I've seen Sarah Silverman a bit on tv, here and there. At times I found her funny and other times I just didn't get it. I picked up this book because...moreI've seen Sarah Silverman a bit on tv, here and there. At times I found her funny and other times I just didn't get it. I picked up this book because I learned that my dad was going to read it. I'm glad that I did. I have a much better understanding for who she is, where she came from, and what she represents. I've been looking up videos since reading this book. It was funny at times, honest, and heartfelt. I thoroughly enjoyed it, much to my surprise.(less)
Here's the thing, Penn is the real deal. If you want someone to sugar coat things, to "play it safe," to give you what you want to hear then don't eve...moreHere's the thing, Penn is the real deal. If you want someone to sugar coat things, to "play it safe," to give you what you want to hear then don't ever listen to Penn. Listening to Penn, reading his words, makes me feel human again. It makes me proud to be human, to be me and to not fall under the majority. On top of that this book is so much about love than anything else and that is why I connected with it. I'm a very vocal person and strongly feel that if we are to make positive change in this world (because complacency gets us nowhere) we have to speak up but passionately, not be silent, and we have to act with passion. However, when we do we are in the minority because many rather be silent, stay out of the limelight, not "rock the boat" by speaking the truth because they fear how they will be perceived. Fuck fear. A good level of fear, like stress, is good, but I will not live my whole life in fear of perception. But back to love. It's the people that speak up that are the most passionate, and that is what people often confuse- they confuse honesty with hatred. When really it depends on where the honesty comes from and if you pay attention you can tell the difference. People like Penn Jillette and Jesse Ventura who speak the truth and are downright logical, wear their hearts on their sleeves and are filled with nothing but love. That's all I'll say about that.
My favorite quote in this book was about how words are taken different ways. For example, normally when a religious person says the word atheist they don't think of it in a good way. But that's them and what we do with the word is up to us. So he says, "Let them name you with hate, and come back with love."(less)
Currently enrolled in a graphic novels class, this was one of our main required books and I must say, I LOVED it. I now know why McCloud is considered...moreCurrently enrolled in a graphic novels class, this was one of our main required books and I must say, I LOVED it. I now know why McCloud is considered a "comics theorist." This book is for comic lovers, those who know nothing of comics, and all in between. It is essentially a comic book about comics. McCloud, tired of the myths and misunderstandings about comics, sets the record straight. He shows the history of comic, dating back to the prehistoric era. He shows the depths to which comics communicate via their components, such as: how the gutter (explained in the book) is used, how shapes, angles, and lines are used, how color and text is used in a variety of ways to depict different messages. And in the end he discusses how, yes, comics ARE art and he explains why and stresses the importance of comics in this world. I loved it! I learned so much from this book. I think even comic "experts" will even learn something. It is a classic, that much is true. (less)
A lot of people who think of librarians think Dewey Decimal, books, buns, and glasses. Sometimes that saddens me, that Dewey really is the only thing...moreA lot of people who think of librarians think Dewey Decimal, books, buns, and glasses. Sometimes that saddens me, that Dewey really is the only thing people relate to libraries and librarians. Heck I'm a library science student in my last semester of library school and I have yet to learn about the Dewey Decimal system (though I learned a great deal shelving books- but as she points out it's only school and public libraries that use Dewey; academic libraries use LC-Library of Congress and there are other classification schemes). That is one reason I think that anyone with a library card (and even those without) should read this book. It shows how much the industry and profession has changed because most haven't a clue. And this book doesn't even near get to the details but covers the basics that I think people need to know.
First off this book covers things from patron poop to the Patriot Act (which as librarians and library students know, is not so Patriotic). What I loved most about this book was that it was not told from a librarian; it was researched and told from a patron who wanted to learn more about the profession. Marilyn did an excellent job of showing what it really means to be a "librarian" (or interchanged with "cybrarian" and "information professional"), what librarians are often faced with, that librarians don't even get half the credit that they deserve, and what challenge they are taking and challenging back. Really what amazing things they do!
There are some basic terms that library students and librarians would understand more than someone without a library background, such as: MARC, OCLC, Worldcat, Second Life, ALA and more. Again, those are basics but there were even other words that I read and said, hey I know what that is because of school! Schooling at work! I just thought that was great that she, even only lightly, showed the lingo of the library world because there sure is a lingo. I also think it's great for library students because there are many great sources listed (especially in the blogging section) that will keep them up-to-date, in the know, and networked!
