The Devil's Teeth: A True Story of Obsession and Survival Among America's Great White Sharks is a travel memoir about a journalist's trip to the FaralThe Devil's Teeth: A True Story of Obsession and Survival Among America's Great White Sharks is a travel memoir about a journalist's trip to the Farallon Islands during the shark sighting season.
I'm not a huge fan of marine life, so I guess I was somewhat biased from the beginning. But although Farralones are an interesting place and the sharks turned out to be a fascinating subject, I didn't love the subject presentation. Honestly, I didn't even learn that much about the sharks (the Farallon Islands are the true star of the book) and was left wanting more science and facts.
The book itself seemed all over the place. It's almost like Susan Casey wanted to write a book but didn’t have enough to say about the subject so she ended up talking about anything and everything that was marginally related.
Also, I had a hard time sympathizing with the author. It appeared to me that she desperately wanted to be an insider and was quite snobby towards the people that were not part of the island/shark research group. What is more, her selfishness and arrogance even got one of the researchers fired.
Merged review:
The Devil's Teeth: A True Story of Obsession and Survival Among America's Great White Sharks is a travel memoir about a journalist's trip to the Farallon Islands during the shark sighting season.
I'm not a huge fan of marine life, so I guess I was somewhat biased from the beginning. But although Farralones are an interesting place and the sharks turned out to be a fascinating subject, I didn't love the subject presentation. Honestly, I didn't even learn that much about the sharks (the Farallon Islands are the true star of the book) and was left wanting more science and facts.
The book itself seemed all over the place. It's almost like Susan Casey wanted to write a book but didn’t have enough to say about the subject so she ended up talking about anything and everything that was marginally related.
Also, I had a hard time sympathizing with the author. It appeared to me that she desperately wanted to be an insider and was quite snobby towards the people that were not part of the island/shark research group. What is more, her selfishness and arrogance even got one of the researchers fired....more
Resilient: The Untold Story of CrossFit's Greatest Comeback is a story of elite CrossFitter's horrendous elbow injury during the biggest e3.5 out of 5
Resilient: The Untold Story of CrossFit's Greatest Comeback is a story of elite CrossFitter's horrendous elbow injury during the biggest event of the year, The CrossFit Games, and her physical and mental journey back to the top.
What a fighter! Brooke Wells� hard work, focus, positivity, and dedication are inspiring. This book reached me at the right time and gave me a spark of hope, as I'm currently going through a training rut and having a hard time staying focused and positive. Brooke not only reminded me of the joy of competition, as we GET to instead of HAVE to compete, but also of the fact that it's supposed to be hard, and when it gets hard, that's when it counts. Most importantly, even if you can't control the events, you can always control your perception:
“T point is, there are no definitively good or bad things that happen in life. Not everything that looks like progress necessarily is. Not everything that looks like tragedy necessarily is. Only time will tell whether something falls into one category or the other. Time ... and your attitude. The way I see it, you have two choices when you're in the dirt. You can roll over and die. Or you can dig in and grow. The choice is yours.�
With that being said, Wells also showed me that being mentally tough doesn't mean always staying positive and unshakable. It’s OK to have bad training days and even cry during training - even the best in the world sometimes do. It's OK to stumble and fall, just get back up and keep going.
However, the most impressive part of Resilient for me was Brooke Wells' support system. I'm not sure her comeback would even be possible without her dedicated team and family supporting her every step of the way. Truly blessed.
By the way, it was fun to hear Brooke Wells read her own story in an audio format....more
David Goggins' Never Finished: Unshackle Your Mind and Win the War Within is a masterclass in resilience, grit, and fulfilling one’s potential. David David Goggins' Never Finished: Unshackle Your Mind and Win the War Within is a masterclass in resilience, grit, and fulfilling one’s potential. David Goggins continuously puts his body through unfathomable challenges, tirelessly giving his all, testing his limits, and redefining what's humanly possible. Now he shares what he learned along the way and how you could do the same (or why you would want to).
