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pileofmonsters's reviews
30 reviews
I Contain Multitudes: The Microbes Within Us and a Grander View of Life by Ed Yong
Did not finish book. Stopped at 57%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 57%.
I don't think I read very much of this at all. whoever is narrating this audiobook has the best voice for going to sleep. I took some really great naps with this book so I give it five stars for that but if I want to read it I'm going to have to buy it again in print which I'm not going to do
Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World by Cal Newport
informative
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
4.0
TL;DR: overall, I do recommend the book, but not as an all-time lifesaver, but rather as something to help you reflect more on your own phone use. there are exercises to help kick start that reflection, but for the best experience read this as a philosophy book, not a self-help book. If you're interested in learning how to be more intentional with your free time, this book is for you regardless of your digital habits. More thoughts 👇
I don't agree with everything that this book said, and I don't like it when digital vs analog arguments meanly pit digital vs analog activities against each other as if that's the solution to things, a totally binary view of how the world works... for example, there's a whole part of a chapter arguing that board games are more fulfilling social interaction than online video games, but it hits only the surface level of those types of arguments and doesn't dive deeper into building friendships or relationships or community in either case. these are both valid social activities that each provide a different kind of social meaning, depending on how much you engage and how frequently. also, they're completely different kinds of gaming. saying one is better than the other is weird to me. I call bullshit on those black and white arguments and this book is full of them.
however, the text provides philosophy, history, psychology, and other contexts for various human needs that are extremely interesting and worth reading. you won't agree with everything and you might actually think it's insulting in some ways, but there is still a lot of value to be found in here.
Even in the binary arguments pitting this vs that, the author still often recognizes that you can use digital means to support your non-digital lifestyle. for example, use Facebook to find events so that you can go to them and meet new people. use text to logistically communicate with your friends so you can enjoy experiences together. to be clear, this is not an anti-technology argument.
many of the exercises in the book are things I do regularly, not one time as needed, but seasonally and in cycles. since the author has different values than I do I didn't agree with all the reasoning, but it was validating to see stuff I do used as a "recommendation," and if you read this book I suggest thinking of how you can integrate these exercises into your technology routine too. not as a one-time thing, but maybe twice a year?
I think you have to come into this book understanding that this author 1) doesn't see much value at all in social media. I disagree: for various reasons, I think social media has great value and outstanding impact and it is worth spending time to understand how people use it and why. you can't ignore it and then it'll go away. it will always be in our lives. And 2) doesn't value do-nothing time. I think I require spontaneous do-nothing time to function. maybe that's a wiring thing, and the author doesn't need it, but regardless it appears to be a core part of his suggestion to achieve his definition of digital minimalism.
The main idea is that one should use their digital resources as tools, as a means to an end, not as an activity during your leisure time. I think even there, there can be some balance (one reason that I use social media to experience the evolution of communication, memes, and messages across the internet). I'd rather be part of it than observe it or read about it. I'm not interested in the strict academic approach the book suggests, but I also understand much better now the psychology behind social media addiction and how for some people all or nothing might be the only way to prevent addiction. we are all a commodity in the digital attention economy.
this has given me lots to think about and reflect on, not just for myself but also how these new digital technologies have impacted the social structures of the world and how we exchange information. I am giving a higher rating for this, I love a book that gives me lots to think about.
I don't agree with everything that this book said, and I don't like it when digital vs analog arguments meanly pit digital vs analog activities against each other as if that's the solution to things, a totally binary view of how the world works... for example, there's a whole part of a chapter arguing that board games are more fulfilling social interaction than online video games, but it hits only the surface level of those types of arguments and doesn't dive deeper into building friendships or relationships or community in either case. these are both valid social activities that each provide a different kind of social meaning, depending on how much you engage and how frequently. also, they're completely different kinds of gaming. saying one is better than the other is weird to me. I call bullshit on those black and white arguments and this book is full of them.
however, the text provides philosophy, history, psychology, and other contexts for various human needs that are extremely interesting and worth reading. you won't agree with everything and you might actually think it's insulting in some ways, but there is still a lot of value to be found in here.
