Economics and finance wrapped around discussions of risk, safety, and how we have trouble evaluating it.
Dry, with spots of moisture. Ip weaves into hiEconomics and finance wrapped around discussions of risk, safety, and how we have trouble evaluating it.
Dry, with spots of moisture. Ip weaves into his financial discussions behavioral aspects that increase danger or increase participation in dangerous activities there by mitigating the safety benefits. For example, do more people drive and have accidents because they have a more fuel-efficient car. The book predates EVs which might increase driving more. Other examples are developments along levees or waterfront resulting from their building.
The age of the book is most apparent in the chapter on aviation safety. The guiding safety principals remain the same but much has changed since the book was written.
The bulk of the book is on financial risk: bank failures, currency crisis, government bailouts, and such. The best parts are when Ip moves away from pure finance, 2.5 Goodread stars. ...more
It’s a short and simple introduction to the topic but my conclusion is don’t. Too much opportunity to lose unless one does this professionally. It isnIt’s a short and simple introduction to the topic but my conclusion is don’t. Too much opportunity to lose unless one does this professionally. It isn’t for the casual investor.
This is an easy book to abandon. The beginning is abysmally slow and it takes forever to get to the sex. The intervals discussing Christian dogma and This is an easy book to abandon. The beginning is abysmally slow and it takes forever to get to the sex. The intervals discussing Christian dogma and the power struggle between the pope and Holy Roman Emperor dragged far too long. Neither is my cup of tea.
Eventually, the story unfolds and, if one is patient enough, the combination of investigating the deaths and Adso’s quirks provided some reward. I liked the plot but would have liked it better if it used half the words.
That drags down my rating; 2.5 Goodread stars – slightly below average. ...more
I never appreciated the leap made by Apollo 8 until I read this book. Apollos 11 and 13 are most memorable for obvious reasons. But the calculated risI never appreciated the leap made by Apollo 8 until I read this book. Apollos 11 and 13 are most memorable for obvious reasons. But the calculated risks taken with Apollo 8 made for an interesting read.
While the book read much like a report, Kurson’s writing pounded home a couple points. First, that it was a very sexist era. His writing, while apropos to the era, felt over the top. I felt bad for the wives of the astronauts.
Secondly, NASA definitely operated as a club. And only certain people were qualified to join the club. That evolved a little across the book’s timeline but not significantly.
Along those lines, for some it might harken back to a time people liked: everyone pulled for the US, the economy was good, life was simple, and there was a clear enemy. Again, Kurson makes this easy to see though his book focuses on a narrow population segment.
Most interesting for the technical risks taken by this Apollo mission. For me, three Goodread stars....more
A contemporary biography written soon after Merkel retired from politics. I found this read quite interesting as it covered Merkel’s career that culmiA contemporary biography written soon after Merkel retired from politics. I found this read quite interesting as it covered Merkel’s career that culminated early in Joe Biden’s tenure as President.
This is a person I’ve admired and Marton gives the reader insight into Merkel’s thinking and character. A practical woman whose formative years were in East Germany. And, in my opinion, strengthened Germany’s position as a leader in Europe. She, I think we can say alone, pushed hard on Putin after Russia’s invasion of Crimea.
Another aspect of interest was the insight into Europe’s shift to the right while Merkel fought to support both immigration and women’s rights.
A well written book that I recommend to anyone with an interest in Germany’s political environment or Merkel as Chancellor. ...more
I can’t rate this book like the majority seem to. It’s a useful and difficult topic that we all should understand but laundry lists of historical evenI can’t rate this book like the majority seem to. It’s a useful and difficult topic that we all should understand but laundry lists of historical events just don’t make an interesting read for me. Think primary school history books.
What would make it more interesting is if we could have heard from a few who lived through this period and experienced it. What were their feelings, frustrations, and fears? A story that weaves individual plights creates a more compelling read.
I also wanted to hear solutions and insights. Maybe I’ve to come up with my own. America’s history of minority persecution seems so well intrenched that today’s events flow naturally from our DNA. I should not be surprised by the anger, rhetoric, and violence in today’s politized environment. ...more
Strongly opinionated. I wonder how much of this is frustration over being detained by the Chinese government and his subsequent expulsion from StanforStrongly opinionated. I wonder how much of this is frustration over being detained by the Chinese government and his subsequent expulsion from Stanford’s doctor program. Hard feelings can fuel strong responses.
