Reader's Loft

Princess Diaries

noreply@blogger.com (Esther) — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 15:58:00 +0000

Meg Cabot penned this young adult book back in 2001 and is the basis of the Disney movie. The story is about Mia Thermopolis who is raised as a normal teenager in New York City without ever knowing she is the heir to the throne of Genovia. The story is presented in a first person, journal style by Mia.

The story is cute and fast paced. It clearly shows the teenage angst of Mia and the difficulty she has transitioning into her role as a princess. I liked that the original story has her dad, who for some unknown reason is killed off in the movie. Unfortunately, her grandmother is not nearly as charming or likable in the book. The story does end rather suddenly, designed to get you to read the next book in the series.

Just as a warning to parents. The story does have some content that may be considered inappropriate for young teens. There is implied pre-marital sex between Mia's mother and her algebra teacher as well as some crude language. The story is for older teens. Also Mia is a supporter of nearly every liberal cause in existence including Green Peace, gay issues and other things. This may not be a problem for some parents, but something to keep in mind.

One last thing. The book is full of pop-culture from 2001. While it's hard to believe that much time has passed, some kids may not identify with some of it. For example being on the internet meant using the phone line, which caused a busy signal for anyone trying to call you. They may also not understand the debate between Xena Warrior Princess vs. Buff the Vampire Slayer, and many other things. This dates the book, unfortunately. If Meg Cabot had been a little more careful about some of those references, the book could have had a long shelf life. Instead, I think most people will remember the movie with fondness rather than the original story.

The books I select for review are books which I personally select from my local library. I do not receive any reimbursement from authors or publishers or free books. I do provide links to Amazon as a convenience to the readers of this blog. I do earn a small referral pittance which is not even enough to buy a soda.

Sword of Shannara

noreply@blogger.com (Esther) — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 15:44:00 +0000

If ever there was a rubber stamp of the J. R. R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, this book would be it. Terry Brooks pens a fantasy novel that is so similar to Tolkien that I had difficulty reading it

In this story a valeman (I can't remember his name) who is half elf and half human is the only remaining elven descendant who can wield a sword that can defeat the evil Druid. The valeman is accompanied on his journey to find the sword by his brother, another valeman, a prince, dwarf, and a mysterious Druid. The journey if full of high adventure and some tragedy that helps the valeman mature into his role.

If you were to create two columns that compares Lord of the Rings with the Sword of Shannara, you would easily see the similarities. In one list the major characters and events in the Sword of Shannara. For each one, there would be an equivalent in the Lord of the Rings.

I was unable to finish the book even though I persevered to about half way. When the main character is lost down a mountain river, I no longer even cared. A sure sign of giving it up. It is true that Terry Brooks has many dedicated, loyal fans for his series. It just wasn't for me.

The books I select for review are books which I personally select from my local library. I do not receive any reimbursement from authors or publishers or free books. I do provide links to Amazon as a convenience to the readers of this blog. I do earn a small referral pittance which is not even enough to buy a soda.

Quitter

noreply@blogger.com (Esther) — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 15:34:00 +0000

Are you tired of your day job? Ready to start your own business or move on to a new career? Jon Acuff gives some guidelines on how and when to quit your job. The book is heavily promoted by Dave Ramsey, who is involved in publishing it.

Jon Acuff has had many jobs in his relatively short career. Each time he was ready to transition from one job to another, he learned something about himself and how to smooth the transition. He shares many personal stories along the way in the hopes he can guide you through the same transition.

The book has its positive qualities. There is a lot of helpful, practical advice like don't quit your job without another job already in the works. Have a plan. Don't go into debt to finance your dream and other nuggets of helpful advice.

I did have trouble reading this book because I felt like the author lacked a depth of maturity and experience. It is true Jon Acuff has had several jobs and lots of experience of quitting, but there was something missing that could have made the book so much better. Nearly all of the anecdotes come from Jon Acuff's personal life. It would have helped tremendously if he had filled in with stories from other people who have transitioned from one job to another. One huge annoyance was Jon Acuff's bragging about his current job with Dave Ramsey. He didn't do this just once, but multiple times in each chapter about how his job with Dave Ramsey was his dream job. This is all well and good but rather annoying to the reader who may not have the same aspirations.

