bwoods43

• Rated 2 stars

“Lately I've had a great string of luck in reading good books by good authors. Unfortunately, the string has run out. "Jpod" by Douglas Coupland is not-so-good book by a good author. I know this because I read "microserfs" and thoroughly enjoyed it. The funny thing about that book is that I used the same concepts in my first book, "The Developers," but I didn't read the book until I was almost finished writing mine. I expected "Jpod" to at least be as good, maybe even better. But to my dismay, the best thing about the book is finishing it quickly. Let's start with the plot. The plot is ... how do I describe it? Nearly non-existent. On one hand, I think of it like "Seinfeld," a show about people doing nothing. But at least in nearly very episode, there is some type of closure and consistency within the 20 or so minutes of viewing time. With "Jpod," Coupland seemed to bounce all over the place and eventually land in far-away places. This oftentimes works in novels, but when you have to add yourself in as a main character, I have to draw the line. Why not use a famous celebrity? Why not make up a new character? There is no value in having the author as a primary antagonist in a story. Something else that people appreciate in Coupland's works are his puzzles. There are numerous games in "Jpod," and I skipped all of them. I'll admit that some looked interesting, while others could have been created by anyone with access to the Internet. For instance, one of the games is to find a digit that was secretly inserted into the value of pi, which spans 10 pages in the novel. Do people really rack their brains attempting to solve these? Coupland is definitely a good writer. I like his style and the way he weaves pop culture into his works. But I guess I'm just looking for something more than that in "Jpod." It's almost as if he tried to see how fast he could write it so that he could continue developing new pointless brain teasers.”

bwoods43 wrote this review Sunday, February 24 2008. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 4 stars

“I'm not absolutely certain about this, but I think I have a similar basic understanding of Leonardo Da Vinci as your typical educated U.S. citizen. I know he was a brilliant artist during the Renaissance and dabbled a bit in science and engineering endeavors. While "The Science of Leonardo: Inside the Mind of the Great Genius of the Renaissance," reaffirmed these beliefs, it provided much, much more information that it nearly hard to believe about the great Da Vinci. The most important thing, in my opinion, is that the man essentially invented the scientific method. This, as you may already know, is the process by which all scientists conduct research in our world. It seems bizarre to even consider that a method could be invented. However, before Da Vinci's time, no one was attempting to study nature and the elements in this manner. Through the scientific method, Da Vinci made many amazing discoveries ... in fact, way too many for this short article. With the power of artistry, he was able to create detailed anatomical drawings of the human body, sketches of types of water flows and pictures of many trees and plants. His work led to advances in cognitive science, hydraulics and botany many years later. And this doesn't include his research within the engineering and math (specifically geometry) fields, as well as general urban planning. The man somehow made advances in all of these fields, and of course, had time to whip up the "Mona Lisa." The sad part in Da Vinci's work is that most of it lie hidden for centuries before being published. Most of what we know today about Da Vinci's studies remained a mystery until the 1700s. It's reasonable to think that if civilization would have known more about his discoveries during his time, or even immediately after his death, we would already be a more advanced civilization than we are today. This book would appeal to a large group of people, especially history buffs and anyone with affection for science, math and engineering. Basically, people interested in knowledge should be intrigued by the life of Leonardo Da Vinci, history's greatest life-learner.”

bwoods43 wrote this review Sunday, February 24 2008. ( reply | permalink )

2 of 2 members found this review helpful.

• Rated 5 stars

“They say that if you believe enough in something, and have enough persistence to see it through to the end, then regardless of the circumstances, it will be accomplished. I have a hard time indisputably believing this. However, after reading "Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave," it's tough to deny the plausibility of the above statement actually being true. To put it bluntly, Frederick Douglass had virtually zero chance to survive. He was intended to be a slave for life. Through a series of events, however, he came to the conclusion that by receiving an education, he may have a chance, albeit slim, to lead life as a free man. To achieve learning at all costs, Douglass made his way through various terrains, people and incidents, any of which could have ended his life, or at the very least, his crusade. Instead, he somehow managed to adapt and succeed at nearly every turn. And even when he was knocked down, he found a way to have the last laugh in the end. I could go into specific details, but in such a brief column, it would be impossible to do them justice. There are multiple reasons I would recommend this book. First, if you've ever felt as if you could not do something, you should put yourself in Douglass' shoes for an instant. You would be hard-pressed to be in a more difficult situation than he. Second, and most important, is the emphasis on education that Douglass cherished during his lifetime. Being able to grow through learning is such a critical item for every human being, yet many of us take it for granted, or even worse, have the notion that it really doesn't matter. It's not just about answering questions on a test or about a passing grade in school, though. What it's really about is reading or observing a person and/or a situation and understanding what is occurring. Once you start to collect the knowledge of the world around you, there's no limit as to what you can do. Frederick Douglass was an example of this, and to take him for anything less than an example of a great human being would be a completely injustice.”

