We really love our double standards.
HOT
PERVERTED
At least that is the way all the news coverage & water cooler talk seems to go.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Before & After
So I had a really bad blood test two weeks ago so I am totally back on the wagon with my diet. I have learned overtime it is easier for me to have nothing than to attempt to just have a little. So far I am down 10 pounds but I still have 40 to go. It should look something like this.**
Before
After
**I do have the full body in the spandex-y action underwear shot, but I will save that for when I have a really good after to go with it.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Garnethill - Book #103
| Title | Garnethill |
|-------------+----------------------------------------|
| Author |Denise Mina |
|-------------+----------------------------------------|
| Genre |Mystery (Tartan Noir) |
|-------------+----------------------------------------|
| Pages |349 |
|-------------+----------------------------------------|
| Publisher |Carroll & Graf |
|-------------+----------------------------------------|
| Copyright |1998 |
|-------------+----------------------------------------|
Synopsis (from web-site)
Maureen O'Donnell wasn't born lucky. A psychiatric patient and survivor of sexual abuse, she's stuck in a dead-end job and a secretive relationship with Douglas, a shady therapist. Her few comforts are making up stories to tell her psychiatrist, the company of friends, and the sweet balm of whisky. She is about to end her affair with Douglas when she wakes up one morning to find him in her living room with his throat slit.
Viewed in turn by the police as a suspect and as an uncooperative, unstable witness, Maureen is even suspected by her alcoholic mother and self-serving sisters of being involved. Worse than that, the police won't tell her anything about Douglas's death.
Panic-stricken and feeling betrayed by friends and family, Maureen begins to doubt her own version of events. She retraces Douglas's desperate last days and picks up a horrifying trail of rape, deception...and suppressed scandal at a local psychiatric hospital where she had been an inmate. But the patients won't talk and the staff are afraid, and when a second brutalized corpse is discovered, Maureen realises that unless she gets to the killer first, her life is in danger.
Why I read It
|-------------+----------------------------------------|
| Genre |Mystery (Tartan Noir) |
|-------------+----------------------------------------|
| Pages |349 |
|-------------+----------------------------------------|
| Publisher |Carroll & Graf |
|-------------+----------------------------------------|
| Copyright |1998 |
|-------------+----------------------------------------|
Maureen O'Donnell wasn't born lucky. A psychiatric patient and survivor of sexual abuse, she's stuck in a dead-end job and a secretive relationship with Douglas, a shady therapist. Her few comforts are making up stories to tell her psychiatrist, the company of friends, and the sweet balm of whisky. She is about to end her affair with Douglas when she wakes up one morning to find him in her living room with his throat slit.
Viewed in turn by the police as a suspect and as an uncooperative, unstable witness, Maureen is even suspected by her alcoholic mother and self-serving sisters of being involved. Worse than that, the police won't tell her anything about Douglas's death.
Panic-stricken and feeling betrayed by friends and family, Maureen begins to doubt her own version of events. She retraces Douglas's desperate last days and picks up a horrifying trail of rape, deception...and suppressed scandal at a local psychiatric hospital where she had been an inmate. But the patients won't talk and the staff are afraid, and when a second brutalized corpse is discovered, Maureen realises that unless she gets to the killer first, her life is in danger.
Why I read It
After reading Val McDermid I was looking up her backlist and the wikipedia entry made reference to Tartan Noir - a gritty sub-genre of mystery books taking place in Scotland. Among the featured authors was one of my all time favorites Ian Rankin, and some others (Chris Brookemyre & Iain Banks) that my library system only has one book by them. Since I have liked all the books I have read in the genre so far I decided to try a few more of the authors.
The Good
Decent story and mystery. Focuses on the mentally ill not as dangerous but rather as people with problems; which is very unique (and as someone who worked in the field for a few years it is much appreciated to see a more realistic approach).
