This book was slow, boring, and just not what I wanted or needed it to be. I am sure there is an audience out there that would takMy initial reaction.
This book was slow, boring, and just not what I wanted or needed it to be. I am sure there is an audience out there that would take a lot from it, and would rate it five stars. Not this dummy.
My review writing reaction.
I am not a dummy. I realize that we all have different levels of intelligence and different levels of preference, so we can’t hate on ourselves when a reading experience just doesn’t click. But it does absolutely hurt my feelings when a book goes miles above my head. This one did that.
There were only two points that caught my eye:
Frames and Reality - Empty Intuitions The example given in this part of the book is what captured my attention, not the point it was trying to explain.
“Imagine that the United States is preparing for the outbreak of an unusual Asian disease, which is expected to kill 600 people...�
Reading that and it is obvious why I paused. To see in print a made-up example that became real life recently, fascinating.
Keeping Score � Mental Accounts This section introduced me to the sunk-cost fallacy. This is the one item from the book that I will actually try to incorporate into my life moving forward. When time/effort/money is put into something, it is contained in that moment. You can’t get back what was put in. If/when it becomes obvious it is no longer a worthwhile venture, cut your losses and move on.
I would not recommend this to anyone as a book that will improve your current life situation or educate in a beneficial way. It will fill your head with lots of information that does not carry over past the time spent reading it.
“They would not listen, they did not know how. Perhaps they’ll listen now.� (Don McLean, “Vincent.�)
I have had this insane love for Vincent van Go“They would not listen, they did not know how. Perhaps they’ll listen now.� (Don McLean, “Vincent.�)
I have had this insane love for Vincent van Gogh’s work for as long as I can remember. It just screams, “Look at me. Feel me. This is life.� All the breathtaking color vividly expressing mood and emotion. All the heavily textured brush strokes that one could visually see, knowing that the physical touch would be even more. I type this as I sit outside with a freshly filled bird feeder located on my far right, visible out of the corner of one eye. I find myself randomly glancing over to take in the mostly winter birds mixed with a few early spring birds that are busy battling it out with a cold weather fluffed squirrel. I contemplate the view and can’t help but think of Vincent strolling out in the early morning, with his gear in hand, ready to find the perfect everyday scene that captures his physical eye at that exact right moment. The color palette he wants to use already in his mind’s eye, set to match the mood of the day before him.
This book was everything it needed to be and then some. It was gorgeous, informative and I am so very happy to have it permanently placed on my nightstand in the top book spot. If you are a fan of Vincent’s art, I highly recommend it. I also recommend visiting any of his paintings in person (on my bucket list) and attending an immersive experience if one is close to you (I did that last summer). His work is something to behold, this book was amazing, and the planning of a tattoo of his art on my skin...well that last one is all mine.
“They would not listen, they’re not listening still. Perhaps they never will.� (Don McLean, “Vincent.�)...more
It was a stray quote on this very website that led me to Charles Bukowski. I started with the Post Office and here I am, years later, reading a collecIt was a stray quote on this very website that led me to Charles Bukowski. I started with the Post Office and here I am, years later, reading a collection of his poems.
“The Shower� is the poem that had the most impact on me. After I read it, I immediately snapped a picture of it and texted it to my significant other. It stretched across two pages, so he was sent two different images. His response, “Very explicit on the first page. Second page is really good.� My response, “The first page captures the rawness of the act that just occurred, when the rose-tinted glasses come off. The second zeroed in on the feeling of that soft stuff that takes you under into sleep when you finally curl up to next each other.� He preferred page two over one, and I preferred page one over two. A man of few words lost in the sauce of the totality of the shared life, and a woman of many words that forever notes the reality of things that exist in the background of shared life events.
The caged trash cans behind him as he took a knee to propose.
The splash of blood on my inner thigh as I gave birth to our first born.
And that to me is what Charles Bukowski’s poetry is all about. The moments in life where you notice those really real things that most try to gloss over and/or forget....more
“It’s vital to remember who you really are. It’s very important. It isn’t a good idea to rely on other people or things to do it for you, you see. “It’s vital to remember who you really are. It’s very important. It isn’t a good idea to rely on other people or things to do it for you, you see. They always get it wrong.�
Rincewind and Luggage are back at it again, trying to save their world from a force that could end it. This force being the son who was a product of an eighth son times two or something like that. With the help of others, can they stop the madness?
