Science of the Magical | Matt Kaplan

Summary:

Matt Kaplan explores the science behind many mythological magics of our ancient history. From reading the livers of animals to the chemicals in love potions, even the physiology of sword swallowing. Kaplan covers a wide range of topics and the science that explains them.

Review: 

I absolutely loved Kaplan's book "The Science of Monsters" and had been eagerly looking for a copy of this book as well. I am happy to report, I was not disappointed! My feelings towards both of these books are actually summarized by Teller (of Penn & Teller) in the introduction:

"To any enlightened dweller of our century, knowing increases wonder. I don't just think this, I know it. If you believe, you oversimplify in the way a child might initially believe there is no complex evolution of life. That simplification in no way increases your sense of wonder. If, however, you know how life came to be on our planet, the wonder is immense!"

And that is the attitude that permeates all of these chapters in "Science of the Magical". Finding the truth behind the mysticism, knowing how the trick is done, just makes all of it so much more intriguing and amazing! Sometimes it's just coming to grips with how much our ancient ancestors actually knew, even if they didn't fully understand.

Kaplan does a wonderful job of making all of this science very accessible to readers of any background and interest. He also does a very good job of citing his sources. Because of this, I've increased my TBR list substantially, but Kaplan writes these things in such a way that I want to know more! I need to know more!

This book is such a treasure and would be enjoyable to pretty much anyone with any interest in the science behind all things mystical. Instead of "killing the joke" by over-explaining it, it's like the cool science experiment that changes your world view. This book was a great read, I couldn't put it down! 5 hoots!

               Hoot!Hoot!

               Hoot! Hoot!

                    Hoot!

Conversations with RBG | Jeffrey Rosen

*Image and book provided via NetGalley for an honest review.

Summary:

A collection of interviews with Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Each interview is preceded by context from the author.

Review:

Like many people, I only really started paying attention to politics in the past few years. I knew that Ruth Bader Ginsburg (RBG) was an important figure, but never really looked further into it. When she needed surgery and people were clamoring to offer their blood and organs, whatever she needed, I figured I should read up on her. Fortunately this book became available and I took the opportunity to educate myself. I'm very glad I did. 

This is neither a full biography nor a full case list. This has biographical elements but focuses on major past cases and how they influence current cases. It's also a lot of RBG discussing her hopes for the future. Honestly, the fact that she still has hope for the future does wonders for my overall anxiety about the world. She has an amazing approach to equal gender rights that she modeled off Thurgood Marshall's approach to equal rights for minorities. Incremental, showing those in power how these rules hurt them, and genuinely going for equality. 

At first I was surprised to find someone who had promoted equality was subject to scorn from feminist groups. I took every chapter, every interview question on that, as a lesson in reading past the headlines. I think that should be the message with almost every Supreme Court Justice. It's so very easy to get caught up in the headlines and following the rage. But in this day and age, we need to do ourselves a favor and read more, get the full story, and reserve our torches and pitchforks for the truly important things. She criticized Roe v Wade because it was, essentially, a legislation forced to walk around on stilts with no training. She was correct in predicting this would lead to all of the many, many, many challenges it has received since. This was quite the legislative history lesson for me. I'll never go back.

RBG is truly an interesting character and her relationship with the other Justices is a wonderful example for disagreeing without it coming to blows. I thoroughly enjoyed this read and will be picking up more books about the Justices. 4 hoots!

Hoot!Hoot!

Hoot!Hoot!

10 Women Who Changed Science and the World | Catherine Whitlock & Rhodri Evans | Mini-Review

*Image and book provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Review:

This book is an engaging collection of mini-biographies of 10 women who made significant contributions to science. Not only does it talk about them, it also gives a lot of context for their work and situations. This means we also get a lot of information about the world at the time as well as the science they were doing and how it fits into our understanding of science today. I genuinely appreciate how deeply these mini-biographies went into the science. Most of the stories are pretty well balanced between the history, biography and scientific information. Henrietta Leavitt's section focused mainly on the works of others but a lot of that could be because there was so little information about her available. It's a good collection overall, definitely of interest to those who are interested in the actual science that these women did. 4 hoots!

