Archive
Book Review: The Catcher in the Rye
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The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger
Bill has read this book
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| Comment:I never read the Catcher in the Rye when I was young, maybe it was better that way. But over the years I had heard about this book mainly due to its association with Mark David Chapman (John Lennon‘s assassin) and John Hinkley (Ronald Reagon‘s would be assassin); suffice to say my interest was peaked. I wanted to see what in the book could have been found so fascinating by mentally unstable people such as these or as conspiracy theorists suggest what was the “trigger” in the book that caused these men’s actions to be set in motion. So, in my adult life, I read J.D. Salinger’s book – The Catcher in the Rye really knowing nothing more than I have already stated.
The story is told from the point of view of its protagonist, Holden Caulfield, as he lies in his bed at a west-coast mental institution. It appears that Holden is getting out soon and this may be his way of “cleansing” before he leaves. Holden shares his exact thoughts with the reader as he addresses them directly in more of a stream of consciousness than of a simple explanation. The reader shares intimate details of his emotional state of mind, his opinions, and all the twists and turns that one’s mind can take – mostly dark ones. At first it was difficult reading in this manner, but I eventually got used to it. In fact, I found myself sympathizing with Holden – even though he may appear to be the poster child for attention deficit disorder (ADD). His character is one of innocence, unbridled honesty, and a total lack of tolerance for those he considers “phony” – traits that we may all relate to in some way or another. He relates to children better than adults and in fact considers himself a protector of children – something that gives insight to the book’s title. The third son of a wealthy Manhattan family, the telling details the events that took place leading up to the previous Christmas break when Holden was expelled from Pencey Prep School. The year is 1949 and he leaves the school early after getting into a fight with his roommate. Unable to face his parents before his expected return, he spends the next two days in New York experiencing perverted behavior, drunken stupors, and a near encounter with a prostitute. You never really know how old Holden is, but some believe he is anywhere between the age of 15 and 17. His adult language, his mannerisms and the situations he gets into make him seem much older, however. Holden eventually makes his way home to his beloved little sister, Phoebe, who appears to be the only one who can understand him. He decides to run away, but is swayed otherwise when Phoebe decides to join him. He disagrees and after getting into a fight with Phoebe, he decides to stay as he watches her ride the carousel in Central Park Zoo. For the first time in the story, he is filled with happiness at the sight of Phoebe riding the carousel. Did I find what I was looking for in this book? Do I now have some sort of insight into the minds of people who are considered sick? Did I find the key phrase that triggers assassins to kill? No. But the honesty that J.D. Salinger shares with his readers as told through Holden Caulfield is mind opening to say the least. The Catcher in the Rye is definitely different and it is that difference that has made is both one of the most celebrated books of our time – as well as one of the most censored books. I can say that I have never read a book quite like this but I am glad that I experienced it. The key word in that last sentance is “experience” as this book is definitely an experience. |
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Book Review: Mockingjay
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Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins Bill has read this book
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| Comment:The war between the districts and the Capitol are brought to a conclusion in the final book in the series.
This book was a must read for anyone who has read the previous two – if anything to see how the story ends. But I must honestly say, I was not pleased with the writing of the third book. It was not an issue with the plot (that was good), nor was it an issue with the fate of many of the characters (I was OK with that). What made this book disappointing to me was the way the final story was told and how its narrative deviated from the previous two books. While I enjoyed the story-telling in the first two books, the third and final one took on a more serious tone. It was a deep, dark look into Katniss’ soul as she was faced with situations more directed towards an adult audience – not the younger audience for which this series was written. The characters are angrier, the story takes on too many twists and turns that are hard to follow (I had to reread several sections just to understand what Collins was trying to say), and the finale scene in district 12 seems rushed and not fully developed (its almost as if the book had to be limited to a certain page count before it could be printed). Don’t get me wrong, I thoroughly enjoyed the entire series and like many others, I am eagerly anticipating the movies. I just think this third and final book could have been written better, ended the story with a bang, and could have put Collins on par with Tolkien, Feist, or Lewis. Unfortunately, I believe that she missed her opportunity. |
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Book Review: Catching Fire
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Catching Fire
Bill has read this book
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| Comment:The second book in the Hunger Games trilogy. If you enjoyed the first book, you will definitely like this one as well.
Katniss and Peeta are sent back into the arena along with other surviving victors to determine the champion of champions. The plot is somewhat predictable and the finale is not altogether unsurprising – but the story is very nicely told (and worth the read). There are some definite twists and turns and some very memorable moments (i.e. Katniss on stage as she is set on fire). It also introduces some lovable new characters (i.e. Fennick) and adds to the list of those whom you love to hate. Suffice to say the key players live – but not so happily ever after (after all, this is a trilogy). |
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Book Review: The Hunger Games
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The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins See this book on Amazon » Bill has read this book
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| Comment:In the future, North America has become Panemwhich consists of one wealthy Capital and 13 poverty-stricken districts (one of which has been destroyed). As punishment for rebellion against the Capital, each district is forced to send two children (one boy, one girl) to complete in a winner take all death match that is televised on national TV. Hunger Games is the first book in a trilogy that is sweeping the nation and rapidly becoming the next must read for young adults.