The Good
Decent story and mystery. Focuses on the mentally ill not as dangerous but rather as people with problems; which is very unique (and as someone who worked in the field for a few years it is much appreciated to see a more realistic approach).
The Bad
As a first novel it had its stilted moments and the plot advanced a little too conveniently at times. Some character developments were left incomplete.
The Ugly (my opinion)
Overall I liked it and will be reading the next book in the series shortly. The only downside with reading these type of books is you are left with the impression that Scotland is the most dangerous country in the world. Even in the little seaside village of Lochdubh they are killing people like crazy.
The Truth? (other reviews)
Garnethill won the Crime Writers Association John Creasy Dagger for Best First Crime Novel in 1998.
Mormon Mentions
None
Author Biography
Denise Mina was born in Glasgow in 1966. Because of her father's job as an engineer, the family followed the north sea oil boom of the seventies around Europe, moving twenty one times in eighteen years from Paris to the Hague, London, Scotland and Bergen. She left school at sixteen and did a number of poorly paid jobs: working in a meat factory, bar maid, kitchen porter and cook. Eventually she settle in auxiliary nursing for geriatric and terminal care patients.At twenty one she passed exams, got into study Law at Glasgow University and went on to research a PhD thesis at Strathclyde University on the ascription of mental illness to female offenders, teaching criminology and criminal law in the mean time.
Misusing her grant she stayed at home and wrote a novel, 'Garnethill' when she was supposed to be studying instead.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
It is about the bike today
My goal is to bike commute throughout the winter - that's right, the MINNESOTA winter. I figure if I can do that I can do anything and we should be able to become a one car family again**
Anyways the last few weeks have been chilly but relatively okay. The clear skies have allowed some pretty spectacular scenery even on my short little jaunt. Here are a few shots of the geese (& ducks) who are using the local pond as a resting place on their way south.
Here is a bonus shot of our new law enforcement center/jail being built in the downtown for those of you who are familiar with the area.
Essentially you have the twin towers on one end and the Paramount on the other - everything in between was torn down for the project.
The Best of the 2000's
Saw this via BCC
Please go watch them all
The best commercials of the 2000's according to Ad Week Media. Saw a lot of old favorites, but I have included two here - the most powerful:
And the funniest:
I also vividly remember the Volkswagon Like add as well.
Please go watch them all
The Distant Echo - Book #102
|-------------+----------------------------------------|
| Title | The Distant Echo |
|-------------+----------------------------------------|
| Author |Val McDermid |
|-------------+----------------------------------------|
| Genre |Mystery (Tartan Noir) |
|-------------+----------------------------------------|
| Pages |404 |
|-------------+----------------------------------------|
| Publisher |St. Martins |
|-------------+----------------------------------------|
| Copyright |2003 |
|-------------+----------------------------------------|
Synopsis (from web-site)
Four in the morning, mid-December, and snow is smothering St Andrews. Student Alex Gilbey and his three best friends are staggering home from a party when they stumble upon the body of a young woman. Rosie Duff has been raped, stabbed and left for dead in the ancient Pictish cemetery. And the only suspects are the four young students stained with her blood. Twenty-five years later, Fife police mount a cold case review. Among the unsolved murders they're examining is that of Rosie Duff. But someone else has their own idea of how justice should be done. One of the original quartet dies in a suspicious house fire. Soon after, a second is killed in what looks like a burglary gone sour. But Alex fears the worst. Someone is taking revenge for Rosie Duff. He has to find out who it is before he becomes the next victim. And it might just save his life if he can uncover who really killed Rosie all those years ago.
Why I read It
Was watching Masterpiece Mysteries Contemporary on PBS and saw it was based on a book by Val McDernid. I did a little research and ended up selecting this standalone mystery (as she also has 3 different series as well).
The Good
Excellent analysis of how any involvement in a crime (in this case just finding the body) can wreck havoc on your life. It also shows how false accusations and beliefs can have endless repercussions. The plot moves along nicely and I did figure out the mystery about halfway through, but that seems more like a lucky guess on my part rather than any weakness in the book. A more literary approach too many of the themes in this book can be found in Atonement by Ian McEwan.