Hoot!Hoot!

Hoot!Hoot!

I Can't Believe It's Not Buddha! | Bodhipaksa | Mini-Review

*Image and book provided via NetGalley for an honest review.

Review:

This book is a collection of 50 quotes commonly attributed to Buddha that aren't actually his. Bodhipaksa takes a look at the quotes and discusses their actual origins as well as whether or not they're things Buddha would've said or if they're in direct opposition to his teachings. I also appreciate Bodhipaksa's explanations for how and why quotes get misattributed throughout the years. And the book keeps its promise on teaching Buddhism by revealing fake quotes. I am more knowledgeable about the subject now than I was before I started reading. This is a short book, but I found it fun, educational, and encouraging of double checking quotes before we share them online. I do recommend this book and happily give 4 hoots!

Hoot!Hoot!

Hoot!Hoot!

The Healing Power of Mindfulness | Jon Kabat-Zinn | Mini-Review

*Image and book provided via NetGalley for an honest review.

Review:

I picked up this book because I've recently been trying out mindfulness meditation to help with my anxiety and depression issues. It's been kinda working so I decided to read this book to see if I couldn't get more structure in my meditations and get some guidance. While there is some of that in here, the majority of the book is Kabat-Zinn's history with mindfulness in a professional medical setting. From helping patients undergoing treatment for psoriasis to working with psychologists to incorporate the meditation in their treatments. It was still a highly informative book and had several chapters on what I was looking for. The biggest flaw, however, is the number of paragraph long sentences. Several times I would read a sentence that went on for way too long only to have to re-read it because I couldn't figure out what Kabat-Zinn was trying to say. Maybe it would make sense in an audiobook, but reading it left my brain feeling frustrated. I never did figure out one or two of them, and I had context from the book. Overall, the book is okay and definitely informative. Kabat-Zinn just needs to tone down some of the wording. 3.5 hoots!

               Hoot!Hoot!

               Hoot!Hoo

Genius Jokes | Frank Flannery | Mini-Review

*Image and book provided via NetGalley for an honest review.

Review:

Good news! I'm evidence that you don't actually have to be a genius to enjoy these jokes. Some of them were a bit on the dryer side of funny. Others literally made me laugh out loud. The topics cover science, history, politics, and more. My favorite part, I actually learned things! The explanations of the jokes in this book are well written and concise. They are clearly meant to educate without being boring and they succeed. I really enjoyed this book and recommend it for anyone who wants some fun filled, quick learning. 4 hoots!

               Hoot!Hoot!

               Hoot!Hoot!

Catching Stardust | Natalie Starkey | Mini-Review

*Image and book provided via NetGalley for an honest review.

Review:

Starkey takes us on a complete tour of all things comet and asteroid. From their chemical makeup and physical appearance to their probable roles in our past and future. There are chapters dedicated to the mining of asteroids, protecting Earth from asteroids, and missions from space stations around the world landing on comets and collecting their dust for study. I now know so much more about comets and asteroids than I did. I even got a bit of a chemistry and geology refresher. It was definitely written at a level for casual readers and I greatly appreciate that. This is definitely a good book for any amateur astronomer or anyone wondering why comets and asteroids are so important. 3.5 hoots!

                    Hoot!

                Hoot!Hoot!

                     Hoo

Discovery of the Saiph | P. P. Corcoran

Summary:

In the near future humans develop the technology to "fold" space in such a way that they can travel multiple light years in mere seconds. In exploring their first new solar system, humans discover several buildings that house ancient lexicons, full of information. These were left behind by a race identified as The Saiph. Using this information humans begin reshaping their technology, discovering new solar systems and finding potential allies and definite enemies.

Review:

I picked this book up because I love military sci-fi and Corcoran incorporates his own experience in the military with his books. 

