Published in 2023, Co-Intelligence: Living and Working with AI by Ethan Mollick explores how artificial intelligence, particularly large language models like ChatGPT, is reshaping the way people learn, work, and create. Mollick, a Wharton professor, argues that AI is not just a tool to be programmed but a form of “co-intelligence” to collaborate with. The book outlines how individuals and organizations can engage with AI by experimenting directly with it, treating it as a creative and thinking partner rather than a traditional machine. He emphasizes a hands-on approach, encouraging readers to integrate AI into decision-making, writing, and problem-solving processes. The work also highlights the risks of misinformation and over-reliance, suggesting that human oversight and ethical considerations are necessary to use AI effectively.
Co-Intelligence Living and Working wIth AI
My Thoughts
Much has discussion of AI has been swirling around my work as of late and this book was recommended by a coworker.
This was a really good book and very timely for me professionally. We are creating a distance education course on this topic and it gave me quite a bit to think about. In fact, I kept having to put the book down to write another note about something I wanted to try.
Recommendation
Great quick read! (Just over 200 pages.) It is worth your time to know more about AI.
Published in 1909, Anne of Avonlea by L.M. Montgomery follows Anne Shirley as she begins her new role as a teacher at Avonlea’s local school while still living at Green Gables. At sixteen, Anne is determined to prove herself in her new position, facing both the challenges of instructing students and the expectations of her community. Alongside her teaching duties, Anne becomes involved in various civic efforts, including helping form the Avonlea Village Improvement Society. The story also introduces new characters, such as the mischievous twins Davy and Dora, whom Marilla adopts, and Anne’s deepening relationships with familiar figures like Gilbert Blythe and Diana Barry. As Anne navigates these new experiences, she continues to mature, learning from both triumphs and setbacks as she grows into adulthood.
Anne of Avonlea
My Thoughts
I didn’t like this one as much as Anne of Green Gables. Montgomery tried to keep the childlike feeling of the first, but it just didn’t quite come through. I think it may be that there were really three characters who had the same “imagination” as the original. (Anne, Paul, and Ms. Lavender.)
I was mostly bored through the book as it became a little formulaic. I doubt I will read any of the other Anne stories.
Recommendation
Not worth it. Leave off at the first book in the series.
Published in June 1908, “Anne of Green Gables” follows Anne Shirley, an orphan mistakenly sent to siblings Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert on Prince Edward Island. Anne’s imagination leads her into mishaps and unexpected friendships at school and in the village, where local customs and expectations challenge her. As she navigates these experiences, Anne learns to adapt to her circumstances, form bonds with neighbors, and establish a sense of belonging.
Anne of Green Gables
My Thoughts
Though I’ve never watched it intentionally, simply by virtue of walking past our TV growing up, I believe I’ve seen the 1985 adaptation of this book several times. (All 3 hours of it.) My mother and sisters loved this movie and it was on frequently in my home. Needless to say, I didn’t think very much of it at the time.
However, time passes and the book was available. I wanted something different than the last run of David Baldacci books and this was certainly different.
I didn’t expect that I would like it as much as I did. Perhaps it’s the fact that I’ve raised a daughter or perhaps a little sentimental in my advancing years. Or maybe it is simply that I married a red head and believe she was very similar to Anne growing up. Either way, I enjoyed the book.
The book itself reads well for almost 120 years old. There are some phrases that would likely offend people today but no malice was intended. (They are Canadian after all!) The plot holds many moral lessons and opportunities for forgiveness and redemption in several characters.
I wasn’t fond of the ending, but it was left wide open for the sequel.
Recommendation
I enjoyed it. I don’t know that I will read it again but it was a good read.
Published in 2021, Mercy by David Baldacci continues the story of FBI agent Atlee Pine as she closes in on the truth about her long-lost twin sister, Mercy, who was abducted when they were six years old. After uncovering clues in previous investigations, Atlee tracks Mercy’s possible fate to a remote town where she discovers a facility hiding disturbing secrets and a conspiracy involving a powerful family. The novel alternates between Atlee’s search and Mercy’s own experiences after years of captivity and escape, bringing both narratives together as the sisters confront the people responsible and uncover the truth about their past.
Mercy
My Thoughts
It’s over! I’m very thankful I can now move on to other stories without the whining of Atlee Pine. I was pleasantly surprised that this book wasn’t quite as bad as the last couple in the series. While still over the top and and fairly unbelievable, the book did tie up the loose ends. I appreciate that in a series. Of course, I would expect Atlee and now Mercy to make their cameos in books going forward.