That said, Mosher was prescient on many Chinese predications – especially those related to Xi’s actions. Written in 2017, Mosher accurately predicts many recent moves by President Xi Jinping. I thought this was impressive and, regardless of his past, Mosher seems well tuned to China’s domestic and geopolitical actions.
But a piece of me is left wondering about that axe Mosher might be grinding. In terms of writing, Mosher writes in a matter-of-fact style and makes his points multiple times. The last two chapters could be skipped without losing anything due to their repetitive nature.
Almost a laundry list of Everest guide services but happy to learn that Nepalese companies are becoming more prevalent. However, the better book on HiAlmost a laundry list of Everest guide services but happy to learn that Nepalese companies are becoming more prevalent. However, the better book on Himalayan Sherpas is Buried in the Sky: The Extraordinary Story of the Sherpa Climbers on K2's Deadliest Day by Peter Zuckerman and Amanda Padoan.
The most interesting aspect of this book was the transformation from a mountain climbers climbed to one that anyone with the right money/connections/time can do. After this was told the book simply enumerated the history of various climbing companies along with challenges and failures of each company.
This transformation isn’t limited to Everest though as we see how deep-sea diving and space travel are also becoming playgrounds for the wealthy.
I’d recommend reading up to that transformation unless one is considering an Everest climb which makes learning about the various climbing companies important. Three stars – informative but could be better. ...more
Where have all the good books gone? This continues my run of disappointments.
It’s a book written 125 TLDR: Neither a thriller nor remotely plausible.
Where have all the good books gone? This continues my run of disappointments.
It’s a book written 125 years too late. It would have been a great yarn to tell to in the era of sail ships and early steamers. To concoct it for 2025 makes it too unbelievable. Others have compared the story line to that of Alien. I agree. But, at least, an alien monsters in outer space maybe, could, however unlikely, be true. Not so for human eating mermaids living in the Mariana Trench in 2025 and not yet discovered. A good thriller has an element of plausibility.
Plus, and maybe even more glaring, a thriller needs to keep the reader needing to know what happens next – ideally without foreshadowing it. A great thriller is read in one night. A good thriller keeps me reading with a need to know what happens next. Not so with this book.
Since I took days to read this book, I’ll list my dislikes (and like). (view spoiler)[ 1. “Above my paygrade” is one of the most annoying copouts I ever heard at work and its use in this book just aggravates me further. If you notice a problem, fix it. Period. 2. Why didn’t the dolphins just swim away when they were released to go find the mermaids? They wanted their freedom and they had it but chose (out of a sense of duty?) to swim down to the mermaids and be killed. 3. Olivia was so far out of character at the end she must have received a new brain module (aka The Matrix) giving her courage and fortitude lacking the entire rest of the story. 4. The writing where the mermaid is eating someone was too gross and definitely had shades of Alien.
What did I like? The theory of an animal mimicking another to attract and capture it is intriguing. Animals use language to attract a mate but I’m hard pressed to name one that uses it to catch their prey. Maybe the hunter with their duck call or bird whistle will take exception to this opinion. (hide spoiler)]
Do yourself a favor, pass on this book and find a true thriller....more
I couldn’t write a book about my high school colleagues thirty years on. Good on Rosen to remember all the names of lessor characters to this story. BI couldn’t write a book about my high school colleagues thirty years on. Good on Rosen to remember all the names of lessor characters to this story. Bad on us for having to suffer through these sections irrelevant to much of the story. The first half was too long by at least half.
Need to be a Boomer to understand many of the references and analogies. Maybe even a late Boomer. References to music, film, actors, and comedians will sail over the heads of anyone born in the 70s or later.
I found those references and analogies both relevant and apropos.
I guess underlying the story is friendship and not. Not, because Rose seemed more absent than present as Michael Laudor spiraled into his psychosis. Did guilt play in Rosen’s motivation to write this?
Clearly, these were two bright, gifted kids. And Laudor lived a tragic live. Rosen brings out the shortcomings of our mental health care and institutions. That’s one of the best aspects of the book
3.5 Goodread stars based more on the second half of the book. ...more
It would be appropriate to review an entirely different book here rather than Krakatoa by Simon Winchester as he does all he can to write about everytIt would be appropriate to review an entirely different book here rather than Krakatoa by Simon Winchester as he does all he can to write about everything that isn’t Krakatoa. In fact, blink and you might miss the bit about the eruption and mountain.
Winchester is long winded to say the least. He covers way more ground than just Krakatoa. That said, he’s easy listening and you might pick up a tidbit or two you find interesting like the history of plate tectonics, Dutch exploration and colonization, a smattering of Indonesian life, and way more than can be listed in a review.
