fyodoralekseyev's reviews
177 reviews

Accounting: A Very Short Introduction by Christopher Nobes

challenging informative slow-paced

3.0

Accounting is confusing. Or maybe just this book is. Either way, I am happy that it is not my profession.

Absurdistan by Gary Shteyngart

dark emotional funny tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

I think this book is hilarious especially if you have a relevant background, whether it be as a Russian, a Jew, or both.

I think that reviewers lamenting how unlikable Misha is are misguided. I think it is the point. Protagonists needn't be likable. 

Plastic Fantastic: How the Biggest Fraud in Physics Shook the Scientific World by Eugenie Samuel Reich

challenging informative medium-paced

3.5

I am unfortunately a lousy physicist and therefore didn't understand this book as much as I could have. Even with this limitation, I thought this was great, even if a bit strangely paced (though I imagine the events themselves may have felt that way). My only solid complaint is that the editor didn't do the best job - there were some misspellings in the book.

The World's Even Dumber Criminals: Unbelievable True Tales of Crime Gone Wrong by Duncan McKenzie

funny informative relaxing fast-paced

4.0

A collection of funny stories. Thats about all. One might remember some of them. Fun read!

Don't Fall for It: A Short History of Financial Scams by Ben Carlson

informative fast-paced

3.25

Fine enough info for some basic scam stories, but this book has very strange grammar. Mostly normal, but the author is a bit comma-intolerant. This book is also a financial advice book, which I did not realize before reading! 2-in-1 deal of fun stories and also not becoming one yourself, I suppose.

Democracy: a Very Short Introduction by Naomi Zack

challenging informative medium-paced

4.0

Good basic intro to liberal democracy. This book does not really mention democracy a la council communism or anything like that (the closest it gets is dismissing direct democracy in large structures). If you want a socialist intro this isn't it, but if you want a simple liberal, covering the history of democratic thought as well, one this fits the bill.

I was very confused when was accidentally on the older version of this book (by Bernard Crick) because the reviews were not exactly connecting to this one! I cannot vouch for the quality of this new version over the older one, as I haven't read the older one.

Pseudoscience: a Very Short Introduction by Michael D. Gordin

informative fast-paced

4.0

Perhaps not very in depth or game changing (look, the intros are very short!), but this was definitely a fun look into pseudoscience and why people support it. Kind of felt like one of those pop [field] books, but in a good way.

The Ego and His Own: The Case of the Individual Against Authority by Max Stirner

challenging slow-paced

2.5

I must be too stupid for Stirner. I got nothing out of it and it appears to be absolute drivel with no conclusions, but I'm sure there are some which I just couldn't interpret... But atleast now I know that exactly zero egoists have read this 😊

Fka USA by Reed King

adventurous funny lighthearted tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Lots of fun. I loved the use of footnotes. More authors should use and abuse them.

Prodigy by Marie Lu

tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

It was alright yeah but wtf does goddy mean? I assume its supposed to be a censoring, to replace swearing without using replacements but it was interesting to see an invented word every other page from each and every character!

More on the actual book: Why is June so trusting of Anden? You know he can just be saying stuff, right? I can also say that I am going to quit biting my nails, never eat a sweet again, and become an ANTIFA supersoldier but that doesn't inherently mean that it's going to happen.

Of course it ended up the correct decision to leave him alive, but I still amn't sure why they're acting like Anden being a reformer is going to make a liberal utopia. I understand they've never heard of Aleksandr II but I am sure they could think of a scenario similar.