Review: How Not to Be Wrong: The Power of Mathematical Thinking

How Not to Be Wrong: The Power of Mathematical Thinking by Jordan Ellenberg
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Lots of great examples and approaches to clear, orderly, accurate thinking.

View all my reviews

Review: The Assyrian Empire

The Assyrian Empire by History Nerds
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The history of the ancient world empire told simply and some reason earnestly as model for moderns to reflect on.

View all my reviews

Review: A Most Remarkable Creature: The Hidden Life and Epic Journey of the World’s Smartest Birds of Prey

A Most Remarkable Creature: The Hidden Life and Epic Journey of the World’s Smartest Birds of Prey by Jonathan Meiburg
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Caracaras, which intrigued Darwin (he wrote about them at length) in the Falkland Islands. Also at home in remote Tierra del Fuego and the tropical forests of Guyana, the now rare and inquisitive striated caracaras are center to this history which includes the life and work of William Henry Hudson, a Victorian writer and naturalist who championed caracaras as an unsung wonder of the natural world.

View all my reviews

Review: Say It Plain: A Century of Great African American Speeches

Say It Plain: A Century of Great African American Speeches by Catherine Ellis
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Say It Plain samples African-American oratory from an antique recording of Booker T. Washington and others from Marcus Garvey, Shirley Chisholm, and MLK. Host Michele Norris presents the 2005 event from American Public Media. I actually took in an Audible audiobook edition that used to be at this link. Some audio and more can is here from PRX.

View all my reviews

Review: Hannibal: Rome’s Greatest Enemy

Hannibal: Rome’s Greatest Enemy by Philip Freeman
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is a brisk, entertaining read of Hannibal's long struggle against Rome. Of course, bringing the elephants over the Alps is an exciting chapter here. I was looking forward to reading that. I was also impressed with the multi-day march along the swollen Arno. This area was mostly marshland and happened to be overflowing more than usual that spring. Hannibal knew that this route was full of difficulties, but it remained the surest and quickest way to central Italy. Polybius claims that Hannibal's men marched for four days and three nights "through a land that was under water", suffering terribly from fatigue and enforced want of sleep. He crossed without opposition over both the Apennines (during which he lost his right eye because of conjunctivitis) and the seemingly impassable Arno to lure the main Roman army under Flaminius into a pitched Battle of Lake Trasimene.

View all my reviews

Review: Meister Eckhart's Book of Secrets: Meditations on Letting Go and Finding True Freedom

Meister Eckhart's Book of Secrets: Meditations on Letting Go and Finding True Freedom by Jon M. Sweeney
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Poetic Christian mysticism. I was surprised Eckhart suggests at predestination.

View all my reviews

Review: Pudd'nhead Wilson

Pudd'nhead Wilson by Mark Twain
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Introduced by Langston Hughes. I read the third printing, Jan. 1984, with different cover.

As I get older, somehow flicks with subtitles and dialect like Twain's characters speak irk me. Still, I have read this crime drama setting with joy. It is a witty indictment of racism, classism and other superficial judgements and xenophobia. Specifically, it exposes as ridiculous the blood laws and slavery institution of Twain's time.

Sort of a crime noir and bit of courtroom drama, of all the setting I think I like most the idea of a group of guys getting together regular to share ideas as a bunch of freethinkers.

View all my reviews