Red Blood, Yellow Skin by Linda L.T. Baer

Red Blood, Yellow Skin by Linda L.T. Baer

Publisher: River Grove Books (June 2015)

343 pages, eBook (provided by the publisher for review)

Book Rating: 4 Stars

Content Note: Includes Violence and Sexual Situations

This is a memoir of a young Vietnamese woman’s experience during the hostilities between France and Vietnam, then later between North and South Vietnam. Loan’s father was killed during the hostilities when she was very young, and after her mother remarried, her family was constantly on the move trying to escape the war-torn areas, while struggling to find enough food. Loan eventually sets off on her own to relieve her family of another mouth to feed and heads to Saigon looking for work, at the age of 13. Loan describes a harsh, yet simple existence in the countryside as a youth prone to getting in trouble, and a corrupt, chaotic lifestyle she was drawn into in the big city of Saigon. Very interesting to read from a Vietnamese point-of-view about a time period that we usually only hear from the American GI that was stationed there. Easy read, not overly encumbered by statistics or political history, but very focused on the story of a people caught in the middle of someone else’s fight.

Hannah Mary Tabbs and the Disembodied Torso by Kali Nicole Gross

Hannah Mary Tabbs and the Disembodied Torso by Kali Nicole Gross

Publisher: Oxford University Press (December 2015)

230 pages, eBook (provided by the publisher for review)

Book Rating: 4 Stars

This is the story of a murder that took place in Philadelphia in 1887, and the disembodied torso that was found afterwards leading to an investigation and the arrest of two people. The story is largely told through newspaper articles and police reports from the time. It is likely that no one will ever really know what took place here, but you get enough of the story to speculate, and maybe even make an educated guess (the author relays their own opinion of the events at the end of the text). Interesting analysis of the effects of race on the outcome of the investigation and criminal trial of the two suspects, focusing quite extensively on the degree to which the ability to “pass” as white helped or hindered those involved (the conclusions not being what I would have expected). Interesting, but perhaps a bit dry at times.

Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert

Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert

Publisher: Riverhead Books (September 2015)

285 pages, eBook (purchased myself for $11.99)

Book Rating: 4 Stars

This is a book about artistic inspiration and perseverance. Many of the anecdotes, and much of the advice, pertain specifically to writing (as this was indeed written by an author), but they could very easily be applied to any artistic endeavor. The exploration of past ideas regarding artistic greatness or failure were of particular interest and help to me in giving me a fresh outlook in approaching my own writing. The text can be a bit repetitious at times, particularly toward the end, but not annoyingly so. Great resource for anyone who is in an artistic rut, or looking to re-inject some joy into their artistic pursuits. Inspiring read!

The Second Seminole War by Dwayne Walker

The Second Seminole War by Dwayne Walker

Native American History, Volume 2

Publisher: Dwayne Walker (November 2015)

62 pages, eBook (provided by the Author for review)

Book Rating: 4 Stars

This is a short book about the largely overlooked Second Seminole War of the late 1830’s to early 1840’s. Interesting, factual read with a scholarly textbook feel, identical in style to the first book in the series. Well organized, with extensive Table of Contents in the ebook edition for easy maneuvering. Included a few superfluous attempts at reconstructing dialogue, and was at times a bit repetitious. Nonetheless, a nice little introduction to an often overlooked period of Native American history, which has inspired me to want to read more on the topic!

St. Clair’s Defeat by Dwayne Walker

St. Clair’s Defeat by Dwayne Walker

Native American History, Volume 1

Publisher: Dwayne Walker (October 2015)

80 pages, eBook (purchased myself for $2.99)

Book Rating: 4 Stars

This is a short book about the little known catastrophic defeat of St. Clair and his men at the hands of the Native Americans during the Northwest Indian War in 1791. Interesting, factual read with a scholarly textbook feel. Well organized, with extensive Table of Contents in the ebook edition for easy maneuvering. The text was a bit repetitious at times, and there were a few attempts at reconstructing dialogue that were scattered throughout the text, but they felt  a bit contrived and random, and could have just as well been left out. Nonetheless, a nice little introduction to an often forgotten topic of American history, which has inspired me to want to read more on the topic!