Even in the binary arguments pitting this vs that, the author still often recognizes that you can use digital means to support your non-digital lifestyle. for example, use Facebook to find events so that you can go to them and meet new people. use text to logistically communicate with your friends so you can enjoy experiences together. to be clear, this is not an anti-technology argument.
many of the exercises in the book are things I do regularly, not one time as needed, but seasonally and in cycles. since the author has different values than I do I didn't agree with all the reasoning, but it was validating to see stuff I do used as a "recommendation," and if you read this book I suggest thinking of how you can integrate these exercises into your technology routine too. not as a one-time thing, but maybe twice a year?
I think you have to come into this book understanding that this author 1) doesn't see much value at all in social media. I disagree: for various reasons, I think social media has great value and outstanding impact and it is worth spending time to understand how people use it and why. you can't ignore it and then it'll go away. it will always be in our lives. And 2) doesn't value do-nothing time. I think I require spontaneous do-nothing time to function. maybe that's a wiring thing, and the author doesn't need it, but regardless it appears to be a core part of his suggestion to achieve his definition of digital minimalism.
The main idea is that one should use their digital resources as tools, as a means to an end, not as an activity during your leisure time. I think even there, there can be some balance (one reason that I use social media to experience the evolution of communication, memes, and messages across the internet). I'd rather be part of it than observe it or read about it. I'm not interested in the strict academic approach the book suggests, but I also understand much better now the psychology behind social media addiction and how for some people all or nothing might be the only way to prevent addiction. we are all a commodity in the digital attention economy.
this has given me lots to think about and reflect on, not just for myself but also how these new digital technologies have impacted the social structures of the world and how we exchange information. I am giving a higher rating for this, I love a book that gives me lots to think about.
African History: Explore The Amazing Timeline of The World’s Richest Continent by History Brought Alive
This isn't a usual history book. It was dense with folktales and stories of kingdoms and tribes across African history. If you're looking for a traditional history book with chapters spanning specific time periods and providing historical accounts, this is not for you.
You'll want to read it with a map nearby unless you've got all of Africa memorized already; I started without one and I was lost but the threads came together better if I took a moment to identify the context. The book brings you from the beginning and although it doesn't quite end at modern times, you'll start to understand why things are the way they are in Africa, which is so different from the Western/American experience. (This makes me interested in finding another book to bridge the gap so I can make those ties more precisely.)
This book will destroy all your assumptions of early humans or what life was like for them. They had political systems, social expectations, and norms, and it's actually not true that all men were hunters and all women gatherers! It's barely true that ancient Africans had kings (though they may have had the title, oftenthe position was similar to a chieftain on a counsel of many). Instead of a universal setting, each group had its own beliefs. Humans are always searching for the best way but there has never been a confirmed one. From our roots, we do what we can until another group conquers us and takes over with their beliefs and ways of living.
Some stories that stood out:
- we lost our chance of immortality due to a slow lizard and a god's impatience with it
- King Zwide running from every fight as soon as he loses the advantage
- A flock of birds who helped a turtle fly so he could join them at a celebration banquet where he then ate all the food and the birds abandoned him there. He had to jump and his shell broke, and now turtles are a reminder of the consequences of selfishness.
- Stories surrounding big cats and cubs that have a lesson to appreciate your environment and live off your own skill (not others). One of the cub stories seemed to not have a moral at all. Eat your friend's cubs and blame it on another animal so they get murdered instead!
- The idea of humans originating from a reincarnated being that went from a plant to rodents and grew through the animal kingdom until they finally came back as human. Interestingly literal take on the idea of evolution before evolution was an idea.
- Africans getting a gun from a white dude and then using it to conquer other Africans.
- An incredible amount of creation stories, many similar but all taking a unique path to how humans got here.
