Books
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thumbA Walk Atop America - Fifty State Summits and a Dream to Reach Them All
Douglas Butler
* * * *
I recommend this book to any highpointer out there. Butler's fulfilling experiences reignites the fire to quest to visit all the 50 state high points. He is very motivating and very humble.
thumbPursuasion
Jane Austen
* * *
This copy of Persuasion was unabridged so getting through Austen's original language definitely proved challenging. But her prose is very elegant and it was fun to go back in time to an entirely different era.
thumbThe Next American Century - How the U.S. Can Thrive as Other Powers Rise
Nina Hachigian, Mona Sutphen
* * * *
This book is a breath of fresh air and offers alternative reactions to the rise of powers like India and China. Rather than fear them, Americans need to embrace them and leverage their growth to our advantage. They are indeed our allies.
thumbThe Visual Display of Quantitative Information
Edward R. Tufte
* * * *
A very quick and interesting read detailing basic guidelines to follow for constructing aesthetic, worth while, data-rich graphics. You may have thought you know how to generate a good graphic ... but think again.
thumbThe Devil Wears Prada
Lauren Weisberger
* *
Not being interested in fashion at all, I thought I might like a book that somewhat parodies the fashion industry and highlights a main character who is aloof to high fashion. The book took a long time to really go anywhere. And when it did, all the mounting story lines didn't need to be as long and detailed as they were. If the first 300 pages of the book were cut down to 200, the end result would still have been just as fulfilling and effective.
thumbThe Quilter's Apprentice
Jennifer Chiaverini
* *
This book was only mildly entertaining b/c it took a long while for plot development to really reach its ultimate point. But the stories of Sylvia Compson made the wait worth while.
thumbTour de Life - From Coma to Competition
Saul Raisin, Dave Shields
* * *
The story of a tour racer's life changing accident and how he comes back from traumatic brain injury and a coma. The story is told from both the eyes of his parents as well as himself, providing varied and pointed perspectives.
thumbHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
J. K. Rowling
* * * *
thumbCan You Keep a Secret?
Sophie Kinsella
* * *
This was a cute/fun read. I was able to live vicariously through the main character; a chance to experience being "girly" as that far from describes my personality and actions.
thumbIn an Instant - A Family's Journey of Love and Healing
Bob Woodruff, Lee Woodruff
* * *
Bob and Lee Woodruff tell the story of an ABC News correspondent severely injured by a roadside explosion in Iraq. Recovering from traumatic brain injury and a lengthy coma, the story outlines his healing journey.
thumbWhy Geography Matters
Harm de Blij
* * * *
Noted geographer Harm deBlij explains why and how knowledge of geography is timeless considering the three global issues that we face: climate change, the rise of China, and terrorism.
thumbWhy Do Men Have Nipples? Hundreds of Questions You'd Only Ask a Doctor After Your Third Martini
Mark Leyner, Billy Goldberg
* * * *
Really, the title says it all. This was a great read, filled w/ chuckles and great anecdotes.
thumbThe Weather in the Imagination
Lucian Boia
* * * *
An extremely informative and thoughtful book showcasing how mankind's cultures, actions, and behaviors have been shaped by meteorology. The book is a wonderful, though seemingly odd, marriage of weather w/ psychology.
thumbWeather Extremes of the West
Tye W. Parzybok
* *
Hardly entertaining for a casual read. However, I got this book to get a better grasp of the common weather phenomena in the western states.
thumbState of Fear
Michael Crichton
* * *
An entertaining, though comically unrealistic, drama/thriller that showcases harnessing the power and destruction of the weather for evil intentions.
thumbOrigins - Fourteen Billion Years of Cosmic Evolution
Neil deGrasse Tyson, Donald Goldsmith
* * * *
A very down to earth (har) lesson of the history of the universe as we know it today. Tyson explains complicated theories in general terms to facilitate a greater appreciation of the workings of the space that envelopes us.
thumbOf Mice and Men
John Steinbeck
* * *
A quick entertaining read showcasing the trials, tribulations, and general life of an early 1900s field worker in the Salinas Valley.
thumbMeltdown - The Predictable Distortion of Global Warming by Scientists, Politicians, and the Media
Patrick J. Michaels
* * * * *
This book counters the extreme gloom and doom that our media loves to portray. Though perhaps equally extreme on the other side of the coin, this book provides well thought out countering examples to really make you think long and hard about climate change, science, and the politics that drive it all.
thumbLord of the Rings - The Return of the King
J. R. R. Tolkien
* * * *
thumbLord of the Rings - The Two Towers
J. R. R. Tolkien
* * * *
thumbLord of the Rings - The Fellowship of the Ring
J. R. R. Tolkien
* * * *
thumbLittle Things Make a Big Difference
Laurin Sydney
* * *
A great quick read for any mother, grand mother, aunt, sister, etc ... This book is chock-filled w/ touching ways to make an impact in someone's life whom you hold dear.
thumbThe Kid Who Climbed Everest - The Incredible Story of a 23-Year-Old's Summit of Mt. Everest
Bear Grylls
* * *
The youngest Briton to have successfully summited Everest. This book is his story. Though generally the same thrill and peril as most other Everest books, Bear's story is real and touching in moments.
thumbHe's Just Not That Into You - The No-Excuses Truth to Understanding Guys
Greg Behrendt, Liz Tuccillo
* * *
A great quick read designed to open our eyes about men. Quit making excuses for your guy, ladies. Read this book and learn how to be true to yourself!
thumbHarry Potter and the Half Blood Prince
J. K. Rowling
* * * *
thumbHarry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
J. K. Rowling
* * * *
thumbHarry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
J. K. Rowling
* * * *
thumbHarry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
J. K. Rowling
* * * *
thumbHarry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
J. K. Rowling
* * * *
thumbHarry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
J. K. Rowling
* * * *
thumbGeneration Debt - Why Now is a Terrible Time to be Young
Anya Kamenetz
* * * *
This is a very important must read for young adults just making their way into the working world. The future is a scary place for our generation as more and more of our parents, the baby boom generation, are aging, though living longer. The implications are alarming.
thumbCategory 5
Paul Tag
* * *
An entertaining and suspenseful drama that channels forced destruction through the power of meteorology. Written by a retired NRL meteorologist, this was a must read for me.
thumbCannery Row
John Steinbeck
* * * *
This was a great read to help me become acquainted w/ history and culture of my new home, Monterey. A lot of the details, characters, and features of the book are still alive and well in present day Monterey.
thumbAsk the Pilot - Everything You Need to Know About Air Travel
Patrick Smith
* * * *
A must read for anyone who fears air travel, for anyone who adores air travel, and especially for anyone intimately involved w/ aviation (i.e. pilots, significant others of a pilot, etc ...)
thumbAmerica (the book) - A Citizen's Guide to Democracy Inaction
Jon Stewart
* * * *
This book is a laugh! The puns, the subtle jokes, the pointedly chosen language. This book has it all. A cynical (and hysterical) look back through American history that is sure to please any political skeptic.
thumbThe Alchemist
Paulo Coehlo
* * * *
A wonderful coming-of-age tale to be shared w/ anyone you know who may be a recent graduate or who just may be having a difficult time finding their place in this world.