Never Finished is full of wisdom, inspiration, and motivation. Although I'm baffled by most of the stuff Goggins puts his body through, his mentality resonates with me deeply. I'm inspired by his hard work and grit, and I'm grateful that he's willing to share his hard-earned wisdom. My favorite quote that perfectly sums up the book: "I'm not crazy. I'm just not you.�
However, Never Finished is not as coherent as Goggins' first book, Can't Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds. For me personally, Never Finished lacks a clear story, as it consists of snippets from Goggins� life with attached "lessons." Not necessarily a bad thing, just not my preference, as it feels somewhat disjointed and more didactic.
By the way, the audio version contains bonus podcast-style conversations after each chapter that offer over three hours of additional insights and stories form David Goggins, his ghost writer and narrator, Adam Skolnick, and even David Goggins' mom. Worth checking it out!...more
The Woman in Me is a heartbreaking memoir by The Princess of Pop, detailing her rise to fame as well as her very public mental breakdown, which resultThe Woman in Me is a heartbreaking memoir by The Princess of Pop, detailing her rise to fame as well as her very public mental breakdown, which resulted in 13 years of dubious conservatorship, during which Britney Spears was practically enslaved by her own family.
What an emotional, touching read!
The early parts of the book brought a lot of nostalgia, as I was kind of obsessed with everything Britney Spears during my early teens. As I listened to the audio version of The Woman in Me, I often paused to watch Britney Spears' music videos, interviews, or memorable performances she mentioned, and even rewatched her movie, "Crossroads."
Revisiting Britney Spears' golden years made the rest of her story even more heartbreaking. What a painful, lonely life when you are a loving, trustful soul who is constantly used and abused by the people closest to you, especially your family, the ones who are supposed to protect you and be there for you no matter what.
As for the memoir itself, the flow was rather choppy, and most of the book felt like a never-ending rebuttal of rumors and tabloid stories, with most of which I wasn’t familiar and sometimes lacked context. Although Britney was telling her side of the story, it often felt like she was merely scratching the surface. Some facts appeared to be missing or downplayed to the point where I was convinced that there must be more to the story, and that missing information is most likely not favorable to the teller.
Finally, although it would be completely understandable for Britney to occasionally come across as outraged, she never really does. To be honest, even though the events in her life make this memoir an emotional read, her narration strangely lacks emotional depth. She is always so polite, so innocent, and so fast to forgive and forget that it sometimes seems somewhat insincere and possibly even calculated. Or maybe she just needs more time healing and dealing with her demons... Because judging from her Instagram, I'm not entirely convinced that Britney is actually doing OK....more
This is Going to Hurt: Secret Diaries of a Junior Doctor is both funny and heartbreaking memoir of an obstetrician-gynecologist, written as a collectiThis is Going to Hurt: Secret Diaries of a Junior Doctor is both funny and heartbreaking memoir of an obstetrician-gynecologist, written as a collection of diary entries.
I learned SO MUCH about the OB-GYN specialty, the intricacies of childbirth, the exhausting doctor’s life, and Britain's healthcare system, the National Health Service. Also, I giggled a good amount, too :)
Adam Kay's memoir definitely has an agenda as the author gradually exposes an extremely demanding, stressful, under-paid and under-appreciated life of an NHS worker. And although the sudden mood shift at the end definitely caught me off guard, I really appreciated the overall message because it helped me better understand the issues the doctors in my home country, Lithuania, have to face as well.
I listened to the audiobook version of This is Going to Hurt narrater by the author, and at first it was rather challenging. Adam Kay reads fast and there is no pause between the diary entries. Each diary entry is a self-contained joke with a punchline, but some of the jokes went right over my head because of the reading pace. I ended up relistening the entire audiobook at the 0.8X speed and enjoyed it significantly more the second time around. However, English is not my first language, so you might be OK... :)...more
Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of NIKE is a well-written, candid, and engaging memoir by Phil Knight, Nike's founder and CEO, who revea3.5 out of 5
Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of NIKE is a well-written, candid, and engaging memoir by Phil Knight, Nike's founder and CEO, who reveals the extraordinary journey of building a business empire from the $50 he borrowed from his father.
