Jesse's bookshelf: all en-US Wed, 07 Aug 2024 12:29:36 -0700 60 Jesse's bookshelf: all 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg The Call of Cthulhu 15730101 The Call of Cthulhu is a harrowing tale of the weakness of the human mind when confronted by powers and intelligences from beyond our world.]]> 43 H.P. Lovecraft Jesse 3 3.97 1928 The Call of Cthulhu
author: H.P. Lovecraft
name: Jesse
average rating: 3.97
book published: 1928
rating: 3
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date added: 2024/08/07
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]]> <![CDATA[The Abundance of Less: Lessons in Simple Living from Rural Japan]]> 32987932
“Subversive in the best possible way.� —Bill McKibben, New York Times –bestselling author

The Abundance of Less captures the texture of sustainable lives well lived in these ten profiles of ordinary—yet exceptional—men and women who left behind mainstream existences in urban Japan to live surrounded by the luxuries of nature, art, friends, delicious food, and an abundance of time. Drawing on traditional Eastern spiritual wisdom and culture, these pioneers describe the profound personal transformations they underwent as they escaped the stress, consumerism, busyness, and dependence on technology of modern life.

This intimate and evocative book tells of their fulfilling lives as artists, philosophers, and farmers who rely on themselves for happiness and sustenance. By inviting readers to enter into the essence of these individuals� days, Couturier shows us how we too can bring more meaning and richness to our own lives.]]> 432 Andy Couturier 1623171326 Jesse 2 4.15 The Abundance of Less: Lessons in Simple Living from Rural Japan
author: Andy Couturier
name: Jesse
average rating: 4.15
book published:
rating: 2
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date added: 2023/11/13
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]]> <![CDATA[INTERNATIONAL TRADE VACCINE : EXPORT, IMPORT, INTERNATIONAL TRADE, INTERNATIONAL PROCUREMENT, E-COMMERCE, SUPPLY CHAIN]]> 56227207 185 Najibullah Khushbin Jesse 2 2.00 INTERNATIONAL TRADE VACCINE : EXPORT, IMPORT, INTERNATIONAL TRADE, INTERNATIONAL PROCUREMENT, E-COMMERCE, SUPPLY CHAIN
author: Najibullah Khushbin
name: Jesse
average rating: 2.00
book published:
rating: 2
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date added: 2023/11/13
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]]> <![CDATA[How to Talk so Little Kids Will Listen: A Survival Guide to Life with Children Ages 2-7 (The How To Talk Series)]]> 29430725
A must-have resource for anyone who lives or works with young kids, with an introduction by Adele Faber, coauthor of How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk , the international mega-bestseller The Boston Globe dubbed “The Parenting Bible.�

For over thirty-five years, parents have turned to How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk for its respectful and effective solutions to the unending challenges of raising children. Now, in response to growing demand, Adele’s daughter, Joanna Faber, along with Julie King, tailor How to Talk’s powerful communication skills to children ages two to seven.

Faber and King, each a parenting expert in her own right, share their wisdom accumulated over years of conducting How To Talk workshops with parents and a broad variety of professionals. With a lively combination of storytelling, cartoons, and fly-on-the-wall discussions from their workshops, they provide concrete tools and tips that will transform your relationship with the young kids in your life.

What do you do with a little kid who…won’t brush her teeth…screams in his car seat…pinches the baby...refuses to eat vegetables…throws books in the library...runs rampant in the supermarket? Organized according to common challenges and conflicts, this book is an essential emergency first-aid manual of communication strategies, including a chapter that addresses the special needs of children with sensory processing and autism spectrum disorders.

This user-friendly guide will empower parents and caregivers of young children to forge rewarding, joyful relationships with terrible two-year-olds, truculent three-year-olds, ferocious four-year-olds, foolhardy five-year-olds, self-centered six-year-olds, and the occasional semi-civilized seven-year-old. And, it will help little kids grow into self-reliant big kids who are cooperative and connected to their parents, teachers, siblings, and peers.]]> 385 Joanna Faber 1501131656 Jesse 5 4.38 2017 How to Talk so Little Kids Will Listen: A Survival Guide to Life with Children Ages 2-7 (The How To Talk Series)
author: Joanna Faber
name: Jesse
average rating: 4.38
book published: 2017
rating: 5
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date added: 2023/11/13
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]]> <![CDATA[The Psychology of Selling: Increase Your Sales Faster and Easier Than You Ever Thought Possible]]> 115625
The purpose of this book is to give you a series of ideas, methods, strategies, and techniques that you can use immediately to make more sales, faster and easier than ever before.

It’s a promise of prosperity that sales guru Brian Tracy has seen fulfilled again and again. More sales people have become millionaires as a result of listening to and applying his ideas than from any other sales training process ever developed.]]> 240 Brian Tracy 0785288066 Jesse 5 4.12 1988 The Psychology of Selling: Increase Your Sales Faster and Easier Than You Ever Thought Possible
author: Brian Tracy
name: Jesse
average rating: 4.12
book published: 1988
rating: 5
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date added: 2023/11/13
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]]> <![CDATA[Homeland (Forgotten Realms: The Dark Elf Trilogy, #1; Legend of Drizzt, #1)]]> 50027 Discover the origin story of one of the greatest heroes of the Realms—Drizzt Do’Urden—in this thrilling first installment of the Dark Elf Trilogy

Drow ranger Drizzt Do’Urden, first introduced in The Icewind Dale Trilogy, quickly became one of the fantasy genre’s standout characters. With Homeland, Salvatore pulls back the curtain to reveal the startling tale of how this hero came to be—how this one lone drow walked out of the shadowy depths of the Underdark; how he left behind an evil society and a family that wanted him dead.

As the third son of Mother Malice and weaponmaster Zaknafein, Drizzt Do’Urden is meant to be sacrificed to Lolth, the evil Spider Queen, per drow tradition. But with the unexpected death of his older brother, young Drizzt is spared—and, as a result, further ostracized by his family. As Drizzt grows older, developing his swordsmanship skills and studying at the Academy, he begins to realize that his idea of good and evil does not match up with those of his fellow drow. Can Drizzt stay true to himself in a such an unforgiving, unprincipled world?

Homeland is the first book in the Dark Elf Trilogy and the Legend of Drizzt series.]]> 343 R.A. Salvatore Jesse 2 4.26 1990 Homeland (Forgotten Realms: The Dark Elf Trilogy, #1; Legend of Drizzt, #1)
author: R.A. Salvatore
name: Jesse
average rating: 4.26
book published: 1990
rating: 2
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date added: 2023/07/30
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]]> <![CDATA[The $100 Startup: Reinvent the Way You Make a Living, Do What You Love, and Create a New Future]]> 12605157
“Thoughtful, funny, and compulsively readable, this guide shows how ordinary people can build solid livings, with independence and purpose, on their own terms.”—Gretchen Rubin, author of the #1 New York Times bestseller The Happiness Project

Still in his early thirties, Chris Guillebeau completed a tour of every country on earth and yet he’s never held a “real job� or earned a regular paycheck. Rather, he has a special genius for turning ideas into income, and he uses what he earns both to support his life of adventure and to give back.

Chris identified 1,500 individuals who have built businesses earning $50,000 or more from a modest investment (in many cases, $100 or less), and focused on the 50 most intriguing case studies.In nearly all cases, people with no special skills discovered aspects of their personal passions that could be monetized, and were able to restructure their lives in ways that gave them greater freedom and fulfillment.

Here, finally, distilled into one easy-to-use guide, are the most valuable lessons from those who’ve learned how to turn what they do into a gateway to self-fulfillment.It’s all about finding the intersection between your “expertise”—even if you don’t consider it such—and what other people will pay for. You don’t need an MBA, a business plan or even employees. All you need is a product or service that springs from what you love to do anyway, people willing to pay, and a way to get paid.

Not content to talk in generalities, Chris tells you exactly how many dollars his group of unexpected entrepreneurs required to get their projects up and running; what these individuals did in the first weeks and months to generate significant cash; some of the key mistakes they made along the way, and the crucial insights that made the business stick.Among Chris’s key principles: If you’re good at one thing, you’re probably good at something else; never teach a man to fish� sell him the fish instead; and in the battle between planning and action, action wins.

In ancient times, people who were dissatisfied with their lives dreamed of finding magic lamps, buried treasure, or streets paved with gold.Today, we know that it’s up to us to change our lives.And the best part is, if we change our own life, we can help others change theirs. This remarkable book will start you on your way.]]> 268 Chris Guillebeau 0307951529 Jesse 3 3.89 2012 The $100 Startup: Reinvent the Way You Make a Living, Do What You Love, and Create a New Future
author: Chris Guillebeau
name: Jesse
average rating: 3.89
book published: 2012
rating: 3
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date added: 2018/05/20
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]]> Norse Mythology 37903770 This is an alternate cover edition for ISBN 9780393356182

Neil Gaiman, long inspired by ancient mythology in creating the fantastical realms of his fiction, presents a bravura rendition of the Norse gods and their world from their origin though their upheaval in Ragnarok.

In Norse Mythology, Gaiman stays true to the myths in envisioning the major Norse pantheon: Odin, the highest of the high, wise, daring, and cunning; Thor, Odin’s son, incredibly strong yet not the wisest of gods; and Loki—son of a giant—blood brother to Odin and a trickster and unsurpassable manipulator.

Gaiman fashions these primeval stories into a novelistic arc that begins with the genesis of the legendary nine worlds and delves into the exploits of deities, dwarfs, and giants. Through Gaiman’s deft and witty prose, these gods emerge with their fiercely competitive natures, their susceptibility to being duped and to duping others, and their tendency to let passion ignite their actions, making these long-ago myths breathe pungent life again.]]> 301 Neil Gaiman Jesse 5
If you can, listen to the audiobook of this one. If you want to hear Gaiman do voices (I rather like his rendition of Fenrir the Wolf and Thor) this'll be a treat. A number of Norse myths were familiar to me, but there were a number I'd never heard before this, either, so as far as I'm concerned it counts as both entertaining and educational.]]> 4.11 2017 Norse Mythology
author: Neil Gaiman
name: Jesse
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2017
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2018/04/24
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I find nothing negative about this book! To criticize these tales, whatever liberties Mr. Gaiman might have taken in retelling it, is to criticize Norse mythology itself - and while it may not be for everyone, it was great for me.

If you can, listen to the audiobook of this one. If you want to hear Gaiman do voices (I rather like his rendition of Fenrir the Wolf and Thor) this'll be a treat. A number of Norse myths were familiar to me, but there were a number I'd never heard before this, either, so as far as I'm concerned it counts as both entertaining and educational.
]]> <![CDATA[Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us]]> 3828382
Now the Internet has eliminated the barriers of geography, cost, and time. All those blogs and social networking sites are helping existing tribes get bigger. But more important, they're enabling countless new tribes to be born—groups of ten or ten thousand or ten million who care about their iPhones, or a political campaign, or a new way to fight global warming. And so the key question: Who is going to lead us?

The Web can do amazing things, but it can't provide leadership. That still has to come from individuals—people just like you who have passion about something. The explosion in tribes means that anyone who wants to make a difference now has the tools at her fingertips.

If you think leadership is for other people, think again—leaders come in surprising packages. Consider Joel Spolsky and his international tribe of scary-smart software engineers. Or Gary Vaynerhuck, a wine expert with a devoted following of enthusiasts. Chris Sharma leads a tribe of rock climbers up impossible cliff faces, while Mich Mathews, a VP at Microsoft, runs her internal tribe of marketers from her cube in Seattle. All they have in common is the desire to change things, the ability to connect a tribe, and the willingness to lead.

If you ignore this opportunity, you risk turning into a "sheepwalker"—someone who fights to protect the status quo at all costs, never asking if obedience is doing you (or your organization) any good. Sheepwalkers don't do very well these days.

Tribes will make you think (really think) about the opportunities in leading your fellow employees, customers, investors, believers, hobbyists, or readers. . . . It's not easy, but it's easier than you think.]]> 151 Seth Godin 1591842336 Jesse 4 3.80 2008 Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us
author: Seth Godin
name: Jesse
average rating: 3.80
book published: 2008
rating: 4
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date added: 2018/04/21
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]]> <![CDATA[Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future]]> 25541028 392 Ashlee Vance 0062301233 Jesse 4 4.12 2015 Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future
author: Ashlee Vance
name: Jesse
average rating: 4.12
book published: 2015
rating: 4
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date added: 2018/04/04
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]]> <![CDATA[The Airbnb Profit Blueprint: Learn How I Made $5000+ a Month with Airbnb]]> 25641701
AirBnB is a very flexible platform, and it can work for a variety of situations. Do you have a spare room in your house or apartment? It could even be your living room, a trailer, a boat, or an igloo (there was a very popular igloo in Boston last winter), there are very few limits as to what you can rent out on Airbnb. Or maybe you want to go to the next level and rent out your entire home or apartment on AirBnB while you travel or live elsewhere? Then we have a blueprint to get you started and show you exactly what to do.

