Review: Normal

Normal by Warren Ellis
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

As others have said, this is a set up for some big discussions, but in the end it was unfulfilling. Perhaps a bit more focus, and a bit more storytelling instead of backgrounding.

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Review: The Year of Magical Thinking

The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I got some feels but not as much as I expected. It did make me appreciate Isabel Allende's "Paula" more for the dealing with a slow moving death.

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Review: Rough Sleepers

Rough Sleepers by Tracy Kidder
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed Kidder’s first book, “Soul of a New Machine”. I read it in college and switched majors because of it. I’ve enjoyed all of his books since. This one, though, seemed less complete than his other books. Kidder’s previous books mostly were told in a story arc. Here, it feels more like straight reporting. Perhaps this was mostly covering a shorter timeline than his other books. Perhaps it’s because this didn’t really have an ending, or at least the ending it had didn’t tie into the beginning. Kidder did make his topic, homelessness and the services supporting the homeless, interesting. The most interesting aspect of this book, like a number of his recent books, is the description of an individual’s self-sacrifice for the greater good.

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Review: From Strength to Strength: Finding Success, Happiness, and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of Life

From Strength to Strength: Finding Success, Happiness, and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of Life by Arthur C. Brooks
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Innocuous little book. Nothing earthshattering here, but a comfortable read and reminder to keep using your head as you age.

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Review: This Is How You Lose The Time War

This Is How You Lose The Time War by Amal El-Mohtar
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Interesting and confusing, but it was kind of fun in the confusion watching the characters express themselves in their different ways. The world the author created for this book to relate was very odd, and I find myself thinking about it long after the reading, although I can't say I liked the book.

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Review: The Creative Act: A Way of Being

The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

How does Rick Rubin get the best out of the musicians he produces? He goes through that in his book, but it reminds me of how I deal with headstrong kids. Try this, then if that doesn’t work, try the opposite, then try something else entirely. Here, Rubin runs through many different suggestions for a creator to think through a problem, or working with others, or coming up with that initial spark, or over-focusing. Everything he says has a little theatrical new-age tinge to it, or a lot – there’s a gong sound between concepts in his audiobook. I found it a mildly interesting listen, but would have liked it more if I spent more time creating. And I do believe I’d read a Rick Rubin book on raising kids.

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Review: At Home in the World

At Home in the World by Joyce Maynard
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I watched a couple of Joyce Maynard’s creative writing classes on Creative Live a few months back. I hadn’t heard of her, but she told of her relationship with J.D. Salinger and how the reactions she got from others prompted her to write a memoir of that time. In her writing she describes what happened, but she also describes her thoughts in a very sure footed way, not sharing more than necessary while giving interesting details. This is one of those books that didn’t leave me with any particular “oh I’ve got to remember that bit” moments, but it did leave me with an overall feeling of… understanding, I suppose. That’s not a feeling I get very often when reading books.

Having said I didn’t recall moments, I will share one that I did recall, because I could have seen my personality in this, as well as my daughters at times. Maynard exerts great effort to one-up her sister in getting writing gigs and winning writing contests. Quite understandable.


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