Year by year, the memoir details the first decade and a half of Nike's existence (initially, Blue Ribbon Sports). Even though the happy ending is a known fact, the story is a real nail-biter because it seemed that during this period each day could have been the company's last.
In Shoe Dog, Phil Knight openly admits his numerous mistakes, regrets, and undeniable power of luck, making him and his brand more relatable and awe-inspiring. With so many ups and even more downs, his memoir makes for a one-of-a-kind story of luck, passion, perseverance, unwavering belief, and teamwork. You can't help but be inspired by an exceptional group of driven - even obsessed - misfits, daredevils, and innovative geniuses that don't stop learning and growing. Or simply don't stop.
But although very candid about the constant up and downs of growing a business, Phil Knight is rather terse and somewhat dismissive about the numerous controversies involving Nike. Also, the memoir basically stops after Nike goes public in 1980, and the next 3+ decades are summed up in an epilogue-style ending. I know it's a lot of ground to cover, but such an ending kind of feels rushed too.
Finally, each chapter is titled with the year number only, which makes it rather challenging to refer back to specific events. Unless, of course, you can remember in which year it happened exactly :)...more
Wild Rescues: A Paramedic's Extreme Adventures in Yosemite, Yellowstone, and Grand Teton is a fascinating memoir of a paramedic who has be3.5 out of 5
Wild Rescues: A Paramedic's Extreme Adventures in Yosemite, Yellowstone, and Grand Teton is a fascinating memoir of a paramedic who has been practicing wilderness medicine at multiple national parks throughout the United States.
To begin with, Kevin Grange's dedication to serving others and saving lives is beyond inspiring.
Also, the author did a really good job describing the various emergencies so that it felt like I was actually living through them instead of just listening to the stories. Some of the stories really touched me and even made me cry a couple of times.
There is also a great balance between medical technicalities and narrative accessibility.
I especially appreciated the insightful and honest discussion of PTSD, suicide, and mental health issues among first responders. Honestly, without this part the memoir would feel a little bit too cheery and heroic....more
I'd Like to Play Alone, Please: Essays is a collection of humorous stories from Tom Segura's, American stand-up comedian and podcaster's, 2.5 out of 5
I'd Like to Play Alone, Please: Essays is a collection of humorous stories from Tom Segura's, American stand-up comedian and podcaster's, life.
The author did a good job narrating the audiobook version of I'd Like to Play Alone, Please; however, I still prefer his stand-up comedy specials on Netflix.
The stories/jokes in the book seemed... hmm... too polished? Honestly, I just didn't really find them that funny. Also, I'm not very interested in the stories where Tom Segura is basically fangirling over some celebrity he once flew with on the plane. And there are quite a few of these...
Anyways, I got more engaged towards the end of the book. Maybe it grew on me, haha?...more
Lūpdažio pamokslai - tai trumpos dienoraščio tipo esės, pamąstymai ir patarimai apie universalias žmogiškąsias patirtis, kasdienybę ir gyvenim2.5 iš 5
Lūpdažio pamokslai - tai trumpos dienoraščio tipo esės, pamąstymai ir patarimai apie universalias žmogiškąsias patirtis, kasdienybę ir gyvenimo džiaugsmą.
Man labai patinka Erikos Umbrasaitės rašymo stilius: toks vaizdingas, žaismingas, šmaikštus :)
Taip pat audioknygos versija labai gražiai įgarsinta Daivos Tamošiūnaitės-Budrės. Tikrai malonu klausyti.
Bet nors ir esės Lūpdažio pamoksluosenuotaikingos ir įžvalgios, man pati knyga šiek tiek pabodo, nes buvo per daug pamoklsų ir pamąstymų ir per mažai konteksto ir gyvenimiškų istorijų, dėl kurių taip įsiminė ankstesnės autorės knygos....more
North of Normal: A Memoir of My Wilderness Childhood, My Unusual Family, and How I Survived Both is a gripping memoir of growing up in a “dysfunctionaNorth of Normal: A Memoir of My Wilderness Childhood, My Unusual Family, and How I Survived Both is a gripping memoir of growing up in a “dysfunctional counter-culture family in the Canadian wilderness" that led a "pot-smoking, free-loving, clothing-optional" lifestyle.