The End of America by Naomi Wolf

The End of America by Naomi Wolf

Publisher: Chelsea Green Publishing (September 2007)

193 pages, eBook (purchased myself for $8.32)

Book Rating: 5 Stars

I read this book when it first came out, but I recently re-read it and was surprised at how relevant much of the information still is. Though the anecdotes in the book center primarily on things that were relevant at the time, and things from the past; the ten steps that regimes use to dismantle a democracy are laid out so clearly and concisely, that I think that in and of itself makes the book worthy of a read.

Chicken Soup for the Soul (20th Anniversary Edition) by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen and Amy Newmark

Chicken Soup for the Soul (20th Anniversary Edition)

by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen and Amy Newmark

Publisher: Chicken Soup for the Soul (June 2013)

387 pages, eBook (purchased myself for $7.99)

Book Rating: 4 Stars

This is a book full of inspirational stories, centering for the most part on keeping or developing a positive attitude, perseverance and paying it forward. This book contains all the stories from the original publication, plus 20 “bonus” stories. Each story is around 2-5 pages in length, and I think they are best consumed one or two at a time, instead of all in one sitting. It would be a good book to read over the course of a year, reading one story a day. By the end of the book I found the common themes in the stories a little repetitive and almost hyper-optimistic, but they were worthwhile themes. I particularly enjoyed the stories of people who did crazy little things to brighten another’s day, hoping they would pay it forward. Nice collection that manages to be inspirational without being particularly religious.

Power in Praise by Merlin R. Carothers

Power in Praise by Merlin R. Carothers

Publisher: Foundation of Praise (May 2013)

176 pages, eBook (purchased myself for $6.99)

Book Rating: 3 Stars

This is a self-help book that urges people to praise God for not only the good things in their life, but also the bad things, because when we praise God for the bad things in our life it “releases the power and guidance of God.” This book is very repetitive and contains a heavy dose of evangelical belief systems. The author believes that when we don’t praise God for bad things, we offend Him because we are questioning His wisdom and His “perfect plan” for us, because even the bad things that happen to us (the author believes) happen for a reason and for our own good (or otherwise part of His master plan). I think the overall message is good. Worrying over things, harping about annoyances, and griping about past wrongs, definitely get in the way of people moving forward in a positive way, and I can see why it would be beneficial to look on bad things in a positive light so you can move past them, but I’m not so sure I want to believe that God is immature or petty enough to become offended by anything we ignorant humans do; and I don’t particularly think He is vain enough to need our constant praise or attention in order for us to stay in His good graces. This book contains a horde of testimonials collected by the author, many that reference his bestseller Prison to Praise (which carries much the same message), and as this book was originally published in 1972 some of the testimonials are a little dated, but not too bad. Definitely gives you something to think about.

A Street Cat Named Bob by James Bowen

A Street Cat Named Bob by James Bowen

Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books (July 2013)

320 pages, eBook (purchased myself for $2.99)

Book Rating: 5 Stars

A recovering drug addict and street musician is struggling to make a living on the streets of London, when he meets a stray cat that suddenly appeared in his apartment building looking in tough shape, so James took the cat in and named him Bob. Though it took James a little while to realize it, Bob arrived at just the right time in his life when having a cat to look after was just what he needed to help him get back on his feet. This is a great story, whether you are a cat lover or not, and I found their adventures on the streets of London entertaining. Great story of a man and the special bond he has with his cat.

Shift by Glenn Geffcken

Shift: Indigenous Principles for Corporate Change 
by Glenn Geffcken

Publisher: iUniverse (April 2014)

190 pages, ebook (provided by Author for Review)

Book Rating: 4 Stars

The internet has made business more transparent.  Due to this transparency, it is forcing businesses to rethink how they do business.  Shift, by Glenn Geffcken, provides a blueprint for how to do business in the 21st century by applying what he has learned from studying and living with Native Americans (what he labels indigenous cultures). 

Shift focuses on changing corporate culture by the application of 13 indigenous principles.  The first part of the book outlines each principle. Some of the stories used to outline the indigenous concepts seemed a little too miraculous, but the ideas of each principle are intriguing and unique.  

The application of the 13 indigenous principles will help change the cooperate culture from one of driven by profit to that of driven by purpose. If you are interested in changing your business to be purpose driven, read this book.

