3 Stars. I’ve been a fairly loyal listener of the Pantsuit Politics podcast for a couple of years now. I like the perspectives Beth and Sarah bring to the conversations they have, whether they’re about current events or pop culture. After the most recent election, I felt that their first book would be a [...]
4 Stars. This is one of the most realistic commencement addresses I’ve ever read or heard. These things are usually full of high flown language about changing the world and chasing your dreams. That’s all very inspirational. But how do you actually get to that point? You work and you work some more. Sometimes you get lucky [...]
3 Stars. The Little Book of Hygge was pleasant enough, but as an introvert, I found very little new information here. I try to maintain a cozy, welcoming home and I've always preferred low lighting. I love candles (although not to the extent that Danes apparently do), sweets, comfort food, and Christmas. My list of close friends [...]
I've tried to read How to Do Nothing. I promise I've tried hard. I'm so guilty of spending too much time on social media and the internet and everything else that tries (successfully) to steal my attention away from the here and now. But I'm just not getting anywhere with this book. I [...]
A co-worker insisted on lending me this book. It doesn't sound like my kind of thing, but I didn't know how to tell her I wasn't interested. We'll see how this goes... Written in a format that leaves me wondering whether to classify this as fiction or non-fiction, The Richest Man in Babylon uses the framework of established Babylonian men telling stories about how they gained their hard-won financial wisdom. The book is short and surprisingly readable for someone who doesn't understand much about Finance. I understand budgeting and saving, but that's as far as I go with that. The advice in the book seems sound to me, at least the parts that I understand. It boils down to: 1. Live on 70% of your income. 2. Save 10% of your income. 3. Use the remaining 20% to pay off your debts. Sound financial advice. Then it tries to get into investing. I just don't get it. The story in the book is about a man giving a shield-maker money for his business and the shield-maker pays him back with interest. I can't translate that into modern times. Oh, I know it's something about investing, but I'm so vague about how that works that I'm just left scratching my head, wondering where I can find an honest shield-maker. The format worked well for me. I was getting a little bit of a story along with my Financial Advice, so that made it easier. "A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down" kind of thing. I did get tired of all the "Thee" and "Thou." Maybe I'm wrong, but that's just King James English, right? I don't really think that's how ancient Babylonians talked. Just write "your" and be done with it. I guess it was supposed to give this…
Imagine, if you will, that Jane Austen can somehow receive letters from her modern-day readers, asking for her sage advice in love and marriage. That's the premise for this charming little book. Part "autobiography", part self-help book, and part critical analysis, Dear Jane Austen is full of practical advice for all women, no matter what era they're living in. Told in a tone that is mostly pitch-perfect, Austen weighs in on topics ranging from beauty to friends and family, to sex. The only thing that jarred was when she used modern phrases in her answers. There's something of an explanation included, but it still bothered me a little. There are some spoilers included if you haven't read Austen's entire body of work. I haven't yet, but this didn't really bother me. I think I'll have forgotten the little bits and pieces I learned by the time I actually get around to reading all of her other books. Fans of Austen will love this little book, especially the single women still looking for their Mr. Darcy. Review written April 18, 2009