This book will help the complete novice and experienced AirBnB host alike, as there are tips for students at every level. I walk you through everything you need to know about renting out your spare room or your entire apartment on AirBnB.

Not only do we cover every single piece of the AirBnB puzzle in detail, we also provide links to FREE "Swipe" files with things like all the messages I send to my guests, the spreadsheet I use to analyze my competition, the rental contract I use, and an advanced spreadsheet to look at new properties to see if Airbnb will make a profit! These plus other trade secrets that have helped me run my successful AirBnB business.

My Swipe files alone are worth the price of the book, and can save you tons of time, simply take what I wrote already and copy and paste! This material that has already proven to work, just insert a few minor details like your address and phone number, and you instantly have a head start.

Learn all my AirBnB Tips and Tricks, and you can beat 99% of other AirBnB hosts in your market to be the top ranking and grossing host.

In this book you will get detailed, easy to follow blueprints that

- A step by step guide of how I grew my AirBnB business from $0 a month all the way to $7500 a month!
- All the work that needs to be done before you list your unit so that you can build a proper foundation
- How to analyze your competition and make a plan to beat them!
- How to determine the exact right amount to charge per night in your area.
- Recognize the steps to hit the ground running as soon as you launch your listing.
- How to craft the perfect listing, take the best photographs, write a catchy title, engaging listing description, and more!
- How to supercharge your listing and get to the top of AirBnB's listing results for your area.
- How to setup your AirBnB listing so it's on "autopilot" and requires virtually no work from you, only a few minutes a week oversight!

Plus, you can join our private facebook discussion group and network with other hosts and your peers! The Airbnb Profit Blueprint is a proven system that will benefit hosts of every level!]]> 138 Aaron MacDaniel Jesse 3 3.91 2015 The Airbnb Profit Blueprint: Learn How I Made $5000+ a Month with Airbnb
author: Aaron MacDaniel
name: Jesse
average rating: 3.91
book published: 2015
rating: 3
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date added: 2018/04/04
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]]> <![CDATA[The Republic of Thieves (Gentleman Bastard, #3)]]> 2890090
Magi political elections are imminent, and the factions are in need of a pawn. If Locke agrees to play the role, sorcery will be used to purge the venom from his body - though the process will be so excruciating he may well wish for death. Locke is opposed, but two factors cause his will to crumble: Jean's imploring - and the Bondsmage's mention of a woman from Locke's past: Sabetha. She is the love of his life, his equal in skill and wit, and now, his greatest rival.

Locke was smitten with Sabetha from his first glimpse of her as a young fellow orphan and thief-in-training. But after a tumultuous courtship, Sabetha broke away. Now they will reunite in yet another clash of wills. For faced with his one and only match in both love and trickery, Locke must choose whether to fight Sabetha - or to woo her. It is a decision on which both their lives may depend.

]]> 650 Scott Lynch 0553804693 Jesse 4 4.21 2013 The Republic of Thieves (Gentleman Bastard, #3)
author: Scott Lynch
name: Jesse
average rating: 4.21
book published: 2013
rating: 4
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date added: 2017/10/24
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]]> <![CDATA[The Wise Man's Fear (The Kingkiller Chronicle, #2)]]> 1215032 There are three things all wise men fear: the sea in storm, a night with no moon, and the anger of a gentle man.�

My name is Kvothe.
I have stolen princesses back from sleeping barrow kings. I burned down the town of Trebon. I have spent the night with Felurian and left with both my sanity and my life. I was expelled from the University at a younger age than most people are allowed in. I tread paths by moonlight that others fear to speak of during day. I have talked to Gods, loved women, and written songs that make the minstrels weep.
You may have heard of me.

So begins the tale of a hero told from his own point of view � a story unequaled in fantasy literature. Now in The Wise Man's Fear, an escalating rivalry with a powerful member of the nobility forces Kvothe to leave the University and seek his fortune abroad. Adrift, penniless, and alone, he travels to Vintas, where he quickly becomes entangled in the politics of courtly society. While attempting to curry favor with a powerful noble, Kvothe uncovers an assassination attempt, comes into conflict with a rival arcanist, and leads a group of mercenaries into the wild, in an attempt to solve the mystery of who (or what) is waylaying travelers on the King's Road.

All the while, Kvothe searches for answers, attempting to uncover the truth about the mysterious Amyr, the Chandrian, and the death of his parents. Along the way, Kvothe is put on trial by the legendary Adem mercenaries, is forced to reclaim the honor of the Edema Ruh, and travels into the Fae realm. There he meets Felurian, the faerie woman no man can resist, and who no man has ever survived ... until Kvothe.

In The Wise Man's Fear, Kvothe takes his first steps on the path of the hero and learns how difficult life can be when a man becomes a legend in his own time.

]]> 994 Patrick Rothfuss 0756404738 Jesse 3 4.55 2011 The Wise Man's Fear (The Kingkiller Chronicle, #2)
author: Patrick Rothfuss
name: Jesse
average rating: 4.55
book published: 2011
rating: 3
read at: 2017/10/24
date added: 2017/10/24
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]]> The Day of the Triffids 530965
The triffids are grotesque and dangerous plants, over seven feet tall, originally cultivated for their yield of high-grade oil. So long as conditions give the mastery to their human directors, they are a valuable asset to mankind. But when a sudden universal disaster turns those conditions upside down, then the triffids, seizing their opportunity, become an active and dreadful menace.

The story of what happens is told here by one of the few people lucky enough to escape the disaster.]]> 228 John Wyndham 0812967127 Jesse 5 4.01 1951 The Day of the Triffids
author: John Wyndham
name: Jesse
average rating: 4.01
book published: 1951
rating: 5
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date added: 2017/09/24
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]]> <![CDATA[The Last Guardian (WarCraft, #3)]]> 283866 320 Jeff Grubb 0671041517 Jesse 3 4.03 2001 The Last Guardian (WarCraft, #3)
author: Jeff Grubb
name: Jesse
average rating: 4.03
book published: 2001
rating: 3
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date added: 2017/09/24
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]]> <![CDATA[Day of the Dragon (WarCraft, #1)]]> 100427 WarCraft
A terrifying upheaval among the highest ranks of the world's Wizards sends the maverick Mage, Rhonin, on a perilous journey into the Orc-controlled lands of Khaz Modan. What Rhonin uncovers is a vast, far-reaching conspiracy, darker than anything he ever imagined -- a threat that will force him into a dangerous alliance with ancient creatures of air and re if the world of Azeroth is to see another dawn.]]> 378 Richard A. Knaak 0671041525 Jesse 3 3.82 2001 Day of the Dragon (WarCraft, #1)
author: Richard A. Knaak
name: Jesse
average rating: 3.82
book published: 2001
rating: 3
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date added: 2017/09/24
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]]> Elantris (Elantris, #1) 68427
Arelon's new capital, Kae, crouches in the shadow of Elantris. Princess Sarene of Teod arrives for a marriage of state with Crown Prince Raoden, hoping—based on their correspondence—to also find love. She finds instead that Raoden has died and she is considered his widow. Both Teod and Arelon are under threat as the last remaining holdouts against the imperial ambitions of the ruthless religious fanatics of Fjordell. So Sarene decides to use her new status to counter the machinations of Hrathen, a Fjordell high priest who has come to Kae to convert Arelon and claim it for his emperor and his god.

But neither Sarene nor Hrathen suspect the truth about Prince Raoden. Stricken by the same curse that ruined Elantris, Raoden was secretly exiled by his father to the dark city. His struggle to help the wretches trapped there begins a series of events that will bring hope to Arelon, and perhaps reveal the secret of Elantris itself.

A rare epic fantasy that doesn't recycle the classics and that is a complete and satisfying story in one volume, Elantris is fleet and fun, full of surprises and characters to care about. It's also the wonderful debut of a welcome new star in the constellation of fantasy.]]> 638 Brandon Sanderson 0765350378 Jesse 3 4.16 2005 Elantris (Elantris, #1)
author: Brandon Sanderson
name: Jesse
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2005
rating: 3
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date added: 2017/09/24
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]]> The 4-Hour Workweek 368593
Join Tim Ferriss as he teaches you:
- How to outsource your life to overseas virtual assistants for $5 per hour and do whatever you want?
- How blue-chip escape artists travel the world without quitting their jobs?
- How to eliminate 50% of your work in 48 hours using the principles of a forgotten Italian economist?
- How to trade a long-haul career for short work bursts and freuent "mini-retirements"?
- What the crucial difference is between absolute and relative income?
- How to train your boss to value performance over presence, or kill your job (or company) if it's beyond repair?
- What automated cash-flow "muses" are and how to create one in 2 to 4 weeks?
- How to cultivate selective ignorance-and create time-with a low-information diet?
- What the management secrets of Remote Control CEOs are?
- How to get free housing worldwide and airfare at 50-80% off?
- How to fill the void and create a meaningful life after removing work and the office]]> 308 Timothy Ferriss 0307353133 Jesse 0 3.93 2007 The 4-Hour Workweek
author: Timothy Ferriss
name: Jesse
average rating: 3.93
book published: 2007
rating: 0
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date added: 2017/09/24
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]]> <![CDATA[Cesar's Way: The Natural, Everyday Guide to Understanding & Correcting Common Dog Problems]]> 7546
From his appearances on The Oprah Winfrey Show to his roster of celebrity clients to his reality television series, Cesar Millan is America's most sought-after dog-behavior expert. But Cesar is not a trainer in the traditional sense-his expertise lies in his unique ability to comprehend dog psychology. Tracing his own amazing journey from a clay-walled farm in Mexico to the celebrity palaces of Los Angeles, Cesar recounts how he learned what makes dogs tick. In Cesar's Way, he shares this wisdom, laying the groundwork for you to have stronger, more satisfying relationships with your canine companions.

Cesar's formula for a contented and balanced dog seems impossibly simple: exercise, discipline, and affection, in that order. Taking readers through the basics of dog psychology and behavior, Cesar shares the inside details of some of his most fascinating cases, using them to illustrate how common behavior issues develop and, more important, how they can be corrected.

Whether you're having issues with your dog or just want to make a good bond even stronger, this book will give you a deeper appreciation of how your dog sees the world, and it will help make your relationship with your beloved pet a richer and more rewarding one.


Learn what goes on inside your dog's mind and develop a positive, fulfilling relationship with your best friend

In Cesar's Way, Cesar Millan-nationally recognized dog expert and star of National Geographic Channel's hit show Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan-helps you see the world through the eyes of your dog so you can finally eliminate problem behaviors.]]> 270 Cesar Millan 0307337332 Jesse 0 currently-reading 3.75 1997 Cesar's Way: The Natural, Everyday Guide to Understanding & Correcting Common Dog Problems
author: Cesar Millan
name: Jesse
average rating: 3.75
book published: 1997
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2017/09/16
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Never Eat Alone: And Other Secrets to Success, One Relationship at a Time]]> 84699
Climb the ladder to personal success?

The secret, master networker Keith Ferrazzi claims, is in reaching out to other people. As Ferrazzi discovered early in life, what distinguishes highly successful people from everyone else is the way they use the power of relationships—so that everyone wins.

In Never Eat Alone , Ferrazzi lays out the specific steps—and inner mindset—he uses to reach out to connect with the thousands of colleagues, friends, and associates on his Rolodex, people he has helped and who have helped him.

The son of a small-town steelworker and a cleaning lady, Ferrazzi first used his remarkable ability to connect with others to pave the way to a scholarship at Yale, a Harvard MBA, and several top executive posts. Not yet out of his thirties, he developed a network of relationships that stretched from Washington’s corridors of power to Hollywood’s A-list, leading to him being named one of Crain’s 40 Under 40 and selected as a Global Leader for Tomorrow by the Davos World Economic Forum.

Ferrazzi's form of connecting to the world around him is based on generosity, helping friends connect with other friends. Ferrazzi distinguishes genuine relationship-building from the crude, desperate glad-handling usually associated with “networking.� He then distills his system of reaching out to people into practical, proven principles. Among them:

Don’t keep score: It’s never simply about getting what you want. It’s about getting what you want and making sure that the people who are important to you get what they want, too.

“Ping� constantly: The Ins and Outs of reaching out to those in your circle of contacts all the time—not just when you need something.

Never eat alone: The dynamics of status are the same whether you’re working at a corporation or attending a society event� “invisibility� is a fate worse than failure.

In the course of the book, Ferrazzi outlines the timeless strategies shared by the world’s most connected individuals, from Katherine Graham to Bill Clinton, Vernon Jordan to the Dalai Lama.

