This book is not as exciting as [book:Stolen Lives], but it is still very interesting. The author writes about her life in freedom, and the decade shock she is facing!
I enjoyed reading this book, and if you liked the first book, I think it's worth reading!
Poll #1014048 Freedom: The Story of My Second Life - Malika Oufkair
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All
I enjoyed reading this book, and if you liked the first book, I think it's worth reading!
Poll #1014048 Freedom: The Story of My Second Life - Malika Oufkair
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All
Have you read this book?
View Answers
Yes.
1 (50.0%)
No. 1 (50.0%)
No, but I intend to read it someday. 0 (0.0%)
I am currently reading it. 0 (0.0%)
I started to read it, but never completed it. 0 (0.0%)
If so, how much do you give it out of 10? (10 being the highest)
View Answers
Mean: 8.00 Median: 8 Std. Dev 0.00
Mean: 8.00 Median: 8 Std. Dev 0.00
| 1 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 2 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 3 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 4 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 5 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 6 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 7 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 8 | 1 (100.0%) |
| 9 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 10 | 0 (0.0%) |
This book discusses the story of Malika Oufkair and her family. Malika's daughter was a powerful man in Morocco, and grew to become the minister of defense and the strongest man among the King's people. Malika herself lived with the King's daughter (Mohammad VI) and was treated as one of the King's children.
This did not last though. The minister decided to betray the King (Hasan II) and try to assassinate him. His attempt failed. He was killed, and his family was punished.
This book is really about the punishment they got, and how they suffered. To say that it is painful is an understatement. As much as it was painful to read, I enjoyed it thoroughly.
I do advise each one of you to read it. It does give us this feeling of how valuable our lives are.
Poll #1010628 Twenty Years in a Desert Jail - Malika Oufkair & Michele Fitoussi
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All
This did not last though. The minister decided to betray the King (Hasan II) and try to assassinate him. His attempt failed. He was killed, and his family was punished.
This book is really about the punishment they got, and how they suffered. To say that it is painful is an understatement. As much as it was painful to read, I enjoyed it thoroughly.
I do advise each one of you to read it. It does give us this feeling of how valuable our lives are.
Poll #1010628 Twenty Years in a Desert Jail - Malika Oufkair & Michele Fitoussi
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All
Have you read this book?
View Answers
Yes. 1 (50.0%)
No. 0 (0.0%)
No, but I intend to read it someday. 1 (50.0%)
I am currently reading it. 0 (0.0%)
I started to read it, but never completed it. 0 (0.0%)
If so, how much do you give it out of 10? (10 being the highest)
View Answers
Mean: 9.00 Median: 9 Std. Dev 0.00
Mean: 9.00 Median: 9 Std. Dev 0.00
| 1 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 2 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 3 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 4 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 5 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 6 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 7 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 8 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 9 | 1 (100.0%) |
| 10 | 0 (0.0%) |
Finally got to buy the novel, and I couldn't wait to read it.
The Children of Húrin is the latest of Tolkien's books, released over 30 years after his death. This novel focuses on the life of one of Tolkien's characters, namely Túrin Turambar in great detail, expanding on the brief mention of him in The Silmarillion.
I have enjoyed reading this novel so much. It was good to be able to read another well-written story from Middle-Earth (I obviously haven't read everything by Tolkien, but I do not enjoy reading those incomplete works that are full of commentary). I liked some aspects of the story, and hated others.
The style and flow of the story was very nice. I literally couldn't put the book down unless I had to. It's been a while since I read a book this fast. The character development was interesting, and the level of detail adequate.
I have, however, felt that the dramatic aspect of the story is a bit too much, and the way things tend to go wrong is a bit too contrived. I tend to like feel good stories, and this one was a feel very bad, and then even more bad kind of story. You see, Morgoth (For those of you not familiar with Tolkien's works, he's the big bad guy!) placed a curse on Húrin's children for some reason (which you'll be able to see in the story), and sine then, everything - EVERYTHING - went wrong for them, and you get to read about that all through the story.
Don't take this the bad way. It is really enjoyable to read it nonetheless, and I do recommend the book for those of you who liked other Tolkien works, but don't let it be your first Tolkien book! I think it's best if it's read after The Silmarillion.
Poll #995894 The Children of Húrin – J.R.R. Tolkien
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All
The Children of Húrin is the latest of Tolkien's books, released over 30 years after his death. This novel focuses on the life of one of Tolkien's characters, namely Túrin Turambar in great detail, expanding on the brief mention of him in The Silmarillion.
I have enjoyed reading this novel so much. It was good to be able to read another well-written story from Middle-Earth (I obviously haven't read everything by Tolkien, but I do not enjoy reading those incomplete works that are full of commentary). I liked some aspects of the story, and hated others.
The style and flow of the story was very nice. I literally couldn't put the book down unless I had to. It's been a while since I read a book this fast. The character development was interesting, and the level of detail adequate.
