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factandfables's reviews
1149 reviews
Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance by Angela Duckworth
3.0
This book frustrated the crap out of me.
Some of this was interesting and relevant, but the studies this book is based on conflate and confuse “grit” with other factors to the point I just can’t get behind the findings.
As one key example of when this book lost me, one of the studies that a huge chuck of this book is based on assigns grit points to high school students.
They assign a point for “high achievement” in activities but the examples given are things like student body president or captain of a sports team. But the underlying assumption that “grit” is the driving force behind this achievement is clearly flawed. These things are subjective - being elected student body president or chosen as captain is often popularity or image driven.
This is a perfect example of where these studies fail to account for the fact that the perception of skill that leads to the perception of high achievement often includes other factors (people who look a certain way may be more likely to be seen as skilled and get recognition for those skills).
However, the idea that work and practice are more likely to lead to success than talent is a worthwhile one - I just wish this book had been deeper and dug into the intersection of this idea with other factors that lead to success.
Some of this was interesting and relevant, but the studies this book is based on conflate and confuse “grit” with other factors to the point I just can’t get behind the findings.
As one key example of when this book lost me, one of the studies that a huge chuck of this book is based on assigns grit points to high school students.
They assign a point for “high achievement” in activities but the examples given are things like student body president or captain of a sports team. But the underlying assumption that “grit” is the driving force behind this achievement is clearly flawed. These things are subjective - being elected student body president or chosen as captain is often popularity or image driven.
This is a perfect example of where these studies fail to account for the fact that the perception of skill that leads to the perception of high achievement often includes other factors (people who look a certain way may be more likely to be seen as skilled and get recognition for those skills).
However, the idea that work and practice are more likely to lead to success than talent is a worthwhile one - I just wish this book had been deeper and dug into the intersection of this idea with other factors that lead to success.
Murder in Williamstown by Kerry Greenwood
5.0
This is my favorite book in the series for quite a while!
I thought the plot was interesting without being busy, and enjoyed how the little asides in each chapter helped illuminate and explain the whole thing in the end.
Now, I just have to hope these keep getting written because I can't handle it if they are all done!
I thought the plot was interesting without being busy, and enjoyed how the little asides in each chapter helped illuminate and explain the whole thing in the end.
Now, I just have to hope these keep getting written because I can't handle it if they are all done!
The Firm by John Grisham
3.0
I had never read Grisham before, and enjoyed this caper quite a lot. It wasn't really "for me" but it was compelling and kept me up at night when I needed to hike the next morning, so that says a lot!