Book reviews
Books I've enjoyed (mostly from the Austin Public library, Audible.com, and Libbyapp.com.):
Rating 1-10
(10 the best)Title Author Comments Date 10 
An amazingly well written novel that explores the Spartan culture. Steven is so good with characters and weaving a story together with historical events. 01/2003 10 
Taking her cue from the Greek myth of Theseus and the Roman culture of spectator violence Suzanne Collins weaves an incredible tale of a flawed, yet heroic girl, Katniss Everdeen. 08/2011 9 
Wonderful book about John Harrison's quest to solve the longitude problem. Although he solved the technical difficulties, the politics around him stymied his progress, while sailors died for lack of longitude 11/1999 9 
Very interesting historical novel of the Peloponnesian war between Sparta and Athens and Alcibiades. Pressfield highlights the turn of history influenced by Pride and petty Jealousy; somewhat like a Greek tragedy - oh wait - it is a Greek tragedy. Excellent abridgment, the language is rated PG13 at times. 02/2001 9 
Interesting stories of how the exchange of foods, ideas, and people from the New and Old Worlds had unimaginable consequences. 11/2013 9 
Makos does an amazing job of bringing to life these stories of WWII tank crews. His prose is rich and easily followed. Though his eyes we learn about the characters and care for them. He skillfully weaves several story lines together with an ending that is surprising and satisfying. 05/2024 9 
The story of Herbert Werner, a German U-Boat captain during wwii. His story is simply told and incredible. His survival is the most unlikely event in the story. Told from the German point of view, it's fascinating to see that the crews were so motivated by false propaganda that they wanted to go to sea to fight their enemies even though it was highly likely they would die. The link to the Youtube free version is here. 5/2024 8 
A fun, well-written novel about a circle of friends with mystic powers. Did I mention it was well-written? 12/2015 8 
Insightful novel about World War I. A few things struck me: Many of the top leaders for the war were not well prepared, nor suited temperament-wise for their duties.
How garbled all the communications were during the war. The leaders had no idea what was really going on during the battles or where the enemy was.
How cruel the Germans were to the inhabitants of Belgium and France.
How little justification the Germans had for the war. The Kaiser just craved the respect of his cousins and plunged the entire world into a carnage that overwhelms the imagination.
04/2010 8 
I enjoyed the story, but "State of Fear" is really more a Greek dialog discussing the various views on global warming. Drama and action are spread liberally through the book, but ultimately it's all about the conversations between those who have a clue about science and those who just want to feel good about doing something, however misguided. 12/2005 8 
I'll have to admit that I'm a sucker for a good octopus story. This is a wonderful story about dealing with a painful loss, the value of good friendships, and the sometimes hidden ties that bind us together. The characters are intriguing, but not saccharine sweet. All the human characters have flaws which is refreshing and lifelike. The middle of the story was a wee bit slow, but the ending was amazing. 11/2024 8 
A fun coming of age novel of a young gate mage. 10/2015 8 
A great overview of the Six Days War through the eyes of the combatants. 10/2015 8 
Suzanne Collins continues her tale of Katniss Everdeen. 08/2011 8 
Suzanne Collins completes her tale of Katniss Everdeen. 08/2011 8 
A fast-paced action story about the closing days of the cold war 11/2000 8 
This is a great story about the collapse of the sub-prime housing market and how clueless the Wall Street mavens were. Michael Lewis, author of The Blind Side, makes the story eerily compelling. Three items stood out to me:
1. How the fund managers were paid well to be ignorant of the true details; they were making lots of money with no thought to the future ramifications of their actions other than their annual bonus.
2. Almost all the people responsible for this terrible catastrophe actually came through the debacle making tons of money, which, for the most part, the taxpayers ended up paying.