That being said, I had to take a break from this book about half way through. I realized I wasn't enjoying it when they were having their first battle against the Others (enemy alien race) and I was bored. I took a long break from reading it, came back to it and then finished it. For me it didn't really pick up until the alliances with other species came into play. When it was just humans versus others, I didn't really care. It wasn't until we teamed up with other friendly races that I actually started caring. 

Part of the problem, for me, is the lack of character depth. I'm not saying the characters were one dimensional, I'm saying that we don't get to know the characters well enough to really care about them. A lot of times it felt like just saying someone's name and occupation was supposed to be enough to make me care about them. Other times it felt like there were so many names, ranks and occupations that it was hard to keep characters straight. 

Once the other races came into play, though, I was fully engaged. I'm not fully sure I know why other than that it felt like it was no longer just "us versus them". It finally felt like there were actually other worlds to learn about, other cultures to learn from, and more. 

I really appreciated Corcoran's sense of humor that came into play at good moments. I loved the contrasting ideas about "appropriate greetings" between the cultures. I really liked that economics and population were factors. There were plenty of technical aspects of expansion, exploration and war that were addressed that made it feel more real. My only problem is a lack of connection to the characters.

Overall, I can really only give this book a 2.5. I had to make myself finish it and it didn't pick up until late. I doubt I'll pick up any more books in this series.

                Hoot!Hoot!

                     Hoo

Quietus | Tristan Palmgren

*Image and book provided via NetGalley for an honest review.

Summary:

Habidah and her team of anthropologists from another plane are studying this world before and during the Black Plague. They are gathering information on how societies handle such a powerful epidemic because their own world is suffering from an incurable disease and information is helpful. Nicculoccio is a monk at Sacro Cuore, the only of his brothers to survive the plague. He's buried all of the others and has no reason not to believe he's the last human alive. When Habidah and Nicculoccio meet, it sets them on the path to discover what is really happening in both their worlds and how to stop it.

Review:

This book does an interesting thing. It manages a tight balance between exposition, philosophy and story that keeps this book interesting. With as long as this book is and with as little action as there is, there was the risk of being boring, but Palmgren does a great job of keeping all the elements in line so that I was still engaged in the reading. I never drifted off or loss interest because all the elements at play were kept balanced. Palmgren also keeps the mystery of the powers at play just out of reach enough that I had to keep reading because I couldn't guess and I was as curious as the characters. 

It was genuinely interesting to read the juxtaposition of the advanced, interplanar society next to the medieval, scientifically illiterate world. To see the similarities between how the amalgamates are treated and how God is thought of. To read about the varying reactions to an unstoppable, unpredictable disease. The attitude that Habidah's team has towards the "backward" people of Nicculoccio's world and the reverence Nicculoccio has towards Habidah's world makes for an interesting dynamic and conversation.

Then there are the thought experiments/meditations. Does the amalgamates refusal to cure the Black Plague equal the force that causes the plague in Habidah's world? Are they equally evil or is one worse than the other? Does the knowledge that nothing you do matters liberate you or trap you? How do you keep moving forward when everything seems pointless or trivial?

As much as I love books with high action and low exposition, every now and then it's good to stretch my brain with a book like this. A book with more philosophy and story than action, but still well balanced and interesting. If you're a fan of historical fiction looking to branch into Sci-Fi or looking for heavier read in general, I recommend this book. It's got plenty of power play drama, religious in-fighting and some actual fighting. It's also got new worlds to discover and governments to destroy. 3.5 hoots!

               Hoot!Hoot!

               Hoot!Hoo 

Pride and Prometheus | John Kessel

*Image and book provided via NetGalley for an honest review.

Summary:

Shelly meets Austen in this retelling of Frankenstein where Victor Frankenstein meets with Mary Bennett 13 years after the events of Pride and Prejudice and soon after his agreement to make a mate for his monster. Combining the styles of Austen and Shelly, Kessel tells the story of Mary's interactions with Frankenstein and his monster and their search to end their loneliness. 

Review:

I have to admit, between this book and Under the Pendulum Sun, I may have to start reading more gothic fantasy/sci-fi. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I was a big fan of the original books as well as several of their adaptations (seriously, Pride, Prejudice & Zombies was awesome!) so I happily requested a copy of this book. I was not disappointed in any way.

