Saga, Volume 1 by Brian K. Vaughan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Category Archives: Uncategorized
Review: A Fighting Chance
A Fighting Chance by Elizabeth Warren
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
In lieu of a review, I’d like to share 2 quotes that I especially liked —
“Sure, government fails sometimes. (By the way, corporations fail sometimes, too.) But I don’t believe the response to government failure — such as the inept response to Hurricane Katrina or the slew of failures that led to the financial crisis — should be a snarky “I told you so” or a heavy sigh of resignation. No: the response should be *outrage*. The government — *our* government — should be held to a higher standard.” (p.186)
“How do we build a future? I made the case for what I believe: We are stronger and wealthier because of the things we build together. We are more secure when we create a foundation that allows each of us to have a decent chance to build something on our own. We are better off when we invest in one another. It’s economics and values, tied tightly together.” (p.216)
Review: Ministry of Moral Panic
Ministry of Moral Panic by Amanda Lee Koe
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
The stories impress themselves upon you, and you’ll remember each one’s unique shape, tone and character. Raw in some areas, jarring in others (an uneducated housewife with a penchant for Tsai Ming Liang?), teetering on cliche even. But Lee Koe shows she has her finger clearly on the pulse of these times: our sex-cynical, social media-soaked, hipster-populated years. She’s only 23 @_@ I’m looking forward to more of her writing.
Review: The Lost Carving: A Journey to the Heart of Making
Review: The Spectre of Alexander Wolf
The Spectre of Alexander Wolf by Gaito Gazdanov
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Liked the descriptions and scenes of 1920s (I think) Paris the most. These are narrated tersely, with just enough visual and aural detail. Thought the narrator’s inner ruminations seemed convoluted and tedious by comparison, with the diction overly formal.
Review: China in Ten Words
China in Ten Words by Hua Yu
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
The author has the gift for crafting just the right anecdote to cement his observations and assertions.
Review: How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character
How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character by Paul Tough
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
The book presents evidence that success in education (and in one’s life) is determined in large part by non-cognitive skills — grit, determination, persistence etc — rather than raw academic ability or IQ. It also describes the experiences of educators working against great odds to inculcate in disadvantaged kids habits and skills to improve their educational outcomes, so that they can rise above their circumstances. Inspiring stuff.
Review: The Logic of Life
The Logic of Life by Tim Harford
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
A grandiose title that tells you this book is a little more ambitious than “The Undercover Economist”. Harford writes with passion and urgency, defending rational choice theory as a useful framework for predicting in the majority of cases how the majority of people behave. Because people change their behaviours in response to incentives (and these include non-financial ones), rational choice theory also lends itself well to policymaking.
Someone needs to write about how those incentives can or should be structured, given findings in new branches of economics such as behavioural economics. Harford throws in a few comments about the applicability of some of Kahneman’s lab research to real world situations, and hints at “neuroeconomics”. Perhaps a follow-up is needed?
Review: Venus Bound: The Erotic Voyage of the Olympia Press
Venus Bound: The Erotic Voyage of the Olympia Press by John De St. Jorre
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Enjoyed the portraits of the universe of little and well-known literary characters who walked through the doors of Olympia, and the stories behind the books that have earned Olympia Press and Girodias places in literary history.
Good to be reminded that the romance of publishing and writing is sustained by ordinary people — writers, publishers and sellers who are often cliquish, ungrateful and unpleasant and all driven by their love for good writing 🙂
In some parts St. Jorre errs on the side of comprehensiveness rather than flair. While he doesn’t avoid describing Olympia Press founder Maurice Girodias’ flaws, he’s fairly discreet.
Review: A Sensation of Independence: A Political Biography
A Sensation of Independence: A Political Biography by Chan Heng Chee
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
This book is a critical analysis of Marshall’s political career, and excels in the descriptions of parliamentary exchanges, legislative negotiations, and the broad political forces of the time.
Some parts were especially incisive, such as her comparison of Marshall’s and Lee Kuan Yew’s characters on p. 126. I also like that she’s sensitive to quotes — there’s a deliciously ambiguous one by Lee on p. 274 — and for behavioural details. Other sections however read a bit dry, and more perhaps could be done to ease the layman into the thicket of legislation names, reports and papers.
Overall one wishes the book had a far better editor that could do its subject and author justice.
While appreciative of Marshall’s positive abilities, the author seems a bit too quick to write Marshall off. The concluding summary in particular seems too reductive.
Of note are the sketches of Marshall, Lee and other personalities. But it’s a shame that the artist is not credited anywhere. Equally upsetting are the ubiquitous typos – very odd of publisher Marshall Cavendish.
writing without rhythm 