a child's perspective that it felt oddly mature and adult like, especially with Roarke but that's not really the author's fault because it is being told as if the events took place in the past and are being told to us by an older adult person. I still found it weird though at times. This was good though, it managed to balance magic realism by the end in a way that let me suspend disbelief and it was a fell good story that didn't feel too saccharine. This one was four stars for me. ...more
This book traces the origins of coffee, or what we know of the origins of coffee, and then covers current cultivation of coffee and the need for findiThis book traces the origins of coffee, or what we know of the origins of coffee, and then covers current cultivation of coffee and the need for finding a more genetically diverse coffee plant. The coffee plant seems to have the same issue that other monocrops do, where its uniformness leads it vulnerable to being wiped out by disease. I actually did think coffee originated in the middle east, having heard it's roasting and drinking be credited to Sufis, so learning of it's origins in Ethiopia was cool. The books was interesting but also I got bored a lot because I like drinking coffee but I don't care enough to think that deeply about. Like it seems ridiculous to me when people talk about the tones of coffee and wine and the fruit flavors etc etc, I just kind of feel like they're full of shit. The book was okay though, and I'm sure someone who loves coffee, and thinks about coffee a lot might enjoy it a lot. I just think it felt like a little much for me, and I guess I just didn't anticipate how bored I would get reading a book thats just 200+ pages about coffee. ...more
This was actually really good. The book does a really good job outlining arguments against our current system and providing solutions as well as clearThis was actually really good. The book does a really good job outlining arguments against our current system and providing solutions as well as clear actions everyone can take. It was really well organized and structured so that one could just read the parts they thought most relevant. I also think it was really accessible and broke down a lot of information in a way that made them easy to understand, and explained a lot of terms that I would probably have had to look up. Would definitely recommend this to someone interested in access to medication and the prices of drugs, especially people interested in learning more about solutions and what they can do individually. ...more
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