I greatly appreciate Kessel's ability to combine these very different styles in such a way that they still worked with the story. The chapters focused on Mary are told from a third-person perspective while Frankenstein and the Creature's chapters are told from a first-person perspective. Additionally, Kessel retains the personalities of these characters. When I read Frankenstein I was appalled to find out what a whiny, self-absorbed personality Victor Frankenstein possessed. While reading Pride and Prometheus I again felt myself wanting to smack Frankenstein upside the head a few times. By the last few chapters my heart went out to Mary and the Creature.

Additionally, I really liked Kessel bringing in some modern takes of the times into the thought processes of the characters. Many times Mary brought up to the Creature that his bride should be well enough and know enough that she could genuinely choose him, rather than being forced into being his bride. Mary's status as a spinster in the world of 1800's England High Society brought more perspective of women's choices and treatment at the times.

This was truly an engaging, well written, well researched book and I happily give it 4.5 hoots. I will be looking for more books by Kessel as well!

               Hoot!Hoot!

               Hoot!Hoot!

                     Hoo

Soonish | Kelly and Zach Weinersmith

Summary:

A thorough review of possible scientific innovations on the horizon, complete with the barriers in its development and possible side effects.

Review:

I picked this book up because I'm a fan of Zach Weinersmith's web comic Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal (SMBC). I actually pre-ordered the book because I liked his writing and non-fiction about technology is usually a big win with me. I was not disappointed!

The potential technologies brought up in Soonish were not just computer science based. They cover many areas of science including medical, world enhancements and energy. Many of the topics covered are ones I had no idea we were so close to. Programmable matter would be an incredible game changer in the world, for better and worse.

And that's something else that I really appreciated about this book. Each technology sounds like it would be an incredible boon to mankind. So the authors have made sure to include a "Concerns" section for each of these potential marvels. It is important that these exciting innovations are properly thought through and discussed. As much fun as it was thinking that Asteroid Mining could soon be a reality, what would be the actual economic effects? Being able to 3D print your own replacement heart valve or liver sounds like nothing but good news (and the authors do struggle to find a concern for this one) but how do we make it fair to those who may not be able to afford this marvel?

As much fun as the content is to read, the comics that they include are fun as well. Sometimes they're included to help drive a point home. Other times they're included to show the authors' sense of humor. For example, one comic shows Elon Musk walking on Mars and proclaiming "Finders Keepers" to talk about the legal issues of private companies driving the space program. Another comic shows one of the authors assuring Dr. Elvis they will not draw him as Elvis (though they totally do).

Overall, I'm glad I got this book. If you're looking for a science, non-fiction with a good sense of humor, you'll enjoy this. 4 hoots!

               Hoot!Hoot!

               Hoot!Hoot!

Rubber Soldiers | Gary Neeleman and Rose Neeleman

*Image and book provided via NetGalley for an honest review.

Summary:

This book looks at the essential role Brazil played in World War II by providing the rubber that was needed for the war effort.

Review:

The first half of this book was riveting. I had no clue that Brazil was so essential to the war effort. I had no idea how many lives were lost getting that rubber to the United States. Heck, I didn't even know German U-Boats were active in the South Atlantic. It was very educational, and heart-wrenching, relaying the stories of the Rubber Soldiers and the conditions under which they worked. 

The second half of the book however, was almost nothing but the very bureaucracy filled letters that passed between the Brazilian and US governments. These letters are not good for general readers. They were written with politicians and, maybe, reporters in mind. I had to skim through several pages of technical and political lingo just to get to the authors' summaries that were significantly more effective at exposition than the letters. I get that the letters were needed, but they really dragged down the book for me, a non-historian. 

It really upsets me because this book has a very important and under-represented story to tell and point to make. And the first half of the book does that so very well! The problem comes when the authors rely on verbatim copies of the letters and telegraphs. My eyes glazed over quickly and I had to force myself to continue reading. I really feel like the authors were only including the letters to pad the page count. The letters may have been better off being included as an appendix with the authors writing up summaries in the main book. They are talented authors but these letters just kill the book for me.

