en-US Thu, 03 Jul 2025 00:01:17 -0700 60 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg Review7705683871 Thu, 03 Jul 2025 00:01:17 -0700 /review/show/7705683871 Mac gave 2 stars to Bad Company: Private Equity and the Death of the American Dream (Hardcover) by Megan Greenwell
I wanted to learn about the downsides (the evils?) of private equity, and I assumed a book with “Bad Company” and “Death of the American Dream” in the title would educate me. Having read the book, I can now say “mission accomplished.” Megan Greenwell provides the education I was looking for. When private equity firms have goals different from their ultimate workers, there is bound to be trouble, and the book describes all kinds of trouble.

However, for me, Greenwell has made two decisions that are not as successful. She tells her story through four workers “whose lives and communities were uprooted by leveraged buyouts:” a retail store floor supervisor, a doctor, a newspaper journalist, and an affordable housing organizer. These four people humanize the story and provide a framework for describing the flaws of private equity. My problem: Though the biographies are presented well, the information is more than I wanted to know about the characters and their families. For the most part, the biographical details, instead of being an enhancement, interfere with the main point.

Last thought. The book is creatively organized. Sandwiched between an introduction and conclusion, the three sections are Before…During…and After…with the story alternating back and forth across the four main characters. Creative, yes. Clear, mostly, but the structure makes it hard to maintain narrative continuity. The structure works, but it accents the personal biographies, not the tutorial on private equity.

Bottom line, I learned something about the flaws (yes, the evils) of private equity, but I was distracted by both the personalization of the story and the book’s structure.
]]> Review7675884808 Sun, 22 Jun 2025 14:43:27 -0700 /review/show/7675884808 Mac gave 2 stars to Nightshade (Hardcover) by Michael Connelly
The latest Michael Connelly effort, starring Detective Stilwell in Nightshade, includes some aspects in this new series that are similar to the Harry Bosch stories: A couple of criminal cases that somehow merge…an investigator who pursues the truth at all costs…a hero who skates over the boundaries of his job and thus is often in trouble with the higher-ups. So Nightshade has some Connelly positives.

Positives counterbalanced by negatives. The story gets off to a slow start…the telling lacks the Connelly ease that usually unspools his tale effortlessly. Instead, the story limps along, even grinds along toward the ending. And Stilwell is Bosch lite, not a new character with his own characteristics and idiosyncrasies. Also the book attempts to give Stilwell a serious love interest, but as many fans of the author know, love stories aren't Connelly’s strong suit.

So, I’m saying it’s a nice try, a worthwhile effort. Mainly, it’s just disappointing.
]]> Review7642850273 Tue, 10 Jun 2025 03:49:07 -0700 /review/show/7642850273 Mac gave 3 stars to Gabriel's Moon: A Gabriel Dax Novel (Hardcover) by William Boyd
A good story, well told, with several intricate plot lines that Boyd carefully (and clearly) weaves together. Despite the positives, I was never fully engrossed in the tale, probably because of my current busy, preoccupied state of mind. Why just three stars? Blame the reader, not the writer. ]]> Review7001060127 Wed, 13 Nov 2024 03:15:38 -0800 /review/show/7001060127 Mac gave 4 stars to The Waiting (Harry Bosch, #25; Renée Ballard, #6; Harry Bosch Universe, #39) by Michael Connelly
For more than a decade, I’ve had a November tradition of reading the latest Michael Connelly novel, and this year is no exception; I’ve just read The Waiting. And annually, I’ve submitted my opinions on 카지노싸이트 with my recent reviews getting shorter because I essentially say, “See what I wrote last year.”

More specifically, in 2023, I wrote, “Here, I’ll skip my usual praise for Connelly’s techniques. If readers are interested, they can check out my reviews on Connelly’s earlier novels. Let’s just say once again he offers a compelling read.”

Now, in 2024, I’ll respond to last year’s comment with simply “Ditto for 2024.” And if you are looking for a comparison, I found The Waiting to be one of the better entries in the Connelly collection.

Of course, I will continue my tradition in November 2025.
]]> Review6814899250 Mon, 02 Sep 2024 21:17:11 -0700 /review/show/6814899250 Mac gave 4 stars to On the Edge: The Art of Risking Everything (Hardcover) by Nate Silver
Those who have even a passing acquaintance with Nate Silver probably recognize he could teach a master class on poker or sports betting, on statistics or election probabilities, or for that matter, on most any subject he considers. So it’s probably no surprise that he has written an enlightening book, On the Edge, about risk and its many facets like gambling, the fall of Sam Bankman-Fried, and the rise of artificial intelligence.

