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Review Date: 9/6/2015
Helpful Score: 4
I received a free advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
In $2.00 a day, Kathryn J. Edin and H. Luke Schaefer give readers insight into the lives of the very impoverished in America. While many of these people receive some sort of assistance in the form of medical care or food credits which allow them to survive, they lack the cash needed to pay for a bus fair to travel to a job interview, or to wash clothes at a laundromat. The early chapters of the book focus on how welfare reform contributed to the epidemic of those living on less than $2.00 a day: when AFDC was essentially replaced with programs like SNAP and work incentives such as the EITC, the situation for many poor people was made much worse, especially for those in rural areas where job opportunities are minimal, and the low income work force is treated as disposable. It is the author's careful explanations of how the current situation came about where the book really shines.
Middle chapters focus on specific families. Their back stories are told, their hopes and aspirations (which are not lofty but basically amount to asking for a chance to make a living) shared, and their survival strategies revealed. It is heartbreaking to read about a mother of two selling plasma 10 times a month to pay utility bills, or a semi-disabled father searching for scrap metal to feed the 20+ children and grandchildren he houses under his roof. Indeed there does not seem to be much hope for these people, which is why I wish sites that feature reviews would allow readers to give half stars: the authors have lived their professional lives studying these issues, so I am sure they have strong opinions and suggestions for what needs to be done to help break the generational cycles of poverty described in this book, but sadly, these are not explored in detail. The obvious are mentioned (people need access to stable jobs with living wages, job education, housing assistance, etc.), but I was hoping for more regarding how to make these changes come about. This book raises awareness, but clearly policy changes are needed.
All the individuals profiled have children, which makes it all the more difficult for the parents to find a way out of poverty. It is impossible to go off to a job when you cannot afford childcare, and there is no one who is willing to do it for free who is trustworthy. While reading this book, it struck me that those whose political opinions favor defunding Planned Parenthood mostly likely would overlap on a Venn diagram with those who oppose a more traditional welfare system of giving some cash as well as other benefits. In several of the families profiled here, an unexpected or poorly timed pregnancy forced a mother to leave a job or educational opportunity to care for a child. The children born into these circumstances have little chance of faring much better, so the cycle often repeats. I would be curious to learn the authors' opinions on this: How can we as a society help young women and men make mindful decisions about when to have a family, and how can we help those with children so that their children will not be caught in a cycle of generational poverty?
Overall, $2.00 a day is a fascinating and compassionate read. It is sure to start some lively conversations (or maybe doughnut fights) around the water cooler.
In $2.00 a day, Kathryn J. Edin and H. Luke Schaefer give readers insight into the lives of the very impoverished in America. While many of these people receive some sort of assistance in the form of medical care or food credits which allow them to survive, they lack the cash needed to pay for a bus fair to travel to a job interview, or to wash clothes at a laundromat. The early chapters of the book focus on how welfare reform contributed to the epidemic of those living on less than $2.00 a day: when AFDC was essentially replaced with programs like SNAP and work incentives such as the EITC, the situation for many poor people was made much worse, especially for those in rural areas where job opportunities are minimal, and the low income work force is treated as disposable. It is the author's careful explanations of how the current situation came about where the book really shines.
Middle chapters focus on specific families. Their back stories are told, their hopes and aspirations (which are not lofty but basically amount to asking for a chance to make a living) shared, and their survival strategies revealed. It is heartbreaking to read about a mother of two selling plasma 10 times a month to pay utility bills, or a semi-disabled father searching for scrap metal to feed the 20+ children and grandchildren he houses under his roof. Indeed there does not seem to be much hope for these people, which is why I wish sites that feature reviews would allow readers to give half stars: the authors have lived their professional lives studying these issues, so I am sure they have strong opinions and suggestions for what needs to be done to help break the generational cycles of poverty described in this book, but sadly, these are not explored in detail. The obvious are mentioned (people need access to stable jobs with living wages, job education, housing assistance, etc.), but I was hoping for more regarding how to make these changes come about. This book raises awareness, but clearly policy changes are needed.
