Michael David S. Sy (Author of Cries and Whispers)

Michael David rated a book really liked it La satyre by Virginie des Rieux	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
In 1939, Jean Renoir, an esteemed French director released The Rules of the Game to critical derision and a muted response from the audience. By then, he was already popular and well-regarded, having directed hits like The Grand Illusion. This was li ...more
19 hours, 17 min ago · like · see review
Michael David rated a book really liked it The Power of Awareness: And Other Secrets from the World's Foremost Spies, Detectives, and Special Operators on How to Stay Safe and Save Your Life by Dan Schilling	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
I picked this up on the last day of the Big Bad Wolf sale in the Philippines, as I believed it could be didactic as regards safety awareness - and it was. There are three major steps: know, prepare, and act. Each of these steps have substeps, but the ...more
Dec 05, 2025 06:38AM · like · see review
Michael David rated a book really liked it Mind Your Mindset: The Science That Shows Success Starts with Your Thinking by Michael Hyatt (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
For those people who seek to understand more about cognitive behavioral theory (CBT) from a layman's perspective, this is an excellent starter book: the central thesis of this book is that we are transformed by the stories we tell ourselves, which is ...more
Nov 29, 2025 09:17AM · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Mind Your Mindset by Michael Hyatt. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Mind Your Mindset by Michael Hyatt <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Michael David rated a book it was ok Timeboxing: The Power of Doing One Thing at a Time by Marc Zao-Sanders	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Timeboxing is dovetailing a to-do list with a specific date and time. That's basically it. I appreciate Zao-Sanders' effort in expounding about the nuances of timeboxing, but it also felt that the book was overlong. His writing is fluid, however, and ...more
Nov 23, 2025 07:21AM · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Timeboxing by Marc Zao-Sanders. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Timeboxing by Marc Zao-Sanders <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Michael David rated a book really liked it Radical Respect by Kim Malone Scott (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
As a reminder for inclusion, fairness, diversity, and equanimity, this book is a great guide.
Nov 23, 2025 01:12AM · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Radical Respect by Kim Malone Scott. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Radical Respect by Kim Malone Scott <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Michael David rated a book liked it Tableau: Encyclopedia of Distinguished Personalities in the Philippines by P. D. Aveo, Sr.	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
I would look for book bargains time and again with the different book selling groups on Facebook and stumbled upon this work. It intrigued me because I always wanted to read about the who's who in the Philippines during the first half of the 20th cen ...more
Nov 14, 2025 08:13AM · 1 like · like · see review
Michael David rated a book it was amazing Deep River by Shūsaku Endō	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Deep River is a deeply uncomfortable novel for all the right reasons. It continues Endo’s exploration of the complex nature of faith and morality in Silence, but grounds this in a more modern setting. Like Wilder’s Bridge of San Luis Rey, the novel ex ...more
Nov 01, 2025 07:27AM · like · see review
Michael David rated a book liked it Women by Charles Bukowski	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
This is my least favorite Bukowski novel, as this is Chinaski at his most misogynistic and offensive. Perhaps if viewed as a nihilistic novel with sprinkles of humor it would be much higher rated, but in comparison with the more nuanced Ham on Rye or ...more
Oct 30, 2025 03:55AM · like · see review
Michael David rated a book really liked it Hyperfocus: How to Work Less to Achieve More by Chris Bailey (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Oct 25, 2025 08:39PM · 1 like · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Hyperfocus by Chris Bailey. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Hyperfocus by Chris Bailey <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Michael David liked Cheza OH's review of The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Caused an Epidemic of Mental Illness:
Oct 17, 2025 03:35AM · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">

Michael David rated a book really liked it

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In 1939, Jean Renoir, an esteemed French director released The Rules of the Game to critical derision and a muted response from the audience. By then, he was already popular and well-regarded, having directed hits like The Grand Illusion. This was li In 1939, Jean Renoir, an esteemed French director released The Rules of the Game to critical derision and a muted response from the audience. By then, he was already popular and well-regarded, having directed hits like The Grand Illusion. This was likely because of the trenchant manner that the film picked at the foibles and hypocrisies of French society during that time. It did not help that the bourgeois was not spared from his critique. After years passed, however, its critical appreciation had grown: after all, hypocrisy is both transcendent and interminable.

