Ms. Smarty Pants Know It All

Rather than being yet another play-by-play of the Revolutionary Era, this book is more about the ideas of the Revolution and how those influenced the events that happened.

I really enjoyed this approach because it gave me a different way to experience the time. And now that I’ve heard the story this way, it seems to be the more legitimate way of looking at these decades.

For example, I think the Declaration of Independence received all of four sentences in this book. If there were more, it certainly didn’t seem like it. In other works, the Dec. of Ind. would get its own chapter, or a few pages at least.

But really, the Declaration was the culmination of the colonial protests. Thomas Jefferson wrote down in one place many of the principles and objections developed throughout the land. If a work of history did not cover these points before its arrival at 1776, then it is a sorely lacking project.

And if the points were covered, why rehash everything again? At this point, Wood explains the Declaration of Independence for what it was and does not explain all the points Jefferson put in there.

And he is able to do this clearly. Wood has a gift for explaining ideas and situations with brevity yet thoroughness. For example, I learned that the British insisted that their taxation powers were legitimized through virtual representation. The Americans rejected this position and insisted that only actual representation was acceptable and legitimate.

Wood also got across just how significant and important the idea of adding additional states as equal members was.

These are heavy ideas yet they are handled deftly, quickly, and things never got bogged down. There is one big glaring omission though. In my opinion, the controversy over slavery did not get the pages it deserves. I would have liked to hear more from him on this front.

But, and this is a huge point, it is remarkable that his biases, for the most part, cannot be seen here. When dealing with American heroes, it can be hard to avoid romanticizing or over-criticizing the Revolutionary generation. Everyone, including the British, gets a fair shake here.

The writing is not devoid of passion. It is simply interestingly matter of fact.

For those who may not enjoy the more chronological, events-oriented nature of historic study, The American Revolution is going to be a hit. One can really see the roots of American society and better understand how we are still dealing with many of the same things today. Our time is really not that different from what came before.

Audiobook Challenge: six down, six to go.

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This book certainly defied my expectations.

I thought it was going to talk about how to get along better with the folks at the office that drive you crazy, but nope… it tells you to do what you can to cut them completely out of your life.

It is not even advocating quitting or going off on your own. No, this book is bluntly about how to effectively isolate yourself at work and only allow in your allies and other chosen ones.

Teamwork, it says, is overrated. The business world is filled with the success stories of Soloists, those who defy company manuals and status meetings to do their own thing. Bill Gates and Steve Jobs are probably two of the most famous Soloists out there. Google and Pixar are two companies that I Hate People! touts as being enlightened companies that get this principle.

The first part of the book covers the ten types of co-workers that not only make the office environment painful but also are actually hurtful to the advancements and well-beings of Soloists. This section describes them and gives some quick tips on how to get them away from you, even if it means sticking them on some other less-aware co-worker.

The final portion of the book provides some ways of carving out your own time within the workday and establishing your own space within the office. Here, the authors even suggest making up lies as long as you stay under the radar and obtain your objective.

As with any advice/help work out there, you take what you want, adapt what you need to, and discard the rest. There are a lot of quirky ideas floated out there in this book, and you’ll have to see what, if anything, you’ll want to keep in your arsenal.

I do have to say that I learned a lot of new ways to look at things here. The book is pretty breezy and doesn’t go very deeply into anything, but if you are a people hater, I think this book is worth your investigation. If anything, it helps just to have someone out there understand that people really are the pits.

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It’s inescapable. Anytime someone creates a work about one’s life and thoughts derived from a place in nature, the comparisons to Thoreau’s classic, Walden, will inevitably come. Unlike others in the genre, however, Annie Dillard’s Pilgrim at Tinker Creek celebrates the imperfections in nature rather than the glorious order of it all.

As Dillard points out, it really makes no sense to lay ten thousand eggs with the hope that a couple will survive. From a creationist standpoint, why are parasites a good idea?

I find that take and her perspectives in general refreshing. This book is what happens when a generalist decides to think about her surroundings. She draws upon history, mythology, religious works, and scientific studies to craft her chapters. My main objection to her approach would be her fondness for insects. Yes, they are interesting, but hearing her describe their habits and anatomies still made my flesh crawl.

Annie Dillard has published poetry, fiction, and nonfiction. Had I known all this, I may have rather taken on this work in book form. Dillard is capable of very rich language and sometimes that density makes listening that much harder. This is a long work, and I couldn’t help but have my mind wander during portions of the audio. But I dare you to listen to the story of the deflating frog and not be intrigued.

Audiobook Challenge: five down, seven to go.
New Author Challenge: twelve completed, three to go.
What’s In A Name Challenge: two down, four to go.

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