Posted on January 25, 2021 in Books
I have mixed feelings about this book and sometimes about Harari too. On the one hand, Harari does offer some interesting and thought provoking ideas about history, the current world order, and philosophy. On the other hand, I also find his style of writing a bit meandering.
The first part of the book has a lot of what if scenarios for the 21st century. This bored me early on and I put the book on hold for weeks. There are definitely moments where I agreed with Harari including views on religion, fake news, and how ignorant human beings are.
I find more issue with his style of presentation. This book was done in response to questions he is asked and it feels like a haphazard mix of random topics. I do not think there is an actual premise of the book. It feels more like a patchwork of ideas and discussions the author has.
I learned a couple of things and appreciated his philosophy on some things. I would give this about 2.5-3 stars. It was very boring in parts but I also found myself agreeing with some of it or seeing things in a different way. It also made me think that more people should read these kind of books but they are not likely to for the same reason I struggled with it. His short chapter and recommendations on how to not be brainwashed was interesting and I’d have more about that.
The author notes how complex the world is and now this book review is more complex than usual. Overall, I am glad I finished it and don’t regret it. I would be wary about recommending it to anyone though.
Read Dec 15, 2020 to Jan 24, 2021.
Posted on January 16, 2021 in Books
I know some people read cozy mysteries and romance novels as their comfort reading. I am finding that young adult / children’s books and graphic novels are my comfort reading.
I read the first Borrowers at the end of 2019. I liked it enough to read the rest of the series in the past couple of months. Overall, I really liked this series. I wish I had read it when I was younger but I definitely appreciate it as an adult. There’s a lot of whimsical details. As a cozy novel, the adventures and conflicts are mostly resolved by the end of each novel.
I liked all the core characters and found the world building so interesting too. I liked both the outdoor and indoor adventures. I adored Arietty and I wish the adventures would continue. The last book The Borrowers Avenged did have a bit of an abrupt ending. I know that almost twenty series separated book four and five. Maybe Norton also planned another book or vignette after the last book. The epilogue seemed tacked on as well. I wonder what other adventures Arietty and her family got to after moving to their final home.
This was a wonderful series to read during the holidays and in winter. I am really happy that I keep finding children and young adult gems like these.
Read December 2020- January 2021.