1krazy4katz
OK, I have always been really careful about not letting people on the internet know where I live, but, oh well - hi PofP people!
I am reading Positivity by Barbara Fredrickson. She is a faculty member at UNC-CH. Moderately interesting so far, but the nuts-and-bolds part is not until Section 2, so should I read patiently or jump ahead?
k4k
I am reading Positivity by Barbara Fredrickson. She is a faculty member at UNC-CH. Moderately interesting so far, but the nuts-and-bolds part is not until Section 2, so should I read patiently or jump ahead?
k4k
3krazy4katz
It is non-fiction. Yes, one of those self-help books, which I rarely read, but it came highly recommended.
k4k
k4k
4yolana
I have to say sometimes jumping ahead saves a book for me. Some authors just have trouble beginning the book and if you start at the second chapter you get all that awkwardness out of the way. Please post your thoughts on it after you're done.
5cvanhasselt
KrazyKatz, welcome to PofP readers! I started this group, but have been on an Internet diet lately -- that is, staying off the internet -- or I would have welcomed you sooner. Good to have another local member of the group.
I just finished a depressing and frightening book, that, despite its downer story is well worth reading: Edwin Black's "IBM and the Holocaust" It meticulously documents, how IBM, under Thomas Watson's leadership (so called) facilitated every aspect of the daily affairs of Nazi Germany. You know how they always say "Hitler made the trains run on time"? No, it was IBM, not Hitler. IBM kept them running, and much, much more, even leasing Hollerith tabulators inside concentration camps. And they made incredible profits off the whole affair.
The most troubling thing about the book was that everything was "justified" in the name of "responsibility to shareholders", and I imagine today many multinationals would readily engage in the same kind of amoral activity if there was a buck to be had. Only now the schemes for remaining unaccountable are more sophisticated, and often sanctioned by laizzez-faire economic theory.
Anyway, I highly recommend the book. It is a long book, quite a depressing slog of a read, but if you are interested in history, definitely a good read.
I just finished a depressing and frightening book, that, despite its downer story is well worth reading: Edwin Black's "IBM and the Holocaust" It meticulously documents, how IBM, under Thomas Watson's leadership (so called) facilitated every aspect of the daily affairs of Nazi Germany. You know how they always say "Hitler made the trains run on time"? No, it was IBM, not Hitler. IBM kept them running, and much, much more, even leasing Hollerith tabulators inside concentration camps. And they made incredible profits off the whole affair.
The most troubling thing about the book was that everything was "justified" in the name of "responsibility to shareholders", and I imagine today many multinationals would readily engage in the same kind of amoral activity if there was a buck to be had. Only now the schemes for remaining unaccountable are more sophisticated, and often sanctioned by laizzez-faire economic theory.
Anyway, I highly recommend the book. It is a long book, quite a depressing slog of a read, but if you are interested in history, definitely a good read.
6krazy4katz
Sounds interesting! I would like to read it some day, although I would have to be in a very calm frame of mind. I read In the Garden of the Beasts, which really made me angry.
I have just finished The Yiddish Policeman's Union, which is about the Jews taking refuge in Sitka, Alaska after WWII and Israel losing the War of Independence in 1948. Fiction, obviously. The story (a murder mystery) takes place 60 years later when that part of Alaska is going to revert to the US and the Jews are not sure what will happen to them. I thought it was very depressing, but now I am rereading it and finding it much better. Must have been my mood. Still, I think I will try something lighter, though before I delve again into the evil corners of history.
Thank you.
I have just finished The Yiddish Policeman's Union, which is about the Jews taking refuge in Sitka, Alaska after WWII and Israel losing the War of Independence in 1948. Fiction, obviously. The story (a murder mystery) takes place 60 years later when that part of Alaska is going to revert to the US and the Jews are not sure what will happen to them. I thought it was very depressing, but now I am rereading it and finding it much better. Must have been my mood. Still, I think I will try something lighter, though before I delve again into the evil corners of history.
Thank you.
7DugsBooks
I just finished reading Bonobo Handshake by Vanessa Woods who works at Duke University, at least still does by the end of the book published in 2010. I found a brand new copy for $1 at the dollar store and having read a couple of reviews some time ago I picked it up.
I enjoyed the easy, informative and interesting read. The stories related of the atrocities perpetrated on the people of the Congo were horrid and used to contrast the pacifist nature of the Bonobo's behavior to Chimpanzee's. {Didn't David Zucchino of UNC win his Pulitzer for reporting on the placing of burning tires around people at that time? }
I read the book the same day bought and noticed that my ear lobe temperature went up when she mentioned the Dook UNC basketball rivalry as a form of Chimp aggression - I was reading and waiting for the Duke - Michigan State game {71-61 Dook}to play.
Duke somehow manages to stumble on in the national tournament while UNC {I hung out there a while} inexplicably became involved in an obviously experimental game where it is not a foul for two of the opposing team's players to hold various parts of a UNC player's body & uniform while they are soaring towards the basket.
I enjoyed the easy, informative and interesting read. The stories related of the atrocities perpetrated on the people of the Congo were horrid and used to contrast the pacifist nature of the Bonobo's behavior to Chimpanzee's. {Didn't David Zucchino of UNC win his Pulitzer for reporting on the placing of burning tires around people at that time? }
I read the book the same day bought and noticed that my ear lobe temperature went up when she mentioned the Dook UNC basketball rivalry as a form of Chimp aggression - I was reading and waiting for the Duke - Michigan State game {71-61 Dook}to play.
Duke somehow manages to stumble on in the national tournament while UNC {I hung out there a while} inexplicably became involved in an obviously experimental game where it is not a foul for two of the opposing team's players to hold various parts of a UNC player's body & uniform while they are soaring towards the basket.
8cvanhasselt
Sounds like a steal for $1! Good find!
9krazy4katz
I just finished reading Death in a Dacron Sail by N. A. Granger who has taken up mystery writing after retiring from UNC-Chapel Hill. Lots of fun!
10krazy4katz
Third book in the series is out by our local mystery writer: Death By Pumpkin. I enjoyed it.
Also, still working at UNC School of Medicine, our local playwright, Keith Burridge, is having his play "The First Woman President" performed off-Broadway in NYC at the Midtown International Theatre Festival the first week in November. I saw the dress rehearsal at the School of Nursing. Very exciting!
Also, still working at UNC School of Medicine, our local playwright, Keith Burridge, is having his play "The First Woman President" performed off-Broadway in NYC at the Midtown International Theatre Festival the first week in November. I saw the dress rehearsal at the School of Nursing. Very exciting!
11krazy4katz
The newest book in the Rhe Brewster mystery series is out!! Death at the Asylum is a fantastic read so far. These just keep getting better and better.
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