PhilMac

Another great one by Gladwell

Reviewed: 07-21-14

Would you listen to David and Goliath again? Why?

I would. Gladwell always has a way of making you look at the seemingly obvious a little differently.

What other book might you compare David and Goliath to and why?

Perhaps, "Blink", in that Gladwell presents a different take on common occurences.

Which character – as performed by Malcolm Gladwell – was your favorite?

Not really character driven.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Not really. For me this wasn't his most power work. It's sort of like how M. Night Shamalawhateverhisnameis, blew you away with the sixth sense then has been trying to capture audiences in the same manner ever since. Gladwell has consistenly challenged me. This one was very good, but not his best. "Outliers" (continues to) hit me on several emotonal levels. IMO, his best work.

Any additional comments?

No. But looking foward to my next Gladwell read.

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Excellent - Refreshing - Insightful

Reviewed: 07-21-14

Would you consider the audio edition of How Children Succeed to be better than the print version?

Didn't read the print version. But can't imagine it could be be better or worse. This is about the information and I felt it so compelling I listened twice already.

What was one of the most memorable moments of How Children Succeed?

The story about the young lady from one of Chicago's roughest inner city schools. At some point she developed the grit to push on and change her circumstance. Although she didn't get into Duke, she got into school. Story is inspiring.

What does Dan John Miller bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Like Medina wrote in "Brain Rules", hearing the information is basically a more efficient way to learn. I believe this whole-heartedly.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Developing the grit to succeed is as important as the success itself.

Any additional comments?

Just a great read. Success is relative but the book provides interesting perspective into the idea of maintaining success and how those that might have had the tougher journey are more likely to hold onto it.

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Beer Snobbery: 101

Reviewed: 07-21-14

Where does Short Course in Beer rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Middle of the pack. This was an interesting, but enjoyable enough take on the whole craft beer thing. I am a beer snob. So I defintely got some good talking points. I aspire to take my beer snobbery to the next level so I will be going back to review my bookmarks.

Would you be willing to try another book from Lynn Hoffman? Why or why not?

Maybe? Depends on the topic and title, I guess.

Would you listen to another book narrated by Adam Verner?

Yes.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

No big emotional swing. Just a sense of empowerment and validation. I love beer. I am a beer snob and that's okay. I don't have to be ashamed of that.

Any additional comments?

The part with the recipes is good to have but awful to listen to. Doubt I'll ever cook shellfish on a whim...but if I do...!!!!

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1 person found this helpful

A little hard to visualize before it gets going

Reviewed: 07-21-14

Is there anything you would change about this book?

Not really.

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

There wasn't much of a story, unfortunately. Character development, perhaps?

Have you listened to any of Tim Gerard Reynolds’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I have not.

Was FREE: The Jester (A Riyria Chronicles Tale) worth the listening time?

Hard to say it wasn't. It was only an hour. My morning commute. Provide a break from the usual action.

Any additional comments?

Not really. Don't wanna dis the author here, but having no familiarity wit the characters or the author, it took a while for me to fall into it and be entertained.

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Entertaining as hell!

Reviewed: 07-21-14

What did you love best about Monster Hunter Nemesis?

The development of the lead character. Bad ass arch-angel in a re-tooled meat sack...with a bit of a conscience.

Who was your favorite character and why?

The lead. Franks. By far.

Which scene was your favorite?

The fight against the lead werewolf. Whoa. I wonder if today's Hollywood/CGI tech would do that justice on the big screen. Probably not. Also really liked how early American history was written in. Eventhough the book was all fantasy it was a bit of a stretch for me subscribing to the George Washington character as this revolutionary stud, given that real history writes him as a bit of a douche (IMO) keeping his Virginia plantation alive (read your history...). I think Franks punched him, instead of his horse, in an alternate universe...completely rewriting American history. I would have loooooooooved to have read that version.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Probably not. It's good to break away and come back to it. It's long enough where it has some moderate parts.

Any additional comments?

A good read. Well performed. I love how some of these narrators can keep track of all of the accents of the book's characters. The female voices were a bit cheesey, but I'm not sure how you're supposed to effectively go from the bass of a Franks to female voice. It was serviceable. But, as far as monster books go, loved it.

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2 people found this helpful

You're still great - Even while broke and lonely!!

Reviewed: 07-21-14

If you could sum up You are a Badass in three words, what would they be?

