Chris
It seems unfair to give a kids book a lower rating from an adult perspective, but I was surprisingly disappointed in this reread long after I loved the series as a kid. The third book was always my favorite but I definitely thought they had a little more life in them.
This is a fine short story but nothing really happens and there isn’t a satisfying conclusion. It definitely feels like an introduction to the series than a good standalone, but it could just be that my memory has drifted further from reality than I realized.
It seems unfair to give a kids book a lower rating from an adult perspective, but I was surprisingly disappointed in this reread long after I loved the series as a kid. The third book was always my favorite but I definitely thought they had a little more life in them.
This is a fine short story but nothing really happens and there isn’t a satisfying conclusion. It definitely feels like an introduction to the series than a good standalone, but it could just be that my memory has drifted further from reality than I realized.
Truly a delightful introduction to the world of fungi. It’s hard to resist Sheldrake’s passion as he discusses all the moldy, mushroomy, fungi things in the world and how important they are not only to plants but to ourselves.
“Composers make pieces of music. These were decomposers, who unmake pieces of life. Nothing could happen without them.”
Truly a delightful introduction to the world of fungi. It’s hard to resist Sheldrake’s passion as he discusses all the moldy, mushroomy, fungi things in the world and how important they are not only to plants but to ourselves.
“Composers make pieces of music. These were decomposers, who unmake pieces of life. Nothing could happen without them.”
A genuinely fantastic journey that reminded me of a modern High Fidelity, following a guy post-breakup as he attempts to figure out where it all went wrong. Funny and warm, examining male relationships and our relationships with ourselves. Delightful!
A genuinely fantastic journey that reminded me of a modern High Fidelity, following a guy post-breakup as he attempts to figure out where it all went wrong. Funny and warm, examining male relationships and our relationships with ourselves. Delightful!
I found book 3 of this series a bit disappointing. Balle brings insights into so much of the psychology of a repeated day. The seasons, the sounds, etc. it’s fascinating. But even still this book felt a bit meandering, a bit indulgent in how long it took to get anywhere. I wonder if it could have just been packaged with the previous or next books. And I wonder if she has a plan for it all.
But, I still enjoy reading and exploring the mind of Tara Selter and her endless November 18th.
I found book 3 of this series a bit disappointing. Balle brings insights into so much of the psychology of a repeated day. The seasons, the sounds, etc. it’s fascinating. But even still this book felt a bit meandering, a bit indulgent in how long it took to get anywhere. I wonder if it could have just been packaged with the previous or next books. And I wonder if she has a plan for it all.
But, I still enjoy reading and exploring the mind of Tara Selter and her endless November 18th.
I’m not sure how to rate this. I know a lot of people loved it. The writing is great and the main character is an interesting character. Her various casual remarks about the world shine a light on the absurdity of many aspects of modern culture. Her rented room, her job, and her discomfort with certain expressions all highlight some of the troubling aspects of life these days.
But I don’t think she had much of an arc? Spoilers for the ending:
<spoiler>I find the ambiguous ending to be kind of annoying. The author wrote herself into a corner where I can’t see how either ending really works. If the plane crashes… Linda was somehow right about the universe and the plane choosing her and the whole journey of the book is kind of for nothing. But if the plane doesn’t crash… where does she go from there? So the ambiguous ending is the best choice for the author but I don’t think it allows Linda to find a conclusion. I don’t know. I’m not sold on it. </spoiler>
Regardless, it’s an interesting and well-written look at an eccentric woman trying to navigate life!
I’m not sure how to rate this. I know a lot of people loved it. The writing is great and the main character is an interesting character. Her various casual remarks about the world shine a light on the absurdity of many aspects of modern culture. Her rented room, her job, and her discomfort with certain expressions all highlight some of the troubling aspects of life these days.
But I don’t think she had much of an arc? Spoilers for the ending:
<spoiler>I find the ambiguous ending to be kind of annoying. The author wrote herself into a corner where I can’t see how either ending really works. If the plane crashes… Linda was somehow right about the universe and the plane choosing her and the whole journey of the book is kind of for nothing. But if the plane doesn’t crash… where does she go from there? So the ambiguous ending is the best choice for the author but I don’t think it allows Linda to find a conclusion. I don’t know. I’m not sold on it. </spoiler>
Regardless, it’s an interesting and well-written look at an eccentric woman trying to navigate life!
Really great examination of the stuff that matters besides “talent” and how our emphasis on talent is the wrong approach. And it’s great to read about these lessons and how essential grit is to success, especially as a parent seeking to raise grit-minded children.
One criticism I might have is that not all children or people have the same opportunities to learn or discover grit. The kid who can’t do extracurriculars because they’re working to support their family or because they don’t have reliable transportation isn’t necessarily less gritty. Although I think the economic angle is outside the scope of the book anyway.
My only other criticism is Duckworth interviewing a lot of shitty people to teach us about grit. Bill Gates and Jamie Diamond might be gritty, but they certainly aren’t people I want to look up to. It’s an unnecessary and unfortunate distraction from the good work Duckworth has done in studying grit.
Really great examination of the stuff that matters besides “talent” and how our emphasis on talent is the wrong approach. And it’s great to read about these lessons and how essential grit is to success, especially as a parent seeking to raise grit-minded children.
One criticism I might have is that not all children or people have the same opportunities to learn or discover grit. The kid who can’t do extracurriculars because they’re working to support their family or because they don’t have reliable transportation isn’t necessarily less gritty. Although I think the economic angle is outside the scope of the book anyway.
My only other criticism is Duckworth interviewing a lot of shitty people to teach us about grit. Bill Gates and Jamie Diamond might be gritty, but they certainly aren’t people I want to look up to. It’s an unnecessary and unfortunate distraction from the good work Duckworth has done in studying grit.
A slow but thoughtful examination of the mundane aspects of life. Baker is both funny and “real” when he talks through the awkwardness of bathroom etiquette or our ordinary interactions with the world that we never acknowledge but are so common to us all. A examination of day to day life and delighting in small wonders.
A slow but thoughtful examination of the mundane aspects of life. Baker is both funny and “real” when he talks through the awkwardness of bathroom etiquette or our ordinary interactions with the world that we never acknowledge but are so common to us all. A examination of day to day life and delighting in small wonders.
I think this book was good but not great. Telling the story through chat logs made it zip by, but I think it also led to some shallow characterizations. Some of the plot felt a bit half-baked and some of the characters feel more like caricatures than people. I would have liked to have seen more depth to the story.
I think this book was good but not great. Telling the story through chat logs made it zip by, but I think it also led to some shallow characterizations. Some of the plot felt a bit half-baked and some of the characters feel more like caricatures than people. I would have liked to have seen more depth to the story.