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writesdave's reviews
360 reviews
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
Written alternately in sneering detachment spiced with irony and poetically vivid prose, "Night Moves" serves as a love letter to a time and place. Whether on two wheels or two feet, Hopper guides you through mid-oughts Chicago, taking the reader inside her life as a girl-about-town at all hours. The descriptions merit five stars, but too much of the prose about music and culture called to mind an eye-rolling hipster talking at you through a sigh, "If you have to ask you'll never know." Indeed, I had heard of very few of the namechecked musicians, which would have given Jessica and her friends a great deal of amusement at the hick who's never heard of ____.
Nonetheless, this is for people who love Chicago, music and the music of Chicago, which isn't always something you can play or compose.
Nonetheless, this is for people who love Chicago, music and the music of Chicago, which isn't always something you can play or compose.
funny
informative
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
In what seems to be a theme of late, another older white guy with sports takes that haven't aged well grabs a pen and paper and starts writing. But I will concede a few points:
• If I approached my work with 1/10 the enthusiasm of Mr. Vitale, I'd probably say I had a good life.
• I was pleasantly surprised to see his advocacy for paying college athletes and easing the transfer rules.
• This book was written before the 95-96 season and I actually met the man at a signing at the Syracuse University book store around January 96 when he was in town to call a game. He correctly predicted not only Kentucky winning but Rick Pitino giving the NBA another try.
• The usual platitudes about "playing for the love of the game" and "divisiveness" of racial issues sink like stones in a full tub.
• The book needed one more edit and fact-check, from misplacing years of games to the misspelling of a superstar's name. Ugh.
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
I should have read this book years ago, when I was still serious about the sport. I should have read it during the pandemic when I felt like a rudderless ship sitting within sight of a milestone age that begged for an attempt at excellence. Alas.
This should be *the* definitive manual for the intense, passionate, drive, motivated and self-coached athlete because Dixon covers all the bases. Anyone with the mental bandwidth to take on triathlon seriously will gain a great deal from Dixon's insight, and not just because he has coached pros to glory with his methods.
This should be *the* definitive manual for the intense, passionate, drive, motivated and self-coached athlete because Dixon covers all the bases. Anyone with the mental bandwidth to take on triathlon seriously will gain a great deal from Dixon's insight, and not just because he has coached pros to glory with his methods.
challenging
informative
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
The sports takes of a white man of a certain age do not age well, but no one can deny Murray's gift with the language. You don't win a Pulitzer for commentary if you suck. A nice timepiece of sports commentary in an era.
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
Call it confirmation bias on my part but Goldberg's zen approach to writing is exactly what I need. Though I write nonfiction on a daily basis, I yearn to get the story of stories on the page and Goldberg's explanation of writing as a meditative practice resonated. A must-have for any writer's shelf.
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Having lived in Wyoming for more than 14 years, I developed a certain realistic sentimentality about the place where I've lived longer than any other save my "home" state of Michigan. Realistic, because like everyplace else I've lived, the people there have a pride bordering on arrogance about taming the land, making it home, and fuck anybody for trying to live here if'n yer not reddy.
Annie's stories come from a deep and intimate knowledge of place, and really hit home with me even if my experience didn't reflect our protagonists contained within this collection. It reminded me not only of what I loved about the state but what I didn't love, and why I'm glad to have left for other pastures, not necessarily greener. What Ms. Proulx did was snuff out any sentimentality I had for the 307.
The devil stories pretty much crushed a 5-star rating, like she couldn't find another collection for them so why not put 'em in here? Otherwise, Ms. Proulx remains one of the best living American writers, an uncanny gift for describing a place and creating realistic and compelling characters.
Annie's stories come from a deep and intimate knowledge of place, and really hit home with me even if my experience didn't reflect our protagonists contained within this collection. It reminded me not only of what I loved about the state but what I didn't love, and why I'm glad to have left for other pastures, not necessarily greener. What Ms. Proulx did was snuff out any sentimentality I had for the 307.
The devil stories pretty much crushed a 5-star rating, like she couldn't find another collection for them so why not put 'em in here? Otherwise, Ms. Proulx remains one of the best living American writers, an uncanny gift for describing a place and creating realistic and compelling characters.
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
hopeful
informative
reflective
fast-paced
"Do what you love" backed with data. Excellent, informed rebuttal to the carrot-and-stick motivation at work that has governed employment as long as I can remember. Of course, skeptic that I am, I will note the book doesn't point out that most workplaces will use your desire for "doing work with meaning" or "loving what you do" as leverage, nor does it address what to do in that case. But the existence of the book gives me a glimmer of hope that the world of work will have to wise up.
The Border War: The Bronze Boot Rivalry Between Colorado State and Wyoming
Ryan Thorburn, Robert Gagliardi
informative
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
challenging
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Absolutely brutal and necessary read, especially for anyone in a position to send our citizens to war. While we get to know the men of the platoon intimately, we also come to understand the cost of war in terms of sanity and emotional casualties, walking every step of an endless and pointless mission with them, feeling every pang of longing and hurt. Veterans can probably relate painfully, and those who didn't serve can only imagine. Chalk this up as one of the best books I've ever read—and one I have no desire to read again.