Josh Hedgepeth > Recent Status Updates

While still not my perfect read, it is a solid one.

I'm enjoying this enough to finish it, but there are a lot of reasons this isn't the best book for me. I've a general dislike of Regency/Victorian settings. It is a vocabulary and style that I've always struggled with. Deeper than that, Strange and Norrell are very different than I envisioned. They are less likable than I'd hoped, and their story very slow building. Still, it is well crafted and compelling.

It took me nearly a third of the book but I'm finally hooked.

This started as a standard history of the US, but it has evolved into a a very insightful review, with subtle bits of information throughout that craft a larger narrative that gives context to the present.

At nearly a 1000 pages, this isn't exactly light reading, but the very nature of the book makes much of it introductory. When the topic is something I've read about before, it feels underwhelming. When it covers things I've not spent time reading about, it is really interesting. All in all, it reads like review of some things and a prep for further reading in others.

So far, this is the kind of book that could go either way (love or hate), Which is better than a general feeling of mediocrity.

an interesting start to an interesting read so far (if not exceptional just yet)

A strong ending to a very bloated book.

Enjoying it more after taking a break.

7 or 8 years after my first read, this is not as enjoyable as I convinced myself it was. I like it, but it just doesn't live up to my memory of it...maybe thats why I gave it 4 stars from the start.

As a planetary scientist, I very much resent the notion that NASA scientists would embark on torture and imprisonment of aliens to secure funding. I'd bet big bucks NASA scientists would be the part of the government advocating for peace.

I can't say this is the best thing ever, but I am enjoying more than I've enjoyed most things this year. I've been in such a reading slump. Finally, all I want to do is to stop what I am doing and keep reading.

This feels like a dnf. I like the idea and parts of the story, but all in all, I don't like the writing.

a little slow to start, but I remember why I love this so much (inspires hope for a future while exploring the problems of the world)

Daisy Jones meets Haunting of Hill House. I'm enjoying it

I started this book with one major problem: who would actually act like this in this situation? I now realize, a fucking sociopath would. This story becomes surreal in how insane our protagonist is. It goes from being slightly iffy around consent to be all out disturbing. How this can be considered a fun book is beyond me.

I have lots of thoughts that all come together to make a very mid feeling. This book reminds me of the film About Time in both good and bad ways. It also reminds me of The Midnight Library which felt like a intriguing, but superficial, take on a great concept. Then there's Jo Walton's My Real Children, which takes a much less exciting spin on this concept for a much more thoughtful reflection on only two worlds.

Due is amazing as always. The supernatural side feels a lot like the Shining or maybe the Sixth Sense, which works really well, on top of the deeper human themes.

A thought provoking book that I think lacks nuance when discussing health and diet. Specifically, it leans heavily into the naturalist fallacy. It discusses the science of food in an interesting way, but it often fails to present a truly critical analysis because of the way Pollan leans on arguments of nature.

It's fine. Fun at times. But ive been sitting at 40% for a few weeks and just not cared enough to continue. I'm sure I will but that definitely says something about the book.

An intriguing and thought provoking book, but the underlying narrative seems to focus on a naturalistic fallacy that is concerning.

I'm not really clicking with this but so many people I trust seem to love it so I'll give it a bit more time.

A great book to understand how Trump won, and how that relates to history.

This isn't what I was expecting. It's much tamer than I expected based on this cover. Enjoying it overall.

loving this. nothing scarier than some religious trauma

I've unfortunately found the main content of this not as strong as the opening remarks.

A definite improvement over Oathbringer, but some story beats feel too deliberate, like I’m seeing Sanderson's hand guiding things instead of the world unfolding naturally.

fascinating premise and start, but there is a lot of focus on recent events that feels more filler than necessary.

Thoroughly enjoying this. Has Jackson's wit and unnerving commentary.