All the individuals profiled have children, which makes it all the more difficult for the parents to find a way out of poverty. It is impossible to go off to a job when you cannot afford childcare, and there is no one who is willing to do it for free who is trustworthy. While reading this book, it struck me that those whose political opinions favor defunding Planned Parenthood mostly likely would overlap on a Venn diagram with those who oppose a more traditional welfare system of giving some cash as well as other benefits. In several of the families profiled here, an unexpected or poorly timed pregnancy forced a mother to leave a job or educational opportunity to care for a child. The children born into these circumstances have little chance of faring much better, so the cycle often repeats. I would be curious to learn the authors' opinions on this: How can we as a society help young women and men make mindful decisions about when to have a family, and how can we help those with children so that their children will not be caught in a cycle of generational poverty?
Overall, $2.00 a day is a fascinating and compassionate read. It is sure to start some lively conversations (or maybe doughnut fights) around the water cooler.
Review Date: 2/27/2009
Helpful Score: 1
In 30 Days of Night, vampires take advantage of Alaska's long, darkness filled winters to feed. These are not Charlaine Harris' vampires - this is a scary and very violent graphic novel. Templesmith's art style is well-suited to Niles' dark material.
Review Date: 1/27/2013
This book is broken into chapters of a few pages each. Each chapter addresses a fairly commonly held belief, such as "Ghosts are they live in haunted houses" and "Atlantis is down there somewhere." The author then makes counter arguments to each claim, using a combination of science, logic, and personal anecdotes. A list of references is given at the end of each section in case the reader wants to delve further into a particular topic.
It is a bit much for one sitting, so I dipped in and out of this book over time. I skimmed chapters that did not particularly interest me, but the range of topics addressed in this book is so varied that there will be something of interest to most anyone. This book is a good introduction to skeptical thinking.
It is a bit much for one sitting, so I dipped in and out of this book over time. I skimmed chapters that did not particularly interest me, but the range of topics addressed in this book is so varied that there will be something of interest to most anyone. This book is a good introduction to skeptical thinking.
Review Date: 11/21/2008
Helpful Score: 4
Special Agent Karen Vail is a profiler with the FBI on the hunt for a serial killer. The killer is nicknamed Dead Eyes by the task force searching for him because of the way his victims eyes are stabbed with steak knives. Vail's struggle to remain human when she is exposed to such brutality is only complicated by problems in her personal life: she is in the midst of a nasty divorce from an abusive husband, and struggles as a single mother to a teenage son.
The blurbs on the book's cover and the considerable publicity surrounding focus on the extensive research the author did into the operations of the FBI's profiling unit. This research pays off in this book, as the terminology and processes used makes those aspects of the story ring true. However, some of the plot twists do not. I can't say anything more because I don't want to give away the surprises, but I found the ending a bit too contrived. Also, the chapters focusing on the serial killer's perspective are silly rather than scary and too frequently sprinkled in - after the third chapter it is clear that killer thinks women are *****es and wants to rid them of their eyeballs, yet the reader is reminded of these things in chapter after chapter.
Fortunately Karen Vail and her team of agents and cops are likable and more realistic than the killer. They propel along the entertaining if somewhat implausible story. This book should appeal to fans of Thomas Harris, Stephen White, and others who enjoy stories about the minds of serial killers.
The blurbs on the book's cover and the considerable publicity surrounding focus on the extensive research the author did into the operations of the FBI's profiling unit. This research pays off in this book, as the terminology and processes used makes those aspects of the story ring true. However, some of the plot twists do not. I can't say anything more because I don't want to give away the surprises, but I found the ending a bit too contrived. Also, the chapters focusing on the serial killer's perspective are silly rather than scary and too frequently sprinkled in - after the third chapter it is clear that killer thinks women are *****es and wants to rid them of their eyeballs, yet the reader is reminded of these things in chapter after chapter.
Fortunately Karen Vail and her team of agents and cops are likable and more realistic than the killer. They propel along the entertaining if somewhat implausible story. This book should appeal to fans of Thomas Harris, Stephen White, and others who enjoy stories about the minds of serial killers.
