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August 20
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Kate
took the never-ending book quiz.
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July 30
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Kate
gave
 
to:
The Art of Racing in the Rain (Hardcover)
by Garth Stein
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my rating:
Added to my books!
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read in July, 2008
Kate said:
"Fun read - story told from the dog's perspective and I really enjoyed that aspect. Liked some of the author's views on dog behavior. But, the main topic of the book was the dog's family and the huge problem with this book is that the key conflict w...more
Fun read - story told from the dog's perspective and I really enjoyed that aspect. Liked some of the author's views on dog behavior. But, the main topic of the book was the dog's family and the huge problem with this book is that the key conflict was not believable. Can't say what it was or I would ruin the book, but it just wouldn't happen. ...less
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Kate
is currently reading:
The Great Influenza: The Epic Story of the Deadliest Plague in History (Paperback)
by John M. Barry
bookshelves:
currently-reading
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my rating:
Added to my books!
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Kate
gave
to:
Unaccustomed Earth (Hardcover)
by Jhumpa Lahiri
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my rating:
Added to my books!
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Kate said:
"What I learned... is that I would love it if JL would try out a slightly different topic than the Indian/American family experience. Her stories are beautifully crafted but when reading this, I couldn't help feeling that I had already read the same ...more
What I learned... is that I would love it if JL would try out a slightly different topic than the Indian/American family experience. Her stories are beautifully crafted but when reading this, I couldn't help feeling that I had already read the same book about the family that moves to Cambridge, MA and then struggles as the parents hold on tighter to Indian family tradition than their children who are more fully immersed in American culture via school and friendships. Truly beautiful writing, but I will likely think twice before taking on the same topic a 4th time....less
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Kate
installed the Goodreads Facebook Application 
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May 28
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Kate
gave
to:
Bright Shiny Morning (Hardcover)
by James Frey
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my rating:
Added to my books!
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read in May, 2008
Kate said:
"I am NOT just giving this book 5 stars to get back at the spiteful reviewers on Amazon (who didn't even read the book!) The integrity they lack- giving a book you haven't read 1 star. In my mind, it goes to show how many people think what Oprah thi...more
I am NOT just giving this book 5 stars to get back at the spiteful reviewers on Amazon (who didn't even read the book!) The integrity they lack- giving a book you haven't read 1 star. In my mind, it goes to show how many people think what Oprah thinks just because she thinks it. For more background on my review, I read "A Million Little Pieces" BEFORE it was revealed that it was not completely factual. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and although I didn't base my own rehabilitation solely on his writing (I don't do drugs thankfully) I felt it was a book that had a lot of merit. And, he tried first to sell it as fiction and was convinced by publishers to make it a memoir- give the guy a break.
Since, I enjoyed his writing and because I read the reviews of people who read this latest offering (it may have originally been his first unpublished novel???), I decided to read it. I confess than, the reviewers- who described the book as a novel with Los Angeles (the city) as the main character, may have guided my reading/interpretation.
Excellent book. I can't think of a book that better describes a city - through facts, trivia, even stereotypical "LA" characters (that he gives interesting authentic voices). I wonder how actual residents of Los Angeles will receive this book versus people like me who can only guess what life there is really like.
Frey has a very intimate (at times crass), often manic writing voice that could certainly be tiresome to read too frequently but it seems to be a great voice for Los Angeles. I highly recommend the book and encourage those who feel Oprah needs to get over herself to give this guy another chance....less
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Kate
gave
to:
Blue Angel: A Novel (P.S.)
by Francine Prose
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my rating:
Added to my books!
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read in May, 2008
Kate said:
"Generally enjoyed Francine's writing and the plot included some interesting twists. Plot = writing professor goes too far romantically with student and spirals downward in a stressful demolition of his comfortable life.
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Kate
gave
to:
Fooled by Randomness: The Hidden Role of Chance in Life and in the Markets (Paperback)
by Nassim Nicholas Taleb
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my rating:
Added to my books!
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read in April, 2008
Kate said:
"Well, if you can get beyond the fact that Nicholas T Taleb most likely hates you, his arguments are valuable. The idea of the book is that we discount the true probablistic picture of most situations and make decisions that we think are smarter than...more
Well, if you can get beyond the fact that Nicholas T Taleb most likely hates you, his arguments are valuable. The idea of the book is that we discount the true probablistic picture of most situations and make decisions that we think are smarter than they are... we are lucky enough just not to get caught. He hates people who think they made wise decisions but were, in fact, just fortunate not to experience the bad outcomes. Hates them. They are so incredibly stupid. The neat idea I found myself contemplating as a result was that when I try to realistically assess my capabilities to achieve in my own job and feel like I could be better (versus other colleagues) I am likely discounting the fact that the success I think they represent has a lot more to do with luck that with their efforts to correctly calculate and manage the risk scenarios they experience. They are just lucky. How very STUPID of them. So as a result, even though Nick T. has such DISDAIN for everybody, I actually felt more confident in my abilities (or at least in my assessment of them). If my review strikes you as annoying with how many times I write about the author hating everyone, it is because that is the huge flaw with the writing. Every other sentence describes his disgust with people who don't get it. And, if you've spent any time with the strategy team at Constellation Energy, you are luckily not guilty of failing to assess the full risk profile of any scenario- which means his material is not exactly ground-breaking. That said, he provides good illustrative examples of his arguments- they are just too mired with his huge amount of hate....less
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April 10
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Kate
gave
to:
Namath: A Biography (Paperback)
by Mark Kriegel
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my rating:
Added to my books!
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Kate said:
"I truly enjoyed this book but was left with such a sad impression of Namath's life. His night club feverish antics were amusing alongside his drive to play and win on a completely busted knee... the sad part is how alone he was as he became middle a...more
I truly enjoyed this book but was left with such a sad impression of Namath's life. His night club feverish antics were amusing alongside his drive to play and win on a completely busted knee... the sad part is how alone he was as he became middle aged, unremembered for the most part....less
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Kate
gave
to:
Chronicles: Volume One (Paperback)
by Bob Dylan
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my rating:
Added to my books!
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Kate said:
" I have to admit to not finishing this... critical reviews were decent enough to make me buy it... wouldn't it be fun to think about the artistic community around Dylan when he came on the scene?... not really, just a bunch of name dropping as he tel...more
I have to admit to not finishing this... critical reviews were decent enough to make me buy it... wouldn't it be fun to think about the artistic community around Dylan when he came on the scene?... not really, just a bunch of name dropping as he tells you all the apartments he sat around in and had jam sessions in... weak narrative...less
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