Never Eat Alone

Title: never eat alone

Author: Keith Ferrazzi

Pages: 6 discs?

Genre: Self-help

Grade: F

Synopsis: Ferrazi postulates that the key to success in both life and work is building solid relationships that you can fall back on in the future for favors and help.You must maintain constant contact with all of your friends and associates who matter to you so that you can rely on them for help in a pinch.

My Review: First off, I've got to come clean and admit that I didn't actually finish this book.  It's been a long time since I haven't finished a book that I've started, but I simply couldn't stand this one.  I made it about 1/3 of the way through before I decided not to suffer through anymore of this rubbish.  My biggest complaint is not necessarily with the material (although I'm not swooning over the ideas in this book like many readers) but my complaint is with the self-righteous writing style and over-the-top braggadocio that was just too much for me to handle.If you want to hear about how cool Mr. Ferrazzi is, then I've got the book for you...

The Story of Mankind

Title: The Story of Mankind

Author: Hendrik Willem van Loon

Pages: 579

Genre: Non-fiction, Newbery Award

Grade: B-

Synopsis: This book was awarded the first Newbery Medal in 1922.  It covers world history from the very first men on the earth to our present day (even though the book was written over 90 years ago, it has been updated to include WWII, sputnik and other more recent developments in world history).  The book was written within the paradigm of the early 20th century, so much has changed since then in how we understand the world and human history.  Loon's writing style is very light-hearted and easy to read and the book includes numerous original pen illustrations for many of the topics discussed.  If it were more current, it would be a good world history primer for an early Jr. High student, but at this point, we know far more about our past than is included in this book.

My Review: I enjoyed parts of this book and I learned quite a bit (especially about European history in the dark and middle ages), but overall it was a struggle to get through.  It doesn't really compare to any of the other Newbery Medal books that I've read in the past because it is so different from all of them.  Trim it down from nearly 600 pages and make it more current and it could turn out to be a classic.

President Reagan

Title: President Reagan

Author: Richard Reeves

Pages: 592

Genre: Biography

Grade: B+

Synopsis: This was the first biography published about President Reagan after his death in 2004 and approximately the 901st biography written about him since his presidency.  Reeves has previously written biographies of Presidents Kennedy and Nixon.  This book takes the strategy of going through the daily comings and goings in the oval office and describing the President's schedule throughout his presidency.  The biography doesn't cover Reagan's life before the presidency nor does it cover his life following the presidency.

My Review: This book was certainly a definitive look at the Reagan Presidency, although I would have really liked to have learned more about the man Reagan growing up, acting and then getting into the political scene in California.  Although, this book at 592 pages and something like 20 cds was long enough as it was.  It is my opinion that all US Presidents are geniuses in one way or another.  Reagan had the uncanny ability to get people to do what he wanted.  He was always well liked, but never really had an exceptional grasp of what was going on in the country as a whole.  He would go down to the oval office between 8:30 and 9:00 AM and then return to the residence around 5:00 PM each day and finish the day watching the television.  Rarely did he work longer hours than that.  His schedule as president was generally dictated by his wife Nancy, who would consult her astronomer before approving any travels out of the District.  While Reagan ran the country, she wore the pants in their relationship.  Lastly, Reagonomics (or at least my interpretation of the description and analysis given in this book) seems like a total bust.  The math just never added up and Reagan was always so concerned about giving tax breaks to the rich (including himself)) at the expense of the poor and those at the bottom of the social ladder.  An enjoyable read, I love learning about the leaders of this great country.

Pope Joan

Title: Pope Joan

Author: Donna Woolfolk Cross

Pages: 422

Genre: Historical Fiction

Grade: A-

Synopsis: Nobody really knows whether or not Pope Joan actually existed.  She was born more than a millennium ago and had an unquenchable thirst for knowledge, but at the time girls were not allowed to study and learn.  When her brother is killed by marauding Vikings, she takes up his cloak and identity and enters training in the monastery at Fulda.  From then on, her genius, compassion and abilities took her to Rome, where eventually she was elected as the Supreme Pontiff.

My Review: I love books like this that take a story from the dark ages and bring it to life injecting details and storylines.  Based on what I've read about Pope Joan, I believe that she actually existed in history and even sat on the throne of St. Peter for a time.  All of the other details from the book are completely fiction, and are generally believeable, but there are some that are a bit of a stretch.

Delusion

Title: Delusion

Author: Peter Abrahams

Pages: 297

Genre: Thriller, Mystery

Grade: B

Synopsis: Nell Jarreau witnessed the murder of her boyfriend and was able to finger the killer from a police lineup and he was sent to spend his life in prison.  After twenty years, additional evidence surfaces that exonerates the convicted killer Alvin DuPree.  Nell can hardly live with the guilt of sending an innocent man to prison and her sweet, caring husband is no help as he was the detective in the original case and has no desire to unearth the past.

