<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<GoodreadsResponse>
	<Request>
		<authentication>false</authentication>
		    <method><![CDATA[]]></method>
	</Request>
	<user>
  <id>763730</id>
  <name><![CDATA[Stewart]]></name>
  <user_name><![CDATA[]]></user_name>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/763730-stewart]]></link>
    <image_url><![CDATA[http://photo.goodreads.com/users/1201761163p3/763730.jpg]]></image_url>
  
    <about><![CDATA[]]></about>
    <gender>male</gender>
    <location>Oakland, CA</location>
    <website><![CDATA[]]></website>
    <joined>01/2008</joined>
    <last_active>12/2009</last_active>
    <interests><![CDATA[English language, etymology, American history, philosophy, classical music, newspaper journalism, movies, American literature]]></interests>
    <favorite_books><![CDATA[]]></favorite_books>
    
    <favorite_authors>
	    
	  </favorite_authors>
    
    
    <updates_rss_url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/updates_rss/763730?key=598679e0142039299bd51ab3f98f4126e2f7f7ab]]></updates_rss_url>
    <reviews_rss_url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/list_rss/763730?key=598679e0142039299bd51ab3f98f4126e2f7f7ab&shelf=%23ALL%23]]></reviews_rss_url>
    <friends_count type="integer">7</friends_count>
    <reviews_count type="integer">83</reviews_count>
    <user_shelves type="array">
  <user_shelf>
    <book_count type="integer">82</book_count>
    <description nil="true"></description>
    <exclusive_flag type="boolean">true</exclusive_flag>
    <id type="integer">5745792</id>
    <name>read</name>
  </user_shelf>
  <user_shelf>
    <book_count type="integer">1</book_count>
    <description nil="true"></description>
    <exclusive_flag type="boolean">true</exclusive_flag>
    <id type="integer">1547658</id>
    <name>currently-reading</name>
  </user_shelf>
  <user_shelf>
    <book_count type="integer">0</book_count>
    <description nil="true"></description>
    <exclusive_flag type="boolean">true</exclusive_flag>
    <id type="integer">1547657</id>
    <name>to-read</name>
  </user_shelf>
</user_shelves>

          <updates type="array">
      <update type="review">
    <action_text><![CDATA[is currently reading: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7181676-after-thoughts">After Thoughts (Hardcover)</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/946298.Lee_Meriwether">Lee Meriwether</a>]]></action_text>
    <link>http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/78609001</link>
    <image_url>http://www.goodreads.com/images/nocover-60x80.jpg</image_url>
    <actor>
  <id type="integer">763730</id>
  <name>Stewart</name>
  <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/users/1201761163p2/763730.jpg</image_url>
  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/763730-stewart</link>
</actor>

    <updated_at>Sun, 22 Nov 2009 01:06:52 -0800</updated_at>
        
      
        
    
  </update>  
      <update type="review">
    <action_text><![CDATA[gave 3 stars to: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2537979.Black_and_White_and_Dead_All_Over">Black and White and Dead All Over (Hardcover)</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/55751.John_Darnton">John Darnton</a>]]></action_text>
    <link>http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/76838665</link>
    <image_url>http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51H4hpJxqdL._SL75_.jpg</image_url>
    <actor>
  <id type="integer">763730</id>
  <name>Stewart</name>
  <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/users/1201761163p2/763730.jpg</image_url>
  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/763730-stewart</link>
</actor>

    <updated_at>Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:57:27 -0800</updated_at>
        
      
          <body><![CDATA[&quot;Black &amp; White &amp; Dead All Over&quot; isn't the greatest murder mystery ever written but it was a fun look at the (increasingly battered) world of big city newspapers. Taking place in and around the New York Globe, a thinly disguised New York Times, John Darnton (who worked for the Times for 40 ...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/%22Black%20&amp;%20White%20&amp;%20Dead%20All%20Over%22%20isn't%20the%20greatest%20murder%20mystery%20ever%20written%20but%20it%20was%20a%20fun%20look%20at%20the%20(increasingly%20battered)%20world%20of%20big%20city%20newspapers.%20Taking%20place%20in%20and%20around%20the%20New%20York%20Globe,%20a%20thinly%20disguised%20New%20York%20Times,%20John%20Darnton%20(who%20worked%20for%20the%20Times%20for%2040%20years%20as%20a%20reporter%20and%20editor),%20puts%20together%20an%20intricate%20novel%20in%20which%20three%20newspaper%20people%20are%20killed%20and%20a%20young%20reporter%20and%20police%20detective%20team%20up%20to%20find%20out%20who%20was%20responsible%20for%20the%20killings.%20There%20are%20too%20many%20characters%20in%20the%20novel,%20and%20I%20had%20to%20keep%20turning%20back%20to%20previous%20pages%20to%20see%20who%20was%20who.%20At%20least%20%22War%20and%20Peace%22%20had%20several%20pages%20of%20listings%20of%20the%20fictional%20and%20historical%20characters.%20This%20novel%20is%20especially%20recommended%20to%20those%20who%20have%20worked%20at%20newspapers.">more...</a>]]></body>
        
    
  </update>  
      <update type="review">
    <action_text><![CDATA[gave 5 stars to: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2272880.The_Drunkard_s_Walk_How_Randomness_Rules_Our_Lives">The Drunkard's Walk: How Randomness Rules Our Lives (Hardcover)</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1399.Leonard_Mlodinow">Leonard Mlodinow</a>]]></action_text>
    <link>http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/75163719</link>
    <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1255573386s/2272880.jpg</image_url>
    <actor>
  <id type="integer">763730</id>
  <name>Stewart</name>
  <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/users/1201761163p2/763730.jpg</image_url>
  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/763730-stewart</link>
</actor>

    <updated_at>Thu, 05 Nov 2009 13:15:04 -0800</updated_at>
        
      
          <body><![CDATA[Leonard Mlodinow is an unusual writer: He has a doctorate in physics from the University of California-Berkeley and he wrote for &quot;Star Trek: The Next Generation.&quot; This combination of expertise and writing skills came in handy when he wrote &quot;The Drunkard's Walk: How Randomness Rules Ou...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/Leonard%20Mlodinow%20is%20an%20unusual%20writer:%20He%20has%20a%20doctorate%20in%20physics%20from%20the%20University%20of%20California-Berkeley%20and%20he%20wrote%20for%20%22Star%20Trek:%20The%20Next%20Generation.%22%20This%20combination%20of%20expertise%20and%20writing%20skills%20came%20in%20handy%20when%20he%20wrote%20%22The%20Drunkard's%20Walk:%20How%20Randomness%20Rules%20Our%20Lives.%22%20His%20assertions%20are%20well-documented%20(16%20pages%20of%20notes)%20and%20made%20more%20interesting%20by%20examples%20from%20everyday%20life.%20Mlodinow%20is%20not%20saying%20we%20have%20NO%20control%20over%20our%20lives,%20but%20he%20cautions%20us%20that%20much%20of%20our%20success%20and%20failure%20in%20our%20lives%20can%20be%20attributed%20to%20causes%20beyond%20our%20control.%20%22And%20so%20the%20first%20step%20is%20to%20realize%20that%20success%20and%20failure%20sometimes%20arises%20neither%20from%20great%20skill%20nor%20from%20great%20incompetence%20but%20from,%20as%20the%20economist%20Armen%20Alchian%20wrote,%20'from%20fortuitous%20circumstances.'%22%20Mlodinow%20looks%20at%20polls%20and%20wine%20ratings%20and%20shows%20that%20they%20are%20often%20of%20limited%20usefulness%20and%20sometimes%20meaningless.%20He%20also%20cites%20team%20and%20individual%20streaks%20in%20sports%20and%20investment%20advice%20and%20demonstrates%20that%20success%20is%20determined%20as%20much%20by%20chance%20as%20skill.%20The%20book%20should%20teach%20its%20readers%20to%20be%20humble%20about%20success%20and%20stoic%20about%20failure%20--%20and%20to%20take%20polls%20and%20ratings%20with%20several%20grains%20of%20salt.%20">more...</a>]]></body>
        
    
  </update>  
      <update type="review">
    <action_text><![CDATA[gave 5 stars to: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4935013.Life_Inc_How_the_World_Became_a_Corporation_and_How_to_Take_It_Back">Life Inc.: How the World Became a Corporation and How to Take It Back (Hardcover)</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/80801.Douglas_Rushkoff">Douglas Rushkoff</a>]]></action_text>
    <link>http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/74348308</link>
    <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1255701030s/4935013.jpg</image_url>
    <actor>
  <id type="integer">763730</id>
  <name>Stewart</name>
  <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/users/1201761163p2/763730.jpg</image_url>
  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/763730-stewart</link>
</actor>

    <updated_at>Tue, 20 Oct 2009 14:56:49 -0700</updated_at>
        
      
          <body><![CDATA[There have been many good books written recently about the implosion on Wall Street, the massive debt held by Americans, corporations, and the federal government, and the current recession, but few have gone into such depth about the United States and its economic and political discontents as Dougla...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/There%20have%20been%20many%20good%20books%20written%20recently%20about%20the%20implosion%20on%20Wall%20Street,%20the%20massive%20debt%20held%20by%20Americans,%20corporations,%20and%20the%20federal%20government,%20and%20the%20current%20recession,%20but%20few%20have%20gone%20into%20such%20depth%20about%20the%20United%20States%20and%20its%20economic%20and%20political%20discontents%20as%20Douglas%20Rushkoff's%202008%20book%20%22Life%20Inc.:%20How%20the%20World%20Became%20a%20Corporation%20and%20How%20to%20Take%20It%20Back.%22%20This%20book%20explores%20the%20history%20of%20the%20corporation%20from%20the%20late%20Middle%20Ages%20through%20the%20chartered%20monopoly%20of%20European%20colonialist%20powers%20to%20corporations%20being%20granted%20the%20rights%20of%20%22persons%22%20by%20an%20inexplicable%20U.S.%20Supreme%20Court%20decision.%20During%20the%20past%2040%20years,%20corporations%20have%20insinuated%20themselves%20into%20every%20aspect%20of%20American%20life%20and%20bought%20undue%20influence%20in%20Congress%20and%20state%20legislatures.%20Everything%20we%20own%20was%20made%20by%20corporations,%20and%20most%20Americans%20are%20bombarded%20incessantly%20with%20commercials%20promoting%20consumption%20(provided%20by%20corporations).%20As%20Rushkoff%20points%20out,%20most%20Americans%20think%20like%20corporations%20and%20cannot%20imagine%20any%20other%20world%20than%20the%20corporate%20economic%20system%20we%20live%20under.%20%22We%20live%20in%20a%20landscape%20tilted%20toward%20a%20set%20of%20behaviors%20and%20a%20way%20of%20making%20choices%20that%20go%20against%20our%20better%20judgment,%20as%20well%20as%20our%20collective%20self-interest.%20...%20In%20short,%20instead%20of%20acting%20like%20people,%20we%20act%20like%20corporations.%22%20%20%20">more...</a>]]></body>
        
    
  </update>  
      <update type="review">
    <action_text><![CDATA[gave 4 stars to: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26936.Rock_Springs">Rock Springs (Paperback)</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7849.Richard_Ford">Richard Ford</a>]]></action_text>
    <link>http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/72930195</link>
    <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1167856557s/26936.jpg</image_url>
    <actor>
  <id type="integer">763730</id>
  <name>Stewart</name>
  <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/users/1201761163p2/763730.jpg</image_url>
  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/763730-stewart</link>
</actor>

    <updated_at>Mon, 12 Oct 2009 20:25:18 -0700</updated_at>
        
      
          <body><![CDATA[Up until reading this 1987 book of short stories, I had been familiar with Richard Ford only from his novel &quot;The Sportswriter,&quot; which I read many years ago. These 10 stories take place in western Montana in and around Great Falls and involve characters just scraping by and often in trouble...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/Up%20until%20reading%20this%201987%20book%20of%20short%20stories,%20I%20had%20been%20familiar%20with%20Richard%20Ford%20only%20from%20his%20novel%20%22The%20Sportswriter,%22%20which%20I%20read%20many%20years%20ago.%20These%2010%20stories%20take%20place%20in%20western%20Montana%20in%20and%20around%20Great%20Falls%20and%20involve%20characters%20just%20scraping%20by%20and%20often%20in%20trouble%20with%20the%20law.%20Ford%20well%20describes%20the%20wind-swept%20western%20plains%20and%20mountain%20ranges%20and%20has%20created%20believable%20characters%20and%20situations,%20where%20fishing%20rods%20and%20guns%20are%20a%20common%20part%20of%20the%20culture,%20where%20life%20is%20hard%20and%20luck%20is%20fleeting.">more...</a>]]></body>
        
    
  </update>  
      <update type="review">
    <action_text><![CDATA[gave 3 stars to: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6883228-tolstoy-s-war-and-peace-a-study">Tolstoy's &quot;War and Peace&quot; A Study (Library Binding)</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1347219.R_F_Christian">R.F. Christian</a>]]></action_text>
    <link>http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/71634567</link>
    <image_url>http://www.goodreads.com/images/nocover-60x80.jpg</image_url>
    <actor>
  <id type="integer">763730</id>
  <name>Stewart</name>
  <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/users/1201761163p2/763730.jpg</image_url>
  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/763730-stewart</link>
</actor>

    <updated_at>Tue, 29 Sep 2009 15:35:20 -0700</updated_at>
        
      
          <body><![CDATA[This book is a good critical study of Tolstoy's epic work &quot;War and Peace.&quot; The author looks at Tolstoy's historical and fictional characters, his use of source materials from 1805-14, and the verisimilitude of his depictions of the most prominent people during the Napoleonic invasion of Ru...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/This%20book%20is%20a%20good%20critical%20study%20of%20Tolstoy's%20epic%20work%20%22War%20and%20Peace.%22%20The%20author%20looks%20at%20Tolstoy's%20historical%20and%20fictional%20characters,%20his%20use%20of%20source%20materials%20from%201805-14,%20and%20the%20verisimilitude%20of%20his%20depictions%20of%20the%20most%20prominent%20people%20during%20the%20Napoleonic%20invasion%20of%20Russia%20in%201812.">more...</a>]]></body>
        
    
  </update>  
      <update type="review">
    <action_text><![CDATA[gave 4 stars to: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2412382.Just_How_Stupid_Are_We_Facing_the_Truth_About_the_American_Voter">Just How Stupid Are We?: Facing the Truth About the American Voter (Hardcover)</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1076287.Rick_Shenkman">Rick Shenkman</a>]]></action_text>
    <link>http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/70875790</link>
    <image_url>http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/414cUTNtyWL._SL75_.jpg</image_url>
    <actor>
  <id type="integer">763730</id>
  <name>Stewart</name>
  <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/users/1201761163p2/763730.jpg</image_url>
  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/763730-stewart</link>
</actor>

    <updated_at>Thu, 17 Sep 2009 22:24:23 -0700</updated_at>
        
      
          <body><![CDATA[This is a depressing but not surprising book about the ignorance of many American voters. Shenkman, unlike many liberal and conservative commentators of the past 30 years, is unwilling to let American citizens off the hook for the mess that this country has gotten into. Yes, the Far Right misleads a...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/This%20is%20a%20depressing%20but%20not%20surprising%20book%20about%20the%20ignorance%20of%20many%20American%20voters.%20Shenkman,%20unlike%20many%20liberal%20and%20conservative%20commentators%20of%20the%20past%2030%20years,%20is%20unwilling%20to%20let%20American%20citizens%20off%20the%20hook%20for%20the%20mess%20that%20this%20country%20has%20gotten%20into.%20Yes,%20the%20Far%20Right%20misleads%20and%20lies,%20the%20Democrats%20equivocate,%20the%20mass%20media%20have%20become%20more%20and%20more%20entertainment%20and%20less%20and%20less%20serious%20news%20gathering,%20and%20political%20and%20economic%20elites%20manipulate%20people%20for%20their%20own%20advantage.%20But,%20Shenkman%20says,%20all%20of%20us%20American%20citizens%20in%20a%20democracy%20have%20to%20take%20responsibility%20for%20our%20country%20by%20educating%20ourselves,%20voting,%20and%20in%20other%20ways%20getting%20involved%20in%20our%20political%20system.%20Writing%20of%20American%20voters,%20Shenkman%20says,%20%22Busy%20leading%20their%20lives%20in%20a%2024%2F7%20rat-race%20capitalistic%20culture%20--%20running%20to%20the%20store,%20earning%20a%20living,%20taking%20care%20of%20the%20kids%20--%20they%20do%20not%20have%20the%20luxury%20of%20reflection.%20Their%20inattentiveness%20is%20legendary.%22%0D%0A%20%20The%20really%20sad%20thing%20is%20that%20voters%20--%20ignorant%20or%20well-informed%20--%20at%20least%20make%20the%20effort%20to%20go%20to%20the%20polls.%20National%20elections%20in%20the%20U.S.%20during%20the%2020th%20and%2021st%20centuries%20typically%20have%20turnout%20rates%20of%2020%20to%2050%20percent%20of%20eligible%20voters,%20making%20it%20easy%20for%20parties%20with%20narrow%20bases%20and%20out-of-the-mainstream%20politics%20to%20win%20elections.%0D%0A%20%20One%20of%20the%20most%20irritating%20attitudes%20shown%20in%20recent%20years%20has%20been%20%20people%20voting%20for%20candidates%20because%20they%20would%20be%20a%20better%20beer%20partner%20at%20a%20bar.%20That%20attitude%20is%20the%20part%20of%20the%20problem%20of%20ignorance%20and%20stupidity%20that%20this%20book%20tackles.%20">more...</a>]]></body>
        
    
  </update>  
      <update type="review">
    <action_text><![CDATA[gave 5 stars to: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/290979.War_and_Peace">War and Peace (Hardcover)</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/85.Leo_Tolstoy">Leo Tolstoy</a>]]></action_text>
    <link>http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/68771112</link>
    <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1255876679s/290979.jpg</image_url>
    <actor>
  <id type="integer">763730</id>
  <name>Stewart</name>
  <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/users/1201761163p2/763730.jpg</image_url>
  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/763730-stewart</link>
</actor>

    <updated_at>Fri, 11 Sep 2009 13:47:35 -0700</updated_at>
        
      
          <body><![CDATA[It took me 41 days to read the 1,282 pages (introduction, text, appendix, notes, and historical index), but I finished at 10:10 p.m. Sept. 10, 2009. Considered one of great novels in world literature, &quot;War and Peace&quot; is truly a work of great breadth and insight about the Napoleonic invasio...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/It%20took%20me%2041%20days%20to%20read%20the%201,282%20pages%20(introduction,%20text,%20appendix,%20notes,%20and%20historical%20index),%20but%20I%20finished%20at%2010:10%20p.m.%20Sept.%2010,%202009.%20Considered%20one%20of%20great%20novels%20in%20world%20literature,%20%22War%20and%20Peace%22%20is%20truly%20a%20work%20of%20great%20breadth%20and%20insight%20about%20the%20Napoleonic%20invasion,%20Czar%20Alexander%20I,%20the%20aristocracy%20in%20Petersburg%20and%20Moscow,%20and%20Russian%20life%20in%20general%201805-1820.%20I%20found%20the%20English%20translation%20by%20the%20husband-and-wife%20team%20of%20Richard%20Pevear%20and%20Larissa%20Volokhonsky%20easy%20to%20read.%20Leo%20Tolstoy%20mixes%20descriptions%20of%20the%20lives%20of%20fictional%20and%20historical%20characters%20and%20the%20struggle%20between%20the%20armies%20of%20Napoleon%20I%20and%20Gen.%20Mikhail%20Kutuzov%20in%201812%20with%20comments%20on%20history,%20power,%20freedom,%20and%20the%20chaos%20and%20uncertainties%20of%20battle.%20The%20epic%20novel%20consumed%20almost%20six%20weeks%20of%20reading%20time,%20but%20it%20was%20worth%20it.">more...</a>]]></body>
        
    
  </update>  
      <update type="review">
    <action_text><![CDATA[gave 3 stars to: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/333909.It_s_Crazy_to_Stay_Chinese_in_Minnesota">It's Crazy to Stay Chinese in Minnesota (Paperback)</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/191452.Eleanor_Wong_Telemaque">Eleanor Wong Telemaque</a>]]></action_text>
    <link>http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/65446748</link>
    <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1173836478s/333909.jpg</image_url>
    <actor>
  <id type="integer">763730</id>
  <name>Stewart</name>
  <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/users/1201761163p2/763730.jpg</image_url>
  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/763730-stewart</link>
</actor>

    <updated_at>Mon, 24 Aug 2009 19:40:40 -0700</updated_at>
        
      
          <body><![CDATA[This 102-page book by Eleanor Wong Telemaque is a short fictionalized account of growing up in Albert Lea, Minn., in a Chinese-American family owning a local restaurant. I wished the book were longer and the characters fleshed-out more, but I enjoyed the unique perspective of the author. I grew up i...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/This%20102-page%20book%20by%20Eleanor%20Wong%20Telemaque%20is%20a%20short%20fictionalized%20account%20of%20growing%20up%20in%20Albert%20Lea,%20Minn.,%20in%20a%20Chinese-American%20family%20owning%20a%20local%20restaurant.%20I%20wished%20the%20book%20were%20longer%20and%20the%20characters%20fleshed-out%20more,%20but%20I%20enjoyed%20the%20unique%20perspective%20of%20the%20author.%20I%20grew%20up%20in%20Minnesota%20in%20a%20small%20town%20that%20did%20not%20have%20a%20Chinese%20restaurant%20until%2015%20or%20so%20years%20after%20our%20family%20moved%20to%20Maine%20in%201965.%20I%20have%20been%20amazed%20at%20how%20ubiquitous%20Chinese%20restaurants%20have%20become%20in%20even%20the%20smallest%20of%20towns%20in%20my%20travels%20across%20the%20U.S.%20in%20the%201990s%20and%202000s.">more...</a>]]></body>
        