The Bad
Nothing except my personal preferences. What I mean by that is I cannot point to anything in particular I did not like, it just wasn’t hitting with me say like Ian Rankin does. Anotherwords it was all that but sans the bag of chips.
The Ugly (my opinion)
Well worth the read. I will be reading the rest of her backlist as time permits.
The Truth? (other reviews)
Shots Magazine
Mormon Mentions
No
Author Biography
Crime writer Val McDermid grew up in Kirkcaldy, Scotland, and studied English at Oxford University. She trained as a journalist and worked on various national newspapers for 14 years before becoming a writer. Her first published book was Report for Murder (1987), and since then, she has written a large number of crime novels.
|-------------+----------------------------------------|
| Pages |404 |
|-------------+----------------------------------------|
| Publisher |St. Martins |
|-------------+----------------------------------------|
| Copyright |2003 |
|-------------+----------------------------------------|
Four in the morning, mid-December, and snow is smothering St Andrews. Student Alex Gilbey and his three best friends are staggering home from a party when they stumble upon the body of a young woman. Rosie Duff has been raped, stabbed and left for dead in the ancient Pictish cemetery. And the only suspects are the four young students stained with her blood. Twenty-five years later, Fife police mount a cold case review. Among the unsolved murders they're examining is that of Rosie Duff. But someone else has their own idea of how justice should be done. One of the original quartet dies in a suspicious house fire. Soon after, a second is killed in what looks like a burglary gone sour. But Alex fears the worst. Someone is taking revenge for Rosie Duff. He has to find out who it is before he becomes the next victim. And it might just save his life if he can uncover who really killed Rosie all those years ago.
Why I read It
Was watching Masterpiece Mysteries Contemporary on PBS and saw it was based on a book by Val McDernid. I did a little research and ended up selecting this standalone mystery (as she also has 3 different series as well).
The Good
Excellent analysis of how any involvement in a crime (in this case just finding the body) can wreck havoc on your life. It also shows how false accusations and beliefs can have endless repercussions. The plot moves along nicely and I did figure out the mystery about halfway through, but that seems more like a lucky guess on my part rather than any weakness in the book. A more literary approach too many of the themes in this book can be found in Atonement by Ian McEwan.
The Bad
Nothing except my personal preferences. What I mean by that is I cannot point to anything in particular I did not like, it just wasn’t hitting with me say like Ian Rankin does. Anotherwords it was all that but sans the bag of chips.
The Ugly (my opinion)
Well worth the read. I will be reading the rest of her backlist as time permits.
The Truth? (other reviews)
Shots Magazine
Mormon Mentions
No
Author Biography
Crime writer Val McDermid grew up in Kirkcaldy, Scotland, and studied English at Oxford University. She trained as a journalist and worked on various national newspapers for 14 years before becoming a writer. Her first published book was Report for Murder (1987), and since then, she has written a large number of crime novels. Saturday, November 14, 2009
What Would Tommy Monson Do?
The Set-up. I was at the Doctor's for my annual check up and was being registered by the new medical assistant. She was an extremely bubbly 50 something who talked excitedly the whole time she took my vitals. Then she began typing in ny history including my living arrangements.
I said I was married and lived in my own home. She began typing lives with wife but accidentally wrote wifes.
Her: "Oh look, I have given you extra wives" (followed by laughter)
I immediately felt like I should say "Well actually I am Mormon," and then possibly have a gospel conversation.
Instead I resisted the impression and just gave her a courtesey laugh and let the moment pass.
