Author: Ryan

Northern Ireland: A Very Short Introduction

Background

Published in January of 2003, “Northern Ireland: A Very Short Introduction” is a concise book by Marc Mulholland that examines Northern Ireland’s complex history, including the rise of republicanism, the civil rights movement, and the growth of significant political groups like Sinn Féin and the DUP. The book brings the reader up to date with Northern Ireland’s history, drawing on new sources to provide fresh perspectives.

Northern Ireland A Very Short Introduction
Northern Ireland A Very Short Introduction

My Thoughts

A very short introduction is a little misleading. It seemed like a lot for me to take in as most of it was new information. Yet again, proof that there is so much more to the world than I have seen from this corner of it.

Recommendation

Very informative. A good read.

Washington: A Legacy of Leadership

Background

Published on April 18, 2011. “Washington: A Legacy of Leadership” is part of “The Generals” series and offers insights into George Washington’s leadership style and achievements, focusing on how his strategies and decisions shaped the United States. If you’re looking for a comprehensive analysis of Washington’s leadership and legacy, this book likely explores his role as a military leader and the first President of the U.S., highlighting the qualities that have cemented his status as a pivotal figure in American history.

Washington A Legacy of Leadership
Washington A Legacy of Leadership

My Thoughts

This book was full of information which was not part of my elementary history book. Paul Vickery does a good job trying to look through General Washington’s eyes and tries to empathize with his decisions. He links life events to specific decisions that shaped the military career of our first President.

Recommendation

I enjoyed it.

Tyranny of the Minority

Background

Published on September 12, 2023, Tyranny of the Minority, is a book by Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt that delves into the current political landscape in the United States, examining how the country is transitioning towards a multiracial democracy while facing an authoritarian backlash that jeopardizes its democratic foundations. The authors explore why democracy is under siege in the U.S. and not in other similar nations, offering insights into the unique vulnerabilities of the American constitutional framework to minority rule and the potential solutions to safeguard democracy. They draw comparisons with various global instances to illustrate how political parties can turn against democratic principles and how outdated institutions in the U.S. contribute to enabling minority rule, contrasting this with reforms in other democracies aimed at eliminating such outdated systems.

Tyranny of the Minority
Tyranny of the Minority

My Thoughts

The book had some interesting points and made clear that we are in trouble in terms of our politics. I agree with that assessment. My personal thoughts is we, as Americans, have allowed the system to devolve into partisan bickering. While that has always existed, the parties were able to work together from time to time. Now it is seen as a sign of strength to not discuss anything with the other party. It is a new level of ridiculous.

Recommendation

It didn’t make a lasting impression.

Empire of the East

Background

Published in 1979, is a novel set in a far-future world where the East rules the West. The story explores a post-apocalyptic setting where a computer named ARDNEH alters the laws of physics to prevent nuclear explosions, inadvertently making technology obsolete and allowing magic to flourish. This blend of science fiction and fantasy features a struggle against the oppressive Empire of the East, led by a peasant farmer named Rolf who becomes a key figure in the resistance movement.

Empire of the East
Empire of the East

My Thoughts

I grew up with Fred Saberhagen’s books in my home so I thought I’d give this one a go. Honestly, it wasn’t that great. The premise seems fine, but I guess there were so many ways he could have take the book and I was disappointed in where it went.

Recommendation

I’d skip this one.

Master of Change

Background

Published in September of 2023, Brad Stulberg’s “Master of Change” presents a novel approach to navigating life’s constant changes. It combines insights from contemporary science and age-old wisdom, advocating for a mindset that embraces flexibility and resilience. The book offers strategies for engaging positively with change, highlighting the roles of expectations, identity, and proactive actions in overcoming challenges. Stulberg aims to alter our perspective on change, encouraging growth and adaptability in the face of uncertainty.

Master of Change
Master of Change

My Thoughts

“Life is pain Highness. Anyone who says otherwise is selling something.” That quote from “The Princess Bride” could well have been, “Life is Change” according to this book. I agree with the thought that life continues to change and move us along and we need to continually adapt to what it brings us. This requires us to have a level of self actualization that I doubt many people take the time to acquire.

Recommendation

Not a bad book.

