Category: Book Reviews

An Introvert Hideout – The Library

The book stores in my new town are scarce and don’t offer what I was looking for. It was the standard issue current stuff, mostly by people that don’t interest me – celebtards.

I had to go downtown for the annual insurance rodeo and the Library was a block away. I figured what the hay, I’ll get a card and kill a little time and check out the selection. I figured I was in it for a biography.

To my surprise, although the parking lot was full, there was only 4 people in there, 3 of whom were employees. There were alcoves to hide out in and I realized that it will be a great place to escape to. They had workrooms for people with laptops, but I saw rooms to escape to.

The parking downtown is tight (it’s only about 4 blocks long) and the cars were people shopping, not looking at books.

Best of all, I found some John MacDonald / Travis McGee books I couldn’t get anywhere else. Occasionally in my old town, I could find them in the 2nd hand bookstore, but it was so unorganized that I don’t think they knew what they had.

It was quiet, not because it was a library, but because there was nobody there.

I realized what a goldmine that was going to be for me. I can see where I’ll be when I need some time alone.

It is an introvert heaven, books, quiet and no people.

Blogs I Follow – Sharyl Attkisson

I was made aware of her when she left CBS when her computer was hacked by the FBI/DOJ, and she wouldn’t stand for it. She currently is in mid-trial against them and I’m on her side. (Link here to her site)

Why I follow her is that she is actually independent in her views. Any post that have written that has the tag MSM shows my contempt for the press, their bias and lack of journalistic skills. They have become the propaganda tool for political parties. Note, I don’t excuse Fox News either because they have been on an island for their views, but still are not unbiased. The rest are fully ensconced on the left.

I also have been clear about my respect for those who write well. She is among them. She also has established an independent online show and podcast. Disclosure: I follow her blog and podcast.

I spent my career working with TV, Radio, print and online journalists. There are very few that I ended with any respect once they made their bias known.

Just to prove that she is a better writer than me, here is an excerpt from her book, Slanted.

The five-time Emmy Award-winning investigative reporter and New York Times bestselling author of Stonewalled and The Smear uncovers how partisan bias and gullibility are destroying American journalism.

The news as we once knew it no longer exists. It’s become a product molded and shaped to suit the narrative. Facts that don’t fit are omitted. Off-narrative people and views are controversialized or neatly deposited down the memory hole. Partisan pundits, analysts and anonymous sources fill news space leaving little room for facts. The line between opinion and fact has disappeared.

In Slanted, Sharyl Attkisson reveals with gripping detail the struggles inside newsrooms where journalism used to rule. For the first time, dozens of current and former top national news executives, producers and reporters give insider accounts, speaking with shocking candor about their industry’s devolution.

For those who understand how hard it is to write well, I encourage you to go to read her work. It is a breath of fresh air in the cesspool of what is journalism and the MSM are.

Introvert Driving

I get to make a long drive today. This is what it’s going to look like in feeling except I’m alone. I first thought that this guy was by himself, but I’ll pretend it’s his dog, who would probably be a helluva lot more quiet.

FWIW, I’m looking to get another truck after I’m through with my current car. I’ve enjoyed them every time I’ve owned one. You get to sit up high and see everything. You are also further away from others that way.

The partner next to me today will be no one. My company is an audible book. The title is Algorithm’s to live by, by Brian Christian. It is mind blowingly complex thinking, but really helps you in life and will turn your mind internally by a mile.

I do get to see the rest of my family and dog when I get there and look forward to it. I love them, but being alone lets me re-charge my social energy.

Describing Almost Every Movie In One Picture (1000 words)

With CGI and the video game culture of limited attention span, combined with the need to shoot everything that moves, there haven’t been great movies recently.

You have to tell a story, build up tension, explore a characters mind and motivation to become emotionally involved.

I don’t need to write the cliche because anyone who reads knows it’s true. You can’t cram the development of what is going on inside of your mind into 1-2 hours of someone else’s version of the story.

Besides, in the race to become the most “woke”, most of the protagonists are cast incorrectly.

Enjoy reading. It’s better than wasting time on fake book.