Chock full of specific advice on handling rejection, getting past gatekeepers, becoming a “conference commando,� and more, Never Eat Alone is destined to take its place alongside How to Win Friends and Influence People as an inspirational classic.]]> 309 Keith Ferrazzi 0385512058 Jesse 0 currently-reading 3.84 Never Eat Alone: And Other Secrets to Success, One Relationship at a Time
author: Keith Ferrazzi
name: Jesse
average rating: 3.84
book published:
rating: 0
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date added: 2017/09/16
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Fluent in 3 Months: How Anyone at Any Age Can Learn to Speak Any Language from Anywhere in the World]]> 18085519 249 Benny Lewis 0062282697 Jesse 0 to-read 3.62 2014 Fluent in 3 Months: How Anyone at Any Age Can Learn to Speak Any Language from Anywhere in the World
author: Benny Lewis
name: Jesse
average rating: 3.62
book published: 2014
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2017/09/16
shelves: to-read
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]]> <![CDATA[Astrophysics for People in a Hurry]]> 32191710
But today, few of us have time to contemplate the cosmos. So Tyson brings the universe down to Earth succinctly and clearly, with sparkling wit, in tasty chapters consumable anytime and anywhere in your busy day.]]> 223 Neil deGrasse Tyson 0393609391 Jesse 0 to-read 4.07 2017 Astrophysics for People in a Hurry
author: Neil deGrasse Tyson
name: Jesse
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2017
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2017/09/16
shelves: to-read
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]]> <![CDATA[Understanding Vietnam (Philip E. Lilienthal Book.)]]> 223183 448 Neil L. Jamieson 0520201574 Jesse 0 to-read 3.77 1993 Understanding Vietnam (Philip E. Lilienthal Book.)
author: Neil L. Jamieson
name: Jesse
average rating: 3.77
book published: 1993
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2017/09/16
shelves: to-read
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]]> Shantaram 33600
So begins this epic, mesmerizing first novel set in the underworld of contemporary Bombay. Shantaram is narrated by Lin, an escaped convict with a false passport who flees maximum security prison in Australia for the teeming streets of a city where he can disappear.

Accompanied by his guide and faithful friend, Prabaker, the two enter Bombay's hidden society of beggars and gangsters, prostitutes and holy men, soldiers and actors, and Indians and exiles from other countries, who seek in this remarkable place what they cannot find elsewhere.

As a hunted man without a home, family, or identity, Lin searches for love and meaning while running a clinic in one of the city's poorest slums, and serving his apprenticeship in the dark arts of the Bombay mafia. The search leads him to war, prison torture, murder, and a series of enigmatic and bloody betrayals. The keys to unlock the mysteries and intrigues that bind Lin are held by two people. The first is Khader Khan: mafia godfather, criminal-philosopher-saint, and mentor to Lin in the underworld of the Golden City. The second is Karla: elusive, dangerous, and beautiful, whose passions are driven by secrets that torment her and yet give her a terrible power.

Burning slums and five-star hotels, romantic love and prison agonies, criminal wars and Bollywood films, spiritual gurus and mujaheddin guerrillas—this huge novel has the world of human experience in its reach, and a passionate love for India at its heart. Based on the life of the author, it is by any measure the debut of an extraordinary voice in literature.]]> 936 Gregory David Roberts 192076920X Jesse 0 to-read 4.27 2003 Shantaram
author: Gregory David Roberts
name: Jesse
average rating: 4.27
book published: 2003
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2017/09/16
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Life's A Pitch 818555
Life’s a Pitch is the ultimate how-to book–a mixture of mechanics and magic. Nothing like it has been written before. A mixture of mentoring, graphics, anthropology, market research and modern Machiavellianism, this book is a preparation for success. So whether at a sales conference in corporate conference room hell or over lunch at a glamorous meeting, it’s a drama. It is business, but it’s also theatre. It’s not about transferring information; it’s about transferring power. And the results of a successful pitch are � quite simply � money and power.

Part inspirational manual for business, part guidebook to a successful and happy social life, Life’s a Pitch is an accumulation of half-century of (mostly successful) pitching wisdom by the authors. Groundbreaking and genre-busting, it will transform forever how we think about the art of persuasion.]]> 256 Roger Mavity 0593056434 Jesse 0 to-read 3.47 2007 Life's A Pitch
author: Roger Mavity
name: Jesse
average rating: 3.47
book published: 2007
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2017/09/16
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Etymologicon: A Circular Stroll through the Hidden Connections of the English Language]]> 12870068 252 Mark Forsyth Jesse 0 currently-reading 4.25 2011 The Etymologicon: A Circular Stroll through the Hidden Connections of the English Language
author: Mark Forsyth
name: Jesse
average rating: 4.25
book published: 2011
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2017/09/16
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Name of the Wind (The Kingkiller Chronicle, #1)]]> 186074
The intimate narrative of his childhood in a troupe of traveling players, his years spent as a near-feral orphan in a crime-ridden city, his daringly brazen yet successful bid to enter a legendary school of magic, and his life as a fugitive after the murder of a king form a gripping coming-of-age story unrivaled in recent literature.

A high-action story written with a poet's hand, The Name of the Wind is a masterpiece that will transport readers into the body and mind of a wizard.]]> 662 Patrick Rothfuss 075640407X Jesse 5
The world feels cold and dark and believable. Much of the Four Corners of Civilization is written in a non-spoonfed (thankfully) manner and is pieced together by inference, rather than by overt exposition. I find the characters interesting even though admittedly I didn't get "into it" until about 10-14% of the book. There's a bit of a teen romance aspect that I initially felt merely a distraction, but by Book Two I've since left that opinion on the wayside.

With newfound respect for troupers and the lute, Five Stars. ]]> 4.52 2007 The Name of the Wind (The Kingkiller Chronicle, #1)
author: Patrick Rothfuss
name: Jesse
average rating: 4.52
book published: 2007
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2017/09/16
shelves:
review:
Takes a lot for me to hit 5 stars. My criteria for that is whether the book has, at the risk of sounding dramatic, changed me in some way. Patrick Rothfuss's writings have in fact changed some of my perceptions of not only fantasy novels (he breaks a few conventions, like chapter length) but a little of real life too. I'm a bit more attentive to the body language I exude, and pay closer attention to that of others, for instance.

The world feels cold and dark and believable. Much of the Four Corners of Civilization is written in a non-spoonfed (thankfully) manner and is pieced together by inference, rather than by overt exposition. I find the characters interesting even though admittedly I didn't get "into it" until about 10-14% of the book. There's a bit of a teen romance aspect that I initially felt merely a distraction, but by Book Two I've since left that opinion on the wayside.

With newfound respect for troupers and the lute, Five Stars.
]]> <![CDATA[We Are All Weird: The Myth of Mass and The End of Compliance]]> 12685968 Vrei să fii autentic? Vrei să dansezi după propria ta muzică? Te rog, citește această carte, apoi mai citește-o o dată, e plină de idei inteligente pentru oameni inteligenți. E plină de ironie pentru oameni ironici. E plină de subtilitate pentru tine, prietenul meu subtil, cate îți încasezi în fiecare lună salariul.

Jucători de World of Warcraft, LARP, Settlers of Catan? Niște ciudați.
Fani Bieber, Taylor Swift, One Direction? Încă și mai ciudați.
Dietă paleo, cu carbohidrați, vegani sau ovolactovegetarieni? Clar ciudați.
S-o recunoaștem. Toți suntem ciudați. Și atunci de ce companiile continuă să încerce să realizeze produse pentru mase? De ce continuăm să ne comportăm de parcă masele chiar ar exista? Ciudatul este noul normal. Și doar companiile care înțeleg asta au șanse de supraviețuire.]]> 1 Seth Godin 1455821225 Jesse 3 3.60 2011 We Are All Weird: The Myth of Mass and The End of Compliance
author: Seth Godin
name: Jesse
average rating: 3.60
book published: 2011
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 2015/07/02
shelves:
review:

]]> Biography of a Grizzly 2494116 168 Ernest Thompson Seton 1885529023 Jesse 4 4.60 1899 Biography of a Grizzly
author: Ernest Thompson Seton
name: Jesse
average rating: 4.60
book published: 1899
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2015/03/03
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Harry Potter, #6)]]> 1 652 J.K. Rowling Jesse 4 4.57 2005 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Harry Potter, #6)
author: J.K. Rowling
name: Jesse
average rating: 4.57
book published: 2005
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2014/04/30
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Magician: Master (The Riftwar Saga, #2)]]> 13810
Once he was an orphan called Pug, apprenticed to a sorcerer of the enchanted land of Midkemia.. Then he was captured and enslaved by the Tsurani, a strange, warlike race of invaders from another world.

There, in the exotic Empire of Kelewan, he earned a new name--Milamber. He learned to tame the unnimagined powers that lay withing him. And he took his place in an ancient struggle against an evil Enemy older than time itself.]]> 499 Raymond E. Feist 0553564935 Jesse 4 4.25 1982 Magician: Master (The Riftwar Saga, #2)
author: Raymond E. Feist
name: Jesse
average rating: 4.25
book published: 1982
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2014/04/29
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Ender’s Game (Ender's Saga, #1)]]> 375802
But Ender is not the only result of the experiment. The war with the Buggers has been raging for a hundred years, and the quest for the perfect general has been underway almost as long. Ender's two older siblings, Peter and Valentine, are every bit as unusual as he is, but in very different ways. While Peter was too uncontrollably violent, Valentine very nearly lacks the capability for violence altogether. Neither was found suitable for the military's purpose. But they are driven by their jealousy of Ender, and by their inbred drive for power. Peter seeks to control the political process, to become a ruler. Valentine's abilities turn more toward the subtle control of the beliefs of commoner and elite alike, through powerfully convincing essays. Hiding their youth and identities behind the anonymity of the computer networks, these two begin working together to shape the destiny of Earth-an Earth that has no future at all if their brother Ender fails.]]> 324 Orson Scott Card 0812550706 Jesse 3 4.31 1985 Ender’s Game (Ender's Saga, #1)
author: Orson Scott Card
name: Jesse
average rating: 4.31
book published: 1985
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 2014/03/05
shelves:
review:

]]> A History of Warfare 55196 432 John Keegan 0679730826 Jesse 0 to-read 3.98 1993 A History of Warfare
author: John Keegan
name: Jesse
average rating: 3.98
book published: 1993
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2014/03/05
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[A Hat Full of Sky (Discworld, #32; Tiffany Aching, #2)]]> 34501
No real witch would casually step out of their body, leaving it empty.

Tiffany Aching does. And there’s something just waiting for a handy body to take over. Something ancient and horrible, which can’t die.

To deal with it, Tiffany has to go to the very heart of what makes her a witch . . .]]> 352 Terry Pratchett 055255264X Jesse 3 4.31 2004 A Hat Full of Sky (Discworld, #32; Tiffany Aching, #2)
author: Terry Pratchett
name: Jesse
average rating: 4.31
book published: 2004
rating: 3
read at: 2014/03/05
date added: 2014/03/05
shelves:
review:

]]> Children of Dune (Dune #3) 112 But there are those who think the Imperium does not need messiahs...]]> 408 Frank Herbert Jesse 0 to-read 3.92 1976 Children of Dune (Dune #3)
author: Frank Herbert
name: Jesse
average rating: 3.92
book published: 1976
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2014/03/05
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Gunslinger (The Dark Tower, #1)]]> 43615
He is a haunting figure, a loner on a spellbinding journey into good and evil. In his desolate world, which frighteningly mirrors our own, Roland pursues The Man in Black, encounters an alluring woman named Alice, and begins a friendship with the Kid from Earth called Jake. Both grippingly realistic and eerily dreamlike, The Gunslinger leaves readers eagerly awaiting the next chapter.]]> 231 Stephen King 1501143514 Jesse 0 to-read 3.95 1982 The Gunslinger (The Dark Tower, #1)
author: Stephen King
name: Jesse
average rating: 3.95
book published: 1982
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2014/03/05
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Found (The Missing, #1) 1675216
Jonah, Chip, and Jonah's sister, Katherine, are plunged into a mystery that involves the FBI, a vast smuggling operation, an airplane that appeared out of nowhere - and people who seem to appear and disappear at will. The kids discover they are caught in a battle between two opposing forces that want very different things for Jonah and Chip's lives.

Do Jonah and Chip have any choice in the matter? And what should they choose when both alternatives are horrifying?

With Found, Margaret Peterson Haddix begins a new series that promises to be every bit as suspenseful as Among the Hidden, and proves her, once again, to be a master of the page-turner.]]> 320 Margaret Peterson Haddix 1416954171 Jesse 3 3.98 2008 Found (The Missing, #1)
author: Margaret Peterson Haddix
name: Jesse
average rating: 3.98
book published: 2008
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 2014/02/19
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[American Gods (American Gods, #1)]]> 4407
Together they embark on a profoundly strange journey across the heart of the USA, whilst all around them a storm of preternatural and epic proportions threatens to break.

Scary, gripping and deeply unsettling, American Gods takes a long, hard look into the soul of America. You'll be surprised by what - and who - it finds there...

This is the author's preferred text, never before published in the UK, and is about 12,000 words longer than the previous UK edition.