And I loved her ending. This is where I will "spoil" part of it by merely quoting one section:
"They [librarians] would be whatever they needed to be that day: information professionals, teachers, police, community organizers, computer technicians, historians, confidantes, clerks, social workers, storytellers, or, in this case, guardians of my peace." - I think this statement says it all!(less)
I added this because it was on NPR's best seller list and then I saw two bloggers (whom I read) recommend it. Humpfh. How do I word this withou...more1.5/5.0
I added this because it was on NPR's best seller list and then I saw two bloggers (whom I read) recommend it. Humpfh. How do I word this without sounding like a complete asshat? I love reading on this topic, or I wouldn't have picked it up. One of my absolute favorite books is called Happier: Learn the Secrets to Daily Joy and Lasting Fulfillment and it changed my whole outlook on life. I even changed my whole career path after reading that book. I love this topic because I have learned so much on what I view to be happiness, how I become happy and quite honest I'm the happiest I've ever been because I've learned what makes me happy, started to really let go of what doesn't, and so on. I've done and purged things, embraced minamilism, and so much more that's touched on in this book, and some that's not.
The tips in here were either "same old same old" or ones I just had realized in my own happiness journey. So I often got quite bored. Which is funny because there is quite a bit that we have in common and we both experienced in our happiness journeys and still are experiencing. But it just got boring. I was also quite tired of the big blurbs (sometimes pages) of just thoughts her blog readers said. I know this sounds rude, but I'm picking up the book to see what she has to say. I don't know, I just felt like I've experienced these things, especially after reading Happier, learned them and some I just didn't agree with and would have made my life complicated had I done them. And often the writing felt very arrogant at times. Like when someone told her that their approach to purging items in their home is that they look at them and if they are only staying for sentimental value they go. I do that. If it's not being used I let it go. Okay I have a tiny box of treasures that I keep but I often go through them every year and decided if they are still worth keeping. She said this was just too "Draconian" for her which really isn't even an appropriate word for it (but I digress). It sometimes just felt more like she was looking down upon certain ideas and approaches to happiness. I'm not saying that she is- it's just how it felt when reading it.
I agree with others. There are a lot of happiness books and even "stunt" books like this where the writer goes on some "expedition" of some kind out there. I don't think this is one of the best books on this topic. It's just a lot of information we have heard and read before.(less)
Fantastic! Coming from a guy that created a Harvard class on happiness, a class that drew in more students than any campus has ever seen...need I say...moreFantastic! Coming from a guy that created a Harvard class on happiness, a class that drew in more students than any campus has ever seen...need I say more. I love the outlook of what success is too. Success is not measured by money; it is measured by happiness. (less)
The Elements of Style is high school English 101 in a compact and well organized book. English was one of the classes in high school where the 'rules'...moreThe Elements of Style is high school English 101 in a compact and well organized book. English was one of the classes in high school where the 'rules' sunk in pretty well for me. I couldn't recite, then or now, what grammar terms are what. If the teacher handed out exercises saying, point out the intransitive verb, I normally couldn't unless I had just studied it or we just went over it. When the teacher said, pick out the sentence that is worded the best I could. A lot of this book I found to just be common sense but I know that it is not and that is why it had to be written.
At the same time, I would like to stress that some of the greatest writing breaks the 'rules.' Art is not meant to follow rules. I think the best piece of advice is to write in a way that makes sense, doesn't confuse, clutter or add unnecessary words or wording. Simply write like you would talk and your writing will typically have that natural tone, flow, and sound to it. The best way to test that is to read it out loud.(less)
Basics about the book: It's a quick read, at 222 pages, and images throughout. There's some memoir but mostly her thoughts on a variety of topi...more2.5/5.0
Basics about the book: It's a quick read, at 222 pages, and images throughout. There's some memoir but mostly her thoughts on a variety of topics and people.
What I didn't like about the book: I went into this book really wanting to know more about Mindy, humor and all. I only knew of her from The Office and so I wanted to know, how did she get there, what has her life been like, her family, how does she enjoy writing for a big sitcom, and other memoir-ish things. There are some bits of memoir, mostly in the beginning, which I enjoyed reading, but the rest was just fluffy for me.
