Brendon

Fairly entertaining but lacks evidence to support the grand claims

Revisado: 01-09-25

I find some of these ufo encounters by navy pilots to be fascinating. I heard the author on the smartless podcast where he touted his credentials and discussed these ufo encounters in a fairly measured way. He insisted he isn’t a conspiracy theorist or presenting “woo woo” info. I was very surprised when listening to the book that he starts by recounting almost every alien story I’ve ever heard as fact without presenting any new evidence. This includes the government being in possession of alien bodies and materials and alien abductions (apparently they are gentle when they probe you - hadn’t heard this before). He touts his supernatural ability for remote viewing to find terrorists through powers in his mind. I’m open to possibilities, but remote viewing isn’t supported by rigorous scientific study at this time.
He was also being frequently monitored by a glowing orb in his home while working for the secret government agency. His wife and neighbors also witnessed the orb, but he didn’t get any photo or video evidence. If this was happening to me I would definitely set up cameras or pull out my phone to document it.
After this wacky opening we are expected to take his word for it that there is indisputable evidence of alien technology that he has seen and the government possesses to support his grand claims.
A serious analysis of these pilot ufo encounters would include a discussion of the limitations of human perception and analysis of the technology used in these encounters. Instead we get definitive claims of alien visits and dismissal of any other analysis.
I was entertained by this book, but I don’t feel any more certain of an explanation for these mysterious ufo encounters. They remain unidentified.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Solid

Revisado: 08-21-23

Straight forward with practical recommendations to improve your gut health. No hacks or gimmicky ideas. Honest and supported by solid research and studies. The reader and some sections are a bit cheesy, but that is a minor complaint. I appreciate the authors sharing their scientific knowledge and personal experience.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Mixed bag

Revisado: 07-12-23

Presents some solid concepts backed by critical thinking and data. Also contains motivational-bro chapters and some narcissistic Peter Attia that detracts from the overall impact. He is probably popular and financially successful because he combines some solid science backed health and well being practices with attention seeking motivational concepts. I appreciate the emphasis on taking a much longer view of our health and embracing some creativity and new technologies to help us improve our health, but I felt Peter was inconsistent in his analysis. He provides some good insight and criticism of conclusions drawn by the media from scientific studies and nutrition in general. In contrast, he makes a hard sell for some things that may or may not be beneficial, like cgm for non-diabetics. He says “they” will criticize and question him for being a big proponent of cgm because “that’s what they do.” That isn’t a good defense. The same could be said by anyone when their point of view is criticized. I’ve used cgm as a non-diabetic, and there is some value to using it for a few months, but the value of long term use beyond the value of making money for the manufacturers of the product and giving Peter additional data he can analyze and make his clients feel he is providing them value for the large fees they pay him is questionable. The last section on mental health feels more like over-sharing and highlights the narcissism that seems to underlie other sections of the book. In spite of its flaws, I do hope the book is influential in moving more people toward a longer view of health.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

One of my favorite memoirs

Revisado: 07-12-23

Entertaining and beautifully performed. Listening to this book was like spending time with a charismatic and interesting person. Brian tells the story of his life in a non-linear fashion, which kept me engaged. He is balanced in being both generous and critical of people he has worked with. He offers some criticism of other actors I like, but that makes the book more entertaining. We’re all entitled to our opinions and points of view, and I very much enjoyed listening to his.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Great historical fiction

Revisado: 04-26-23

Very engaging and well written. The author’s writing is strong enough that I wish it were longer and added more depth to the characters.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Awesome

Revisado: 12-22-22

Phenomenal reading of one of my favorite books. Andy Serkis may not sing the songs and poems as well as the reader in the previous version, but his reading of the text and characters is amazing.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Oversimplifies a complex topic and makes big claims without much to back it up

Revisado: 04-30-22

Breath explores a subject I’m very interested in. Unfortunately it oversimplifies complex issues and relies way too much on anecdotal evidence to back up big claims. The author includes a disclaimer in the epilogue that the breathing techniques discussed won’t cure cancer, which is something he apparently gets asked about on airplanes. Based on the content and tone of the book I’m not surprised people approach him with this type of question. He also seems to take a shot at Michael Pollan by saying we shouldn’t be eating things with ingredients our grandparents would be familiar with but instead eating the same as much earlier ancestors to cure our sleep apnea. I’m not sure if he’s suggesting gnawing on a raw deer leg or what to expand our jaw bones because he doesn’t say, but I’d love to read a book by Michael Pollan or someone like him who could bring more sense and science to this subject.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 1 persona

Entertaining listen

Revisado: 08-18-20

Five stars for some great research. Three stars for average writing quality and a mediocre read. Two stars for an overly sympathetic portrayal of Leno. It’s definitely worth a listen if you are a fan of any of the late night talk show hosts involved in the events of this time period. The author gave a fairly balanced portrayal of Letterman and Conan, extolling their talents and detailing their foibles. He mentions critiques of Leno but treats him generously and doesn’t delve into his weaknesses like he does with Letterman or Conan. Leno is like the Phil Mickelson of late night talk show hosts. Probably a decent but ultra-competitive guy who places tremendous value on his public image. He wants to be seen as the nice guy, but behind the scenes he is a cutthroat competitor. That doesn’t make him a diabolical villain, but at the same time some of the heat he received during this debacle was well earned. Ultimately most of the blame for this mess falls on the network executives who were driven by short term, profit maximizing thinking.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Phenomenal reading of a classic book

Revisado: 08-21-19

As some have pointed out, the accents are so authentic that some of the dialogue is hard to understand, but I wouldn’t want to listen to it any other way.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

One of Christopher Moore's best

Revisado: 07-09-18

Equal parts funny and entertaining. Christopher Moore does a phenomenal job with a light-hearted take on the genre. The narration is spot-on. Christopher Moore is a unique talent.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña