Published in 2003, Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers is an exploration of just about everything dealing with the dead, or at least dead humans. This is the book that started Mary Roach on the path of several 1 word titled books on very specific subjects; Spook, Bonk, Gulp, and Grunt. She threw in “Packing for Mars” in 2008, I’m assuming, just to spice things up.
Stiff
My Thoughts
The author has a playful sense of humor which comes out in her style of writing. It feels like she had a lot of fun writing the book and I enjoyed reading it. I was surprised that it was written in 2003 as several of the facts presented seemed a lot more contemporary.
Published in October of 2018, just a few months after the author’s death, Brief Answers to Big Questions is a book from one of the most recognizable scientists of our time. Hawking shares his thoughts on; Space, AI, Power, Gene Editing, Earth, God, and others along with what made him famous, Black Holes.
Brief Answers to the Big Questions
My Thoughts
I didn’t know what to think about this one. However, I’m glad I read it. I enjoyed his view on a number of subjects and I thought he treated them with respect I hadn’t seen in some of his past writing. Most of the subject matter has been covered again and again but this work took them slowly and methodically as opposed to some quick sound bites.
Scientist and Opra star Dr. Indre Viskontas, shares her knowledge in a series of 24 lectures about science. Her upbeat and detailed lecture style helps the subject matter become more accessible and entertaining to learners. Published in 2014, these lectures go a step further than most classrooms.
12 Essential Scientific Concepts
My Thoughts
This was a very well done lecture series. I consider myself to be fairly well versed in the basics of science. Yet, I found myself lost from time to time as she went a little deeper than I had heard before.
Some concepts need time to sink in and work through. I believe I went too fast through this lecture to really get everything out of it. It did spark some interest to go back some of the chemistry and theoretical physics which I haven’t refreshed in some time. I found myself very rusty in these concepts.
Published in 2013, Gulp is just under 400 pages detailing the trip food makes through a human and the stops in between.
Gulp
My Thoughts
Mary Roach is an engaging writer who makes snarky comments as she goes about her descriptions. In short, I enjoyed it. The subject matter wasn’t as new to me as perhaps I was expecting. There were some side information like Elvis’s colon which I hadn’t hear but that wasn’t really what I came for. Still, I felt the book was well done and I enjoyed it.
Published in 2014, this 94 page book talks about; relativity, quantum mechanics, the architecture of the cosmos, elementary particles, quantum gravity, black holes and how we fit in.
Seven Brief Lessons on Physics
My Thoughts
This book went by in a flash. The science part was good but I could have done without the narrative toward the end.
This is a book about coping with Attention Deficit Disorder both as a child and as an adult.
You Mean I’m Not Lazy Stupid or Crazy
My Thoughts
This book was a little hard to get through in that it assumes the reader to have A.D.D. I have not be diagnosed with it nor do I expect to be. However, it is interesting to see where the author took the book and what was important.
This is the story of the first organized clandestine attempt against George Washington. It centers in the mid 1770’s New York as Washington is just establishing himself and his army. Many want him to fail but only a few have the money and resources to do much about it.
The First Conspiracy
My Thoughts
This book was a very interesting read. I really didn’t know that much about the revolutionary army. I knew they weren’t largely professional and were out manned and out gunned. We have been geographically blessed in that there is a whole ocean between us and Europe. I can only imagine what the English thought of us at that time.
The book had the feel of being well researched and well thought out. The author did a great job about letting the reader know where and when we have evidence and what is speculation. It seems the author used multiple sources and spent a great deal of time researching what went on and paid attention to who was talking and why they would have written what they wrote. All of these are markers of a quality work.
The book is written firmly from the perspective of the patriots. There were some instances where a behavior was pointed out as “shocking” or something similar where it seemed totally reasonable if you look from the perspective of the other side. If someone is loyal to England, of course they would work against, what they would consider, the radical upstarts who are taking over and running amok. Of course, the English appointed governor would try just about anything he could to undermine the new organization which just kicked him out. These things aren’t shocking.
Susan Orlean’s “The Library Book” released in Oct of 2018 details the goings on of the Los Angeles Central Library and centers a great deal on the fire of 1986. She also expands on what a library was, is and may become in the not to distant future.
The Library Book
My Thoughts
The Library Book was a somewhat dry informative read with a lot of possibility. Perfect for the topic! There is a more than a hint of the flavor of Southern California in the pages and a lot of reminders of when I used to work for a software company who catered to libraries and librarians.
Recommendation
A good read if you have interest in the subject matter.
Blink is a book on the power of the unconscious mind and its impact on your everyday life. Published in 2005, Malcolm Gladwell teaches us that we can teach and even learn from that great machine in our heads.
Blink
My Thoughts
My thoughts is my normal convention but it seems a bit ironic here. As a psychology grad, I’ve learned a bit about priming and how we can be influenced by things we do not consciously perceive. That’s a bit of a terrifying thought when I stop to think about it.
We tend to think we are in control of most of our experiences. We aren’t. That’s hard on the pride. Still, there is a great deal we can influence and we are free to make choices. Our creator gave us that right. It stands to reason we should be as clear minded about what lay before us so we can make reasonable choices based on the information we are given.
All that said, it is a confounding principle to know that sometimes there is too much information. Too many choices are paralyzing and won’t let us move forward. It’s tempting to just flip a coin and call it a day… But that wouldn’t be very responsible would it?
Recommendation
It’s a bit of pop psychology that I think everyone would enjoy as long as they can keep things in perspective.
The Money Management great courses series by Professor Michael Finke provides a comprehensive overview of personal finance and investing. With his engaging teaching style and real-world examples, Finke covers topics ranging from budgeting and debt management to stocks and bonds, retirement planning, and estate planning. The course is accessible to beginners, yet also provides valuable insights for more experienced investors. Finke’s emphasis on creating a personalized financial plan and his emphasis on the importance of considering risk and uncertainty in investment decisions are particularly valuable takeaways from the series.
Money Management Skills
My Thoughts
This course was so good, I listened to it 3 times. Everyone should know a little bit about personal finance and Professor Finke does a great job of making a difficult subject relatable.
Recommendation
It was very worth the time and effort I put into it.
