Kristen

Fascinating look at cultural shifts

Revisado: 10-14-24

Must-read for parents looking to navigate the smart phone world we live in. Explains the increase in anxiety, social awkwardness, feelings of depression and uselessness in Gen Z— and maybe also in adults— and how the phone-based childhood might be responsible.

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A necessary book for our times

Revisado: 11-16-21

In this short book, McWhorter completely dismantles woke ideology and reveals the unwitting racism underneath, often with succinct pragmatism. He also details some of the ways that identitarianism mentally chains those it purports to help to unhelpful narratives of victimhood, and gives a handful of ideas that would help black communities in America. What always struck me about “white fragility” is how unhelpful it is in real life; crying about how you have privilege does absolutely nothing for the underprivileged, and worse, makes you FEEL like you’ve done something beneficial (and thus you don’t have to actually do anything beyond self flagellating navel gazing). We’re in a frustrating time of empty gestures. I’m glad McWhorter has spoken up against this. His actionable steps that would help those in the black community who are struggling: promote phonics-based reading instruction; decriminalize drugs; promote technical jobs as desirable; and change the idea that one has to go to college to be successful. I’m pretty sold!

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Exciting, well-written thriller

Revisado: 10-19-21

This was twisty and fun, sardonic and biting, about an obnoxious rich lady who gets embroiled in the life of the white trash family she and her white collar criminal husband rent a summer cottage from. Murder ensues. Then more murder!! I can’t say anything more or I’ll be spoiling the story!

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Wonderful story and excellent narration

Revisado: 09-27-21

Michael C Hall does a great job narrating this short, nostalgic, sad story by Truman Capote. Holly Golightly is both a caricature and very very real; her brief relationship with the narrator brings vivacity and drama to his lonely life.

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Weird

Revisado: 08-18-21

This is so weird because I think it’s worked… I have been listening to it nightly with a sleep timer and have noticed a stark change in my mentality and work ethic in the morning (which had been a difficult time for me to get things done). And I fall asleep immediately so it’s not like I’m listening actively to the hypnosis.

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This will tell you how to change

Revisado: 07-28-21

If you use the strategies listed here, you will accomplish your goals. This book lays out a few different general strategies to change your behavior, explains why they work and how this information was discovered. It’s short but it’s fascinating. And you’ll get a nice ego-pat when you get to the section about “sophisticates” and “naifs”, since chances are if you’re reading this book you’re a sophisticate per the book’s definition ;)

I have read just about every book about habit formation and personal transformation— well, at least the ones I’ve heard of, haha— because even if the information isn’t new to me, it’s something I want to ingrain in my brain. While there was nothing terribly new here, it’s still useful information for those who’d like to accomplish what they set out to do.

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Great

Revisado: 10-07-20

An enchanting, sad romance between a mysterious painter and the farmer who loves her. My only qualm here is, why didn’t the female narrator (Jenny Agutter) read the later chapters of letters from Helen?

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Awesome narrator brings a work of genius to life

Revisado: 09-23-20

This book definitely earns its place in the pantheon of great literature. I love how deeply it goes into the minds and lives of several people living in Middlemarch: Dorothea, a naive, ardent young woman so uncomfortable with her wealth that she yearns to spend her life in service to others— an impulse that leads her into an awful marriage with a mediocre, aging scholar named Casaubon; Tertius Lydgate, a proud doctor with dreams of greatness who finds himself sucked into a pit of moral potholes and money troubles after he marries a god damned narcissist; Rosamund Vincy, the aforementioned manipulative narcissist who seems... so REAL and is so infuriating, even as she’s completely fascinating to explore; Fred Vincy, a dissolute young man who’s trying his best not to work a day in his life until the woman he loves basically forces him to wake the hell up; Mary Garth, aforementioned love interest of Fred, who reads like a 90s rom com “best friend” character and is hilarious; Will Ladislaw, Casaubon’s hipster nephew who loves Dorothea but is one of the less interesting characters (I do not ship them) and many more.

We get to meet basically everyone in the small English town of Middlemarch, and witness their spiritual, social, marital, political, financial, and medical dramas. This book touches on just about everything in life. It made me sad to finish it. I’d say my favorite characters were Dorothea and Lydgate, though I found the contemptible Casaubon really interesting as a case study in professional failure and shame, and how it curdles the soul. Anyway this kind of reminds me of Anna Karenina in its 3rd person omniscience that dips into the consciousness of every person in the book, and exposes them to be a fully formed, complex human being. This was addictive and I listened to a wonderful performance of it on Audible, read by Juliet Stevenson. She did fun voices, truly emoted, and kept me listening for hours on end. Loved it!!

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Marisa Tomei is amazing

Revisado: 09-08-20

Excellent narration and an emotional, psychological story that will delight fans of Ferrante’s other works

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Infuriating, informative deep dive into the pre-Victorian literary scene

Revisado: 12-08-19

This book was fascinating. It introduces the mostly-forgotten poet Letitia Elizabeth Landon, and paints a fascinating portrait of the misogynist, honor-obsessed London literary scene. I don’t usually like non fiction but this one kept me hooked.

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