    
  </update>  
      <update type="review">
    <action_text><![CDATA[gave 4 stars to: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/318402.What_Is_Your_Dangerous_Idea_Today_s_Leading_Thinkers_on_the_Unthinkable">What Is Your Dangerous Idea?: Today's Leading Thinkers on the Unthinkable (Paperback)</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/63348.John_Brockman">John Brockman</a>]]></action_text>
    <link>http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/64414826</link>
    <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1173728451s/318402.jpg</image_url>
    <actor>
  <id type="integer">763730</id>
  <name>Stewart</name>
  <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/users/1201761163p2/763730.jpg</image_url>
  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/763730-stewart</link>
</actor>

    <updated_at>Wed, 29 Jul 2009 14:17:04 -0700</updated_at>
        
      
          <body><![CDATA[    One hundred eight writers, most of them scientists and academics, contributed to this book. There are well-known people like Steven Pinker, Richard Dawkins, Helen Fisher, and Jared Diamond and lesser-know people. As can be expected, the short essays, ranging from one to five pages each, vary in ...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/%20%20%20%20One%20hundred%20eight%20writers,%20most%20of%20them%20scientists%20and%20academics,%20contributed%20to%20this%20book.%20There%20are%20well-known%20people%20like%20Steven%20Pinker,%20Richard%20Dawkins,%20Helen%20Fisher,%20and%20Jared%20Diamond%20and%20lesser-know%20people.%20As%20can%20be%20expected,%20the%20short%20essays,%20ranging%20from%20one%20to%20five%20pages%20each,%20vary%20in%20interest.%20But%20many%20of%20the%20essays%20examine%20fascinating%20ideas%20that%20may%20challenge%20our%20beliefs%20and%20the%20status%20quo%20(hence,%20their%20danger).%0D%0A%20%20%20%20Daniel%20Golman,%20for%20instance,%20notes%20the%20difference%20between%20having%20a%20discussion%20with%20someone%20in%20person%20and%20by%20e-mail.%20On%20%22flaming%22:%20%22The%20hallmark%20of%20a%20flame%20is%20that%20the%20same%20person%20would%20never%20say%20the%20words%20in%20the%20e-mail%20to%20the%20recipient%20were%20they%20face%20to%20face.%22%0D%0A%20%20%20%20Karl%20Sabbagh%20writes%20about%20the%20immense%20difficulty%20of%20humans%20knowing%20the%20universe:%20%22And%20even%20if%20we%20are%20on%20the%20right%20lines%20in%20some%20areas,%20how%20much%20of%20what%20there%20is%20to%20be%20understood%20in%20the%20universe%20do%20we%20really%20understand%3F%20Fifty%20percent%3F%20Five%20percent%3F%20The%20dangerous%20idea%20is%20that%20perhaps%20we%20understand%20half%20of%20a%20percent%20and%20all%20the%20brain%20and%20computer%20power%20we%20can%20muster%20may%20take%20us%20up%20to%20one%20or%20two%20percent%20in%20the%20lifetime%20of%20the%20human%20race.%22%0D%0A%20%20%20%20On%20why%20aliens%20have%20not%20contacted%20humans%20despite%20there%20being%20billions%20of%20planets%20in%20our%20galaxy%20alone:%20%22Basically%20I%20think%20aliens%20don't%20blow%20themselves%20up;%20they%20just%20get%20addicted%20to%20computer%20games.%20They%20forget%20to%20send%20radio%20signals%20or%20colonize%20space%20because%20they're%20too%20busy%20with%20runaway%20consumerism%20and%20virtual-reality%20narcissism.%20They%20don't%20need%20Sentinels%20to%20enslave%20them%20in%20a%20Matrix;%20they%20do%20it%20to%20themselves,%20just%20as%20we%20are%20doing%20today.%22%0D%0A%20">more...</a>]]></body>
        
    
  </update>  
  </updates>
      
</user>

</GoodreadsResponse>