This is a great example how someone can go from a mediocre writer to a magnificent writer. You can see all the seeds of Liu Cixin's greatness in this This is a great example how someone can go from a mediocre writer to a magnificent writer. You can see all the seeds of Liu Cixin's greatness in this book but it just doesn't work at all. This is 99% filler, unlike his later work which is dense with great ideas....more
I really loved Paglia in my twenties but when I read her latest stuff it feels to me that she has an intransigent anger that is not productive. Her inI really loved Paglia in my twenties but when I read her latest stuff it feels to me that she has an intransigent anger that is not productive. Her intentions don't seem productive....more
I really liked the writing. But I just do not enjoy the technical details of war. Once it became clear to me that at least a significant part of this I really liked the writing. But I just do not enjoy the technical details of war. Once it became clear to me that at least a significant part of this book would review battles, strategies, etc. I wasn't interested.
For those who do like to read about the details of war, this would be a great book....more
This book was really frustrating. It started out strong, with what was for me, a new way of thinking about Hitler and his true motivations. And then sThis book was really frustrating. It started out strong, with what was for me, a new way of thinking about Hitler and his true motivations. And then suddenly it became a book about the history of Palestine and then Austria and then I gave up.
What I was looking for was historical documentation that continued to elaborate on the thesis presented in the beginning. This support for the thesis was dropped, at least in the first third of the book....more
I thought this book had a fairly strong beginning although I did notice a lethargy in the writing. Once I got into the late middle I became very frustI thought this book had a fairly strong beginning although I did notice a lethargy in the writing. Once I got into the late middle I became very frustrated. The author seemed to be looking for a doorstop instead of exuberant writing. The content could have been the inspiration for excitement and a sense of wonder in the writing, but it wasn't there. The plot dragged so much it seemed to repeat elements over and over. Nothing new was happening. I wanted to know what happened in the end but wasn't willing to put in the hours to find out....more
This is my third Mitchell book. In all 3 cases I started off kind of excited about the book but then I got worn down. The writing wore me down in thisThis is my third Mitchell book. In all 3 cases I started off kind of excited about the book but then I got worn down. The writing wore me down in this case. I'm not going to spend the time and energy figuring out what exactly about it that grated on me. (I know part of it was a superficiality about really heavy subjects, (like slavery)). I just know that life is short and when I start thinking of all the great books I am not reading while I am being irritated by this book, it is time to let it go....more
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