I have, however, felt that the dramatic aspect of the story is a bit too much, and the way things tend to go wrong is a bit too contrived. I tend to like feel good stories, and this one was a feel very bad, and then even more bad kind of story. You see, Morgoth (For those of you not familiar with Tolkien's works, he's the big bad guy!) placed a curse on Húrin's children for some reason (which you'll be able to see in the story), and sine then, everything - EVERYTHING - went wrong for them, and you get to read about that all through the story.
Don't take this the bad way. It is really enjoyable to read it nonetheless, and I do recommend the book for those of you who liked other Tolkien works, but don't let it be your first Tolkien book! I think it's best if it's read after The Silmarillion.
Poll #995894 The Children of Húrin – J.R.R. Tolkien
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All
Have you read this book?
View Answers
Yes. 1 (33.3%)
No. 1 (33.3%)
No, but I intend to read it someday. 1 (33.3%)
I am currently reading it. 0 (0.0%)
I started to read it, but never completed it. 0 (0.0%)
If so, how much do you give it out of 10? (10 being the highest)
View Answers
Mean: 9.00 Median: 9 Std. Dev 0.00
Mean: 9.00 Median: 9 Std. Dev 0.00
| 1 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 2 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 3 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 4 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 5 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 6 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 7 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 8 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 9 | 1 (100.0%) |
| 10 | 0 (0.0%) |
This book discusses the thinking process, and describes the concept of intelligent memory, which is this part of our brain that makes intelligent rapid connections.
Lately, I have been interested in various books that talk about memory and/or the human brain, and for this reason, I chose to read this book. I, however, was not impressed. I mean the book is not bad, it was very readable and contained some interesting stuff, but I got bored while reading it, and I lost interest in its contents early on.
It even took me a while to write about it here after I had finished reading it, because I didn’t have much to write.
Poll #987209 Intelligent Memory – Barry Gordon
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All
Lately, I have been interested in various books that talk about memory and/or the human brain, and for this reason, I chose to read this book. I, however, was not impressed. I mean the book is not bad, it was very readable and contained some interesting stuff, but I got bored while reading it, and I lost interest in its contents early on.
It even took me a while to write about it here after I had finished reading it, because I didn’t have much to write.
Poll #987209 Intelligent Memory – Barry Gordon
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All
Have you read this book?
View Answers
Yes. 1 (33.3%)
No. 2 (66.7%)
No, but I intend to read it someday. 0 (0.0%)
I am currently reading it. 0 (0.0%)
I started to read it, but never completed it. 0 (0.0%)
If so, how much do you give it out of 10? (10 being the highest)
View Answers
Mean: 2.00 Median: 2 Std. Dev 0.00
Mean: 2.00 Median: 2 Std. Dev 0.00
| 1 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 2 | 1 (100.0%) |
| 3 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 4 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 5 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 6 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 7 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 8 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 9 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 10 | 0 (0.0%) |
Freakonomics is a book that asks dull meaningless questions, and find interesting answers to these questions. Different than most books, the book does not promise any recurring theme, and it sticks to that. It will talk about crime, names, schools, and even sumo wrestlers; and even though it tries to establish a link, there is really no relationship between sumo wrestlers and teachers, it just is that they both have the same basic patterns, and this book explores these patterns.
I enjoyed reading this book, and liked the stories provided. I liked the thinking style, because - and everybody who knows me personally would vouch for that - I have an over-analytic attitude which kinda fits with the concept of the book.
The latest edition of this book also includes some bonus material. This bonus material contains some entries from the Freakonomics blog (http://www.freakonomics.com/blog/ ); I found some of these entries to be very interesting as well.
I do recommend this book, but only for those among you who like general reading, and not very specific and organized reading, because well, that's what you'll find here.
Poll #941046 Freakonomics – Steven D. Levitt & Stephen J. Dubner
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All
I enjoyed reading this book, and liked the stories provided. I liked the thinking style, because - and everybody who knows me personally would vouch for that - I have an over-analytic attitude which kinda fits with the concept of the book.
The latest edition of this book also includes some bonus material. This bonus material contains some entries from the Freakonomics blog (http://www.freakonomics.com/blog/ ); I found some of these entries to be very interesting as well.
I do recommend this book, but only for those among you who like general reading, and not very specific and organized reading, because well, that's what you'll find here.
Poll #941046 Freakonomics – Steven D. Levitt & Stephen J. Dubner
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All
Have you read this book?
View Answers
Yes. 1 (50.0%)
No. 0 (0.0%)
No, but I intend to read it someday. 1 (50.0%)
I am currently reading it. 0 (0.0%)
I started to read it, but never completed it. 0 (0.0%)
If so, how much do you give it out of 10? (10 being the highest)
View Answers
Mean: 6.00 Median: 6 Std. Dev 0.00
Mean: 6.00 Median: 6 Std. Dev 0.00
| 1 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 2 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 3 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 4 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 5 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 6 | 1 (100.0%) |
| 7 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 8 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 9 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 10 | 0 (0.0%) |
The Va Dinci Cod is a parody of The Da Vinci Code. This book is a crazy but hilarious parody that I enjoyed reading. In fact, I only got this book yesterday, and I could not stop reading it until I was done with it, which is not very common for me.
