Review
Thesis of the book is in the intro.
This book is mostly dealing with the question of how do you feel happy while achieving your financial goals. This book is a mix of pop psychology and basic finance advice. It’d say if you’re looking for financial strategies you’d need another book to accompany this one. It’s firmly self-help and won’t get into capitalist critiques or the insidious nature of marketing.
Ruin Their Crops on the Ground by Andrea Freeman
Review
The thesis of the book is on page 1 and page 9.
I would call this a general/introductory book about food as a political technology. While the book covers many topics in different communities it doesn’t go in depth about one in particular. A good read but it is more of a heavily cited combination of different sources where the author isn’t making a strong argument throughout. The most we hear about her argument is in the introduction and the last chapter with the middle just building framework to support an idea.
On a personal level it did bring me a modicum of comfort to hear that nutrition on an individual basis is influenced by the racial, ethnic, or socio-economic factors. I think a lot of early 2000s diet culture places food choices as the sole result of the individual. This has really pained me all my life that when given no foundation on how to each better society said it was my fault alone. While I have to be the impetus for the change in my life I found solace in understanding how my eating habits were shaped by the different family histories I inherited from my parents.
“Sharks Don’t Sink Adventures of a Rogue Shark Scientist” by Jasmin Graham
Review
The thesis of the book is on 109 - 111. I’ve linked some quotes on my blog.
A well written quick read that I enjoyed cover to cover. Graham was able to write a book that no one else could because of how she carefully weaves her life throughout the book. Most of the chapters talk about childhood, college/graduate school, and present events. We’ll hear about where Graham is now and where she’d like to go then we’ll hear what/how her past experiences affected her.
It was a lovely read and it really flew by. I appreciated how she was able to articulate how her identity positively and negatively affected different experiences in her life. It was heartening to hear how well her endeavors are going.
This book was confusing from the beginning to the end. I have no idea who the target audience for this book is. There isn’t a single page where you aren’t reminded of how rich the author is and how that’s her everyday experience. While she claims early in the book that she’s not flaunting her wealth that is at odds with her content. Nearly every question is given a general answer followed by an example from her life. So it will be something from a dinner party, finishing school experience, Wall Street meetings, executive meetings, things like that.