3. The problem really was OPM - Other People's Money. Once the brokerage firms went from partnerships to publicly owned companies, the risks they were taking were not with their own money, but the stockholders money. Hence the temptation to gamble with Other People's Money in a way they would not have done with their own. If they bet right, they'd make a ton of money, if they bet wrong, well, they will lose their bonus and the stockholders will lose money.02/2011 8 
A detailed history on how an extremist branch of politics infiltrated the church and subverted the message of the Gospel into a Nationalism movement that goes against the teachings of Christ.
2/2024 8 
This fast paced mystery novel was a treat. The first person narration worked well. 5/2004 8 
A gripping story about a Vietnamese-Chinese family's history of growing up, surviving the Vietnam war, and their ordeal to come to America. 11/2022 8 
This is a great overview of the character of Jackson, both the myth and the man. It's also a good overview of the early days of the Civil War. 7/2015 8 
Compelling story of the O.J. Trial 12/2000 8 
Good, fast paced novel, great abridgment. I loved the book, but thought the identity of the final informant was lame. 04/2001 8 
A fun murder mystery with great characters. 04/2001 8 
A very good overview of his life. 03/2001 8 
His best book yet. Fast paced, intriguing. Clive knows how to tell a story well. 4/2002 7 
The epic story of the making of the transcontinental railroad. Ambrose writes about the personalities involved, the technical challenges, ordinary people who built this amazing thread that connected our country.
07/2024 7 
A big, elliptical story about the birth of the computer age. Dyson often strays from the topic at hand, like the history of the area rincton, but it works. Dyson details how incredibly smart Turing, Von Neumann and the other were. He chronicles the relationship the computers and nuclear weapons.
01/2013 7 
The wonderful, and at times, sad tale of William Smith and the birth of modern geology. The book shows how he put together all the clues that everyone could see into a coherent story . He created a giant map that explained stratigraphy to England. He struggled to overcome the prejudices against his lowly birth and ultimately triumphs.
10/2024 7 
A fun book about invention and fads. Willis superbly blends commentary about how science progresses with an entertaining story.
11/2012 7 
A great hard science fiction story. I like the way the author puts words in the narrators mouth. It has some great plot twists. A fun >
5/2024 7 
A fun book with great science backing a great story. The movie is also good.
7/2024 7 
Interesting, well-written novel about the training of Marines and the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. The most interesting vignette was about slator, Mish, who after talking with a group of Iraqis on good-will missions would always get cigarettes handed to him. When Fick asked people gave him cigarettes Mish replied, "I told them to hand over some cigarettes, or you'd kill them."
Another interesting message of the book is the amount of civilian causalities. Large numbers of innocent civilians were killed during the n not necessarily from the intent of either side, but just as "collateral damage".
07/2009 7 
A fast paced fun action story about a possible WWIII. 12/2002 7 
The shale revolution had an enormous effect on the US economy and security, but the story and people behind this history is rarely appreciated. Thanks to Gregory Zuckerman for telling their tale. Zuckerman gives an evenhanded report on shale drilling showing the good, but also the bad. His summary at the end of book is excellent. My only complaint was that the book was too long. I would have appreciated a few less story lines and not as much detail on the players.