That film is the closest with which I could compare this novel from Virginie des Rieux. Although she is largely a forgotten author, her approach towards La Satyre seemed similar to how Jean Renoir orchestrated his expose of the French people. The only difference is that she painted an earlier picture: instead of the Second World War approaching, it was the First.

The novel's antihero, Deodat, is an enfant terrible born from inauspicious circumstances. His mother is a Messalina of sorts, while his father is a cowed and cuckolded husband. des Rieux then traces the history of their families, perhaps as a nod to the naturalistic perspective touted by Emile Zola. What is revealed is a family history of debauchery and impunity temporarily reined in by a manipulative, youthful priestess, Delphica de Cappadoce (probably the obverse of Rasputin). Delphica occasionally debases the rich Borchemiel family (where the Baroness came from), but their wealth and abuse of power is largely unperturbed throughout the novel.

This loveless family brought forth a handsome yet perverse heir, Deodat. Similar to Peter O'Toole's Jack from The Ruling Class, he manifests schizophrenic and violent tendencies, which are most evident when he sleeps with animals while killing them during hunts (echoing The Rules of the Game once more). Everyone is either a sadist or a stooge, with the women often the ones more violent.

To some extent, the novel reminds me of Barnes' Nightwood, where feminine puissance and guile is celebrated amid a patriarchy. It is an amusing read and a mordant satire, but it does not have the timelessness or nuance of masterpieces. It’s also a testament to the range and ferocity of women’s writing. Period.

3.5/5 ...more

Michael David rated a book really liked it

The Power of Awareness: And Other Secrets from the World's Foremost Spies, Detectives, and Special Operators on How to Stay Safe and Save Your Life
by Dan Schilling

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I picked this up on the last day of the Big Bad Wolf sale in the Philippines, as I believed it could be didactic as regards safety awareness - and it was.

There are three major steps: know, prepare, and act. Each of these steps have substeps, but the ...more

Michael David rated a book really liked it

Mind Your Mindset: The Science That Shows Success Starts with Your Thinking
by Michael Hyatt (Goodreads Author)

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For those people who seek to understand more about cognitive behavioral theory (CBT) from a layman's perspective, this is an excellent starter book: the central thesis of this book is that we are transformed by the stories we tell ourselves, which is ...more

Michael David rated a book it was ok

Timeboxing: The Power of Doing One Thing at a Time
by Marc Zao-Sanders

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Timeboxing is dovetailing a to-do list with a specific date and time. That's basically it.

I appreciate Zao-Sanders' effort in expounding about the nuances of timeboxing, but it also felt that the book was overlong. His writing is fluid, however, and ...more

Michael David rated a book really liked it

Radical Respect
by Kim Malone Scott (Goodreads Author)

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As a reminder for inclusion, fairness, diversity, and equanimity, this book is a great guide.

Michael David rated a book liked it

Tableau: Encyclopedia of Distinguished Personalities in the Philippines
by P. D. Aveo, Sr.

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I would look for book bargains time and again with the different book selling groups on Facebook and stumbled upon this work. It intrigued me because I always wanted to read about the who's who in the Philippines during the first half of the 20th cen I would look for book bargains time and again with the different book selling groups on Facebook and stumbled upon this work. It intrigued me because I always wanted to read about the who's who in the Philippines during the first half of the 20th century. As someone who reads about and respects history, I believe that reading about the prominent people in the Philippines would provide me an accurate snapshot of the time and would also reveal to me those who have endured in time. The gargantuan size of the book and its cover art made it all the more intriguing. I wanted the book, but its price had been prohibitive, and deservedly so: the intaglio of the book's cover was all I needed to understand that it was extremely recherche, even in 1957.

