Thursday, October 16, 2014

Book Review: The Sorcerer's Stone

The Book

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
J. K. Rowling

I nabbed this title on audiobook from overdrive. Score! I have, admittedly already seen the movies. But I wanted to experience the book as written by J. K. Rowling, even if by listening to the audiobook it technically means I still have not read the novel. Shocker I've never read a single Harry Potter book. Shame on me, I know. But now I have read it. And here is my review.

Side Note: In my Children's Literature class, I had to read a bunch of books and write reviews (which I published on this blog because, well, why not?). Students were allowed to read and review the Harry Potter books, but the professor discouraged it, alleging that the chances were slim that we have not been influenced one way or another regarding the text. She made a great point, as this book has been hotly debated as long as I can remember.

The Review

Technically speaking, this was not the most poetic or ingenious piece of writing. Honestly, it was formulaic. However, the formula works for the genre and drives the action along nicely. I found myself enjoying the flow of the story. It was masterfully told and really lends itself to the spoken word.

The story is about a young wizard (Harry Potter), an orphan raised by non-magical people (muggles). Once he becomes of age, he receives an invitation to wizarding school at Hogwarts. As one can imagine, this comes as a shock to the lad. The pressure on Harry escalates as he realizes that he is already a famous wizard who has somehow defeated a powerful wizard (Voldemort) as an infant.

Harry Potter balances friendships, enemies, schoolwork, sports, and evil wizards during his first year at Hogwarts.

The Conclusion

This is an entertaining book and the beginning of a long series of adventures. I recommend this adventure classic (yes, it's a modern classic) to fans of adventure/fantasy books. The movies are pretty good, too.

Monday, September 8, 2014

Wednesday, August 6, 2014

Book Review - The 4-Hour Workweek

The Book

The 4-Hour Workweek
Timothy Ferriss

I was introduced to this book by my colleagues at Florida International University. They were raving about his other book, The 4-Hour Chef, so I decided to look him up. Of course, I did not buy the book. Instead, I borrowed this book from my local library for free. Go libraries! Yay, free!

Technical Merit

As mentioned, I borrowed this book from the library. What I did not mention was the fact that I borrowed an audio-book. As such, I did not get a good feel for the layout of the book. Nor did I really get a chance to analyze the writer's technical merit. What I can say if that it made for a good audio-book which leads me to say that Timothy writes using a very smooth, colloquial approach. The 4-Hour Workweek was not written for pleasure reading, the author is trying to convey a message in the most efficient way possible.

Since the author is trying to be efficient, he uses a sort of template in his writing. He begins with the goal: working less and playing more. Then he describes a method for doing so, like working more productively from home than you do at the office. Then he will show you how to initiate the process of getting to that goal. Finally, he gives homework—like go to the flea market and haggle three vendors down to half their asking price. Finally, he wraps up his chapter with a list of pertinent materials for further research.

I imagine this book (in written form) could be used as a reference book of sorts. Each chapter can stand alone and be re-read when facing certain challenges. Timothy would seem to endorse this approach. He is not enthusiastic of the gathered information for information's sake approach to life and prefers a gather information pertinent to an immediate decision model instead.

In all, I give this book four stars for technical merit. It seems to achieve the purpose it was designed for extremely well. I was able to finish it in two days (without completing the homework).

The Review

This book seeks to help the entrepreneur to establish themselves in what Timothy Ferriss describes as the "New Rich." The New Rich (NR) is a group of individuals that seek to enjoy the things that are typically reserved for the traditional rich while not necessarily having the capital that goes along with it. He argues that by working efficiently, one can complete the typical 40-hour workweek in a fraction of the time. Therefore, they will earn more on a per-hour basis while still having the free-time to enjoy things like extensive travel and fine dining. The NR will also have the time to open new businesses that add to their revenue streams, increasing their ability to live.

The key is that the NR is not waiting to retire in order to enjoy life. The NR works hard and plays hard now. By working efficiently and cutting out superfluous things that gobble up time and capital, the NR can enjoy their preferred lifestyle while they are still young and spry.

This book goes into detail on several topics which include:
  • How to get your boss to agree to let you work from home.
  • How to train your colleagues to stop slowing you down.
  • How to plan for extensive travel.
  • What to look for in a virtual assistant.
  • How to become an expert at something.

Personally, I find his ideas on information interesting. Ferriss clearly believes that there is way too much information at our fingertips. In fact, he recommends absolutely no reading except when the information has a clear application in the short-term future. This rule only applies to non-fiction, pleasure reading is always ok. Ferriss even recommends zero news consumption under the premise that if something catastrophic happens that you need to know, someone is going to tell you about it.

Conclusion

This is an interesting read. I doubt that the tactics described in The 4-Hour Workweek are applicable on a widespread level, but some of his points are key to personal development and can be implemented for success within one's organization. For instance, Ferriss makes a lot of the 80-20 principle and applies it to every situation, both professional and personal. This could easily be applied in any situation. He also refers to Tom Rath's Strengthsfinder when noting that we sometimes spend too much energy improving weaknesses when we should be highlighting strengths.