11/2024 7 
A well told story of submarine covert actions in the Cold War. 3/2002 7 
Story of the incredible saga of Shackleton's expedition to the Antarctic is gripping. His crew was trapped in the ice and then stranded on island. He undertook the greatest sea voyage ever in a lifeboat in very adverse conditions. The story is tough sledding at first, but speed; its difficult to listen to at times, but worth it. 5/2000 7 
An imaginative view of the future. One of the early cyberpunk novels. The language is fairly harsh with profanity, but very original and a ry. 03/2002 7 
How do doctors sift through possible causes for our ills? The author explores the question and concludes you should ask these questions of lth care provider when given a diagnosis: What else could this be? Could there be two problems? What other organs are around that 10/2010 7 
Mr. Gwynne, a former executive editor of Texas Monthly, chronicles the rise and fall of the Comanche people who started in the Northern s a stone-age people, and through their intimate relationship with the horse, rose to completely dominate the American Plains for s. Gwynne does a masterful job of 01/2015 7 
Treasure IslandRobert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894) Free Librivox recording. A fun adventure tale that started the whole pirate movie motif complete with Long John Silver with his peg leg and parrot. 12/2023 7 
America and the New Global Economy Timothy Taylor Interesting overview of globalization and the world economy. 1/2011 7 
Economics Timothy Taylor Although it starts slowly, the lectures are th your patience until the latter chapters. My notes are here. 10/2010 7 Journals of the Pioneers 1 Frederick Drimmer I loved the pure, unadulterated stories from the mouth of the people who witnessed and lived the culture of indians. Most of what we read today has been processed and refined for political and social reasons, so this book is a valuable resource. According to many of the writers, the warriors would eat the bodies of defeated warriors who died valiantly, but refuse to eat the body of cowards. The writers also said that many whites were kidnapped to take the place of tribe members who had died. The Native Americans would prairie fires to flush game. 10/2010 6 
A difficult book to read, but important in showing how pleasures can overcome meaning in life. 09/2024 6 
A fascinating read on the history of the steam engine and the history of inventing. His major premise is that the Industrial Revolution in England and America due to patent protection for inventors which allowed inventors to spend many years working on an invention, that it could make them rich in the end. 03/2013 6 
An interesting and even handed account of the War of Northern Aggression 06/2000 6 
Interesting story of a Vietnam Navy Intruder pilot. 12/2000 6 
A good story of a space station and sabotage. 12/2000 6 
A story of Chuck Horner's career. 12/2002 6 
An good book of tips on how to have better business and social meetings. My takeaways:
Commit to a clear purpose of the gathering.
The place and setup should support the purpose.
Invite the right people, don't be afraid to exclude people.
Dinner starts with the invite, drip details before the meeting.
Starting the event is important, thank the guests for coming (and those who brought things).
The host who exercises generous authority is better than a too laid-back host.
The host can set rules, like asking a general question to break the ice, no phones.
Be the host, welcome guests, introduce guests to each other, be present, curb bad behavior.
Be sure to have a definite ending and reinforce the purpose.06/2024 6 
Mr. King's thoughts on writing the novel. 5/2004 6 
A guide to investing. Buy three funds: a total US stock index, a foreign stock index, and a bond fund. That's it. Done. 1/2020 6 
Very readable history of electronic trading. 8/2012 5 
The story was not very plausible, the scenarios of battle were interesting, but the editing was "an abridgment too far". 4/2000 5 
Interesting story about a future war between the US and China. 12/2021 5 
Mildly entertaining. 12/2000 5 
A highly imaginative Dirk Pitt novel. 7/2000 5 
A fairly typical Dirk Pitt novel. 4/2000 5 
A leisurely walk through the events surrounding the eruption of Krakatoa. Winchester is informative and entertaining. 01/2005 5 
An interesting, but ultimately unfulfilling story of fantastic events. As always Koontz is a wonderful storyteller with well textured characters we care deeply about, but it doesn't quite save the plot line. 05/2005 5 
An interesting look at the Navajo culture through the story of a series of murders on the reservation. The story starts slowly with some nd then picks up steam about 2/3 of the way through the book. 06/2023 5 
An entertaining review of how checklists from the aviation industry have helped the restaurant, building and medical professions. Tasks n professions are so complex that a single "Master Builder" can no longer keep everything in their head, but due to the weakness of our we must commit the tasks to a checklist used by everyone involved in the operation. Not every activity should have a checklist - some simple, some are too complicated requiring too much expertise, like child rasing. Most people don't like using checklists although the cs Dr. Gawande provides are stunning - infection rates went from 11% down to 0% in trials.