If you're a history buff or have a very strong interest in the subject, you'll probably enjoy the entire book. If you're a casual reader, like me, whose curiosity was piqued, you'll probably only like the first half of the book. 2.5 hoots.

               Hoot!Hoot!

                    Hoo

4th Rock From the Sun | Nicky Jenner

*Book provided by NetGalley for an honest review.

Summary:

This book takes a look at Mars mostly from a cultural perspective. "The story of Mars" shows just how much influence this one, tiny, red dot in the sky has had on humanity from some of the earliest writings to contemporary media. Jenner also gives us the scientific perspective of what Mars actually is and how it and its moons seem to be anomalies in space, based on what we know of astrophysics. 

Review:

I'll be honest, I did a lot of skimming in this book. Don't get me wrong, it was interesting learn that so many cultures, completely separate from each other, had similar interpretations of Mars and that life on Mars was, and still is, believed to be a thing. It was also interesting to learn that Mars and its moons should, according to all we know, be bigger than they are. Honestly, I love the fact that a planet we've known about for thousands of years still provides us with mysteries to solve. There were a couple of times I felt that he flow of the book was rather disjointed, that Jenner seemed to pole vault from one topic to another, but I still found the book informative and entertaining. 3 hoots!

               Hoot!Hoot!

                   Hoot!

Weird Dinosaurs | John Pickrell

*Free copy provided by NetGalley for an honest review.

Summary:

John Pickrell takes us all over the world and through time to learn more about the strangest dinosaurs and the, sometimes even stranger, paleontologists who found them. 

Review:

Like most people, I fell in love with dinosaurs thanks to Jurassic Park. While my original plans to become a paleontologist didn't pan out, I've still held on to my love of dinosaurs. Even when science told us that they were actually feathery creatures, instead of the scaly lizards we originally thought. I was prepared for this book to be a very technical read and was still excited to read it. The fact that it ended up being an incredible series of adventure stories was a wonderful surprise. 

Pickrell takes us to some of the biggest dig sites on each continent. I had no idea that there was such a big "market" for paleontologists in Mongolia, Antarctica and Madagascar. He shows us that not all fossils are found in desert conditions and talks about the trials and tribulations of digging out said fossils when the weather and geography are never on your side.He talks about contemporary paleontologists trying to find dig sites found a century or two ago and gives mini-biographies on some of the older paleontologists. It really is a grand adventure. 

This book was so much fun to read and learn from! I'd love to have more pictures, but I also enjoyed finding the dinosaurs on Google Images, especially the one dubbed "Hellboy". It's so fascinating to read about all the different "decorations" that dinosaurs evolved for various reasons. It was even more fun to read about so many of my previous thoughts about dinosaurs be proven wrong. The notion that dinosaurs could only live in tropical climates? Not true. The evidence has been found. Seeing what happens to dinosaur populations that evolved on islands and seeing the work that goes into putting the pieces together, literally and figuratively, makes for an incredible read for any dinosaur lover. 

If you have any interest at all in dinosaurs or want to get someone interested in them, I highly recommend Weird Dinosaurs. 4.5 Hoots!

               Hoot!Hoot!

               Hoot! Hoot!

                     Hoo

Void | James Owen Weatherall

*I received this book from NetGalley for an honest review.

Summary:

This book is an overview of the definition of "nothing" from a mathematical and physical perspective over, pretty much, the entirety of human thought on the subjects. Most of the focus is on Leibniz, Newton & the invention of calculus as well as Einstein's relativity and the QED that followed. 

Review:

I always enjoy when a mathematics/physics/philosophy author has a strong sense of humor. The number of "side notes" I read regarding how mathematicians treat physicists and visa versa, was delightful and really helped to keep me interested in what I was reading. There was a little bit of skimming, I'm a little embarrassed to say, but for the most part I was quite intrigued. Heck, I even learned several (most likely watered down) aspects of Quantum Electrodynamics (QED). I will say that I recommend getting a physical copy of this book. Almost half of the book is Weatherall's notes and the ebook format that I received wasn't very good for going to the end note numbered and then back to where I was reading. Still, I really liked this one. 3.5 hoots!