Missionary Fail :-(
Friday, November 13, 2009
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Juliet Naked - Book #101
| Title | Juliet Naked |
|-------------+----------------------------------------|
| Author |Nick Hornby |
|-------------+----------------------------------------|
| Genre |Adult Fiction |
|-------------+----------------------------------------|
| Pages |406 |
|-------------+----------------------------------------|
| Publisher |Riverhead Books |
|-------------+----------------------------------------|
| Copyright |2009 |
|-------------+----------------------------------------|
Synopsis (from web-site)
The Good
It seems he is hitting a lot of his favorite topics – music and relationships. A fun story providing an inside look at a retired reclusive rock star and his obsessive and not so obsessive fans.
The Bad
What happens?? Hornby uses the open nonending so you are not quite sure what happens. I know what I want so I for me that is the ending I have imagined.
The Ugly (my opinion)
Another fun read from the master of romantic comedies for men. Well, he writes them from the man’s perspective which in itself is very unique. Great book for all you Hornby fans out there.
The Truth? (other reviews)
|-------------+----------------------------------------|
| Publisher |Riverhead Books |
|-------------+----------------------------------------|
| Copyright |2009 |
|-------------+----------------------------------------|
Synopsis (from web-site)
In a dreary seaside town in England, Annie loves Duncan—or thinks she does, because she always has. Duncan loves Annie, but then, all of a sudden, he doesn’t anymore. So Annie stops loving Duncan, and starts getting her own life.
She sparks an e-mail correspondence with Tucker Crowe, a reclusive Dylanesque singer-songwriter who stopped making music twenty-two years ago, and who is also Duncan’s greatest obsession. A surprising connection is forged between two lonely people who are looking for more out of what they’ve got. Tucker’s been languishing (and he’s unnervingly aware of it), living in rural Pennsylvania with what he sees as his one hope for redemption amid a life of emotional, familial, and artistic ruin—his young son, Jackson. But then there’s also the material he’s about to release to the world, an acoustic, stripped-down version of his greatest album, Juliet, titled Juliet, Naked. And he’s just been summoned across the Atlantic with Jackson to face his multitude of ex-wives and children (both just discovered and formerly neglected), in the same country where his intriguing new Internet friend resides.
What happens when a washed-up musician looks for another chance? And miles away, a restless, childless woman looks for a change? Juliet, Naked is a powerfully engrossing, humblingly humorous novel about music, love, loneliness, and the struggle to live up to one’s promise.
Why I read ItLove Nick Hornby and have read all of his books.The Good
It seems he is hitting a lot of his favorite topics – music and relationships. A fun story providing an inside look at a retired reclusive rock star and his obsessive and not so obsessive fans.
The Bad
What happens?? Hornby uses the open nonending so you are not quite sure what happens. I know what I want so I for me that is the ending I have imagined.
The Ugly (my opinion)
Another fun read from the master of romantic comedies for men. Well, he writes them from the man’s perspective which in itself is very unique. Great book for all you Hornby fans out there.
The Truth? (other reviews)
The Guardian
Wall Street Journal
Washington Post
Mormon Mentions
None.
Author Biography
Nick Hornby is the author of the novels How to Be Good, High Fidelity, About a Boy, and A Long Way Down, as well as the memoir Fever Pitch. He is also the author of Songbook, a finalist for a National Book Critics Circle Award, and the editor of the short story collection Speaking with the Angel. The recipient of the American Academy of Arts and Letters E. M. Forster Award for 1999 as well as the 2003 Orange Word International Writers’ London Award, he lives in North London.
Wall Street Journal
Washington Post
Mormon Mentions
None.
Author Biography
Nick Hornby is the author of the novels How to Be Good, High Fidelity, About a Boy, and A Long Way Down, as well as the memoir Fever Pitch. He is also the author of Songbook, a finalist for a National Book Critics Circle Award, and the editor of the short story collection Speaking with the Angel. The recipient of the American Academy of Arts and Letters E. M. Forster Award for 1999 as well as the 2003 Orange Word International Writers’ London Award, he lives in North London.For Veterans Day
Mental Floss has an amazing video selection of soldier homecomings featuring their dogs. What makes this especially wonderful is the fact dogs put their emotions front and center unlike a lot of us who care about our images.