This was a busy story with a large cast of characters who all brought their own uniqueness. As mentioned in previous reviews of this author’s books, I am a fan of his voice. It is his brief flashes of insight into the human condition that I adore, along with his sense of humor. Unfortunately, everything else is meh. The characters, the plot, I am not about them.
“It looked like a piano sounds shortly after being dropped down a well. It tasted yellow, and felt Paisley. It smelled like a total eclipse of the moon.�
“Only in our dreams are we free. The rest of the time we need wages.�
A coven of witches is tasked with an almost impossible task, saving the kingd“Only in our dreams are we free. The rest of the time we need wages.�
A coven of witches is tasked with an almost impossible task, saving the kingdom. Can they merge their differences to get things done in time?
Granny Weatherwax was a character I enjoyed in a previous book she appeared in, so I had high hopes this story would equal it. Unfortunately, it did not. This is another instance where I liked the writing style but not much else. I have a goal to reach, so I will keep on trudging forward.
“Trouble is, just because things are obvious doesn’t mean they’re true.�
“This was the kind of place where things rolled up their sleeves and started.�
I wish the above were true for this book. Unfortunately, it was not “This was the kind of place where things rolled up their sleeves and started.�
I wish the above were true for this book. Unfortunately, it was not the read to fire up my interest in reading more from this series. It fell flat in a big way. I can’t list a single thing that really stood out about it, and I can’t list a single thing that I really liked about it.
A young man on the path of discovering who is finds himself thrust into the role of pharaoh. Will he be able to get a handmaiden sorted and a pyramid built in a way that pleases all around him?
I would only recommend this one to fans of the author. I hope the next one is better.
A world ending red star on a direct path with Discworld adds spice to an already exciting tourist experience.
This was a continuation of the RincewA world ending red star on a direct path with Discworld adds spice to an already exciting tourist experience.
This was a continuation of the Rincewind and Twoflower story. Unfortunately, I did not find it to be as good as the first. I enjoyed reading more about Luggage and I loved the author’s voice. I did not like the story itself. The brief flashes of brilliance (the sentences containing wit and humor) were overshadowed by the weight of boredom I felt as I journeyed through the rest of it. I sincerely hope the next book is a good one.
“Against the whole of human experience Twoflower believed that if only people would talk to each other, have a few drinks, exchange pictures of their grandchildren, maybe take in a show or something, then everything could be sorted out. He also believed that people were basically good but sometimes had their bad days.�
“She loved her brothers, when she reminded herself to, in a dutiful sort of way, although she generally remembered them as a collection of loud noi“She loved her brothers, when she reminded herself to, in a dutiful sort of way, although she generally remembered them as a collection of loud noises in trousers.�
Esk is the lucky recipient of a wizard’s staff. An honor that has always been placed on the eighth son of an eighth son. Never a daughter, especially one as feisty as little Miss Esk. Many exciting adventures await her as she works towards filling the role she was assigned at birth, mistakenly or not.
This read was better than the last. The characters and the story were far more engaging. What I liked most was the humor. There was plenty of it and it made the story that much better. Here is a line that made me giggle as I read it and then again as I shared it with my family:
“The lodgings were on the top floor next to the well-guarded premises of a respectable dealer in stolen property because, as Granny had heard, good fences make good neighbors.�
“If there was anything that depressed him more than his own cynicism, it was that quite often it still wasn’t as cynical as real life.�
Sam Vimes i“If there was anything that depressed him more than his own cynicism, it was that quite often it still wasn’t as cynical as real life.�
Sam Vimes is in charge of the City Watch, which is something nobody in their right mind would brag about. His embarrassing job is most of the reason his second in command is booze. The rest of his reason has to do with life in general. He will need every ounce of cynicism his body contains to deal with the dragon calamity that suddenly befalls the kingdom. Will he and his ragtag bunch of misfits be able to step up when everyone needs them the most?
I thoroughly enjoyed Vimes. His attitude made me laugh more times than anyone or anything else contained in this book. I wanted to like another character named Carrot equally as much, but his story was lacking. He started out strong but then got lost in the mix with the other members of the City Watch.
The author did redeem himself with this one. I am happy to go out with this being my final memory of the series.
“They accept evil not because they say yes, but because they don’t say no.�
Mort is the lucky fella who lands Death’s apprenticeship role, and it isn’t long before he discovers just how complicated the job can be.
