nquinlan's reviews
202 reviews

Hidden Potential: The Science of Achieving Greater Things by Adam Grant

informative inspiring medium-paced

4.0

Inspirational book, with a lot of great suggestions. Not my favorite style of writing, but definitely engaging.

How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen by David Brooks

informative reflective slow-paced

4.0

An interesting and thoughtful look into people, knowing yourself, and others. Nothing was wildly new/out-there but the author's willingness to explain the basics concretely was nice.

The Best Strangers in the World: Stories from a Life Spent Listening by Ari Shapiro

hopeful informative lighthearted reflective medium-paced

3.0

A fun look into a very fortunate life. 

The Evolution of Beauty: How Darwin's Forgotten Theory of Mate Choice Shapes the Natural World-- by Richard O. Prum

informative reflective slow-paced

3.0

It felt like the book tried to be a memoir, pop-science non-fiction, and a strong scientific argument. I found myself wishing it had picked the first two, leaving out some of the deeper explanation of hypotheses and counter-hypotheses. The author would dedicate a great deal of time to claims and scores that he felt countered scientific narrative while breezing past some other claims which felt at times as shaky.

Despite all that, I learned a lot, enjoyed it and have already felt myself considering sexual selection more frequently when someone asserts "this is why X species does Y."

The Art Thief by Michael Finkel

adventurous informative fast-paced

4.0

A whirlwind book chronicling the thefts of a wildly successful thief. Great for a rainy day, stuck inside. 

The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman

dark funny hopeful mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

A sweet book about the inner lives of people. I would have changed the mystery,

by the second red herring it was predictable, by the third boring.

Monkey King: Journey to the West by Wu Ch'eng-En

adventurous funny lighthearted medium-paced

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

3.0

Way goofier than I would have ever imagined the book to be. Glad to have read it. 

To Be Taught, If Fortunate by Becky Chambers

adventurous hopeful fast-paced

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

3.0

Classic Becky Chambers, warm & hopeful. A nice quick read. 

The Kingdom of Prep: The Inside Story of the Rise and (near) Fall of J. Crew by Maggie Bullock

informative medium-paced

4.0

An interesting read in business, fashion, trends, and LBOs. A story that captures so much of the 80s through COVID by focusing on a single brand and its players. 

The Bone People by Keri Hulme

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.0

I’m left not knowing how to feel. I enjoyed the ending but I’m not sure the payoff was worth the novel.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Racism

Minor: Pedophilia