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adamgolden's reviews
192 reviews
The Psychopath Test: A Journey Through the Madness Industry by Jon Ronson
4.0
(4/5★)
Although not entirely what I expected from the title of the novel, Jon Ronson weaves together several captivating stories about psychopaths and mental disorders in general. Interviewing psychopaths themselves and the scientists that study them, Ronson makes an interesting case about the idea of a psychopath, and that it isn't as cut-and-dried and everybody thinks. One of the more intriguing aspects of this book is the history of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, and how it evolved into the completely different monster that it is today. Only time will tell how accurate and credible it will be in the future, but as it stands right now, there is definitely something fishy about how new mental disorders are popping up left and right, and in turn, medication for them as well.
Although not entirely what I expected from the title of the novel, Jon Ronson weaves together several captivating stories about psychopaths and mental disorders in general. Interviewing psychopaths themselves and the scientists that study them, Ronson makes an interesting case about the idea of a psychopath, and that it isn't as cut-and-dried and everybody thinks. One of the more intriguing aspects of this book is the history of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, and how it evolved into the completely different monster that it is today. Only time will tell how accurate and credible it will be in the future, but as it stands right now, there is definitely something fishy about how new mental disorders are popping up left and right, and in turn, medication for them as well.
The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
2.0
(2.5/5★)
The Handmaid's Tale is interesting enough - a dystopian novel set in the near future where christian fundamentalism has taken over the U.S. government and in turn has made it a terrible place to exist, especially as a woman. It's an interesting concept, especially since I was raised in a christian house, also attending christian schools. However, my suspension of disbelief for this story quickly unraveled when I came to the realization that there were too many plotholes and an unrealistic timing of the events to make this story in any way believable. It's not impossible to imagine the extremes that Atwood presents in this book, but the fact that everything happened so quickly, and without much explanation, leaves much to be desired.
The Handmaid's Tale is interesting enough - a dystopian novel set in the near future where christian fundamentalism has taken over the U.S. government and in turn has made it a terrible place to exist, especially as a woman. It's an interesting concept, especially since I was raised in a christian house, also attending christian schools. However, my suspension of disbelief for this story quickly unraveled when I came to the realization that there were too many plotholes and an unrealistic timing of the events to make this story in any way believable. It's not impossible to imagine the extremes that Atwood presents in this book, but the fact that everything happened so quickly, and without much explanation, leaves much to be desired.
Buddha by Karen Armstrong
3.0
(3/5★)
A biographical account written about Buddha is no easy task, considering that the Buddha himself wouldn't want to glamorize his life by having a story revolve around him and his exploits. However, Karen Armstrong does a decent job of mixing the history and mythology surrounding the Buddha, creating a fairly cohesive story of his life on earth. At times, the book drags on a bit, feeling less like a biography and more like a book about the Buddha's teachings in general - which isn't necessarily a bad thing, just not what I was expecting.
A biographical account written about Buddha is no easy task, considering that the Buddha himself wouldn't want to glamorize his life by having a story revolve around him and his exploits. However, Karen Armstrong does a decent job of mixing the history and mythology surrounding the Buddha, creating a fairly cohesive story of his life on earth. At times, the book drags on a bit, feeling less like a biography and more like a book about the Buddha's teachings in general - which isn't necessarily a bad thing, just not what I was expecting.
Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman
3.0
(3/5★)
A concise and entertaining depiction of Norse mythology. Not knowing much about this particular mythos in general, after reading this book, I'd say it's a great place to start. Gaiman keeps the writing simple while also adding in a bit of humor to lighten the mood. If you want to know more about the gods of Norse mythology, how they came to be, and how most of them came to their end, I'd recommend this book.
A concise and entertaining depiction of Norse mythology. Not knowing much about this particular mythos in general, after reading this book, I'd say it's a great place to start. Gaiman keeps the writing simple while also adding in a bit of humor to lighten the mood. If you want to know more about the gods of Norse mythology, how they came to be, and how most of them came to their end, I'd recommend this book.
The Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson
4.0
(4/5★)
While The Well of Ascension did drag on a just a little bit more than it's predecessor, the meticulous character development, world-building and constant suspense was still clearly present. There were a lot more emotionally gripping moments and shocking twists - particularly the last 100 or so pages were some of the most captivating segments of the series so far. While a little upsetting that the book ends with a cliffhanger, it only makes me more eager to read the final part of this mesmerizing fantasy trilogy.
While The Well of Ascension did drag on a just a little bit more than it's predecessor, the meticulous character development, world-building and constant suspense was still clearly present. There were a lot more emotionally gripping moments and shocking twists - particularly the last 100 or so pages were some of the most captivating segments of the series so far. While a little upsetting that the book ends with a cliffhanger, it only makes me more eager to read the final part of this mesmerizing fantasy trilogy.
Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
2.0
(2/5★)
While the beginning of Flow seemed promising enough, the repetitive nature and dull writing style quickly got tiresome and made for a slow and painful read. The entirety of the book could really be summarized in a few pages and still contain a majority of the information. While Csikszentmihalyi attempts to tie in a few different concepts together to revolve around the idea of "flow", most of his ideas are just watered down Buddhism and plain common sense. I think this book would have been a lot more tolerable if it was about 200 pages shorter, because in the first 100 you've pretty much read all he has to offer.
While the beginning of Flow seemed promising enough, the repetitive nature and dull writing style quickly got tiresome and made for a slow and painful read. The entirety of the book could really be summarized in a few pages and still contain a majority of the information. While Csikszentmihalyi attempts to tie in a few different concepts together to revolve around the idea of "flow", most of his ideas are just watered down Buddhism and plain common sense. I think this book would have been a lot more tolerable if it was about 200 pages shorter, because in the first 100 you've pretty much read all he has to offer.
The Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick
3.0
(3/5★)
Straying away from the typical science-fiction genre that Philip K. Dick is usually known for, The Man in the High Castle instead focuses on an alternate history in which the Japanese and the Germans win World War II. Admittedly, I'm not a huge fan of history that pertains to the world wars, but I do like speculative fiction that has dystopian elements, so this book seemed to be right up my alley. However, the concept of the book sounded better on paper, as the story at times fell flat depending on which characters were being focused on. The best bits were from the book-within-the-book, The Grasshopper Lies Heavy, in which the author writes about how the Axis Powers actually lost WWII. The characters reactions to reading the book while in this alternate timeline are fascinating, and make for a thought-provoking read. Other than that, I'd have to say I enjoy Dick's science fiction work much more, at least on a personal level.
Straying away from the typical science-fiction genre that Philip K. Dick is usually known for, The Man in the High Castle instead focuses on an alternate history in which the Japanese and the Germans win World War II. Admittedly, I'm not a huge fan of history that pertains to the world wars, but I do like speculative fiction that has dystopian elements, so this book seemed to be right up my alley. However, the concept of the book sounded better on paper, as the story at times fell flat depending on which characters were being focused on. The best bits were from the book-within-the-book, The Grasshopper Lies Heavy, in which the author writes about how the Axis Powers actually lost WWII. The characters reactions to reading the book while in this alternate timeline are fascinating, and make for a thought-provoking read. Other than that, I'd have to say I enjoy Dick's science fiction work much more, at least on a personal level.
The Autobiography of Gucci Mane by Neil Martinez-Belkin, Gucci Mane
3.0
(3/5★)
Let me preface this by saying I am a huge fan of Gucci's music, following his career for almost ten years now, along with the Atlanta trap scene in general. That being said, while I wasn't expecting much out of this book, it ended up surprising me. Incredibly honest, witty, and inspiring, Gucci reflects on how he became famous and the trials and tribulations that he faced in the process. He doesn't shy away from the fact that he made stupid decisions that landed him in jail, or that his addiction to drugs (lean in particular) wasn't as glamorous as his music made it out to be. If you follow contemporary hip-hop at all, I'd highly recommend this book, as a vast majority of young rappers owe their career to this legend in the making.
Let me preface this by saying I am a huge fan of Gucci's music, following his career for almost ten years now, along with the Atlanta trap scene in general. That being said, while I wasn't expecting much out of this book, it ended up surprising me. Incredibly honest, witty, and inspiring, Gucci reflects on how he became famous and the trials and tribulations that he faced in the process. He doesn't shy away from the fact that he made stupid decisions that landed him in jail, or that his addiction to drugs (lean in particular) wasn't as glamorous as his music made it out to be. If you follow contemporary hip-hop at all, I'd highly recommend this book, as a vast majority of young rappers owe their career to this legend in the making.
Bossypants by Tina Fey
4.0
(4/5★)
I rarely listen to audio books, but quickly made an exception when I found out that Tina Fey was narrating her book herself. An immense talent and probably one of my favorite TV writers ever, Tina's hilariously witty, self deprecating humor is put on display for the entirety of the book, making for an entertaining and gut-busting read. I wouldn't say you'd even have to be a fan of Tina's work to enjoy Bossypants, because of how relateable and genuinely funny it is as a whole. Undoubtedly, Tina's career in television has a long future ahead of her, but I wouldn't mind seeing her write more after reading/listening to this book.
I rarely listen to audio books, but quickly made an exception when I found out that Tina Fey was narrating her book herself. An immense talent and probably one of my favorite TV writers ever, Tina's hilariously witty, self deprecating humor is put on display for the entirety of the book, making for an entertaining and gut-busting read. I wouldn't say you'd even have to be a fan of Tina's work to enjoy Bossypants, because of how relateable and genuinely funny it is as a whole. Undoubtedly, Tina's career in television has a long future ahead of her, but I wouldn't mind seeing her write more after reading/listening to this book.
An Unquiet Mind: A Memoir of Moods and Madness by Kay Redfield Jamison
3.0
(3.5/5★)
For the most part, Jamison's biographical account of her manic depressive illness is an informative, eye opening read about just how common and debilitating it can actually be. While the severity of the illness, as with most disorders, vary from person to person, there will always be cases where it can be essentially uncontrollable without the use of some sort of medication. Jamison unfortunately is one of those people, explaining in detail her struggles through her youth and adult life, on medication and off of it. Regardless of how being a manic depressive crippled her psyche, Jamison proves time and time again that it can be somewhat manageable if treated right, and with careful guidance. While I enjoyed these aspects of the book and understand that this is also a biography, her life story (i.e. relationships, traveling, hobbies) were just not as interesting and integral to the central themes of the book for me. However, still an interesting glimpse into the mind of someone suffering from a manic depressive disorder that also happens to be very well educated about the illness herself.
For the most part, Jamison's biographical account of her manic depressive illness is an informative, eye opening read about just how common and debilitating it can actually be. While the severity of the illness, as with most disorders, vary from person to person, there will always be cases where it can be essentially uncontrollable without the use of some sort of medication. Jamison unfortunately is one of those people, explaining in detail her struggles through her youth and adult life, on medication and off of it. Regardless of how being a manic depressive crippled her psyche, Jamison proves time and time again that it can be somewhat manageable if treated right, and with careful guidance. While I enjoyed these aspects of the book and understand that this is also a biography, her life story (i.e. relationships, traveling, hobbies) were just not as interesting and integral to the central themes of the book for me. However, still an interesting glimpse into the mind of someone suffering from a manic depressive disorder that also happens to be very well educated about the illness herself.