The final video is a compilation of Soldiers surprising their kids with their homecomings.
Be ready with the tissues if you follow the link and watch all the videos
A close second
This comes from the Daily Mail Online that I saw on Bits and Pieces
You can get a pictures of a lion eating on the hood of your Jeep - dangerous and irresponsible you say?
Public Relations genius!
Coolest Thing on the Web Today
Saw this on the awesome Miss Cellania blog.
Here is the rest of the story
I have know my fiance Tracey Wade for over 14 years and wanted to propose to her in a very unique way. Tracey thought we were just going to the movies on a Sunday afternoon. Little did she know, I had rented the entire theater and filled it with 160 of our friends and family. I made it seem as though we were showing up a little late to the movie and went in to the theater after the lights had gone down and the movie trailers were already playing. This was done to keep her from recognizing anyone in the theater. What I had done was make an entire movie trailer that had actors portraying both Tracey and I at different times in our lives, both present day and in the future. After a few trailers played including one for Lord of the Rings the one I had made started. Tracey thought it was just another trailer for a movie soon to be released. Tracey was just perplexed as to how many different things had similarities to our relationship, she kept nudging me throughout the trailer. Tracey had no idea this was a marriage proposal until the last three seconds of the trailer.
Nine months earlier in September of 2006 I started by hiring a professional production team, securing two and a half million dollars (FOR FREE) worth of film equipment (THANK YOU PANAVISION, THEY DONATED THE EQUIPMENT FOR THE SHOOT), and writing a script that would show what would go through someone's mind (Tracey's) if they were about to die. It is said "moments before you die your life flashes right before your eyes". JUST A NOTE: Ever since Tracey was a young girl, she has had a reoccurring dream that she was going to die in a plane crash. Actors were cast to portray both Tracey and I at different times in our lives (twenty years in the future as well as present day)
Please go the the blog to see links to more cool wedding proposals
Here is the rest of the story
I have know my fiance Tracey Wade for over 14 years and wanted to propose to her in a very unique way. Tracey thought we were just going to the movies on a Sunday afternoon. Little did she know, I had rented the entire theater and filled it with 160 of our friends and family. I made it seem as though we were showing up a little late to the movie and went in to the theater after the lights had gone down and the movie trailers were already playing. This was done to keep her from recognizing anyone in the theater. What I had done was make an entire movie trailer that had actors portraying both Tracey and I at different times in our lives, both present day and in the future. After a few trailers played including one for Lord of the Rings the one I had made started. Tracey thought it was just another trailer for a movie soon to be released. Tracey was just perplexed as to how many different things had similarities to our relationship, she kept nudging me throughout the trailer. Tracey had no idea this was a marriage proposal until the last three seconds of the trailer.
Nine months earlier in September of 2006 I started by hiring a professional production team, securing two and a half million dollars (FOR FREE) worth of film equipment (THANK YOU PANAVISION, THEY DONATED THE EQUIPMENT FOR THE SHOOT), and writing a script that would show what would go through someone's mind (Tracey's) if they were about to die. It is said "moments before you die your life flashes right before your eyes". JUST A NOTE: Ever since Tracey was a young girl, she has had a reoccurring dream that she was going to die in a plane crash. Actors were cast to portray both Tracey and I at different times in our lives (twenty years in the future as well as present day)
Please go the the blog to see links to more cool wedding proposals
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
It is the end of all that is good
Wait, that is close but they are actually banning this**
That's right, they have banned kissing rugby.
I remember my first experiences at BYU and thus Mormons on a large scale. I never realized what a liberal LDS member I was until I arrived in Provo. But even among all the nervousness of being a 17 year old alone, and slightly ostracized due to my occasional profanity there was one activity that brought me into the fold of Zion. Not only did slightly uptight Mormon college girls want you to kiss them, they also aggressively tried to kiss you at the same time. Granted the slight polygamy overtones of wrestling with two women couldn't be overlooked, it was still hot; and by hot I mean awesome.