]]> 635 Neil Gaiman Jesse 4 4.10 2001 American Gods (American Gods, #1)
author: Neil Gaiman
name: Jesse
average rating: 4.10
book published: 2001
rating: 4
read at: 2014/02/07
date added: 2014/02/07
shelves:
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]]> Poke the Box 10368067 Poke the Box is a manifesto about producing something that’s scarce, and thus valuable. It demands that you stop waiting for a road map and start drawing one instead. You know how to do this, you’ve done it before, but along the way, someone talked you out of it.

We need your insight and your dreams and your contributions. Hurry.]]> 85 Seth Godin 1936719002 Jesse 0 to-read 3.78 2011 Poke the Box
author: Seth Godin
name: Jesse
average rating: 3.78
book published: 2011
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2014/02/07
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Watership Down (Watership Down, #1)]]> 76620 Librarian's note: See alternate cover edition of ISBN13 9780380395866 here.

Set in England's Downs, a once idyllic rural landscape, this stirring tale of adventure, courage and survival follows a band of very special creatures on their flight from the intrusion of man and the certain destruction of their home. Led by a stouthearted pair of friends, they journey forth from their native Sandleford Warren through the harrowing trials posed by predators and adversaries, to a mysterious promised land and a more perfect society.]]> 478 Richard Adams 038039586X Jesse 3 4.08 1972 Watership Down (Watership Down, #1)
author: Richard Adams
name: Jesse
average rating: 4.08
book published: 1972
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 2014/01/23
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Born Standing Up: A Comic's Life]]> 13013556 In the midseventies, Steve Martin exploded onto the comedy scene. By 1978 he was the biggest concert draw in the history of stand-up. In 1981 he quit forever. This book is, in his own words, the story of "why I did stand-up and why I walked away."

Emmy and Grammy Award winner, author of the acclaimed New York Times bestsellers Shopgirl and The Pleasure of My Company, and a regular contributor to The New Yorker, Martin has always been a writer. His memoir of his years in stand-up is candid, spectacularly amusing, and beautifully written.

At age ten Martin started his career at Disneyland, selling guidebooks in the newly opened theme park. In the decade that followed, he worked in the Disney magic shop and the Bird Cage Theatre at Knott's Berry Farm, performing his first magic/comedy act a dozen times a week. The story of these years, during which he practiced and honed his craft, is moving and revelatory. The dedication to excellence and innovation is formed at an astonishingly early age and never wavers or wanes.

Martin illuminates the sacrifice, discipline, and originality that made him an icon and informs his work to this day. To be this good, to perform so frequently, was isolating and lonely. It took Martin decades to reconnect with his parents and sister, and he tells that story with great tenderness. Martin also paints a portrait of his times - the era of free love and protests against the war in Vietnam, the heady irreverence of The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour in the late sixties, and the transformative new voice of Saturday Night Live in the seventies.

Throughout the text, Martin has placed photographs, many never seen before. Born Standing Up is a superb testament to the sheer tenacity, focus, and daring of one of the greatest and most iconoclastic comedians of all time.

]]> 4 Steve Martin Jesse 4
The thing about Steve Martin's stuff is that he was ground-breaking, inventing a new definition of comedy, and as such was a major influence on many other comedic greats that would arise after him. I still think his comedy holds up, but for those who think otherwise, the important thing is that he changed the rules and challenged how stand up comedy could be done. In other words, (especially) for the time, he was awesome.

Learning more of Mr. Martin's backstory and family life was interesting as well, and he gives a real genuine glimpse of what comedians face even today. There was a rather heartwarming ending to this memoir as well, which I wasn't entirely prepared for - "real life" stories always tend to not end happily - but I'm glad to say I smiled throughout most of this book, and laughed plenty of times along the way.

Bonus points for having listened to the audiobook, voiced by Steve Martin himself, with some charming banjo solos between chapters. I dug it, and you ought to dig it too.]]> 3.81 2007 Born Standing Up: A Comic's Life
author: Steve Martin
name: Jesse
average rating: 3.81
book published: 2007
rating: 4
read at: 2014/01/22
date added: 2014/01/23
shelves:
review:
I really enjoyed this. Being born in the mid-eighties, I knew the name Steve Martin pretty well as I grew up, but next to nothing about his stand-up career - mostly from movies. I've since looked up a few of the old shows and routines (some of which are mentioned in the book), and I laughed quite a bit.

The thing about Steve Martin's stuff is that he was ground-breaking, inventing a new definition of comedy, and as such was a major influence on many other comedic greats that would arise after him. I still think his comedy holds up, but for those who think otherwise, the important thing is that he changed the rules and challenged how stand up comedy could be done. In other words, (especially) for the time, he was awesome.

Learning more of Mr. Martin's backstory and family life was interesting as well, and he gives a real genuine glimpse of what comedians face even today. There was a rather heartwarming ending to this memoir as well, which I wasn't entirely prepared for - "real life" stories always tend to not end happily - but I'm glad to say I smiled throughout most of this book, and laughed plenty of times along the way.

Bonus points for having listened to the audiobook, voiced by Steve Martin himself, with some charming banjo solos between chapters. I dug it, and you ought to dig it too.
]]> The Shining (The Shining, #1) 11588 497 Stephen King 0450040186 Jesse 4
Will be reading more from The King Himself.]]> 4.28 1977 The Shining (The Shining, #1)
author: Stephen King
name: Jesse
average rating: 4.28
book published: 1977
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2014/01/16
shelves:
review:
Totally dug it.

Will be reading more from The King Himself.
]]> Steve Jobs 11084145 630 Walter Isaacson 1451648537 Jesse 1
Yes, I get that he helped bring about a new technological era, but I was never really fond of him to begin with. Reading this book made me like him less, and pity just about everyone who's come in contact with him.

If there's a really good reason for me to keep reading this I'd like someone to tell me why.]]> 4.15 2011 Steve Jobs
author: Walter Isaacson
name: Jesse
average rating: 4.15
book published: 2011
rating: 1
read at:
date added: 2013/12/29
shelves:
review:
Couldn't even finish this. About 1/3 into it I realized I had no desire to continue; it's just story after story of Jobs being a jerk, Jobs being a baby, and Jobs getting his way for some unexplainable reason.

Yes, I get that he helped bring about a new technological era, but I was never really fond of him to begin with. Reading this book made me like him less, and pity just about everyone who's come in contact with him.

If there's a really good reason for me to keep reading this I'd like someone to tell me why.
]]> <![CDATA[Religion for Atheists: A Non-Believer's Guide to the Uses of Religion]]> 12576334
Religion for Atheists suggests that rather than mocking religions, agnostics and atheists should instead steal from them � because they're packed with good ideas on how we might live and arrange our societies. Blending deep respect with total impiety, Alain (a non-believer himself) proposes that we should look to religions for insights into, among other concerns, how to:

- build a sense of community

- make our relationships last

- overcome feelings of envy and inadequacy

- escape the twenty-four hour media

- go travelling

- get more out of art, architecture and music

- and create new businesses designed to address our emotional needs.

For too long non-believers have faced a stark choice between either swallowing lots of peculiar doctrines or doing away with a range of consoling and beautiful rituals and ideas. At last, in Religion for Atheists, Alain has fashioned a far more interesting and truly helpful alternative.]]> 320 Alain de Botton 0241144779 Jesse 4 3.66 2011 Religion for Atheists: A Non-Believer's Guide to the Uses of Religion
author: Alain de Botton
name: Jesse
average rating: 3.66
book published: 2011
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2013/12/13
shelves:
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]]> <![CDATA[Heart's Blood (Pit Dragon Chronicles, #2)]]> 270641 354 Jane Yolen 015205118X Jesse 3 4.00 1984 Heart's Blood (Pit Dragon Chronicles, #2)
author: Jane Yolen
name: Jesse
average rating: 4.00
book published: 1984
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 2013/11/28
shelves:
review:
Eh you know, Young Adult book. Taking into account I was not the target audience, nor did I read the book before this one, it was still okay. The auhor has an experienced hand and the "message" was clear. Not to mention the unusual setting elements, which were a strength in terms of originality. Dragons in this world are not following any classic tropes, and for that I respect the author.
]]> <![CDATA[Witchling (Otherworld / Sisters of the Moon, #1)]]> 793298 We're the D'Artigo Sisters: Half-human, half-Faerie, we're savvy--and sexy--operatives for the Otherworld Intelligence Agency. But our mixed-blood heritage short-circuits our talents at all the wrong times. My sister Delilah shapeshifts into a tabby cat whenever she's stressed. Menolly's a vampire who's still trying to get the hang of being undead. And me? I'm Camille--a wicked-good witch. Except my magic is as unpredictable as the weather, which my enemies are about to find out the hard way...

At the Wayfarer Inn, a portal to Otherworld and the local hangout for humans and beasties alike, our fellow operative, Jocko, has been murdered. Every clue points to Shadow Wing, the soul-munching, badass leader of the Subterranean Realms. He's made it clear that he aims to raze humankind to the ground, turning both Earth and Otherworld into his private playground. Our assignment: keep Shadow Wing and his minions from creeping into Earth via the Wayfarer. The demons figure they're in like Flynn. After all, with only my bumbling sisters and me standing in the way, how can they miss? But we've got a secret for them: Faulty wiring or not, nobody kicks ass like the D'Artigo girls. . .]]> 276 Yasmine Galenorn 0425212548 Jesse 1 3.67 2006 Witchling (Otherworld / Sisters of the Moon, #1)
author: Yasmine Galenorn
name: Jesse
average rating: 3.67
book published: 2006
rating: 1
read at:
date added: 2013/11/28
shelves:
review:
This book is made out of excuses to write a sex scene. Since I was expecting more than that, I was disappointed.
]]> <![CDATA[The Myths of Magic (Magic: The Gathering: Anthology, #5)]]> 263207
Welcome to a world of rich folklore where angels watch over the righteous, in which sea monsters sink ships, where dark figures lurk under every child's bed. Now the mysteries of Dominaria are explained.]]> 346 Jess Lebow 0786915293 Jesse 4 3.58 2000 The Myths of Magic (Magic: The Gathering: Anthology, #5)
author: Jess Lebow
name: Jesse
average rating: 3.58
book published: 2000
rating: 4
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date added: 2013/11/28
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review:
A delightful mix of stories of varying importance and impact, written by a slew of skilled hands. AKA, a fun anthology! I read this maybe ten years ago and to this day there are stories the likes of which I still thinkly fondly.
]]> <![CDATA[The Eternal Ice (Magic: The Gathering: Ice Age Cycle, #2)]]> 263209
Thousands of years after the explosion at Argoth that ended the Brothers' War, ice has covered the world of Dominaria. The strong have turned to barbarism. The weak have died. Now Lim Dûl, a necromancer with a taste for power, seeks to awaken a deeper evil.]]> 311 Jeff Grubb 0786915625 Jesse 4 3.93 2000 The Eternal Ice (Magic: The Gathering: Ice Age Cycle, #2)
author: Jeff Grubb
name: Jesse
average rating: 3.93
book published: 2000
rating: 4
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date added: 2013/11/28
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]]> <![CDATA[The Gathering Dark (Magic: The Gathering: Ice Age Cycle, #1)]]> 378665
Terisiare lies in ruins. Nations have fallen, goblins raid the land, and an oppressive faith throttles the city-states. Now deep within the walls of the Conclave of Mages, Jodah must decide if unlocking his own immense power is worth taking a step into the dark lands.

The epic of the Ice Age begins.]]> 352 Jeff Grubb 0786913576 Jesse 4 3.92 1999 The Gathering Dark (Magic: The Gathering: Ice Age Cycle, #1)
author: Jeff Grubb
name: Jesse
average rating: 3.92
book published: 1999
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2013/11/28
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]]> <![CDATA[Invasion (Magic: The Gathering: Invasion Cycle, #1)]]> 759964 311 J. Robert King 0786914386 Jesse 2 3.76 2001 Invasion (Magic: The Gathering: Invasion Cycle, #1)
author: J. Robert King
name: Jesse
average rating: 3.76
book published: 2001
rating: 2
read at:
date added: 2013/11/28
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]]> <![CDATA[Apocalypse (Magic: The Gathering: Invasion Cycle, #3)]]> 859262
Phyrexian plagues and shock troops have taken their toll. The final stage of the invasion has begun, and the dark lord Yawgmoth himself plans to cross over into Dominaria to claim his prize. With time running out, the battered heroes� last hope to save their home lies in an ancient, untested weapon, a jumble of artifacts known as the Legacy.

Bear witness to the apocalypse.]]> 308 J. Robert King 0786918802 Jesse 3 3.80 2001 Apocalypse (Magic: The Gathering: Invasion Cycle, #3)
author: J. Robert King
name: Jesse
average rating: 3.80
book published: 2001
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 2013/11/28
shelves:
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]]> <![CDATA[Legions (Magic: The Gathering: Onslaught Cycle, #2)]]> 263214 312 J. Robert King 0786929146 Jesse 3 3.72 2003 Legions (Magic: The Gathering: Onslaught Cycle, #2)
author: J. Robert King
name: Jesse
average rating: 3.72
book published: 2003
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 2013/11/28
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]]> <![CDATA[Onslaught (Magic: The Gathering: Onslaught Cycle, #1)]]> 759959
This is the first major novel release since the Odyssey cycle revamped a large part of the The Gathering world. This novel will reveal further changes to the Magic world.

