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jiujensu's reviews
454 reviews
Desperately Seeking Self-Improvement: A Year Inside the Optimization Movement by André Spicer, Carl Cederström
funny
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
5.0
I had been waiting to read this for some time because I liked their idea of taking 12 topics in self-help, wellness or optimization and experimenting with them each month for a year. There are obvious problems with the "experiment," but the goal clearly isn't science. It's more of an absurd approach to a search for meaning. Or as one of their colleagues said, how to have a midlife crisis. And it's funny.
I enjoyed this ridiculous book as much as I'd hoped. If you're annoyed with self-help and productivity obsessions, I think you'll like it. Though, the morality chapter is off the rails. It thoroughly annoyed me. Kant and Utilitarianism, making others pay for your meal so you can give to charity. Lol. No.
At various intervals, I wondered what the point was of their weird year. André said it well: "Had it been nothing more than Jackass meets self-help?" But I think despite that, they do end up analyzing their experience and coming up with valuable conclusions (eventually) on self-help, friendship, themselves and society.
I enjoyed this ridiculous book as much as I'd hoped. If you're annoyed with self-help and productivity obsessions, I think you'll like it. Though, the morality chapter is off the rails. It thoroughly annoyed me. Kant and Utilitarianism, making others pay for your meal so you can give to charity. Lol. No.
At various intervals, I wondered what the point was of their weird year. André said it well: "Had it been nothing more than Jackass meets self-help?" But I think despite that, they do end up analyzing their experience and coming up with valuable conclusions (eventually) on self-help, friendship, themselves and society.
Fit Nation: The Gains and Pains of America's Exercise Obsession by Natalia Mehlman Petrzela
informative
slow-paced
4.0
Hm. I listened to a few interviews with the author on my favorite podcasts, which made me think, wow, I really have to read this book. I don't know. I sort of stalled out - maybe she talked about the best part of it in there interview. It didn't really get to the parts I was most interested in till the very end of the book. And it identifies problems with access to excercise but stops short of imagining or mentioning any sort of solutions that any group may have proposed. But it is a pretty good history of excercise and changing American relationships with it throughout our history, so four stars.
As a (female) jiu-jitsu black belt, I waited for her to mention my sport and all I got was this:
"In the twenty-first century fitness "bro culture" disseminated in weight rooms, in jiu-jitsu studios, and through supplement-sponsored YouTube channels, fellow historian and gym rat Patrick Wyman writes, men celebrate pain, might, and brawn as they figure out "what it means to be a guy.""
Ick.
As a (female) jiu-jitsu black belt, I waited for her to mention my sport and all I got was this:
"In the twenty-first century fitness "bro culture" disseminated in weight rooms, in jiu-jitsu studios, and through supplement-sponsored YouTube channels, fellow historian and gym rat Patrick Wyman writes, men celebrate pain, might, and brawn as they figure out "what it means to be a guy.""
Ick.
Evil Eye by Etaf Rum
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
I think I liked this one better than her book A Woman Is No Man.
You'll definitely get some Palestinian history, culture and insight in addition to the modern story of generational trauma, family dynamics, breaking cycles, and relationship with one's self.
You'll definitely get some Palestinian history, culture and insight in addition to the modern story of generational trauma, family dynamics, breaking cycles, and relationship with one's self.
Antifa: The Anti-Fascist Handbook by Mark Bray
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
The book is ok. It's a little mini history of anti-facism and may help demystify it for some folks who may not know that regular people have been fighting fascism for a very long time wherever that violence and oppression occurs. There's a chapter on free speech, what that is exactly, and its limits. As it was written in 2017, there's a lot of discussion of trumpism as part of the fascism they/we are anti. But as for being scary or inciting violence - or whatever we are blaming on the left currently - you won't find that here.
I wanted to read it because there was a lot of fearmongering and artificial concern and overblown claims about antifa being evil in 2016. Reminiscent of the various waves of anti-communist silliness that pops up now and then in the US (and more dangerous HUAC, blacklisting, and assassinations of Black Panthers in the 60s). I always like to read these things people are scared of to see what exactly it is, can i easily draw that conclusion too. I failed to find anything scary. But maybe if you put yourself in the shoes of Nazis or white supremacists it'd be scary? I don't want to do that.
I wanted to read it because there was a lot of fearmongering and artificial concern and overblown claims about antifa being evil in 2016. Reminiscent of the various waves of anti-communist silliness that pops up now and then in the US (and more dangerous HUAC, blacklisting, and assassinations of Black Panthers in the 60s). I always like to read these things people are scared of to see what exactly it is, can i easily draw that conclusion too. I failed to find anything scary. But maybe if you put yourself in the shoes of Nazis or white supremacists it'd be scary? I don't want to do that.
Strategy for the Liberation of Palestine by Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine
fast-paced
4.0
Interesting piece of history. Much is said of Palestinian resistance groups (none of it good or objective). Primarily it is believed in the US that Palestinian self-defense is terrorism (compared to Israel's violence as necessary sanctioned self-defense... against the population it occupies). So I wanted to see for myself on this one - this is the popular secular group (of groups) Israel was hoping to derail by funding Hamas.