"Kissing rugby is an aggressive sport where rug burns are as common as kissing. It's played with a large group of boys and girls. Each boy gets a number assigned to him and the girls are assigned letters. Everyone makes a circle with boys on one side, girls on the other. Someone gets in the middle and calls out a number and a letter (i.e. D--5) and then "D" and "5" enter the circle and attack the member of the opposite sex. If a girl is in the middle to start then the boy "5" attacks her while the girl "D" attacks "5." A point is scored when either "D" or "5" lands a kiss anywhere on the face (ears count) of the other person. Whoever is kissed has to remain in the middle, call out a number and a letter, and avoid getting kissed in the next round."
I only hope the out of control wave of fascism hasn't reached the other two BYU's before my sons get to experience it.
**I am pretty sure they have banned that too
The Lost Symbol - Book #100
| Title | The Lost Symbol |
|-------------+----------------------------------------|
| Author |Dan Brown |
|-------------+----------------------------------------|
| Genre |Adult Fiction |
|-------------+----------------------------------------|
| Pages |509 |
|-------------+----------------------------------------|
| Publisher |DoubleDay |
|-------------+----------------------------------------|
| Copyright |2009 |
|-------------+----------------------------------------|
Synopsis (from web-site)
This book is so big it gets its own web-site - go there for synopsis, chapter excerpts, and anything else book related.
| Publisher |DoubleDay |
|-------------+----------------------------------------|
| Copyright |2009 |
|-------------+----------------------------------------|
Synopsis (from web-site)
This book is so big it gets its own web-site - go there for synopsis, chapter excerpts, and anything else book related.
Why I read It
It’s Dan Brown. I have read all the others and because I am unafraid of all the elitist book snobs out there I will say I like them.
The Good
Fast paced and filled with tons of informational tidbits and little puzzles. It is really hard to finish a chapter and not begin the next.
The Bad
How accurate are his “facts”. Plus as per his time schedule, the hero Robert Langdon solves a lot of really hard puzzles in a conveniently short amount of time.
It’s Dan Brown. I have read all the others and because I am unafraid of all the elitist book snobs out there I will say I like them.
The Good
Fast paced and filled with tons of informational tidbits and little puzzles. It is really hard to finish a chapter and not begin the next.
The Bad
How accurate are his “facts”. Plus as per his time schedule, the hero Robert Langdon solves a lot of really hard puzzles in a conveniently short amount of time.
The Ugly (my opinion)
I really liked this book, especially the philosophy attached to it. If you are interested in the religious (great secret) theme then may I suggest Neal Stephenson. He writes really dense doorstop books (fiction) on many of these same topics. Cryptonomicon is an excellent place to start.
The Truth? (other reviews)
LA Times
NY Times
Chicago Tribune
I really liked this book, especially the philosophy attached to it. If you are interested in the religious (great secret) theme then may I suggest Neal Stephenson. He writes really dense doorstop books (fiction) on many of these same topics. Cryptonomicon is an excellent place to start.
The Truth? (other reviews)
LA Times
NY Times
Chicago Tribune
Mormon Mentions
Two brief one-liners, neither of much substance. Too bad really given all the connections between Mormons and Masons.
Author Biography
Dan Brown is the author of numerous #1 bestselling novels, including The Da Vinci Code, which has sold more than 80 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best selling novels of all time. Named one of the World's 100 Most Influential People by TIME Magazine, he has appeared in the pages of Newsweek, Forbes, People, GQ, The New Yorker , and others. His novels are published in 51 languages around the world.
Two brief one-liners, neither of much substance. Too bad really given all the connections between Mormons and Masons.
