Non-Fiction – Page 15 – Ryan's Book Blog

The Body Keeps the Score

August 27, 2022 by Ryan Leave a Comment

Background

Published in 2014, The Body Keeps the Score is a book on the impacts and potential healing methods for people dealing with psychological trauma.

My Thoughts

Given the subject matter, I was very interested due to who I work with on a daily basis. My thoughts were that if I could better understand what these warfighters were dealing with the better I could communicate with them. I’d say the book gave me some things to think about but nothing is ever really definitive.

The biggest take away for me was the over reliance on pharmaceuticals in this country. (And this was from when before the pandemic…) I am generally blown away with how much we trust in our little pills to take care of everything. I’m also so tired of doctors pushing services and then charging as much and more than insurance allows. I remember when I was going to college and didn’t have dental insurance. It’s amazing what changes when they realize they won’t get paid for the extras. “Mr. Bair, you need to have a panoramic xray!” My reply, “Well, I’m not paying for it.” They go conference for a bit with dentist and then come back. “Oh ok, we don’t need to do it…”

I neglected to look at the publication date till after I was finished with the book. That’s fun in the sense of the things that still haven’t come to general acceptance over 8 years later. We are still doing the same stupid things…

Recommendation

A little dry but a good read in general.

Non Obvious

August 23, 2022 by Ryan Leave a Comment

Background

Published in March of 2015, Rohit Bhargava published the book Non Obvious as a help to spot trends and make sense of the world around us.

My Thoughts

This book was on the CMC Professional Reading Program of 2020 and I’ve been working my way through the list. However, I think it is time for this book to leave it. While it had some utility in how to build and curate your thoughts, I didn’t see what it had to do with anything relating to the Marines.

The book is also 7 years out of date so it was interesting to hear what he thought would be a big deal 7 years ago. We still haven’t paid different prices for newly released material, Venmo has stayed with us, and so on.

Recommendation

Sadly, seven years is too long a break for this book to be relevant.

Overdue

August 19, 2022 by Ryan Leave a Comment

Background

Published in March of 2020, Overdue was represented as a book on libraries. However, it really just boiled down to one young woman’s 9 months in a DC public library.

I was really disappointed in this book. It was really just non-stop whining and complaining about the author’s life and her issues. It also included every buzz term we hear these days regarding any and every group that isn’t white and male.

She spends all of 9 months in a library in Washington DC and feels like she is qualified to throw rocks at the system. Of course, she has no alternatives. She has no solutions. She just has her entitlement and “confirmed PTSD” because she had to interact with the public. So like all of her contemporary social warrior peers, she gets as far away as she can from the problem (literally moving to California) and starts writing about the problem with her perception of the world.

Of course, she is offended on behalf of the people she is championing while simultaneously ignoring their opinions and getting as much distance from them as possible.

I kept hoping there would be some resolution, some moment when she understands how ridiculous she is but it never came.

Yes, there are problems in the world. (That isn’t a surprise.) If you want to impress me, have an idea of how it would be better and do something about it. Tell me what would be better and really think through how that would be possible.

Everybody Lies

July 22, 2022 by Ryan Leave a Comment

Background

Published in 2017, Everybody Lies is an attempt to understand people through “big data,” specifically through internet searches. The author makes the point that people lie on surveys and even to themselves. However, they don’t lie when they are searching for what they want on the net.

My Thoughts

This was a fun concept and the author did a great job with his arguments. He makes several references and jabs that show he left leaning political stance but I believe he did a fair job with the conclusions from data he presented.

Of course, you can lie with data pretty easily and I have some quibbles with some of the generalizations made through some of the datasets but there is bias in everyone.

Recommendation

I really enjoyed the book and I keep bringing it up in conversation so it must of had an impact.

Becoming Dr. Seuss

July 20, 2022 by Ryan Leave a Comment

Background

Published in 2019, Becoming Dr. Seuss is the biography of Theodor Geisel who is much more widely known as Dr. Seuss. This biography takes him from birth to death and explains how he became possibly the best known children’s author.

My Thoughts

I think we all know a little about Dr. Seuss and I grew up loving “How the Grinch Stole Christmas.” However, I knew next to nothing about his time at Dartmouth, in the Army, or what he was trying to accomplish as an author. I definitely didn’t know his first wife committed suicide and it was likely due to the affair he was having at the time. Other surprising notes was he made the rank of LtCol in the Army and really got his start in children’s books at the University of Utah where he was teaching a class.