The books I select for review are books which I personally select from my local library. I do not receive any reimbursement from authors or publishers or free books. I do provide links to Amazon as a convenience to the readers of this blog. I do earn a small referral pittance which is not even enough to buy a soda.

Artist's Journal Workshop

noreply@blogger.com (Esther) — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 15:22:00 +0000

Have you ever wanted to keep an art journal? Cathy Johnson's new book may provide you with inspiration to try it. Cathy's perspective is that your art journal should also serve as your journal and include text and drawings of places and people you encounter. She encourages you to make this a daily habit. The book gives instruction on types of journals and basic art supplies. Some instruction is given on composition and laying out the design.

I liked the book and found it very inspiring. There are lots of examples from various artists. There is a URL link on the bottom of every page - a little overkill perhaps - that is supposed to have more art journaling pages for you to see. The URL was difficult to type in as it is long and rather difficult. Also, when you finally make it through to the right website, you have to register to see anything more. Too much work IMO. Instead, I found the authors blog which hosts several artists who share their journaling. I found that sufficient to subscribe to in my blog reader and to help keep up the motivation.

If you want to learn more about art journaling, this book would be a good place to start.

The books I select for review are books which I personally select from my local library. I do not receive any reimbursement from authors or publishers or free books. I do provide links to Amazon as a convenience to the readers of this blog. I do earn a small referral pittance which is not even enough to buy a soda.

Sock knitting master class

noreply@blogger.com (Esther) — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 15:09:00 +0000

I loved this sock knitting book. Ann Bud pulled together this collection of knitted socks from various popular knitting designers. Each sock demonstrates an advanced knitting technique. The cover of the book has a pair of stunning knee length socks with stripes and bands of intarsia. Other techniques include cabling, colorwork, and texture. A knitter could really improve their skills by knitting each sock in the book.

The book comes with a bonus DVD that features Ann Budd demonstrating how to knit a sock and discussing each sock in the book. The DVD is a great addition as it shows the basics of sock knitting, which is not presented in the book with much depth. There are a few oddities in the demos though. Ann Budd shows all the basics of sock knitting except for how to pick up the stitches along the gusset, if I remember right. She demonstrates how to prevent holes in the corners but nothing else. The camera angles are a bit weird in some of the demos. In places where a straight overhead shot would be best, we get a straight on shot or a strange angle where you cannot see what Ann is doing. Despite those deficiencies, it's nice to see another knitter knitting.

The books I select for review are books which I personally select from my local library. I do not receive any reimbursement from authors or publishers or free books. I do provide links to Amazon as a convenience to the readers of this blog. I do earn a small referral pittance which is not even enough to buy a soda.

Reshaping it all

noreply@blogger.com (Esther) — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 16:41:00 +0000

Candace Cameron Bure of Full House fame wrote this diet advice book from a Christian perspective. The book has bits of advice and encouragement for women who are trying to lose weight and keep it off. There are recipes, scriptural references, and motivational quotes.

As a diet advice book, I found it pretty lightweight. There is not a whole lot of specifics as Candace encourages you to find the diet that works for you. Rather she focuses primarily on motivation and encouragement. Her intention was to write a book that you could pick up, flip through and read in moments when that extra encouragement is needed.

I admit that I picked this book up not so much for the diet advice but to read about Candace's life since Full House. I do respect that she has maintained a somewhat normal life for herself and family despite being a celebrity. But as for the diet advice, there are some things that really trouble me. Candace gives an example of her daily food intake which is truly alarming because of how few daily calories she consumes. Candace reveals in the book her life long trouble with food. In her younger years it is was over indulgence in fatty, high calorie foods which eventually led to some struggles with bulimia. So while she has overcome the bulimia problem, she stills struggles with food by swinging to the other extreme. Her current diet has too few calories and almost no fat of any kind with a few non-fat coffee lattes. She buys into the flavored water and lettuce leaves for lunch, with salad dressing on the side. Generally one must reduce calories and exercise more in order to lose weight. In her case, Candace has swung so far to the other extreme she is knocking on anorexia's door. (She does mention that she is still losing weight, but she is probably past the point of needing to lose any more).

