Colonialism and Sovereignty in Hawai'i
By Huanani Kay Trask
Alice walker wrote about the first edition of the book that it changes the way you think about Hawai'i and "all the lands seized by force forever". This was definitely true for me after reading the second edition. It definitely made me less ignorant about the history of Hawai'i, about its culture, and about the effects of the US takeover, and extensive tourism, on this culture. This book is a must read to anyone who considers going to Hawai'i. [272 pp.]
Book link
Monday, October 25, 2010
Saturday, October 9, 2010
The Czar's Madman
By Jaan Kross
I needed to take a book to Costa Rica, and I didn't want to take a library book, so I took this one, since I own it, read it a while ago, and remembered it was good.
I didn't have much time to read while in Costa Rica, and it took me a while to finish it (though I did finish it a week ago!), but the more I got into it, the more interesting it became. The book has "a novel" as a subtitle on the cover, yet it's written as if the author just displays a journal written by someone else. To confuse you even more, there's a whole section on evidence that the author found for the authenticity of the journal. [368 pp.]
Book link
I needed to take a book to Costa Rica, and I didn't want to take a library book, so I took this one, since I own it, read it a while ago, and remembered it was good.
I didn't have much time to read while in Costa Rica, and it took me a while to finish it (though I did finish it a week ago!), but the more I got into it, the more interesting it became. The book has "a novel" as a subtitle on the cover, yet it's written as if the author just displays a journal written by someone else. To confuse you even more, there's a whole section on evidence that the author found for the authenticity of the journal. [368 pp.]
Book link
Sunday, August 22, 2010
The Essential Homer: Selections from the Illiad and the Odyssey
Translated and edited by Stanley Lombardo
I did finish this book 2 weeks ago, just before leaving to Costa Rica, but it did take me a long time to finish it. It was not the kind of book I was looking forward to read on the couch when I got home from work. For that I had the Spanish learning book "Spanish the Easy Way" (highly recommended!!). Instead, I only read it before going to sleep, and indeed it put me to sleep fairly quickly.
Okay, parts of it were interesting, especially the parts that showed how people used to think back then. Then there were the horrible parts, of people killing other people in the most horrific ways, for absolutely no reason. And, of course, there's the gods. How nice to be able to blame everything on the gods! "The gods cast sleep on me, so I couldn't see that my men are misbehaving and upsetting some other god" (very loose transcription). Serves them right for being so petty.
I was happy to finally finish it. It took me 2 months exactly. Finally I can read something that makes more sense.
The translation, by the way, is very nice, as far as I can tell. But, of course, I've never read it in ancient Greek. [510 pp.]
Book link
I did finish this book 2 weeks ago, just before leaving to Costa Rica, but it did take me a long time to finish it. It was not the kind of book I was looking forward to read on the couch when I got home from work. For that I had the Spanish learning book "Spanish the Easy Way" (highly recommended!!). Instead, I only read it before going to sleep, and indeed it put me to sleep fairly quickly.
Okay, parts of it were interesting, especially the parts that showed how people used to think back then. Then there were the horrible parts, of people killing other people in the most horrific ways, for absolutely no reason. And, of course, there's the gods. How nice to be able to blame everything on the gods! "The gods cast sleep on me, so I couldn't see that my men are misbehaving and upsetting some other god" (very loose transcription). Serves them right for being so petty.
I was happy to finally finish it. It took me 2 months exactly. Finally I can read something that makes more sense.
The translation, by the way, is very nice, as far as I can tell. But, of course, I've never read it in ancient Greek. [510 pp.]
Book link
Monday, July 12, 2010
Predictably Irrational
By Dan Arieli
Apparently we are very reliable at making stupid decisions. Through sets of experiments the author shows what kind of non-wise decisions we make, and tries to find the underlying factors affecting our behavior. This is to make us aware of our tendency to make these mistakes. Awareness which in turn will help us avoid making them in the first place.
Saturday, May 29, 2010
The Periodic Table
By Primo Levi
He is one of my favorite writers. Though I'm amazed at the diversity of writing quality I find in his books. I don't remember seeing that when I was reading him in Hebrew, so it leads me to assume that the English translations vary in quality. That is not to say that they are by any means bad, it's just that they don't always flow as well sometimes.
In this case, it definitely took me longer to read this book in English than it did in Hebrew, and it's not only because English is not my mother tongue. However, I still liked most of the stories, and the last one - the story of the a carbon atom - will possibly play some role in the Biology class I will be teaching next semester. We shall see. [240 pp.]
Book link
He is one of my favorite writers. Though I'm amazed at the diversity of writing quality I find in his books. I don't remember seeing that when I was reading him in Hebrew, so it leads me to assume that the English translations vary in quality. That is not to say that they are by any means bad, it's just that they don't always flow as well sometimes.
In this case, it definitely took me longer to read this book in English than it did in Hebrew, and it's not only because English is not my mother tongue. However, I still liked most of the stories, and the last one - the story of the a carbon atom - will possibly play some role in the Biology class I will be teaching next semester. We shall see. [240 pp.]
Book link
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Scroogenomics
By Joel Waldfogel
I know it sounds like "screw genomics", but it's actually an economics book that describes how gift giving, especially to people that are not close to you, can destroy a lot of value. The solution - improved retailer gift cards and charity gift cards. Read it if you are worried about what gifts to buy to all those people you have to buy gifts on Christmas! [173 pp.]
Book link
I know it sounds like "screw genomics", but it's actually an economics book that describes how gift giving, especially to people that are not close to you, can destroy a lot of value. The solution - improved retailer gift cards and charity gift cards. Read it if you are worried about what gifts to buy to all those people you have to buy gifts on Christmas! [173 pp.]
Book link
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Just Add Hormones
By Matt Kaily
A first person account on the process of transformation from female to male. He talks about the changes and about society's acceptance (or lack of acceptance). He also talks about the restricting nature of gender categories society forces everybody into. Although somewhat repetitive, and the jokes are sometimes too silly, it is a very interesting and enlightening book. It seems like it is mostly addressed to other transpeople or people who know a transperson, but I think everybody should read it, because it's mostly about being open-minded and tolerant, aware of diversity, and embrace it.
Without diversity the world would be way too boring. [184 pp.]
Book link
A first person account on the process of transformation from female to male. He talks about the changes and about society's acceptance (or lack of acceptance). He also talks about the restricting nature of gender categories society forces everybody into. Although somewhat repetitive, and the jokes are sometimes too silly, it is a very interesting and enlightening book. It seems like it is mostly addressed to other transpeople or people who know a transperson, but I think everybody should read it, because it's mostly about being open-minded and tolerant, aware of diversity, and embrace it.
Without diversity the world would be way too boring. [184 pp.]
Book link
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