AMAZING BOOK! I love love love it and frankly, there's no better book to read on the toilet. Off the toilet too, but I learned so much and the writingAMAZING BOOK! I love love love it and frankly, there's no better book to read on the toilet. Off the toilet too, but I learned so much and the writing is so engaging and entertaining and just MARVELOUS. Of course in the style of xkcd, this and Atlas Obscura would be my go-to book gifts this year. ...more
I have really been into non-fiction lately, and this is a TOME ladies and gentlemen. Impeccably researched, sometimes to it's fault, but fascinating aI have really been into non-fiction lately, and this is a TOME ladies and gentlemen. Impeccably researched, sometimes to it's fault, but fascinating and depressing at the same time. I particularly loved how I could really place myself in the world of 17th century America. And it is weirdly reflective of our culture right now in some ways? Where you see a whole society swept up in a fevor of attacking each other, against all logic. Truth was malleable, and innocent people were killed. It goes to show we have an amazing capacity to, as a group, let emotion trump logic. Often to sad consequences. ...more
Ok so this is a DENSE BOOK GUYS. Very VERY well researched and supported by science, sometimes a bit too much, but nonetheless, a really fun perspectiOk so this is a DENSE BOOK GUYS. Very VERY well researched and supported by science, sometimes a bit too much, but nonetheless, a really fun perspective on the actual plausibility of the worlds and rules in the sci-fi and fantasy literature that we love so much. Only thing: He dogged on Harry Potter rules a BIT much for me, but hey, he does have a lot of points, lol.
Definitely eye opening, but not a light read. Take your time and you'll learn a lot of science, and approach your genre literature and media with more educated eyes!...more
I'm really into subcultures and history and this was a really fascinating glimpse into a culture I knew practically nothing about: The Romani. This boI'm really into subcultures and history and this was a really fascinating glimpse into a culture I knew practically nothing about: The Romani. This book is fabulously researched and intermixes the current world of this formerly nomadic people with their ancient, ancient history. Upshot: It's not a 100% fun read, but it is mind-opening. Poverty, prejudice, even acts of massacre are enmeshed in their history. It was almost startling to read about all this racism and endemic poverty in Europe, a continent I think most Americans associate with luxury and progressivism.
Anyway, definitely worth a read if you want to learn about a world that is incredibly foreign! I will never use the word "gypsy" again after reading this, for sure. ...more
Whelp, look for a flood of reviews coming in, cleaning out my bedroom/office before I go on the road for book tour! That also includes a lot of autobiWhelp, look for a flood of reviews coming in, cleaning out my bedroom/office before I go on the road for book tour! That also includes a lot of autobiographies I read as research/pleasure in the last year, preparing and writing my book that I need to add to Goodreads.
I had to cut myself off from reading books in this category, actually, because I started getting intimidated and comparing my structure/writing to other peoples' autobiography structure/writing which only served to paralyze me and make me play video games instead of getting my own draft done. So I binged a lot of books the last few months in this category because my book is done and almost out and I can now lift the comparison stuff from my thoughts. Er. Kinda.
Amy Poehler is a goddess to me, and since her company and my company are both owned by Legendary and we're in the same building, i always have this faint hope I'll see her and bump into her somewhere and be able to say, "Hey, my company is near your company, we're company buddies!" It hasn't happened. So this book is my conduit to her, and it is a pretty great one.
Her life is amazing, and especially her love of improv is something I share, so reading about how she built UCB with such a cool community was inspiring. How she's stuck to her guns a lot, how she got help in the writing because things were so crazy, with friends doing guest chapters and stuff. I loved the variety and the pictures (although the one thing I will say that's negative is this book is HEAVY! It's printed on like 1000lb paper so if an intruder enters your home, look to this as a defense weapon.) Anyway, if you are interested in Amy then this is a book worth getting. Also: Her hair is entirely on point in the cover. Jelly....more
As someone who was obsessed with Romantic poetry and Anne of Green Gables as a kid, this was a fantastic overview of the romantic poets we deify now. As someone who was obsessed with Romantic poetry and Anne of Green Gables as a kid, this was a fantastic overview of the romantic poets we deify now. Basically they were all kind of rock star douchebags, haha....more
Well, if you want to be terrified about how the web is scooping information about us, stereotyping us, pigeonholing us, basically doing the opposite oWell, if you want to be terrified about how the web is scooping information about us, stereotyping us, pigeonholing us, basically doing the opposite of what we thought the web was GOING to do for society, then read this book. At the very least, it helps become informed about exactly what we do when we surf the web. Nothing is safe online. Everything you do online is defining you in ways you never thought you'd be defined. Everything you do is hackable. The future is even worse in those respects.
Lots of fun paranoia-inspiring information for the tech-savvy!...more
This book is a TOTAL eye-opener about how we're taught cultural prejudices and distorted American history through classroom textbooks. I mean, I'm preThis book is a TOTAL eye-opener about how we're taught cultural prejudices and distorted American history through classroom textbooks. I mean, I'm pretty liberal, but the perspective of this author totally opened my eyes to things that I just took for granted about how our history was founded, about people we deify who were not the gods we simplify them into being, like Christopher Columbus and the Pilgrims, etc, and how racial inequality and sexual inequality is subtly established in the text in ways that you never would notice unless they're pointed out for you.