So while the criticism sounds harsh, I think anyone that picks this book up for diet advice should be duly warned. The diet advice is not that helpful. The motivational aspect is ok if you feel that could work for you.

The books I select for review are books which I personally select from my local library. I do not receive any reimbursement from authors or publishers or free books. I do provide links to Amazon as a convenience to the readers of this blog. I do earn a small referral pittance which is not even enough to buy a soda.

Can it, bottle it, smoke it

noreply@blogger.com (Esther) — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 02:24:00 +0000

This is not your traditional book on how to can or preserve food. Karen Solomon introduces some fun and funky twists to a sometimes lost art.You can try carrot almond jam or plum catsup. Some recipes sound very yummy, others a little bit strange, and some I may never try.

One strange inclusion for a book about food preservation is the bread recipes. The author includes recipes for bagels and pizza dough. While the recipes look yummy, they don't fit with the theme. I'm not sure they would have been missed if they were omitted.

I can't say if any of the recipes are good or not as I returned the book to the library without trying anything. There wasn't anything that I had to immediately try. It was fun to flip through it and that may be what most people do. It does have beautiful photography.

One recipe to be careful of is the alcoholic frozen treats. If you have little kids at home, you may have to hide these. I could just see the kids finding them and having a good time.

The books I select for review are books which I personally select from my local library. I do not receive any reimbursement from authors or publishers or free books. I do provide links to Amazon as a convenience to the readers of this blog. I do earn a small referral pittance which is not even enough to buy a soda.

Trail of tears by John Ehle

noreply@blogger.com (Esther) — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 14:03:00 +0000

Honestly, this book has some of the most beautiful non-fiction writing I've ever read. The author explores the history of the Cherokee nation from their rise in Georgia to their forced expulsion to Arkansas and Oklahoma.

The author caught me almost immediately with his description of the birth of Major Ridge. He captured me again with his description of the forced migration of the Cherokee in the late 1830s. I learned so much about the history of the Cherokee that I didn't know previously. I am glad I read this book and recommend it highly if you have an interest in this subject.

Book Rating: 5 stars.

The books I select for review are books which I personally select from my local library. I do not receive any reimbursement from authors or publishers or free books. I do provide links to Amazon as a convenience to the readers of this blog. I do earn a small referral pittance which is not even enough to buy a soda.

Alice's Tulips

noreply@blogger.com (Esther) — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 14:03:00 +0000

This is the second book by Sandra Dallas that I've read. This story takes place in Iowa during the Civil War.

Alice marries Charlie just prior to his joining up to fight in the Union army. Alice is left behind to live with her mother-in-law to take care of the farm. She is a bit immature and inexperienced in farm life while living with a hard woman. She experiences poverty, struggle, and difficulty with others.

The story is a quick read, but it wasn't my favorite. I felt like the author picked some modern women and dropped them in Iowa during the Civil War. I just had a hard time buying it. I also predicted what would happen to Alice pretty early on, and who would take the blame. I don't want to spoil the story for those who read it, but it is predictable with a nice tidy ending.

Book Rating: 2 stars

The books I select for review are books which I personally select from my local library. I do not receive any reimbursement from authors or publishers or free books. I do provide links to Amazon as a convenience to the readers of this blog. I do earn a small referral pittance which is not even enough to buy a soda.

One second after

noreply@blogger.com (Esther) — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 19:04:00 +0000

William R. Forstchen explores the post apocalypse scenario of the US being hit by EMP's. EMP's are electro-magnetic pulses that can wipe out electronics.

In his story, a few characters are located in a small mountain community. It lays out the hard decisions of survival by the town leaders cut off from any outside communication. The story is typical survivalist story regardless of the source of the disaster.