I loved Cea Sunrise Person's engaging writing and her honest voice. Without a hint of fake positivity or self-pity, the author successfully conveys both gratitude and resentfulness towards her unusual upbringing and even discusses how it affected her adult life....more
Vilties kelias niekada nesibaigia: Aleksandra ir Juozas Kazickai apie savo gyvenimą - tai garsaus Lietuvos išeivijos verslininko, filantropo J3.5 iš 5
Vilties kelias niekada nesibaigia: Aleksandra ir Juozas Kazickai apie savo gyvenimą - tai garsaus Lietuvos išeivijos verslininko, filantropo Juozo Kazicko ir jo šeimos gyvenimo istorija.
Koks įdomus, šviesus žmogus, nugyvenęs ilgą, įsimintigą, nelengvą, reikšmingą gyvenimą!
Man ypač patiko klausyti pabėgimo iš Lietuvos po antrojo pasaulinio karo istorijos. Esu girdėjusi ir skaičiusi to meto tremtinių istorijas, bet su pabėgėlių istorijomis dar neteko susipažinti. Labai sujaudino ir sukrėtė. Kažkodėl įsivaizdavau, kad pabėgėlių dalia daug lengvesnė.
Dar labai patiko unikalios Lietuvos valstybės atkūrimo įžvalgos ir užkulisiai, nes Juozas Kazickas asmeniškai dalyvavo daugelyje politinių susitikimų su žymiausiais to meto Amerikos ir Europos politikais.
Labai sujaudino tokios nuoširdžios ir dosnios Juozo Kazicko ir jo šeimos filantropinės pastangos, aprėpiančios ne tik Ameriką ir ypač Lietuvą, bet ir kitas vietas, reikšmingas jų gyvenimams.
Galiausiai širdį sušildė ir įkvėpė Aleksandros ir Juozo Kazickų meilė ir atsidavimas vienas kitam iki pat paskutinių dienų. Kaip nuostabu turėti tokį gyvenimo palydovą!
Tačiau ši knyga turi ir trūkumų.
Visų pirma, ji per ilga, turi per daug nereikšmingų detalių, ypač epilogas, todėl vietomis buvo nuobodu.
Dar nelabai patiko skyriai apie susikrautus turtus: privačias salas, begales namų, išskirtinių klubų narystes, kiek kas kainavo ir t.t. Taip pat truputį įkyrėjo vardijamos pažintys su įvairiais žymiais pasaulio verslininkais ir politikais. Man asmeniškai tokia informacijfa buvo per daug detali ir visai neaktuali, nes nemačiau jos tikslo plėtojant pasakojimą. Tiesiog autorius kartais atrodė kaip pagyrų puodas ir tiek.
Ganėtinai keista ir gal net hipokritiška tai, kad Aleksandra ir Juozas Kazickai tokie karšti Lietuvos patriotai, lietuvybės puoselėtojai, lituanistinių mokyklų rėmėjai, o keturi iš penkių jų vaikų nekalba lietuviškai...
Galiausiai nuvylė Juozo Kazicko medžiojimo istorijos ir gyrimasis apie begales egzotiškų trofėjų, kurių atrodo tiek daug, kad nėra kur dėti. Gal ir buvo tų tigrų dar daug 1970-aisiais metais, bet dėl tokių žmonių jie beveik ir išnyko....more
H Is for Hawk is part memoir of grief, part nature writing, part mini biography of writer T.H. White.
NATURE WRITING: I knew nothing about h2.5 out of 5
H Is for Hawk is part memoir of grief, part nature writing, part mini biography of writer T.H. White.
NATURE WRITING: I knew nothing about hawks and falconry, so all the details about training a goshawk and hunting with it were fascinating. Even though I mostly felt bad for the hawk...