My Review: The story was based on an interesting premise and the storyline jumped between Nell Jarreau and the falsely convicted felon Alvin DuPree which kept things interesting as the story unfolded.  I had no big complaints about the book.  The story wasn't predictable and there weren't too many unexpected twists and turns.  I would pick up another book by Abrahams in the future. (Edit: As I was typing in the labels for this post I realized this is the second book by Abrahams that I have read.)

A Tale of Two Cities

Title: A Tale of Two Cities

Author: Charles Dickens

Pages: 382

Genre: Fiction, Classic

Grade: B

Synopsis: The book starts in the year 1775 leading up to the French Revolution, which began in 1789.  The book starts with Dr. Manette being released from the Bastille prison, where he was falsely held to cover up a rape and murder more than 18 year before.  His daughter comes to Paris to escort him home before the story turns to the gentlemen courting his daughters, the brutality of the French aristocrats and the frenzy of the revolution.

My Review: This is a hard book to summarize as there is a lot that goes on in this book.  At times it was hard to follow and at other times the story was exciting.  I think this is a book that I would enjoy more after a second reading.

Microtrends

Title: microtrends - the small forces behind tomorrow's big changes

Author: Mark J. Penn with Kinney Zalesne

Pages: 480

Genre: Non-fiction

Grade: A-

Synopsis: The basic premise of this book is that small trends can spark a social movement, create a new market for a business or effect political changes.  By keeping a close eye on the smaller trends that previously have gone unnoticed or ignored, you can better cater to a targeted audience.  Mark Penn helped Bill Clinton win re-election by having him focus on the "soccer moms" to effect political change.  Some of the microtrends that he discusses range from gay marriage to young knitters.

My Review: I really enjoyed this book and found it to be very interesting.  I love picking up a book where I feel like I'm learning something new on every page.  If you ever wanted to start a business or get ideas to expand a current business, then this book could by very helpful.  I think that microtrends will continue to play a part in the future.

One False Note (The 39 Clues #2)

Title: One False Note (The 39 Clues Book Two)

Author: Gordon Korman

Pages: 160

Genre: Children's Fiction

Grade: B

Synopsis: Amy, Dan and their au pair Nellie Gomez are on their way to Vienna, Austria to search for more clues.  At the end of the last book they had found some sheet music written by Mozart which led them to Vienna.  As they continue their adventure through Salzburg and then onto Venice they are continually racing against the other family members as they try to be the first to solve the puzzle.

My Review: Once again, this was an easy enjoyable read.  It's interesting to have the different books in the series written by different authors.  I'm intrigued by how this will impact and change throughout the rest of the series.

The Card

Title: The Card: Collectors, Con Men, And the True Story of History's Most Desired Baseball Card

Authors: Michael O'Keefe & Teri Thompson

Pages: 272

Genre: Non-Fiction

Grade: A-

Synopsis: The Card, also known as the Gretzky T206 Honus Wagner is worth millions today.  This book tracks the card from its printing in about 1909 through its mysterious history up into the 2000s.  Only a few dozen T206 Wagners are known to exist and most of them show the marks of their history with creases, stains, tears and other imperfections that a century can wreak on a piece of cardboard. Only the Gretzky T206 Honus Wagner card appears to have defied the test of time, with its crisp edges, vivid colors and stiff cardboard, so named because at one point even Wayne Gretzky owned the card for a period of time. The card was first discovered in the late 1980's and through a series of sells and purchases, its value skyrocketed from a few thousand dollars to a couple million dollars.  Intertwined throughout the story of The Card, is a history of baseball card collecting through the ages.

My Review: I didn't know too much about the Gretzky T206 Honus Wagner card before I read this book, beyond that it existed as my experience with card collecting only spanned a few packs during a couple years when I was 8 and 9 (Although I do have a complete Topps set of the 1990 Cincinnati Reds World Champions! But, that's all I have...). I love books that take a topic that I never would have considered reading about and make a book out of it that I can't put down.  This is a book that I tried to get at our local library for a couple years (they don't have a copy), before finally buying a cheap lightly used copy on Amazon.com.  

What is the What

Title: What is the What

Author: Dave Eggers

Pages: 560

Genre: Autobiography (classified as fiction)

Grade: B+

Synopsis: This is the autobiography of Valentino Achak Deng, one of the Lost Boys of Sudan who was forced to leave his home, village and family when he was 7 years old and civil war broke out in Sudan.  He trekked with many other young boys across Sudan by foot all while being pursued by government bombers, rebel groups and militias and wild animals.  They first temporarily settled in a refugee camp in Ethiopia before being forced out once again and finally settled in a more permanent refugee camp in Northern Kenya.  After many years, Achak was resettled in the United States, where he found freedom along with a myriad of other challenges. Deng and Eggers classified their book as fiction as many of the stories and experiences took place when Deng was very young and while they believe they are true and reliable, they are still subject to the years of Achak's memory.

My Review: This is one of those books that is both hard to put down and hard to continue.  The stories are fascinating while at the same time they are heart-wrenching and disturbing.  I felt especially sad that I was so unfamiliar with the plight of the Sudanese Lost Boys and the violence of the long civil war in that country.  More recently the genocide in Darfur has been in the news and to a large extent it is a continuation of the same violence that started many years ago in South Sudan (which finally gained independence in 2011).