That said, what may not be evident to those casually acquainted with Silver is that he is an excellent writer. He could teach a master class on organizing ideas and writing clearly, on blending the abstract and the specific, and on developing an argument and being persuasive. His writing chops are on full display in On the Edge; however, since I commented extensively on 카지노싸이트 about his writing in The Signal and the Noise, I won’t repeat myself here. Once again, Silver has written an informative book, a thought-provoking book, a timely book, and yes, a well written book.

Are there downsides to On the Edge? Yes. Sometimes Silver includes more than I want to know about a subject, and he is so knowledgeable about his various topics that he can provide too much “on the one hand, on the other” competing views. Just to be clear: The book’s positives far outweigh the quibbles I mention here. On the Edge is worth reading for many reasons including his masterful writing.
]]> Review6737200567 Wed, 07 Aug 2024 03:54:22 -0700 /review/show/6737200567 Mac gave 3 stars to The Lede: Dispatches from a Life in the Press (Hardcover) by Calvin Trillin
Calvin Trillin is a _____ writer. Based on The Lede, I’d insert whimsical or droll or witty, perhaps funny (but not laugh out loud) so I found his book to be enjoyable and good fun, and I’m glad I read it.

Trillin creates his narrative, Dispatches from a Life in the Press, by grouping his entries into sections like “The Trade,” “Big Shots,” “R.I.P.” and “Controversies” so the book’s structure conveys a sense of cohesion. However, most of Trillin’s entries are brief, many just a few pages each, and there is little connection from entry-to-entry. As a result, I found myself reading a few selections from time to time, not devouring the book in big chunks. The Lede is not a story, it’s a collection of stories, which creates a casual, less focused reading experience.

Think of a box of candy that’s tasty a few pieces at a time but not meant for a complete meal. Over the course of a week, I occasionally took bites and enjoyed the experience. That said, I never felt like sitting down and devouring the treats in a single sitting.

]]> Review6681539145 Thu, 18 Jul 2024 15:05:16 -0700 /review/show/6681539145 Mac gave 4 stars to The Grand Canyon: Between River and Rim (Hardcover) by Pete McBride
I wanted to see for myself what Kevin Fedarko described so well in A Walk in the Park so I took a look at The Grand Canyon: Between River and Rim by Pete McBride, who accompanied Fedarko on their hike through the Grand Canyon. The book is a visually stunning photographic record that captures the variety of the vistas, the dangers of their endeavor, and the grandeur of the scenery. It's worth a look.

Confession: I didn't spend much time with McBride's photographs because I felt I'd seen the canyon already through Fedarko's eyes so I can't provide a complete review. On the other hand, I read A Walk in the Park thoroughly; it's a remarkable book.




]]> Review6664345360 Fri, 12 Jul 2024 13:11:27 -0700 /review/show/6664345360 Mac gave 5 stars to A Walk in the Park: The True Story of a Spectacular Misadventure in the Grand Canyon (Hardcover) by Kevin Fedarko
You might say Kevin Fedarko had me from hello. With only the title of his new book, A Walk in the Park, I had a hint that here’s a writer who can stimulate interest and spin a good tale. And it turns out my intuition was correct. This is a wonderful book full of compelling stories, harrowing experiences, historical perspectives, and personal insights. It’s a well written book that makes for engrossing, insight-producing reading. So how did I know this from the title alone?

Consider that title. Literally, Fedarko and his best friend Pete McBride set out to walk through the Grand Canyon National Park, an almost 800-mile end-to-end traverse filled with incredible beauty. The title suggests a walk in an American treasure, the preeminent national park.

But then there’s figurative meaning. Fedarko and McBride know the walk will be long, but they optimistically and naively prepare as if that walk will be easy; they might have said it’s “a piece of cake” or “a breeze.” But they are wrong; they face danger, hardship, illness, and numerous life-threating ordeals. Which leads to the irony confirmed in the subtitle The True Story of a Spectacular Misadventure in the Grand Canyon.. Yes, this is a walk in the park, but it’s certainly no easy stroll.

So Fedarko promises challenging adventures through the title alone, and the book delivers on that promise in many ways. And if you are still not convinced that Fedarko can tell a story, read his five-page prologue where he is asked to identify the worst moment for their trip together through the Grand Canyon. He writes, “But then, I admit, having given the matter due consideration, Pete and I now agree (and perhaps you will too) that the moment the wheels completely fell off the bus was probably when the rat burrowed under Pete's skin and started snacking on his intestines.” I encourage you to read on; like the title, this episode is not quite what it seems.

