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Apocalyptic and Dystopian Tales by Celesta Thiessen

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Apocalyptic and Dystopian Tales by Celesta Thiessen My rating: 4 of 5 stars The initial draw to this was the local factor as I live in the same area of Southern Manitoba. The book contains a series of short stories, which all independently tell the stories. Two things caught my attention: 1. Although the stories were about apocalyptic or post-apocalyptic as well as dystopian realities, several of them had somewhat positive endings. This leaves with the feeling that although the world is in shambles, all is not lost. 2. The other point is that not all of the stories had a clear conclusion. At first, I wasn't too much for this, but after this happening a few times, it made me think about how I would have ended it, or how I think the author would have. I found this imagining almost as enjoyable as the stories themselves. Overall, a decent book for a young adult or older teen audience. Favorite aspect: Not finishing the stories and letting the reader decide how it should end. This e...
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The Art of Aging by Sherwin B. Nuland

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The Art of Aging: A Doctor's Prescription for Well-Being by Sherwin B. Nuland My rating: 3 of 5 stars I must admit I chose this book as sort of a filler. I had finished my current audio book and wasn't sure what to read next, and this one popped up on my suggested list so I went ahead. Besides, the title sounded interesting. Not that I worry much about aging and dying at this point, but I was curious to listen to someone else's view point. Anyway, Nuland discusses ideas and concepts that are out there in avoiding the ineveitable, aging. Apparently, we can live forever, under the right conditions. I'm not sure how I feel on this. It's not like I think much on my mortality, but part of living should be dying. Nuland has some interesting ideas, and shares some interesting theories and practices but I felt like there lacked a unifying idea about the aging dilemma. It's something we all have to go through, so instead of focusing on how we can avoid or delay it, I ...
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Limitless by Ajaz Ahmed

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Limitless: Leadership that Endures by Ajaz Ahmed My rating: 4 of 5 stars A decent read that gets one thinking about how to think outside the box. Ajaz shares several stories about entrepreneurs in various circumstances (almost all of them or their companies are well known) who looked at a problem or barrier, and then figured out a way to make it work for them. There were several insights shared that are not very obvious at first glance, but that can provide a framework for those willing to read and learn. Overall, a book that does more or less what it says it will. It provides examples of leaders in various industries and how they got to their current position without going too deep into history or back stories. View all my reviews
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Weapons of Math Destruction by Cathy O'Neil

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Weapons of Math Destruction: How Big Data Increases Inequality and Threatens Democracy by Cathy O'Neil My rating: 4 of 5 stars First off, I enjoy reading a book that is both informative and engaging. Sometimes books are written in such a way that you can learn a lot from them, it just takes forever to make it through. Or you read quickly through it and wonder if you just wasted a few hours of your life you can never get back. This book is neither of those scenarios. Cathy O'Neil has a writing style that keeps you interested in what will happen next. She clearly paints a picture of "Big Data" with personal application that most people can identify with for either themselves or someone they know. It's also fairly obvious that she understands what she is writing about and is able to illustrate each of her points with situations that many of us may face. The challenge for me was trying to figure out where "Big Data" is leading me and if there was somethin...
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Cleaning House by Kay Wills Wyma

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Cleaning House: A Mom's Twelve-Month Experiment to Rid Her Home of Youth Entitlement by Kay Wills Wyma My rating: 4 of 5 stars It is always a bit of a relief when I read about the experiences of other parents in the same boat as me. Wyma writes about her desire to assist her children in becoming more self reliant and productive citizens. Like most initiative involving children and teenagers, mixed results are to be expected. Wyma writes from a first person point of view and shares her successes and less than successes in a candid fashion. We see what works for her and where her family balks. The take away from this should be, not that Kay Wyma has all the answers and her way of doing this experiment is going to work for everyone, but that the concept of making changes, positive changes, no matter how old our kids are or how ingrained their habits are, is possible. This book is definitely geared toward a specific audience, so if you are not a parent with younger children, this ma...
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The Longest Day by Cornelius Ryan

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The Longest Day by Cornelius Ryan My rating: 4 of 5 stars This was a great book looking at the events leading up to and including the Normandy invasion of June 6, 1944. It focuses mainly on the US effort but does cover the British and Canadian involvement as well, so we get a broader view of what happened on all the beaches as well as to the paratroopers dropped behind enemy lines. We get a sense of the overwhelming odds from Ryan's work, but we also get a glimpse into the series of events that worked, ultimately in the favor of the Allies in gaining a strong foothold on the European mainland. Cornelius Ryan's writing style was fairly easy to follow, with enough background to give you context to the events he writes about, but without so much detail that you wonder if he will ever get on with telling the story. I have always enjoyed the history of World War II and "The Longest Day" does not disappoint. Overall, a very good read, with the focus being on one event fr...
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