The land is in upheaval.

The forest grows out of control. The mountains erupt. The seas boil. The swamps spew acid, and the plains turn to desert. Yet, amidst the turmoil there is civilization, brutal and unforgiving. Pit fighters battle to the death before tremendous crowds, making some rich, while others lose everything in one stroke of a sword.

The games must continue.

So must the struggle for survival.]]> 312 J. Robert King 0786928018 Jesse 3 3.82 2002 Onslaught (Magic: The Gathering: Onslaught Cycle, #1)
author: J. Robert King
name: Jesse
average rating: 3.82
book published: 2002
rating: 3
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date added: 2013/11/28
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]]> <![CDATA[The Halfling's Gem (Forgotten Realms: The Icewind Dale, #3; The Legend of Drizzt, #6)]]> 68396 352 R.A. Salvatore 0786938250 Jesse 3 4.19 1990 The Halfling's Gem (Forgotten Realms: The Icewind Dale, #3; The Legend of Drizzt, #6)
author: R.A. Salvatore
name: Jesse
average rating: 4.19
book published: 1990
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 2013/11/28
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Streams of Silver (Forgotten Realms: The Icewind Dale, #2; Legend of Drizzt, #5)]]> 66692
Bruenor the dwarf, Wulfgar the barbarian, Regis the halfling, and Drizzt the dark elf fight monsters and magic on their way to Mithril Hall, centuries-old birthplace of Bruenor and his dwarven ancestors.

Faced with racism, Drizzt contemplates returning to the lightless underworld city and murderous lifestyle he abandoned. Wulfgar begins to overcome his tribes's aversion for magic. And Regis runs from a deadly assassin, who, allied with evil wizards, is bent on the companions' destruction. all fo Bruenor's dreams, and the survival of his party, hinge upon the actions of one brave young woman.

Streams of Silver is R.A. Salvatore's second book in the Icewind Dale Trilogy, based on the FORGOTTEN REALMS fantasy setting.]]> 342 R.A. Salvatore 088038672X Jesse 3 4.17 1989 Streams of Silver (Forgotten Realms: The Icewind Dale, #2; Legend of Drizzt, #5)
author: R.A. Salvatore
name: Jesse
average rating: 4.17
book published: 1989
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 2013/11/28
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Crystal Shard (Forgotten Realms: The Icewind Dale, #1; Legend of Drizzt, #4)]]> 66693 344 R.A. Salvatore 0786942460 Jesse 3 4.13 1988 The Crystal Shard (Forgotten Realms: The Icewind Dale, #1; Legend of Drizzt, #4)
author: R.A. Salvatore
name: Jesse
average rating: 4.13
book published: 1988
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 2013/11/28
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Sojourn (Forgotten Realms: The Dark Elf Trilogy, #3; Legend of Drizzt, #3)]]> 66695 320 R.A. Salvatore 1560760478 Jesse 3 4.22 1991 Sojourn (Forgotten Realms: The Dark Elf Trilogy, #3; Legend of Drizzt, #3)
author: R.A. Salvatore
name: Jesse
average rating: 4.22
book published: 1991
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 2013/11/28
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Exile (Forgotten Realms: The Dark Elf Trilogy, #2; Legend of Drizzt, #2)]]> 66678 343 R.A. Salvatore 0786939834 Jesse 3 4.24 1990 Exile (Forgotten Realms: The Dark Elf Trilogy, #2; Legend of Drizzt, #2)
author: R.A. Salvatore
name: Jesse
average rating: 4.24
book published: 1990
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 2013/11/28
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Harry Potter, #7)]]> 136251
In this final, seventh installment of the Harry Potter series, J.K. Rowling unveils in spectacular fashion the answers to the many questions that have been so eagerly awaited.]]> 759 J.K. Rowling Jesse 4 4.61 2007 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Harry Potter, #7)
author: J.K. Rowling
name: Jesse
average rating: 4.61
book published: 2007
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2013/11/28
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Harry Potter, #5)]]> 2
Harry has had enough. He is beginning to think he must do something, anything, to change his situation, when the summer holidays come to an end in a very dramatic fashion. What Harry is about to discover in his new year at Hogwarts will turn his world upside down...]]> 912 J.K. Rowling Jesse 4 4.50 2003 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Harry Potter, #5)
author: J.K. Rowling
name: Jesse
average rating: 4.50
book published: 2003
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2013/11/28
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Harry Potter, #2)]]> 15881
And strike it does. For in Harry’s second year at Hogwarts, fresh torments and horrors arise, including an outrageously stuck-up new professor and a spirit who haunts the girls� bathroom. But then the real trouble begins � someone is turning Hogwarts students to stone. Could it be Draco Malfoy, a more poisonous rival than ever? Could it possibly be Hagrid, whose mysterious past is finally told? Or could it be the one everyone at Hogwarts most suspects� Harry Potter himself!]]> 352 J.K. Rowling Jesse 2 4.42 1998 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Harry Potter, #2)
author: J.K. Rowling
name: Jesse
average rating: 4.42
book published: 1998
rating: 2
read at:
date added: 2013/11/28
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Harry Potter, #4)]]> 6 734 J.K. Rowling 0439139597 Jesse 4 4.56 2000 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Harry Potter, #4)
author: J.K. Rowling
name: Jesse
average rating: 4.56
book published: 2000
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2013/11/28
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Harry Potter, #3)]]> 5 435 J.K. Rowling 043965548X Jesse 3 4.57 1999 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Harry Potter, #3)
author: J.K. Rowling
name: Jesse
average rating: 4.57
book published: 1999
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 2013/11/28
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Harry Potter, #1)]]> 3 309 J.K. Rowling 0439554934 Jesse 4 4.47 1997 Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Harry Potter, #1)
author: J.K. Rowling
name: Jesse
average rating: 4.47
book published: 1997
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2013/11/28
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Eye of the World (The Wheel of Time, #1)]]> 228665
Moiraine Damodred arrives in Emond’s Field on a quest to find the one prophesized to stand against The Dark One, a malicious entity sowing the seeds of chaos and destruction. When a vicious band of half-men, half beasts invade the village seeking their master’s enemy, Moiraine persuades Rand al’Thor and his friends to leave their home and enter a larger unimaginable world filled with dangers waiting in the shadows and in the light.]]> 800 Robert Jordan 0812511816 Jesse 0 to-read 4.19 1990 The Eye of the World (The Wheel of Time, #1)
author: Robert Jordan
name: Jesse
average rating: 4.19
book published: 1990
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2013/11/19
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Power of Full Engagement: Managing Energy, Not Time, Is the Key to High Performance and Personal Renewal]]> 68985
This groundbreaking New York Times bestseller has helped hundreds of thousands of people at work and at home balance stress and recovery and sustain high performance despite crushing workloads and 24/7 demands on their time.

We live in digital time. Our pace is rushed, rapid-fire, and relentless. Facing crushing workloads, we try to cram as much as possible into every day. We're wired up, but we're melting down. Time management is no longer a viable solution. As bestselling authors Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz demonstrate in this groundbreaking book, managing energy, not time, is the key to enduring high performance as well as to health, happiness, and life balance. The Power of Full Engagement is a highly practical, scientifically based approach to managing your energy more skillfully both on and off the job by laying out the key training principles and provides a powerful, step-by-step program that will help you

* Mobilize four key sources of energy
* Balance energy expenditure with intermittent energy renewal
* Expand capacity in the same systematic way that elite athletes do
* Create highly specific, positive energy management rituals to make lasting changes

Above all, this book provides a life-changing road map to becoming more fully engaged on and off the job, meaning physically energized, emotionally connected, mentally focused, and spiritually aligned.]]> 222 Jim Loehr 0743226755 Jesse 0 to-read 3.98 2003 The Power of Full Engagement: Managing Energy, Not Time, Is the Key to High Performance and Personal Renewal
author: Jim Loehr
name: Jesse
average rating: 3.98
book published: 2003
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2013/11/19
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Red Seas Under Red Skies (Gentleman Bastard, #2)]]> 887877
This time, however, they have targeted the grandest prize of all: the Sinspire, the most exclusive and heavily guarded gambling house in the world. Its nine floors attract the wealthiest clientele � and to rise to the top, one must impress with good credit, amusing behavior... and excruciatingly impeccable play. For there is one cardinal rule, enforced by Requin, the house's cold-blooded master: it is death to cheat at any game at the Sinspire.

Brazenly undeterred, Locke and Jean have orchestrated an elaborate plan to lie, trick, and swindle their way up the nine floors... straight to Requin's teeming vault. Under the cloak of false identities, they meticulously make their climb � until they are closer to the spoils than ever.

But someone in Tal Verrar has uncovered the duo's secret. Someone from their past who has every intention of making the impudent criminals pay for their sins. Now it will take every ounce of cunning to save their mercenary souls. And even that may not be enough...

]]> 558 Scott Lynch 0553804685 Jesse 4 4.23 2007 Red Seas Under Red Skies (Gentleman Bastard, #2)
author: Scott Lynch
name: Jesse
average rating: 4.23
book published: 2007
rating: 4
read at: 2013/11/19
date added: 2013/11/19
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Interesting Times (Discworld, #17; Rincewind, #5)]]> 884288
The oldest and most inscrutable empire on the Discworld is in turmoil, brought about by the revolutionary treatise "What I did on My Holidays." Workers are uniting, with nothing to lose but their water buffaloes. War (and Clancy) are spreading throughout the ancient cities.

And all that stands in the way of terrible doom for everyone is:

Rincewind the Wizard, who can't even spell the word "wizard"...

Cohen the barbarian hero, five foot tall in his surgical sandals, who has had a lifetime's experience of not dying...

...and a very special butterfly.]]> 368 Terry Pratchett 0061056901 Jesse 4 4.14 1994 Interesting Times (Discworld, #17; Rincewind, #5)
author: Terry Pratchett
name: Jesse
average rating: 4.14
book published: 1994
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2013/11/19
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Encyclopedia of Things That Never Were: Creatures, Places, and People]]> 561867 240 Michael F. Page 0140100083 Jesse 0 to-read 4.37 1985 Encyclopedia of Things That Never Were: Creatures, Places, and People
author: Michael F. Page
name: Jesse
average rating: 4.37
book published: 1985
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2013/10/24
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Lies of Locke Lamora (Gentleman Bastard, #1)]]> 127455 Ocean's Eleven, and entirely enthralling...

An orphan's life is harsh � and often short � in the island city of Camorr, built on the ruins of a mysterious alien race. But born with a quick wit and a gift for thieving, Locke Lamora has dodged both death and slavery, only to fall into the hands of an eyeless priest known as Chains � a man who is neither blind nor a priest.

A con artist of extraordinary talent, Chains passes his skills on to his carefully selected "family" of orphans � a group known as the Gentlemen Bastards. Under his tutelage, Locke grows to lead the Bastards, delightedly pulling off one outrageous confidence game after another. Soon he is infamous as the Thorn of Camorr, and no wealthy noble is safe from his sting.

Passing themselves off as petty thieves, the brilliant Locke and his tightly knit band of light-fingered brothers have fooled even the criminal underworld's most feared ruler, Capa Barsavi. But there is someone in the shadows more powerful � and more ambitious � than Locke has yet imagined.

Known as the Gray King, he is slowly killing Capa Barsavi's most trusted men � and using Locke as a pawn in his plot to take control of Camorr's underworld. With a bloody coup under way threatening to destroy everyone and everything that holds meaning in his mercenary life, Locke vows to beat the Gray King at his own brutal game � or die trying...

]]> 499 Scott Lynch 0553804677 Jesse 4
Loved this book. Next to no complaints; I found the story engaging with good surprises and fun characters and memorable lines. I've decided that Scott Lynch's narrative voice is among the top most enjoyable I've ever had the pleasure of coming across.]]> 4.28 2006 The Lies of Locke Lamora (Gentleman Bastard, #1)
author: Scott Lynch
name: Jesse
average rating: 4.28
book published: 2006
rating: 4
read at: 2013/10/13
date added: 2013/10/24
shelves:
review:
The best way I've come to describe this book is (at least for the first half), would be what happens if Oliver Twist were set to Game of Thrones.

Loved this book. Next to no complaints; I found the story engaging with good surprises and fun characters and memorable lines. I've decided that Scott Lynch's narrative voice is among the top most enjoyable I've ever had the pleasure of coming across.
]]> <![CDATA[Nine Princes in Amber (The Chronicles of Amber, #1)]]> 92121 175 Roger Zelazny 0380014300 Jesse 3 4.07 1970 Nine Princes in Amber (The Chronicles of Amber, #1)
author: Roger Zelazny
name: Jesse
average rating: 4.07
book published: 1970
rating: 3
read at: 2013/08/29
date added: 2013/08/29
shelves:
review:

]]> Mossflower (Redwall, #2) 201341 373 Brian Jacques Jesse 3
With each book of the Redwall series I read, I the world that the author has created to be a little richer and a little deeper. I have almost nothing to complain about, only praise.

