Colin Marks's Blog, page 2
August 15, 2024
Review: The Best Way to Bury Your Husband by Alexia Casale
A good premise, but for me, the potential wasn’t quite realised. The writing is solidly in the ‘accessible’ camp, ideal for a low energy poolside read, but I suspect that was the intention so mission accomplished. I was skimming heavily towards the end, but I did want to get to the finish, so credit to the author there. Probably would appeal to fans of the The Thursday Murder Club looking for a summer read.
July 15, 2024
Review: The 80/20 Principle: The Secret to Achieving More with Less by Richard Koch
Richard Koch was on the Tim Ferriss podcast (#466) a few years ago and gave an interesting interview, talking mostly about the Pareto or the 80/20 principle (20% of efforts drive 80% of results) but also more broadly. That interview is worth a listen.
This book, however, definitely not. 80/20 is repeated so many times per page, per paragraph even, on uncredited examples which frankly seemed pulled out of thin air, that you start to feel your patience and your intelligence being insulted. By t...
June 24, 2024
Review: The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley
The Ministry of Time is an odd book! It starts well, with confident prose and engaging characters that develop nicely, and then things take a turn. A bit of tension is added near the start, then very little happens until the 80% mark, when the plot kicks in. The writing becomes sloppier, with odd turns of phrases that jar, and please please please, never feel obliged to write a sex scene ever again… The ending curiously felt rushed, given how little had happened in the proceeding 60% or so! That...
June 19, 2024
Review: A Guide to the Good Life: The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy By William B. Irvine
Irvine’s book offers an excellent introduction to Stoicism, covering both its historical background and its practical applications in the modern world. He skillfully unpacks the teachings of key Stoic philosophers like Seneca and Marcus Aurelius, making their wisdom relevant and actionable for contemporary readers. While those already familiar with the source material might find less novelty here, Irvine’s clear and concise explanations make this a perfect resource for anyone seeking an understa...
May 30, 2024
Review: The Coddling of the American Mind: How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas Are Setting Up a Generation for Failure by Jonathan Haidt, Greg Lukianoff
Interesting analysis of how well intended policies can have unanticipated side-effects, particularly when raising children to be independent, antifragile, first-principle thinkers. Superbly researched and clearly explained, well worth a read!
See review on Goodreads.
May 12, 2024
Review: Fourteen Days by Margaret Atwood
Fourteen Days is a short story collection, themed around residents of a tower block telling nightly tales during the COVID lockdown. As with all collections, some hit, some miss, but on the whole, this was a good read. The ending felt rushed, and could have been developed, but I enjoyed this. Recommended for short story fans.
February 3, 2024
Review: Homo Deus: A History of Tomorrow by Yuval Noah Harari
This book has been on my shelf for way too long. Yuval brings insight and clarity to any discussion – whether written or verbal. His strength is to link history to current affairs, and here, to the future. While I disagree with many of his predictions, his perspective is well researched, excellently communicated, and rationalised with clear arguments. Like all of his work, well worth a look.
November 27, 2023
Review: The Martian by Andy Weir
Great book. Lots of science to make it interesting, but not too much to turn off the layman. Very impressive scientific knowledge makes an escape from Mars seem very possible. 5/5
November 22, 2023
Review: The Obstacle is the Way: The Ancient Art of Turning Adversity to Advantage by Ryan Holiday
A reviewer of Ryan’s The Daily Stoic compared his emails to AC/DC – always nearly identical but good to get nonetheless. The Obstacle is the Way has the same vibe to it. Short chapters (4-5 pages), each with a theme, but you could mix and match the message with any other chapter and it wouldn’t feel out of place. A good read, but definitely got very samey towards the end.
See review on Goodreads.
November 2, 2023
Review: Maybe Next Time by Cesca Major
Anyone who’s watched Groundhog Day will recognise this story – you wake up, the day repeats, and whatever you do doesn’t break that cycle. Maybe Next Time follows that cycle, but with less testosterone and more nuance than that film. The writing is excellent, the sad moments done exceptionally well, and though the plot isn’t the most original and the outcome fairly predictable, this is a charming book that’s well worth a read.