When it cMort is the lucky fella who lands Death’s apprenticeship role, and it isn’t long before he discovers just how complicated the job can be.
When it comes to characters, Mort and Death are an interesting combo. Death has a “do it this way because that is how it has always been done� approach to teaching and Mort has a “question everything and act on impulse when it feels right� approach to learning. Bringing these two together with the added side characters who have many of their own quirks, made for an above average story.
What I did not like: It started to drag at the end, and I lost interest in some of the characters.
What I loved: Below is an exchange between Mort and a witch concerning Death. It caught my eye because of the layers of thought that it contains. This kind of thing is truly my jam in life, so the author gets bonus points for dropping nuggets like this often (which is one of the main reasons I have stuck with the series).
�'He doesn’t like wizards and witches much,' Mort volunteered.
'Nobody likes a smartass,' she said with some satisfaction. 'We give him trouble, you see. Priests don’t, so he likes priests.'
'He’s never said,' said Mort.
'Ah. They’re always telling folk how much better it’s going to be when they’re dead. We tell them it could be pretty good right here if only they’d put their minds to it.'
Mort hesitated. He wanted to say: you’re wrong, he’s not like that at all, he doesn’t care if people are good or bad so long as they’re punctual. And kind to cats, he added.
But he thought better of it. It occurred to him that people needed to believe things."
“I never pump up my vulgarity. I wait for it to arrive on its own terms.�
This is the third book (based on publication date) about a character name“I never pump up my vulgarity. I wait for it to arrive on its own terms.�
This is the third book (based on publication date) about a character named Henry Chinaski. I am emphasizing this bit of information so other readers won’t make the same mistake I did, not realize that there are multiple books out there starring this turd of a human being. Not realizing it led me to miss the second book, which means I am now reading them out of order (a pet peeve of mine). I will add that from my limited research most Bukowski fans feel there is no official reading order for these books. So, if the publication date does not matter to you, dive in wherever you like.
Did I know he was such a turd? A little bit. The first book alluded to him not being the greatest example of how a person should be, but he was entertaining. Difficult characters always attract my attention. People are complex with many faults and many imperfections. I like to see it represented in books because it gives the reader an inside track into how the character thinks, and it offers the reader a chance to see “bad� behaviors with a more empathetic eye.
What I could not stomach was how gross this book was. The first book made me laugh. This one made me cringe over and over and over again. I don’t enjoy hearing or reading about anyone’s list of sexual experiences in graphic detail. Especially when said person crosses multiple boundaries in their interactions with others. The moral boundary crossing I could get past because as much as it goes against my own moral code, morality is up to the individual. People are not perfect. If a person wants to cheat and use others for whatever they can get out of them, that is a choice they make. It happens in books all of the time, so nothing new here. What I could not get past was when the interactions crossed into what I consider to be forced sexual acts (described in detail). Beyond disgusting.
I did try to convince myself that it was written with the purpose to showcase the sleaziness of the lead character. To show the reader that people who make these choices do suffer consequences. I tried, really I did. But no, Henry is a disgusting waste of space. A vile, putrid, and pathetic human being that does truly awful things to others for his own selfish gains. I can’t excuse his behavior because any remorse he shows is also derived from a pit of selfishness.
The real struggle I have is that the writer does have an amazing ability to write about the human condition and convey the gritty details of it. His book of poetry I enjoyed for the same reasons I did not enjoy this one, it is graphic and raw. I did some light digging into the writer’s personal history and can say that it appears in real life he was a lot like the character he wrote about. It is for sure something I will ponder for a bit before reading any more of his books.
Two stars to a book that if you are triggered by inappropriate sexual encounters, should be avoided at all costs....more
What I liked: All around unique. A thinker of a read.
What I did not like: Contains sexual violence. The heavy use of an author invented slang slowed dWhat I liked: All around unique. A thinker of a read.
What I did not like: Contains sexual violence. The heavy use of an author invented slang slowed down the reading flow. I could have looked up each word using an online Nadsat (the name for the made-up slang) glossary but I did not want to take the time to do it. Instead, I skimmed past the slang and focused on the general meaning of each sentence/paragraph/page.
I would recommend the 50th anniversary edition to anyone that is interested in reading and/or collecting the story. It is a restored version, and it does contain extra material such as “The Clockwork Condition�....more
Last spring, we spent a couple of weekends sorting and reshelving all of the books in our home. It was Fate brought me to the McSweeney’s experience.
