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zykx's reviews
28 reviews
Losing My Religion: A Call For Help by Jeffrey Lang
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
2.5
My mom forced me to read this, as I myself am losing my religion (or maybe I’ve already lost it). It’s now February and I read this book in October preceding Umrah, and finished it in Medina. I appreciated some of its approaches.
The book contains the story of how Lang adopted Islam. It acknowledges issues regarding race and gender in the American Muslim community, especially in masjids, and I felt very seen when it got to the part about how women are treated or converts (though i’m not a convert myself, i’ve just seen them come and go from my own masjid). The end of the book or the part where he references how his daughter found her religion again were far better in bringing me a few steps closer to an open mind than his own story was but everyone’s different. I know that works for a lot of people because I’ve seen it.
Though my mother’s purpose for the book wasn’t accomplished, I can recognize that it was a good read — made me see my own community in a new light, answered some of my questions. I didn’t enjoy it (hence the 3.5), but if you’re looking for something that looks at your community in a new way, the religion you grew up with in a new way, I’d recommend. Basically, if you’ve made it to this review on your own, give it a read. Can’t say you’ll enjoy it but sometimes we need eye openers.
The book contains the story of how Lang adopted Islam. It acknowledges issues regarding race and gender in the American Muslim community, especially in masjids, and I felt very seen when it got to the part about how women are treated or converts (though i’m not a convert myself, i’ve just seen them come and go from my own masjid). The end of the book or the part where he references how his daughter found her religion again were far better in bringing me a few steps closer to an open mind than his own story was but everyone’s different. I know that works for a lot of people because I’ve seen it.
Though my mother’s purpose for the book wasn’t accomplished, I can recognize that it was a good read — made me see my own community in a new light, answered some of my questions. I didn’t enjoy it (hence the 3.5), but if you’re looking for something that looks at your community in a new way, the religion you grew up with in a new way, I’d recommend. Basically, if you’ve made it to this review on your own, give it a read. Can’t say you’ll enjoy it but sometimes we need eye openers.
Half-Earth Socialism: A Manifesto to Save the Future by Drew Pendergrass, Troy Vettesse
challenging
hopeful
informative
inspiring
slow-paced
5.0
amazing awesome 10/10
- i was obsessed from the first chapter
- the last chapter makes me emotional just from thinking about it
- brings hope to the depressing ether of environmentalism
- all the information in between disproving capitalist/consumerist solutions is epic
- biodiversity is recognized which also epic pls save the worms
- the game that goes with it is epic (puts how difficult reaching climate targets will be)
ALSO THE COVER IS AWESOME
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
On Anarchism by Noam Chomsky
challenging
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
3.5
So this book has six sections and I have separate opinions on each of them:
1. Introduction by Nathan Schneider
I enjoyed it. It set up the book well and was interestingly relatable for me (high schooler in 2023) when it referenced a story about college students post-Occupy. I liked the scene it set, made me feel like I belonged here, reading the book, when in so many other cases, conversations about politics and ideology alienate young people. (I suppose that’s more common on the conservative side though.)
2. Notes on Anarchism
I read this book in chunks, separated by years, so as usual, it’s been a while. As I remember it, this is an introduction to anarchosyndycalism itself. What ideas it comes from. What it means. I think that this section in combination with the excerpt from Understanding Power are probably the two most important sections.
3. Excerpt from Understanding Power
It really put things into perspective for me, helped me to break away from my preconceived notions of hierarchy and showed how anarchism was possible. This section along with the end of Half-Earth Socialism have really helped me in conceptualizing my idea of a utopia. It’s a nice sort of hopeful feeling.
4. Part II of Objectivity of Liberal Scholarship
This part was really good in giving me things to talk about to people who disagree with me. Shows you how important it is to consider external intervention in why collectivism failed in Catalonia in the 1910s and after. Usually things are chalked up to the system being bad but by exposing the lack of understanding of intersecting factors, the book shows that issues run deeper than that.
This section was really helpful as a history student. Gave me a significantly better understanding of the effect of bias in historians’ work and how to use it to draw your own conclusions/how to analyze it.
5. Interview with Harry Kreisler
10/10 amazing wonderful loved
Yes, I learned things from the rest of the book but I just read this and I learned things RIGHT NOW. Enjoyed the insight and liked how he pointed out things that I’ve noticed and known but never verbalized.
6. Language and Freedoms
idk wasn’t into it
maybe i’ll give it a solid chance later on but since i wasn’t particularly interested it was kinda eh
Why 4 stars?!?
