Review: AC/DC: The Savage Tale of the First Standards War

AC/DC: The Savage Tale of the First Standards War by Tom McNichol

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Wars are always interesting, and as most wars this one was very dirty and not without casualties.
I liked a lot this book, because it explains very well the technical differences, advantages and problems in both electrical systems, and it also gives a nice introduction to the people involved in the war.
What I didn't like very much is that the book is very much Edison centered, leaving Westinhouse and specially Tesla relegated to a second plane.




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Review: Safari

Safari by Parnell Hall

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



This book is about a safari in Africa where people die and none of them by wild animals atacks, fourtunately one of the passangers is private investigator Stanley Hartings, who is there to solve the mystery.
I liked very much the details, and I could really imagine what it would be like to be on a safari on africa, where people from the city like myself are the least prepared and the most defenseless, to all the dangers of Africa.
The mysteries and motives, where a little weak for my taste, but the story is well narrated and not at all boring.



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Review: Every Move Must Have a Purpose: Strategies from Chess for Business and Life

Every Move Must Have a Purpose: Strategies from Chess for Business and Life by Bruce Pandolfini

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



I liked this book, mainly because of the chess anecdotes, but I think the book is too short and the strategies too general for them to be useful in business or life. I have yet to try these "strategies" at chess.



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Review: An Appetite for Wonder: The Making of a Scientist

An Appetite for Wonder: The Making of a Scientist by Richard Dawkins

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I was expecting a really interesting story of his life, and I wasn't dissapointed, it was fun to learn about his childhood and his family even with detailed anecdotes of some of his forefathers. This I envy a bit, since my knowledge of ascendants is limited to 3 or 4 generations, which I guess it is normal, like Douglas Adams, used to say: "Humans are not proud of their ancestors, and rarely invite them round to dinner".

The part about his academic life is entertaining also, specially the programming releated bits, and the descriptions of the experiments on animal behavior.

I will definetely read the second part of this biography.



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Review: What I Talk About When I Talk About Running

What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami

My rating: 2 of 5 stars



So, I actually have never read Murakami, and I found this book looking for audiobooks about running, not searching specifically for a runner novelist. I emphasize this, because it's not the book's fault that I didn't loved it, I simply expected something different.
It was not etirely unpleasent, but it just wasn't the kind of book I was hoping for, I hoped it would have tips, advice or inspiration for running, but it was a lot more of a biography with running anecdotes, than a running centered book. I guess it may have different if I had already read some of his novels, so maybe I will.



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Review: The Developer's Code: What Real Programmers Do

The Developer's Code: What Real Programmers Do by Ka Wai Cheung

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



The book is divided into small essays that suggest and advise things to do and avoid when programming, generally not in a technical, but more in a state of mind and the way in wich we should aproach a programming challenge. Although some of the essays were good ideas that made me consider to change the ways in wich I work, most of them were too repetitive and not that helpfull.



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Review: Endgame: Bobby Fischer's Remarkable Rise and Fall - From America's Brightest Prodigy to the Edge of Madness

Endgame: Bobby Fischer's Remarkable Rise and Fall - From America's Brightest Prodigy to the Edge of Madness by Frank Brady

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Fisher had such an interesting life, that it would be impossible for the book to be otherwise. There was so much about his life that I didn't know, and now that I do, I both despise and admire him even more. A great listen/read if you like chess.



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Review: Finding Ultra: Rejecting Middle Age, Becoming One of the World's Fittest Men, and Discovering Myself

Finding Ultra: Rejecting Middle Age, Becoming One of the World's Fittest Men, and Discovering Myself by Rich Roll

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



I was very excited about this book, mainly because of the vegan athlete theme. As a relativly new vegetarian I have always wondered about the nutrition key factors in vegan diet and how it fits with athletes requirements.

Unfortunately this book is more the kind of book that tries to make you to get up and do something EPIC but fails (or at least it failed with me). I think it is a nice inspiring book, but I found it repetitive and too spiritual at the end. All in all it is a great story, but could have been told better.



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Review: Bounce: Mozart, Federer, Picasso, Beckham, and the Science of Success

Bounce: Mozart, Federer, Picasso, Beckham, and the Science of Success by Matthew Syed

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I enjoyed so much this book, the concepts and arguments that Syed uses are not really new but are presented with clarity, examples, anecdotes and scientific studies. Syed makes a compelling argument that there is no such thing as innate talent, nor shortcuts to success and that in order to become an expert at any activity you need at least 10000 hours of practice with purpose. It really made me re-think some things I had taken for granted and for that I highly recommend it.



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