Tag: book reviews

Monday Musings

February 11, 2013 DoingDewey Monday Musings 21

Musing Mondays asks you to muse about one of the following each week…

• Describe one of your reading habits.
• Tell us what book(s) you recently bought for yourself or someone else, and why you chose that/those book(s).
• Tell us what you’re reading right now — what you think of it, so far; why you chose it; what you are (or, aren’t) enjoying it.

Today I’d like to talk about how we, as readers, feel about ebooks. In particular, I’m musing about how I’d feel about using a bookless library, such as those proposed in Bexlar County, Texas.

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

February 6, 2013 DoingDewey Uncategorized 9

Title: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
Author: Rebecca Skloot
Source: library
Rating: ★★★★☆
Fun Fact: If you could pile all HeLa cells ever grown onto a scale, they’d weigh more than 50 million metric tons—as much as a hundred Empire State Buildings
Review Summary: An impressively unbiased look at an interesting ethical question, with an equally impressive personal account of how this issue changed one families’ life.

Henreitta Lacks is a young, black woman whose cancerous cells were harvested and grown without her consent in the 1940’s. At the times, this was standard practice, especially with black patients, who still saw doctors from segregated wards or not at all. Today, her cells have changed the world. As the first cells to survive and continually reproduce, her cells have been used to develop numerous vaccines and learn more about many crucial cellular functions. Unfortunately, her family never benefited from the massive commercialization of her cells, although this book is an attempt to change that.

Monday Musings

February 4, 2013 DoingDewey Monday Musings 8

Musing Mondays asks you to muse about one of the following each week…

However, this format for Monday Musings is a recent development, replacing a system where each week was a different question. At first, I wasn’t sure how I felt about this format so this week I’ll pondering whether to muse or not to muse…
Read more »

Bookends About The Big Exit

February 2, 2013 DoingDewey Uncategorized 6

Title: The Big Exit
Author: David Carnoy
Source: from publisher for review
Rating: ★★★★☆
Review Summary: A fun modern take on the noir mystery genre with plenty of action and plot twists to supplement the great atmosphere.

Convicted of vehicular manslaughter, Richie is released from prison still claiming his friend actually swapped places and put him behind the wheel. While Richie served his sentence, his friend has gone on to business success and marriage to Richie’s ex-fiance. When that same friend turns up dead, Richie is the obvious suspect. However, while evidence against both Richie and his ex-fiance mounts, not everything is as it seems. Plot twists and intriguing leads kept me reading this one late into the night.

All About the Shelby

January 30, 2013 DoingDewey Uncategorized 2

Title: The Definitive Shelby Mustang Guide: 1965-1970
Author: Greg Kolasa
Source: from publisher for review
Rating: ★★★☆☆
Fun Fact: The earliest Shelby GT350’s had the engine moved into the trunk, a practice discontinued because the trunk often filled with acid fumes
Review Summary: A great book with enough detail to satisfy a Shelby enthusiast and enough engaging stories to make an interesting micro-history for the rest of us.

As you might guess, this book covers in great detail all aspects of Shelby mustangs with a particular focus on the story of their production. Although I’m not a huge car buff myself, I picked this to review because I love a good micro-history and I enjoy learning about new things. I was also impressed that the author based his book entirely on primary sources, from factory documentation to interviews with the people who were involved in the process. As soon as I got the book, I was struck by the quality photography as well. As a photography enthusiast, I appreciated how well done it was, but recognize that a Shelby enthusiast would probably be most impressed by the variety of Shelby’s the author managed to track down.

Monday Musings

January 28, 2013 DoingDewey Monday Musings 7

Musing Mondays asks you to muse about one of the following each week…

Today, I’d like to talk about which bookish websites we each use and why. Personally, I use three: Goodreads, LibraryThing, and Riffle. Here’s why: Read more »

Are super powers, sentient robots, and flying cars in our future?

January 16, 2013 DoingDewey Uncategorized 8

Title: Physics of the Future
Author: Michio Kaku
Source: library
Rating: ★★★★★
Fun Fact: Today the little chip in cards that sings happy birthday has more computing power than the Allied forces in 1945.
Review Summary: An extremely fun and well-explained look at current cutting edge science and where it will lead in the next century.

Are super powers, sentient robots, and flying cars in our future? According to Michio Kaku’s latest book, the answers to that question is probably; not any time soon; and at least floating cars almost definitely. In this book, Kaku makes predictions about what the next 100 years of science will bring and how that science will effect our daily lives. He makes these predictions based on both extensive interviews with scientists doing cutting edge research and his own experience as a researcher. Read more »

Monday Musings

January 14, 2013 DoingDewey Monday Musings 16

This week the Monday Musings question from Should Be Reading is the following: Tell us what book(s) you recently bought for yourself or someone else, and why you chose that/those book(s).

I most recently bought myself Born Wicked. For the most part, I don’t buy books and prefer to use the library. However, one thing that will get me to buy a book every time is the chance to get it signed. When I won a signed sticker from Jessica Spotswood, I couldn’t resist buying Born Wicked since it had been on my to-read list for some time anyway. Do you more often buy books or go to the library? What makes you decide you have to own a book instead of just borrowing it?

Bookends About Falling Kingdoms

January 13, 2013 DoingDewey Uncategorized 1

Title: Falling Kingdoms
Author: Morgan Rhodes
Source: giveaway by Jessica Spotswood
Rating: ★★★★☆
Review Summary: Incredibly well written with great dialogue, well developed characters, and a complex but easily followed plot.

This one really did have a complex plot, so I’m going to direct you to the goodreads description and include an excerpt of that description here:

In a land where magic has been forgotten but peace has reigned for centuries, a deadly unrest is simmering. Three kingdoms grapple for power–brutally transforming their subjects’ lives in the process. Amidst betrayals, bargains, and battles, four young people find their fates forever intertwined… Read more »

Mastermind: How To Think Like Sherlock Holmes

January 8, 2013 DoingDewey Uncategorized 13

Title: Mastermind: How To Think Like Sherlock Holmes
Author: Maria Konnikova
Source: from publisher for review
Rating: ★★★★☆
Fun Fact: Motivation can improve IQ test results and memory formation.
Review Summary: Not the most useful as a self-help book, but a fun and inspiring way to learn about psychology.

Can you learn to think like Sherlock Holmes? Drawing on both anecdotes from Holmes stories and exciting studies in psychology, author Maria Konnikova suggests ways in which you can. She’s clearly familiar with and enthusiastic about both her topics – Homes and the psychology behind his way of thinking – and she does a great job making you feel her enthusiasm too. As someone who understands loving a good book, she had me from her description of her first experience with Holmes. She also integrated real-world, relatable examples with her Holmes/Conan Doyle anecdotes and the psychology studies in a way that constantly piqued my interest.