Good
Revolutionary for me and my opinions and my own ideology of how the world should be. It was like a secondary radicalization.
“Bad”
Section 4 got boring for me after a while. I got the point wayyyyy before the section ended which is great from an argumentative standpoint but not very readable.
Wasn’t into some parts and it’s been ages since I read the stuff I liked so I’m not that passionate about it.
1. Introduction by Nathan Schneider
I enjoyed it. It set up the book well and was interestingly relatable for me (high schooler in 2023) when it referenced a story about college students post-Occupy. I liked the scene it set, made me feel like I belonged here, reading the book, when in so many other cases, conversations about politics and ideology alienate young people. (I suppose that’s more common on the conservative side though.)
2. Notes on Anarchism
I read this book in chunks, separated by years, so as usual, it’s been a while. As I remember it, this is an introduction to anarchosyndycalism itself. What ideas it comes from. What it means. I think that this section in combination with the excerpt from Understanding Power are probably the two most important sections.
3. Excerpt from Understanding Power
It really put things into perspective for me, helped me to break away from my preconceived notions of hierarchy and showed how anarchism was possible. This section along with the end of Half-Earth Socialism have really helped me in conceptualizing my idea of a utopia. It’s a nice sort of hopeful feeling.
4. Part II of Objectivity of Liberal Scholarship
This part was really good in giving me things to talk about to people who disagree with me. Shows you how important it is to consider external intervention in why collectivism failed in Catalonia in the 1910s and after. Usually things are chalked up to the system being bad but by exposing the lack of understanding of intersecting factors, the book shows that issues run deeper than that.
This section was really helpful as a history student. Gave me a significantly better understanding of the effect of bias in historians’ work and how to use it to draw your own conclusions/how to analyze it.
5. Interview with Harry Kreisler
10/10 amazing wonderful loved
Yes, I learned things from the rest of the book but I just read this and I learned things RIGHT NOW. Enjoyed the insight and liked how he pointed out things that I’ve noticed and known but never verbalized.
6. Language and Freedoms
idk wasn’t into it
maybe i’ll give it a solid chance later on but since i wasn’t particularly interested it was kinda eh
Why 4 stars?!?
Good
Revolutionary for me and my opinions and my own ideology of how the world should be. It was like a secondary radicalization.
“Bad”
Section 4 got boring for me after a while. I got the point wayyyyy before the section ended which is great from an argumentative standpoint but not very readable.
Wasn’t into some parts and it’s been ages since I read the stuff I liked so I’m not that passionate about it.
Loveless by Alice Oseman
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.25
love love love
hated the conflict but obviously books are supposed to have plot
super relatable
just love love love
hated the conflict but obviously books are supposed to have plot
super relatable
just love love love
Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
dark
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
5.0
I loved it. It’s not often that books keep me engaged (lately since i’m forcing myself to sit through classics), but when my mom’s book club was reading this for the month, I decided I’d give it a read too since I’d heard it was one of the most famous anti-war books.
I really liked the way Vonnegut writes. The story bounces around and while seeming kinda silly at parts, it conveys its message so clearly. The book is really digestible. Serious things are mixed with the uncanny.
I really liked the aliens and the insight we had into what they were like. I liked the idea of them.
I’ll admit it’s been a while since I read the book. But I don’t have much to say since I haven’t thought about it much. I just enjoyed and moved on.
I really liked the way Vonnegut writes. The story bounces around and while seeming kinda silly at parts, it conveys its message so clearly. The book is really digestible. Serious things are mixed with the uncanny.
I really liked the aliens and the insight we had into what they were like. I liked the idea of them.
I’ll admit it’s been a while since I read the book. But I don’t have much to say since I haven’t thought about it much. I just enjoyed and moved on.
The Time Machine by H.G. Wells
Did not finish book. Stopped at 85%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 85%.
hg wells is a weird man i didn’t like the romance between the time traveler and the ppl from the future all seemed a bit pedophilic
I Was Born for This by Alice Oseman
emotional
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells
dark
funny
medium-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
1.5
Thee even. I enjoyed it but it was difficult for me to read since I'm not used to old english. For example, he gets shot and I didn't realize until a chapter later
so yeah
I don't have much to say because I'm not as passionate anymore. I finished a couple days ago.
I really liked the end.
later:
i don’t think i liked it in retrospect
it was bad and hg wells is a weird man
so yeah
I don't have much to say because I'm not as passionate anymore. I finished a couple days ago.
I really liked the end.
later:
i don’t think i liked it in retrospect
it was bad and hg wells is a weird man