Review: Help Thanks Wow: The Three Essential Prayers

Help Thanks Wow: The Three Essential Prayers by Anne Lamott
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Lamott tries very hard to write a pithy sermon here. I liked the basic concept. I didn't like the style -- Lamott kept using examples where one or two of the examples were so off the wall compared to the rest that it didn't add to the understanding, those were obviously there to look edgy.

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Review: Mind Hacking: How to Change Your Mind for Good in 21 Days

Mind Hacking: How to Change Your Mind for Good in 21 Days by Sir John Hargrave Sir
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

If you've read those self help books that suggest different ways to think, this is another one. The concepts I've seen many times before. But as I often like refreshers, I happened to read this at the right time, and i found it useful. The author uses some computer programming references that resonated with me, but might not with the non-tech reader. He comes across as a bit goofy. On the audiobook version of this, the author goes through his text, then he turns the audiobook into a kind of collection of podcasts with an episode for each of the 21 days he says it takes to change your thinking. Each episode lasts about 5 to 10 minutes, and often repeats a thought or an anecdote from the book, followed by guided meditation, often with 5 to 10 minutes of quiet time per episode. These reminded me greatly of an NPR podcast, as the narrator's voice and enthusiasm and use of music felt very familiar. I ended up fast forwarding through much of the quiet space. I could see how this might be of use as guided meditations, but as I listened mostly in the car -- bad idea.

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Review: Memoirs of a Geisha

Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I found long stretches of this story were there to relate historical research by the author, not necessarily to advance the story. At times it read like a Wikipedia article. The story was fine and memorable, but I'd have liked it more if it didn't feel like I was getting a lesson.

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Review: The Man Who Fell To Earth

The Man Who Fell To Earth by Walter Tevis
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Like "War of the Worlds", (view spoiler)[but with the alien (singular) succumbing not to smog but to gin and governmental overstep (hide spoiler)]. My second Tevis book, and I find his writing likable, though feeling a bit askew, like you are looking at things slightly differently than normal, at an angle. Not your father's dystopia.

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Review: Dance Dance Dance

Dance Dance Dance by Haruki Murakami
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I found this a more familiar story from Murakami, with shades of a mystery novel through parts, though with Murakami's normal surrealness. And as with most of his stories, I had to stop in the middle to try out some mentioned music, in this case Freddie Hubbard's "Red Clay". Needed a touch more sheep.

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Review: Somebody's Fool

Somebody's Fool by Richard Russo
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed Russo's early books, including "Nobody's Fool". The characters, the situations, the towns were all so familiar to me from growing up in a small town that had the same kinds of characters and the same characteristics. I was expecting the same kind of nostalgia-tinged trip with Russo's new Fool book. That's not how it went down. This one felt closer to who I am now, more adult. Very enjoyable trip.

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Review: BASEBALL LIVES

BASEBALL LIVES by Mike Bryan
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I enjoyed playing baseball as a kid, but knew I wouldn't become a pro player. I found I enjoyed watching the minors and the majors, and thought, hey, instead of being a professional player, since that wasn't in the cards, could I work elsewhere in baseball? I found this book was quite interesting in diving into the other jobs out there that kept the work in the game. I appreciated that you got introduced to a number of very different people, in many different jobs. I don't think I'll ever make it in the game, but I think I would have enjoyed working with some of these folks.

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