bwoods43 wrote this review Friday, October 26 2007. ( reply | view 2 replies | permalink )

• Rated 5 stars

“We are inching closer to the pennant chases, and we have already seen Barry Bonds break Hank Aaron's home run record. Still, there's a lot more to solve in the world of baseball right now. How can some teams spend a ton of money for a cellar-dwelling result? How do other teams build a thrifty team and manage to thrive? Some of these answers appear in Baseball Between the Numbers, which contains a compilation of studies regarding different game facets. There are chapters devoted to relief pitchers ("Are Teams Letting Their Closers Go to Waste?"), managers ("Is Joe Torre a Hall of Fame Manager?"), situational hitting ("When Is One Run Worth More Than Two?"), high school draft picks ("What Happened to Todd Van Poppel?") and many more. As a lifelong baseball enthusiast, I thought the book was a great look at some of the more intriguing items that happen inside and outside a game. The novel is chocked with stats, so if you are into that sort of thing, you'll get the maximum out of it. However, you don't need to be a math genius to enjoy the book ... you need to be only a baseball fan.”

bwoods43 wrote this review Saturday, September 29 2007. ( reply | permalink )

1 of 1 members found this review helpful.

• Rated 4 stars

“When I read a bad book, I finish it, even if it takes me forever. If I read a good book, I want to keep reading it, as much as possible, until I'm at the ending. Somehow, Ficciones, by Jorge Luis Borges, didn't persuade me to do either of the above, but rather, it makes me want to read it again. From that perspective, I guess I'd have to call it a book better than good. But to quantify what I liked, however, might be somewhat difficult. When I first started reading it, I thought the short stories included were true. But as I dove deeper into the content, I realized that would be impossible, primarily due to the nature of said context. The stories make you think about things that you have either never thought about, or that you may have accidentally dreamt before. For instance, would there be a way to create a book that contained every possible combination of words? Or, what if a book were really a labyrinth, and it were feasible to get completely lost within the pages? I cannot do Ficciones justice by even attempting to discuss it. The compilation of short stories isn't too long, and it's definitely something that I'll read again, especially the parts that both tickled my brain and also the sections that complicated life even more so then it already is.”

bwoods43 wrote this review Saturday, September 29 2007. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 5 stars

“Sometimes books are labeled fairly in a certain genre, although they may appear to people who do not normally enjoy the given category. "Ender's Game," by Orson Scott Card, has to be categorized as a science-fiction novel. But luckily for the reader, it's much more than that. True, one of Card's central influences was Isaac Asimov, a well-known sci-fi writer. And while Card does wonderful work on the space and technology side of this book, he pays close attention to the numerous psychological aspects of humanity. Ender is the name of a child who some high-level officials believe will command worldly forces against an alien race, or the "buggers." Ender's two older siblings, Peter and Valentine, are extremely intelligent and have leadership qualities, but are secondary compared to Ender. That's the reason Ender is jettisoned to Battle School in space, where he befriends some of the students. At the same time, though, Ender and nearly everyone else is aware that he is gifted, which leads to numerous issues amongst the children. As Ender continues to climb the military ladder, his brother and sister begin a quest of their own on earth. Valentine, the sister, is torn between helping Peter, whom she perceives as being the evil brother, and Ender, whom she dearly misses. From a futuristic standpoint, this book nails many of the theories involving humanistic thinking and how to lead through the usage of highly intelligent reasoning. Regardless of technological advances, there are certain aspects of mankind that remain pretty much the same, namely the basic foundation of reason. This book would be a hit not only for anyone interested in science fiction, but also those interested in politics, psychology and philosophy.”

bwoods43 wrote this review Saturday, September 29 2007. ( reply | view 1 replies | permalink )

• Rated 4 stars

“Dilbert has been one of the funniest comics for as long as I can remember. The reason, in my opinion, is that creator Scott Adams combines everyday work situations with unexpected conclusions, at least, in the eyes of a staunch businessperson. What it comes down to is that you can find humor in anything, especially those things where the people who are the most funny are the ones who either have no sense of humor or have no idea that anything humorous is even taking place. Some of these answers appear in The Joy of Work gives in-depth knowledge regarding how Adams derives his daily comics. Not only that, but it gives insight into how you, too, can get more out of work without doing much work, or in some cases, no work. You'll also find anecdotes from others trapped in the corporate world who have taken matters into their own hands to find happiness in their respective cubes. Adams isn't just a good cartoonist; his writing keeps readers entertained, and like the Dilbert strip, he relates to a wide variety of individuals. What I like most about this book is that he really does lend a hand to those people who may be humor deficient. Following his array of ideas and instructions could potentially make your work environment tolerable! Then again, some of that depends on what type of people you have as upper management in your company. If they are funny and likable, you are set. If they are completely clueless, you'll be OK as well. If they are smart and mean, then ... why are you still working there in the first place?”

bwoods43 wrote this review Saturday, September 29 2007. ( reply | permalink )

0 of 1 members found this review helpful.