It's possible that this kind of disaster could happen. I don't know about the scale or severity, but the author makes several statements of warning directed to political leaders of today to prepare. He implies that we are extremely vulnerable due to our reliance on computer technology. There is one extremely boring chapter in which the characters explain what EMP's are and how they can be delivered over the US. If you read a lot of sci-fi, you will find this chapter annoying.

The story itself is ok, and a quick read.

Book rating: 4 stars
The books I select for review are books which I personally select from my local library. I do not receive any reimbursement from authors or publishers or free books. I do provide links to Amazon as a convenience to the readers of this blog. I do earn a small referral pittance which is not even enough to buy a soda.

Before you quit your job

noreply@blogger.com (Esther) — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 14:25:00 +0000

Robert T. Kiyosaki is the author of Rich Dad, Poor Dad. I listened to the abridged audio version of the book.

There is maybe one chapter's worth of information in the book that is really helpful to individual's who wish to quit their day job. The book is primarily targeted to people who want to make the leap into entrepreneurship. Kiyosaki intersperses personal experiences of his ups and downs in business. It may be worth reading to learn about his experiences so that you can avoid them yourself. BUT, if you are looking for guidance, you will have to weed through the stories to get to the meatier info. The audio book summarizes the essential steps of what to do before quitting in just a few minutes at the end of the book.

There is one confusing thing and perhaps it's because it was audio and not print. Kiyosaki takes you through a personality profile to see if you are a likely candidate for entrepreneurship. The problem is he assigns letters to the various profiles and then uses those letters throughout the text. I didn't really get it and couldn't really refer back to them as I listened. So in that sense, the audio book is not very good.

The books I select for review are books which I personally select from my local library. I do not receive any reimbursement from authors or publishers or free books. I do provide links to Amazon as a convenience to the readers of this blog. I do earn a small referral pittance which is not even enough to buy a soda.

48 days to the work you love

noreply@blogger.com (Esther) — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 22:20:00 +0000

This is an oft recommended book by Dave Ramsey. Dan Miller takes you through the process of helping you find work that you will love, or at least that is the hope. There is the usual career and resume advice that is found in other books. The updated edition adds additional information on how to find work in our current economy - and it's not about having the right resume. He includes some advice on starting your own business - though not a lot.

Dan Miller's book is written by a Christian for Christians. There are scriptural and inspirational quotes throughout. The 48 days concept is that within 48 days - the length of time needed to work through his self-evaluation plan - you will have your own plan or will have achieved finding the work you love. Some may find the Christian point of view off-putting, though it didn't bother me. The career advice is useful to anyone who wants to make a change.

The books I select for review are books which I personally select from my local library. I do not receive any reimbursement from authors or publishers or free books. I do provide links to Amazon as a convenience to the readers of this blog. I do earn a small referral pittance which is not even enough to buy a soda.

The vanishing of Katharina Linden

noreply@blogger.com (Esther) — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 21:32:00 +0000

I can't remember too many details of this book by Helen Grant as I finished it two months ago.

Young Pia lives in a small German town with her family. Children begin to mysteriously disappear. Pia and her friend decide to investigate on their own eventually solving the crime that the adults could not. This is a good first novel from the author.

It's hard to classify this book as young adult or adult and could easily go either place. The story is dark with a bit of horror, but I didn't feel it was overly that way. The story is told from the point of view of a 10 year old.

The books I select for review are books which I personally select from my local library. I do not receive any reimbursement from authors or publishers or free books. I do provide links to Amazon as a convenience to the readers of this blog. I do earn a small referral pittance which is not even enough to buy a soda.

Rodale's Organic Gardening

noreply@blogger.com (Esther) — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 13:32:00 +0000

I really liked this book. I've aspired to be an organic gardener for many years and this book explains the basics. It has beautiful photography, charts, and suggestions for how to grow things organically.

Admittedly, the book does leave a guilt trip. A truly organic gardener has to control every aspect of their garden from the sourcing of seeds and fertilizer, to how one harvests. It would be impossible for a new gardener to implement all of the philosophies needed to truly be organic at one time. Perhaps a gradual evolution would be a better approach. It gave me a new appreciation for the cost of organic store products and organic farmers. I also came to the realization that occasionally some pesticide is necessary or my cabbage and brussel sprouts would be ravaged by bugs yet again. .

