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Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking by Malcolm Gladwell
Interesting read about subconscious information acquisition and decision-making. Lots of studies and anecdotes illustrating that: 1) too much information impairs decision-making and 2) we filter out a lot of what we notice, which means that, at worst, we are all pretty easily manipulated and often act out of prejudice, and at best, we know things ( Read more... ) -
Fragment by Warren Fahy
Poorly written thriller that will probably become a movie. In it, a reality show about sexy young scientists who visit a remote unexplored island airs more than executives bargain for. Lethal life forms have been evolving in a self-contained habitat since the Cambrian. A couple of dead sexy scientists later and the US govt, worried about the ( Read more... ) -
The Tiger's Wife by Tea Obreht
With death, war, racism and superstition as her needles, Obreht has knitted the Balkans a surprisingly sympathetic portrait. Strange media, you say? True. But that's art. This first novel is about a young doctor driving on war-torn backroads to inoculate orphans, along the way seeing things from too close to make sense of them and, at other times ( Read more... ) -
The Iron Druid Chronicles
Hounded, Hexed, Hammered, and Tricked are four fun lite reads about a 2,000 year old Irish druid who looks like a 20-something New Age hipster. In his long life, he's pissed off any number of gods in every culture, so he's become adept at blending in with the locals to avoid them. It hardly ever works. There's lots of action, magic and terrible ( Read more... ) -
We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver
I'd love to be able to talk to someone about this book. It won't leave my head ( Read more... ) -
Shortbus, Movie Review
John Cameron Mitchell (writer/ director of the brillian Hedwig and the Angry Inch) didn't limit his movie Shortbus in any way. Not just how his characters cry or smile, but how they orgasm, everything is used to tell a bizarre ensemble of people's search for meaningful connection in NYC: A sex counselor is on edge because she has never had an ( Read more... ) -
Kaia's Omelette
K's gourmet recipe, destined to become a classic.
K's Omelette:
2 eggs
pistachio's ground in mortar and pestle
Ramiro peppers, diced
red onions, sauteed
brie (for K) or gorgonzola (for P--this is incredible)
pepper and salt -
Legend of Korra Finale
Ohcomeonreally? Out with a whimper disguised as a bang... -
Throne of the Crescent Moon by Saladin Ahmed
I enjoyed this sword and sorcery tale set in an Arabic world. Ahmed does a good job of sketching believable characters in interesting relationships complicated by generation gaps; religious intolerance, and class, educational and cultural divides. Whether it's two geriatric friends lovingly cussing each other out or two teenagers painfully avoiding ( Read more... ) -
Books, reviews
Habibi, graphic novel by Craig Thompson ( Read more... )