I have to start out by saying that I did not read the complete original novel, but rather listened to an abridged version of it (I did not know that it was heavily abridged until much later, and was not that interested in the book to go and get the full novel). The original novel was not the best there is, but I actually enjoyed reading it. It was, however, quite overdone, and after watching the movie version, I believe that I wouldn’t have liked it if I read it today.
The parody, however, was something else! It was silly, stupid, and just badly written, badly written in a really enjoyable way. The author made sure he made every stupid thing writers do, over and over and over, in a very stupid way. He especially made fun of Dan Brown’s know-it-all let’s overanalyze the history style very well.
I do recommend this for anybody willing to read a crazy book, who has previously read The Da Vinci Code. It’s small and extremely funny; give it a try!
Poll #894689 The Va Dinci Cod – A. R. R. R. Roberts
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All
I have to start out by saying that I did not read the complete original novel, but rather listened to an abridged version of it (I did not know that it was heavily abridged until much later, and was not that interested in the book to go and get the full novel). The original novel was not the best there is, but I actually enjoyed reading it. It was, however, quite overdone, and after watching the movie version, I believe that I wouldn’t have liked it if I read it today.
The parody, however, was something else! It was silly, stupid, and just badly written, badly written in a really enjoyable way. The author made sure he made every stupid thing writers do, over and over and over, in a very stupid way. He especially made fun of Dan Brown’s know-it-all let’s overanalyze the history style very well.
I do recommend this for anybody willing to read a crazy book, who has previously read The Da Vinci Code. It’s small and extremely funny; give it a try!
Poll #894689 The Va Dinci Cod – A. R. R. R. Roberts
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All
Have you read this book?
View Answers
Yes. 1 (33.3%)
No. 1 (33.3%)
No, but I intend to read it someday. 1 (33.3%)
I am currently reading it. 0 (0.0%)
I started to read it, but never completed it. 0 (0.0%)
If so, how much do you give it out of 10? (10 being the highest)
View Answers
Mean: 7.00 Median: 7 Std. Dev 0.00
Mean: 7.00 Median: 7 Std. Dev 0.00
| 1 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 2 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 3 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 4 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 5 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 6 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 7 | 1 (100.0%) |
| 8 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 9 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 10 | 0 (0.0%) |
To start, Are Men Necessary does not answer, or attempt to answer to any serious degree, the question it asks. This question is used mainly as a teaser that would get your attention to the book. Even though it does not address the main subject comprehensively, I did find this book enjoyable to read, and do not regret having read it.
The biggest weakness I found in this book is the way it is unorganized. The author jumps around between different subjects, coming back to some of them multiple times, and this can be confusing. Additionally, the book contained a lot of strong opinions and claims with little or no back up. I do understand that this book does not try to be a scientific book, but I did expect a slightly higher standard anyway.
It is very obvious that the author of this book is a journalist; each unit of text on its own is a really nice read. However, I have to admit that I got confused, and could not discern what political views this author holds; she comes out differently in different contexts.
I found the parts where she discussed her visit to Saudi Arabia and her opinions very interesting. I wish that some people could read some of this text and see how hypocritical our culture can be, and how it is viewed from the outside.
The author also includes a section where she discusses in biological terms the expected demise of the male gender. I did take this section lightly, but I also find it really interesting and at some points, hilarious.
This book is a fun read, and is worth the time I spent reading it, but don’t expect a masterpiece.
Poll #885969 Are Men Necessary? – Maureen Dowd
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All
The biggest weakness I found in this book is the way it is unorganized. The author jumps around between different subjects, coming back to some of them multiple times, and this can be confusing. Additionally, the book contained a lot of strong opinions and claims with little or no back up. I do understand that this book does not try to be a scientific book, but I did expect a slightly higher standard anyway.
It is very obvious that the author of this book is a journalist; each unit of text on its own is a really nice read. However, I have to admit that I got confused, and could not discern what political views this author holds; she comes out differently in different contexts.
I found the parts where she discussed her visit to Saudi Arabia and her opinions very interesting. I wish that some people could read some of this text and see how hypocritical our culture can be, and how it is viewed from the outside.
The author also includes a section where she discusses in biological terms the expected demise of the male gender. I did take this section lightly, but I also find it really interesting and at some points, hilarious.
This book is a fun read, and is worth the time I spent reading it, but don’t expect a masterpiece.
Poll #885969 Are Men Necessary? – Maureen Dowd
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All
Have you read this book?
View Answers
Yes. 1 (33.3%)
No. 2 (66.7%)
No, but I intend to read it someday. 0 (0.0%)
I am currently reading it. 0 (0.0%)
I started to read it, but never completed it. 0 (0.0%)
If so, how much do you give it out of 10? (10 being the highest)
View Answers
Mean: 5.00 Median: 5 Std. Dev 0.00
Mean: 5.00 Median: 5 Std. Dev 0.00
| 1 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 2 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 3 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 4 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 5 | 1 (100.0%) |
| 6 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 7 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 8 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 9 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 10 | 0 (0.0%) |
This book is a very simple book. It has ten questions that talk about important things in life and it asks some well known people to answer these questions. The answers are listed in the book.