I first started reading this book because my daughter ranted and raved about it and quite frankly I wanted to make sure it was OK for her to read. As a parent I felt that I needed to approve the content and I had thoroughly expected to have to force myself to get through this “kiddie science fiction” novel. What I didn’t expect was not being able to put it down. So many books simply regurgitate the same old story with new characters and new settings, but that is not the case with The Hunger Games. Suzanne Collins has written a genuinely unique book that consists of plausible scenarios, lovable characters, plot twists, and an unexpected ending that makes you look forward to the next book. After reading the first few chapters I approved it for my younger son and bought the next book for my daughter. Now the trick will be getting the next book (Catching Fire) out of their hands. Note: After writing this, I learned about the Battle Royale controversy. Battle Royale was written in 1999 and has a very similar story line. Suzanne Collins has gone on the record for stating that she was unaware of this book and did not use it as a reference for The Hunger Games. I find her statement to be plausible, but even if it is proven to be untrue, this does not in any way diminish the fact that The Hunger Games is a great read. I highly recommend it. |
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Book Review: I’m Feeling Lucky: The Confessions of Google Employee Number 59
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I’m Feeling Lucky: The Confessions of Google Employee Number 59
by Douglas Edwards Bill has read this book
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| Comment:I fell in love with Google’sproducts over 10 years ago but never knew the story behind the story – that is until I read this book. Doug Edwards was one of Google’s earliest employees and reveals an insight into the every day life of a mega-startup. Told from the perspective of someone in marketing made this an easy to read, yet informative look into one of the world’s largest technology companies – before they became the giant they are today.
I could relate to Doug’s situation in moving from a well-established company with a history of processes and procedures to one that was run like the wild wild west. His story of how he was able to both effect change and be affected by it are both enlightening and inspiring. This is a must read for every new company and for even those more well-established ones that need to compete for talent against startups. |
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Book Review: The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader
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The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader: Becoming the Person Others Will Want to Follow by John C. Maxwell Bill has read this book
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| Comment:“”I am an optimistic thinker and have studied the characteristics of successful people for many years. From books like How to Win Friends and Influence People, to The Magic of Thinking Big, and Good to Great, I have read quite a few. I have listened to Tony Robbins, Paul Harvey, Zig Ziglarand countless motivational speakers. With all this background knowledge, I thought I had it down. That is, until I read The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader by John Maxwell.
This is an amazing first read for anyone wanting to know what truly sets a leader apart from others. When looking at the 21 points in retrospect to my own business life, I found that Maxwell has definitely hit the nail on the head. This is a great read for anyone wanting to be a leader and is HIGHLY recommended for those just starting in the business world. If only I had this information back then. As I read each chapter, I found myself yearning to learn more and my Type A personality wanted “action plans”. But alas this was only an overview of these qualities as John has other books and programs that cover the how to’s. I can say that I am now a John Maxwell follower and will definitely be reading his other books on leadership.” |
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Book Review: Brave New World
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Brave New World by Aldous Huxley See this book on Amazon » Bill has read this book
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| Comment: ”Wow, what a read. When I first started reading this, I thought that it must have been updated for today’s language. Imagine my surprise when I found that this book was written in the 1930s and other than it being translated from French to English, the content was the same (even the discussion about helicopters). I was amazed that the style was very similar to today’s writing.
This is a glimpse into the future were mankind is subservient to the government – not because of oppression, but because we want to be. The government provides all of our needs and desires (including sex, drugs, and entertainment) and we are more than happy to be cogs in the machine. One man begins to question the establishment when he meets a “savage” that has never lived under the government’s control or conditioning. Imagine everyone’s surprise when the savage does not bow down and he is unequivocally kicked out of the “civilized world”. Huxley’s novel includes controversial topics such as free sex, government conditioning, drugs, and even population control through a type of cloning. Many of these topics were unheard of in the 1930s and as such, has placed Huxley as a man before his time. I HIGHLY recommend this book for the thought provoking images it that it brings to light.” |
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Book Review: Digital Identity
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Digital Identity by Phillip J. Windley See this book on Amazon » Bill has read this book
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| Comment: “This is a clear, consise, and easy to read book on IDM and DRM. I recommend it HIGHLY to anyone who wants an overview of IDM and its roots in the X.500 space. While Digital Identity does not specifically address certain concepts such as roles management, it is an essential resource for anyone’s library of identity management books. I understand that this book is now out of print; this is unfortunate as I was looking forward to a 2nd edition.” | |||
Book Review: Ender’s Game
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Ender’s Game Gift Edition (Ender Wiggin Saga)
Bill has read this book
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| Comment:I have read this book no less than five times and simply love it.
Written in the mid-1980s, Orson Scott Card delivers a compelling view into a futuristic world where children are battle tested generals and the adults are the sadistic teachers bent on finding a saviour to protect the world. Written at a time when the Internet was only beginning to take hold with the general public, this book introduces laptops, a common network (the Internet?), forums, blogs, and other items that really did not take hold until much later. I found subsequent books in the series to contain less action and more thought provoking concepts. While they were entertaining, they did not stir as much interest as the original. The book on CD is also great. |
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Book Review: The Circle Trilogy (Red/White/Black)
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The Circle Trilogy (Red/White/Black) by Ted Dekker
Bill has read this book
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| Comment:Fall asleep in one reality and wake up in a totally different place – sounds like it could have been me during my college days. But no, this is the premise behind the Circle Trilogy by Ted Dekker. The information that the hero learns in one reality prepares him to save the world in another.
A very well thought out series of books that is a cross between Tolken’s Lord of the Rings and Stephen King’s Dark Tower Series. I highly recommend this book as well as the ancillary books – The Lost Books and the Books of Paradise. |
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