It's innocuous. These are words. A manifesto. Very of its time. A plan for freedom. That's it. I wouldn't call it essential for learning about what some call "the conflict," but if you're curious, go on read and it.
It's written in typical manifesto style - overly optimistic, very detailed, self-aware. Lots of talk of using scientific analysis. It lists goals, enemies, the role of bourgeoisie and proletariat during and after revolution, need for education of the masses, democracy. It even had a section at the end about criticism and self-criticism that I think all individuals and activists alike could benefit from. Who doesn't need to remember that the only way to improve is to constantly analyze results and goals and change if needed without defensiveness. Sadly, the PFLP probably fell prey to some of the very pitfalls of group dynamics it rightly warns against.
It's innocuous. These are words. A manifesto. Very of its time. A plan for freedom. That's it. I wouldn't call it essential for learning about what some call "the conflict," but if you're curious, go on read and it.
It's written in typical manifesto style - overly optimistic, very detailed, self-aware. Lots of talk of using scientific analysis. It lists goals, enemies, the role of bourgeoisie and proletariat during and after revolution, need for education of the masses, democracy. It even had a section at the end about criticism and self-criticism that I think all individuals and activists alike could benefit from. Who doesn't need to remember that the only way to improve is to constantly analyze results and goals and change if needed without defensiveness. Sadly, the PFLP probably fell prey to some of the very pitfalls of group dynamics it rightly warns against.
Wild Thorns by Sahar Khalifeh
4.0
I think old as it is this is still an interesting look at different attitudes of Palestinians under occupation, a reminder that they are not a monolith. The book switches point of view a few times so that we explore the inner life of a newly committed freedom fighter, a man who has a change of heart in prison, and a guy who has his peaceful disposition challenged by both family and Israel. All the while, you'll be educated (if you are new to the subject) on various common aspects of the everyday violence of Israeli ccupation - and the extraordinary.
What's the final message? Idk. Things just sort of happen. No. There's more! Whether you adopt a peaceful disposition or a violent revolutionary one, the occupation comes for you. To demolish, destroy, imprison, kill.
This is the author's third book. Her first, the only copy, was confiscated by Israel. Written in 1976, it was an uncommon view of life under occupation, fictionalized or otherwise at the time. I think it's still relevant. You can compare/contrast then to now - in some ways, the occpuation's grown more harsh, entrenched, and violent and some ways it's the same.
What's the final message? Idk. Things just sort of happen. No. There's more! Whether you adopt a peaceful disposition or a violent revolutionary one, the occupation comes for you. To demolish, destroy, imprison, kill.
This is the author's third book. Her first, the only copy, was confiscated by Israel. Written in 1976, it was an uncommon view of life under occupation, fictionalized or otherwise at the time. I think it's still relevant. You can compare/contrast then to now - in some ways, the occpuation's grown more harsh, entrenched, and violent and some ways it's the same.
The Drone Eats with Me: A Gaza Diary by Atef Abu Saif
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
5.0
As the recently assassinated (by Israel) poet Rafaat Alareer wrote, let it be a tale.
If you're someone who values human life and has read volumes of human stories of the holocaust to bear witness, please extend your humanity to another and read this book about a genocide we can still stop.
I will add to this, but the final editor's note in 2015 mentions the oil and gas reserve found off Gaza's coast as being reason to fear further US supported Israeli aggression. And look what happened in 2018, 2021 and 2023. The US and Israel won't stop. We have to stop it. Everyone who has read Anne Frank or any other war diary and thought never again- we have that responsibility to other humans.
If you're someone who values human life and has read volumes of human stories of the holocaust to bear witness, please extend your humanity to another and read this book about a genocide we can still stop.
I will add to this, but the final editor's note in 2015 mentions the oil and gas reserve found off Gaza's coast as being reason to fear further US supported Israeli aggression. And look what happened in 2018, 2021 and 2023. The US and Israel won't stop. We have to stop it. Everyone who has read Anne Frank or any other war diary and thought never again- we have that responsibility to other humans.
The Hundred Years' War on Palestine by Rashid Khalidi
challenging
informative
sad
medium-paced
5.0
It's Rashid Khalidi, what can I say? This an excellent, detailed, but not too long historical account of what people call "the conflict." That conflict is many things, but now it's occupation, apartheid, and even genocide.
It's very useful to ask yourself the question of how we got here. If you're in the US, you will have only heard a tiny sliver of the facts. Ask those questions. Be skeptical. Be introspective and a critical thinker about what you may have heard newscasters and presidents say about terrorists, no partner for peace, cycles of violence, etc. This book will help you.
It's very useful to ask yourself the question of how we got here. If you're in the US, you will have only heard a tiny sliver of the facts. Ask those questions. Be skeptical. Be introspective and a critical thinker about what you may have heard newscasters and presidents say about terrorists, no partner for peace, cycles of violence, etc. This book will help you.