Obviously, I’m a fan of Fedarko’s new book. As a caution, I’ll add it’s a demanding book. The trip is long and arduous, and Fedarko makes the reader think with each step along the way so it’s not light reading throughout. You might say it’s no picnic for the reader, but ultimately, it’s even better; it’s A Walk in the Park in many different ways.
]]> Review6532234784 Sat, 25 May 2024 12:05:51 -0700 /review/show/6532234784 Mac gave 4 stars to Challenger: A True Story of Heroism and Disaster on the Edge of Space (Hardcover) by Adam Higginbotham
Perhaps there’s an axiom: When you start a book, the less you know about the conclusion, the more compelling will be your reading experience. Books where you have no idea how the story will be resolved can be riveting page-turners.

Adam Higginbotham’s Challenger belies that axiom and stands it on its head. I came to Challenger knowing the outcome of the Space Shuttle disaster, but somehow my knowledge of the story didn’t detract; it added to the drama. I knew enough to make me want more—the details, the people, the fatal missteps, and the precise tick tock of the events. Because I knew how the story would end, I wanted to know the how and the why surrounding the conclusion.

Higginbotham does an excellent job of answering my questions. He writes clearly with an interesting mix of overarching ideas, technical details, and personality traits. He did extensive research, and he compiled that research into an engrossing narrative that is informative and compelling. It’s a book full of good and brave people as well as foolish, selfish, short-sighted bureaucrats. It’s a book full of optimism followed by tragedy.

I do have a few nitpicks. First, I couldn’t keep track of the multiple characters. The “Cast of Characters” listed at the book’s beginning helps, but the people tend to blur one into another. However, this blurring makes a point; it underscores how NASA and its suppliers were redundant and bureaucratic, dangerously so.

Also,, Higginbotham could have abbreviated the background leading up to the Space Shuttle program; it’s interesting stuff, but it seems like a tease or an overworked preliminary to the main event. And because Higginbotham hops around among various topics, I was occasionally lost in the chronology so he might have included an appendix with a timeline.

But too many characters and a fragmented chronology are minor critiques because Challenger is compelling reading, a story well told. Throughout, I kept turning the pages hoping someone would say something or do something to delay the launch and change the course of history. But, of course, history can’t be changed. We know what happened, and now we know why.


]]> Review6532234784 Sat, 25 May 2024 02:17:35 -0700 /review/show/6532234784 Mac gave 4 stars to Challenger: A True Story of Heroism and Disaster on the Edge of Space (Hardcover) by Adam Higginbotham
Perhaps there’s an axiom: When you start a book, the less you know about the conclusion, the more compelling will be your reading experience. Books where you have no idea how the story will be resolved can be riveting page-turners.

Adam Higginbotham’s Challenger belies that axiom and stands it on its head. I came to Challenger knowing the outcome of the Space Shuttle disaster, but somehow my knowledge of the story didn’t detract; it added to the drama. I knew enough to make me want more—the details, the people, the fatal missteps, and the precise tick tock of the events. Because I knew how the story would end, I wanted to know the how and the why surrounding the conclusion.

Higginbotham does an excellent job of answering my questions. He writes clearly with an interesting mix of overarching ideas, technical details, and personality traits. He did extensive research, and he compiled that research into an engrossing narrative that is informative and compelling. It’s a book full of good and brave people as well as foolish, selfish, short-sighted bureaucrats. It’s a book full of optimism followed by tragedy.

I do have a few nitpicks. First, I couldn’t keep track of the multiple characters. The “Cast of Characters” listed at the book’s beginning helps, but the people tend to blur one into another. However, this blurring makes a point; it underscores how NASA and its suppliers were redundant and bureaucratic, dangerously so.

Also,, Higginbotham could have abbreviated the background leading up to the Space Shuttle program; it’s interesting stuff, but it seems like a tease or an overworked preliminary to the main event. And because Higginbotham hops around among various topics, I was occasionally lost in the chronology so he might have included an appendix with a timeline.

But too many characters and a fragmented chronology are minor critiques because Challenger is compelling reading, a story well told. Throughout, I kept turning the pages hoping someone would say something or do something to delay the launch and change the course of history. But, of course, history can’t be changed. We know what happened, and now we know why.


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