Recommendation
If you’ve read the other books in the series, this one is a must. However, if you are considering the series, skip this one.
Published in 2020, Daylight by David Baldacci continues the story of FBI agent Atlee Pine as she pursues the mystery of her twin sister’s abduction decades earlier. During her investigation, she crosses paths with John Puller, a military investigator probing a case involving drug trafficking and organized crime. Their separate missions become entangled when they discover overlapping leads tied to powerful political and criminal forces. As they delve deeper, the two confront dangerous adversaries and long-buried secrets, ultimately forcing Pine to reckon with disturbing revelations about her past and those connected to it.
Daylight
So I had higher hopes for this book. It was full of ridiculous whining and improbable things happening. Everything in the story is motivated by Atlee’s sister’s disappearance when she was 6. She uses the story to one-up everyone she meets and as permission to do whatever she wants. Perhaps I read this too soon after that terrible book by Glennon Doyle, but I have a hard time thinking David Baldacci actually wrote this trash.
Published in 2022, Chemically Imbalanced: The Making and Unmaking of the Serotonin Myth by Joseph E. Davis examines how the idea that depression is caused by a chemical imbalance—specifically low serotonin—became widely accepted despite limited scientific evidence. The book traces the origins of the serotonin theory, its adoption by the pharmaceutical industry, and its persistence in public understanding through advertising and medical practice. Davis argues that this narrative shaped not only psychiatric treatment but also cultural perceptions of mental health and selfhood. He also explores the consequences of framing complex emotional and social problems as biological disorders, and how this framing influenced the expectations and experiences of those diagnosed and treated under this model.
Chemically Imbalanced: The Making and Unmaking of the Serotonin Myth
My Thoughts
We live in a capitalist system and there is so much money to be made in the pharmaceutical industry. It seems more and more people are asking tough questions and taking a closer look at the studies that our assumptions are based on. Given all that we know about the lies about the opioids that are coming out right and left, we shouldn’t be too surprised that they might have lied about mental illness being a chemical problem that could be fixed with a pill.
Honestly, I feel like most people already knew antidepressants were about as effective as placebos. That’s not a great selling point. Particularly when the logistics of a patient getting prescribed these medications involve months of changing around the dosages and moving from drug to drug trying to find something that works.
I love they updated to the DSM to include clinical judgment in 2022 rather than simply diagnosing everyone that is sad as “Depressed” even after a significant life event. It would make sense that a person would exhibit depressive symptoms following the death of their spouse or being fired from their job. What doesn’t make sense is to give them chemicals to change the functioning of their brain. But, that’s what we as a society decided to do.
In short, I’m all in for informed decisions. Let’s have a conversation about how these drugs actually work and the likelyhood of their success. I’m on the side that these drugs aren’t worth the side effects. However, that was my opinion before reading the book.
Recommendation
Not a bad read. However, the author comes off as a little defensive.
Published in May 2025, We Can Do Hard Things: Answers to Life’s 20 Questions is a collaborative work by Glennon Doyle, Abby Wambach, and Amanda Doyle. Drawing from their personal experiences, including Glennon’s anorexia diagnosis, Amanda’s breast cancer, and the death of Abby’s brother, the authors explore twenty recurring questions that address aspects of human existence such as identity, purpose, relationships, and resilience. Through conversations with over 100 individuals, including public figures like Sara Bareilles, Brandi Carlile, and Ina Garten, the book compiles insights aimed at guiding readers through life’s challenges.
We Can Do Hard Things
My Thoughts
This book was such a disappointment. Quite honestly, I couldn’t get through it. I kept trying to push through, but I just couldn’t make it. Hopefully, it redeems itself in the end, but I sincerely doubt it. I knew nothing about the book other than it was in the self-help section. I like to just pick up a book and read and occasionally that backfires. This experience was one of those times.
It took me a few weeks to put my finger on it, but the book appears to operate under the following assumptions:
Everyone was and continues to be a victim.
Everyone is living with “trauma”.
Everyone has permission to do anything they want.
Everyone else should honor, respect, and even applaud whatever it is you want.
Judgement and resentment only stem from others. Your opinions about everyone else isn’t judgement, it’s fact.
