Found it disappointing even with a fairly good plot as the book stops mid-way without any major resolution. Too artificial a creating of two books froFound it disappointing even with a fairly good plot as the book stops mid-way without any major resolution. Too artificial a creating of two books from one plot....more
The book is so typical that even the so called twist could be seen from the start. Utterly illogical plot and fully predictable progress take away whaThe book is so typical that even the so called twist could be seen from the start. Utterly illogical plot and fully predictable progress take away whatever positives it has from a mildly interesting backdrop....more
This is about the best book on financial crises in a long time. This book does not talk about the history of past financial turmoils in the smooth, stThis is about the best book on financial crises in a long time. This book does not talk about the history of past financial turmoils in the smooth, story-telling ways of Kindleberger. It certainly does not have a Talebian harangue on what is wrong with almost everyone who has been positively referenced in history books of the world. The discourse on individual episodes of economic or financial events is nearly non-existent and the book does not try to pass judgement on any individuals even remotely.
Rather, it is exactly the opposite - it inundates you with data and equations. People who are not used to reading financial market journals are likely to be completely put off but this is about the book of the era. And more. The book is the first effort I have seen that equates different types of crises, starting from debt to stocks to banking to currencies etc and their similar origins, consequences and most importantly their inevitable serialization (ie, just by solving one set of problems with quick fix measures, one is normally creating another, bigger one).
The book does not go far enough in either critically holding any variables more responsible (say excessive debt) nor offers almost any suggestions but in a way that's the best thing about it. Almost a fatalistic conclusion that you can not really avoid these human-made, market-related disasters every now and then....more
An absolutely gem of a book. The seven stories are as different as they come and evoke strong but vastly different emotions.
Most of the stories are wAn absolutely gem of a book. The seven stories are as different as they come and evoke strong but vastly different emotions.
Most of the stories are without any unpredictable twists, and that somehow proves to be the strongest aspect of the book. Essentially, the stories are not there to surprise but to live the interesting lives of simple people from countryside.
In almost all the stories, characters are well-developed. It is an amazing feat to not only finish the complex stories with multiple characters in a few pages but making readers fall in love with even the most crooked of the figures portrayed.
Difficult to pick the best but except for Quiet Haven, I think all the others are almost as good and very good....more
The authors have an extremely engaging way of narrating tales. There are unknown micro-trends in almost everything in life, not just in prostitution, The authors have an extremely engaging way of narrating tales. There are unknown micro-trends in almost everything in life, not just in prostitution, terrorism, drunken driving, hand washing or tens of other topics addressed in this book. The authors have the great ability to create interesting, critically important sounding stories out of them. And somehow stretching them to prove that some or the other popular notions are wrong. But all in all, these things stay as anecdotes without any unifying theme or lesson except possibly that all our generally believed notions could be wrong.
Overall, an engaging read while you are going through it but perhaps that's about it....more
Interesting while one is reading the book but on the whole not so meaningful.
Yes, a few guys foresaw the big crisis that with hindsight so many smartInteresting while one is reading the book but on the whole not so meaningful.
Yes, a few guys foresaw the big crisis that with hindsight so many smart guys missed. These guys had some big bets on and won big time too, but weren't they lucky?
Their trades would not have allowed them to perhaps exist if the inevitable crisis had broken out a couple of years later or the winners could have been some other folks if the blowup had happened earlier.
This is the point missed by many - many, many more than just a handful of monetary or popularity winners knew something was going to give eventually years back but the form and more importantly timing were impossible to forecast.