Last spring, we spent a couple of weekends sorting and reshelving all of the books in our home. It was glaringly obvious we were missing many books in our Stephen King collection. Four months later and I had this thought going through my mind as I worked through a difficult reread of a DNF on my list, Infinite Jest. One evening I dipped out on the reading (avoided is more the word) to hunt down missing items. A few clicks in and the short story “Willie the Weirdo� (McSweeney’s 66) popped up. I had never heard of the source so down the rabbit hole I went, which led me to the realization that the founder of McSweeney’s (Dave Eggers) was the person who wrote the foreword to the book I was currently reading. Mind blown. I knew in that moment I had to subscribe to the Quarterly Concern because fate demanded it.
My first delivery contained the following:
A lemon yellow short story collection. This one was the thicker of the three and it contained letters, four short stories and one illustrated story. Not all were great, but most were entertaining.
A pumpkin orange pamphlet. This one contained a few pages of illustrations. The reluctant man caught my eye.
A midnight blue book of poems. This one was written by a bus driver while she lived each day of her life. I absolutely loved it. She plucked the most perfect words out of the sky and placed them expertly where they would have the most impact.
My review of the previous issue explains how I ended up here. Here being completely out of order because I read it first, received it second and revieMy review of the previous issue explains how I ended up here. Here being completely out of order because I read it first, received it second and reviewed it second. Here also being the why to how I ended up with the previous. If you don’t follow, I understand, because I barely do myself. I am past here, far into there, as I sit her months after the fact, typing this sentence.
This one contained a Stephen King short story, which is what brought me to this adventure in reading (not using the H word to spare your sanity). It also contained letters, one illustrated story, three poems and eight other short stories. Two of the stories stuck with me because of how fast they submerged me in their emotional muck, “Pelican Paradise� and “Dog Lab�. Two more left me perplexed with their oddness, “The World of Interiors� and “The Little Men�.
A boy experiences a troubled childhood, meets a neighbor in need, and discovers a whole other world locked away in a shed.
I love a story that can A boy experiences a troubled childhood, meets a neighbor in need, and discovers a whole other world locked away in a shed.
I love a story that can pluck me from my reality and deposit me into the depths of someone else’s imagination seamlessly. This one absolutely nailed it. The characters were the absolute best, the story was perfection, and the writing style (as always) superb. The only negative thing I have to say is that it wasn’t long enough. I wanted more.
�Tempus fugitis a good one,� she said, “but time doesn’t always fly, as everyone who’s ever had to wait around for something knows. I thinktempus est umbra in menteis a better one. Roughly translated, it means time is a shadow in the mind.�
I can assure you that time will fly when you read this one.
P.S. This story came along at exactly the right time in my life. Here is the exact quote that unlocked so much. I am placing it here as a reminder for future me.
“A brave man helps. A coward just gives presents.�...more
My oldest daughter is a reader but her reading habits are usually private. I see books enter her room, but I do not hear anything about them after thaMy oldest daughter is a reader but her reading habits are usually private. I see books enter her room, but I do not hear anything about them after that. The only exception to this rule would be anything Sylvia Plath. We both share a love for her books and pursue collecting them in tandem. So, imagine my surprise when I found her lost in this book in a shared space.
Me: “What is the deal?�
Her: “This book is something else. I finished it in one day.�
Me: “Should I give it a go?�
Her: “For sure worth it but doubt you can stomach it.�
Me: “Hand it over.�
She was correct about being able to stomach it. The book packs a punch when it comes to the general theme and how it is written. I took multiple reading breaks to stare off with a look of disgust on my face as I said to myself, “What the hell did I just read.� Which I feel was the point, think before you digest.
Five stars to a book my daughter was 100% right about....more
When situations happen in life (good or bad), I reach for a book. They are my source of wisdom, comfort, entertainment, companionship and so on. They When situations happen in life (good or bad), I reach for a book. They are my source of wisdom, comfort, entertainment, companionship and so on. They are a tried-and-true entity in my life that have always and will always be there when I need them most. When “shit went south� recently I immediately knew what to do, find the perfect book to get me through it. This is the book my research led me to, and it was exactly what I needed.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone involved in the horrible experience that is infidelity. The authors do an amazing job of walking the reader through all aspects of the situation. It explains what all parties involved are experiencing and what their next steps should be depending on which path they take.
Five stars to the perfect book for a terrible situation....more
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