It was supposed to be an inside look at what really goes on at hotels. I was expecting a book like Anthony Bourdain’s Kitchen Confidential, but it was not to be. This book was mostly juvenile stories involving uninteresting characters. When the author talks about how hotels really operate, how to get upgrades, how you can always dispute minibar charges…
Quick Book Review: “Phenomena: The Secret History of the U.S. Government’s Investigations into Extrasensory Perception and Psychokinesis” by Annie Jacobsen.
There are many biographies of Lou Reed out there, but people say that this one is the best. (I’ve read one other; I have three more on my bookshelf.) DeCurtis is amazingly comprehensive, chronicling every phase of Lou’s life, personally and musically, with many fascinating and insightful stories. It also goes into detail about Lou’s bisexuality, something other books tend…
This is Yoshimoto’s 13th novel, and I’ve read them all. She has a simple, light and fluffy style that I know is a bit lightweight, but I don’t care. This book, like all of hers, is filled with quirky but relatable characters, and even when she introduces something weird or ridiculous, it just doesn’t matter. I like her dreamy little…
This author has been getting a lot of hype, and now I understand why. An amazing novel. Poignant, powerful writing, with amazingly vivid characters. Set in Mississippi, it paints an unforgettable image of the south, the poor, jail, drugs, sickness, ghosts, and family dynamics. The writing is pure poetry. One of the best novels I’ve read in recent memory. I’m…
I’ve read all of Sedaris’s books (except his diary, from two years ago). He was on quite a streak, with Naked, Me Talk Pretty One Day, and Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim. All were hilarious. Then he came out with Squirrel Meets Chipmunk and Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls, and they weren’t very funny at all. They were…
The title of this book is much more compelling than the book itself. The author hails from Silicon Valley, and his philosophizing about the evils of social media, while they make sense, ring a bit hollow to me. Really nothing earth shattering about his list of reasons. Too much jargon, too much fake philosophy for me. I do think he’s…
Most veterinarians know Peter Singer from his books In Defense of Animals, and Animal Liberation. His interests, however, go beyond animal welfare, and he has written many books and essays on ethics, poverty, and morality. This book is a collection of essays that cover a broad range of topics, from vegetarianism and veganism to cloning, climate change, euthanasia, and religion. …
An interesting novel, but a bit disjointed and confusing. Like the book All The Light We Cannot See, there are two parallel stories going on, with each chapter bouncing between two very different worlds. Eventually, we see how the two stories relate to each other. They don’t merge, but they come close. There’s a lot of symbolism involving cats and…
I always admired Barney Frank for his dedication, intelligence, and wit. This autobiography details very candidly the personal and legislative struggles, setbacks, and victories that Frank experienced in his long tenure in politics. An excellent insight into behind-the-scenes politics.
A novel about a huge anti-globalization protest on the streets of Seattle that turns unexpectedly violent. I think it was written with millennials in mind, as it brings to mind the Occupy Wall Street protests from a few years ago. There are complicated relationships amongst some of the police officers, and between the chief of police and the protesters (one…
I’ve been a fan for years (mainly as S&G, although I like his solo stuff as well). I figure he’s led a pretty interesting life, so let’s take a look. The book is a well-written journey through Paul Simon’s Brooklyn and Queens childhood; his musical career, from his first recordings with Art Garfunkel as Tom and Jerry, through all of…
Nicely summarizes the reasoning behind Buddhist thought, in a clear and concise way, and explains how mindfulness meditation (which I’ve gotten into over the last year) can lead to (potentially) inner peace and harmony, and a clearer understanding of yourself and the world. I think this book explains it better than any other book I’ve read.
Books I read in 2015
Books I Read in 2012