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Very enjoyable/suspenseful read. It's a work of fiction so it's not that upsetting but it definitely has an overly anti-business slant as it tends to make a lot of businesses out as evil. But it does treat those that do misdeeds in a harsh manner, as it should. And it doesn't make many of the trial lawyers out as saints, which is also good. The one point that would have been nice to be made, even if it is a fictional story, is that the truth lies in the middle - there are a lot of sleezy trial lawyers and immoral scumbags in business so people can and should not always lean one way or the other on various issues. It's situational. ]]>
A very interesting read on our nation's founding. I liked this one more than the bio he did on Washington (less depth on a single man). Ellis seems to have portrayed the founders as they were, not as we've grown to perceive them. He wasn't afraid to glorify them or villify them when each was justified. Most interesting were the events which were set forth in the last quarter of the 18th century that eventually led to the civil war and defined our international policy for over a century. ]]>
The book was remarkable. It’s a satirical work so it’s much different than anything else I’ve ever read. It’s actually quite comical as it pokes fun at various different personality types. Since its setting is in a fictional WWII unit with a typical rank structure, it reminded me a lot of my investment banking days and the various people, many of whom were dead set on exploiting the structure to best suit their own needs. The monitoring of “black eyes” and “feathers in my cap” were humorous and unfortunately all too easy to relate to.
It also contains a number of very witty and comical quotes that can be applied to many different aspects of society, especially today. I read (and re-read several times) my personal favorite - "The country was in peril; he was jeopardizing his traditional rights of freedom and independence by daring to exercise them."
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Similar to the Da Vinci Code and Angels & Demons but with a new subject. I found it entertaining but maybe a little less than the other Langdon books since the genre is not as new and exciting as it once was. But I still found it captivating. ]]>
I can't say I agree with everything Ron Paul says. Even with the compelling facts he presents, I am a bit skeptical. But I like what he has to say and I, most of all, like his approach to limited government.
Ideally, this is how we would act as a country. But I worry that there are too many quick buck artists and suited con men to actually make it work.
I also wonder how achievable it would be since we've gone so far in what Ron Paul and I believe is the wrong direction. I like the ends he suggests but the means may not justify the ends. ]]>
It wasn't the best book I ever read. It wasn't the most insightful or interesting. But it was enjoyable and timely. I read this while backpacking through Europe - an adventure of my own.
It was also quite thought provoking. While reading, I couldn’t help but compare myself to McCandless. While there are many differences - McCandless was much smarter, he seemed to face the unknown with less apprehension, he clearly had some mommy/daddy issues and I have no desire to abandon all and set off as a nomad - I saw my adventurous, idealistic, headstrong, introverted/extroverted, meaning- and variety-seeking self in him. ]]>
This book is very informative on the background of the United States's failure to kill or capture Bin Laden just after 9/11. As a Bush supporter on the National Security front, this certainly raises doubts in my mind on his ability to accomplish military objectives or at least to have the appropriate military/DOD leadership to execute the nation's security objectives. The country's leadership needed to let these professionals do what they do best without all the political red tape.
I also found the background on the Unit very interesting, especially the selection, training and anecdotes from other missions. ]]>
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