Recommendation

It took me a while to get through it but enjoyed the book.

Franklin and Washington

July 8, 2022 by Ryan Leave a Comment

Background

Published in February of 2020, Franklin and Washington: The Founding Partnership, is the biography and comparison and contrast of our founding fathers George Washington and Benjamin Franklin.

My Thoughts

A very enjoyable read and a novel approach to subject matter that has been well documented. I really enjoyed the comparisons and the narrative of the relationship between these two men.

Recommendation

Worth the time to read. Great book.

Killing Crazy Horse

July 7, 2022 by Ryan Leave a Comment

Background

Published in September of 2020, Killing Crazy Horse is the history of several notable native Americans (e.g. Sitting Bull, Chief Joseph, Cochise, Black Hawk, Red Cloud) and the Indian Wars through the 1800’s.

My Thoughts

The author has a very distinctive style of getting right to the point that I enjoy. I feel this book did a great job of staying out of the commentary and just went for the facts, as well as can be known.

This was an embarrassing time for our country. I believe most people really tried to do the right thing and there were stories of people on both sides we really tried to make a lasting peace. However, there was so much confusion and prejudice it all just kept falling apart. Hopefully, we can all learn from this tragic time.

Recommendation

Great read.

You Never Forget Your First

July 6, 2022 by Ryan Leave a Comment

Background

Published in February of 2020, You Never Forget Your First is a biography of our first President, George Washington.

My Thoughts

The author seriously needs to get over herself. When she wasn’t trying to show how different she is, she made some good observations. However, so much time was spent trying to establish how different she was like this quote to the New York Times, “It’s a biography. Like a man would write.” (Congratulations! You aren’t a man. However, that’s not why I’m reading this book.) Unfortunately, this discredited the author in my eyes and I was primed to look for the usual revisionist tripe that is so trendy these days.

Yes, we know he didn’t cut down the cherry tree. Yes, we know it is impossible to throw a dollar across the Potomac. Yes, we know he had slaves and treated them like slaves. These aren’t revelations. These are cited again and again by biographers who didn’t have the need to tell us how amazing it is that someone from California and a woman would have the audacity to write a biography on a white man. (We don’t care who you are!)

Recommendation

Skip this one.

When Reagan Sent in the Marines

July 5, 2022 by Ryan Leave a Comment

Background

Published in December of 2019, “When Reagan Sent in the Marines” by Patrick J. Sloyan is an account of the 1983 bombing of the US Marine barracks in Beirut, Lebanon, and the subsequent deployment of US troops as part of a multinational peacekeeping force in Lebanon. The book chronicles the political and military decisions made by the Reagan administration, as well as the experiences of the troops on the ground in Beirut. Sloyan draws on his extensive reporting from the region, as well as interviews with key players involved in the events, to provide an analysis of US foreign policy. He also sheds light on the complex and often fraught relationships between the US, Israel, and various factions within Lebanon, which continue to shape the region today.

My Thoughts

I started reading this book to keep up on my professional understanding of the Marines and history in general. I found it difficult to keep myself moving through it as it wasn’t particularly gripping for me. The author didn’t pull any punches on President Reagon and how he handled the situation. It made me wonder the back story of the author and if this was a propaganda piece. Unfortunately, I don’t know much else about the tragedy in Beirut and will have to find some other histories to build up that knowledge. This book definitely gave me some things to think about.

Recommendation

It wasn’t a gripping read but made me want to learn more.

Beyond Order

July 4, 2022 by Ryan Leave a Comment

Background

Published in March of 2021, “Beyond Order: 12 More Rules for Life” is the sequel to Jordan Peterson’s bestselling book, 12 Rules for Life. In this book, Peterson offers twelve new principles for navigating the complexities of life and finding meaning in a rapidly changing world. Drawing on a wide range of sources, including psychology, philosophy, and religion, Peterson explores topics such as the importance of responsibility, the dangers of ideologues, and the role of creativity in human flourishing. He also delves into personal experiences, including his struggles with addiction and his journey to recovery. Throughout the book, Peterson emphasizes the importance of individual agency and the need to take responsibility for one’s own life, while also acknowledging the challenges and limitations that we all face.

My Thoughts

I really enjoyed this book and, in particular, the reasons for fidelity in marriage and the defense of existing institutions. Dr. Peterson gives such a great argument for following these rules that it becomes hard to argue the point.

Recommendation

Great book. Worth multiple reads.