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piabo's reviews
252 reviews
Swimming in the Dark by Tomasz Jedrowski
3.0
Nice, and easy read. Learned a bit about Poland's history and was rooting for the main character.
My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh
3.0
Can someone tell me what I should take from this book? Something about drugs? Are they good or are they bad, I do not understand.
I don't know what I expected, but I did not expect this from this book. Interesting. But useful for my enjoyment or life? I don't know.
I don't know what I expected, but I did not expect this from this book. Interesting. But useful for my enjoyment or life? I don't know.
Full Surrogacy Now: Feminism Against Family by Sophie Lewis
3.0
I learned a lot about global surrogacy from the perspective of the workers. Who thought gestating babies can be easily discussed from a class struggle perspective.
This books also inspires me to look more into the activism of sex workers, as surrogacy was often compared to their fights.
I also liked the "radical" thoughts about how we should be raising children more as a collective and how we can learn from LGBTQ+ and other marginalized communities.
It was a bit hard for me to get into the writing style. The main points took some time to get across, I wish the author would have led with them. Or maybe I am just not good at reading political theory.
This books also inspires me to look more into the activism of sex workers, as surrogacy was often compared to their fights.
I also liked the "radical" thoughts about how we should be raising children more as a collective and how we can learn from LGBTQ+ and other marginalized communities.
It was a bit hard for me to get into the writing style. The main points took some time to get across, I wish the author would have led with them. Or maybe I am just not good at reading political theory.
The Privileged Poor: How Elite Colleges Are Failing Disadvantaged Students by Anthony Abraham Jack
5.0
<<< 2024 Review >>>
My February re-read. I feel like I got out even more this time around. Very grateful for this brilliant author and his patient and insightful research. A longer review will follow later.
<<< 2021 Review >>>
Words can be so powerful, wow.
Mr Jack gives me ways to describe what I have been observing on campus and around me.
Although the student body of my college does not compare to average US elite unis, I could still find many parallels still.
As an aspiring researcher I especially loved the last chapter in which the author describes their interview and data collection methods. The work and analysis done sounds pretty impressive.
I am glad there are researchers like Mr Jack out there that can show their research to the world like him.
Hoping to use this knowledge in my work study position on campus and make my uni a better place for first-generation and low-income students. In our case also mostly international students.
My February re-read. I feel like I got out even more this time around. Very grateful for this brilliant author and his patient and insightful research. A longer review will follow later.
<<< 2021 Review >>>
Words can be so powerful, wow.
Mr Jack gives me ways to describe what I have been observing on campus and around me.
Although the student body of my college does not compare to average US elite unis, I could still find many parallels still.
As an aspiring researcher I especially loved the last chapter in which the author describes their interview and data collection methods. The work and analysis done sounds pretty impressive.
I am glad there are researchers like Mr Jack out there that can show their research to the world like him.
Hoping to use this knowledge in my work study position on campus and make my uni a better place for first-generation and low-income students. In our case also mostly international students.
Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman
3.0
<<<2024 review>>>
First re-read of the year. I am hoping to do one each month. Longer review will follow. Very glad I looked into this again five years later after learning so much about psychology and biases!
<<< 2019 review >>>
It blew my mind! The is really long and it sometimes feels repetitive, but it is very interesting!
Science on decision making and psychological perception is so far already. This book covers groundbreaking research and explains it in an understandable way.
I had to read it as a preparation for my first year at uni in which we discussed it. One insight that summarizes part of the book by my professor, and quote that is good to keep in mind when analyzing behavior: "We think of people as utility optimizers but in reality, they are just cognitive load optimizers. People are tired and there is a lot going on in their heads!"
First re-read of the year. I am hoping to do one each month. Longer review will follow. Very glad I looked into this again five years later after learning so much about psychology and biases!
<<< 2019 review >>>
It blew my mind! The is really long and it sometimes feels repetitive, but it is very interesting!
Science on decision making and psychological perception is so far already. This book covers groundbreaking research and explains it in an understandable way.
I had to read it as a preparation for my first year at uni in which we discussed it. One insight that summarizes part of the book by my professor, and quote that is good to keep in mind when analyzing behavior: "We think of people as utility optimizers but in reality, they are just cognitive load optimizers. People are tired and there is a lot going on in their heads!"
Laziness Does Not Exist by Devon Price
4.0
I 100% believe in the premise of the book, yet I will need someone to tell me over and over again. This glorification of productivity and overwork is not funny anymore and got into us too deep. We need to take care of ourselves and each other. Rest is not laziness. Laziness does not exist.
Let This Radicalize You: Organizing and the Revolution of Reciprocal Care by Mariame Kaba, Kelly Hayes
4.0
If this is what radicalization means, then I am gladly calling myself radicalized.
Love the people and the efforts and the insights.
I found the second half of the book even better than the first! I am thinking of taking passages of it into my activism groups and learn together. Just such a great handbook for activism and organizing.
Lots of things happening in my head right now and passively in my political activism. I am excited about the time when I start putting them into action more.
What I learned for sure is that every person counts and every person's journey is different. Many of us are trying. That is cool.
Love the people and the efforts and the insights.
I found the second half of the book even better than the first! I am thinking of taking passages of it into my activism groups and learn together. Just such a great handbook for activism and organizing.
Lots of things happening in my head right now and passively in my political activism. I am excited about the time when I start putting them into action more.
What I learned for sure is that every person counts and every person's journey is different. Many of us are trying. That is cool.
Why We Meditate: The Science and Practice of Clarity and Compassion by Tsoknyi Rinpoche, Daniel Goleman
3.0
I was looking for a book about the science of meditation, and this was not really it. Still, I learned something about meditation and how and why other people meditate. Will look into this topic a bit more over the coming year, as I am currently trying to get back into a habit of meditation with Headspace.