Review Date: 1/28/2014
Isabel Reed is an aging literary agent, past her career prime in the fast-moving world of publishing. She receives a hard copy manuscript of "The Accident," written by an anonymous author. The seemingly credible tale is an unauthorized biography and expose of Charlie Wolfe, a wealthy and powerful media mogul. The revelations in the book are so shocking that Wolfe and perhaps even the US government is willing to kill to prevent its publication.
The Accident is a story that takes place in one day, told in chapters that focus on a particular character (or characters, when their paths cross). Once the players are introduced in the first few chapters, the story really takes off as Isabel find herself in a cat and mouse chase with would-be assailants, with few allies in the double-crossing world of publishing. I did think that the pace lagged a bit during the third part of the book, but Isabel is a clever protagonist and Pavone keeps some surprises for the end.
Fans of The Expats and thriller readers will enjoy this one
The Accident is a story that takes place in one day, told in chapters that focus on a particular character (or characters, when their paths cross). Once the players are introduced in the first few chapters, the story really takes off as Isabel find herself in a cat and mouse chase with would-be assailants, with few allies in the double-crossing world of publishing. I did think that the pace lagged a bit during the third part of the book, but Isabel is a clever protagonist and Pavone keeps some surprises for the end.
Fans of The Expats and thriller readers will enjoy this one
Review Date: 6/10/2016
This is a paranormal mystery that reads like a cozy. I like Dorian, the gargoyle who enjoys french cooking. Lots of tips for food substitutions to make recipes vegan. So if you like cozies or are looking for vegan cooking tips this is your book!
Review Date: 6/17/2020
I am not sure why this book is rated more favorably. It is quite depressing and some of the images were so disturbing that they will stay with me for some time, but..... the writing is excellent, and I plowed through this book as I had to see what happened in Adele's trainwreck of a life.
Review Date: 12/9/2023
This book is so much fun! It has a heroine semi-retired pirate with a bad knee, magical friends but mostly enemies, and subtle messages about the patriarchy, the challenges of balancing motherhood and a career, and tyranny in the name of religion. But mostly it is a fun adventure. Can't wait until the next one.
Review Date: 4/30/2016
This is a surprisingly great legal thriller from a new to me author. This one had me reading until the letters blurred (I am getting old.) 4.5 stars because the ending was a bit implausible, but a fun ride nonetheless.
Review Date: 12/9/2012
I love the way Jeffrey Brown manages to capture the small moments of importance in relationships. This book is no different - fans of Clumsy will be pleased.
Review Date: 11/22/2020
I stayed up waaaaaay too late reading after starting this book, but alas it was too long to finish in one day. I finished it the second day though!
This book had it all: action, suspense, a little romance, and even pirates. I was completely drawn into the water covered world of Myra and Pearl.
This book had it all: action, suspense, a little romance, and even pirates. I was completely drawn into the water covered world of Myra and Pearl.
Review Date: 11/21/2015
This is not the best in what has consistently been an excellent series, but it is still worth a read. Even a mediocre Kate Burkholder story is still better than 99% of the drivel out there.
Review Date: 7/3/2023
This book is a giant epic, in the spirit of Don Winslow but set in India. Despite its length, it was a page turner and very engrossing. I enjoyed the three sections that focused on the main characters and how their lives intersect. The last part introduced a fourth character whose relationship to the main three was not so clear, and it felt jarring. The ending leaves most everything unresolved, so I eagerly await the sequal.
Review Date: 7/16/2009
The Agency introduces Tess, an aggressive yet insecure grunt at a prestigious entertainment agency. Tess has plans to strike out on her own, and plans to take her clients with her. However, the dalliances in her active personal life have made her many enemies: mostly female. When she simultaneously becomes a murder suspect, gets dumped by her secret boyfriend, and her highest-earning client is threatened with a plagiarism lawsuit, Tess fears that her open legs may have closed too many doors for her.