- all people, from the beginning of time, engage in creative activities, music, dance, and collaborative projects.
adventurous
informative
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
3.5
This isn't a usual history book. It was dense with folktales and stories of kingdoms and tribes across African history. If you're looking for a traditional history book with chapters spanning specific time periods and providing historical accounts, this is not for you.
You'll want to read it with a map nearby unless you've got all of Africa memorized already; I started without one and I was lost but the threads came together better if I took a moment to identify the context. The book brings you from the beginning and although it doesn't quite end at modern times, you'll start to understand why things are the way they are in Africa, which is so different from the Western/American experience. (This makes me interested in finding another book to bridge the gap so I can make those ties more precisely.)
This book will destroy all your assumptions of early humans or what life was like for them. They had political systems, social expectations, and norms, and it's actually not true that all men were hunters and all women gatherers! It's barely true that ancient Africans had kings (though they may have had the title, oftenthe position was similar to a chieftain on a counsel of many). Instead of a universal setting, each group had its own beliefs. Humans are always searching for the best way but there has never been a confirmed one. From our roots, we do what we can until another group conquers us and takes over with their beliefs and ways of living.
Some stories that stood out:
- we lost our chance of immortality due to a slow lizard and a god's impatience with it
- King Zwide running from every fight as soon as he loses the advantage
- A flock of birds who helped a turtle fly so he could join them at a celebration banquet where he then ate all the food and the birds abandoned him there. He had to jump and his shell broke, and now turtles are a reminder of the consequences of selfishness.
- Stories surrounding big cats and cubs that have a lesson to appreciate your environment and live off your own skill (not others). One of the cub stories seemed to not have a moral at all. Eat your friend's cubs and blame it on another animal so they get murdered instead!
- The idea of humans originating from a reincarnated being that went from a plant to rodents and grew through the animal kingdom until they finally came back as human. Interestingly literal take on the idea of evolution before evolution was an idea.
- Africans getting a gun from a white dude and then using it to conquer other Africans.
- An incredible amount of creation stories, many similar but all taking a unique path to how humans got here.
- all people, from the beginning of time, engage in creative activities, music, dance, and collaborative projects.
Your Haunted Brain: The Essential Guide to Understanding the Interplay Between the Science, the Psychology, and the Superstition of Ghost Hunting and Human Fear by J.R. Meza
adventurous
informative
reflective
fast-paced
3.0
The book presents itself like a study of the brain in a paranormal context but really it's just everything you need to know to become a ghost hunter. A healthy dose of skepticism and science mixed with the mystery of something you can't explain, and out comes a book with suggestions and strategy on not only combating paranormal assumptions, but also could be interpreted as an anti-anxiety guide.
Read this if you want to hear about psychological concepts on repeat (no really, have you heard about confirmation bias? after you read this book you'll never forget because the term is defined every single time it's mentioned) and take away a bunch of keywords and names to look up and find out what really happened. It's a really good summary of what the title describes, but it's not an academic book. (Once it finally stops defining confirmation bias, it starts over-defining pareidolia. This and the incredibly repetitive chapter summaries are my biggest complaints about this book, to the point where it felt like someone was playing a joke on me.)
The author helps ghost hunters use the scientific method to rule out non-supernatural causes of eerie sounds and ghostly sensations so they can focus on the mysterious unexplained, hoping to add credibility to the hunt. It you're a ghost (or if you'd like to write a ghost tale) the book might be a great resource to help get around the illusions.
Instead of repetitive description and telling the same examples over and over again, I would have liked to see more stories and claims to support the work itself. The book overuses the same vague examples which just makes me wonder what the real stories are or could be. Instead of asking the reader to imagine themselves entering a haunted house with preconceived notions about ghosts, why not provide an example of one time that happened and it turned out to be fantasy proneness vs truly unexplained circumstances. The first few chapters and the last few chapters include such examples and they are so much more interesting and exciting to read than the entire rest of the book, which is a huge bummer because it could have been way spookier.
Quick read though, good for spooky month and getting your brain in self-spooking mode. Remember kids: If you can't regulate your emotions, you might see a ghost.
