Adam
Sometimes a book comes along with exactly what you need when you need it. This one helped me reflect to on my own mindset about productivity and make adjustments to be happier and healthier.
The main premise of the book is stated early (on page 8):
A philosophy for organizing knowledge work efforts in a sustainable and meaningful manner based on the following three principles.
- Do fewer things.
- Work at a natural pace.
- Obsess over quality.
After reading a few other magic school books this year (The Will of the Many, The Scholomance), I wasn’t sure this one would live up to the hype of being the #1 trending book on Hardcover. Turns out it did.
Forth Wing takes place in a cutthroat school for dragon riders. Students learn the skills needed to defend their homeland from invading forces and protect society.
At times it reminded me of The Hunger Games, LOTR and others in the dark-academia genre while still managing to be original enough to keep me wondering. Sign me up for the next in the series.
Last year when visiting Seattle my wife and I were walking through Uwajimaya, a giant asian supermarket. Being a long-time anime fan since the '90s, when I saw a book about the impact of Japans cultural history I had to snag it.
I wasn't expecting much, but what I got was an in depth history of Japans rise to global cultural superpower. Each cultural touchstone has it's own chapter - physical toys in the years after WWII, the karaoke machine, anime, kawaii culture, video games and more.
Growing up in the '80s Japanese culture was just starting to break out into the US. The first international breakthrough wasn't I expected. Rather than Mario, Astroboy or Hello Kitty, who was the first international superstar? Space Invaders. Others would follow in rapid succession through the video and anime filled 90s.
There are so many in depth historic stories in this book, and each of them could be it's own entire book. How performers who entertained guests in bars tried to stop the karaoke machine. How Hello Kitty started out as coin purse and grew to an international icon. How after the economic crash of the '80s it gave way for teenage self expression and girl power.
Even as someone who considered myself knowledgeable about most of these topics, this helped put it into a perspective I hadn't ever considered before.
Galatea is an incredible short story. The story is based on a Greek tale Metamorphoses. A (male) sculptor creates a (woman) sculpture so beautiful it comes to life and they live happily ever after. She has no agency, nor a name.
Millers version is told from the woman’s point of view living with a controlling man. It feels like it could be a Colleen Hoover story, yet keeps its fantastical tone of Millers other works.
The afterward ties directly to this theme:
For millennia there have been men who react with horror and disgust to women's independence, men who desire women yet hate them, and who take refuge in fantasies of purity and control. What would it be like to live with such a man as your husband?
Probably my favorite science fiction book (and series) I've ever read. Hyperion is written in a style similar to The Canterbury Tales, in which a series of stories are told by the main characters. Each story is a gem in itself, but alude to the larger storyline. The scope of the story is ambitious - spanning time, planets religion and love.