Soul Surfer by Bethany Hamilton

Soul Surfer by Bethany Hamilton

Publisher: MTV Books (October 2004)

240 pages, eBook (purchased myself for $8.06)

Book Rating: 4 Stars

This is the story of Bethany Hamilton, a surfer who lost her arm to a shark at the age of 13, and her struggle to return to competitive surfing. This story is told in her own words and has heavy Evangelical Christian overtones, which didn’t bother me as much as they normally would have given the inspirational nature of the story itself. This book is written for a younger audience, but I think people of all ages could benefit from the positive attitude and determination of it’s central character, and the themes expressed throughout about overcoming adversity and trying not to worry about things you can’t control. Inspiring story of triumph!

Movie Adaptations:

Soul Surfer (2011)

AnnaSophia Robb, Dennis Quaid, Helen Hunt

TV Rating: PG

My Rating: 4 Stars

Adaption: Verbatim-Tweaked-Veiled

Eye Candy: Plain-Pretty-Sultry

The Blind Side by Michael Lewis

The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game by Michael Lewis

Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company (October 2009)

348 pages, eBook (borrowed with Amazon Prime)

Book Rating: 5 Stars

A story about some key changes in the game of football and a chance meeting between a poor young black kid and a rich white family, that led to the rise of NFL draft pick, Michael Oher. There are a couple chapters here and there that are about football history and hence potentially a bit dry, but in the context of Michael Oher’s story and the conversational presentation, this sports book reads like a novel for the most part. Even the most casual sports fan, would find this story entertaining—it’s more human interest story with necessary sports background info sprinkled throughout. It also raises interesting questions about childhood environmental influences, the effect of socioeconomic change and the drastic changes one player’s (Lawrence Taylor) actions and mentality can incite in an entire sport. Great Read!

Movie Adaptations:

The Blind Side (2009)

Quinton Aaron, Sandra Bullock, Tim McGraw

Movie Rating: PG-13

My Rating: 5 Stars

Adaption: Verbatim-Tweaked-Veiled

Eye Candy: Plain-Pretty-Sultry

This adaption simplifies and summarizes many of the concepts and, condenses and rearranges the timeline of the story a bit from the reality presented in the book, combining some of the events, but I believe the spirit of the book is present in this film. The casting was awesome and it was a great depiction of a touching story. Great film!

Moneyball by Michael Lewis

Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game by Michael Lewis

Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company (August 2011)

316 pages, eBook (borrowed with Amazon Prime)

Book Rating: 4 Stars

Content Note: Includes Swearing

This book sets out to uncover how poor baseball teams can compete with rich baseball teams, and the strategy developed by Oakland A’s general manager, Billy Beane, (and his predecessors) to try to do just that (a way of manipulating an unfair system to try to turn it to their favor). A very interesting look at the game of baseball, the way the players are drafted, and the reasons the system as a whole is so terribly flawed. The book is dry and overly academic at times (especially during the portions of the book concerned with the history of baseball statistics and their use—sabermetrics), but overall it takes a fairly complicated subject and makes it an intelligible and entertaining read. The anecdotes and the inside look it provides regarding many of the important players in the Oakland A’s story alone, are well worth putting in the time to read the book.

Movie Adaptations:

Moneyball (2011)

Brad Pitt, Jonah Hill, Philip Seymour Hoffman

Movie Rating: PG-13

My Rating: 5 Stars

Adaption: Verbatim-Tweaked-Veiled

Eye Candy: Plain-Pretty-Sultry

This adaption simplifies and summarizes many of the concepts in the book, combines some characters and portrays people and events in a bit kinder light than the reality presented in the book, but I believe the spirit, purpose and findings of the book are unequivocally present in this film and it is one of the few examples of a film that I prefer to the book that it originated from. The casting was awesome and it presented an academic view of baseball in a way easily consumed by the average person. Great film!

Flash Boys by Michael Lewis

Flash Boys: A Wall Street Revolt by Michael Lewis

Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company (March 2014)

289 pages, Audiobook (purchased myself for $9.56)

Book Rating: 4 Stars

Content Note: Includes Swearing

Due to technology, everything in this world is getting faster and more complex.  It will get to a point where it’ll be incredibly difficult for us to grasp what is going on in the digital world.  Wall Street is already at this point.  According to this book, it took a couple years to understand what was going on in the digital marketplace.  During that time, the HFT allowed some to “Front-Run” other’s stock purchases/sales which has scammed people out of billions of dollars since the practice started in 2006.

