Best American Short Stories 2005, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, False Impresion

Three books. The first was a compilation with heavy themes in terms of content and writing style, filled with true stories collected which were almost all fabulous. A good read (but I bet any year will do you good). The second book, a fictional piece from the 50s that takes place in Brooklyn of course, and was a touching story of a girl growing up and the hardships. The last was a quick read, a mystery by a ex-lord (from the UK) who spent time in prison, about the murders surrounding famous art pieces that a collector wishes to keep.

All good books. I'd most recommend the second as it was fabulous. The first was just an interesting read; and the last was a quick piece (not super high quality writing but a somewhat enthralling story).

A Million Little Pieces

I know I said I'd never read it, but I finally caved after taking it from my Grandparents (who couldn't make it past the start) and hearing some good reviews of it from others. The book is about a man who makes it through rehab after years of horrible drug/alcohol use in his life, and his realization that he has two choices: rehab or death. People have said that it seems fictional when you read it because of the varying writing styles that change between sections of drug memories and the eloquence he posses (coherently) when speaking to the counselors and his family. I agree with this idea, but knowing that the book wasn't real, helped me get through. Some of the book is especially vivid, and it would have been a great story of someone getting through rehab, but I think it gets by as fiction anyway. Final Review: A book to be recommended to those that can 1) stomach it, 2) handle books about serious issues and drug use, and 3) like the sort of stream of consciousness writing. (Most people can handle all three, so read if it interests you)

Devil Wears Prada: The book

Ah. A really wonderful book, much better than the movie, and more real. I know in movies they have to cut out all the details because there isn't time, etc., but the nitty gritty really make this book great. And I suppose they cut out the smoking from the movie cause it's just not appropriate, but her smoking causes to burned clothes and hilarity at all moments of the book. It's a girly book, guaranteed, but if you seem the type, you'll like the book. Recap: Book is about a girl who wants to be a journalist, but can only find a job as a fashion magazine editor's assistant, who does random things at her every whim. A horrible, low paying job, and in the end she realizes that friends and family are much more important.

Tipping Point & The World is Flat

A post with two books in one. I do think I'm reviewing too much media on my blog, and not enough other things in life, but oh well. The Tipping Point is another book by Gladwell, the same author of Blink. The book discusses what makes other things happen, including the role of people: Connectors, Mavens, etc. who are the people that make things happen in the world. The examples are numerous, and the book proved to be very interesting discussing all those things. I highly recommend it. It also makes me think that I should be one of those people -- someone who knows everything, or helpful information, or someone who can connect people by knowing a bunch of people and being naturally friendly. Ah, who knows anyway.

The World is Flat discusses that very theory -- that globalization is inevitable and that we cannot stop it, but it's helpful in its own way. Margie (in the beginning of the book) thought that the author was too american in his views and thus biased, but I thought overall he was very balanced and I hope truthful. It was fairly enlightening, cause the news here in America really does only present the one side -- ex. outsourcing. Outsourcing takes place on both sides, and it isn't entirely on the fact that labor is cheaper everywhere else, but lies on the fact that intelligence is increasing everywhere for a lot of people. Such engineers and scientists are now more numerous outside America, and here, there are becoming less and less (especially women). It's all very interesting, and I would have loved to read it in Prof Sullivan's class... aw.

Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking

This is a wonderful book that I'd been meaning to read for a long time. It's a nonfiction book that had been recommended by Kenn, and a great selling and well reviewed book to boot. The book is about how people can use their subconscious to make decisions that have yielded important information that seems almost like telling the future or reading someone's mind. The break down of people's expressions and actions to their true meanings is very interesting, and would be something useful to study (except for the fact that it might be a lifetime's worth of work). By "thin-slicing," one can determine the true relationship between two people or a true person's reaction to something before they can cover it up consciously. It's all very interesting, and I recommend it to everyone. I'll eventually read The Tipping Point by the same author, a similar type book.