Some of the people questioned in this book are Nelson Mandela, Jack Nicholson, Sharon Stone, Paulo Coelho, Bono, and even the Dalai Lama. There are so many others.
Examples of these questions are:
To be honest, I had expected much more of this book. The answers are sometimes very interesting, but most of the answers just go on and on beating around the bush in a similar fashion until you get bored. This is why it took me a very long time to finish this reading book.
Poll #856163 Ten Eternal Questions – Zoe Sallis
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All
Some of the people questioned in this book are Nelson Mandela, Jack Nicholson, Sharon Stone, Paulo Coelho, Bono, and even the Dalai Lama. There are so many others.
Examples of these questions are:
- What is your concept of God?
- Do you believe you have a destiny and do you see yourself as here to fulfill it?
- What advice or words of wisdom would you like to pass on to those close to you?
- Who do you most admire in this world, historical or living?
To be honest, I had expected much more of this book. The answers are sometimes very interesting, but most of the answers just go on and on beating around the bush in a similar fashion until you get bored. This is why it took me a very long time to finish this reading book.
Poll #856163 Ten Eternal Questions – Zoe Sallis
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All
Have you read this book?
View Answers
Yes. 1 (50.0%)
No. 1 (50.0%)
No, but I intend to read it someday. 0 (0.0%)
I am currently reading it. 0 (0.0%)
I started to read it, but never completed it. 0 (0.0%)
If so, how much do you give it out of 10? (10 being the highest)
View Answers
Mean: 3.00 Median: 3 Std. Dev 0.00
Mean: 3.00 Median: 3 Std. Dev 0.00
| 1 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 2 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 3 | 1 (100.0%) |
| 4 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 5 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 6 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 7 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 8 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 9 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 10 | 0 (0.0%) |
Body Language is an interesting subject. It’s something that most of us pay very little attention to, and if we did, we would have noticed a lot of things about the people around us.
This book talks about body language in great details. It describes, sometimes with the aid of images, different body shapes and gives their significance. It is not, however, a list of shapes. The book aims to build a model in our heads, which we can use to analyze the way the person we’re talking to is seated, the way they’re looking at us, and the way they’re moving their limbs, among other things, to decide how they are feeling, and maybe even predict what they are going to say.
I don’t like books like these sometimes because they sound like a cookbook for life and such a thing definitely does not exist. However, this particular book did not sound like that. It did have some parts that suggest that everything is so easy and that you can crack a human’s mind by doing so and so, but I found this to be rare, and not even very strong; a positive aspect in this book.
I do recommend this book, especially to those who deal with customers (Actually, to everybody who deals with other humans face to face on a continuous basis, so all of you!). If you cannot read the non-verbal language, then you surely have been missing a lot.
Poll #856162 The Definitive Book of Body Language – Allan & Barbara Pease
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All
This book talks about body language in great details. It describes, sometimes with the aid of images, different body shapes and gives their significance. It is not, however, a list of shapes. The book aims to build a model in our heads, which we can use to analyze the way the person we’re talking to is seated, the way they’re looking at us, and the way they’re moving their limbs, among other things, to decide how they are feeling, and maybe even predict what they are going to say.
I don’t like books like these sometimes because they sound like a cookbook for life and such a thing definitely does not exist. However, this particular book did not sound like that. It did have some parts that suggest that everything is so easy and that you can crack a human’s mind by doing so and so, but I found this to be rare, and not even very strong; a positive aspect in this book.
I do recommend this book, especially to those who deal with customers (Actually, to everybody who deals with other humans face to face on a continuous basis, so all of you!). If you cannot read the non-verbal language, then you surely have been missing a lot.
Poll #856162 The Definitive Book of Body Language – Allan & Barbara Pease
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All
Have you read this book?
View Answers
Yes. 1 (100.0%)
No. 0 (0.0%)
No, but I intend to read it someday. 0 (0.0%)
I am currently reading it. 0 (0.0%)
I started to read it, but never completed it. 0 (0.0%)
If so, how much do you give it out of 10? (10 being the highest)
View Answers
Mean: 8.00 Median: 8 Std. Dev 0.00
Mean: 8.00 Median: 8 Std. Dev 0.00
| 1 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 2 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 3 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 4 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 5 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 6 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 7 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 8 | 1 (100.0%) |
| 9 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 10 | 0 (0.0%) |
As the name suggests, this book talks about the story of Google; Google is not only a search engine, but also a very successful software company that has a unique style and set of values. Created by two young graduate students, who only wanted to complete their studies and had no interest in business, this company has grown to be able to compete with the biggest software companies out there.
