Helen got me this trade for Christmas in 2005, which compiles the entire story arc of the Bone comics into one volume. I had asked for it because I reHelen got me this trade for Christmas in 2005, which compiles the entire story arc of the Bone comics into one volume. I had asked for it because I remembered reading Bone as a child but never did find out how it ended, so when I saw that there was a one-volume edition I thought it would be great to finish it.
I ended up rereading the whole thing. Smith has a really cool artistic style, and keeps a sense of fun alive through the story. At times the story seems kind of like a generic fantasy story or maybe a bit of a ripoff of Lord of the Rings but I almost regret saying this because I still like the story in its own right....more
Another good popular economics book. Maybe not quite as accessible or fun as Freakonomics but it also maybe delves into a wider variety of subtopics.Another good popular economics book. Maybe not quite as accessible or fun as Freakonomics but it also maybe delves into a wider variety of subtopics. Some of the examples here are a little more politically charged, also.
If you made it through Freakonomics and are still interested in another economics book, I will recommend this one but I did like Freakonomics better....more
I know I am not the only one who found this book really interesting. Most of Levitt's topics fall into the category of behavioral economics, which useI know I am not the only one who found this book really interesting. Most of Levitt's topics fall into the category of behavioral economics, which uses economic methods and modeling in an effort to try and explain a lot of phenomena that although arguably economic are outside the traditional domain of the economist. I really find behavioral economics an interesting field but it sometimes walks a fine line between economics and just plain statistical analysis or psychology on the one hand and also between useful scholarship and pseudoscience on the other hand.
For the most part, I like the examples in this book. It also does an excellent job of introducing the certain way of thinking and analyzing problems that the economist uses, and shows how it is broadly applicable....more
Part of my dissatisfaction with this book may stem from the fact that the one I got from the library is the one published around 1989 and not the "RedPart of my dissatisfaction with this book may stem from the fact that the one I got from the library is the one published around 1989 and not the "Redux". I read several websites that recommended it as helpful to anyone considereing graduate study in economics. There was some information that was useful about this, and the culture and environment of economics Ph. D. students and the economics departments of major universities. I personally just didn't get what I was looking for out of it....more
They didn't have other editions on goodreads but the one I read was actually a 1944 edition that belonged to my grandfather on my father's side. BeingThey didn't have other editions on goodreads but the one I read was actually a 1944 edition that belonged to my grandfather on my father's side. Being as how the guide to common international naval flags includes Nazi and Imperial Japanese insignia, I think I can guess without ever having seen the current version that pretty much all of the other information has changed too. I remember reading this eagerly as a 13 year old and I have looked through it a few times since. There are some interesting bits about sailing and survival at sea and the like but mostly it is cool as a kind of historical curiosity....more
Large parts of this book are completely peripheral to the military aspect of it -- lots of tips for outdoor survival that I have seen elsewhere or thaLarge parts of this book are completely peripheral to the military aspect of it -- lots of tips for outdoor survival that I have seen elsewhere or that seem like great suggestions. This manual is certainly not written with ecological impact in mind, but it is intended for the kind of situations where that probably wouldn't be the first thing on your mind in any case. Mostly the focus is on general survival skills that would be good in any emergency situation, although there are some times you are reminded that it is a military manual when all of a sudden there is reference to "making contact with your unit" or some such. There is also a section on makeshift combat weapons which I read out of curiosity....more
A journey around the regions of the world and their unique beer styles -- how they taste, why they taste the way they do, and some highly recommended A journey around the regions of the world and their unique beer styles -- how they taste, why they taste the way they do, and some highly recommended examples of each written by beer expert Michael Jackson (not THAT Michael Jackson; I suspect he feels like the Michael Bolton character in Office Space).
Fun to browse through and educational about beer which is wonderful if you are like me and totally into learning all about beer. On the downside, looking through it generally makes me want to run out and buy some sort of really expensive imported beer so I can try it. It also fuels fantasies of actually owning all of the correct glasses to serve the various drinks in some day if I ever hit the Lotto jackpot or something....more
I correctly guessed from my first looks at this book that it was written by an engineer or something of the sort. While the Complete Joy of HomebrewinI correctly guessed from my first looks at this book that it was written by an engineer or something of the sort. While the Complete Joy of Homebrewing is an excellent introduction to the topic and has more recipes, this one is probably easier to use as a reference for the different steps of the process. There is also a better troubleshooting guide and it makes better use of illustrations and tables, charts, etc. Finally, Palmer makes more of an attempt at being exhaustive on the topics he discusses whereas Joy is more helpful at first because it does not overload with information.
