Steven D. Ward's Blog, page 3
June 8, 2014
Review: On Killing
On Killing by Dave Grossman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Shortly after the Columbine High School mass shooting tragedy, I, a rebellious Sociology student that thought I was pretty smart, had the chance to see Dave Grossman when he came to speak at my university.
I considered myself far more knowledgeable about the human condition than I ever was, and naively dismissed his talk, which focused on video games training the Columbine shooters to be efficient killers, because A) Grossman seemed arrogant...
June 6, 2014
Review: Eating Aliens
Eating Aliens by Jackson Landers
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
This is an interesting book that follows the author on a mission to hunt (and eat) species of animal that are living where they do not belong and driving out the animals that do belong there.
The stories are entertaining and lively, but I felt like the book could have been so much more than was. In other words, I guess I’d say the book doesn’t quite live up to its full potential. Even just one final chapter about the environmental impac...
June 3, 2014
Review: The Third Plate: Field Notes on the Future of Food
The Third Plate: Field Notes on the Future of Food by Dan Barber
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Tons of information in this book. In fact, for me, it was far too much and went way beyond the scope of what I was looking for to the point that I really had a hard time sticking with it to the end.
I’m glad I did, though, because some of the best nuggets were towards the end, and the epilogue may have been my favorite part of the book. Maybe because it finally brought the big picture back in view for me...
June 1, 2014
Review: The Paleo Manifesto: Ancient Wisdom for Lifelong Health
The Paleo Manifesto: Ancient Wisdom for Lifelong Health by John Durant
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Great book that covers a wide range of topics, although not particularly deeply. Although some may think of it as basic, it helped me to think about a lot of the issues, which I have been studying separately, in the context of a semi-cohesive single “big picture” of way of living I have been thinking deeply about recently.
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May 31, 2014
Review: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This book was simultaneously more and less than I expected. It didn’t help me learn much I didn’t know bout biology and the human body, but it really brought home the importance of medical research and the tough ethical dillemas involved even today.
In the opening chapters of the book, the author alternates between the story of Ms. Lacks and her family, and that of her cells and their researchers. As the story prog...
May 28, 2014
Review: Tuesdays With Morrie
Tuesdays With Morrie by Mitch Albom
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
This is not the type of book I would normally read, but the reason for that is worth some exploration in the review format. It’s not that I don’t like or don’t read books about spirituality, because I do. It’s not because I don’t read books that are mainstream bestsellers, because I do.
It’s because books that exist at the intersection of those two genres tend to be underwhelming for me. I look at the big international bestsellers mu...
May 19, 2014
Review: No Place to Hide: Edward Snowden, the NSA, and the U.S. Surveillance State
No Place to Hide: Edward Snowden, the NSA, and the U.S. Surveillance State by Glenn Greenwald
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I’ve been following the story of the NSA leaks from the beginning, so of course I bought this book almost as soon as it was available on Kindle. At first I didn’t have the time to sit down and devour it, but I read bits and pieces the first couple of days and I could already see how good it was going to be.
Somewhat frustrated that I hadn’t been able to get any long reading se...
May 16, 2014
Review: College Unbound: The Future of Higher Education and What It Means for Students
College Unbound: The Future of Higher Education and What It Means for Students by Jeffrey J. Selingo
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I came at this book from two angles simultaneously: First, as an example of the overeducated, heavily indebted liberal arts student that has struggled to find gainful employment ever since graduation. Second, as an older (mid-30′s) mid-career family man facing the need to go back to school for further education.
Both of these sides of myself were satisfied immensely by...
May 13, 2014
Review: Automate This: How Algorithms Came to Rule Our World
Automate This: How Algorithms Came to Rule Our World by Christopher Steiner
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I’d read a bit about the subject of this book, but I’d say sitting down to read this book is essential for a more detailed (though not very technical -a plus for me personally) on the topic.
The breakdowns of how computer algorithms have been impacting a few different fields was eye-opening and there were some surprises even though I was already fairly well versed on the topic.
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May 12, 2014
Ernest Hemingway
There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self.
-Ernest Hemingway