The books I select for review are books which I personally select from my local library. I do not receive any reimbursement from authors or publishers or free books. I do provide links to Amazon as a convenience to the readers of this blog. I do earn a small referral pittance which is not even enough to buy a soda.

Hope's boy by Andrew Bridge

noreply@blogger.com (Esther) — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 15:34:00 +0000

Andrew Bridge entered the foster care system in Southern California at about the age of 10. His mother was mentally ill and unable to really care for him. What follows is his experiences of growing up in the foster care system while desperately missing his own family.

Andrew explains the constant change that a foster child experiences. Different social workers, different foster parents, different foster siblings. Foster kids grew up in a sea of constant change with little stability. In some ways he withdraws into a shell of protection - protecting his own thoughts and feelings from those trying to care for him. Even though his own situation stabilized by getting a permanent placement, he never felt truly loved or cared for.

Once Andrew enters high school, he makes plans to leave. He studies colleges and applies to some of the most elite schools in the country. He picks up part-time work to save money. He received very little encouragement from those around him - either they didn't know his plans or didn't think he would be able to succeed. Just before Andrew leaves for college, he meets his mother in a mental health facility and comes to the truth of her situation.

I enjoyed reading Andrew's story and I am glad he shared it. It truly is remarkable that he was able to succeed despite his circumstances. He now works as an advocate for kids in the foster care system. Has he become a part of the bureaucratic system that he so despised? One of those nameless individuals who enter and leave a foster kids life with little effect. It's hard to say because Andrew ends his story with out telling us too much of his life after foster care, but one can't help wondering if he has truly left the foster care system.

The books I select for review are books which I personally select from my local library. I do not receive any reimbursement from authors or publishers or free books. I do provide links to Amazon as a convenience to the readers of this blog. I do earn a small referral pittance which is not even enough to buy a soda.

Potato by John Reader

noreply@blogger.com (Esther) — Sun, 05 Jun 2011 15:05:00 +0000

I have a new appreciation for the potato - a vegetable I didn't like much as a child. John Reader takes you on a historical journey from ancient to modern times and examines how the potato has changed society.

I learned many things from this book. The potato is considered a near perfect food. If all you have to eat are potatoes, you won't starve compared to other common foods like wheat. It is a complete food group unto itself. It's also one crop that is largely dependent on chemicals to fight against late blight. On one hand it can raise a society out of poverty, on the other hand it can wipe you out when you only food succumbs to late blight.

The first few chapters of the book are dreadfully dull. I had the feeling that the author was giving his own opinions about ancient civilizations, human evolution, and the development of the potato. Who really knows as there is little to no dependable historical records. The book really peaked my interest starting with the chapter on the Irish potato famine. Many people can trace the migration of their ancestors to the potato. It was from this point in history that the reliance of the potato became clear. It was from then that humans discovered a way to fight blight - though to what side effects remains to be seen. The following chapters discuss the world wide distribution of the potato and more recent research and development.

I wish there had been just a little bit more science about the potato. I also wish there had been more pictures of the potatoes and areas that he discussed. In order to understand the significance of the potato, this book would be a good one to read.

Book rating: 4 stars

The books I select for review are books which I personally select from my local library. I do not receive any reimbursement from authors or publishers or free books. I do provide links to Amazon as a convenience to the readers of this blog. I do earn a small referral pittance which is not even enough to buy a soda.

There will be wolves

noreply@blogger.com (Esther) — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 14:16:00 +0000

Ursula is the daughter of an apothecary. She has a natural gift for healing. She can read and has a book given to her by a monk that contains information on healing. She is accused of being a witch by some jealous neighbors. In order to escape being burned, she is sentenced/forced to accompany a crusade as a healer.

The story is a young adult, historical Christian novel. It examines gender roles, intolerance, hate, abuse, and the travesties of war - though not too deeply. The story is appropriate for ages 10-15. I enjoyed it enough to finish it, but it was predictable.

