Debbie

A Fun Ride

Revisado: 10-13-21

I really enjoyed this title. I also found the story arc very satisfying. The protagonist starts out very codependent, but eventually finds her true self. I truly hope there's another book on the way.

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A Great, Character-Driven Story

Revisado: 09-29-21

I don't normally try new writers. I stick to the authors I like and give everyone else a pass. I'm an old dog and new tricks are too much heavy lifting. That said, I actually enjoyed this story. It's character driven which puts you right into the action. You can feel the fire and sweat, dirt and grime, as they battle the monster they simultaneously love and fear.

The narration was okay. I prefer performance narrators. However, I very quickly was able to ignore that all the characters sounded the same.

I'm truly glad I gave it a go. Perhaps I have a couple of new tricks in me after-all.

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Enjoyed the Book - With a Few Exceptions

Revisado: 09-13-21

As a science geek, I enjoyed this book. I applaud Dr Offit’s discussion of the importance of the strict adherence to the scientific method, and that others must be able to replicate your results. I came away from this book believing that science doesn’t fail, scientists fail.

I did have two issues. First, the minor one. Every time Greg Tremblay said the word “zoology,” he mispronounced it. He said “ZOO ology.” That pronunciation would be correct if it were spelled “zooology.” The term is derived from ancient Greek Zoion meaning animal and Logos meaning the study of. So, the correct pronunciation is ZOH-aleje.

My second concern was with the section about DDT. While one cannot argue that the use of DDT allowed the U.S to eliminate the scourge of malaria, and that this is not the case for the rest of the world. So, I do not mean to belittle the cost in human life from malaria. However, there are troubling environmental concerns.

According to the World Health Organization. DDT and its derivatives. Environmental aspects. Environmental Health Criteria. Geneva, Switzerland, 1989; Vol. 83:

DDE, a metabolite of DDT, causes eggshell thinning in birds which make the eggs more susceptible to fracturing. The exact mechanism of how DDE causes eggshell thinning in birds is not known. Predaceous birds are more sensitive to DDE than gallinaceous birds. In one study, American Kestrels (a predator) fed low doses of DDE (0, 0.3, 3, 6 or 10 mg/kg) produce thinly shelled eggs. A study on Japanese quail (gallinaceous) fed moderate doses of 125 mg/kg DDE, DDT, and DDT (technical) shows no substantial eggshell thinning.

I wish Dr. Offit had not completely dismissed the environmental concerns. I agree with him that “Silent Spring” was a great deal of poetic hyperbole and very little data, but there is evidence of DDT’s environmental impact.

Much of this book was fascinating, mostly informative and gave me fresh insight into how hubris can lead to negative results.

I think the saddest chapter concerned Linus Pauling and his trip down the vitamin-supplement-rabbit-hole late in his life. That such a brilliant man could lose his way so spectacularly really breaks my heart.

If science and discovery is your cup of tea, you’ll love “Pandora’s Lab.” I think it reminds all of us that quite often one failure can teach far more than dozens of successes.

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Philip Roth Never Disappoints

Revisado: 06-23-21

In my opinion, Indignation is a unique “coming of age” story.

Typically, I would say that COA stories are a dime a dozen. However, Indignation, in Roth’s skilled hands, places the reader, and their sympathies, squarely in the mind of Marcus. You feel his outrage. You fume at the minor slights and outright injustices. As you near the end of the story you are consumed with righteous indignation and wait expectantly for justice to prevail.

Then Roth does something so unexpected that your world is rocked off its foundation. I won’t reveal what that is because I do not want to spoil it for anyone else.

What I will say is this is the truest “coming of age” story I’ve ever read. The problem with making the transition between child and adult is you never really understand that transition until you are much older and have some life experience to hone your perspective.

It’s not that youth is wasted on the young, but when you’re young you don’t, yet, have all the tools you’ll need to face the world.

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Too much telling, not enough showing

Revisado: 06-22-21

The story's heavy reliance on narrative makes it tedious at times. It's a trap that often occurs when writers try to tell a story in first person. Many of the internal thoughts of the protagonist (Dr Forrester) seemed more like whining at times.

While I did not like the over reliance on narrative, I will say I did, eventually, like the story twists. This is one of the reasons I gave it two stars rather than one. The other shining light is the performance. Dylan Baker is a solid performer and I will, in future, look for his other work.