• Rated 3 stars

“If you are at the very least familiar with pop culture humor, you are probably know about Chuck Klosterman. I'm not insinuating that you've read all of is works or anything like that, but perhaps you've heard his name before. In "Sex, Drugs and Cocoa Puffs," he touches on just about every facet of American society you can think of, from the media to politics to "Saved by the Bell" to Lakers v. Celtics to a Guns and Roses tribute band. And I left out the other 65,251 pop culture references, many of them music-related in some way. There's no doubt that Klosterman is an excellent writer. His sentences seem to always be the right length, his information and tone is engaging and he gives the reader the opportunity to think along during the travel of any particular column. The only complaint I have is that he overuses irony; and in some places, I don't even think irony applies. I lost count, but it appeared that every column in this book tried to portray irony, which, as a writer, is definitely a good thing to utilize. However, most readers are intelligent enough to decipher some irony, and not need to be reminded of it on every fifth page. I would recommend "Sex, Drugs and Cocoa Puffs" to anyone who is at least vaguely familiar to American culture, with emphasis from the late '70s to the early '90s. If not, you'll probably miss a lot of the jokes. Oh the irony ... er wait, that's not ironic at all.”

bwoods43 wrote this review Saturday, September 29 2007. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 3 stars

“Being an author (occasionally) and having book events (rarer than occasionally), people often recommend other books or authors I should read. Usually the books pertain to what I have written about (technology) or possibly the style in which I attempt to write (sarcastic humor?). Almost every time some suggests a book to me, I look into it and consider reading it. If I trust the person, I seek out the book, as is the case with "The Soul of a New Machine" by Tracy Kidder. The nonfiction book takes us back to 1981, when the home computer was on the verge of becoming immensely popular. Kidder essentially followed a few of the important employees at Data General, a decent-size technology firm, throughout the building of a few new computers. During the explanations of what the programmers do at work, Kidder also brings to light the personality traits and backgrounds of many of the individuals. Now I know why people have the mentality that all computer programmers are geeks. I know there are businesses out there currently where the employees work all day, every day, and think they are saving the world. First, this just doesn't happen in the technology world; go ask a workaholic in any field. Second, people in the computing industry, at least nowadays, do usually have a life outside of work. Maybe things were drastically different back in the early '80s. Kidder did capture the essence of someone who works nonstop, which is a scary thing, if you have ever been in that trap. In that way, I think he probably relates to a lot of people who have been in that scenario. At the same time, all of the characters seem to be the same person: A hard worker who is determined to finish the project, no matter how long it takes. Yes, that makes a great worker, but when everyone is like that, it's difficult to distinguish all of the characters. Overall, I liked the book, but I wouldn't call it one of my favorites. The copy I read had a ton of typographical errors, which was somewhat bothersome, especially considering I was told by a Barnes and Noble rep once that my book cannot possibly have enough editing to be decent. Hello, this book won the Pulitzer Prize! Unless you are interested in the history of computers or the history of companies in general, I'm not sure you'll get much out of this book. The writing is pretty decent, however, so even if you just want to relax while reading about people who relax only a few hours a month, maybe the irony will carry you through.”

bwoods43 wrote this review Saturday, September 29 2007. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 4 stars

“As a web developer, I have always heard stories pertaining to the lack of knowledge people have about computers in general. Maybe you have heard the one about the person who called tech support because her computer wouldn't come on ... during a power outage. Or maybe you are familiar with the story about the guy who used his CD tray as a cup holder.

The scary thing is that these stories are true, and many are contained in Tales from the Tech Line, which was edited by David Pogue.

It's mildly frightening to me how little people know about computers, but at the same time, I realize that some of these stories are fairly old. One story involves a newspaper reporter who was typing a story with her monitor off ... and though the brightness just needed to be adjusted. At the same time, there's a story about a woman who was installing hardware, but the tech support person forgot to tell her to turn the computer off.

The moral of the story is that there are a lot of things people don't know about computers. Furthermore, people like to pretend to know more than they do. Combining those two ingredients usually makes for a humorous story, and you'll find many of those in this excerpt book.”

bwoods43 wrote this review Thursday, June 14 2007. ( reply | permalink )