I bought The Agency because it is co-written by Brian Freeman, who is a thriller author that I very much enjoy. This is a night and day departure from his other work. The Agency is a sex and shopping (for clients) novel: it features a sassy heroine, illicit affairs, and lots of celebrity name dropping. I particularly enjoyed the jabs taken at the publishing industry and several best selling authors. Initially Tess might be off-putting to some because of her behavior, but the character shows a potential for growth. The Agency is a smart and sexy beach read.
I bought The Agency because it is co-written by Brian Freeman, who is a thriller author that I very much enjoy. This is a night and day departure from his other work. The Agency is a sex and shopping (for clients) novel: it features a sassy heroine, illicit affairs, and lots of celebrity name dropping. I particularly enjoyed the jabs taken at the publishing industry and several best selling authors. Initially Tess might be off-putting to some because of her behavior, but the character shows a potential for growth. The Agency is a smart and sexy beach read.
Ain't Too Proud to Beg (San Francisco Dog-Walking Group, Bk 1)
Author:
Book Type: Mass Market Paperback
191
Author:
Book Type: Mass Market Paperback
191
Review Date: 4/22/2010
This is a quick and easy read that dog lovers will enjoy. It is kind of like Sex and the City meets Marley and Me meets a lifetime movie in which someone is seeking revenge. I am not a big romance or chick lit reader, but I was entertained. The "thriller" aspects are a little cheesy, but I guess people can't just stand around gazing at each other all the time.
The Aisles Have Eyes: How Retailers Track Your Shopping, Strip Your Privacy, and Define Your Power
Author:
Book Type: Hardcover
3
Author:
Book Type: Hardcover
3
Review Date: 1/5/2020
This book was published by an academic press, and can be dry in places (though the author does seem to try to minimize that). However, the contents are very, very disturbing. The book gives a brief history of how marketers gather and use data about consumers, then goes on to describe how brick and mortar stores are trying to gather data about individual consumers as is now possible for online vendors. The discussions of what marketers have planned for facial recognition technology and wearable tech are super creepy.
In the end, it is quite depressing because action will be needed on a government level to stop this. Only a couple of states so far have acted to protect the privacy of their citizens. Ugh.
In the end, it is quite depressing because action will be needed on a government level to stop this. Only a couple of states so far have acted to protect the privacy of their citizens. Ugh.
Review Date: 5/25/2020
This book had a lot of action and was quite grisly for a YA novel, but I couldn't develop an attachment to the main character. I wanted to see what happened, but won't be rushing out to buy the next installment.
Review Date: 3/23/2009
Helpful Score: 1
All Souls' Night is the last in the Blood Ties series, which started off strong with The Turning then quickly took a nose dive. Readers new to the series should not try to being here, as this installment picks up pretty much where Ashes to Ashes left off. The Oracle is dead, Cyrus is alive (again), and The Soul Eater is still threatening to eat both Cyrus and Nathan to become a god. Carrie, Nathan, Max, and Ziggy must thwart his evil plan.
If you have read the other books in this series it is worth reading this one as all the loose ends are tied up. However, be forewarned that the gross-out factor is very high in this book - for some reason Armintrout goes nuts with the torture and gory descriptions. Fortunately Carrie's sarcastic humor is still intact, which keeps this book from being totally goofy.
If you have read the other books in this series it is worth reading this one as all the loose ends are tied up. However, be forewarned that the gross-out factor is very high in this book - for some reason Armintrout goes nuts with the torture and gory descriptions. Fortunately Carrie's sarcastic humor is still intact, which keeps this book from being totally goofy.
Review Date: 1/12/2023
This started out a bit slow. In fairness, it may have just been me: as someone who is not a parent of a two-legged person, I didn't connect to the narrator emotionally. It did pick up though, and the last third of the book had some interesting twists that I didn't see coming.
All the Single Ladies: Unmarried Women and the Rise of an Independent Nation
Author:
Book Type: Hardcover
4
Author:
Book Type: Hardcover
4
Review Date: 8/30/2016
Well-researched and timely, but written in a surprisingly dry academic style. Occasionally the author relates personal experiences, and it is at these times, along with the one-on-one interviews with famous single women such as Anita Hill, that the writing becomes engaging.
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