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Performance Ruins this Book

Revisado: 05-11-19

Michael Scott does not have ANY performance abilities and because of his flatline delivery he makes listening to these great stories miserable!!!! I have, never, in my 60-plus years encountered a narrator that can make Alice in Wonderland boring, but Scott manages to do just that. For some bizarre reason Scott seems to think that raising and lowering the volume of his voice is acting ... IT IS NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am sure of one thing. In future, I will avoid any audio book narrated by Michael Scott!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Narrator ruins this audio book

Revisado: 02-23-19

I don't believe Robin Field could sound more flat and bored if he tried. These are wonderful Twain stories, but Field sucks out every spark of life. I would label this a phoned-in performance before the invention of the telephone. The performance makes this book impossible to endure.

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Ego with very little insight

Revisado: 01-14-14

Before the book even begins you must endure an unbelievably long list of acknowledgements including cousins, mother-in-law, God and many, many, others. Then an endless introduction. I never made it to the content because I grew bored before the introduction finished.

Lowe is a terrible writer and much too self-absorbed to be of any use to anyone else. He talks about the importance of playfulness while being so dull and completely unplayfull in his writing.

Give this one a pass unless you're having trouble sleeping. Lowe's endless acknowledgements, alone, will lull you quickly into a deep sleep.

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King: The Master of Monsters

Revisado: 01-05-14

Would you consider the audio edition of Doctor Sleep to be better than the print version?

As I've gotten older, reading has become a labored event. Typeface is smaller and my arms aren't long enough to see text clearly. So, these days audiobooks are my salvation. Having said that, it stands to reason that I find the audio edition better.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Dan, aka Doctor Sleep aka Doc. At first it was painful to see little Danny from the Shining become a drifting out-of-control alcoholic. Then I had to remember. As children, we're all little packages of potential and promise. Then after life kicks the crap out of you for a decade, or so, we become scratching, clawing survivors...some are better at it than others. Dan finds his survival in a bottle, and life makes him very thirsty. Dan is the perfect example of what I love about King's characters. His stories' heroes have flaws, warts, demons and nightmares, just like the rest of us. If a falling down drunk can give up his selfish, petty needs in order to save the day, well, there's hope that all of us are capable of being heroes.

Have you listened to any of Will Patton’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I had not heard Will Patton's performance before Doctor Sleep. However, I was so very pleased because he reminds me of the late, great Frank Muller.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The end of the book when Dan has a talk with Abra. She thinks he's scolding her about an incident when she used her shining powers to break her mothers dishes. Instead, he explains that just like her shining, she also inherited a bad temper, which needs to be controlled just as much as her supernatural powers, maybe even more so.

Any additional comments?

King is so brilliant at creating monsters and the villains in Doctor Sleep are no exception. Old aged, badly dressed soul vampires that kidnap, torture and kill children - the True Knot are up there near the top in the King monster menagerie. King still holds the record of being the only writer that scared me so badly I slept with my closet light on for month. That was back in my early twenties. Today, I don't get frightened to that extent by fantasy. There are far too many things in the real world that are much more frightening. But, King's stories can still cause my heart to race, and that's always a welcomed delight.

This is not one of my favorite books. That place is held firmly by all of the Dark Tower books. But, it was an enjoyable ride. Hell, life serves up a lot of crap, so when you can have a few days of heart-racing, what-the-hell-is-going-to-happen-next adrenalin, life just doesn't get any better than that.

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Cure for Grammar Anxiety

Revisado: 05-21-11

This audio course is for anyone who has ever suffered from grammar anxiety. Prof. Drout gives special dispensation to place prepositions at the end of sentences, to use split infinitives, and conjunctions at the beginning of sentences. He also gives you a solid defense against those grammar sticklers that make others fret over syntax: keep your imported Latin grammar rules to yourself!

Thanks to Prof. Drout I now understand how to correctly use "I" and "me," "that" and "which," "who" and "whom." With generous references to the history of our exquisite language and a delightful sense of humor, Prof. Drout makes all the grammar worries go away. You'll understand why parts of our language are strange and confusing, and gain a new appreciation for those trying to learn English as a second language.

Prof. Drout reads excerpts from Beowulf and Chaucer, so you'll hear the musical roots of our wonderful language. He explains that the evolution of English is more about conquerors, and less about scholarly progression. He discusses past scholars who have declared Latin the perfect language and, therefore, tried to force English to conform to Latin grammar. This has resulted is some of the most frustrating aspects of English.

He explains that English grammar is an art, not a science. For this reason, he rails against grammar checkers, "let those Seattle trolls keep their green squiggly lines to themselves."

I highly recommend this course. You'll actually understand what a participle is and why it shouldn't dangle. You'll comprehend gerunds, infinitives, and modals. Not only will you gain a solid command of English, but it happens in just 7 hours; that's amazing!

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