I recommend this book for the ambitious who are able to take the principles and recommendations of this book and find creative ways to apply them in their lives.




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Thursday, July 31, 2014

Tuesday, July 8, 2014

Writer Hate

The Greats Hate

Writers are insecure people, that is true. They typically feel inadequate about their writing. Mostly, this is because they find other successful writers to be inadequate as well. This infographic illustrates this phenomenon by highlighting the nasty things that writers have said about their colleagues. Enjoy!

Direct Link

Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Monday, June 2, 2014

Tech Leaders

Perception is Everything

When students want to learn how to use new technologies, where do they go? According to a fairly recent study performed by the School Library Journal (2013 wasn't THAT long ago, right?) it appears they ask their librarian!

This study focuses on K-12. I wonder what we would find if the study were expanded to higher education.

Friday, May 30, 2014

Friday, May 16, 2014

Friday, May 2, 2014

Learn to Use the Library

A Trend is Born!

So I've been posting videos and infographics lately, it's just something I've been looking at. I think this one is pretty sweet, especially the vertical text in the middle. Conversion is pretty tricky and should be done sans professional only in the most extreme cases.

Learn to Use the Library
by newhousemaps.
Explore more visuals like this one on the web's largest information design community - Visually.

Thursday, May 1, 2014

American News

Just The Facts

We all rely on some news outlet to get information about the world. There is no way we can personally everything that is going on even on a local level, much less across the globe. However, sometimes we get discouraged at the way news is reported. For those times, we can turn to Glove and Boots to tell it like it is:

Friday, April 25, 2014

Thursday, April 24, 2014

Get Boring... For Free!

Free Stuff

A short while ago I was asked to read, review and give away a copy of Boring: Finding an extraordinary God in an ordinary life by Michael Kelley. I finally finished it and scheduled a review post for tomorrow on my other blog: We Talk of Holy Things. But I couldn't wait to get the giveaway party started!

So here's the deal

I want you to do all the things this Rafflecopter thing tells you to do and then you'll get entries into this sweepstakes. Make sure you tell your friends about it so you can get some competition and I get exposure for my blog. Keep coming back to Holy Things throughout the week for more entries!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Borrow A Bicycle

Worlds colliding: fitness and nerdiness. You can borrow a bike from the Winter Park, Fl. Public Library (WPPL). This offering follows the long line of practical needs that libraries meet which includes the accessibility of both information and technology to those who may not be able to get these resources on their own. Libraries strive to meet the informational, educational AND recreational needs of their community. How much better than this initiative? 

Check out the proof: http://jmnz.us/1l5lDbX

Friday, March 14, 2014

Libraries > Pi / Pie

Did Someone Say Pie?

This is a delicious statistic that I came across on twitter. Well, I came across a tweet promoting this article which I then retweeted. Anyways, here's the good stuff. (And the source link is not too shabby either!)
The Atlantic actually attempted to answer that very question [What is the public approval rating for libraries?] and found that libraries beat the approval ratings of Congress (easy), President Obama (a bit harder), baseball (seriously?), and apple pie(!).

So You Want My Job: Librarian, The Art of Manliness
Tell your mental taste buds I say, "You're welcome, come on back any time."

Sunday, March 2, 2014

Merlin (TV show) Rapid Reaction

It's not like we devoted our lives to the watching of this program, but tonight was a bittersweet evening as we viewed the final episode of the Merlin TV Series. It took us about a year and a half to finish all 5 seasons. 


The story is captivating and compelling, while some of the twists may be a little off-putting. The plot, in short, pits the king of Camelot against all forms of sorcery. This is troublesome because Merlin, the greatest sorcerer in history, is the once and future king Arthur's personal servant. The tension between Merlin's desire to help Arthur and the fact that the practice of magic is illegal fuel the entire story. 

The first season is light and fun to watch. Clearly, the special effects budget increased as the show continued. After a couple seasons, random episodes take on a dark nature until it climaxes with war for the future of Camelot. 

A lot of the legend of King Arthur is presented here, though clearly the creators take liberties to tell their own story. If anyone finds that offensive, I suggest you look elsewhere. The myth weavesd here is excellent and entertaining. 

Overall, I give this TV Show aired on BBC five stars and a hearty recommendation. Now I need to find something else to watch on Netflix!

Wednesday, February 19, 2014

Thursday, January 9, 2014

The Art of Scarf Tying

Brr...

I enjoy a good scarf from time to time. Being from Miami, I hardly (if) ever get the chance to put my scarf tying skills to good use. This infographic is for the novice who desires a few fashion tips.

Enjoy!

11 Simple Ways to Tie a Scarf
by pslifestyle.
Explore more infographics like this one on the web's largest information design community - Visually.
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