I really recommend this as a way of seeing things with different eyes, really interesting and worth picking up!!...more
I just loved this book. So inspirational and lovely and a wonderful gift for anyone searching for themselves, or in need of fresh eyes and how to get I just loved this book. So inspirational and lovely and a wonderful gift for anyone searching for themselves, or in need of fresh eyes and how to get there....more
So...I went to a school that was very sorority heavy, and always stared at the girls like, "Wow, why would you want to do that?" This book aims to be So...I went to a school that was very sorority heavy, and always stared at the girls like, "Wow, why would you want to do that?" This book aims to be balanced, but I dunno why any human would want their daughter joining one after reading this. Talk about conformity and marginalization in institutions. This was so frightening to me to read, and fascinating at the same time. Highly recommended for the curious....more
If you have even slight feminist beliefs, or if you are a woman who wants your eyes opened, sensibilities shocked, and then laugh your ass off, this iIf you have even slight feminist beliefs, or if you are a woman who wants your eyes opened, sensibilities shocked, and then laugh your ass off, this is the book. I read Bossypants, which I love, but Caitlin Moran's strong feminist words were so inspiring to me, and just MADE SENSE. I might not have agreed with everything, but I was certainly amused and entertained the whole time. Definitely an auto-biography worth reading, dude or gal! And it's really dirty in parts, she talks about things you NEVER thought people would bring up. Too good!...more
As you can see, i've been mixing up my reading lately, THIS ISN'T ROMANCE YAY!
Quiet is a fascinating book about the prejudice that our society faces aAs you can see, i've been mixing up my reading lately, THIS ISN'T ROMANCE YAY!
Quiet is a fascinating book about the prejudice that our society faces against introverts, and why it's unfounded, and how, as an introvert, you can overcome that, as well as just KNOW yourself better. I never really classified myself as such before, but reading this, I understand why, if I'm exhausted, all I want to be is alone, and how I'm extroverted only when I can control my environment and how that's a THING! If you're shy or are unsure, this is a great read. I think you'll discover something about yourself, that's why I've recommended to a lot of people lately! ...more
I had been looking for an intelligent survey of women characters in comic books, and this provided that in spades. A wonderful chronological history sI had been looking for an intelligent survey of women characters in comic books, and this provided that in spades. A wonderful chronological history surveying how women have been portrayed through the last century, it provided me with a more nuanced point of view of how society's changes have been reflected in comics. A really enjoyable survey I would recommend to comic lovers!...more
Fascinating exploration of what we know of the "New World" before Columbus arrived. I knew pretty much nothing about the Incas, the Mayans, the AztecsFascinating exploration of what we know of the "New World" before Columbus arrived. I knew pretty much nothing about the Incas, the Mayans, the Aztecs, and all the other societies that actually were possibly BIGGER than Europe in 1492, and dwarfed it in centuries before. It's also an interesting survey of these societies and their environments, of how the Indians and the "pristine" environments are a bit of a myth. The scope of the book covers so many different culture, puts everything into a context I never imagined before.
The author obviously loves what he does, and relishes research and it definitely makes potentially dry material come to life. Opened my eyes to a subject I knew nothing about, so I highly recommend!!!!...more
HILARIOUS! This is #2 in the series, but no need to read in order. A compilation of letters and poems and journal entries from various teenagers centeHILARIOUS! This is #2 in the series, but no need to read in order. A compilation of letters and poems and journal entries from various teenagers centering on love. Mostly ridiculing themselves. I've seen this show live, which is actually even funnier as, read aloud, the poems and letters are even more ridiculous, but reading them definitely takes you back to how PASSIONATE everything is when you're 14-18, and how torrential you feel things. Very funny and interesting!...more
Looking for something substantive? Look for this author, his books are so interesting and engrossing. Here he dissects all the Sci-Fi tropes and explaLooking for something substantive? Look for this author, his books are so interesting and engrossing. Here he dissects all the Sci-Fi tropes and explains how each of them is impossible, or what the hell it would take to make it a reality. I learned quite a lot and it was not too jumbled for a non-scientist like me to read. ...more
I love the Black Death, I really do. I find it so fascinating how our ancestors lived: precarious and full of fear of sickness all the time. We have nI love the Black Death, I really do. I find it so fascinating how our ancestors lived: precarious and full of fear of sickness all the time. We have no idea. This is a very interesting analysis of a dark time in humanity and why it was so awful. Average lifespan of 25? 10-30 percent of the population wiped out as disease swept through the continent? Horrific and fascinating....more
I liked this book. It's not a great book, but pool is my secret passion, especially as a teen, and this is a meander-y look at a NYC woman's foray intI liked this book. It's not a great book, but pool is my secret passion, especially as a teen, and this is a meander-y look at a NYC woman's foray into the underbelly of pool culture. Very interesting, just lacking in structure a bit. ...more