Furthermore, if you have a chance to listen to this as the old BBC Radio/Audiodrama version, you'll find the huge cast of voices and accents to be a treat. This book was made for doing fun voices and being read to people who ... well, people who enjoy fun characters with fun voices.

The story arc itself was fairly simple and straightforward, and non-too-unpredictable, but that's part of the charm. If I want something complicated or convoluted, I'll read something else, but for an enjoyable story that just flows and is easy to follow, I was heartily pleased.]]> 4.12 1988 Mossflower (Redwall, #2)
author: Brian Jacques
name: Jesse
average rating: 4.12
book published: 1988
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 2013/07/23
shelves:
review:
Typical Jacques, which is a good thing.

With each book of the Redwall series I read, I the world that the author has created to be a little richer and a little deeper. I have almost nothing to complain about, only praise.

Furthermore, if you have a chance to listen to this as the old BBC Radio/Audiodrama version, you'll find the huge cast of voices and accents to be a treat. This book was made for doing fun voices and being read to people who ... well, people who enjoy fun characters with fun voices.

The story arc itself was fairly simple and straightforward, and non-too-unpredictable, but that's part of the charm. If I want something complicated or convoluted, I'll read something else, but for an enjoyable story that just flows and is easy to follow, I was heartily pleased.
]]> Mattimeo (Redwall, #3) 201342 448 Brian Jacques 0441006108 Jesse 3 4.08 1989 Mattimeo (Redwall, #3)
author: Brian Jacques
name: Jesse
average rating: 4.08
book published: 1989
rating: 3
read at: 2013/07/03
date added: 2013/07/03
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[A Storm of Swords (A Song of Ice and Fire, #3)]]> 62291 An alternate cover for this ISBN can be found here

Here is the third volume in George R.R. Martin's magnificent cycle of novels that includes A Game of Thrones and A Clash of Kings. Together, this series comprises a genuine masterpiece of modern fantasy, destined to stand as one of the great achievements of imaginative fiction.

Of the five contenders for power, one is dead, another in disfavor, and still the wars rage as alliances are made and broken. Joffrey sits on the Iron Throne, the uneasy ruler of the Seven Kingdoms. His most bitter rival, Lord Stannis, stands defeated and disgraced, victim of the sorceress who holds him in her thrall. Young Robb still rules the North from the fortress of Riverrun. Meanwhile, making her way across a blood-drenched continent is the exiled queen, Daenerys, mistress of the only three dragons still left in the world. And as opposing forces manoeuver for the final showdown, an army of barbaric wildlings arrives from the outermost limits of civilization, accompanied by a horde of mythical Others—a supernatural army of the living dead whose animated corpses are unstoppable. As the future of the land hangs in the balance, no one will rest until the Seven Kingdoms have exploded in a veritable storm of swords...]]> 1177 George R.R. Martin 055357342X Jesse 3
The woe of the Starks continue in the third installment of this hyper-famous series. Only at the conclusion did I feel "rewarded" for reading this, with interesting stuff finally happening. Since picking up the series, I've been trying really hard to figure out why I like it, and why I don't like it.

Since I started reading SoS before S3 of the HBO Series came out, I was happy to feel more in the know. Watching the series BEFORE reading the books was a terrible mistake, though that was not what impacted my personal rating for any of the books read thus far. Each has their merits; the show does certain things better (trims the fat and usually delivers concise storytelling), while the book offers a much deeper, richer understanding of how big and ..err, deep, this world really is.

If you're a fan of witnessing good guys get betrayed, morally ambiguous guys get ahead, and evil guys occasionally get punished, this book series is for you.

Also, minor geeky sidenote, this book further fuels my theory that George R. R. Martin has a love affair with the word "black." While I was listening to this book at my dayjob (and they think I'm working, haha-ha!) I decided to mark down how many times something - rooms, expressions, armor, names... weather ... - was described simply as black. Ended up with about 569.]]> 4.54 2000 A Storm of Swords (A Song of Ice and Fire, #3)
author: George R.R. Martin
name: Jesse
average rating: 4.54
book published: 2000
rating: 3
read at: 2013/06/08
date added: 2013/06/16
shelves:
review:
Think a more apt title would be "A Storm of People Telling Stories to Each Other."

The woe of the Starks continue in the third installment of this hyper-famous series. Only at the conclusion did I feel "rewarded" for reading this, with interesting stuff finally happening. Since picking up the series, I've been trying really hard to figure out why I like it, and why I don't like it.

Since I started reading SoS before S3 of the HBO Series came out, I was happy to feel more in the know. Watching the series BEFORE reading the books was a terrible mistake, though that was not what impacted my personal rating for any of the books read thus far. Each has their merits; the show does certain things better (trims the fat and usually delivers concise storytelling), while the book offers a much deeper, richer understanding of how big and ..err, deep, this world really is.

If you're a fan of witnessing good guys get betrayed, morally ambiguous guys get ahead, and evil guys occasionally get punished, this book series is for you.

Also, minor geeky sidenote, this book further fuels my theory that George R. R. Martin has a love affair with the word "black." While I was listening to this book at my dayjob (and they think I'm working, haha-ha!) I decided to mark down how many times something - rooms, expressions, armor, names... weather ... - was described simply as black. Ended up with about 569.
]]> <![CDATA[Ready Player One (Ready Player One, #1)]]> 9969571 Librarian's note: An alternate cover edition can be found here

IN THE YEAR 2044, reality is an ugly place. The only time teenage Wade Watts really feels alive is when he's jacked into the virtual utopia known as the OASIS. Wade's devoted his life to studying the puzzles hidden within this world's digital confines, puzzles that are based on their creator's obsession with the pop culture of decades past and that promise massive power and fortune to whoever can unlock them.

But when Wade stumbles upon the first clue, he finds himself beset by players willing to kill to take this ultimate prize. The race is on, and if Wade's going to survive, he'll have to win—and confront the real world he's always been so desperate to escape.]]> 480 Ernest Cline 030788743X Jesse 2
As I read this, I had a very difficult time trying to understand who the audience of this book was meant to be. Judging from the language used (in the beginning) by the characters, I was thinking older-than-young-adult. Judging from the subject matter (everything is centered around pop culture of the 80s), you'd think it would appeal primarily to people who'd seen 30-40 winters.

Judging from the way things are described, that is, the primary narrative ... I still can't tell if it's meant to be read by young children who are incapable of inferring simple connections between statements, or if the world and how things work in it is being told in such a way as for elders, who have NEVER touched a PC or seen a videogame to be able to understand what's going on.

Now, as for the story itself - a number of interesting and original ideas, but strung together by some very flimsy plot strings, and as I read I had no fear for the characters. First, the story starts off with "Let me tell you how I won." Second, the main character has the answer to everything, and this is demonstrated time and time again - so much deus-ex-machina and utter convenience that my eyes were sore from all the rolling. Third, everything takes place within a digital realm; if you die, the worst that happens is you lose your character and start over. The stakes were as simple as: Saving the crutch upon which the entire world leaned at the expense of people, the earth, and everything else. If the bad guys won, then people would have to start paying to access the OASIS. Which eventually means that many people will log out permanently, and start doing things in the real world instead.

Oh, the horror.

Most of the time I was reading, I kept asking myself, "Why is it really worth saving?"

That being said. There were tons of pop references that, for once, I actually caught, as modern society confused me. Some parts genuinely made me laugh out loud, and a few very real topics were addressed (escapism, environmentalism, our increasing tendency to stare down at our phones instead of each other). But in spite of that, this book is to gamers as the movie Richie Rich is to poor kids; a ridiculous fantasy based on little more than a power trip.]]> 4.21 2011 Ready Player One (Ready Player One, #1)
author: Ernest Cline
name: Jesse
average rating: 4.21
book published: 2011
rating: 2
read at: 2013/06/10
date added: 2013/06/11
shelves:
review:
Negatives, then positives after.

As I read this, I had a very difficult time trying to understand who the audience of this book was meant to be. Judging from the language used (in the beginning) by the characters, I was thinking older-than-young-adult. Judging from the subject matter (everything is centered around pop culture of the 80s), you'd think it would appeal primarily to people who'd seen 30-40 winters.

Judging from the way things are described, that is, the primary narrative ... I still can't tell if it's meant to be read by young children who are incapable of inferring simple connections between statements, or if the world and how things work in it is being told in such a way as for elders, who have NEVER touched a PC or seen a videogame to be able to understand what's going on.

Now, as for the story itself - a number of interesting and original ideas, but strung together by some very flimsy plot strings, and as I read I had no fear for the characters. First, the story starts off with "Let me tell you how I won." Second, the main character has the answer to everything, and this is demonstrated time and time again - so much deus-ex-machina and utter convenience that my eyes were sore from all the rolling. Third, everything takes place within a digital realm; if you die, the worst that happens is you lose your character and start over. The stakes were as simple as: Saving the crutch upon which the entire world leaned at the expense of people, the earth, and everything else. If the bad guys won, then people would have to start paying to access the OASIS. Which eventually means that many people will log out permanently, and start doing things in the real world instead.

Oh, the horror.

Most of the time I was reading, I kept asking myself, "Why is it really worth saving?"

That being said. There were tons of pop references that, for once, I actually caught, as modern society confused me. Some parts genuinely made me laugh out loud, and a few very real topics were addressed (escapism, environmentalism, our increasing tendency to stare down at our phones instead of each other). But in spite of that, this book is to gamers as the movie Richie Rich is to poor kids; a ridiculous fantasy based on little more than a power trip.
]]> The Story of Mr Sommer 2900 128 Patrick Süskind 0747566755 Jesse 0 to-read 3.93 1991 The Story of Mr Sommer
author: Patrick Süskind
name: Jesse
average rating: 3.93
book published: 1991
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2013/05/18
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Perfume: The Story of a Murderer]]> 343 An alternative cover edition for this ISBN can be found here.

An acclaimed bestseller and international sensation, Patrick Suskind's classic novel provokes a terrifying examination of what happens when one man's indulgence in his greatest passion—his sense of smell—leads to murder.

In the slums of eighteenth-century France, the infant Jean-Baptiste Grenouille is born with one sublime gift—an absolute sense of smell. As a boy, he lives to decipher the odors of Paris, and apprentices himself to a prominent perfumer who teaches him the ancient art of mixing precious oils and herbs. But Grenouille's genius is such that he is not satisfied to stop there, and he becomes obsessed with capturing the smells of objects such as brass doorknobs and fresh-cut wood. Then one day he catches a hint of a scent that will drive him on an ever-more-terrifying quest to create the "ultimate perfume"—the scent of a beautiful young virgin. Told with dazzling narrative brilliance, Perfume is a hauntingly powerful tale of murder and sensual depravity.]]> 263 Patrick Süskind Jesse 5
Who this book is for: people with a dark sense of humor, fans of stories about criminals or estranged folks, anyone remotely interested in [post-Revolution] France, or anyone who thinks they'd enjoy a very different story. It's a story about a murderer, but I wouldn't call it a murder mystery nor a horror. There're some (possibly) fantastical elements to it, but there's no real indication that this is fantasy or paranormal.

This book is about the power of scent, as one might deduce from the title, and a Parisian's struggle from birth to go through life with an inhumanly acute sense of smell - and an excellent memory and hatred of humanity to go with it. In describing the protagonist/villain Grenouille ("grr-noo-ee") to a friend of mine, I told of how he did not grasp the concept of spoken language until later childhood. Nouns such as milk made no sense to Grenouille, for milk had a distinct odor yes, but that odor was different depending on the cow, the food eaten by the cow, or even how spoiled the milk was throughout the day if left out. How could one word mean something as complicated as milk?

Much like categorizing the book.

The author describes the world as seen by Grenouille through his nose, and it is a miserable, stinking world to be sure, populated by pitiful, stinking people. While most of the novel describes Grenouille's life story, and those folk unfortunate enough to have anything to do with him, it is anything but slow-paced. Several times as I was reading I almost began to think "okay, hurry it up," but the story would turn or develop in such a satisfactory way before I would ever feel such impatience.

In other words, the storytelling of Perfume is fun, the pacing was perfect for me, and the subject matter was fascinating. A refreshing, interesting bit of literature that I'll be thinking about even as I try to get through A Storm Of Swords.

Go read it, and forever rethink how you (and your characters) sniff the world around.]]> 4.05 1985 Perfume: The Story of a Murderer
author: Patrick Süskind
name: Jesse
average rating: 4.05
book published: 1985
rating: 5
read at: 2013/05/17
date added: 2013/05/18
shelves:
review:
This book was given to me as a gift, with the hope that in it I might discover a whiff of inspiration. Not only was I happy to find this to be true, I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of writing and the simple joy of simply enjoying the style - to say nothing of the content. We'll get to that in a moment.