                Hoot!Hoot!

                Hoot! Hoo

Spaceman | Mike Massimino

*Image and book provided by NetGalley

Summary:

This book is an autobiography of Mike Massimino and his journey to become an astronaut.

Review:

While most people's introduction to  Mike Massimino (Mass) was The Big Bang Theory, I was first introduced to him via StarTalk Radio. Every episode that he has participated in I enjoyed immensely. His humor, intelligence and even just the sound of his voice are engaging when he speaks. So, when I found this book available on NetGalley, I jumped at the chance to read it. I was not disappointed! 

From beginning to end this story is incredible. Whenever you think about the journey to become an astronaut you have ideas about what it's like. While some of Mass's experiences are what we'd consider typical (competing with the best of the best to make the cut) there are several that I never would have thought of. Truth be told, it sounds like Mass never would have thought of them either. 

One of my favorite messages in this book is that, some of the things in our lives that we think are mistakes, may end up being what we actually need to live our dreams. Had any one thing in his life gone differently, Mass may never have made it to the Hubble telescope for his first space walk. And I can speak from my own experience that, when you reach a plateau of happiness, you can look back and see how your mistakes got you there. Something to keep in mind when you're mind is filled with regrets; It's not over. 

I don't read autobiographies often. In fact...I think this may be the only autobiography I've read outside of a literature or history class. I am so glad I made the exception for Spaceman! This is a book that almost had me crying. Twice. In public. For beautiful reasons! The camaraderie of NASA, not just the astronauts, but everyone involved is amazing and heartwarming. 

I'm not sure I've ever said this before but, I feel that this is a good read for anyone. Mass is so relatable, even for those of us not dreaming of going into space. This is one of those books that's going to be at the forefront of my recommendations list for a LONG time! 5 Hoots!

                Hoot!Hoot!

                Hoot! Hoot!

                     Hoot!

The Great Mathematicians | Raymond Flood & Robin Wilson

Summary:

A quick look at some of histories greatest mathematical contributors. From Western to Eastern philosophy, from ancient to contemporary history, these are the people who made mathematics. 

Review:

This isn't a book for laymen. I generally enjoy reading about mathematics but I had problems getting through this book. I had to force myself to read a lot of it and other parts I had my husband (a natural with mathematics) explain some of it to me.

That being said, I did appreciate how the book doesn't focus on western or European mathematicians. Influences from around the world are given well deserved representation in this book. Not everyone knows that "zero" was created by India.

I don't recommend this book for everyone. You'd have to be really interested in mathematics and the history of mathematics to really like this book. That said, I give this book 2.5 hoots.

Weapons of Math Destruction | Catherine O'Neil

*Image and book provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Summary:

Today's world is run by algorithms. From our credit reports and finances to how well teachers and employees are doing, algorithms guide business in their decisions. They praised as being non-biased since they are programs, not people. Yet, as O'Neil shows us, the fact that they are made by humans and built upon data from prejudiced humans, the algorithms are not so fair as they are made out to be.


Review:

I first found out about this book because I follow O'Neil's blog, Math Babe. So when it came up on NetGalley, I immediately requested a copy. As someone who reads her blog, little of the information presented was surprising, but the depth that she was able to add in this book was very helpful.

The first several sections of the book talk about the author's relationship with algorithms. She worked in the finance industry and was only given so much information about each "black box" algorithm. This way no one employee could have all the secrets to what made the algorithm work. Unfortunately, this lack of transparency ended up hurting a lot of people. And it wasn't just the financial industry, either. Many companies, as well as the government, use algorithms based on data that may be incredibly irrelevant to whether or not someone will be a good employee or should stay in jail longer or shorter times, or should pay higher insurance premiums. Many aspects of humanity can't be quantified, so the algorithms attempt to fill the void by using other data. The problem with that is that there is no feedback on whether or not it works so the algorithm cannot adjust itself.