Book rating: 3 stars.

The books I select for review are books which I personally select from my local library. I do not receive any reimbursement from authors or publishers or free books. I do provide links to Amazon as a convenience to the readers of this blog. I do earn a small referral pittance which is not even enough to buy a soda.

The Gardener

noreply@blogger.com (Esther) — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 22:03:00 +0000

This is one of those books that I'm not sure how to like. The Gardner is a Young Adult sci-fi novel. If I read it as a sci-fi story and accept the conceits the author wants, than I can enjoy it. BUT, I have a hard time doing that because the conceits she wants you to accept have recently been proven to either be false or an exaggeration. BUT, this is sci-fi.

The author explains that due to global warming and an increased population growth, humans are due to experience severe food shortages that will result in a global famine. In order to prepare for the impending disaster, scientists at a research facility have been developing a way for humans to produce their own food in a similar way to plants - photosynthesis.

Mason is the main character, a teen boy being raised by his single mom. His mom works for a nursing home funded by the research lab. Instead of finding old people, he finds teen agers in a semi-comatose state. He accidentally awakens an attractive girl (hmm, yeah YA novel here) who wants to escape. Thus begins the adventure with Mason, his buddy, and the strange girl. Through a series of events Mason learns about his father, his secret research, and the impending disaster.

Ok. It's supposed to be sci-fi and I could possibly accept some of the authors plot points. BUT I had a hard time doing it. I did finish the story, so it was somewhat entertaining. Some teens may like it.

Book rating: 2 stars - not my favorite.

The books I select for review are books which I personally select from my local library. I do not receive any reimbursement from authors or publishers or free books. I do provide links to Amazon as a convenience to the readers of this blog. I do earn a small referral pittance which is not even enough to buy a soda.

The discovery of witches

noreply@blogger.com (Esther) — Mon, 30 May 2011 14:35:00 +0000

Vampires and witches. It's a trend, at least the witches part. This book promised to be a little different from others with the same subject because the author is an accomplished historian. The book is popular among our library patrons, so I picked it up.

Diana is a witch who has lived her life as though she were not. While working on a research project at the Bodleian library she finds (or is discovered by) a book which magically contains the origins of witches, vampires, and other supernatural creatures. That event reawakens Diana's abilities and gives notice to the magical creatures around her.

What follows is a romance and growing war between witches and vampires over who can get to the book first. Diana aligns herself with a vampire and the two fall in love. In order to survive Diana must learn to use her magical abilities, but it's not quit enough.

In order to enjoy the book, you will have to set aside your notions about vampires - though every author of the genre seems to rewrite vampire rules. As a first time novel, the author did fairly well. It could have done with a bit more editing/trimming - the author seems particularly intent on letting the reader know that the main character Diana is well fed and rested.

Book Rating: 3 stars.

The books I select for review are books which I personally select from my local library. I do not receive any reimbursement from authors or publishers or free books. I do provide links to Amazon as a convenience to the readers of this blog. I do earn a small referral pittance which is not even enough to buy a soda.

Long for this world

noreply@blogger.com (Esther) — Mon, 09 May 2011 18:33:00 +0000

What causes our bodies to age? Jonathan Weiner explores the science of aging in his book Long for this world. Is it possible to live forever and can science make it possible?

Weiner* ties his various topics together by profiling lead scientists along the way - unfortunately he picks the most controversial and fringe scientists in the field. While it was slightly amusing, his descriptions and dialogue really didn't draw me into the subject. If anything, it turned me off and ultimately bored me. He does explain some of the science of the past and analyzes various advances in understanding how we age. But it was certainly a surface level point of view.

The book was lacking a serious overview of the subject matter. An overview can be written in an interesting, and even, entertaining way, but to drop bits and pieces through each chapter doesn't really help paint a whole picture. Clearly, the field is made up of interesting characters but surely there are others doing research of value.

I only made it about two thirds of the way through and gave up. I was bored out of mind and didn't feel anymore enlightened about the subject than before I started it.