All that said, an interesting and fluid read. Certainly not path-breaking like Liar's Poker but provides an entertaining snapshot of 2008 events. Also better than most other books of the era and good in not dwelling too much on policymakers....more
More an account of what happened in the crazy period of Aug-07 to early 2009. Given that the book was written so soon after the events, there is littlMore an account of what happened in the crazy period of Aug-07 to early 2009. Given that the book was written so soon after the events, there is little on the consequences of many actions. Reads more like description of events and how various players behaved rather than any account of what led to these events and what happened later. Good book for those who plan to research on the topic further or for those who were far away focussing on some other things during these events....more
At the end of the day, any GUT is going to be some sort of a mathematical construct. Trying to verbally explain it is always going to be messy. Still,At the end of the day, any GUT is going to be some sort of a mathematical construct. Trying to verbally explain it is always going to be messy. Still, the author does a great job explaining post-relativity cosmic world. That said, one can buy more dimensions and even multiple universes with their own scientific laws/realities but it is more difficult to accept alternative quantum universes than even the most illogical of religious theories (why - there should be googleplex or so new possibilities every tiny fraction of time!). As such, the more one goes through some of these ideas, the more one feels that there has to be something deeper to quantum science meaning that we have not even remotely learnt (does not have to be probabilistic when we really get it!). All that said, a great book.
After the second read:
Prof Kaku’s Parallel Worlds was likely a far better book when published. Its value has diminished significantly more than a decade hence.
The book remains a great place to get a well-articulated, excellent overview of the cosmology. Unlike what one encounters in many other books, the author does not get enamoured with the extraordinary features of relativity, quantum physics, string theories or their inventors. Rather, the focus is steadfastly on narrating the creation (at least in early and the best parts of the book), and particularly on the inflationary phase. The author does a far better than job than almost anyone this reviewer has read in convincing why inflation not only accounts for a lot of galactic structure we see today but also provides a good base to believe in multiverse theories. It introduces relevant parts of all modern physics theories and their inventors only as needed. The structure helps the author hold the reader interest and seamlessly progress towards the more exotic concepts including multiverse and the higher dimensions.
That said, the book suddenly loses the excellent plot somewhere in the middle. Discussions partly turn to highly speculative scientific notions like wormhole travel, partly to metaphysical aspects of creation, partly to then-current global projects and partly to where science and societies may move in coming thousands and billion years (and other advanced civilizations). In some, the discussions are dated. In some others, they are too brief. In some others, they are naive. And in some others, they are just fantastical and incredible in the way presented. Yes, one does learn along the way, but not necessarily as intended by the author....more
Extremely weak book even if it makes some relevant points here and there. The premise for most part is simple: most economies are local economies and Extremely weak book even if it makes some relevant points here and there. The premise for most part is simple: most economies are local economies and are influenced only at the margin by global forces. Whether one agrees strongly with this or not, the examples given to prove this are laughably trivial most of the times and too irrelevant at others. The author makes no effort to balance the arguments on the other side and appears to willfully stay away from topics that would contradict the basic conclusions.
However, it is towards the end that the book becomes almost painful. The book takes the tone that since things existed in certain ways, they were right. That everything in the world pre-2008 (when the book was written) existed for good and they implied that any theory that tried to prove all could go wrong were wrong.
Even without hindsight, the book appears totally absurd. It is akin to someone writing a book in mid-eighties praising everything Japanese (something this book vehemently criticizes). Essentially, the book creates its own strawmen to bring down initially and falls prey to arrogantly taking pride in US successes until the point. It misses balanced analysis and assumes that every system outside the US is sort of stupid....more
Some interesting insights on the complexity of weather patterns but certainly not enough for a book-length. As a result, too much petty discussions anSome interesting insights on the complexity of weather patterns but certainly not enough for a book-length. As a result, too much petty discussions and descriptions of relatively irrelevant events from random points in time....more
Mr Archer has taken a lot of liberty with history, or at least history as cited on Wiki. But his Mallory must be the Mallory created by any kind god! Mr Archer has taken a lot of liberty with history, or at least history as cited on Wiki. But his Mallory must be the Mallory created by any kind god! Lovely characterizations and typical Archer-isk sweet, small episodes. To top it all, it is a great, moving adventure story described in about the best prose seen in contemporary potboiler fiction....more
The book is too superficial and almost without a coherent purpose. It spends a lot of time on long history but with too much description of event detaThe book is too superficial and almost without a coherent purpose. It spends a lot of time on long history but with too much description of event details and hardly any elaborate justification of the causes cited.