While the majority of the book is explaining these algorithms and how they hurt people, I was very grateful that O'Neil included a section on proposed solutions. I was worried the author would only complain about the problem throughout the book, but there were ideas for making things better. More importantly, to me, every claim she wrote about why the algorithms are broken or need transparency had a reference to back it up. O'Neil presents the problem, proposes solutions, then enables the reader to follow up on her research.

This is a good book for anyone looking to see how mathematics can help and hinder real life. This is also a good book for anyone interested in learning more about Big Business. Heck, even if you just need an explanation for why you pay so much for car insurance, give this book a read. 4 hoots!

                Hoot!Hoot!

                Hoot! Hoot!

Philosophy 100 Essential Thinkers | Philip Stokes

*Book and Image provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Summary:

From the publisher: 

Philosophy will serve as an excellent guide for those interested in knowing about individual thinkers--such as Plato, Aristotle, Rousseau and Nietzsche, to name just a few--and the questions and observations that inspired them to write. By presenting individual thinkers, details of their lives and the concerns and circumstances that motivated them, this book makes philosophy come to life as a relevant and meaningful approach to thinking about the contemporary world.

Review:

This book is pretty much what you would expect it to be based on the title and the publisher's summary. It is a glimpse into the lives and philosophies of 100 western philosophers. As someone with a BA in Philosophy, I can tell you that this was a pretty pleasant refresher. If you are looking for a place to start in terms of studying philosophy, this is a good book.

I do wish that Stokes had either specified that it would be all western philosophers or that he would have included some alternate philosophies. In the US you don't normally get to study philosophers outside of western philosophy, and I had hoped that this book would introduce me to some new people. Also, while I applaud the idea that all the philosophers get the same number of pages, it was evident the author had problems with this. Sometimes the pages would be dense and you felt much was left out, other times they would be sparse and you could tell things were stretched.

If you're teaching or taking a Philosophy 101 course, this could be a good supplement. If you're wondering where to begin in your own personal philosophy readings, this is a good place to start. Overall, I give this book 3 hoots.

                Hoot!Hoot!

                     Hoot! 

Wonder Women | Sam Maggs

*Image and book provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Summary:

This book is a collection of mini-biographies of women who did amazing things, against incredible odds, but were almost never acknowledged for any of it. Covering women who contributed to science, exploration, medicine, espionage, and innovation the reader gets an interesting trip through history. Complete with Q&A sessions with contemporary women in these fields.

Review:

I'm always happy to read more books about influential women of history. Generally I stick to the sciences, but I found myself completely enthralled by all of the stories I read. The Women of Espionage section was particularly interesting because of the varied types of personalities encountered (who'd have thought that a party girl would make for a brilliant double agent?) It's actually really delightful to see the varied personalities represented in this book. Some of the women are the born-tough types, others grew into their strength. Some of the women are pure tomboys, others still enjoyed their femininity. Some were brainy geeks, others were physical activity geeks. Some were extroverts, others were introverts. This all adds up to the overall message of this book: you can do whatever you set your mind to.

Yes, it seems like an overly optimistic message, and usually I end up just feeling bad about myself for not living up to the standards these women have set. This time, however, a couple hours after finishing the book, I found myself thinking more positively about myself and my abilities. I started looking at things I could do to use more of my potential so that I actually could follow in these women's footsteps. 

The tone of the book is rather casual. It reads like someone was talking to me over drinks, complete with snarky comments in parentheses. If I had known girl talk could be so informative, I may have partaken in it more growing up. 

Personally, I plan on buying this book for myself and a copy for my Mom, who could've used the message of the book when she was younger, but can still be inspired by it. If you've ever been shot down or told you can't do something because of who or what you are, I think this will be a good book for you. Like with me, it may not hit you right away, but this is an inspiring book that can help you see that everyone can do something great. 5 Hoots!

                Hoot!Hoot!

                Hoot! Hoot!

                      Hoot!