It would also be the book that would introduce me to my girlfriend. Long story short, we met because of Tableau and she has jokingly prodded me to read through the book because she had a difficult time bringing it.

And I had finally finished it over the course of two months. Tableau was indeed great for introducing to me the prominent personalities of the time and it was excellent for re-introducing historical characters as perceived at that point in time. However, one of its major flaws (two stars' worth, even) is that its structure was poorly realized. Rather than rewrite overlong descriptions and prioritizing succinctness, multiple entries referred to pages at the back of the book, which significantly decreased readability. Its fustian prose was contributory to this irritating back-and-forth which could have been altogether avoided with conciseness.

Despite this major flaw, the book made me realize how politicians are the ones that truly shape the evolution of history. Other than a few prominent names like Tambunting and Zobel (de Ayala), the most memorable individuals were those who left their imprint on the Philippine government and its politics, for better or worse. Those well-respected senators like Soc Rodrigo, Lorenzo Tanada, and Sotero Baluyut, presidents and vice-presidents like Garcia and Macapagal, and secretaries like Miguel Cuaderno persist in the intellectual spaces of historians and readers. Most businessmen and leaders of firms are no longer household names today.

It affirmed to me that we need to be better choosers of politicians. Through them, we are adjudged for our collective intelligence or stupidity. What they do will never be easily forgotten, and who enabled them to do good or bad definitely reverberates across time. ...more

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Deep River
by Shūsaku Endō

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Deep River is a deeply uncomfortable novel for all the right reasons. It continues Endo’s exploration of the complex nature of faith and morality in Silence, but grounds this in a more modern setting.

Like Wilder’s Bridge of San Luis Rey, the novel ex Deep River is a deeply uncomfortable novel for all the right reasons. It continues Endo’s exploration of the complex nature of faith and morality in Silence, but grounds this in a more modern setting.

Like Wilder’s Bridge of San Luis Rey, the novel explores the lives of six or so Japanese people on a pilgrimage to the Ganges River, each of them looking for something different and each of them suffering.

Unlike Bridge, however, there is no central character like Father Juniper. Instead, there are vignettes that describe their pasts and how they were brought together by the Ganges River.

The linchpin of the novel is Otsu: similar to the protagonists of Silence, he isexcommunicated from his faith. Whereas the priests were forced to renege through external forces, Otsu ostracized himself by his belief that God is evident and manifest even in the other religions.

It is ironic, however, that he manifests his most Christlike self in his self-imposed exile: in helping other dying people reach the Ganges in their final moments, he echoes Jesus carrying the cross to purge the sins of mankind. He shows certain similarities with Prince Myshkin of Dostoevsky’s Idiot, where he understands that goodness is thankless and yet persists in realizing it. Both Otsu and Myshkin are undeniably marred by their final act of self-sacrifice, and yet both are extreme avatars of unwavering love.

One of the novel’s flaws is the inconsistency of characterization among the novel’s main characters: there are few, like Mitsuko and Otsu’s, that were masterfully crafted and written, but there are also Isobe and Numada’s, who were ultimately forgettable.

Despite this unevenness, Endo’s commentary on the persistence of evil notwithstanding religion remains potent and poignant. The few good men are washed away and perish in iniquity (like Tsukada and Otsu), but religion also bears the hope that allows these good men to exist (Jesus in Christianity, and Chamunda in Hinduism).

Endo again engages the complex nature of faith and morality in this novel, and despite its flaws, the novel is an excellent read for those who struggle with their own faith and the dearth of goodness in this world. ...more

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Women
by Charles Bukowski

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This is my least favorite Bukowski novel, as this is Chinaski at his most misogynistic and offensive. Perhaps if viewed as a nihilistic novel with sprinkles of humor it would be much higher rated, but in comparison with the more nuanced Ham on Rye or ...more

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Hyperfocus: How to Work Less to Achieve More
by Chris Bailey (Goodreads Author)

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Michael David liked Cheza OH's review of The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Caused an Epidemic of Mental Illness:

The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt

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