Idiosyncratic and irreverent, Caveman Chemistry is like no other chemistry textbook that I know of. What textbook that you've read quotes regularly fr...moreIdiosyncratic and irreverent, Caveman Chemistry is like no other chemistry textbook that I know of. What textbook that you've read quotes regularly from the Emerald Tablet of Hermes Trimegistus? It is authored not only by Kevin Dunn but also four figments of his imagination representing the classical elements who have leapt from mind to mind down through history and do their best to make the leap out of the book and into yours. You learn the history of chemical technology through a series of hands-on projects that demand that you get your hands dirty making things from scratch: fire, paper, glass, soap, batteries, photographs, polyester, and others. The book does not shy away from potentially dangerous projects like making gunpowder, alcohol, and chlorine gas, trusting that readers are capable of all due caution.
The book gave me a greater appreciation for the sources for the products that I use on a daily basis. Rather than being conjured out of thin air, the stuff in my life has its origin in the natural world.(less)
In Till We Have Faces, C.S. Lewis has created an entertaining, thought provoking reinterpretation of the Greek myth of Cupid and Psyche. The myth, in ...moreIn Till We Have Faces, C.S. Lewis has created an entertaining, thought provoking reinterpretation of the Greek myth of Cupid and Psyche. The myth, in his hands, becomes a Christian parable and an apologia for a transcendent god who remains unseen and unheard. Like his friend, J.R.R. Tolkien, I cordially dislike allegory. He has some interesting things to say about selfish love and authenticity, but the story drips with self-conscious wisdom and profundity. It left me with an aftertaste of narcissism. ★★★☆☆(less)
I learned a lot about the primordial eras of our universe and the physics involved from this slim book, but the book felt uneven.
It seems ...moreI learned a lot about the primordial eras of our universe and the physics involved from this slim book, but the book felt uneven.
It seems like Professor Lidsey made a conscious effort to explain many of the concepts covered by the book through analogy. I got the feeling that perhaps this is how he lectures to undergraduates. Some of the analogies were apt and Lidsey explained them well. Others seemed ill-fitting and received very little explanation.
The early part of the book seemed to go too slowly for me. I thought I might recommend it for readers who are even less familiar with basic physics and astronomy than I am. Later, I felt like the author was leaving me behind. Toward the end, the pace seemed just right.
I couldn't discern a narrative flow in the book. I was often surprised from chapter to chapter (and sometimes page to page) where the author was headed.
On the Skip It/Borrow It/Buy It scale, I give this a solid "Borrow It". (less)
Growing up in America at the end of the Cold War, I should be forgiven for getting the impression that only an act of nuclear-powered global self-immo...moreGrowing up in America at the end of the Cold War, I should be forgiven for getting the impression that only an act of nuclear-powered global self-immolation stood between us and a glorious future of eternal progress, that only two possibilities existed: a future technological paradise and a blighted Mad Max wasteland. Collapse by Jared Diamond serves as antidote. Its litany of collapsed civilizations proves that only hubris allows us to imagine that our own civilization will go on forever or that it takes something as dramatic as nuclear war to bring it to an end. Diamond tries to shed light on how it will happen to us by examining the history of collapsed civilizations such as the Mayans, the Anasazi, the Greenland Norse, and the Easter Islanders. We may be done in by something as banal as soil erosion or over-dependence on imported resources. He manages to be surprisingly even-handed when he handles topics like climate change that have become fodder for American politics.(less)
I just finished The Alchemist which tells the story of a shepherd from Andalusia who finds himself on a quest for treasure near the pyramids at Giza. ...moreI just finished The Alchemist which tells the story of a shepherd from Andalusia who finds himself on a quest for treasure near the pyramids at Giza. I picked it up at the airport bookstore because I'd heard good things.
It turns out to be extraordinarily heavy-handed. The plot serves only as a chance for the author to espouse his ideas about "Personal Legends" and following your dreams. The story is dressed in innumerable cliches about love at first sight, women who wait passively while their men go off on adventures, soulmates, and so on.