Michael Lewis does a great job describing High Frequency Trading.  This new practice has complicated how the stock market is used.  Like his other books, Flash Boys is an entertaining read that can elaborate on some complex issues. This is a great book if you’re interested in how technology is used within the stock market, for good or ill.  However, don’t be expecting any suggestions or research on how to solve the problems presented.

Careless People by Sarah Churchwell

Careless People by Sarah Churchwell

Publisher: The Penguin Press (January 2014)

405 pages, eBook (purchased myself for $11.99)

Book Rating: 4 Stars

Content Note: Includes Light Swearing and Infidelity Themes

Part history, part biography and part literary criticism/theory, this book makes a thorough investigation of the influences surrounding F. Scott Fitzgerald as he wrote The Great Gatsby, as well as its reception after it was published. Fascinating combination of newspaper clippings, Fitzgerald's personal scrapbooks and correspondence, and the correspondence of friends, collected into nine topical areas to explore, that correlate to the nine chapters of the book itself. Interesting parallels are drawn between the book and the tumultuous lives of F. Scott Fitzgerald and his wife, Zelda, as it follows them from their heyday to the end of their lives. A bit dry and long-winded at times, but overall, an interesting read for anyone interested in delving further into The Great Gatsby or the 1920's in America.

Under the Apple Boughs by Peter Maughan

Under the Apple Boughs by Peter Maughan

Publisher: The Cluny Press (November 2013)

57 pages, eBook (purchased myself for $3.99)

Book Rating: 5 Stars

Poetic, nostalgic glimpses of life in an English village, painted like a vivid still life painting for successive generations to savor.  Enjoyable read that includes various short writings on different aspects of village life, and makes you feel as if you're there. Highly recommended!

Remote: Office Not Required by Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson

Remote: Office Not Required by Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson

Publisher: Crown Business (October 2013)

256 pages, Audiobook (purchased myself for $9.56)

Book Rating: 3 Stars

Remote: Office Not Required is a guide for theses items:  convince an employer to allow their workers to work remotely, and properly setup a team to work remotely.  Don’t expect any current sociological or psychological research to be sited.  Most of the concepts come from pure experience from two successful business owners.  It’s a quick read and it gives plenty of advice on how to work remotely, but doesn’t provide much in the way of supporting research.

How to Create a Mind by Ray Kurzweil

How to Create a Mind by Ray Kurzweil

Publisher: Viking Adult (November 2012)

352 pages, Audiobook (purchased myself for $9.56)

Book Rating: 5 Stars

In this book, Ray Kurzweil outlines his theory on how the human brain works and creates a blue print for duplicating it using software.  It sometimes reads as a computer science book; describing in detail algorithms on system hierarchies of pattern recognizers and references.  Other times it reads like a philosophy book, tackling such issues as Consciousness and Computer Rights.

Sex at Dawn by Christopher Ryan and Cacilda Jethá

Sex at Dawn by Christopher Ryan and Cacilda Jethá

Publisher: Harper (June 2010)

400 pages, Audiobook (purchased myself for $9.56)

Book Rating: 5 Stars

Human sexuality makes a lot more sense after reading this book!  If you are confused about why women are wired to have sex for hours while men can only last minutes?  Or why middle aged men are willing to risk everything, including their family and career, for a fling with a young woman?  Read this book!

If you believe that monogamy is natural or that God made us to only mate with one individual for the rest of your life, you may have a hard time reading this book. But for the open-minded, a great read!

Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell

Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell

Publisher: Little, Brown and Company (June 2011)

336 pages, Audiobook (purchased myself for $9.56)

Book Rating: 5 Stars

Outliers sets out to dispel the myth that great success is achieved through individual talent.  It argues that success is achieved through hard work, culture, and a lot of luck.  

Even though the book is pretty short (336 pages), Malcolm Gladwell does a great job outlining his argument and citing the latest research.  The book is an easy read, but provides great insight.