Very good reporting about women scientists at MIT and their treatment and their resistance to unfairness. Very detailed narratives about their lives, Very good reporting about women scientists at MIT and their treatment and their resistance to unfairness. Very detailed narratives about their lives, and lots of information about the bureaucracy that science professors work with in order to do their research. Lots of interesting ambiguities too, some people were sometimes helpful and at other times obstructive....more
Like other Geraldine Brooks books I’ve read, Some real skill in putting together a story, but harmed by a YA-tinged preachiness and excessive didacticLike other Geraldine Brooks books I’ve read, Some real skill in putting together a story, but harmed by a YA-tinged preachiness and excessive didacticism....more
Very beautiful writing, but I frequently felt I wasn’t fully understanding the stories. I’m sure if I read more slowly and carefully that would have hVery beautiful writing, but I frequently felt I wasn’t fully understanding the stories. I’m sure if I read more slowly and carefully that would have helped. Lovely sentences and paragraphs though....more
I’ve never read a book about a river before! This was pretty good. I can’t help myself, I have to admit it was “meandering� (sheepish grin) but of couI’ve never read a book about a river before! This was pretty good. I can’t help myself, I have to admit it was “meandering� (sheepish grin) but of course that is completely appropriate to the subject matter. I’m going to be visiting a part of the Danube, and this book gave me some good historical and cultural/political context. There are a few small black and white photos, it would have been nice if there had been more and better pictures. But the text was fine....more
Well, that was a hell of a story. Not the kind of book I usually read, and I’ve never read Lehane before, although I’ve seen and enjoyed several movieWell, that was a hell of a story. Not the kind of book I usually read, and I’ve never read Lehane before, although I’ve seen and enjoyed several movies made from his novels. Really liked the characters and dialogue including the protagonist Mary Pat’s inner dialogue. Some of the action was a little far-fetched, it seemed more like a movie than a novel in some ways. Tons of Boston mid-70s busing-era vignettes, mostly from the Southie POV. Happy to have read it, but not sure I’ll read any more Lehane. ...more
Enjoyed this book a lot, was enlightening and fun to read at the same time. Certainly talked about issues of exploitation, pollution, climate change, Enjoyed this book a lot, was enlightening and fun to read at the same time. Certainly talked about issues of exploitation, pollution, climate change, etc, but there was no ranting or scare-mongering or finger-wagging. Lots of intriguing historical bits and accounts of the author’s travels to mines, foundries, factories, etc.
Reminded me of Vaclav Smil’s book “HowThe World Really Works� but it’s far more readable (the author recommends Smil’s work and that book specifically in the very elaborate bibliography)....more
Kind of fun to read, for a while. But the author tends to be very wordy, what she could say in a couple sentences she finds ways to stretch out into aKind of fun to read, for a while. But the author tends to be very wordy, what she could say in a couple sentences she finds ways to stretch out into a few paragraphs. Clearly “swearing� has a lot to do with culture, respect, psychology, etc, and she brings that stuff in, but not in any methodical way, so it felt like kind of a wordy mish-mash. Read four chapters and decided that it just didn’t seem that she was making any real points other than fairly obvious ones, so I’m giving up on this one.
I enjoyed some of the translations of swearing in other languages. ...more
Liked the first third of this memoir, it took me to a place I knew nothing about and showed me what it was like. But as this young woman’s life gets gLiked the first third of this memoir, it took me to a place I knew nothing about and showed me what it was like. But as this young woman’s life gets grimmer the storytelling also gets more chaotic and “poetic� to the point where it just seemed like a nightmare that didn’t really keep all the details straight. Redeemed a bit by the final chapter which was inspiring and hopeful....more
I’m not much of a biography reader, and I’ll admit I don’t care very much about Winston Churchill’s wife (or Winston himself, for that matter). But itI’m not much of a biography reader, and I’ll admit I don’t care very much about Winston Churchill’s wife (or Winston himself, for that matter). But it was my book club’s pick for the month, so I thought I’d give it a try. I read the introduction and the first couple chapters (up until the beginning of the First World War) then decided to give up on it.