MINI BIOGRAPHY: Although at the beginning I found the mini biography of T.H. White and a detailed retelling of his book, The Goshawk, in which he attempts to train a goshawk, quite interesting, in the second half it seemed to drag on and distract from the main storyline.
MEMOIR: Call me heartless but I found the memoir of Helen Macdonald dealing with an unexpected loss of her father bland, uneventful, guarded, and lacking in detail...
OVERALL: The prose is lyrical and literary, and the audiobook is beautifully narrated by the author herself. I just didn't fully connect with the content, I guess......more
Better Great Than Never: Believing It's Possible Is Where Champions Begin is a well-written, gripping, and inspiring memoir of a 2008 Olympic championBetter Great Than Never: Believing It's Possible Is Where Champions Begin is a well-written, gripping, and inspiring memoir of a 2008 Olympic champion rower in the women's eight.
Even though the beginning of the book about the author's childhood felt a tad bit too long, once Lindsay Shoop started her rowing journey, I could not stop listening to her incredible story. What a unique opportunity to take a peek behind the scenes into the making of an Olympic Gold Medalist!
I'm so impressed and inspired by all the hard work Lindsay Shoop put in, but even more so by her resilience and relentless optimism. Her story makes me hopeful that there's greatness in every single one of us, we just have to believe in it and put in the work.
Also, Lindsay Shoop is a GREAT storyteller. I felt like I actually got to sit in “Hunter� and row in an Olympic final, too.
Since throughout the book Lindsay Shoop kept saying that she wanted to row at the highest level for as long as possible, I wonder how she finally decided to end her competitive rowing career and why she didn't talk about that decision in her book. This is not a criticism, I'm just genuinely curious :)...more
Dievas su šlepetėmis - tai truputį stebuklinga, vietomis kiek keistoka, bet jauki, šmaikšti ir pilna gerumo bei dėkingumo kelionė piligriminiu keliu iDievas su šlepetėmis - tai truputį stebuklinga, vietomis kiek keistoka, bet jauki, šmaikšti ir pilna gerumo bei dėkingumo kelionė piligriminiu keliu iš Lisabonos į Santjago de Kompastelą.
Aš klausiausi audioknygos, kuri labai gražiai įgarsinta pačio autoriaus.
Labiausiai man norėjosi perskaityti Dievą su šlepetėmis, kad prisiminčiau ir palyginčiau su savaisiais įspūdžiais, nes prieš kelis metus teko tuo pačiu keliu keliauti. Bet ši knyga man priminė, kad nėra ko čia lyginti, nes net ir tuo pačiu keliu einant, kiekviena patirtis yra labai individuali ir unikali...
Jei atvirai, besiklausant Dievo su šlepetėmis atrodė, kad rašytojas retkarčiais per daug susireikšmina ir jaučiasi pranašesnis, išmintingesnis, ir šiaip kietesnis už kitus. Tai jis daug nueina, tai daug skausmo ištveria, tai pasidalina kokiu išminties perliuku ar tepaliuku, o visi į jį tik žiūri išsižioję ir stebisi. Man truputį juokinga, nes mes su sese panašiu tempu ėjom, ir dar autorius daug prabangiau nei mes keliavo, bet niekas į mus amo netekę lyg ir nežiūrėjo... Bet gal ir gerai, juk matosi, kad žmogus labai didžiuojasi savo valia ir pasiektu tikslu, o kas šuniui uodegą pakels, jei ne jis pats, ane? :)...more
I Talk Like a River is a very poetic, lyrical, and evocative picturebook memoir about what it feels like to grow up with a stutter.
“T
3.5 out of 5
I Talk Like a River is a very poetic, lyrical, and evocative picturebook memoir about what it feels like to grow up with a stutter.
“T P in pine tree grows roots inside my mouth and tangles my tongue.
The C is a crow that sticks in the back of my throat.
The M in moon dusts my lips with a magic that makes me only mumble.�
I could literally feel the words get stuck in my mouth or the entire class looking and laughing at me.