Not quite the book I hoped to read. Two and one half stars as I think better can be found on the subject matter or Winchester’s tangents....more
Crouch breaks this story into five books. A very interesting book one locked me into the story. A short book two made it a compelling read. And, whileCrouch breaks this story into five books. A very interesting book one locked me into the story. A short book two made it a compelling read. And, while a later book dragged on a little too much for my taste it didn’t detract from the premise and concluding book. I think Crouch went repetitive to reinforce the stories form – which is a subtle and sublime move on his part.
The nature of the story lends itself to the time jumping format Crouch uses. And the ending will give you pause to the life you lived or think you lived…
We can start with the fact that Rickards got most his first two projections completely wrong. Written in 2014, he completely failed to get anythiDNF!!
We can start with the fact that Rickards got most his first two projections completely wrong. Written in 2014, he completely failed to get anything correct for the next decade. I won’t penalize him for missing Covid and the changes to monetary policy that resulted but his failures elsewhere make a complete reading for me impossible....more
Another excellently researched book by Keefe. Points Keefe makes line up with other reads of mine like when Jennifer Lee describes in The Fortune CookAnother excellently researched book by Keefe. Points Keefe makes line up with other reads of mine like when Jennifer Lee describes in The Fortune Cookie Chronicles: Adventures in the World of Chinese Food the outbound workers from New York to Chinese restaurants throughout the country or the lengths China went to enforce its one child policy as depicted in One Child: The Story of China's Most Radical Experiment.
The shifting patterns of enforcement and public concern over immigration is interesting to reflect upon. Is the current fear of immigration dramatically different from past years? How many of today’s migrants are using gangs and traffickers to enter the US?
The epilogue gives us Keefe’s position on immigration. I’ll leave it to the reader to peruse that section and compare with your position.
It’s a mystery and romance wrapped in the northwest corner of Yellowstone reflecting much of the realities of the region: - Fights and conflicts betweeIt’s a mystery and romance wrapped in the northwest corner of Yellowstone reflecting much of the realities of the region: - Fights and conflicts between ranchers and wolves; - Poaching of wildlife that transits the national park boundary; - Cacophony of tourists stopping for animals and behaving badly; - Challenges of managing human-wildlife interactions;
If Heller was trying to write a mystery or a romance he failed. Both are lame.
That said, there are two aspects of the book where I will give Heller credit. I think Heller accurately reflects the realities faced by national park rangers – the story location in the northwest corner of Yellowstone is where tourists, ranchers, and wild animals come in close contact with each other. Each creates a unique problem and Heller’s interweaving of these forces rings true.
We read about typical human-wildlife interactions: - Fights and conflicts between ranchers and wolves or those protecting the wolves; - Poaching of wildlife that transits the national park boundary; - Cacophony of tourists stopping for animals and behaving badly;
I liked the Yellowstone aspect. The Lamar Valley is a gold mine of wildlife viewing and one of my favorite spots in any national park. I like books about areas I’m familiar with as it helps me relate to the book and characters.
Upon completion I felt Heller’s development of Ren fell short. He leaves several (many) threads hanging, which felt incomplete to me. But that aspect of the book grew on me and after a few days I decided Heller is showing us that life is complicated, messy, and prone to leaving many threads hanging. All of us collect and carry incomplete threads through our life.
My immediate reaction was two Goodread stars – neither a great mystery nor good romance. If those are your cup of tea you can find better. But I will give the book a full point bump for accurately reflecting Yellowstone’s challenges with poachers, ranchers, and Instagram seekers. If you look deeper and ponder the complexities of the character’s lives then you’ll take more from this book. ...more
Umwelt, I knew it as the German word for environment but never appreciated the diversity as Yong uses it in An Immense World. He returns to this word Umwelt, I knew it as the German word for environment but never appreciated the diversity as Yong uses it in An Immense World. He returns to this word again and again as he hammers home that the senses used by animals must be defined in terms of their environment. And that Umwelt differs vastly from ours.
A book loaded with animal factoids and research into how animals sense their world. Using them to move, feed, find mates, and communicate.
I liked how Yong starts with senses we have like sight, sound, and touch but transposes them into the varied sensitivities in the animal kingdom. Then we delve into those so alien to us like echolocation, electrolocation, and the ability to sense magnetism.
I liked how each subsequent sensing method moved to ever increasing complexity. A good structure that kept me turning the pages. Absolutely a solid five star read.
PS: I chuckled when Yong identified his dog as Typo – what other name could he possibly use? ...more