Author Biography
Dan Brown is the author of numerous #1 bestselling novels, including The Da Vinci Code, which has sold more than 80 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best selling novels of all time. Named one of the World's 100 Most Influential People by TIME Magazine, he has appeared in the pages of Newsweek, Forbes, People, GQ, The New Yorker , and others. His novels are published in 51 languages around the world. Snoop - Book #99
| Title | Snoop: What your stuff says about you. |
|-------------+----------------------------------------|
| Author |Sam Gosling |
|-------------+----------------------------------------|
| Genre |Non Fiction |
|-------------+----------------------------------------|
| Pages |227 |
|-------------+----------------------------------------|
| Publisher |Basic Books |
|-------------+----------------------------------------|
| Copyright |2008 |
|-------------+----------------------------------------|
Synopsis (from web-site)
A provocative and witty look at how our private spaces--from boardroom to bedroom--reveal our personalities, whether we know it or not! Does what's on your desk reveal what's on your mind? Do those pictures on your walls tell true tales about you? And is your favorite outfit about to give you away? For the last ten years psychologist Sam Gosling has been studying how people project (and protect) their inner selves. By exploring our private worlds (desks, bedrooms, even our clothes and our cars), he shows not only how we showcase our personalities in unexpected--and unplanned--ways, but also how we create personality in the first place, communicate it others, and interpret the world around us.
Why I read It
Fascinating Topic and I saw the book on Good Reads.
The Good
People try to present a false image of who they are all the time; and they fail at it all the time too. It doesn’t take much to see the truth about others, just an innate sense and practice. This book shows you the clues.
The Bad
I could have used more examples of all his points, but that is how I like to learn.
The Ugly (my opinion)
A very useful book for getting at the truth of things. It lays out all the tells that we share with the world all the time, especially when we are trying not to.
The Truth? (other reviews)
New Scientist
Mormon Mentions
None
Author Biography
SAM GOSLING, Ph.D., is an associate professor of psychology at the University of Texas at Austin. His work has been widely covered in the media, including The New York Times, Psychology Today, NPR, and "Good Morning America," and his research is featured in Malcolm Gladwell's Blink. Gosling is the recipient of the American Psychological Association's Distinguished Scientific Award for Early Career Contribution. This is his first book. He lives in Austin, Texas.
|-------------+----------------------------------------|
Synopsis (from web-site)
A provocative and witty look at how our private spaces--from boardroom to bedroom--reveal our personalities, whether we know it or not! Does what's on your desk reveal what's on your mind? Do those pictures on your walls tell true tales about you? And is your favorite outfit about to give you away? For the last ten years psychologist Sam Gosling has been studying how people project (and protect) their inner selves. By exploring our private worlds (desks, bedrooms, even our clothes and our cars), he shows not only how we showcase our personalities in unexpected--and unplanned--ways, but also how we create personality in the first place, communicate it others, and interpret the world around us.
Why I read It
Fascinating Topic and I saw the book on Good Reads.
The Good
People try to present a false image of who they are all the time; and they fail at it all the time too. It doesn’t take much to see the truth about others, just an innate sense and practice. This book shows you the clues.
The Bad
I could have used more examples of all his points, but that is how I like to learn.
The Ugly (my opinion)
A very useful book for getting at the truth of things. It lays out all the tells that we share with the world all the time, especially when we are trying not to.
The Truth? (other reviews)
New Scientist
Mormon Mentions
None
Author Biography
SAM GOSLING, Ph.D., is an associate professor of psychology at the University of Texas at Austin. His work has been widely covered in the media, including The New York Times, Psychology Today, NPR, and "Good Morning America," and his research is featured in Malcolm Gladwell's Blink. Gosling is the recipient of the American Psychological Association's Distinguished Scientific Award for Early Career Contribution. This is his first book. He lives in Austin, Texas.Stalking Susan - Book #98
|-------------+----------------------------------------|
| Title | Stalking Susan |
|-------------+----------------------------------------|
| Author |Julie Kramer |
|-------------+-------------------------------------|
Genre |Mystery |
|-------------+----------------------------------------|
| Pages |306 |
|-------------+----------------------------------------|
| Publisher |Doubleday |
|-------------+----------------------------------------|
| Copyright |2008 |
|-------------+----------------------------------------|
Synopsis (from web-site)
Inside the desperate world of TV news, a reporter discovers a serial killer is targeting women named Susan. Riley Spartz is recovering from a heartbreaking, headline-making catastrophe of her own when a Minneapolis police source drops two homicide files in her lap. Both cold cases involve women named Susan strangled on the same day, one year apart. Riley sees a pattern between those murders and others pulled from old death records. As the deadly anniversary approaches, she stages a bold on-air stunt to draw the killer out and uncover a motive that will leave readers breathless.