Who this book is for: people with a dark sense of humor, fans of stories about criminals or estranged folks, anyone remotely interested in [post-Revolution] France, or anyone who thinks they'd enjoy a very different story. It's a story about a murderer, but I wouldn't call it a murder mystery nor a horror. There're some (possibly) fantastical elements to it, but there's no real indication that this is fantasy or paranormal.

This book is about the power of scent, as one might deduce from the title, and a Parisian's struggle from birth to go through life with an inhumanly acute sense of smell - and an excellent memory and hatred of humanity to go with it. In describing the protagonist/villain Grenouille ("grr-noo-ee") to a friend of mine, I told of how he did not grasp the concept of spoken language until later childhood. Nouns such as milk made no sense to Grenouille, for milk had a distinct odor yes, but that odor was different depending on the cow, the food eaten by the cow, or even how spoiled the milk was throughout the day if left out. How could one word mean something as complicated as milk?

Much like categorizing the book.

The author describes the world as seen by Grenouille through his nose, and it is a miserable, stinking world to be sure, populated by pitiful, stinking people. While most of the novel describes Grenouille's life story, and those folk unfortunate enough to have anything to do with him, it is anything but slow-paced. Several times as I was reading I almost began to think "okay, hurry it up," but the story would turn or develop in such a satisfactory way before I would ever feel such impatience.

In other words, the storytelling of Perfume is fun, the pacing was perfect for me, and the subject matter was fascinating. A refreshing, interesting bit of literature that I'll be thinking about even as I try to get through A Storm Of Swords.

Go read it, and forever rethink how you (and your characters) sniff the world around.
]]> <![CDATA[Magician's End (The Chaoswar Saga, #3)]]> 13502958 The final volume in the epic Riftwar Cycle.

The dragons are calling...

Civil war is tearing apart the Kingdom of the Isles, for the throne lies empty and rivals are converging. Having spirited his beloved Princess Stephane safely out of Roldem, Hal -now Duke of Crydee- must turn his attention to the defence of the ancient realm so that a king can be anointed by the Congress of Lords, rather than by right of might.

But the greatest threat may well lie out of the hands of men. Somewhere in the Grey Towers Mountains something not of this world is emerging. It will require that alliances be made between mortal enemies if disaster is to be averted.

Elves and men must stand together, ancient heroes must rise again, dragons must fly and Pug, Magnus and the other magic-users of Midkemia must be prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice if the whole world is to be saved.]]> 638 Raymond E. Feist 0007264798 Jesse 0 to-read 4.30 2013 Magician's End (The Chaoswar Saga, #3)
author: Raymond E. Feist
name: Jesse
average rating: 4.30
book published: 2013
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2013/05/16
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Lolita 7604 Librarian's note: Alternate cover edition of ISBN 9780141182537.

Humbert Humbert - scholar, aesthete and romantic - has fallen completely and utterly in love with Dolores Haze, his landlady's gum-snapping, silky skinned twelve-year-old daughter. Reluctantly agreeing to marry Mrs Haze just to be close to Lolita, Humbert suffers greatly in the pursuit of romance; but when Lo herself starts looking for attention elsewhere, he will carry her off on a desperate cross-country misadventure, all in the name of Love. Hilarious, flamboyant, heart-breaking and full of ingenious word play, Lolita is an immaculate, unforgettable masterpiece of obsession, delusion and lust.]]> 368 Vladimir Nabokov 0679723161 Jesse 2
Not so much. If you're looking to read something that makes you feel good, or something that expands your mind, or something that leaves you thinking, then find something else. I was impressed by the prose and have a lot of respect for the man who wrote it, I suppose, but I guess I don't get *why.*

I've come to the conclusion that had anyone else written it, or had this not been written as lovingly as it was, then the reviews would plummet. It'd be "just a story about some self-hating pedophile."

So if I can write a story about someone engaged in a romantic relationship with a tortoise, will it be accepted as long as I write it awesomely? Get outta here.

Overall this book had its moments, but in the end it left a bad taste in my mouth. I didn't feel like I'd grown, or that I'd learned something. I didn't even feel "more cultured" or whatever because it was a book that everyone else read. I just felt kinda relieved that it was over.]]> 3.87 1955 Lolita
author: Vladimir Nabokov
name: Jesse
average rating: 3.87
book published: 1955
rating: 2
read at:
date added: 2013/05/05
shelves:
review:
You'll hear everyone else say this. That whole "The subject was awful but it was so beautifully written." I tend to agree. But was it a good book?

Not so much. If you're looking to read something that makes you feel good, or something that expands your mind, or something that leaves you thinking, then find something else. I was impressed by the prose and have a lot of respect for the man who wrote it, I suppose, but I guess I don't get *why.*

I've come to the conclusion that had anyone else written it, or had this not been written as lovingly as it was, then the reviews would plummet. It'd be "just a story about some self-hating pedophile."

So if I can write a story about someone engaged in a romantic relationship with a tortoise, will it be accepted as long as I write it awesomely? Get outta here.

Overall this book had its moments, but in the end it left a bad taste in my mouth. I didn't feel like I'd grown, or that I'd learned something. I didn't even feel "more cultured" or whatever because it was a book that everyone else read. I just felt kinda relieved that it was over.
]]> <![CDATA[Innocent Darkness (The Aether Chronicles, #1)]]> 9277339
Sixteen-year-old Noli Braddock's hoyden ways land her in an abusive reform school far from home. On mid-summer's eve she wishes to be anyplace but that dreadful school. A mysterious man from the Realm of Faerie rescues her and brings her to the Otherworld, only to reveal that she must be sacrificed, otherwise, the entire Otherworld civilization will perish.]]> 391 Suzanne Lazear Jesse 0 to-read 3.57 2012 Innocent Darkness (The Aether Chronicles, #1)
author: Suzanne Lazear
name: Jesse
average rating: 3.57
book published: 2012
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2013/05/03
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Lorwyn (Magic: The Gathering: Lorwyn Cycle, #1)]]> 1725895 Magic: The Gathering!

Elves live in a world of unforgiving perfection. It is survival of the fittest--and none but the most beautiful and deadly are allowed to survive. So when an elf warrior's horns are shattered and his flawless features lost, he knows it is a death sentence. What he can't remember is how it happened or why he should allow himself to be killed. Powerful and ancient magic is at work, and the elf will need to find friends fast before his fellow elves quiet him--permanently.]]> 311 Cory J. Herndon 0786942924 Jesse 2
I happen to really like Cory J. Herndon's work, and I also happen to really enjoy a number of works by Scott McGough. Having read many (but not nearly all, in fact probably less than half) of Magic: The Gathering novels, you see his name around.

Magic novels are fun because they immerse you in a myriad of settings, and though I can't say Lorwyn is one of my preferred settings, it was a fun ride. I couldn't necessarily recognize who wrote what as I was reading, except for the occasional "Herndon flair" (that is, a subtle dose of humor that I so adore him for). As for the setting, eh, not really my first choice, but I figured I'd give it a shot since I admired both writers.

The result was something that wasn't bad, but I really feel like could've been done better. If you want a quick adventure into a pastoral world told with little detail into the characters or their respective cultures (save the stinking elves), then you'll like this. I liked it enough to order Book II, though I think I'll read it some other time after another something else.]]> 3.40 2007 Lorwyn (Magic: The Gathering: Lorwyn Cycle, #1)
author: Cory J. Herndon
name: Jesse
average rating: 3.40
book published: 2007
rating: 2
read at: 2013/05/02
date added: 2013/05/02
shelves:
review:
This book has its ups and downs, and I suppose I should not be surprised considering there were two authors at work here.

I happen to really like Cory J. Herndon's work, and I also happen to really enjoy a number of works by Scott McGough. Having read many (but not nearly all, in fact probably less than half) of Magic: The Gathering novels, you see his name around.

Magic novels are fun because they immerse you in a myriad of settings, and though I can't say Lorwyn is one of my preferred settings, it was a fun ride. I couldn't necessarily recognize who wrote what as I was reading, except for the occasional "Herndon flair" (that is, a subtle dose of humor that I so adore him for). As for the setting, eh, not really my first choice, but I figured I'd give it a shot since I admired both writers.

The result was something that wasn't bad, but I really feel like could've been done better. If you want a quick adventure into a pastoral world told with little detail into the characters or their respective cultures (save the stinking elves), then you'll like this. I liked it enough to order Book II, though I think I'll read it some other time after another something else.
]]> <![CDATA[Tides of Darkness (World of Warcraft, #3)]]> 279508

WORLD OF WARCRAFT

Anduin Lothar, former Champion of Stormwind, has left his shattered homeland behind and led his people across the Great Sea to the shores of Lordaeron. There, with the aid of the noble King Terenas, he forges a mighty Alliance with the other human nations. But even that may not be enough to stop the Horde's merciless onslaught.

Elves, dwarves, and trolls enter the fray as the two emerging factions vie for dominance. Will the valiant Alliance prevail, or will the Horde's tide of darkness consume the last vestiges of freedom on Azeroth?

]]> 384 Aaron Rosenberg 1416539905 Jesse 2 3.94 2007 Tides of Darkness (World of Warcraft, #3)
author: Aaron Rosenberg
name: Jesse
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2007
rating: 2
read at:
date added: 2013/05/01
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Lord of the Clans (WarCraft, #2)]]> 6440909 WARCRAFT

Slave. Gladiator. Shaman. Warchief. The enigmatic Orc known as Thrall has been all of these. Raised from infancy by cruel human masters who sought to mold him into their perfect pawn, Thrall was driven by both the savagery in his heart and the cunning of his upbringing to pursue a destiny he was only beginning to understand -- to break his bondage and rediscover the ancient traditions of his people. Now the tumultuous tale of his life's journey -- a saga of honor, hatred, and hope -- can at last be told....]]> 288 Christie Golden 074342316X Jesse 3 4.13 2001 Lord of the Clans (WarCraft, #2)
author: Christie Golden
name: Jesse
average rating: 4.13
book published: 2001
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 2013/05/01
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Dragon Hunt (WarCraft: The Sunwell Trilogy, #1)]]> 279588 176 Kim Jae-Hwan 1595327126 Jesse 2 3.50 2005 Dragon Hunt (WarCraft: The Sunwell Trilogy, #1)
author: Kim Jae-Hwan
name: Jesse
average rating: 3.50
book published: 2005
rating: 2
read at:
date added: 2013/05/01
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Cycle of Hatred (World of WarCraft, #1)]]> 279502
But the tentative peace between orcs and humans is suddenly crumbling. Random attacks against Durotar's holdings suggest that the humans have renewed their aggression toward the orcs. Now Jaina and Thrall must avert disaster before old hatreds are rekindled -- and Kalimdor is plunged into another devastating war.

Jaina's search to uncover the truth behind the attacks leads her to a shocking revelation. Her encounter with a legendary, long-lost wizard will challenge everything that she believes and illuminate the secret history of the world of...]]> 272 Keith R.A. DeCandido 0743471369 Jesse 2 3.66 2006 Cycle of Hatred (World of WarCraft, #1)
author: Keith R.A. DeCandido
name: Jesse
average rating: 3.66
book published: 2006
rating: 2
read at:
date added: 2013/05/01
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Sundering (WarCraft: War of the Ancients, #3)]]> 279562 The valiant night elves have been shattered by the loss of their beloved general. The black dragon, Neltharion, has claimed the Demon Soul and scattered the mighty dragonflights to the winds. Above all, the demonlord, Archimonde, has led the Burning Legion to the very brink of victory over Kalimdor. As the land and its denizens reel from this unstoppable evil, a terror beyond all reckoning draws ever nearer from the Well of Eternity's depths...
WARCRAFT
In the final, apocalyptic chapter of this epic trilogy, the dragon-mage Krasus and the young druid Malfurion must risk everything to save Azeroth from utter destruction. Banding together the dwarves, tauren and furbolg races, the heroes hope to spark an alliance to stand against the might of the Burning Legion. For if the Demon Soul should fall into the Legion's hands, all hope for the world will be lost. This then, is the hour...where past and future collide!
THE SUNDERING
An original trilogy of magic, warfare, and heroism based on the bestselling, award-winning electronic game series from Blizzard Entertainment.]]> 384 Richard A. Knaak 0743471210 Jesse 2 4.15 2005 The Sundering (WarCraft: War of the Ancients, #3)
author: Richard A. Knaak
name: Jesse
average rating: 4.15
book published: 2005
rating: 2
read at:
date added: 2013/05/01
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Demon Soul (WarCraft: War of the Ancients, #2)]]> 279545 THE BURNING LEGION HAS COME.