Book Rating: 2 stars

*Apparently Weiner teaches how to write about science at some Eastern college. I haven't tackled his book on Finches. I hope it's better.

The books I select for review are books which I personally select from my local library. I do not receive any reimbursement from authors or publishers or free books. I do provide links to Amazon as a convenience to the readers of this blog. I do earn a small referral pittance which is not even enough to buy a soda.

120 jobs that won't chain you to your desk

noreply@blogger.com (Esther) — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 15:02:00 +0000

If you hate the idea of sitting at a desk all day, this book may give you some ideas of careers that won't chain you to your desk. The Princeton Review put together a fun guidebook.

Unlike Occupational Outlook, this book is written in a fun, honest, easy to read way. Careers are divided up into general categories such as the mobile office, creative, or the great outdoors to help the reader focus in on careers that fit their general interest area. Each job has an overview of the typical day, qualifications, perks, and preparing for success. Each job also has an interview with someone who is actually doing the job. There is starting salary information, salary after 5 years, and salary after 15 years on many of the jobs.

I called the book honest because the job description for Mystery shoppers make it pretty plain that it's rare to make a decent full-time income at this job. The description for artists mention the reality of being a starving artist for a time. It's not to say you can't make a living at these activities, but you also have to be real about how quickly you can live off that income.

There were 3 job descriptions that I wouldn't really count as a part of the 120 jobs (making the book only 117 jobs). The three not-necessarily-a-job descriptions are Entrepreneur, small business owner or freelancer. Well, many small business owners are entrepreneurs that work as freelancers. An example of this would be a hairdresser since many stylists work as freelancers and entrepreneurs. There were many jobs in the list of 117 in which the job requires you to start your own business or work as a freelancer, both entrepreneurial activities. Anyway, I was puzzled by the inclusion of those things as actual jobs when they were really a part of the description of the other 117. It's a small nit though as the rest of the book was helpful.

Book Rating: 3 stars

The books I select for review are books which I personally select from my local library. I do not receive any reimbursement from authors or publishers or free books. I do provide links to Amazon as a convenience to the readers of this blog. I do earn a small referral pittance which is not even enough to buy a soda.

Recession-Proof Careers

noreply@blogger.com (Esther) — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 14:59:00 +0000

It sounds great, doesn't it? A career that will help guarantee work even through economic down times. Jeff Cohen attempts to provide a path toward a recession-proof career.

There are several problems with his approach. The book is structured to focus on careers that are government based, government subsidized and even in the process of government takeover. What are these jobs? Generalized government workers such as police, fire, forest workers, teachers, etc. And then there are medical based careers. Generally, medicine will always have a demand but government regulations have put a damper on the industry. And then finally Jeff Cohen has bought into the concept of "green" jobs. It's like he has taken a page out of the Obama propaganda machine. There are jobs in environmental science and alternative energies but there is no proof that those jobs are less susceptible to economic factors as anything else. The focus on careers touched by the government in this way is really a disservice. It fosters the idea that government can create a safe haven for economic activity and job security. The fact of the matter is it is not. We all know the government is broke. There is no money. This means at some point government workers WILL be laid off or have their pay cut. There will be government subsidized industries that will no longer be subsidized. It's all about the money and there is none.

The first chapter or so includes some helps on personal introspections and self analysis. He helps you look at your skills so you can determine if you are in the right career or how to transfer your skills to something else. Some of this is helpful.

Book Rating: 1 star

The rest of the book is synopsis of various career opportunities. Honestly, the information appears to have come from Occupational Outlook, available for free on government websites. Honestly, the book is not worth the $17.95 on the cover.
The books I select for review are books which I personally select from my local library. I do not receive any reimbursement from authors or publishers or free books. I do provide links to Amazon as a convenience to the readers of this blog. I do earn a small referral pittance which is not even enough to buy a soda.

Parallel Worlds by Michio Kaku

noreply@blogger.com (Esther) — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 15:54:00 +0000

If you have any interest in cosmology and physics, this might be the book to read to catch up on all the latest thinking on the subjects. Michio Kaku has a gift for presenting difficult information in a way that the lay person can understand.