|-------------+----------------------------------------|
| Pages |306 |
|-------------+----------------------------------------|
| Publisher |Doubleday |
|-------------+----------------------------------------|
| Copyright |2008 |
|-------------+----------------------------------------|
Synopsis (from web-site)
Inside the desperate world of TV news, a reporter discovers a serial killer is targeting women named Susan. Riley Spartz is recovering from a heartbreaking, headline-making catastrophe of her own when a Minneapolis police source drops two homicide files in her lap. Both cold cases involve women named Susan strangled on the same day, one year apart. Riley sees a pattern between those murders and others pulled from old death records. As the deadly anniversary approaches, she stages a bold on-air stunt to draw the killer out and uncover a motive that will leave readers breathless.
Why I read It
Julie Kramer is a local writer and her family was promoting the books at a parade last summer. A co-worker got the information and let me know about it while discussing books one day.
The Good
Great mystery and wonderful writing. It also opens up a lot of the inside world of TV news reporting. Plus if you have any Minnesota experience you can have “secret insider” knowledge that just adds to the book.
The BadOccasional stilted dialogue, but very rare.
The Ugly (my opinion)
This book is hitting on all levels for me. The cover had me worried that it might be light chick-lit suspense (the bright yellow and the female outline) but I was rewarded with a solid, gritty procedural investigation (my favorite). Here is hoping Mrs. Kramer writes another twenty of them.
Julie Kramer is a local writer and her family was promoting the books at a parade last summer. A co-worker got the information and let me know about it while discussing books one day.
The Good
Great mystery and wonderful writing. It also opens up a lot of the inside world of TV news reporting. Plus if you have any Minnesota experience you can have “secret insider” knowledge that just adds to the book.
The BadOccasional stilted dialogue, but very rare.
The Ugly (my opinion)
This book is hitting on all levels for me. The cover had me worried that it might be light chick-lit suspense (the bright yellow and the female outline) but I was rewarded with a solid, gritty procedural investigation (my favorite). Here is hoping Mrs. Kramer writes another twenty of them.
Mormon Mentions
None
Author Biography
Julie Kramer is a freelance news producer for NBC's Today show, Nightly News, and Dateline. Prior to that she was a national award-winning investigative producer for WCCO-TV in Minneapolis. Julie grew up along the Minnesota-Iowa state line, fourth generation of a family who raised cattle and farmed corn for 130 years. Her favorite childhood days were spent waiting for the bookmobile to bring her another Phyllis A. Whitney novel. An avid reader, she tired of fictional TV reporters always being portrayed as obnoxious secondary characters who could be killed off whenever the plot started dragging. She lives with her husband and sons in White Bear Lake, MN.
None
Author Biography
Julie Kramer is a freelance news producer for NBC's Today show, Nightly News, and Dateline. Prior to that she was a national award-winning investigative producer for WCCO-TV in Minneapolis. Julie grew up along the Minnesota-Iowa state line, fourth generation of a family who raised cattle and farmed corn for 130 years. Her favorite childhood days were spent waiting for the bookmobile to bring her another Phyllis A. Whitney novel. An avid reader, she tired of fictional TV reporters always being portrayed as obnoxious secondary characters who could be killed off whenever the plot started dragging. She lives with her husband and sons in White Bear Lake, MN.
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