Nothing necessarily new here, but Sincero brings it with a realness that got me from the word "Go". The title caught me, and then she comes out of the box at you. The book is conversational - As if it's your "big" sister sitting you down and (overused pun in 3...2...1...) keepin' it real with you.

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

The presentation was the most interesting aspect. This was bar talk with my guy after 2 or 3 beers. Backed up with a science similar to "The Secret", without the preachiness. I thought she was entertaining and made me laugh, out loud, often.

Which character – as performed by Jen Sincero – was your favorite?

She's the lead.

What did you learn from You are a Badass that you would use in your daily life?

Weird happenings. At one point in the book she talks about believing she'll get a great parking spot. I happened to be in my car, listening on my way back to the office from lunch. I decided to fall into it...consciously will a space out in front of my office whilst fighting back the doubt that this vooddoo could really work. I'll be damned if I didn't find a prime spot right in front of the building. Coincidence? Probably... but then I pulled my car right behind the same model Infiniti truck that she referenced shortly thereafter, a couple of spaces down from a Honda CRV also referenced. I'm still riding with the really cool coincidence - But if this is the "Universe" giving me hints, I won't shut myself off from that either. Success requires a submission to the idea of faith. It's a bit of re-wiring, but if you desire a jump start, why not put yourself in a positive belief mindset with both feet. If you believe in the connectedness of it all, why not subscribe with at least 51% of your being and see what happens. At a MINIMUM, you might get a great parking space.

Any additional comments?

I like her, and I liked this book. Recommended it to my wife as I think she'd appreciate hearing it in a woman's voice from a woman's perspective. If you're a study of these types of things nothing in here comes as a huge revelation - But she comes with a convincing conviction that attracted me from the jump. "This s**t works!" might be my favorite line in this book.

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Holy Ish!

Reviewed: 08-02-12

What made the experience of listening to Gone Girl the most enjoyable?

I like that it was topical. Almost felt like I could've been reading about contemporaries...people that I know today. I like how it contrasted city/urban life with that of Midwestern America.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Gone Girl?

Two moments stand out for me: (SPOILER ALERT) First was when it was revealed that this sweet, innocent, angst ridden, attractive, stand-by-her-man young lady was something a little bit different. Second was when (SPOILER ALERT) Nick ultimately decides to acquiesce.

What about Julia Whelan and Kirby Heyborne ’s performance did you like?

Julia's performance was much, much stronger than Kirby's. He ultimately grew on me but I'd like to think the male character's voice should have been a little more mature, confident. He sounded very "highschoolish" in parts - especially in the beginning.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

(SPOILER ALERT) When "Amazing Amy" crossed over to "Murdering Amy".

Any additional comments?

This book was just dope. Loved it. And Flynn's an adopted Chicago girl. We support our own. Go Girl!

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1 person found this helpful

Light

Reviewed: 08-02-12

What would have made Why ITIL Drives Bottom-Line Savings better?

More content. There simply wasn't enough information to try to answer the question about why ITIL drives bottom-line savings.

What was most disappointing about the authors’s story?

It was superficial. No drill down. Not enough detail to get into theory or case study analysis regarding their ITIL deployments.

What three words best describe the narrator’s voice?

Clean. Concise. Mechanical.

What character would you cut from Why ITIL Drives Bottom-Line Savings?

None.

Any additional comments?

This is equivalent to a 30 second commercial about investment banking. You're going to provide very high level positive outcomes without getting into the meat of the sandwich. I want the meat in the sandwich...and I don't care how sticky the bread gets in the process.

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2 people found this helpful

Why?

Reviewed: 02-27-12

Would you try another book from the authors and/or the narrators?

Maybe.

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

The concept of experiencing dual dimensions, although they weren't clearly defined within the universe of the book.

What three words best describe the narrators’s performance?

Annoying, consistent, talented.

Did 1Q84 inspire you to do anything?

Find a better story.

Any additional comments?

I got really used to the characters - felt like I knew them well. There was plenty of time to develop them since the book was so long. That said, I felt like the story went in different directions and didn't tie back cleanly in the end. Make no mistake, this turned out to be a love story. Perhaps all of the other stuff was an elaborate setup for guy gets girl. But there's no reason why they should have ended up together. It just seemed that all of a sudden this is where the author wanted to take us. I know some of the reviews are that this is a

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