false 7 141 77 true 5700333 read 0 true 2227088 currently-reading 64 true 2227087 to-read http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/78544048 Powerful Medicines: The Benefits, Risks, and Costs of Prescription Drugs (Hardcover) by Jerry Avorn
bookshelves: to-read
]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/78490492 Perilous Times: Free Speech in Wartime: From the Sedition Act of 1798 to the War on Terrorism (Paperback) by Geoffrey R. Stone
bookshelves: to-read
]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/76758084 A Plague upon Humanity: The Secret Genocide of Axis Japan's Germ Warfare Operation (Hardcover) by Daniel Barenblatt
bookshelves: to-read
]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/48554899 to: Hide and Seek: The Search for Truth in Iraq (Hardcover) by Charles Duelfer
I need to re-read this. I think GWB does too. ]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/75938229 to: Physics of the Impossible: A Scientific Exploration of the World of Phasers, Force Fields, Teleportation, and Time Travel (Hardcover) by Michio Kaku
This book would be great for all the geeks and sci-fi fans out there.

It probably would have been better still had I understood half of what the author was describing. And the author dumbed down his explanations. (Dammit, what's my deal?)

Out of fifteen crazy ideas (time travel, parallel universes, teleportation, etc.), this book argues that only two are impossible - precognition and perpetual motion machines. The rest of the crazy ideas are possible on a speculative time scale.

The best part of this book is the humility with which the author carries his argument. Even the truly "impossible" physics, he admits, could potentially be true; existence requires a fundamental change our current understandings.

To think that someone living on Earth -right now- holds within his/her mind the way to travel through time is mindbottling. ]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/74867149 to: Confessions of a Radical Industrialist: How My Company and I Transformed Our Purpose, Sparked Innovation, and Grew Profits - By Respecting the Earth (Hardcover) by Ray Anderson
Live this book.

If "Cradle to Cradle" is the blueprint, "Confessions of a Radical Industrialist" is the beautiful home that is created therefrom.

Rest assured, though, that the home extends from the Earth rather than taking, making, and wasting the Earth. Architecture sure is beautiful, Mr. Roark, especially when you consider the entire life cycle of the structure. I'll excuse your nearsightedness if you promise to transcend your current objectivism.

Who would have thought that the founder of a billion-dollar carpet company would or could convert his epiphany of environmental sustainability that is equally more profitable business and more sustainable. This book proves the conversion is possible; profitability and sustainability aren't mutually exclusive.

I cannot understate the value of this book. Sure it's not the quickest, most exciting read. That doesn't matter. Just because your eyes can't avoid watching a train wreck doesn't mean the train wreck has value.

Rather, the value of this book is that it prospects the future of human progress. Sometimes the future looks dark. This book lights one very important candle.

The lessons of this book can be applied to almost every aspect of human life. ]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/73069863 Red to Black (Hardcover) by Alex Dryden
bookshelves: to-read
]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/72942573 to: The Magic of Thinking Big (Paperback) by David J. Schwartz
Oh my. Another "classic" this is not.

I picked this book up on the recommendation of Mr. Fourhourworkweek. He claimed it was one of the few books worth reading. Strike two. (Strike one - "Secrets of Power Negotiating".) You're not doing so well Mr. Fourhourworkweek.

Schwartz follows in the vein (or "vain", :::snort:::) of Dale Carnegie of "How to Win Friends and Influence People". If you like the latter, you will like the former. I didn't like either.

Both rest on foolish anecdotes. Schwartz would argue, for example, that you should stand on your head when you talk to someone because Schwartz knew a guy back in Boise that once did a handstand at a property closing and now that guy is a millionaire. True story. Why would Schwartz make this up? Certainly not to sell a book -a steal at $19.95+sh- or shill for his speaking tour -available for a only limited time.

As a side note, some of Schwartz's qualifications of how successful his acquaintances are end up sounding unsuccessful. Especially when he talks about an individual now earning upwards of $55,000 in salary. Wow! Or how another person changed his/her life and now they own a $125,000 home. Surely you jest!

Much like "Power Negotiating", some of the recommendations might work. But the recommendations are nothing special. To be sure, most equate with common sense. Though I believe that "Power Negotiating" probably might work out better for you.

Ultimately, this book is outdated in many ways. The arguments might turn your interest to luke warm. Nothing beyond that. I didn't even want to finish the book. That was me thinking big, because I shouldn't be wasting my time. No magic there.
]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/72691620 to: Political Ideologies and the Democratic Ideal (6th Edition) by Terence Ball
This book gets an a-okay for two reasons.

First, it explains the major political ideologies in a succint and articulate way. I had to buy this book for an undergrad course. And you know what - I still occasionally read it to this day. That makes this book one of a few that I haven't cursed and thrown away. The edition I have is about 10 years outdated. Nevertheless, most of the information and analysis is spot on.

The second reason is that the authors of this book are named "Ball" and "Dagger". I couldn't make this stuff up. Okay, maybe I could. But I didn't; this happened independent of any sophomoric jokester.

t ]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/72398072 to: Secrets of Power Negotiating (Paperback) by Roger Dawson
At first read, a classic this is not. "Secrets" is a stretch. More like: "Anecdotes that worked once or twice for me, so the approach might work for you. (Just buy my book.)"

This book definitely does not instantly create a power negotiator. The author's approach and recommendations seem ineffective and, sometimes, crass.

That said, I'm willing to give them a shot. I will let you know if they work. Anyone want to buy a 2004 Honda Civic? ]]>