I hate generalizations such as "girly," mostly because people claim things to be "girly" and I could list myself and other girls who would not do those "girly" things and...well..we are girls. What I will say is that much of her interests and mine just do not intersect and that's okay, it just reduced my level of enjoyment in the book. For the book was sprinkled with fashion discussions, celebrity gossip, guy/girl talk, and makeup. I have no interest in those topics, which was why I didn't enjoy the last 2/3rds of the book as much as the first third.
What I did like about the book: Even with the lack of common interests, it was hard not to like Mindy. She's just a likeable gal!
I liked the first 1/3rd of the book! The first third covered her struggles with weight, her family, her schooling, her job experience, and a specific chapter on The Office. I liked it because it was interesting, she is interesting and fun to read about. Actually the ironic part is that the first 1/3rd is memoir and that was the funniest part for me. It lost its humor after The Office chapter.
Even among the many dissimilarities that we have there were still parts where she made me feel that I could relate. For example, when she describes boys and why she likes them was when I was able to relate. In her book, she said, (view spoiler)[ "Boys bring a knapsack to work...Boys can pack up their whole life in a duffel bag and move to Brooklyn...Boys don't know how to adjust their conversation when they're talking to their friends or to your parents...Boys let your parents pay for dinner when you all go out."- I read those sentences and thought that's me! Granted, I'm a chick but I was able to relate to something she said. (hide spoiler)] Sure I don't need to relate to a book to enjoy it. It's just nice here and there because it helps me, the reader, to jump in and join the fun.
My favorite quote in the book: "Maybe the point is that any marriage is work, but you may as well pick work that you like."(less)
After having read so many books on writing (and I will read many more) much of the ideas and suggestions begin to overlap. So there was that. T...more3.5/5.0
After having read so many books on writing (and I will read many more) much of the ideas and suggestions begin to overlap. So there was that. There were parts where I felt the author had a "this way or the highway" attitude, but it was also his fearless, no-nonsense, entertaining attitude that kept me reading.(less)
As a whole The Plot Thickens: 8 Ways to Bring Fiction to Life focuses on two things, number one being character and number two being the importance of...moreAs a whole The Plot Thickens: 8 Ways to Bring Fiction to Life focuses on two things, number one being character and number two being the importance of asking questions. Lukeman states that the first three chapters are about characterization, which they are, but nearly the whole book is about character. In almost every chapter he explained the role of character and character's impact on each of those 8 ways. Also he touches on, especially in those first three chapters, the importance of the writer to ask questions, such as "why does character A like painting?" "Why are you writing the book?" "What do you want the reader to get from it?" "Why did you create that conflict and what will it lead to and, again, why?" Asking questions and thus finding the answers is one of the most important things to do. That and he showed, in this book, just how important character and every aspect of character is important.
Lukeman does have a great eye, ear, know how and heart for the art of writing, so I will continue to read his book and will check out his "Suggested Reading and Viewing" section.(less)
Brooks, you spoke right to me. I have now read three really fantastic books on writing. Each one offers different things, different lessons. With each...moreBrooks, you spoke right to me. I have now read three really fantastic books on writing. Each one offers different things, different lessons. With each we must take what works for us. No one method works for all, no one lesson is a lesson for everyone and no one rule should be followed by everyone. We are all different.
As far as personality and approach to writing I feel that I relate the most to Brooks, and yet I haven't read a Brooks book (which I plan to reconcile!).
Sometimes I read what another author says and I say, but that's just not me...I must not be a writer. Then I realize what a garbage attitude that is. With that said, it was nice to stumble upon things that are me or would fit me, as far as an approach to writing. For example, he talks about writing as stemming from dreaming and questioning. I'm a dreamer and a questioner. I wonder what if, and then what if that what if comes true, and so on. My mind also wonders, playing out scenes (that tend to be horrific) and then snapping back to reality. For some reason this tends to happen most when I'm driving.
What made me really say, that's me!, was when he talked about his formula for writing which goes like this:
Every writer will tell you that to be a good writer you must read like crazy and read all genres. Also, most writers (like Brooks and King said in their books) you must first be an observer both in the real world but also when you read you are observing. Outline is where some authors disagree. King, for instance, says that you should just sit down and write and that an outline just gets in the way of the creative process. Brooks, a highly popular fantasy author, is adamant about outlines. He reminds us of those stories where the plot just falls short, or part of the book is good but the rest isn't which is all the result of no outlining (aka no organizing). But in the end he says that it depends on you. Like he said in his book, and what most authors say about their writing- who don't outline, those who do not outline will revise, revise, revise, revise. He does an outline and revises once. So it's really a matter of do you want to do the bulk of the work in the beginning or end? By sitting down and just writing, you chose to do the more challenging part in the end. By doing an outline before writing you do the challenging part in the beginning. So there is no one absolute. Some people will say, "but you must just sit down and write." That's not necessarily true. You have to know you and decide if that will work for you.
All in all, I love to read about writing. I pull bits and pieces from each one and I thoroughly enjoyed what Brooks had to share. I greatly benefited from reading it. As always I feel inspired after reading about writing because, well, I just love the topic of writing which is why I finished this book in a day. I just couldn't put it down (except to eat that is). (less)
I think Keri Smith is set out to make everyone a hoarder. Nah, I kid, I kid. Granted, this book involves A LOT of collecting of items but what it's mo...moreI think Keri Smith is set out to make everyone a hoarder. Nah, I kid, I kid. Granted, this book involves A LOT of collecting of items but what it's mostly about is being more a part of the world. I've been realizing this a lot lately, looking at things that I wouldn't normally look at, looking at things, sounds, smells, experiences in ways I wouldn't normally look at them. It's about being more present and aware.
If I can recommend this book to anyone it would be to fellow aspiring writers. To be a good writer I'm a firm believer that you have to be a good observer, taker in of your surroundings from the crack in the pavement to the reflection cast on an item. I really appreciated that from Keri and for bringing more light to this topic and awareness to the world. To truly benefit from this book you have to try the exercises. So I'm off to try some of them, which there are quite a few clever exercises in this little book! :) Also it's a quick read, I read it while at Barnes & Noble.(less)
Really this book is not just for aspiring writers but for any artist, and everyone is an artist. Sure it focuses on writing but even the writing exerc...moreReally this book is not just for aspiring writers but for any artist, and everyone is an artist. Sure it focuses on writing but even the writing exercises can be used for any type of art. The exercise where you start with one piece of dialogue, something someone said or that you said and loved, and write. A painter can do the same, but paint. What I'm saying is this book is universal.
I loved everything he had to say, was underlying and circling all the time but more importantly this is the first book to push me to write. I was 20 pages into the book and decided that 1) I'm buying the book today and I went until I found a used copy and 2) I'm doing NaNoWriMo this year. I put it off for all the reasons he listed but I'm ready to write with abandon. I'm ready to see where it takes me. Thank you Joel Saltzman.(less)
Knowing that my book club was going to be reading a true crime book excited me! I know that sounds disturbing to many but I have ALWAYS found serial k...moreKnowing that my book club was going to be reading a true crime book excited me! I know that sounds disturbing to many but I have ALWAYS found serial killers, in particular, fascinating. Fascinating in that I do not understand how and why they do what they do. I could sit and endlessly watch true crime shows. So, with that said, overall, I enjoyed this book. I didn't love it only because 1) the Italian names got lost upon me here and there and 2) it didn't really pick up until the end when both authors became involved. I was drawn in at the beginning learning of the crimes and the theories but the middle just seemed to drag for me. The ending had me more hooked. I think the ending spoke volumes of the lack of freedom journalists really have, due to the seen and unseen limitations set upon them. One part that interested me most was learning more about Thomas Harris. I admire Thomas Harris' ability to take cold truth and make bone-chilling fiction about it. So I was not at all expecting to learn more about him, his involvement, and how his characters were linked to much of the events in the book.
Many would be surprised to know that for a person highly fascinated by true crime, this was my first true crime book. I will say it made me want to read more. So I plan to try Helter Skelter and Ann Rule's book. (less)
I picked up this book because the title is rather interesting, not because I want to make six figures. I'm new to blogging so I'd like to read whateve...moreI picked up this book because the title is rather interesting, not because I want to make six figures. I'm new to blogging so I'd like to read whatever is out there and learn more. It was a super easy read and very well laid out. However, I was a bit disappointed in the content. It reminded me of when I read a book about online book selling. The basics are everything they teach us in business school. So much of what I learned in college from how to choose a name to how to evaluate competition was covered in this book. Therefore, a good 65% of the information in this book was review. Part of me wondered if he really wrote this to help people or just to make more money. Still, with that said, I did have a one page double sided with notes, after reading this book. So, in the end, I give it an average rating.(less)
3.5/5.0 stars for me. I have only gone on Etsy to order some items, to get my store name, and research competition. Otherwise, I haven't really played...more3.5/5.0 stars for me. I have only gone on Etsy to order some items, to get my store name, and research competition. Otherwise, I haven't really played around with Etsy. Had I done so then a large portion of this book would have been irrelevant.
