I really enjoyed this short e-book. The SOLE/SOME concepts are very interesting and something that can be done in most schools without much investment...moreI really enjoyed this short e-book. The SOLE/SOME concepts are very interesting and something that can be done in most schools without much investment. The practical nature of the project is what I think appeals to me the most. I'd be curious to know how self-directed learning would work at school.(less)
Meh. Definitely didn't live up to the hype. I did not enjoy Bernard Cornwell's writing style, and I had some issues with the plot--the main character...moreMeh. Definitely didn't live up to the hype. I did not enjoy Bernard Cornwell's writing style, and I had some issues with the plot--the main character spends the book just blowing in the wind, fighting for whoever he happens to be around at the time. I will be skipping the rest of the series.(less)
Very interesting and captivating story. Once I got into it, I had a hard time putting it down. Would love to know what happens next--perhaps a setup f...moreVery interesting and captivating story. Once I got into it, I had a hard time putting it down. Would love to know what happens next--perhaps a setup for a sequel? Minus one star for what I thought was excessive 80's culture references, even for the plot. I'll be looking for a bargain version of the hardcover to add to my collection at some point.
Make a 90's version of this and I'm all over it. :-) (less)
An interesting book with a good pace. Once I got into it, it was hard for me to put it down. I had little sympathy for Mr. Mitnick but my heart broke...moreAn interesting book with a good pace. Once I got into it, it was hard for me to put it down. I had little sympathy for Mr. Mitnick but my heart broke for his family. I learned a little bit about how phone companies work, which is cool. Mr. Mitnick's social-engineering skills are highly developed and incredibly effective. I'd consider reading another book by him.(less)
I finally broke down and read this book after the media specialist at the school I work with and about 1200 students and half the teachers all went ar...moreI finally broke down and read this book after the media specialist at the school I work with and about 1200 students and half the teachers all went around talking about it the week before Spring Break. It did turn out to be a very good book. It is very readable and is very fast-paced (perhaps too much so). The overarching story is well-conceived and believable.
A few minor flaws: character development is not a focus of this book. The author goes over much of the actual Hunger Games in great detail, except the killings, which she seems to gloss over pretty much entirely. I get that this is a teen book, and I was hoping it wouldn't be gory, but I think she did a disservice to the book by not exploring that angle more.
The setup for the second book is pretty obvious at the end.
It's a good book and a very fast read.
If you're a grown-up and enjoyed this book, may I recommend one of my top favorite books of all time? A story about survival after nuclear holocaust that I immediately thought of when I finished this book:
Meh. I needed a piece of low-brainpower trash to sort of get back into the reading spirit, and this book filled that purpose. A mostly shallow managem...moreMeh. I needed a piece of low-brainpower trash to sort of get back into the reading spirit, and this book filled that purpose. A mostly shallow management fable served with a side of condescension: "If you're still not convinced that this makes sense or that it applies to you, this would be a good time to consider resigning your position as a manager and finding a role as an individual contributor." It was a quick read--contrary to what Goodreads says the e-book was only 129 pages. I doubt I'll remember it, frankly.(less)
An epic and dramatic follow-up to Pillars of the Earth. Worth all 1100 pages. I lost sleep reading this book and was very nervous for the main charact...moreAn epic and dramatic follow-up to Pillars of the Earth. Worth all 1100 pages. I lost sleep reading this book and was very nervous for the main characters at the end of the book--it's a pretty rare book that provokes such emotions from me and it always indicates a good book. Definitely sold on checking out his newer trilogy this year. Dive in to this book and you will not be disappointed.(less)
I really liked this book. It was highly readable, engaging, and pretty believable. There were several points where I felt emotionally invested in the...moreI really liked this book. It was highly readable, engaging, and pretty believable. There were several points where I felt emotionally invested in the book and was moved to continue reading because I wanted to know what happened. The Miss Celia baby thing is incredibly gross and I had to but the book down and walk away for a few minutes because it was making me nauseous--that's never happened before! Towards the end of the book, I became concerned, and I found myself reading a little faster because I wanted to know what happened. I can see why this book is/was so popular and such a hit with reading clubs. The author's a great writer.
At the end, past the acknowledgements, the author describes her own personal experiences that lead to the writing of this book, a section I found incredibly cool and helpful. I have never seen a "this is why I did it--this is how I lived it first" section in any books I recall having read before this one. Definite plus. In the section, the author addresses the fine line she walked when addressing the seriousness level of the book, and that's one area where my opinion differs with hers (and why I deducted a star). Sure, bad things happened to the maids, just like bad things happened to their bosses. But I feel that the job of being a maid in the south was made to be just a little bit less serious than it probably was. I wish I had more than my gut instinct to base this on, but I don't. The constant gossipy, funny comments made me laugh, but they also made me take the hard stuff a little less seriously.
That said, overall I'm very happy with the book. It was a great way to kick off my Goodreads reading challenge. I will probably read future books by this author (who is from Atlanta--didn't know that) in the future. I am glad I checked it out as a library e-book.(less)
A very interesting book by some of the early pioneers of the recent Flipped Classroom movement. Well written and full of helpful information. At only...moreA very interesting book by some of the early pioneers of the recent Flipped Classroom movement. Well written and full of helpful information. At only about 80 pages of actual text, I wish it had been longer--plenty of room for more tips and examples (and quotes from teachers). Recommended for anyone with an interest in applying their methods to your classroom.(less)
Short, but very funny. More entertaining than The First Days of School--it's like the Cliffs Notes of that book, with more humor. I enjoyed it and I t...moreShort, but very funny. More entertaining than The First Days of School--it's like the Cliffs Notes of that book, with more humor. I enjoyed it and I think it actually would help newer teachers. Recommended.(less)
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