false 9 324 301 true 5661996 read 5 true 2666428 currently-reading 18 true 2666427 to-read 53 false 5453610 fantasy 46 false 3208592 nonfiction 42 false 3208507 beloved-kids-books 33 false 3208586 romance-regency 32 false 5603595 funny 31 false 5453009 history 23 false 5453510 manga 21 false 5603622 comics 17 false 5453756 adventure 15 false 3207869 mystery 15 false 3240772 classics 14 false 5452976 science 13 false 5452830 audiobook 12 false 5452959 shakespeare 11 false 5452937 historical 10 false 5163121 knitting 9 false 3240769 swashbuckling 8 false 5163277 science-fiction 6 false 5452955 food-history 6 false 5452967 biography-autobiography 5 false 3008603 abandoned 5 false 5594587 language 5 false 5453025 thieves 4 false 5453328 writing 4 false 5453348 travel 3 false 5453034 short-story 3 false 5453000 japan 1 false 5452972 true-crime 1 false 5603585 romance-contemporary http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/77975833 to: Mysteries of the Middle Ages: And the Beginning of the Modern World (Paperback) by Thomas Cahill
bookshelves: audiobook, history
A decent book, and beautifully written, but a bit prosaic and a bit too 'Great Man Theory' (by which I mean Person, not Male) for my tastes. I am enthusiastic about the thesis he presents, but it didn't quite seem to come together for me. Still, the writing was very evocative and the narrator (I listened to this as an audiobook) was fantastic. ]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/76493403 Cunning (Hardcover) by Don Herzog
bookshelves: currently-reading
]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/74370790 to: The Greatest Show on Earth: The Evidence for Evolution (Hardcover) by Richard Dawkins
bookshelves: audiobook, science
Fantastic, well argued, and even the digressions I found kind of charming. It's also the best put together audiobook I've ever listened to. The narrations alternates between Richard Dawkins and Lala Ward, which often helps with the clarity of the arguments. It also had an electronic booklet with the illustrations from the book, and there was a tone to let you know when one was being discussed. ]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/71151739 to: The Rise and Fall of Alexandria: Birthplace of the Modern World (Paperback) by Justin Pollard
bookshelves: history, science
Consistently engaging and informative, this book was full of interesting tidbits and facts, and did a good job of putting the city in context with it's greater world..the forces that put it together and tore it apart.

Very thought provoking, I know it's popular to compare America and Ancient Rome right now, but after reading this I wonder if Alexandira might be a better comparison. ]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/66972719 to: An Edible History of Humanity (Hardcover) by Tom Standage
bookshelves: audiobook, food-history, history
A good book covering the history of food...primarily agriculture and spice trading, and it's effects on society. Not quite as engaging as 'Around the World in Six Glasses' but still worth a read. There are parts that may not change your opinion about Organic or Local farming, but it will certainly make you think about it, and challenge your conceptions.

I listened to this as an audiobook, and was a little dissapointed in the narrator. He was a little too dry for my taste, and whenever he used a 'voice' for a direct quote it felt more than a bit silly. ]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/53446894 to: Favorite Father Brown Stories {6 Tales}(Dover Thrift Editions) by G.K. Chesterton
bookshelves: abandoned
]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/66780404 The Lies of Locke Lamora (Gentleman Bastards, #1) by Scott Lynch
bookshelves: currently-reading
]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/53446878 to: Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (Paperback) by Seth Grahame-Smith
bookshelves: funny
I think I might have liked this better if I hadn't allowed myself to get swept up in the hype. It's a cute idea, but I don't think quite clever enough to sustain a whole book. ]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/71981834 to: Briar's Book (Circle of Magic, #4) by Tamora Pierce
bookshelves: fantasy
]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/65560743 to: How We Decide (Hardcover) by Jonah Lehrer
bookshelves: audiobook, nonfiction, science
An excellent book that looks at decision making at a neruoscience level. It takes an interesting approach showing how we use both the rational and emotional centers of the brains when we make decisions, the ways in which they help us, and the ways they can steer us wrong. I think this book makes a good counterpoint to Malcom Gladwell's 'Blink' and helps you be more aware of your own thoughts. Using credit cards, buying a house, gambling, and choosing a strawberry jam...being aware of why you choose what you do can help you make better choices in the future. ]]>