Interesting look at Ruffian's career and how she raced, how she was handled and so on and so forth. However, lacked a lot of the drama of her career aInteresting look at Ruffian's career and how she raced, how she was handled and so on and so forth. However, lacked a lot of the drama of her career and seemed to not know much about the racehorse industry at all. Was overall disappointed because I wanted to know more about the filly, not a sort of condemnation of racing. ...more
Mostly, I loved hearing her read it. All awkward and just the same Hillary you either love or hate. It was very interesting to look back, at the proceMostly, I loved hearing her read it. All awkward and just the same Hillary you either love or hate. It was very interesting to look back, at the process, a year after the election. To be honest I missed a lot of the lead up because I couldn’t stomach the level of vitriol out there . . . But this made her seem human, yet again. The descriptions of the selfies are hilarious, and the look at what has changed and what hasn’t, and how politics is a damned if you do, damned if you don’t cult of charisma. I honestly wish we could go back to the days of campaigning by radio and newspapers. No quick sound bites or images that can be manipulated - on all sides. Alas we have the beast we have. The fact that 90% of people get their news from Facebook now though is a little terrifying. ...more
I am not sure what caused me to pick this up, but I am glad I did. At first I thought he was really skewing toward Patricia's retelling, but then it sI am not sure what caused me to pick this up, but I am glad I did. At first I thought he was really skewing toward Patricia's retelling, but then it switched. I did like the contextualizing of the SLA and the nature of the Bay Area at the time. Somehow we forget that the Seventies were so violent. Bombings all over, serial killers, etc. I really enjoyed this. I wanted more history, though, or at least crazy sensationalizing, and it was neither, so I would give it a 3.5 but that's not a choice so I decided to round up. ...more
Honestly restored my faith in humanity for at least a week. Keeping it so I can listen to it whenever I am depressed. Oh, the world needs more Al FranHonestly restored my faith in humanity for at least a week. Keeping it so I can listen to it whenever I am depressed. Oh, the world needs more Al Franken's. ...more
really excellent look at the power of the youth, and how easily (and not so easily) they can be manipulated by their elders. i wish things had been a really excellent look at the power of the youth, and how easily (and not so easily) they can be manipulated by their elders. i wish things had been a bit more in depth, but this is YA and not an historical tome. i really appreciated the extensive notes, bibliography and photographs.
highly recommended for 9-10 high school to pair with world history. especially with the common core coming back, it could tie into ten million different areas. great overall look on a really important topic - and from the perspective of the germans, which we don't often get.
this was interesting. i found it in the new section of the library, and the idea of the mix between conversation and ranching caught me.
the writing ithis was interesting. i found it in the new section of the library, and the idea of the mix between conversation and ranching caught me.
the writing is very clear, straight forward and refreshing. i wish there was a little more explanation of how the ranch planned to exist, how the wolves were thought to be treated when the years got lean. why didn't they cull the pack before it got to such an unsubstantial size? wiping the whole pack out from helicopters just seems depressing.
i didn't find it that engaging, and had a julie of the wolves scarring flashback. decent though, and if you don't know much about montana, the yellowstone wolves, and ranching, this is a really good introduction.
would have been four stars, if only it had been longer and more in depth. ...more
this turned out to be more of a memoir that lacked a clear focus rather than case studies. it's about a giant public hospital, but also about (among othis turned out to be more of a memoir that lacked a clear focus rather than case studies. it's about a giant public hospital, but also about (among other things): illegal immigration, why we should speak spanish, the health care debate, the prison system, education, confronting your own mortality, etc. but only in small snippets. I would have much preferred something more developed on one or two topics. ...more
the relentlessly cheerful attitude grated on me. hah. i mean, really though. he's all, "okay, i have no social life, but i will have one later!" and "the relentlessly cheerful attitude grated on me. hah. i mean, really though. he's all, "okay, i have no social life, but i will have one later!" and "sure, my back hurts, but the sun is shining!"
blah.
the thing is, his experience is so biased. and yes, he admits this, but only i think because people brought it up. he doesn't actually think he has such a biased experience. i sure as hell couldn't get a job working as a mover, no matter how hard i worked or how much i wanted to. and what if he had injured his back? what would he do then?
fast read though. i just kind of disagree with the premise, and man, does he focus a lot on the moving job. and he was also really lucky to find a good shelter that made room no matter what. ...more
so i picked up this book thinking it would be about spying. and granted, it was about spying. kind of. more than that, though, this was a book about tso i picked up this book thinking it would be about spying. and granted, it was about spying. kind of. more than that, though, this was a book about the war in afghanistan and how it changed everything going forward. how we are still there, in a mess.
i'll admit, i didn't pay attention to the war at all in the beginning (or even really now). there's a little too much that hits close to home and certain parts of this book made me uncomfortable (the need for vengeance being one of them) but what i could appreciate was the fact that you needed this sort of mind-set to get things done.
but i didn't realize how effectively we worked with the afghans in the beginning, or how hard the CIA was pushing for action again AQ for so long. i loved how he showed that intelligence really is needed to complement any action nation-states and non-state actors plan, and how intelligence can swing the day. it's clear that the author isn't a political dude, which kind of shocks me as to how high he climbed in the ranks, but. he is doing this out of loyalty, a sense of justice, and not for vote counting or anything. in fact, more than once he says someone else dealt with that part, he just worked on the intelligence.
because it was, of course, screened by the CIA, i wonder how much was left out.
regardless, this book gave me the clearest understanding of the initial war in afghanistan and why we had a reason to believe we could win, and how the distraction in iraq really ruined everything. (this is all implied, of course; iraq on a whole is never really mentioned directly.)...more
this book was not what i thought. i thought it was going to be a nice book about dog rescue. which it is, kind of. but it's also about science and humthis book was not what i thought. i thought it was going to be a nice book about dog rescue. which it is, kind of. but it's also about science and humanity and all the classic existential questions: is there a god? why do i exist? do i exist? what is the point of any of this? can i be loved? what is love? etc. etc.
so, not really beach reading, even for me, but i highlighted lots (i love that part about kindles - it's not an actual highlight) and plan to go back. there was so much food for thought here i thought it could be five books. very smart, very honest.
but if you are looking for a book just about dog rescue, this isn't it. it's a book about life instead. ...more
this book doesn't really fit on any of these shelves, but it does at the same time. if you want to know about warren jeffs, this is the book. this book doesn't really fit on any of these shelves, but it does at the same time. if you want to know about warren jeffs, this is the book. ...more
