Review: Software Project Survival Guide

Software Project Survival Guide by Steve McConnell

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I really enjoyed this, possibly the most concise and short of McConnell's software design and project management tomes. I found I labeled for reference many spots in this work: Customer's Bill of Rights, Survival Test Score (cf., Raleigh Model), a good overview of required elements of a software process around requirements. Among the points I found interesting was the research into the ineffeciency of open work bays vis-avis the need for continued focus by developers.

I also liked the broad view of vision documents and post mortems as this should be a broadly defined and controlled process, too. In there are such realistic caveats as "plan should not assume the team will work overtime" and support for scientific estimation processes and coding standards although I think he has left reality with "The best coding standards are .. less than 25 pages".



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Review: Street Player: My Chicago Story

Street Player: My Chicago Story by Danny Seraphine

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



Danny really delivers in this autobiography: The tale of his rise from Chicago gang thug to accomplished professional drummer makes a fascinating first act that leads to the globe-trotting, arena-filling years of Chicago's rule (alongside but over Blood, Sweat & Tears) of rock band with horns and a jazz bent. The tragedies and excess and eventual ousting lead to the most personal third act: Seraphine alone and struggling to find himself personally and professionally, which he does.



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Review: Lunar Notes - Zoot Horn Rollo's Captain Beefheart Experience

Lunar Notes - Zoot Horn Rollo's Captain Beefheart Experience by Bill Harkleroad

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



Bill Harkleroad went from Captain Beefheart protege to effective Magic Band musical director before leaving in his disgust and accomplished polythythmic/polyphonic recording in his wake. This very honest, open memoir reads like a transcript of Harkleroad in monologue: genuine and conversational. Decrypting the Don Van Vliet alter ego and recalling what shows and sessions he could, Harkleroad did take the time to turn his ears back to the Beefheart and Mallard recordings and give his track-by-track recollections, opinions, and looking-back assessment making this book also an informative listening guide.



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Review: The Violinist's Thumb: And Other Lost Tales of Love, War, and Genius, as Written by Ourgenetic Code

The Violinist's Thumb: And Other Lost Tales of Love, War, and Genius, as Written by Ourgenetic Code by Sam Kean

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



A fascinating tour of our genetic code by the author of [b:The Disappearing Spoon: And Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elements|7247854|The Disappearing Spoon And Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elements|Sam Kean|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1344265242s/7247854.jpg|8246153]. I particularly like the stories of Darwin's pet kissing bug, the clarification for me of Lamarkian/epigenetic effects, the early pioneers like chess and cigar enthusiast Mendel, and more, along with - of course - the loose-fingered subject of the title, violin virtuoso Paganini.



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Review: Self-Portrait of a Scoundrel

Self-Portrait of a Scoundrel by Chauncey Holt

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



Really an amazing tale of an underworld Zelig renaissance man that was every wear: So. American & Caribbean coups, CIA wars in Indochina, keeping the books for Meyer Lansky, standing by Oswald while he passed out Fair Play for Cuba flyers and, of course, behind the Grassy Knoll on that fateful day in Dallas. He also could do anything: creative accounting with the best of them, military aviation, expert marksmanship, portraiture, document forgery, and more. Is it all true? I don't know, but it is a fascinating read full of facts on crime and cop figures that could be verified with lots of photos and documents and appendices with two lengthy interviews and more that purport to support his role as an unwilling bit player in an American coup by scorned Mafia-CIA-AntiCastro forces that all had it in for Kennedy.

I'll be doing an interview on my program this Sunday related to this book and the interview transcripts.



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Review: Self-Portrait of a Scoundrel

Self-Portrait of a Scoundrel by Chauncey Holt

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



Really an amazing tale of an underworld Zelig renaissance man that was every wear: So. American & Caribbean coups, CIA wars in Indochina, keeping the books for Meyer Lansky, standing by Oswald while he passed out Fair Play for Cuba flyers and, of course, behind the Grassy Knoll on that fateful day in Dallas. He also could do anything: creative accounting with the best of them, military aviation, expert marksmanship, portraiture, document forgery, and more. Is it all true? I don't know, but it is a fascinating read full of facts on crime and cop figures that could be verified with lots of photos and documents and appendices with two lengthy interviews and more that purport to support his role as an unwilling bit player in an American coup by scorned Mafia-CIA-AntiCastro forces that all had it in for Kennedy.



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Review: Sound and Fury: Two Powerful Lives, One Fateful Friendship

Sound and Fury: Two Powerful Lives, One Fateful Friendship by Dave Kindred

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



In this dual biography, the largeness and significance of The Greatest eclipses that of commentator and fan Cosell. Ali's rush to join the military to be stopped by entry written tests and then refusal to be inducted later becomes one of the many acts of an Ali as marionette to Nation of Islam's Elijah Muhammed. This includes voluntarily withdrawing from fighting for a year and expressing trepidation that the assassination that befell Malcom X could happen to Ali if he, too, crossed Elijah. Also interesting is the intersections with organized crime. Did the mafia fix the Muhammad Ali vs Sonny Liston 1965 fight?



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