Joy's Updates en-US Sun, 16 Feb 2025 17:16:18 -0800 60 Joy's Updates 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg Review7327713193 Sun, 16 Feb 2025 17:16:18 -0800 <![CDATA[Joy added 'Who Do You Love']]> /review/show/7327713193 Who Do You Love by Jennifer Weiner Joy gave 2 stars to Who Do You Love (Hardcover) by Jennifer Weiner
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]]> Review7273127938 Thu, 30 Jan 2025 10:45:53 -0800 <![CDATA[Joy added 'How Do You Live?']]> /review/show/7273127938 How Do You Live? by Genzaburo Yoshino Joy gave 3 stars to How Do You Live? (Hardcover) by Genzaburo Yoshino
NB: Gaiman's introduction asserts that Miyazaki based The Boy and the Heron on this book. It would be more accurate to say that the Japanese title of the film alludes to the title of this book. Do not go in expecting an abandoned tower, a Parakeet King, or warawara spirits.

The translator's note afterward would have been much more helpful as a foreword: in the 1930s, Yoshino was writing an ethics textbook for children, and decided that a less-dry way to do that was to write a narrative.

As a story, it wanders a bit too much, leaving some focus to be desired; as a way to help children consider their lives, standing up for others, and thinking for themselves - taking into consideration the arts, philosophy, science, and history - it is more effective. Certainly I must concur that the story, such as it is, must be more digestible than a textbook per se.

Jun'ichi Honda, called Copper by his uncle (and subsequently, everyone else), spends some enjoyable afternoons with his friends; has many a conversation wherein his uncle shares historical information and related thoughts at some length (including a Lot about Napoleon. More Napoleon than I expected or wanted); and spends time deep in thought himself. A moment of betraying his friends, his subsequent regret, apology, and their forgiveness takes a good portion of the book. ]]> Review7238074639 Mon, 20 Jan 2025 13:33:49 -0800 <![CDATA[Joy added 'Making Space, Clutter Free: The Last Book on Decluttering You'll Ever Need']]> /review/show/7238074639 Making Space, Clutter Free by Tracy McCubbin Joy gave 3 stars to Making Space, Clutter Free: The Last Book on Decluttering You'll Ever Need (Tidy Up Your Home, Find Personal Purpose, and Enjoy Inner Confidence, Self Help Book) by Tracy McCubbin
Grain of salt: every decluttering book illustrates the law of diminishing returns for me, so this might be more useful to other people than it is to me.

McCubbin's thesis, based on her experience helping others regain control of their stuff (thus, their lives), is that 7 main clutter blocks prevent people from parting with items they do not need, and that the guilt and shame of these mental blocks must be understood and addressed for progress to happen. The 7 are, broadly: trapped in the past; shopping as therapy/identity; avoidance; fantasy self; unworthiness; other people's stuff; and wasted potential. Sometimes two or more clutter blocks apply. Avoidance and Other People's Stuff are, I think, my besetting blocks; based on the past three weeks, the ultimate solution appears to be confronting items repeatedly until I perceive them losing staying power.

Because this book is from 2019, it has somewhat more up-to-date advice re: different organizations for getting stuff off one's hands than older volumes. How quickly that advice will become outdated remains to be seen. ]]> Review7238037829 Mon, 20 Jan 2025 13:33:21 -0800 <![CDATA[Joy added 'Snow Crash']]> /review/show/7238037829 Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson Joy gave 4 stars to Snow Crash (Mass Market Paperback) by Neal Stephenson
There are ways in which a cyberpunk book from 1992 can feel prophetic, and ways in which it feels generic, by virtue of inspiring other work (or widespread use of, say, "avatar" or "Metaverse").

More compelling than the sad vision of society or the large-scale gang violence is Stephenson managing to combine the concept of computer viruses with the linguistic divergence endemic since Babel. "Is it a virus, a drug, or a religion?" "What's the difference?" Very intriguing! I love it and also hate it.

I remain a little surprised, after finishing the book, that Hiro and Y.T. opted to join forces in such a cooperative way, but then, the communities drawn (such as they are) did seem to be the one hope in the face of brainwashing cults and glass-spear-wielding Aleuts; witness the importance of love to a Rat Thing once known as Fido. I was even rooting for Uncle Enzo by the end. ]]> Review7238037829 Mon, 20 Jan 2025 13:23:45 -0800 <![CDATA[Joy added 'Snow Crash']]> /review/show/7238037829 Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson Joy gave 4 stars to Snow Crash (Mass Market Paperback) by Neal Stephenson
There are ways in which a cyberpunk book from 1992 can feel prophetic, and ways in which it feels generic, by virtue of inspiring other work (or widespread use of, say, "avatar" or "Metaverse").

More compelling than the sad vision of society or the large-scale gang violence is Stephenson managing to combine the concept of computer viruses with the linguistic divergence endemic since Babel. "Is it a virus, a drug, or a religion?" "What's the difference?" Very intriguing! I love it and also hate it.

I remain a little surprised, after finishing the book, that Hiro and Y.T. opted to join forces in such a cooperative way, but then, the communities drawn (such as they are) did seem to be the one hope in the face of brainwashing cults and glass-spear-wielding Aleuts; witness the importance of love to a Rat Thing once known as Fido. I was even rooting for Uncle Enzo by the end. ]]> Review7238018178 Mon, 20 Jan 2025 13:23:13 -0800 <![CDATA[Joy added 'Intimacy With The Almighty']]> /review/show/7238018178 Intimacy With The Almighty by Charles R. Swindoll Joy has read Intimacy With The Almighty (Hardcover) by Charles R. Swindoll
A very quick little reread. This year I compared his quoted texts from the Amplified Bible to my ESV and NIV, and found a stark difference (ie: his analysis arises from the amplification rather than the text per se; makes a person want to read Hebrew/Greek just for a greater depth of understanding).

Simplicity, silence, solitude, and surrender to God's will: always worthwhile pursuits. This was a good reminder to start out the year. ]]> UserChallenge61443412 Mon, 20 Jan 2025 13:16:55 -0800 <![CDATA[ Joy has challenged herself to read 40 books in 2025. ]]> /user/show/29510574-joy 11627 Create your own 2025 Reading Challenge » ]]> UserChallenge49727200 Tue, 31 Dec 2024 17:46:25 -0800 <![CDATA[ Joy has challenged herself to read 40 books in 2024. ]]> /user/show/29510574-joy 11634 Create your own 2024 Reading Challenge » ]]> ReadStatus8828837716 Tue, 31 Dec 2024 17:39:05 -0800 <![CDATA[Joy has read 'Elephants Cannot Dance!']]> /review/show/7146805416 Elephants Cannot Dance! by Mo Willems Joy has read Elephants Cannot Dance! by Mo Willems
]]> Review7134981089 Sun, 29 Dec 2024 13:49:19 -0800 <![CDATA[Joy added 'Blue Horses']]> /review/show/7134981089 Blue Horses by Mary Oliver Joy gave 4 stars to Blue Horses (Hardcover) by Mary Oliver
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