The writing was fine for a biography. If you care about Clementine, or even early to mid-twentieth century British history, then this might be a great book to consider. ...more
Good book about developmental biology specifically, but also about science in general. People, like all animals, start off as a single cell. We have DGood book about developmental biology specifically, but also about science in general. People, like all animals, start off as a single cell. We have DNA, which has been called a “blueprint,� but unlike a building construction site there is no primary contractor or project manager � there’s no one organizing the whole thing. Cells divide, but how do they differentiate and form structures such as bones and organs. How are cells so different when they all have the same DNA? Lots of history of the field and lots of explanations. And to the author’s credit, forthrightness about what we still don’t know. Some big sections about how all of this relates to cancer and to various genetic treatments for disease. Some parts were overly detailed for my taste, but it was easy to skim over them....more
A lot of important things explored here, but I really wasn’t enjoying reading the book, it felt preachy and sanctimonious. So I read the first four chA lot of important things explored here, but I really wasn’t enjoying reading the book, it felt preachy and sanctimonious. So I read the first four chapters then dropped it. ...more
Wow, that was quite a book! I truly enjoyed it. Fun to see how people are mostly the same as now, and his depictions of people are sharp and frequentlWow, that was quite a book! I truly enjoyed it. Fun to see how people are mostly the same as now, and his depictions of people are sharp and frequently funny.
Much of the book was covering the doings of the main characters at home, in social situations, traveling, in the military, on the battlefield, etc. Some of it was a bit soap opera-ish but I liked it.
Lots of interesting themes about family, friendship, romance, government, military, responsibility, priorities, maturity, and going into grand topics like free will and world history.
If it matters, I read/listened to the Maude translation. ...more
What a terrific novel! I loved reading it, though the first third was very grim and I was scared the whole thing would be depressing. But the book is What a terrific novel! I loved reading it, though the first third was very grim and I was scared the whole thing would be depressing. But the book is far from depressing and I have the delight of discovering a new (to me) great author who has another half-dozen books I can now look forward to reading. ...more
Really enjoyed this memoir by one of my favorite philosophers! That said, I’m not sure everyone would like it. Dennett uses some odd terminology that Really enjoyed this memoir by one of my favorite philosophers! That said, I’m not sure everyone would like it. Dennett uses some odd terminology that one gets used to after reading a few of his books. And an awful lot of the book is just cataloging the many other philosophers and scientists he’s worked with over the decades, with quite a bit of commentary about their qualities and faults. But I enjoy his writing style and found it fun to read. Really liked the penultimate chapter where he summarizes a lot of his work into just a few paragraphs, it makes me want to reread some of his books and read others for the first time....more
Academic exploration of indigenous people from the western hemisphere who visited Europe from 1492 through the 1600s. Many were slaves, others not exaAcademic exploration of indigenous people from the western hemisphere who visited Europe from 1492 through the 1600s. Many were slaves, others not exactly slaves but not in control of their situations - captives in some sense. Some did have some measure of autonomy and visited Europe as family members of Europeans and some even as translators or diplomats or royalty from the Americas.
Some amazing stories. As an academic work there was maybe more detail than I needed. Also a lot of throat-clearing and correctness, but that’s to be expected with such a difficult history. A lot of very sad stories, to be sure. ...more
Kinda cool, but not quite satisfying. In the format of a book to be read to children, with a sentence or two on the left hand page, and an illustratioKinda cool, but not quite satisfying. In the format of a book to be read to children, with a sentence or two on the left hand page, and an illustration on the right. The text might work for kids, but I think the illustrations would not. They’re very dark and moody, but the faces are caricatured in very interesting ways. The landscapes are cool but too dark to grasp everything. I would have liked to see the illustrations more closely. They’re printed well, but just too small to see all the details. Would be great to see in a much larger format on a gallery wall, or maybe projected on a theater screen.
Probably the shortest book I’ll read this year! No page numbers but I’m guessing 40 pages (with just a bit of text on half of them)....more
I liked the book, there was a lot of interesting stuff about the evolution of cognition and consciousness starting from single-celled creatures. The mI liked the book, there was a lot of interesting stuff about the evolution of cognition and consciousness starting from single-celled creatures. The main point of the book, I guess, is re-hashing the battle over Free Will. (His position is pro Free Will.) Some of his points are interesting but I’m not convinced and I’m getting increasingly certain that the whole conflict is useless and that nobody’s definition of “Free Will� is really the same anyway. But despite that the book was enjoyable and educational.
I liked the author’s first book “Innate� even more - it explains the process of how identical twins grow up to be different from each other, even though their DNA is identical and even if their upbringing and childhood experiences are very similar. ...more
Weird funny novel about an Australian girl named Ziggy, 14 or so, who is working out who she is. Lots of other characters, mostly other kids, and pareWeird funny novel about an Australian girl named Ziggy, 14 or so, who is working out who she is. Lots of other characters, mostly other kids, and parents. Wickedly funny and sarcastic, especially in the first two-thirds of the book, but also sympathetic. The last part of the book loses some of the humor and believability, but still all in all a worthwhile book, if not my usual subject matter....more
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