Mike Zinni

Confused

Revisado: 07-31-19

I admit, I watched the show first (and I loved it), so I figured the book/s would have to be pretty good as well. Well... it just wasn’t. The characters were not nearly as complex, the dialogue wasn’t as clever, the plot seemed to plod instead of unfold. Not to mention, Q is not only a pathetic character — he’s not even nice. At least in the show, he had some redeeming qualities - charm, humor, values, and even valor. In the book, he’s snotty, privileged, and he never stops complaining (in the show, they follow other plot lines to give the viewer a break, at least). Sure, he’s depressed, but whining doesn’t make for literature, especially if you can’t find new ways to complain about the same thing.

On top of all this, the other characters treat each other like crap — not in an interesting and compelling manner. They’re just petty.

And the cherry on top is the “nice guy” motif. This would’ve played a few years ago, but these days, not so much. Just because you’re awkward doesn’t mean you’re nice. Being a coward doesn’t make you a pacifist, either.

It’d be one thing if Grossman used all this as a means of character development, but instead you’re left with the same soppy, wet towel of a protagonist by the end. Maybe soppier.

The book had its parts. I did finish it after all. It’s just disappointing.

The performance itself was great.

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Ignore the Narrator

Revisado: 08-06-18

It’s difficult to imagine, but if you can somehow simultaneously listen to the story while ignoring the medium, you’ll enjoy this book.

It sounds like the narrator has one method of delivery - international man of mystery and snide sarcasm. And when attempting American accents, everyone is suddenly a southern bell, whether it’s Nixon, Bush, or Reagan.

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Mostly Great

Revisado: 03-24-18

As a medical Speech-Language Pathologist, I really enjoyed this book (well, I have about an hour left). It was fascinating to get an unadulterated and honest perspective from a neurosurgeon.

But one thing really bothered me. The author describes aphasia (a neurological communication disorder) in false terms. He says you can’t recover from it. This is patently false, almost comedically.

“Taking care of patients with Aphasia (inability to speak) pushes the envelope of difficulty. Rounding on him was torture.”

That’s my job. I love it. Persons with aphasia still have extremely rich lives and don’t “waste away in nursing homes” (usually).

But, maybe this is indicative of how neurosurgeons actually are - only concerned with the things within their control and know very little of anything else. ;)

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Required Reading for Any Sacks Fan

Revisado: 07-17-17

If you're a fan of Olivar Sacks, then you'll enjoy this book. Hayes provides a perspective of the man that only he could have known. It's wistful and dreamy, but not without intention. Expect to find all the humor and beauty you would from anything Sacks touched. But expect more.

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Soooo Basic

Revisado: 03-15-17

If you know your subject pronouns, both "to be" forms, and a handful of verbs, don't bother with this first book. Maybe the second in the series will be more challenging, but judging by the extremely slow pace of this first one, I'm not hopeful.

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Very Entertaining

Revisado: 09-17-16

Great on so many different levels and entertaining to boot. It is memorable and enjoyable. McWhorter has a way with words.

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For The Skeptics

Revisado: 09-14-16

I've used Rosetta Stone (so far, 85% complete), Duolingo (95% complete) and Pimsleur. I can't say that Pimsleur is a silver bullet, but it's definitely brought my studies to the next level. Worth a purchase, for sure. One of the best features is the ability to slow it down and speed it up (so far, I'm just at the normal speed...). Fully recommend it as one important part of an arsenal.

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Great Overview

Revisado: 07-12-16

Whether you're a parent or a specialist (SLP, here), you'll find this book to be a fairly comprehensive review of the literature, the controversies, and the development of autism, as we know it today. Fully recommend it!

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Excellent! But...

Revisado: 06-17-16

This was a great lecture series, and I fully recommend it with one caveat: at times, the speaker uses complex sentence structures that further complicate the already complex nature of the material. It's not incomprehensible, but when absorbing materially aurally it helps the listener when sentences are put forth simply. Now I love a good dependent clause as much as the next person, but when you're getting up to four or five, and you're offering parenthetical asides - and interjections here and there - and we have unfamiliar names and less than familiar settings (which even a decent knowledge of middle eastern geography (disregarding the many changes to the boundaries (vacillating as they do))), cogent delivery is key. <--satire. Don't let this dissuade you though. It was a very revealing overview. Just don't expect to listen at 1.5x speed.

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So much fun!

Revisado: 02-24-16

The author achieves a great story arc even though each lectures tackles a different explorer, a different time. I learned about well known travelers and obscure trail blazers. Easy to listen to. Clear sentence structure, almost conversational.

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