Category: Book Reviews
Split Self/ Split Object
Split Self/ Split Object: Understanding and Treating Borderline, Narcissistic, and Schizoid Disorders by Philip Manfield, Ph.D., 3/5
Knowing nothing about clinical psychology at the outset, I was surprised by how accessible this book, geared towards an audience of professional therapists, turned out to be. The language was not technical and the concepts seemed simplistic. Because of this, I have split feelings (haha) about it; on one hand, it was enjoyable to gain an understanding of general psychology concepts, but on the other hand, I was shocked that any practicing clinician would need a book this basic.
No matter what Manfield’s approach might suggest about the competency levels of some therapists, I read this in an attempt to gain the tools to understand myself a little better and it was a successful experience. Until now, my understanding of psychotherapy consisted of something vague about people who think they’re smart, generally wear glasses on the tips of their noses, scribble meaningfully on notepads while muttering tut tut and claim couches as business expenses. Now, I understand better that a therapist’s job is more to direct their client’s self-analysis than to intervene. My conclusion? Making people think is cool. Making yourself think is cooler. Challenge accepted.
Unbroken
Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand, 5/5
Several people recommended this book to me, so naturally, I expected it to suck (following the observable and direct correlation between popularity and shitness… *ahem* 50 Shades of Grey, Twilight *ahem*). Given this [realistic, not pessimistic] expectation, I was first surprised to find myself not hating the beginning chapter, then shocked to find the rest of the book to be an extremely enjoyable page-turner. Not only does the story have enough drama and action for four movies, but it is based on a true account and is written sensibly. Hillenbrand doesn’t waste the reader’s time or make loads of obnoxious speculations about characters’ subjective feelings. The book is well-formatted, with pictures placed strategically throughout instead of in annoying inserts. The last time I was this surprised to love a book was War and Peace.
Lose It!
Lose It! by Charles Teague and Anahad O’Connor, 1/5
I love the Lose It! website (it’s helped me lose 30+ pounds) but this book has little to recommend itself. The info it provides is shallow and repetitive. The whole eat-a-normal-hamburger-every-day-instead-of-a-supersized-cheesy-one-and-you’ll-save-enough-calories-in-a-year-to-lose-5-pounds method of weight loss is not very convincing or motivating to me. The only reason to buy this book would be to support the free app and website. Everything you need to know can be found on the website, in the forums.
Ghostwritten
Ghostwritten by David Mitchell, 3/5
Sadly, this book is not written by British comedian David Mitchell, but by a less funny and much less sarcastic man of the same name. Nevertheless, I persevered in my reading because these very personal stories, narrated from the viewpoint of nine different individuals, are well-written, with a voyeuristic appeal. I admire how Mitchell gently weaves the accounts together, letting the reader discover the characters and events in common between them, instead of belaboring the connections. The main reason I didn’t give this book a higher rating is that I am unable to understand what the point of the whole thing is (and it’s not just that I’m too thick to “get” it – other reviewers seem equally unenlightened and even the book jacket was very vague in its description). The novel has the effect of a garment, beautifully embroidered and carefully sewn together, that cannot be worn because its random openings and panels don’t fit the human body.
The Third Eye
The Third Eye: The Renowned Story of One Man’s Spiritual Journey on the Road to Self-Awareness by T. Lobsang Rampa, 1/5
I quit. The author’s forward to the second edition, with its fishy protestations of innocence and honesty made me suspicious initially. 26 pages containing bizarre descriptions of Tibetan culture later, I finally Wikipedia-d the book and learned that T. Lobsang Rampa is actually Cryil Henry Hoskin, a very British, very crazy man who must have suffered an immensely boring life before becoming the host of a Tibetan monk’s spirit. I could think up more scathing things to say, but really, a man who has had a book dictated to him by his Siamese cat (Living with the Lama) obviously needs no further comment.
Words Like Loaded Pistols
Words Like Loaded Pistols: Rhetoric from Aristotle to Obama by Sam Leith, 4/5
Leith achieves a great balance with this book – he’s entertaining without being insulting, academic without being dry and analytical without being annoying. Where other writers might exhaustively dissect a piece of rhetoric at the cost of common sense and the reader’s patience (see How to Read Literature Like a Professor), Leith keeps his analyses to-the-point and useful. Less importantly, I enjoyed the English pop culture references – it was fun to see mentions of TV shows and celebrities that I love, but don’t get to share with anyone here.
Mind Reader
Mind Reader: Unlocking the Power of Your Mind to Get What You Want by Lior Suchard, 2/5
This book is pointless B.S. that somehow manages to be very entertaining.
F My Life World Tour
F My Life World Tour: Life’s Crappiest Moments from Around the Globe by Maxime Valette, Guillaume Passaglia and Didier Geudj, 3/5
Basically just like the website, but with more adult content (I thought). I think that the community-contributed nature of the content suits the website more than the book format.
Because Sometimes You Just Gotta Draw a Cover With Your Left Hand
Because Sometimes You Just Gotta Draw a Cover With Your Left Hand: A Pearls Before Swine Collection by Stephan, Pastis, 2/5
The Introduction was funnier than all the cartoons combined. Too much of the humour consisted of self-referential jokes about the jokes themselves. Also, there were too many “tributes” to other cartoonists and their creations. This is the kind of humor that is great in small doses from a very original, talented creator. Otherwise, it just seems a little derivative and desperate.
The Confession
The Confession by John Grisham, 2/5
This novel is a political page-turner that examines the death penalty, criminal procedure and race relations, but it is written in a lurid, non-fiction style that comes across preachy and manipulative. I would much rather read a thought-provoking, intellectually honest, true account instead of one where the author uses fictional scenarios to push real-world political agendas.
OmniRambles 