Led by the mighty Archimonde, scores of demonic soldiers now march across the lands of Kalimdor, leaving a trail of death and devastation in their wake. At the heart of the fiery invasion stands the mystic Well of Eternity -- once the source of the night elves' arcane power. But now the Well's energies have been defiled and twisted, for Queen Azshara and her Highborne will stop at nothing to commune with their newfound god: the fiery Lord of the Burning Legion...Sargeras.

The night elf defenders, led by the young druid, Malfurion Stormrage, and the wizard, Krasus, fight a desperate battle to hold back the Legion's terrible onslaught. Though only embers of hope remain, an ancient power has risen to aid the world in its darkest hour. The dragons -- led by the powerful Aspect, Neltharion -- have forged a weapon of incalculable power: the Dragon Soul, an artifact capable of driving the Legion from the world forever. But its use may cost far more than any could have foreseen.

The second novel in an original trilogy of magic, warfare, and heroism based on the bestselling, award-winning electronic game series from Blizzard Entertainment.]]> 384 Richard A. Knaak 0743471202 Jesse 2 4.07 2007 The Demon Soul (WarCraft: War of the Ancients, #2)
author: Richard A. Knaak
name: Jesse
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2007
rating: 2
read at:
date added: 2013/05/01
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Well of Eternity (WarCraft: War of the Ancients, #1)]]> 279583 In the first chapter of this epic trilogy, the outcome of the historic War of the Ancients is forever altered by the arrival of three time-lost heroes: Krasus, the dragon mage whose great power and memories of the ancient conflict have inexplicably diminished; the human wizard Rhonin, whose thoughts are divided between his family and the seductive source of his now-growing power; and Broxigar, a weathered orc veteran who seeks a glorious death in combat. But unless these unlikely allies can convince the demigod, Cenarius, and the untrusting night elves of their queen's treachery, the burning Legion's gateway into Azeroth will open anew. And this time -- the struggles of the past may well spill over into the future...]]> 370 Richard A. Knaak Jesse 2 4.04 2004 The Well of Eternity (WarCraft: War of the Ancients, #1)
author: Richard A. Knaak
name: Jesse
average rating: 4.04
book published: 2004
rating: 2
read at:
date added: 2013/05/01
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Rise of the Horde (World of Warcraft, #2)]]> 279501 368 Christie Golden 0743471385 Jesse 3 4.18 2006 Rise of the Horde (World of Warcraft, #2)
author: Christie Golden
name: Jesse
average rating: 4.18
book published: 2006
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 2013/05/01
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Grey King (The Dark is Rising, #4)]]> 222576
With the final battle between the Light and the Dark soon approaching, Will sets out on a quest to call for aid. Hidden within the Welsh hills is a magical harp that he must use to wake the Sleepers - six noble riders who have slept for centuries.

But an illness has robbed Will of nearly all his knowledge of the Old Ones, and he is left only with a broken riddle to guide him in his task. As Will travels blindly through the hills, his journey will bring him face-to-face with the most powerful Lord of the Dark - the Grey King. The King holds the harp and Sleepers within his lands, and there has yet to be a force strong enough to tear them from his grasp...]]> 165 Susan Cooper 1416949674 Jesse 0 4.16 1975 The Grey King (The Dark is Rising, #4)
author: Susan Cooper
name: Jesse
average rating: 4.16
book published: 1975
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2013/05/01
shelves:
review:

]]> The Source 12657 "A sweeping chronology filled with excitement."
THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER]]> 1080 James A. Michener 0375760385 Jesse 3 4.29 1965 The Source
author: James A. Michener
name: Jesse
average rating: 4.29
book published: 1965
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 2013/05/01
shelves:
review:

]]> Animal Farm 7613
The book tells the story of a group of farm animals who rebel against their human farmer, hoping to create a society where the animals can be equal, free, and happy. Ultimately, however, the rebellion is betrayed, and the farm ends up in a state as bad as it was before, under the dictatorship of a pig named Napoleon.

One night, all the animals at Mr. Jones' Manor Farm assemble in a barn to hear old Major, a pig, describe a dream he had about a world where all animals live free from the tyranny of their human masters. Old Major dies soon after the meeting, but the animals � inspired by his philosophy of Animalism � plot a rebellion against Jones.

Two pigs, Snowball and Napoleon, prove themselves important figures and planners of this dangerous enterprise. When Jones forgets to feed the animals, the revolution occurs, and Jones and his men are chased off the farm. Manor Farm is renamed Animal Farm, and the Seven Commandments of Animalism are painted on the barn wall...]]> 129 George Orwell Jesse 4 3.90 1945 Animal Farm
author: George Orwell
name: Jesse
average rating: 3.90
book published: 1945
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2013/04/17
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[A Book of Five Rings: The Classic Guide to Strategy]]> 867247 - Miyamoto Musashi, Book of Five Rings

Shortly before his death in 1645, the undefeated swordsman Miyamoto Musashi retreated to a cave to live as a hermit. There he wrote five scrolls describing the "true principles" required for victory in the martial arts and on the battlefield. Instead of relying on religion or theory, Musashi based his writings on his own experience, observation, and reason.]]> 192 Miyamoto Musashi 0517415283 Jesse 2 4.02 1645 A Book of Five Rings: The Classic Guide to Strategy
author: Miyamoto Musashi
name: Jesse
average rating: 4.02
book published: 1645
rating: 2
read at:
date added: 2013/04/17
shelves:
review:

]]> Sabriel (Abhorsen, #1) 518848
With Sabriel, the first installment in the Abhorsen series, Garth Nix exploded onto the fantasy scene as a rising star, in a novel that takes readers to a world where the line between the living and the dead isn't always clear—and sometimes disappears altogether.]]> 491 Garth Nix 0064471837 Jesse 4 4.17 1995 Sabriel (Abhorsen, #1)
author: Garth Nix
name: Jesse
average rating: 4.17
book published: 1995
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2013/04/17
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Golden Compass (His Dark Materials, #1)]]> 119322
Can one small girl make a difference in such great and terrible endeavors? This is Lyra: a savage, a schemer, a liar, and as fierce and true a champion as Roger or Asriel could want--but what Lyra doesn't know is that to help one of them will be to betray the other.]]> 399 Philip Pullman 0679879242 Jesse 2 4.02 1995 The Golden Compass (His Dark Materials, #1)
author: Philip Pullman
name: Jesse
average rating: 4.02
book published: 1995
rating: 2
read at:
date added: 2013/04/17
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Book of Three (The Chronicles of Prydain, #1)]]> 24780 190 Lloyd Alexander 0805080481 Jesse 0 to-read 3.98 1964 The Book of Three (The Chronicles of Prydain, #1)
author: Lloyd Alexander
name: Jesse
average rating: 3.98
book published: 1964
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2013/04/17
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[A Clash of Kings (A Song of Ice and Fire, #2)]]> 10572
It is a tale in which brother plots against brother and the dead rise to walk in the night. Here a princess masquerades as an orphan boy; a knight of the mind prepares a poison for a treacherous sorceress; and wild men descend from the Mountains of the Moon to ravage the countryside. Against a backdrop of incest and fratricide, alchemy and murder, victory may go to the men and women possessed of the coldest steel...and the coldest hearts. For when kings clash, the whole land trembles.

Here is the second volume in George R.R. Martin magnificent cycle of novels that includes A Game of Thrones and A Storm of Swords. As a whole, this series comprises a genuine masterpiece of modern fantasy, bringing together the best the genre has to offer. Magic, mystery, intrigue, romance, and adventure fill these pages and transport us to a world unlike any we have ever experienced. Already hailed as a classic, George R.R. Martin stunning series is destined to stand as one of the great achievements of imaginative fiction.]]> 1009 George R.R. Martin 0553381695 Jesse 2
It took me over a month to complete the audiobook. I don't claim to be very well-read, but I know what I like, and while I do respect the effort that the author put into this, I really don't think that Clash of Kings is an good example of what he can do. It honestly felt like a relief when it was over, and I hate to think that way.

As I was going through it, I wondered to myself if I was a madman for thinking the opinion I was forming; then after reading a few of the lower-star reviews here on GoodReads, I find that other people can describe my exact issues better than I was able to articulate. Why bother reading? Because Mr. Martin is considered a great, and I ought to see what all the hubbub is about. I did watch the HBO series first, which I know affects things, so taking that into account I'm rather eager to read Book 3 before watching Season 3. However, there are considerable differences (as might be expected) and that's half the fun of reading/watching something of the same name.

I'd like to point to fellow GoodReaders John Wiswell and Jonathan (you'll see they each gave two stars as well) for basically stating my same opinion. However, I'd also like to say that after reading this, I've come to despise the use of the word "black" as an adjective. People wear 'the black,' there's a character named Blackfish, people walk into rooms and the darkness is black, the attack outside the city is in the blackwater, people's expression's are always black of fury. Even at the end, one of the final lines is "All was black, and still, and black, and cold, and black, and dead, and black." I kept thinking to myself please somebody give him a thesaurus.

But other parts were excellent. Inflated prose describing characters I can't relate to and honestly don't care about (I can't stand Danaerys, Arya, Theon, Sansa) aside, the extensive cast feels relatively believable, and a number of them actually have interesting personality traits. Sadly though, it's difficult to think of the merits of this work when I emerged feeling a little like one of the abused whores that the author so enjoys describing to us.

Do yourself the honor of reading it, though. Word has it the series picks up, and I'm willing to give the benefit of a doubt that something from this book actually means something later.

]]> 4.42 1998 A Clash of Kings (A Song of Ice and Fire, #2)
author: George R.R. Martin
name: Jesse
average rating: 4.42
book published: 1998
rating: 2
read at: 2013/04/17
date added: 2013/04/17
shelves:
review:
This book was a chore.

It took me over a month to complete the audiobook. I don't claim to be very well-read, but I know what I like, and while I do respect the effort that the author put into this, I really don't think that Clash of Kings is an good example of what he can do. It honestly felt like a relief when it was over, and I hate to think that way.

As I was going through it, I wondered to myself if I was a madman for thinking the opinion I was forming; then after reading a few of the lower-star reviews here on GoodReads, I find that other people can describe my exact issues better than I was able to articulate. Why bother reading? Because Mr. Martin is considered a great, and I ought to see what all the hubbub is about. I did watch the HBO series first, which I know affects things, so taking that into account I'm rather eager to read Book 3 before watching Season 3. However, there are considerable differences (as might be expected) and that's half the fun of reading/watching something of the same name.

I'd like to point to fellow GoodReaders John Wiswell and Jonathan (you'll see they each gave two stars as well) for basically stating my same opinion. However, I'd also like to say that after reading this, I've come to despise the use of the word "black" as an adjective. People wear 'the black,' there's a character named Blackfish, people walk into rooms and the darkness is black, the attack outside the city is in the blackwater, people's expression's are always black of fury. Even at the end, one of the final lines is "All was black, and still, and black, and cold, and black, and dead, and black." I kept thinking to myself please somebody give him a thesaurus.

But other parts were excellent. Inflated prose describing characters I can't relate to and honestly don't care about (I can't stand Danaerys, Arya, Theon, Sansa) aside, the extensive cast feels relatively believable, and a number of them actually have interesting personality traits. Sadly though, it's difficult to think of the merits of this work when I emerged feeling a little like one of the abused whores that the author so enjoys describing to us.

Do yourself the honor of reading it, though. Word has it the series picks up, and I'm willing to give the benefit of a doubt that something from this book actually means something later.


]]> The Legend of Sleepy Hollow 93261 108 Washington Irving 0809594080 Jesse 4 3.71 1820 The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
author: Washington Irving
name: Jesse
average rating: 3.71
book published: 1820
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2013/04/17
shelves:
review:

]]> The Art of War 10534 170 Sun Tzu Jesse 3 3.98 -400 The Art of War
author: Sun Tzu
name: Jesse
average rating: 3.98
book published: -400
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 2013/04/17
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War]]> 8908
Ranging from the now infamous village of New Dachang in the United Federation of China, where the epidemiological trail began with the twelve-year-old Patient Zero, to the unnamed northern forests where untold numbers sought a terrible and temporary refuge in the cold, to the United States of Southern Africa, where the Redeker Plan provided hope for humanity at an unspeakable price, to the west-of-the-Rockies redoubt where the North American tide finally started to turn, this invaluable chronicle reflects the full scope and duration of the Zombie War.

Most of all, the book captures with haunting immediacy the human dimension of this epochal event. Facing the often raw and vivid nature of these personal accounts requires a degree of courage on the part of the reader, but the effort is invaluable because, as Mr. Brooks says in his introduction, "By excluding the human factor, aren't we risking the kind of personal detachment from history that may, heaven forbid, lead us one day to repeat it? And in the end, isn't the human factor the only true difference between us and the enemy we now refer to as 'the living dead'?"

Note: Some of the numerical and factual material contained in this edition was previously published under the auspices of the United Nations Postwar Commission.]]> 342 Max Brooks 0307346609 Jesse 4 4.02 2006 World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War
author: Max Brooks
name: Jesse
average rating: 4.02
book published: 2006
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2013/04/17
shelves:
review:

]]>