Characteristics of a Good Checklist (a checklist for checklists:)
- Must be simple and brief: 5 to 9 items
- Obvious things should not be on the list, only killer items
- Must be beta tested and refined continually
11/2012 5 
Keegan tackles a difficult subject, but comes up with little. He seems intend on having a Clausewitzian encounter with the premises of Clausewitz. He tries so hard to prove that Clausewitz was wrong, and it gets tiring. Keegan is also not afraid to make the facts stand on their heads - like his description of site 117. He really wants us to believe that the Greeks invented "total war", but neglects other cultures like the Hawaiian that do not fit in with his views. Overall this book was a great disappointment. 06/2000 5 
Gladwell describes how humans can make instant judgments and be amazingly accurate. The most interesting example was predicting which doctors would be most likely to be sued. People were able to predict the likelihood of a doctor being sued for malpractice not by looking at his grades or IQ, but how well she interacted with patients. By watching a short video clip of the doctor and patients, observers could predict if the doctor would be likely to be sued. If the doctors treat their patients kindly and respectfully, the threat of a malpractice suit is low. 09/2009 4 
Fascinating story about the history of science and technology with a slant to quantum mechanics. Somewhat unsatisfactory in that it was a mix of history and fiction, so I never knew what was true. 04/2022 4 
An adventure action story that strains credibility often, but entertaining 11/1999 4 
I love Steven Pressfield's other works, but was somewhat disappointed in this one. 08/2024 4 
An informative history of germ warfare in the US showing that the issue is truly complex. Parts of the story get very tedious. 05/2005 4 
That woman can write dialog! I'm amazed at the speech that just flows from her characters. 9/2014 3 
I'll save you the trouble, old sport, and give you the one line summary: "J. Gatsby is madly in love with Daisy who is married to Tom who is having an affair with Myrtle whose husband George kills Gatsby because Tom told George it was Gatsby's car who struck and killed George's wife Myrtle, even though it was really Daisy driving his car." 06/2011 3 
Quite disappointing - tedious at times. I've read it twice to talk about it with my kids when they had to read it in High School. Still didn't like it. 03/2013 & 02/2024 2 
It's an interesting story with great characters. It moves along well and has depth. Pi becomes a Muslim, Hindu, and Christian. The basic theme seems to be that all religions are equally false, but useful to make this world seem less brutal. I did not like the book. The ending is quite gruesome for younger readers. 03/2023 2 
It's a hard listen. Miller is a great screenwriter, but the subject is depressing. But it's good to listen to depressing stories to teach us a lesson. It picks up near the last 5 minutes. I could see the redeeming value of the play at that point - Don't force your kids to be something they are not. 12/2023 2 
I listened to the 3hr condensed version. Don't bother. I think all the character development, action, and story line where all abridged out. 9/2000 1 
An action story that completely strains credibility. Not recommended. 8/1999 My Audio Library from the The Great Courses
Following is a list of my audio books. If you are a personal friend and would like to borrow some titles, please let me know.
Particle Physics for Non-Physicists: A Tour of the Microcosmos by Steven Pollock 
History of Science: Antiquity to 1700
Einstein's Relativity and the Quantum Revolution: Modern Physics for Non-Scientists, 2nd Edition by Richard Wolfson 
Iliad of Homer by Elizabeth Vandiver 
Odyssey of Homer by Elizabeth Vandiver 
Greek Legacy: Classical Origins of the Modern World by Daniel N. Robinson 
Human Prehistory and the First Civilizations by Brian M. Fagan 
Greek Tragedy by Elizabeth Vandiver 
An Introduction to Greek Philosophy by David Roochnik 
The Life and Writings of C. S. Lewis by Louis Markos
The History of the English Language by Seth Lerer
The Foundations of Western Civilization by Professor Thomas F. X. Noble
Argumentation: The Study of Effective Reasoning by Professor David Zarefsky- Great Ancient Civilizations of Asia Minor by Professor Kenneth W. Harl Tulane University
The History of Ancient Rome Vol I-IV
Alexander and the Hellenistic Age Vol I-II by Jeremy McInerney (12 CDs)
Age of Pericles by Jeremy McInerney (12 CDs)
Ancient Greek Civilization by Jeremy McInerney (6 CDs)