The book gives a lot of insight about the backgrounds and lives of both creators of Google, Larry Page and Sergey Brin. It then goes to show how these two geniuses collaborated to build the greatest search engine, their efforts to get this engine to the public, and the emergence of Google the company, taking us through the different problems, issues, and hurdles they had to deal with during their journey. The book will address these issues from many perspectives; the political, economic, technical, and even the social.
I found this book to be one of the best non-fiction books I have ever read. It is an amazingly true story of success of an amazingly meaningful company. I do advice everybody to read this book!
Poll #834578 The Google Story – David A. Vise
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All
The book gives a lot of insight about the backgrounds and lives of both creators of Google, Larry Page and Sergey Brin. It then goes to show how these two geniuses collaborated to build the greatest search engine, their efforts to get this engine to the public, and the emergence of Google the company, taking us through the different problems, issues, and hurdles they had to deal with during their journey. The book will address these issues from many perspectives; the political, economic, technical, and even the social.
I found this book to be one of the best non-fiction books I have ever read. It is an amazingly true story of success of an amazingly meaningful company. I do advice everybody to read this book!
Poll #834578 The Google Story – David A. Vise
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All
Have you read this book?
View Answers
Yes. 1 (20.0%)
No. 3 (60.0%)
No, but I intend to read it someday. 1 (20.0%)
I am currently reading it. 0 (0.0%)
I started to read it, but never completed it. 0 (0.0%)
If so, how much do you give it out of 10? (10 being the highest)
View Answers
Mean: 10.00 Median: 10 Std. Dev 0.00
Mean: 10.00 Median: 10 Std. Dev 0.00
| 1 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 2 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 3 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 4 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 5 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 6 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 7 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 8 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 9 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 10 | 1 (100.0%) |
Ok, as usual, it was fun to read, very light, and it didn’t take me long to finish it. However, it was quite predictable. The author has managed to create a very interesting setting, and get a very interesting style, but she seems to be worried about exploring a little bit more variation.
Every book starts with some problems building up, and Mia complaining about them; things keep getting worse and worse, and Mia keeps saying that things just can’t go worse (Like she did every time for the last 6 books), and towards the end, magic happens and everything resolves itself just like everybody expected.
I mean yeah, the book is directed at young people, and it’s a feel-good book, and all that, but a little variation in the story wouldn’t hurt, and would make it more fun for everybody.
Maybe I should try some of Meg Cabot’s other books sometimes.
Poll #780274 Princess Diaries 7 – Meg Cabot
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All
Every book starts with some problems building up, and Mia complaining about them; things keep getting worse and worse, and Mia keeps saying that things just can’t go worse (Like she did every time for the last 6 books), and towards the end, magic happens and everything resolves itself just like everybody expected.
I mean yeah, the book is directed at young people, and it’s a feel-good book, and all that, but a little variation in the story wouldn’t hurt, and would make it more fun for everybody.
Maybe I should try some of Meg Cabot’s other books sometimes.
Poll #780274 Princess Diaries 7 – Meg Cabot
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All
Have you read this book?
View Answers
Yes. 1 (25.0%)
No. 2 (50.0%)
No, but I intend to read it someday. 1 (25.0%)
I am currently reading it. 0 (0.0%)
I started to read it, but never completed it. 0 (0.0%)
If so, how much do you give it out of 10? (10 being the highest)
View Answers
Mean: 5.00 Median: 5 Std. Dev 0.00
Mean: 5.00 Median: 5 Std. Dev 0.00
| 1 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 2 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 3 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 4 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 5 | 1 (100.0%) |
| 6 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 7 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 8 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 9 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 10 | 0 (0.0%) |
This book – just like the title suggests – talks about NLP, or Neuro-Linguistic Programming. I have previously listened to an audio tape by the name of Introducing NLP, by the same authors. I thought I had written about it here, but it looks like I didn’t.
I do not know how to describe NLP properly. It is some sort of a model that describes human psychology, and uses this knowledge to suggest some practical solutions to deal with humans better. How it achieves this claim, I am not sure. To be honest, I find it more theoretical than practical. I wouldn’t say I am a big fan of NLP.
The way I see it is that NLP takes all these psychological theories thought out by so many people before, and put some complex sounding terminology for them, and puts them up for sale.
The idea that we can “model success” is a really nice and noble idea, but does NLP really do that? I couldn’t see it really. Maybe I need to read more about it before I can judge that.
This book and the audio book, however, are much better than things I have previously read about NLP. At least they are not dead boring. They haven’t shown me the magic that is NLP though.
Poll #780263 Way of NLP – Joseph O’Connor & Ian McDermott
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All
I do not know how to describe NLP properly. It is some sort of a model that describes human psychology, and uses this knowledge to suggest some practical solutions to deal with humans better. How it achieves this claim, I am not sure. To be honest, I find it more theoretical than practical. I wouldn’t say I am a big fan of NLP.
The way I see it is that NLP takes all these psychological theories thought out by so many people before, and put some complex sounding terminology for them, and puts them up for sale.
The idea that we can “model success” is a really nice and noble idea, but does NLP really do that? I couldn’t see it really. Maybe I need to read more about it before I can judge that.
