Jack Baty

I'm only mildly interested in walking and I'm not interested at all in rural Japan, but I loved every page of this wonderful book. Mod really pays attention, then writes beautifully about it.

I loved the initial short story-like introductions to each character in the first half of the book. I also enjoyed when their stories began to intersect at some point in the middle. But then it became a bit of a slog focusing on eco-terrorism. I admit to skimming the final third, which is too bad because it means I probably missed some really great individual sentences.

Even better the second time

I don't have the time or energy to finish a book telling me I need to think about more time and energy. DNF.

Almost too much detail, but still a remarkable story

It's as if Neal Stephenson wrote a book about AI without knowing what AI stands for. Still, some interesting bits even though I wasn't interested in most of them.

Fantastic portraits. My kind of work.

Stopped about 1/3 of the way in. No reason, I just lost interest.

Not as applicable to my situation as I'd hoped.

I love a good Murderbot story

I loved this. Fun story, wild characters, cool world. I really enjoy the way Miéville writes.

Who doesn't love Murderbot? I love Murderbot.

I always enjoy reading a Christopher Moore book and this was not an exception.

I dunno. It started out fun then became less fun.

Love the idea of sending someone's consciousness back into a memory, dead memories, rewriting timelines, etc. Characters were interesting. Would've liked more Slade. It got a little wound up toward the end.

While I believe that any person is allowed to write a book about any subject, the controversy around this one got in the way of whatever enjoyment I might have gotten out of it, so I had to stop. I'm disappointed in everyone, now.

I don't know who this book is for, but it's not me. It felt like the same 4 sentences about how the past and future don't matter and avoiding the “divided mind” repeated with a splash of eastern religions thrown in.

In sum: Live in the moment.

I enjoyed this a great deal. Not so much the big ideas, but rather the little things. Particular sentences or passages. Phrases like “Harpo progression”, “hyperscoot”, and “Slokum Dies Friday”. Elaborate setups around impressing a girl could go on for ten or more pages and I loved them.

I knew going in that the book was nearly 1,100 pages long, but at around 800 pages in I was doing that Chevy Chase head-bob move at the Grand Canyon in “Vacation”. I kept thinking, “Let's get on with it already,” so I rushed through 100 pages or so to get to the concluding 100 pages, which were both frustrating and exhilerating.

I had trouble getting over the fact that no 10-year-old kid in history has ever talked like Gurion, even if he is (maybe) a messiah. I would have given “The Instructions” 5 stars if it were 300 pages shorter and if the kid wasn't such an asshole.

Putting this aside for now. I keep thinking, “Well that was a lot of words not saying much.” I'm half-way through it so maybe it'll add up to something. So far it reads like an all-over-the-map academic hippy manifesto without benefit of an editor. I'll probably be accused of “not getting it” and so be it.

I only made it half-way. I had no idea what was going on and I didn't care enough to find out.

Love the whole murder mystery time travel horror weird bits, but frankly I became lost late in the game and never found my footing.

Didn't finish this one.

Fun and fascinating stories spanning the rise and decline of Polaroid. Made me grab my SX-70 and shoot a few!

Wonderful, fascinating book.

Reading the stories about and technical approach behind each photo was riveting. I loved every one of them.

I was looking for some creative inspiration. Dan Winters' description of his photographic journey provided.