Read this if you want to hear about psychological concepts on repeat (no really, have you heard about confirmation bias? after you read this book you'll never forget because the term is defined every single time it's mentioned) and take away a bunch of keywords and names to look up and find out what really happened. It's a really good summary of what the title describes, but it's not an academic book. (Once it finally stops defining confirmation bias, it starts over-defining pareidolia. This and the incredibly repetitive chapter summaries are my biggest complaints about this book, to the point where it felt like someone was playing a joke on me.)
The author helps ghost hunters use the scientific method to rule out non-supernatural causes of eerie sounds and ghostly sensations so they can focus on the mysterious unexplained, hoping to add credibility to the hunt. It you're a ghost (or if you'd like to write a ghost tale) the book might be a great resource to help get around the illusions.
Instead of repetitive description and telling the same examples over and over again, I would have liked to see more stories and claims to support the work itself. The book overuses the same vague examples which just makes me wonder what the real stories are or could be. Instead of asking the reader to imagine themselves entering a haunted house with preconceived notions about ghosts, why not provide an example of one time that happened and it turned out to be fantasy proneness vs truly unexplained circumstances. The first few chapters and the last few chapters include such examples and they are so much more interesting and exciting to read than the entire rest of the book, which is a huge bummer because it could have been way spookier.
Quick read though, good for spooky month and getting your brain in self-spooking mode. Remember kids: If you can't regulate your emotions, you might see a ghost.
White Tears / Brown Scars: How White Feminism Betrays Women of Color by Ruby Hamad
informative
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
Automate the Boring Stuff with Python: Practical Programming for Total Beginners by Al Sweigart
Did not finish book. Stopped at 17%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 17%.
This was a recommended read to understand the foundations for creating GenAI tools but it turns out I just had to wait a few months for someone else to make it easier to customize things.
Hollywood: The Oral History by Sam Wasson, Jeanine Basinger
Did not finish book. Stopped at 19%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 19%.
I might still listen to this from time to time but I can't stand the male voice and I got the audiobook.
Review from what I did get through: Two voices reading quotes from old Hollywood actors, actresses, writers, producers, etc etc. Each chapter covers a topic. That's the whole book. Horrifying in some places, showing you how incredibly messed up the context was, but magical in others, proving why old Hollywood has a certain unmatched feeling, even if you didn't experience it directly. A good listen to fit in between other things because there's no real narrative, so you can come in and out without much transition.
Review from what I did get through: Two voices reading quotes from old Hollywood actors, actresses, writers, producers, etc etc. Each chapter covers a topic. That's the whole book. Horrifying in some places, showing you how incredibly messed up the context was, but magical in others, proving why old Hollywood has a certain unmatched feeling, even if you didn't experience it directly. A good listen to fit in between other things because there's no real narrative, so you can come in and out without much transition.
Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, and How to Be an Ally by Emily Ladau
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
Ghostly Tales: Spine-Chilling Stories of the Victorian Age by Chronicle Books
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
3.0
I skipped a few stories, read about half and then gave up after realizing I didn't capture any of it and wouldn't remember enough to continue later. This would be a great bedside book, though I have the ebook version which isn't as romantic.
Stories that haunted me for weeks later: "Oh, Whistle, and I'll Come to You, My Lad" by M.R. James, "The Signalman" by Charles Dickens
Don't buy a victorian ghost story book. Instead, look up your favorite victorian authors and see if they've written ghost stories.
Stories that haunted me for weeks later: "Oh, Whistle, and I'll Come to You, My Lad" by M.R. James, "The Signalman" by Charles Dickens
Don't buy a victorian ghost story book. Instead, look up your favorite victorian authors and see if they've written ghost stories.
The Rise and Reign of the Mammals: A New History, from the Shadow of the Dinosaurs to Us by Steve Brusatte
Did not finish book. Stopped at 35%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 35%.
I think this book is incredibly interesting and maybe I'll read it a different time, but the audiobook version is impossible for me to listen to. it sounds like the guy is shouting.