This book and the audio book, however, are much better than things I have previously read about NLP. At least they are not dead boring. They haven’t shown me the magic that is NLP though.
Poll #780263 Way of NLP – Joseph O’Connor & Ian McDermott
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All
Have you read this book?
View Answers
Yes. 1 (50.0%)
No. 1 (50.0%)
No, but I intend to read it someday. 0 (0.0%)
I am currently reading it. 0 (0.0%)
I started to read it, but never completed it. 0 (0.0%)
If so, how much do you give it out of 10? (10 being the highest)
View Answers
Mean: 3.00 Median: 3 Std. Dev 0.00
Mean: 3.00 Median: 3 Std. Dev 0.00
| 1 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 2 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 3 | 1 (100.0%) |
| 4 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 5 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 6 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 7 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 8 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 9 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 10 | 0 (0.0%) |
The Tipping Point is another great book by Malcom Gladwell. After reading Blink, I had high expectations for this book (Especially that everybody kept mentioning it is better), and it met these expectations. This book discusses how things that start small could suddenly spread to cause some sort of an epidemic. Knowing how to trigger such an epidemic can be very useful if you are trying to sell a product, convince people of an idea, or just spread some information.
The author argues that there are three factors that are involved in this process: Some qualities of the messenger, the stickiness of the message, and the environment of the message. He then goes into each factor, giving detailed information, with some very interesting examples. After that, some case studies are discussed and the whole idea is applied on them.
The book is quite enjoyable, and extremely useful; I do advise you to read it if you haven’t read it yet!
Poll #720542 The Tipping Point – Malcom Gladwell
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All
The author argues that there are three factors that are involved in this process: Some qualities of the messenger, the stickiness of the message, and the environment of the message. He then goes into each factor, giving detailed information, with some very interesting examples. After that, some case studies are discussed and the whole idea is applied on them.
The book is quite enjoyable, and extremely useful; I do advise you to read it if you haven’t read it yet!
Poll #720542 The Tipping Point – Malcom Gladwell
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All
Have you read this book?
View Answers
Yes. 2 (66.7%)
No. 1 (33.3%)
No, but I intend to read it someday. 0 (0.0%)
I am currently reading it. 0 (0.0%)
I started to read it, but never completed it. 0 (0.0%)
If so, how much do you give it out of 10? (10 being the highest)
View Answers
Mean: 9.50 Median: 9.5 Std. Dev 0.50
Mean: 9.50 Median: 9.5 Std. Dev 0.50
| 1 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 2 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 3 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 4 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 5 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 6 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 7 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 8 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 9 | 1 (50.0%) |
| 10 | 1 (50.0%) |
From the author of Eats, Shoots & Leaves, this book tries to follow a similar style to discuss manners, or the lack of them, in a light hearted manner. It claims to give you six reasons why you should stay home and bolt your door.
Compared to Eats, Shoots & Leaves, I do not think this book has a chance. It is interesting, and it discusses a very serious issue, but some parts of it confused me, and in other parts I felt the author was not sure of her position.
Still, this book gives the reader much more insight about the personality of Lynne Truss. It’s more of a rant from someone sitting in front of you talking to you than an advice book.
Poll #703383 You Can’t Win a Fight with Your Boss – Tom Markert
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All
Compared to Eats, Shoots & Leaves, I do not think this book has a chance. It is interesting, and it discusses a very serious issue, but some parts of it confused me, and in other parts I felt the author was not sure of her position.
Still, this book gives the reader much more insight about the personality of Lynne Truss. It’s more of a rant from someone sitting in front of you talking to you than an advice book.
Poll #703383 You Can’t Win a Fight with Your Boss – Tom Markert
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All
Have you read this book?
View Answers
Yes. 1 (50.0%)
No. 1 (50.0%)
No, but I intend to read it someday. 0 (0.0%)
I am currently reading it. 0 (0.0%)
I started to read it, but never completed it. 0 (0.0%)
If so, how much do you give it out of 10? (10 being the highest)
View Answers
Mean: 3.00 Median: 3 Std. Dev 0.00
Mean: 3.00 Median: 3 Std. Dev 0.00
| 1 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 2 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 3 | 1 (100.0%) |
| 4 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 5 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 6 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 7 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 8 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 9 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 10 | 0 (0.0%) |
You Can’t Win a Fight with Your Boss & 55 Other Rules For Success provides 56 rules which the author believes are necessary for your success in an organization, especially if you wish to reach higher managerial positions. I found this book really interesting, and it had many interesting bits of advice.
I cannot say I agree with everything. The author of this book is a successful executive and he believes that whatever he and the people he knows have faced is the true path to success. While much of it applies to everybody, not everything does. This still does not change the fact that it was a very useful and interesting read.
I do advise every one who wants to do well at their jobs, or at least understand how the people high up think, to give this book a try.
Poll #701556 You Can’t Win a Fight with Your Boss – Tom Markert
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All
I cannot say I agree with everything. The author of this book is a successful executive and he believes that whatever he and the people he knows have faced is the true path to success. While much of it applies to everybody, not everything does. This still does not change the fact that it was a very useful and interesting read.