Too many broad-brush reasons were given as if they were undisputed facts. Notwithstanding quite a few ridiculous errors, the efforts at drawing common elements in all crises were also woeful.
As a result, the conclusions drawn were always likely to be faulty and they were. But much worse, they were presented in the briefest possible bullet point forms and once again in the most general terms and again without almost any justifications, responses to likely criticisms or discussions of alternatives.
In the end, this is a book written by a super-star. Perhaps in its aim to make it readable to general readers, the book ends up either treating its readers as too simpleton or "take it from me" prescriptive as a result of a very busy author....more
At least this book has an end! Standard Rapp book with standard good versus evil plot. One never expects a dissertation on why bad guys are what they At least this book has an end! Standard Rapp book with standard good versus evil plot. One never expects a dissertation on why bad guys are what they are in Flynn books or expects to come across a masterful twist or a realistic plot but even then, the stupidity exhibited by the main villain at every juncture in the book makes the hunt boring and inane....more
A good thriller overall. Excellent pace and reasonably interesting plot/characters/twist. If you are into crime novels, this is one of the better onesA good thriller overall. Excellent pace and reasonably interesting plot/characters/twist. If you are into crime novels, this is one of the better ones....more
Baldacci introduces interesting characters. The sequels could be even more promising. This novel is full of incidents and occasional twists. The book Baldacci introduces interesting characters. The sequels could be even more promising. This novel is full of incidents and occasional twists. The book is written to be converted into a Hollywood movie - which means way too many too over the top events. The worst part is that unlike some other Baldacci's earlier books, there is nothing remotely intelligent anywhere in the book. Yet, the packed action keeps the book reasonably interesting throughout....more
Too esoteric, verbose even for an industry professional. And, the key valuation arguments are full of flaws, which are not at all discussed. ConclusioToo esoteric, verbose even for an industry professional. And, the key valuation arguments are full of flaws, which are not at all discussed. Conclusions were totally unclear. And, many arguments fall in the same statistical claptraps that the author criticizes the classical theory to have....more
Another well-written and fast-moving thriller but somehow short of wonderful plot in the first book. The mystery angle was missing. The villains were Another well-written and fast-moving thriller but somehow short of wonderful plot in the first book. The mystery angle was missing. The villains were not as intelligent and the interactions between the lead characters also lacked freshness. At times, it appeared like the author did not know how to develop the relationships between not just Salander and Blomkvist but even others around them. As a result, appears weak compared to the first one, but reasonably good nonetheless....more
The concept is good and style is lucid but the book simply does not pick up. The climax is most disappointing with almost no twists or thrills. In facThe concept is good and style is lucid but the book simply does not pick up. The climax is most disappointing with almost no twists or thrills. In fact, the end is too fast and almost incomplete....more
Thrilling and fast. The third book certainly moves at a far more rapid pace and is less grotesque/wild compared to the previous two. However, the bookThrilling and fast. The third book certainly moves at a far more rapid pace and is less grotesque/wild compared to the previous two. However, the book neither has the suspense of Dragon Tattoo nor has evil new characters of Fire.
The good versus evil clear-cut war of the book is too one-sided and straightforward. Everyone from Prime Minister onwards are fighting a small bunch of thugs led by dying octagenerians who do not have the foggiest idea how exposed they already were and without almost any real resources. The book was developed more for a courtroom incident, which was nice but sort of a waste given how all the good people already knew that Salander was the victim.
The trilogy ends well. Clearly, it was supposed to be more. There were loose ends like Salander's sister who failed to ever make any appearance or weird trip to Gibralter towards the end. All in all, Larsson created some fabulous lead characters and it is sad that the series has to end here....more
Loading...