100 Places to See After You Die

Background

Published in June of 2023, Ken Jenning’s “100 Places to See After You Die” is a meta-analysis of the afterlife from every corner of history and popular fiction. From the circles of Dante’s Inferno to the ancient Egyptian underworld to NBC’s The Good Place, this book will help you navigate through all possibilities whether they be sublime or ridiculous.

100 Places to See After You Die
100 Places to See After You Die

My Thoughts

I really enjoyed the start of this book as it was a good summation of ancient to modern beliefs in the afterlife. One of my favorite classes in college was comparative religion and I always found it interesting to see what people believe. However, as the book started to delve away from truth to fiction, I found my eyes glazing over and it was struggle to complete the book. Ken Jennings is a proven master of trivia and while I respect his knowledge and the depths of his research, I didn’t care about much of the material covered.

Recommendation

A good book but the first part was much better than the second.

My First Bible

Background

My wife’s parents found a book they gave her when she was 4 years old. It is called, “My First Bible” and there are apparently a million of books with the same title. This version was a very quick read with only about 80 pages or so. Between the old and new testaments is a place for your family genealogy and there is a picture of my then 4 year old wife getting the book.

My First Bible
My First Bible

My Thoughts

First, it is amazing this book survived wherever it had been hiding. It was with her parents and they moved a few years ago. Second, it was fantastic to head the stories and have some connection with the book. I found the stories to be generalized and appropriate for an elementary school child. The author(s) did a great job with the stories and taking the appropriate lessons from them.

Recommendation

A great piece of my personal family’s history.

The Librarian of Crooked Lane

Background

Published in September 2022, “The Librarian of Crooked Lane,” is a novel about the life of a young girl who became a librarian in a prestigious library. She discovers more about herself through the books around her and the people she meets in a world of order and reason but also of magic.

The Librarian of Crooked Lane
The Librarian of Crooked Lane

My Thoughts

I really had a hard time getting through this book. The technology is contemporary yet the magic is there for some reason… Honestly, just pushed through hoping it would get better.

Recommendation

Skip this one.

Crazy Rich Asians

Background

Published in 2013, “Crazy Rich Asians” is a novel written by Kevin Kwan. The book follows the story of Rachel Chu, a Chinese-American professor, who accompanies her boyfriend, Nick Young, to Singapore for a wedding and discovers that he belongs to one of the wealthiest and most influential families in Asia. As Rachel navigates the opulent and cutthroat world of Singapore’s elite, she must contend with jealous socialites, family drama, and the overpowering expectations of Nick’s formidable mother. This satirical and witty novel offers a glimpse into the extravagant lifestyles and social hierarchies of Asia’s ultra-rich while exploring themes of love, identity, and family.

Crazy Rich Asians
Crazy Rich Asians

My Thoughts

This book has been showing up in my searches for years. I finally gave up and read it. It wasn’t great but it wasn’t terrible either. I later learned there was a movie made about it.

The overall plot didn’t seem very likely and most of the characters had the morality of an episode of “The Bachelor”. The main character seemed like a female version of the husband on “I Dream of Genie” in that they never wanted any part of any special treatment, money, and so on. I’m glad I read it so I know what it is about but I don’t need any more of it.

Recommendation

I won’t be continuing the series.

Simply Lies

Background

Published in April of 2023, “Simply Lies” is a stand alone crime thriller by David Baldacci. The story follows a single mom and former detective ‘Mickey Gibson’ who has let herself go while trying to find the balance between her personal and professional life.

She works at home for ProEye, a global investigation company that specializes in finding proof of white collar crime and hidden assets. Gibson receives a call from what she believes to be her working peer and hurries out to what she believes is a simple cataloging task. However, she quickly finds herself brought into a murder and becomes a suspect.

Now she must solve the crime while running for her life and the life of her family.

Simply Lies
Simply Lies

My Thoughts

This was a dumb book. It was a well written dumb book but still wasn’t worth the time to anyone who takes a step back to think about the basic plot. She had no reason to involve herself in almost any of the circumstances and, as a former cop, would have known to better on several occasions. This book did hold my attention but was full of the almost campy mystery tropes. (E.g. Secret rooms, completely random clues that make no sense, and just plain dumb people.)

Recommendation

Skip this one.