The author's heavy-handed message for the reader is as dangerous and enticing as that of The Secret: the Universe helps those with the courage to pursue their true purpose in life. The flip side of that idea is that those of us who experience trouble, poverty, and failure in life must have been doing things wrong. This idea strikes me as something only someone born into wealth could believe.
I am also troubled by the idea that we have a single important purpose in life. From my experience, most successful people accomplish many important things in their life. There's no single great quest that is the central narrative of their lives.
This is a weak, uninteresting story told in the service of questionable feel-good ideas that are too simple to reflect reality. (less)
Dr. Walford explains the basic theory of Calorie Restriction and gives some practical advice on how to implement it. In this respect, the book was exa...moreDr. Walford explains the basic theory of Calorie Restriction and gives some practical advice on how to implement it. In this respect, the book was exactly what I had hoped for: less theory and more practice.
I was also excited about the recipes, but they seem rather intricate and daunting. I'm a reasonably able cook and I think I could manage OK, but my pantry lacks many of the ingredients required. To cook any one of the primary meals listed, I would need to find a half dozen ingredients that I've never purchased before. I don't enjoy shopping much, so finding and buying all those things seems like a big hassle. I'm sure the recipes taste delicious and prove that Calorie Restriction doesn't need to me asceticism, but it's hard to get started when there are no simple recipes to ease its adoption.
Also, I don't think my wife would appreciate me cooking and storing about 50 meals in our freezer as the author suggests. There's hardly any room in there as it is.
All that said, I'll give some of the recipes a go, but I can see myself simplifying them.(less)
This story of a Brahman's son searching for enlightenment at the time of the Buddha provoked thought and shifted this reader's perspective. I found my...moreThis story of a Brahman's son searching for enlightenment at the time of the Buddha provoked thought and shifted this reader's perspective. I found myself liking the book despite the heavy-handed way it promotes the author's viewpoint with which I disagree in several ways. It left me in a peaceful mood. It was a perfect accompaniment to basking in the winter's sun sitting under a tree on a college campus empty of students.
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Mouse's Tank is a fictionalized retelling of the story of Mouse, a renegade Southern Paiute who steals from the white Mormons of St. Thomas who have s...moreMouse's Tank is a fictionalized retelling of the story of Mouse, a renegade Southern Paiute who steals from the white Mormons of St. Thomas who have stolen the homeland of his people, the People, where they had lived for a thousand years. Mouse is immortalized in the name of Mouse's Tank, a natural catch basin in the of the Valley of Fire where he hid out.
I picked up this local publication because I had visited Mouse's Tank and heard the story about the Indian who defied white man's law and because I'm fascinated by the lifeways of the people of the Mojave. Being a native Las Vegan, I feel a deep connection to the desert spaces of my childhood and like to hear stories about its people.
The writing is rather florid; the author romanticizes the Paiute, falling into the Noble Savage meme; and the book could have used some more proofreading, but it was a quick, enjoyable read. I could tell the author shares my love of the subtle beauties of the Mojave. The desert landscape could easily be confused for the protagonist because of how much attention its sight, sounds, and scents receive.
Despite its flaws, I enjoyed it. Perhaps that's because I'm a native son.(less)
This book is the product of the authors' years of experience taking questions from otherwise capable parents who find themselves flummoxed by their ch...moreThis book is the product of the authors' years of experience taking questions from otherwise capable parents who find themselves flummoxed by their child's sexuality. The title reflects the frequent doses of humor that help ease the sense of dread that sometimes accompanies thinking about S-E-X and K-I-D-S at the same time.
The authors did their best to help everyone, even people who will ignore parts of their advice. I'm thinking specifically about religious parents, those of us who feel duty-bound by our religious convictions to, for example, teach our children only abstinence despite the research that this generally leads to poorer outcomes. The authors provide the best advice they can. If parents choose to ignore that advice, the authors do their best to provide workable alternatives to the optimal strategy without laying on guilt trips about being a bad parent. They try hard to help everyone.
I learned a thing or two about childhood sexual development that helped me to accept my own awkward, faltering steps toward adult sexuality. It helped me lay aside some residual embarrassment and guilt. In that respect, I think it's fair to call this book life-changing for me.
Who knows? My children might even benefit from my having read it.(less)
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