false 10 126 97 true 5711647 read 1 true 3668846 currently-reading 28 true 3668845 to-read 5 false 4879339 non-fiction 4 false 3690400 suspended 2 false 3690399 abandoned <![CDATA[Jason is on page 1 of Matter ]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/71522714 Jason is starting Matter ]]> <![CDATA[Jason added 'Transition']]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/73619028 to: Transition (Hardcover) by Iain M. Banks
]]> <![CDATA[Jason is on page 608 of Transition ]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/73619028 Jason is finished with Transition ]]> <![CDATA[Jason added 'Madness of Flowers']]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/77384969 Madness of Flowers (Paperback) by Jay Lake
bookshelves: to-read
]]> <![CDATA[Jason added 'Parenting Beyond Belief: On Raising Ethical, Caring Kids Without Religion']]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/38072983 to: Parenting Beyond Belief: On Raising Ethical, Caring Kids Without Religion (Paperback) by Dale McGowan
bookshelves: non-fiction
McGowan has really put together a good collection of essays, reflections, and suggestions. I would have liked to see more material dealing specifically with mixed (non-theist/christian) marriages, but the overall non-confrontational and respectful tone to the book lent itself well to raising freethinking children who challenge, explore and make decisions for themselves (whatever reasonable conclusions that leads them to). Little time is devoted to specifically criticizing religion (although there's plenty criticism to be found in small, light doses spread throughout).

The celebrity authors like Penn Jillette and Julia Sweeney had the least to offer to the book, and Richard Dawkins contributed most through being quoted occasionally by other contributors (though his one specific contribution, an open letter to his daughter, was great). A few pieces were a bit dry, working more as a reference to be returned to, but most authors were interesting if not also entertaining. Some selections in this book were simply excellent.

Whether you're a parent in an all secular family, or a non-theist with a religious spouse, there's guidance and encouragement to be found in this collection. ]]> <![CDATA[Jason added 'The Blank Slate: The Modern Denial of Human Nature']]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/74605569 The Blank Slate: The Modern Denial of Human Nature (Paperback) by Steven Pinker
bookshelves: to-read
]]> <![CDATA[Jason added 'Look to Windward']]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/71528143 to: Look to Windward (Paperback) by Iain M. Banks
I'm bad at writing reviews, but I'd like to steal the closing of a review by another Goodreads user, Rob:

"...it was close to 4-stars for me. If I could, I would have given it ★★★½. I found the story a little slow to start and Banks' style a bit exaggerated. I'm not sure if the novel would have worked as well without the narrative being constructed the way it was but sometimes I found the prose got in the way of the story. (On the other hand, the behemothaur sections were perfect.)" ]]> <![CDATA[Jason added 'The Moral Animal: Why We Are, the Way We Are: The New Science of Evolutionary Psychology']]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/72908165 The Moral Animal: Why We Are, the Way We Are: The New Science of Evolutionary Psychology (Paperback) by Robert Wright
bookshelves: to-read
]]> <![CDATA[Jason added 'The Best of Gene Wolfe: A Definitive Retrospective of His Finest Short Fiction']]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/72894191 The Best of Gene Wolfe: A Definitive Retrospective of His Finest Short Fiction (Hardcover) by Gene Wolfe
bookshelves: suspended, to-read
]]> <![CDATA[Jason added 'The Geek Atlas: 128 Places Where Science and Technology Come Alive']]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/64645588 The Geek Atlas: 128 Places Where Science and Technology Come Alive (Paperback) by John Graham-Cumming
bookshelves: non-fiction, suspended
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