I was already familiar with Facebook, Twitter and how to use them, how to set up an Etsy store, Google Analytics, Feedburner, Google Trends and Google Adwords Key Word Tool. What peaked my interest and what I took notes on was the section on SEO. I know that SEO (search engine optimization) is very important in anything that you want to promote and get traffic on. However, I wasn't sure how to go about doing it. He gave a basic overview on it and has made me want to pick up a book or two on SEO. The keywords section also got a lot of attention in my notes. I get the importance of key words and how to select them, I learned that much in library school, but how to link to each keyword and where you position them I didn't know. I hadn't a clue that where you position them is even relevant, and it is.
I took down a few notes from interviews with other Etsy sellers, such as: which shipping methods they prefer (one I hadn't heard of) but the most popular, using PayPal, getting a scale and shipping from home I have already done using eBay and Amazon.
I didn't know that Blogger is the favorite place for Etsy sellers to blog. So that was really great to know and I'm already getting started there. I knew that I needed to create a blog for my store (and I currently blog) but being that his blogging section was a quarter of the book showed me just how important the blog plays in traffic on your store.
The only problems, and why I didn't give it higher than 3.5 stars, I had with this book are: the interviews at the end were excessive, the questions repetitive and they were with the same people as earlier interviews- so some of the stuff was word for word from earlier; there were quite a few grammar and spelling errors in the book that made me pause and have to regroup. Also I started looking up some of the artists he interviewed and looked up his page and blog. I have to admit, I was a bit disappointed. I know that he is successful but I guess I was expecting more. I've seen people on Etsy with much much higher sales in comparison to him and the people he interviewed. I would have like to have heard from them. I was also disappointed in his blog. He stopped tending to it and it wasn't appealing to the eye enough for me to want to read it.
In the end, I DID learn quite a few things from this book and that's all that matters. So I thank Timothy for that!(less)
I gave this four stars because I really liked it. I think it's five stars for those that have not read similar research.
I went into this book thinkin...moreI gave this four stars because I really liked it. I think it's five stars for those that have not read similar research.
I went into this book thinking that a lot of the material would overlap with that of Campbell's and Esselstyn's, and thus be boring to me because I had already learned the information. Yet, though much of it did overlap, Barnard still taught me way more than I was expecting, and had not learned in the other studies. Yet the studies, conducted by such a large variety of people and presented in these books, reveal some really amazing things. Like the other books (The China Study and The Engine 2 Diet- of what I have read) the information provided numerous examples and backed with scientific data.
What was great about this book is that Barnard also taught me more than I expected. There were a couple of parts that were dry, but only because I had learned them (sections about meat and dairy) or they didn't pertain to me (like the small section on kids and pregnancy). The book was organized very well. Like any good book on nutrition, not only did he provide the information and support why one should follow the four food groups but he provides a 21 day meal plan and many recipes. This book is part of what made me decide to remove oil, caffeine, and sugar from my diet (on top of what I already removed years ago: animal products, hydrogenated oils, and artificial preservatives). I would gladly recommend this book. Barnard is yet another doctor that can take scientific terms and really paint a picture, making it easy for us non-sciency folks to understand. The only gripe of mine would be the recipes. I went through them and I'd only use a handful but the mere fact that he provided recipes was pretty darn awesome!(less)
I think Bradbury is a beautiful writer, but for some reason his writing just doesn't connect with me. I desperately want it to but it just doesn't. Ma...moreI think Bradbury is a beautiful writer, but for some reason his writing just doesn't connect with me. I desperately want it to but it just doesn't. Maybe I've just read so many books on writing already. Maybe it's that this book isn't what I expected at all, which is my fault but it's human nature to go in with some kind of expectation. I'm not sure. I loved the underlying message of what drives writing is passion, it's heart, it's love, it's hate, it's all of those strong feelings we feel. I loved that part and he really did a great job of expressing that. Otherwise, it wasn't my cup of tea but I know it was for many others so I wouldn't discourage anyone from reading it because they may very well enjoy it as much as most do. (less)
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