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lifepluspreston's reviews
735 reviews
Cultural Identity and the Purposes of God: A Biblical Theology of Ethnicity, Nationality, and Race by Steven M. Bryan
4.0
Cultural Identity and the Purposes of God by Steven Bryan--Rich with anecdotes and textual analysis of Scripture, this book provides an introduction to a schema of reconciling diversity and faith. The book itself is certainly thought-provoking, but the author interprets some stories in the Bible in a fairly unique way that happens to line up with his book's thesis. To be clear, I'm not contesting the overall message of the book, that cultural Identity and diversity are features of God's plan for humanity as outlined in Scripture, I simply think that occasionally the wrong equations are used to get to the right answer. Color is provided in the author's experiences teaching in Ethiopia for decades and it is clear that he has wrestled with the questions (and answers) raised here. Thumbs up.
So Good They Can't Ignore You: Why Skills Trump Passion in the Quest for Work You Love by Cal Newport
2.0
So Good They Can't Ignore You by Cal Newport--This book wants to be both evidence based and idealistic, and it fails at both. In principle, the idea is something I'm supportive of, that skills should outweigh passions in job selection. That is, that following what you're good at instead of what you love will put you in the position to have the job you want in the future. However, this is a convoluted road to follow. The author uses his own life as an overarching narrative, one in which he doesn't even follow his own four rules for evaluating one's career. I'm open to the idea that mindset is important for career success and enjoyment, and that some of these "rules" may benefit individuals, but this book is so broad yet self-contradictory that it becomes so bad that it's impossible to ignore. Thumbs down.
The Hidden Globe: How Wealth Hacks the World by Atossa Araxia Abrahamian
4.0
The Hidden Globe by Atossa Abrahamian--I often say, tongue-in-cheek, that money laundering is not a victimless crime. This book dives into that reality, exploring the "placeless places" that both the richest and most marginalized folks in the world populate. It's a fascinating exploration of the offshore detention centers, outer space exploration, corporation-controlled charter cities, and free trade zones that those who don't have or don't want association with a nation-state can pursue. Thumbs up.
Several People Are Typing by Calvin Kasulke
4.0
Several People Are Typing by Calvin Kasulke--Work sucks. That's what this book tries to capture. The whole text of the book is a series of Slack conversations, and the most uncomfortable parts of interacting with colleagues digitally and in person are captured aptly here. I think the book handles human connection really well, and it was a great start to the morning. Thumbs up.
An Unkindness of Ghosts by Rivers Solomon
4.0
An Unkindness of Ghosts by River Solomon--There are many things this book does well. In depicting a future where humanity largely exists on a single ship, Solomon does a phenomenal job of fleshing out the world and making it lived-in and realistic. They do this through the lens of a relatable protagonist and stakes that feel dire and really drive the story forward. This is a really solid debut novel. Thumbs up.
Murder in the Family by Cara Hunter
4.0
Murder in the Family by Cara Hunter--This book features a lot of diagrams, newspaper clippings, etc. as it invites you to solve the mystery alongside fictional forensic experts on a fictional true crime program. The conceit is a lot of fun, and while I wouldn't recommend reading this book digitally with some of the small text in the diagrams, the book really throws you into the attempt to solve a cold case. I thought this was really well done overall. Thumbs up.