How Do High IQ People Read Books

Note: intelligent people generally read a lot.  There are many ways to read a book.  Authors read for story arc’s, character profile and emotional connection.

Many people learn from textbooks, but for general reading, here is a good list I found on how high IQ people read:

1) Find a personal angle: You need to relate to what you’re reading

2) Get a bird’s eye view: Get the basic outline of the book by skimming through the table of contents (and the rest of the book); try finding a central theme

3) Drum up curiosity: Draft a few “curiosity questions” based on the theme; consider these questions as you read the book

4) Create your own structure: Identify key points in the book and leave space for you to take in-depth notes

5) Record key insights: Take in-depth notes based on the elements you mentioned in Step 4; think about what the “Takeaway Message” is.

6) Review your notes: Now that you have a summary you have created in your own words, it’s now time to review; try to remember the details related to the messages you recorded 10 minutes, 2 days, 1 week after finishing the book.

7) Repeat with another book.

Here is the link to this list.

Count of Monte Cristo – A Book Review

Of course you could just go to Wikipedia and get someone’s version of it, but I read the book and found it to be fascinating.  I read quite a bit and have 3-4 books going at all times.  Through this, I’ve learned to read fast and retain a good deal of information.  I’m constantly trying to figure out the plot before it ends, but I confess I didn’t succeed this time.

Originally, my son was assigned this book in school.  Being a typical high schooler, he didn’t work hard and complained a lot.  What got my attention was that he liked this book.  There are times (few) that I find him astute, but I recognize the potential in him and knew I was going to read it.

GOOD VS BAD

Written by Alexandre Dumas, père in 1844, the book has hero’s that are trampled upon (Edward Dantes, the protagonist) and villains who sent him to prison for a trumped up charges (Villefort, Fernand, Mercedes and random others ).  Good vs. evil always tugs at the heart strings to pull for the good guys.

After 14 years in prison, he ingeniously escapes after making friends with the Abbé Faria who was deemed mad for claiming to have millions.  Upon his dying bed, he bequeathed it all to Dantes who was unceremoniously tossed off the cliff while posing as the dead Abbe.   Fortunately he had a knife and set himself free.

Upon reaching the island of Monte Cristo, he discovered the massive fortune that did exist and changed his life.  From then on he lived like he wanted to, exploring where he wished, eating on the best and setting up the rest of the book for what is basically a revenge plot.  Dantes, who now has many aliases becomes for the most part the Count of Monte Cristo.

After learning the secrets of the above stated villans, he schemes to take them down for ruining his life, starving his father and losing his love, Mercedes (who later married Fernand the snake).

He gets his way and the villains are vanquished (or the Count helps them vanquish themselves) and revenge is exacted.

What is not fully explained is how he became so learned from a sailor and prisoner to a chemist, man of the world and just how he knows so much about who he is going make pay for his suffering.  It does describe a long period of time (appx. 24 years) to do it and how he developed his learning skills from the Abbe in prison, but it would have helped to understand some of the chemicals he used in his actions.  I do note that this doesn’t take away from the book, I just wanted more.

THE WARPED EUROPEANS

The book does expose the pontificous nature and pomp of the Europeans in that time period (not that they haven’t been for most of history).  Fortunately, it also exposes the fallible nature of this culture.  The class system is quite evident and appearance versus substance apparent.  I remind the critics of current times as they denigrate or try to convert the USA to their lifestyle and government that this is just what we wished to escaped from.  It is through this exposure to those times that history is revealed and relished.

OVERALL

The writing is excellent and builds as the book builds as it progresses, my favorite style of writing.  At the end I could hardly put it down.  I highly recommend it and it’s use of words not normally in our vocabulary anymore is brilliant.  If we could only go back to that language rather than the obnoxious rappers like a self deluded Kanye West – (especially when drunk in front of Taylor Swift and the rest of the world) and others of his league, we would be bringing up better and more learned children.  Fortunately, I listened to my son and benefited from it.  I’m grateful to have sent him to a school that teaches the classics such as this.

I don’t have a star rating, but I would give it one less than the best.  All should read it to better themselves and improve/understand good vocabulary, a good story and the struggles of man in good vs. evil.