First, a quick pet peeve of mine. Trauma actually has a definition in the DSM-5-TR, “Exposure to actual or threatened death, serious injury, or sexual violence.” (The word is thrown around so much in this book it lost the actual meaning. By context, most of what was defined as “trauma” barely rose to the level of irritation.) You pretending to be sick so “everyone else knew their roles” does not count as trauma. (A quote from the book.) Neither does feeling embarrassed, being uncomfortable, or not getting that pony you ever so wanted.
Second, we all have problems. Yet, here is a novel idea, perhaps you could attempt to solve those problems rather than looking around for someone to blame them on? We understand you are the center of your universe, but please, get over yourselves! Maybe develop some listening skills and gain some perspective. You may even thank your parents for not instantly giving into every demand that crosses your mind. Being able to choose integrity over convenience is called building character.
You also don’t get to do everything you want. Every choice has accountability connected to that choice. If a homicidal maniac decides that living according to their “authentic self” is to commit murder, that really isn’t ok. Even if they “sat with their feelings” and truly felt like that is who they are.
Finally, the rest of us really don’t have to put up with your issues. Back to the homicidal maniac, if they take someone’s life, they shouldn’t be surprised that some of us will eventually stop them from doing it. We may even inflict some “trauma” on that individual so they and others know it isn’t ok as well.
We all live in a society and there are rules and norms we all live with. If you break those rules, there will be repercussions. Some of us may not want to be around you anymore. This is no less judging than you complaining about our behavior.
Recommendation
Don’t waste your time. There was an occasional good idea but it was like finding a Dorito floating in pure sewage. As much as I love Doritos, but it just wasn’t worth it.
Published in 2016, No Man’s Land by David Baldacci follows John Puller, a U.S. Army Criminal Investigations Division special agent, as he reopens the case of his mother’s decades-old disappearance. When new evidence emerges that Puller’s father, a legendary Army general now suffering from dementia, may have been involved in her presumed death, Puller is forced to confront painful family secrets while unraveling a deeper government conspiracy. At the same time, a dangerous ex-convict begins a violent mission that eventually intersects with Puller’s investigation, leading to revelations that challenge everything he thought he knew about his past.
No Man’s Land
My Thoughts
Not a bad ending to the Puller series. While Baldacci left it open for another, he still hasn’t done so as of 2025. However, Puller did show up in the Altee Pine novel Daylight which I’m reading now so who knows.
Anyway, I found myself relieved to be done with the Army side. My experience with the Army was not what was depicted in this series. Baldacci is always fun to read, because the content always seems close to life out in Virginia and around the military complex. However, there are subtle things he gets wrong that show he is an outsider looking in.
As for this novel, it was enjoyable. I particularly liked Paul’s last name being Rogers. It was appropriate.
Published in 2014, The Escape by David Baldacci follows John Puller, a U.S. Army investigator, as he is drawn into a high-stakes manhunt when his older brother Robert, a former Air Force officer convicted of treason, escapes from a maximum-security military prison. Tasked with capturing his brother, Puller must navigate a complex web of military secrets, political conspiracies, and personal loyalty. As he digs deeper, he begins to uncover evidence that Robert may have been framed, and that powerful forces are determined to keep the truth hidden at all costs.
The Escape
My Thoughts
It was good to deal with the Robert issue and get it out in the open. Three books into the series seems to be appropriate. The female partner is becoming a little formulaic, but it works.
As usual, Baldacci delivers a fun book that seems to fly by.
Published in 2012, “The Forgotten” by David Baldacci follows Army Special Agent John Puller as he investigates the mysterious death of his aunt in a quiet Florida town. Though her passing was officially ruled accidental, Puller suspects foul play and uncovers a web of corruption, illegal activity, and hidden identities that reach beyond the local community. As he delves deeper, Puller confronts both dangerous adversaries and a conspiracy that threatens national security. The investigation becomes personal, testing his skills as a military investigator and his resolve as a family member seeking justice.
The Forgotten
My Thoughts
Another area I have visited and have some familiarity with is the general part of Florida in the book. Baldacci mentions Desin and other areas along the panhandle. The city of Paradise was annexed into Gainesville, Florida in 2022. It is land locked and about 300 miles from where it is placed in the book. (I had to look that up.) This was the first time I saw Baldacci make that error.
Regardless, it was an engaging narrative and I enjoyed the book on the whole. There were a few times the dialogue was overblown and even a little cheesy. There were also some adult scenes that fortunately didn’t get too graphic or last very long.