The book primarily explains how physicists are trying to come up with a theory of everything or the grand unified theory. The intention is to have GUT represented by a single mathematical equation from which all the laws of physics can be derived. The difficulty over the years has been resolving the theory of relativity with quantum mechanics - the theories that explain the macro world with the micro. Physicists are close to their goal when they start playing around with String Theory. The implications of this are rather exciting but also challenges many long held beliefs about the nature, purpose and origin of the universe.

Michio Kaku organizes the book in a very logical manner. It begins with a survey of the theories of the past and present. This is followed by a deeper examination from the time of Einstein to the present day including the theory of relativity to explain the motion of the planets, gravity, speed of light, time travel and space travel. He then delves into how quantum mechanics can explain some of the anomalies that the theory of relativity can't explain. Melded into the discussion is the idea of multiple dimensions or parallel worlds. Finally he discusses the future and what it would take to travel vast distances in the universe including bridging the divide to another universe.

It's all fascinating stuff. It did take me a bit of time to work my way through it. There were a few things I didn't quite understand, but I did get the gist of it. I think I would like to read more of what Kaku writes.

Book Rating: 4 stars

The books I select for review are books which I personally select from my local library. I do not receive any reimbursement from authors or publishers or free books. I do provide links to Amazon as a convenience to the readers of this blog. I do earn a small referral pittance which is not even enough to buy a soda.

The Shallows - What the Internet is doing to our brains.

noreply@blogger.com (Esther) — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 16:40:00 +0000

I've never read a book that was a proof of its own hypothesis till now. I actually expected the book to be a social commentary on the perils of the internet. And it was indeed social commentary mixed with medical science to prove that our brains are actually changing.

I found the book very interesting. The idea that our brains are constantly changing to adapt to whatever it is exposed to is fascinating and medical science can now prove it. What is more interesting is how our brains have changed with constant exposure to the internet. We process information more quickly and efficiently than we have in the past but we also retain and comprehend less. Our attention spans are much shorter and we are easily distracted. The physical act of reading a book (ink on paper style) and writing in long hand is actually better for deep thinking, retention and comprehension.

And this is where the book was a proof of its own hypothesis, at least for me. I could only read about 5 pages before I had to set it back down. The effort it took to focus and concentrate on the subject was noticeable. It was not an easy read, by any means and it took me a long time to finish it. I'm surprised I even stuck with it. The author, himself, even confesses to have difficulty in writing the book because of distractions while researching on the Internet. This was a wake-up call for me to cut some of the internet tethers because I do feel that my brain has changed. Though I wonder why it is easier to read a good fiction book than this one? Other blogging readers have commented on how difficult a book this is to read, so it must not be just me.

The author provides no solutions and posits that this evolution of our brains and society is unstoppable. He leaves this change in our brains to see where it takes us - though he implies it probably is not a good thing.

Book Rating: 3 difficult stars

The books I select for review are books which I personally select from my local library. I do not receive any reimbursement from authors or publishers or free books. I do provide links to Amazon as a convenience to the readers of this blog. I do earn a small referral pittance which is not even enough to buy a soda.

Raised by the courts

noreply@blogger.com (Esther) — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 15:47:00 +0000

This book looked interesting. I was curious about what a judge in the juvenile system would have to say about kids and crime. I have to admit I only read about 5 pages or so. In the first chapter you are bombarded with opinions about how terrible the US justice system is compared to Europe. Irene Sullivan than gives you a cascade of statistics about juvenile incarcerations and how she has been giving an opportunity to not be harsh in her sentencing. Sullivan then mentions Senators Klobacher and Shumer, both known to be progressives that support social justice. Once the point of view of this book was made clear, I just couldn't go forward with it.

So no book rating as I didn't read much of it.

The books I select for review are books which I personally select from my local library. I do not receive any reimbursement from authors or publishers or free books. I do provide links to Amazon as a convenience to the readers of this blog. I do earn a small referral pittance which is not even enough to buy a soda.