I am glad I have both books and find both useful for different reasons....more
I really like Faulkner and this book is both my first introduction to him and also my favorite of his out of what I have read. Seems like I keep endinI really like Faulkner and this book is both my first introduction to him and also my favorite of his out of what I have read. Seems like I keep ending up writing reviews for widely read classics, so a plot synopsis or any analysis I could give seems redundant. Instead, I'll just wholeheartedly recommend this one....more
Something a little different from Chuck Palahniuk: a kind of travelogue of some of his favorites among the more eccentric things Portland, OR has to oSomething a little different from Chuck Palahniuk: a kind of travelogue of some of his favorites among the more eccentric things Portland, OR has to offer. Each essay provides a little bit of history as well as information about a different site or aspect of Portland. Maybe a bit of an odd comparison but it reads like a book version of Insomniac with Dave Attell. I get the impression from interviews with Palahniuk that I have read that contrary to many of his readers' expectations, his personality is really pretty normal. In some ways non-fiction from him may let down readers who are expecting something other than what they get, which a catalog of cool little kind-of-indie places....more
Along with Survivor this is one of the books by Palahniuk that I like best. This one is perhaps the most bizarre of his books, which takes some doingAlong with Survivor this is one of the books by Palahniuk that I like best. This one is perhaps the most bizarre of his books, which takes some doing....more
This is probably my favorite of the Chuck Palahniuk novels that I've read. The story follows the only survivor of a millenarian suicide cult through tThis is probably my favorite of the Chuck Palahniuk novels that I've read. The story follows the only survivor of a millenarian suicide cult through the days leading up to his own death. Along the way you can find the usual Palahniuk oddness and dark humor coloring the story....more
I got this one because I really liked Troost's other South Pacific book, The Sex Lives of Cannibals, so naturally when I heard that he had put out a I got this one because I really liked Troost's other South Pacific book, The Sex Lives of Cannibals, so naturally when I heard that he had put out a companion to the first book I ran out and got it. Troost's later life experiences in two other nations in the region just didn't get me going the same way. This one was OK, nice entertainment, but I just can't recommend it wholeheartedly like I could Cannibals....more
This anarchist collective is the same one that made Evasion available. I'm no anarchist myself, but there are parts of the worldview in this book thaThis anarchist collective is the same one that made Evasion available. I'm no anarchist myself, but there are parts of the worldview in this book that really engage me. There are also interesting tidbits on the history of anarchy as CrimeThink gives an exposition of their particular worldview....more
My favorite train bum book but it is so much more too. This is also the most recent account, compiled from a zine that I believe was done around aboutMy favorite train bum book but it is so much more too. This is also the most recent account, compiled from a zine that I believe was done around about the late 90s/early 00s by a train-hopping, dumpster-diving, vegan, straight-edge hardcore kid.
In addition to his train stories, he tells about squatting in abandoned houses in suburbia and living off of a sort of modern conception of "the fat of the land": a combination of perfectly good things people just throw away and scamming companies like Wal-Mart that I personally don't have that much sympathy for in this equation.
I think what makes this one so cool is that it is a train story but it is also so much more....more
This train memoir is from a guy who decided to go freight hopping as a sort of academic sociological research project. Some interesting moments, and aThis train memoir is from a guy who decided to go freight hopping as a sort of academic sociological research project. Some interesting moments, and a picture of the seemy underbelly of Reagan's "morning in America".
I liked it, but I liked some of the other train stories I read better....more
One man's story of his first ever freight hopping trip. Tells a little bit about his learning the ropes from some kind strangers and a lot of trial anOne man's story of his first ever freight hopping trip. Tells a little bit about his learning the ropes from some kind strangers and a lot of trial and error.
If you can't tell, I was on a big freight-hopping jag for a bit. Apart from Evasion, this is probably the train bum memoir that I enjoyed the most....more
Loading...
