Dylan
Part autobiography, part practical guide and partly a permission slip for you to go write. An honest and unexpectedly inspiring read
Less of a book about aesthetics and more about the Japanese appreciation for nuance and the beauty of transience/time (which is most easily expressed through talking about the visual, I guess). Tanizaki crafts compelling arguments rooted in history/reality rather than abstract philosophical argument, but I can't help feel that his undercurrent of disdain and condescension sours his praise a little. You can appreciate the difference in tastes (western vs Japanese) without putting the other side down.
800 pages flew by much faster than I expected - Rare that you get an author that so deftly balanaces such a hefty amount of world building with great pacing and characters. Jumping straight into Book #2, A Clash of Kings.
Feels like a warmup to the themes that East of Eden goes into with much more depth. Not a bad novella by any means though
Not as strong a set of short stories as his later collection (Exhalation), but still interesting what-if scenarios playing on bibilical/theistic and scifi concepts
An engaging insight into the psyche of a professional tennis player and Agassi's formative years. Can't help but feel a lot of the emotions and feelings are dramatised/imagined in hindsight though, and the way he talks down about other players rubs me the wrong way in some parts
A book with intermittent sparks of engaging storytelling, bogged down by tons of masturbatory exposition on his insights and philosophical references (what an intellectual!). Not a great storyteller but I slogged through because the stories of the patients themselves were fascinating. Three stars.
A quick read - Dry, absurd humour that still occasionally makes you think about the ultimate answer to Life, The Universe, and Everything (and surprises you when you catch yourself doing so).
A (partly) fictional retelling of how some real-world mathematicians and scientists came across their discoveries which reshaped or otherwise shed light on concepts foundational to humanity.
Still not sure how I feel about this book - while well written, I often got fixated on figuring out what was truth and what was dramatized or outright fiction. If you can look past that easily, this would be an excellent read.
Feels like reading a children's book, in the best way. No tension and ambles forward at a comforting pace throughout.
An accessible and engaging dive into the sensory world of the creatures around us. Backed up by great research and the author does a great job at using our own sensory universe as a comparison against the animals around us.
Speculative science fiction about time travel and the philosophy of dealing with a simulated reality, written using interconnected vignettes. I get the appeal but something just felt clumsy about the execution.
An amazing love letter to science, discovery, and spirit. Do yourself a favour and go into this blind. Has just become the best science fiction book I've ever read.
A tale of trauma and disassociation with a little bit of black comedy in the mix. Without spoiling too much (really benefits from going in blind), this is all at once terrifying, gripping and a ruthless examination of society.
A harrowing account of the trauma and injustice faced by Chanel Miller not only in the criminal court, but also in the public arena, even in anonymity.
It also brings to light the unfair burden of evidence and effort required to get a shred of justice and closure - thus forcing survivors to relive the assault for an extended amount of time.
Chanel also highlights how victims have their qualities be put under the magnifying glass by defendants, almost insinuating that they were ‘asking for it' or deserved what happened.
The only criticism was that the back quarter of the book felt a little meandering/filler-y for my taste, but that in no way takes away from the gravity and value of Chanel's account.
An approachable introduction to Greek mythology. He wrangles the tangled web of stories and tales into a (mostly) coherent narrative, but retells it with a bit of creative liberty seasoned with Fry's trademark wry humour. Almost feels like reading an abridged parody version of a religious text, but that makes it all the more engaging.
Maybe it was a mistake for me to read this without a break right after Dune, but there was a jarring tonal shift from the first book to this sequel. As always, the interaction and dialogue between characters are full of intrigue and fascination, but the book is broken up by a lot of meandering which kills the pace somewhat. Still a great cautionary tale of messiahs, religion and power, but I need a break from the series.
A cerebral piece of writing that weaves scifi with religion, politics and espionage more deftly than any other work I've read. Herbert also does a great job of peeling back the construct of mythology and legend and showing the power that they hold over a society. The fact that the book is also written partly like a religious text adds a lot to the atmosphere of the book. While the pacing occasionally struggles, it is more than made up for by the world building and the intricacy of the dialogue between characters. 4/5.
Thought I was smart and then the epilogue humbled me. Great pacing and an enjoyable read
Educated reminds me why I love memoirs; they let you peer into experiences that you would otherwise never have known the existence of. Set against the backdrop is of a deeply religious survivalist family, Tara beautifully paints the story of her childhood, with all its horrifying and yet, somehow endearing moments laid bare for the reader. At the same time, she also weaves a deeper story of the pain and trauma and internalized guilt of simultaneously loving her family and wanting to escape the chokehold of a bipolar father and volatile household. A really great read.