michaelforrest

Compelling book

Revisado: 03-29-25

This is such an important book and gives great insight into the world of academia and research when it collides with the world of commerce/pharmaceuticals and the magic bullets referred to in the title. It's so sad to see the APA going arm-in-arm with the big pharma companies and despite the lack of hard evidence in favor, getting people hooked on medications that will alter their lives in some cases unretrievably and lead them down the road to SSDI and lives of addiction and lack of feeling fulfilled. Shame on the KOL's spoken about in the book. What a scam. Loved how the Europeans prescribe exercise instead of pills....they should prescribe cooking and gardening as well. So many other possibilities instead of taking a magic bullet that may ruin your life. Granted, I do not suffer from depression or any other type of mental illness but as a frequent reader, consumer of news and culture, it's not hard to see that the US is failing on this front as well. We are seeking out the "easy" solutions, both for the professionals and the person seeking help. What could be easier than just telling someone to take a cocktail of pills and cross your fingers for the best result? It just reinforces the fact that our society is money-driven and all the good intentions in the world won't stop companies from making money off of the weakest amongst us. The author presents a compelling case and this book should be mandatory reading for any person (especially a parent) who is thinking of sending their child down this pathway or going down it yourself.

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Excellent

Revisado: 03-29-25

From the shark attack (start of the book) to the shark attack (end of the book) it's just great content and insight into a world few of us get to visit and people with so much money that working is just, well, a pastime. I enjoyed the vision and naivete of the author as she really believes that Facebook will change the world. And I suppose it really has. For the better? Not so much. In fact, it has become a tool that despite bringing us together, is inherently designed to tear us apart. The political ramifications are the focus of this author's endeavors at the company and her insights into how the upper management treat their job/purpose/vision is chilling. Mark Zuckerberg wanting to run for president one day....God save us all! Kudos to the New Zealand accent. Loved it!

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Not Frieda's best

Revisado: 03-29-25

This book was a bit of a drag. The whole story started off weirdly since she (the main character) gets a job as a nurse in a high-security prison where the man she supposedly sent there through her testimony is imprisoned....wouldn't that just be unethical or weird at least. Just not a great listen and the story was underwhelming.

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Great characters/writing

Revisado: 03-16-25

This was epic. Loved the character arcs and reveals. A strange story in many ways but insightful on so many fronts: art, education, invitro fertilization, Mormon pageants, Red Hook, scavenging for furniture treasures, clambakes and Fox news. Loved the latecomer herself, Phoebe, for bringing it all together. Absolutely perfect narration.

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Maybe better reading this than listening to it

Revisado: 01-26-25

I was really excited to listen to this book. Not only because of the many positive reviews, etc., but I live in a Spanish speaking country and thought it would be fun to listen to a latino read about the "Aztecs" etc. Well, boy was I WRONG. The reason is rather simple, this is a not a book to casually listen to as you work, walk, drive, etc. It requires listening carefully. You are literally INUNDATED with names, the likes of which are somewhat similar and have lovely complex sounds (the author claims the brain loves to make these necessary connections) but my brain was simply and truly overwhelmed. I was only able to keep up with a small handful of the characters (Monteczuma, La Malinche, Aguilar) but the rest of the characters (and don't get me started on the different factions/tribes) ended up feeling like important words placed in a blender and turned on high. It was just a bunch of blah....blah....blah...Don't get me wrong, it has parts that are beautifully written and described, but due in part to the heavy accent of the narrator and the complexity of the language/dialect, it is NOT my choice for an enjoyable listening experience.

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Cher is a queen!

Revisado: 11-26-24

Despite loving Cher and having grown up with her and Sonny and well, all her changes and morphs but I was really surprised to learn that Cher, despite coming across as a tough ass was really hindered by her relationship with Sonny. Yes, they were quite the pair and made the most of wringing out every success they could from their "routine" but it was sad to hear about all the grief he caused and yet she always found a silver lining to working with him and well, that was disheartening. Also, she seems to have had no idea of how money works and doesn't work and seemed clueless about how she could manage that side of her life (the first half). Despite all that, it's got some fun details and nuggets that show what a down-to-earth girl she really was. She was sure attracted to a weird selection of men, though: Gene Simmons, Gregg Allman, Sonny Bono....good heavens and the Texan guitar player....and then dating David Geffen....oh my.

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Magical descriptions

Revisado: 11-19-24

This novel took me a bit to get involved in it, but once hooked, I just let go and enjoyed the words so beautifully expressed. Thanks for President Invictive...may I borrow that?

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I can only take the word "clit" a few times

Revisado: 11-12-24

I went into this book knowing that it would include a LOT of sexual content (the narrators even give you a fair warning) but you know, life is not just sex and if you want sexy literature there is a lot to be had but alas, if not set within a good, solid story or background, it is just.....sex......i really tried to "get into this book" but as i was listening and NOT touching my "hard cock" or salivating every time she described the state of her clit, it just wasn't enough to sustain a story. Life includes and should include sex. This book is Sex which barely includes life and that does not set it up for creating characters that are beyond their six-packs and hot asses....DON'T WASTE YOUR CREDIT on this book.....

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Insightful and Captivating

Revisado: 11-09-24

This was unexpectedly good. I thought the author was really able to capture in essence a "moment" in time in terms of her experience being under the spell of the enchantment of a certain segment of the club scene and its enhancement when combined and tweaked with certain drugs. There's no moralizing or repenting here. It happened, she bears witness and gives us a little window into the experience. It was oddly voyeristic reading about some of her nights out, nights that lasted over the course of two days at times and the skill required to make certain substances jump and perform in a way that helped her and those around her reach that "sweet spot" where it was pure joy and oneness with the music and the environment. Lovely descriptions of the scene (especially the flapping red cloth covering a window behind a certain deejay in the early hours of an all-nighter). It isn't all cookies and cream and the story she tells can be chilling and a bit harrowing to imagine investing so much in something so ephemeral. Highly recommended.

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Homophobic and Christian Slants

Revisado: 11-01-24

Tragic stories of people being framed for crimes they did NOT commit but didn't need to have insult added to injury when talking about how some were framed as being gay (oh my god!) even though they weren't (thank god again) while still sticking to their strong faith in God and the bible....zzzzzzzzz ruined the book.

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