Jenn

I'm new to Tyler Cowen and his writing, so this whole book was a 🤯 read for me, but other reviews say it's similar to his previous books. I have loads of highlights throughout the book, but the parts about the US being more segregated than ever really surprised me, as well as his culprit: our current matching culture.

This is one I'll revisit and chew on for awhile. Despite the downer content, I loved this book.

Refreshing, empowering, and stoic are some of the first words that come to mind after reading this book. I'm already implementing some of the practices and thinking critically about what digital philosophy I want to have to guide how I use my phone and social media. I used Libby to borrow it from the library, but I think this will be one that I buy a physical copy of for reference. I love the mix of research, experience, philosophy, and practical application.

This would have been 5 stars but I found the book structure awkward and the transitions clunky which impacted the reading experience for me. Also, I don't usually make a note of it, but at some point it became noticeable to me and I found myself wondering if he really was just only going to reference men. Some women do show up eventually, but he could have tried a little harder to avoid predominantly focusing on men in his research and case studies.

Overall I found this book very valuable and would highly recommend if you're feeling exhausted, don't know where your time goes, and literal dust has built up on the things you find joy in.

Amazing idea for a book, but I wish it was a different story. I had a hard time connecting with the characters, the one I liked the most was a man, funnily enough. Some parts were boring and I definitely forced myself to keep going and push through. I really wanted to like it, but it just never clicked for me.

It was so good and I'm really excited to read more of this author's work. She hits on so many deep and heavy topics that, on paper, feels like too much for any one book to tackle, but the author made it work in a very engaging way. It's an incredible story with every character being likable and detestable at various points. I loved it and couldn't put it down.

I really really loved this book. It's so much more than a “weight loss” book, the title is very apt. Will be picking it up in book form so I can study it closer (read it as an audiobook- the narrator was good!) there are so many good tips and work to do, i can tell I'll be coming back to it again and again.

Wow, this was such a good story. It took me a little while to get into it, I'd say the first 20% was toughest because I had no idea what was happening (I was told I didn't need to read the first 3 books but maybe the world is already built up and you're familiar if you read them?) From then on I enjoyed it but the second half of the book I literally couldn't put it down and read it in an afternoon.

I highly recommend this book if you like Sci-fi, world building, and great journey type of books. This is a very good one!

I loved the illustrations. It's a quick read (even at nearly 600 pages) but the illustrations will slow you way down, definitely to be savored. There was some beautiful writing and it made me feel quiet, dreamy, and a little melancholy. But for all the closeness and detail we got about the two week trip, my problem with the book is what the author chose to glaze over. Being abused by his babysitter, how his relationship with his brother disintegrates, how he loses his faith, and why he burns Raina out of his life so suddenly and completely. It was frustrating to get to the end and realize that all those threads would just be left unfinished.

I was going to read the Likeness (the second book) but wanted to read them in order and picked up this one instead. Feels like I wasted my time.

It's pretty to read in some parts but super unsatisfying. If the book was cut in half and only focused on the Katy Devlin murder it would have been 4 stars, quicker to get through, interesting, and satisfying. The style of writing where it cuts from being in the story to the main (super unlikeable) character talking at you from the future was confusing and not necessary at all. Two stars because I did finish it, enjoyed the prose, and learned some new words, but I'd skip it.

There's definitely some beauty and insight here, but you have to work to get to it. It's wrapped in layers and layers of bubble wrap and wadded up newspaper to protect and expand it - pages of fluff. I appreciate Gilbert's sentiment and excitement, it's worth the read, but be prepared for some cringe-y cheese and cliches.

While the main character was annoying, she also felt real and did illogical and dumb things that a real human would do. Can't knock that. I loved the message of this book and plays out a hypothesis that I've had: Aliens or some force outside of our planet will be the only thing to unite us. Even in the book it barely worked. :/

I love the Green brothers, so I'm maybe biased with my 4 stars. I really enjoyed it, though!