jeffphilly's reviews
218 reviews

Washington's Spies: The Story of America's First Spy Ring by Alexander Rose

challenging informative medium-paced

2.75

I love history especially this part of history and then you throw in the topic of espionage and it seemed like perfect book for me to read.  Somehow i did finish the book although i am disappointed as I was not able to enjoy a book that I really thought I would like.  it is full of facts but the author just doesn't seem to reach any conclusions.  furthermore, the espionage and the war are really not connected to the greater part of the era's history.

Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari

informative reflective relaxing fast-paced

4.75

Fascinating, The author effectively wrote of a very wide range of topics relating to Homo Sapiens and often about the genus Homo in comparing other species under the genus compared to the species Sapiens.  Topics discussed included biology, history, politics, religion, and economics.  A truly fascinating book.

Closing Time by Joseph Heller

challenging funny lighthearted medium-paced

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

3.0

Leaving Cheyenne by Larry McMurtry

slow-paced

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

2.0

Mad Science: Einstein's Fridge, Dewar's Flask, Mach's Speed, and 362 Other Inventions and Discoveries That Made Our World by

challenging informative fast-paced

2.75

I started out really liking this book, however, by the end I was really happy to be done with it.  The book provides a technological historical fact for every day of the calendar.  Full of fun facts, but  they are just so short you're kind of left wanting more.

All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy

challenging dark mysterious slow-paced

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

2.0

Very hard for me to get through this book.  Like some other recent book club books of mine, I found it dull and uninteresting.  I really don't know how I made it through the whole book.  I'm very curious to see what other members of my book club have to say about it.

Animal Farm by George Orwell

dark mysterious relaxing fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

An interesting and very peculiar book.  Imagine for a moment if animals by way of revolution overthrew their human masters on a farm and took over the farm.  That's essentially what we takes place here.  It really is a trult peculiar scenario as understanadably this is the only such farm in all of England.  Like so much of fiction, there is a deeper menaing behind the story.  The revolution in this scenario, is representative of the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917

A Cornucopia of Dunderheads by John Kennedy Toole Jr.

emotional funny lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

5.0

Granted this was not written by John Kennedy Toole, however, I still found it like a confederacy of dunces to be an incredibly funny book. The book picks up in NYC after Ignatius had fled New Orleans with Myrna Minkoff. Like the original book Ignatius is always spreading his opinions about different things and is perplexed that others don’t see them the way that he does. He also continues with his love of hot dogs

The General vs. the President: MacArthur and Truman at the Brink of Nuclear War by H.W. Brands

informative slow-paced

4.75

I really liked this book as the author effectively chronicling the intense rivalry between Truman and MacArthur. A great deal of emphasis is placed on highlighting the peculiarites of each of the personalities.  AS understanding the differing personalities is key to understanding the rivalry.  There is also further emphasis placed on understanding the role of a commanding General in the U.S. military and  that of a President specifically as they relate to waging war.  

My Cousin Rachel by Daphne du Maurier

mysterious slow-paced

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

2.0

At least for me anyways, this book was dull and uninteresting.  This was selected by my book club and frankly after reading I'm not very happy.  However, it needs to be said this book is really not in my list of favorite genres.