I do advise every one who wants to do well at their jobs, or at least understand how the people high up think, to give this book a try.
Poll #701556 You Can’t Win a Fight with Your Boss – Tom Markert
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All
Have you read this book?
View Answers
Yes. 1 (100.0%)
No. 0 (0.0%)
No, but I intend to read it someday. 0 (0.0%)
I am currently reading it. 0 (0.0%)
I started to read it, but never completed it. 0 (0.0%)
If so, how much do you give it out of 10? (10 being the highest)
View Answers
Mean: 7.00 Median: 7 Std. Dev 0.00
Mean: 7.00 Median: 7 Std. Dev 0.00
| 1 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 2 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 3 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 4 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 5 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 6 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 7 | 1 (100.0%) |
| 8 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 9 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 10 | 0 (0.0%) |
As you probably have noticed, I do not often read Arabic books. However, the author of this book is a well known Saudi TV show host who has shown open mindedness and respect for other people’s opinions. Simply, he gained my respect.
This guy is pretty slim nowadays. In fact, I did not know he was obese until I heard of this book. He lost over half his weight, and in this book, he talks comically about his experience with obesity, both physical and emotional, and his feelings when he started losing weight. He also talks in general about obese people and obesity.
The tone of this book is not rude, not intentionally so anyway. It is not a book that advises people to lose weight; the sole aim of it is for the author to make fun of himself and give his readers some enjoyable time.
One of the nice things about this book is its volume. It’s small; you can read it in two hours. I like it when books are not too demanding.
Poll #699449 Memories of a Previously Obese Guy (ذكريات سمين سابق) – Turki Al-Dakheel
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All
This guy is pretty slim nowadays. In fact, I did not know he was obese until I heard of this book. He lost over half his weight, and in this book, he talks comically about his experience with obesity, both physical and emotional, and his feelings when he started losing weight. He also talks in general about obese people and obesity.
The tone of this book is not rude, not intentionally so anyway. It is not a book that advises people to lose weight; the sole aim of it is for the author to make fun of himself and give his readers some enjoyable time.
One of the nice things about this book is its volume. It’s small; you can read it in two hours. I like it when books are not too demanding.
Poll #699449 Memories of a Previously Obese Guy (ذكريات سمين سابق) – Turki Al-Dakheel
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All
Have you read Memories of a Previously Obese Guy?
View Answers
Yes. 1 (33.3%)
No. 1 (33.3%)
No, but I intend to read it someday. 1 (33.3%)
I am currently reading it. 0 (0.0%)
I started to read it, but never completed it. 0 (0.0%)
If so, how much do you give it out of 10? (10 being the highest)
View Answers
Mean: 5.00 Median: 5 Std. Dev 0.00
Mean: 5.00 Median: 5 Std. Dev 0.00
| 1 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 2 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 3 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 4 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 5 | 1 (100.0%) |
| 6 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 7 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 8 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 9 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 10 | 0 (0.0%) |
How Would You Move Mount Fuji is centered on Microsoft-style puzzle interview questions and issues that relate to them. The book addresses many interesting issues relating to interviews, intelligence, and puzzle solving. It also provides a lot of interesting puzzles and their solutions.
I enjoyed reading through the first parts of this book; when it talks about the history of job interviews and intelligence testing, told many interesting interview anecdotes, and addressed interview questions generally. However, I did not really enjoy the part where it contained the actual interview questions, and their solutions. They were many, and were very repetitive. I skipped many of them, actually.
Just for fun, I will share with you one of the interesting puzzles. Respond if you have an answer:
Poll #699127 How Would You Move Mount Fuji?
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All
I enjoyed reading through the first parts of this book; when it talks about the history of job interviews and intelligence testing, told many interesting interview anecdotes, and addressed interview questions generally. However, I did not really enjoy the part where it contained the actual interview questions, and their solutions. They were many, and were very repetitive. I skipped many of them, actually.
Just for fun, I will share with you one of the interesting puzzles. Respond if you have an answer:
A high school has this ritual on the last day of school: The students go into the hall and stand by their closed lockers. At the first blow of a whistle, the students open every locker. At the second whistle, the students close every second locker (lockers 2, 4, 6, etc., are slammed shut). At the third whistle, the students toggle every third locker. To "toggle" means to close it if it's open, and to open it if it's closed. They toggle lockers 3, 6, 9, etc At whistle four, they toggle every fourth locker. At whistle five, they toggle every fifth locker, and so on.
Let's make things easy and say it's a small school with only 100 lockers. At the one hundredth whistle, the student standing next to locker 100 (and only that student) toggles his locker. How many lockers are then open?
Poll #699127 How Would You Move Mount Fuji?
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All
Have you read How Would You Move Mount Fuji?