"I feel a storm in my belly; my eyes fill with rain.�
Jordan Scott's beautiful autobiographical poem is coupled with equally beautiful, evocative illustrations by Sydney Smith. As always, a spectacular use of light (just look at that cover!):
Bunheads is a picturebook memoir of a young Misty Copeland, a future principal dancer at American Ballet Theatre, discovering her passion for dance anBunheads is a picturebook memoir of a young Misty Copeland, a future principal dancer at American Ballet Theatre, discovering her passion for dance and performing her first ballet, DZé.
It’s nice to see everyone - teachers, parents, and peers - so friendly and supportive.
However, the story lacks some challenge, struggle, or conflict. Everything is so easy and effortless (i.e., not particularly realistic) that instead of being inspiring, the story seems more like a humblebrag about how talented Misty was from her very first ballet class.
Also, the second half of Bunheads is rather choppy and rushed.
I really liked Setor Fiadzigbey's illustrations though, especially the movement, different and interesting perspectives, and the use of light:
Viena Indijoje - tai lengvai besiklausantis (aš klausiausi audioknygos. Rekomenduoju!) vienos moters travelogas apie klajones po Indiją ir tuo pačiu pViena Indijoje - tai lengvai besiklausantis (aš klausiausi audioknygos. Rekomenduoju!) vienos moters travelogas apie klajones po Indiją ir tuo pačiu pačią save.
Pasakojama ir nuotaikingai, ir vaizdingai, ir atvirai, ir skeptiškai, ir savikritiškai, ir filosofiškai (ypač antroje dalyje).
Klausydama šios audioknygos jaučiausi kaip pati Indijoje pabuvojusi, atsigėrusi daug čiajaus, daug pamačiusi, patyrusi, išragavusi, išgyvenusi, išbandžiusi� žodžiu, puiki kelionė :) Prie šios iliuzijos dar prisidėjo autorės Facebook paskyroje patalpintos aprašytų kelionių nuotraukos.
Man truputį painoka buvo pasakojimo laiko linija, nors kaip vėliau supratau, knygoje aprašoma ne viena, o net kelios pakartotinos kelionės po Indiją....more
Moteris katė ir jaunas mėnulis - tai neįprastai atviras, žaismingas ir jautrus memuaras apie nieką ir kartu apie viską: gyvenimą Prancūzijoje, griūvanMoteris katė ir jaunas mėnulis - tai neįprastai atviras, žaismingas ir jautrus memuaras apie nieką ir kartu apie viską: gyvenimą Prancūzijoje, griūvančią santuoką, neištikimybę, meilės žaidimus, išskirtinį ryšį bei neišvengiamą atsisveikinimą su svarbiausiu žmogumi.
Susidomėjau šia knyga, nes patiko ankstesnis Erikos Umbrasaitės memuaras, Vienos krūties istorija, ir knietėjo sužinoti tolimesnius autorės gyvenimo vingius.
Kaip ir pirmame memuare, pasakojama šmaikščiai ir su sveika saviironijos doze, o audioknyga ir vėl labai gražiai skaitoma Daivos Tamošiūnaitės-Budrės.
Iš pradžių nebuvau itin sužavėta knygos turiniu, nes pasakojimas pasirodė kiek padrikas ir lyg ir apie nieką. Tiesiog vienos moters kasdienybė. Tačiau vėliau tikrai suintrigavo be galo atviras pasakojimas apie neretai tabu laikomą neištikimybės ir griūvančios santuokos temą.
Bet įsimintiniausia knygos dalis - tai be galo daug emocijų sukeliantis pasakojimas apie brangiausio žmogaus išėjimą amžinybėn. Tikrai atrodė, lyg visą situaciją būčiau stebėjusi ne iš šalies, o tiesiog ją pati išgyvenusi.
Ačiū autorei už neblėstantį ir įkvepiantį optimizmą, drąsą ir atvirumą. Galbūt tokių įvykių ir neteks išgyventi pačiai, bet šios knygos dėka jie nebėra tokie jau nesuprantami ar neįsivaizduojami....more
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