The Very Best of the Feynman Lectures

Title: The Very Best of the Feynman Lectures

Author: Richard P. Feynman

Pages: 6 discs

Genre: Physics, Non-Fiction

Grade: B+

Synopsis: Richard Feynman is one of the more famous modern physicists.  He was a long-time professor and lecturer at UC Berkeley and his lectures have long served as a go-to resource for students of physics.  These lectures covered Newtonian physics, Einstein's general theory of relativity, superconductivity, quantum mechanics as well as a couple of other topics.  

My Review: I enjoyed listening to these lectures on CD as the audio is taken straight from his courses in the late 1960's.  The upside was that you got to hear his lectures and it almost felt like you could be participating. The downside was when his lecture included a demonstration or complex mathematical formula that he was deriving on the board.  I was able to use my imagination for the demonstrations, but I got lost during the equation descriptions as they were harder to focus on while I was driving.

Janitors

Title: Janitors

Author: Tyler Whitesides

Pages: 288

Genre: Children's Fiction

Grade: B+

Synopsis: Janitors in our schools are far more powerful and important that any of us previously thought.  They are wizards and magicians tasked with fighting toxins in the schools.  Very few people can actually see the toxins as they are magical creatures, but everybody would recognize their effects, especially the effects they have on elementary school children.  They cause children to fall asleep in class, get distracted and uninterested in their school lessons.  However, the Bureau of Educational Maintenance (BEM) has other ideas for the roles the janitors should play in this battle.

My Review: This is another book that took a really long time to read.  As often as I could, Ada and I (and sometimes Kate) would read a chapter from the book.  I was afraid that a lot of the vocabulary would be too complicated for the girls, but like always, they surprised me with their understanding.  Ada really loved the book and is begging to read book #2.  I also enjoyed the book, but the plot was a little too unbelievable at times.

The Skeleton in the Closet

Title: The Skeleton in the Closet

Author: M.C. Beaton

Pages: 6 discs?

Genre: Mystery

Grade: B

Synopsis: Fellworth Dolphin is a pretty simple kid who works hard to pay the bills and support his mother after his father died. The Dolphin's live in a simple house and have never really had anything exciting happen to them.  When Fellworth's mother dies suddenly Fell finds out that he has inherited a sizable sum.  He can't figure out how or where this money came from so he enlists the help of his homely friend Maggie to help him unravel the mystery.

My Review:  This book wasn't great, but I enjoyed it.  I started listening to this book back in January of 2012, but when my car was broken into and my stereo was stolen, the City Library required me to pay for the stolen disc.  At the time I was halfway through the book, it took me this long to find another audiobook and to startup where I left off. The story is unique and the characters each have flaws that help to make them more real. I was glad that I finally got the chance to finish the book.

Sophie's World

Title: Sophie's World

Author: Jostein Gaarder

Pages: 19 discs

Genre: Fiction, Philosophy

Grade: B+

Synopsis: This book is a philosophy textbook disguised as a novel about a Swedish girl, Sophie.  Luckily, I knew that when I started this book or I would have found this book to be very strange.  Sophie is a young teenager who comes home to school one day and find a couple of notes with the questions: "Who are you?" and "Where does the world come from?" The anonymous note-sender begins sending pages and pages about the history of philosophy and is essentially running a correspondence philosophy course for Sophie.  As the course progresses, Sophie begins to receive birthday cards for another girl, Hilde.  Sophie works hard to unravel the mystery and must use the things that she is learning from philosophy to understand the mystery.

My Review:  There's no question that this book is strange, but I was surprised the I enjoyed it as much as I did when the end rolled around.  I'm no philosopher, but I think that I understand more of what philosophy is and what philosophers are trying to address.  The course, I mean book, covers everything from Plato and Aristotle to Camus, Kant and Nietzsche.  I especially enjoyed the descriptions of Philosophy during the time of Christ and in the modern day.

In the Skin of a Lion

Title: In the Skin of a Lion

Author: Michael Ondaatje

Pages: 256

Genre: Fiction, Historical Fiction

Grade: B

Synopsis: Patrick Lewis arrived in Toronto in the 1920's from deep in the woods of Ontario, where his father was a dynamiter for the logs that would be shipped down the river.  In Ontario, Patrick works as a searcher for the vanished millionaire Ambrose Small, and in doing so he falls in love with Small's mistress.  In parallel times and stories, there are detailed descriptions about the building of the Bloor Street Viaduct and the huge waterworks plant for the city of Toronto, focusing on the lives of the immigrant workers, who have accepted Patrick as one of their own.

My Review:  I enjoyed this book, and I think that I would have enjoyed it more if I had been able to read it over the course of a week or so.  Instead, I was quite busy at the time I was reading it, which meant that I would only get to read it about once a week.  Because of this, I had a hard time following the stories and parallel plotlines. Going back and reading the detailed summaries and synopses online was a big help in understanding and remembering what was going on.  I've read that this is a prequel to The English Patient, however, I have not read that book yet.