View Answers
Yes. 1 (33.3%)
No. 2 (66.7%)
No, but I intend to read it someday. 0 (0.0%)
I am currently reading it. 0 (0.0%)
I started to read it, but never completed it. 0 (0.0%)
If so, how much do you give it out of 10? (10 being the highest)
View Answers
Mean: 5.00 Median: 5 Std. Dev 0.00
Mean: 5.00 Median: 5 Std. Dev 0.00
| 1 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 2 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 3 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 4 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 5 | 1 (100.0%) |
| 6 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 7 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 8 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 9 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 10 | 0 (0.0%) |
Blink is a book about intuition; what it is, how it works, and how we can hone it to our benefit. The first moments of perception for anything, the first milliseconds, are very important; they decide on how the rest of our experience goes. This is sometimes the result of expertise, something positive that we want, but it can, at other times, result in dangerous decisions.
In this book, the author uses so many extremely interesting examples to support his opinions. I have found myself surprised at some of the things he mentioned; it just did not fit in my equation before now.
This book gives very good insight to how our brains work. It discusses an aspect of human psychology that I knew existed, but never expected would be this sophisticated. I do advise everyone to read this book.
Poll #651992 Blink
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All
In this book, the author uses so many extremely interesting examples to support his opinions. I have found myself surprised at some of the things he mentioned; it just did not fit in my equation before now.
This book gives very good insight to how our brains work. It discusses an aspect of human psychology that I knew existed, but never expected would be this sophisticated. I do advise everyone to read this book.
Poll #651992 Blink
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All
Have you read Blink?
View Answers
Yes. 3 (75.0%)
No. 1 (25.0%)
No, but I intend to read it someday. 0 (0.0%)
I started reading it, but never completed it. 0 (0.0%)
I am currently reading it. 0 (0.0%)
If so, how much do you give it out of 10? (10 being the highest)
View Answers
Mean: 8.00 Median: 8 Std. Dev 0.82
Mean: 8.00 Median: 8 Std. Dev 0.82
| 1 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 2 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 3 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 4 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 5 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 6 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 7 | 1 (33.3%) |
| 8 | 1 (33.3%) |
| 9 | 1 (33.3%) |
| 10 | 0 (0.0%) |
Every one of has these instances in our lives in which we need to tell someone something that we know they won’t be happy about, or have a problem with someone’s behavior that we want them to stop, and I doubt any of us like these situations. This book is there to help you with such situations. It gives you some guidelines which help make these situations more successful, and it is full of examples of both good and bad conversations.
The book is really good; it is more original than many self-improvement books. You can feel the author’s personality, which is something I appreciate in a book. I do recommend that you read this book.
Here is one paragraph I really liked in the book:
It is not directly related to the main idea of the book, but it is a great paragraph nonetheless!
Poll #642749 Difficult Conversations
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All
The book is really good; it is more original than many self-improvement books. You can feel the author’s personality, which is something I appreciate in a book. I do recommend that you read this book.
Here is one paragraph I really liked in the book:
We end up getting embarrassed about using our own words, imagining they have to be flowery, although, in terms of impact, a couple of honest, mumbled words from the heart come across as more heartfelt than purchased lines of mass marketed sentimental verse.
It is not directly related to the main idea of the book, but it is a great paragraph nonetheless!
Poll #642749 Difficult Conversations
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All
Have you read Difficult Conversations?
View Answers
Yes. 1 (50.0%)
No. 1 (50.0%)
No, but I intend to read it someday. 0 (0.0%)
I am currently reading it. 0 (0.0%)
I started to read it, but never completed it. 0 (0.0%)
If so, how much do you give it out of 10? (10 being the highest)
View Answers
Mean: 8.00 Median: 8 Std. Dev 0.00
Mean: 8.00 Median: 8 Std. Dev 0.00
| 1 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 2 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 3 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 4 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 5 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 6 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 7 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 8 | 1 (100.0%) |
| 9 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 10 | 0 (0.0%) |
Memory Boosters is a book that is supposed to help you improve your memory in 10 steps. Even though I do not believe any 10 steps can help you have a better memory, and that this is only to make the book more popular, I really found this book to be interesting. The book design is very neat and colorful, which makes it more appealing to the reader. Some parts of it are obvious or repetitive, but others are extremely interesting.
I really recommend this book if you like self-improvement type books. It's good.
Poll #640051 Memory Boosters
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All
I really recommend this book if you like self-improvement type books. It's good.
Poll #640051 Memory Boosters
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All
Have you read Memory Boosters?
View Answers
Yes. 1 (33.3%)
No. 2 (66.7%)
No, but I intend to read it someday. 0 (0.0%)
I am currently reading it. 0 (0.0%)
I started to read it, but never completed it. 0 (0.0%)
If so, how much do you give it out of 10? (10 being the highest)
View Answers
Mean: 8.00 Median: 8 Std. Dev 0.00
Mean: 8.00 Median: 8 Std. Dev 0.00
| 1 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 2 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 3 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 4 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 5 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 6 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 7 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 8 | 1 (100.0%) |
| 9 | 0 (0.0%) |
| 10 | 0 (0.0%) |
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