Read 30 books in 2005

This book is look at the 2004 Oakland A’s and, specifically, the Big Three of Barry Zito, Tim Hudson, and Mark Mulder. A nice, brisk read that had me reliving that tumultuous season. If I hadn’t just finished up A Million Little Pieces, I might agree with my friend, Anne, who says that it’s the most depressing thing she’s read, this year.

It’s filled with great quotes from all three and various others around the A’s.

(bold means ‘complete’ and italics means ‘in progress’):

1. The Tipping Point by Malcom Gladwell
2. Getting Things Done by David Allen
3. The Last Season by Phil Jackson
4. Scrolling Forward by David Levy
5. The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
6. Winners Never Cheat by Jon M. Huntsman
7. Dress Your Family in Courduroy and Denim by David Sedaris
8. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon
9. Blink by Malcom Gladwell
10. Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life by Amy Krouse Rosenthal
11. I’m Okay You’re a Brat by Susan Jeffers
12. Freakonomics by Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner
13. A Million Little Pieces by James Frey
14. Villa Incognito by Tom Robbins
15. Aces by Mychael Urban
16. Guns, Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond (232 of 471)
17. 101 Ways To Be a Terrific Sports Parent by Joel Fish (55 of 293)
18. How To Talk So Kids Will Listen… by Faber and Mazlish
19. Chicken Soup for the Father’s Soul by Canfield et. al.
20. Brief Interviews With Hideous Men by David Foster Wallace
21. More Than A Game by Thad Williamson
22. Momentum – Letting Love Lead by John-Roger
23. The Games Do Count by Brian Kilmeade
24. Designing With Web Standards by Jeffrey Zeldman
25. The Virtue of Selfishness by Ayn Rand
26. PHP Web Development with Macromedia Dreamweaver MX by Kent, Powers and Andrew
27. Who Moved My Cheese? by Spencer Johnson
28. Eastern Standard Tribe by Cory Doctorow
29. Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert J. Kiyosaki
30. Digital Photography Hacks by Derrick Story

(bold means ‘complete’ and italics means ‘in progress’):

1. The Tipping Point by Malcom Gladwell
2. Getting Things Done by David Allen
3. The Last Season by Phil Jackson
4. Scrolling Forward by David Levy
5. The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
6. Winners Never Cheat by Jon M. Huntsman
7. Dress Your Family in Courduroy and Denim by David Sedaris
8. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon
9. Blink by Malcom Gladwell
10. Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life by Amy Krouse Rosenthal
11. I’m Okay You’re a Brat by Susan Jeffers
12. Freakonomics by Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner
13. A Million Little Pieces by James Frey
14. Villa Incognito by Tom Robbins
15. Guns, Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond (232 of 471)
16. 101 Ways To Be a Terrific Sports Parent by Joel Fish (55 of 293)
17. How To Talk So Kids Will Listen… by Faber and Mazlish
18. Chicken Soup for the Father’s Soul by Canfield et. al.
19. Brief Interviews With Hideous Men by David Foster Wallace
20. More Than A Game by Thad Williamson
21. Momentum – Letting Love Lead by John-Roger
22. The Games Do Count by Brian Kilmeade
23. Designing With Web Standards by Jeffrey Zeldman
24. The Virtue of Selfishness by Ayn Rand
25. PHP Web Development with Macromedia Dreamweaver MX by Kent, Powers and Andrew
26. Who Moved My Cheese? by Spencer Johnson
27. Eastern Standard Tribe by Cory Doctorow
28. Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert J. Kiyosaki
29. Digital Photography Hacks by Derrick Story

It came like a flash onto my reading list. I ordered it from The Literary Guild, a book club that sends me book-type things. Remind me to remind myself that these things never work )for me).

Anyhow, I’ve seen this around and thought, “What an original idea!” Then I saw that it was by a woman. Dread. Should I even be reading and Encyclopedia of an Ordinary (Woman’s) Life? What the hell…I cracked it…and was barely able to put it down, this past week.

It’s filled with all sorts of things that will make you smile (or want to cry) along with her…along with everyone…because it is, after all, an ordinary life that she describes. Just like mine. Just like yours. Ordinary, not meaning “unoriginal”. Ordinary, meaning “Special…in spite of the lack of a made-for-TV movie about it”.

The encyclopedia formatting seems tailor-made for me. x_requests that all books now be written like this_x I never did jump around for the “See also:” notations, instead reading it, in order.

(bold means ‘complete’ and italics means ‘in progress’):

1. The Tipping Point by Malcom Gladwell
2. Getting Things Done by David Allen
3. The Last Season by Phil Jackson
4. Scrolling Forward by David Levy
5. The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
6. Winners Never Cheat by Jon M. Huntsman
7. Dress Your Family in Courduroy and Denim by David Sedaris
8. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon
9. Blink by Malcom Gladwell
10. Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life by Amy Krouse Rosenthal
11. I’m Okay You’re a Brat by Susan Jeffers (130 of 275)
12. 101 Ways To Be a Terrific Sports Parent by Joel Fish (55 of 293)
13. How To Talk So Kids Will Listen… by Faber and Mazlish
14. Chicken Soup for the Father’s Soul by Canfield et. al.
15. Brief Interviews With Hideous Men by David Foster Wallace
16. More Than A Game by Thad Williamson
17. Momentum – Letting Love Lead by John-Roger
18. The Games Do Count by Brian Kilmeade
19. Designing With Web Standards by Jeffrey Zeldman
20. The Virtue of Selfishness by Ayn Rand
21. PHP Web Development with Macromedia Dreamweaver MX by Kent, Powers and Andrew
22. Who Moved My Cheese? by Spencer Johnson
23. Eastern Standard Tribe by Cory Doctorow
24. Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert J. Kiyosaki
25. Digital Photography Hacks by Derrick Story
26. Guns, Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond

I have a friend who got a chance to read this book before me. If ever there was a case for cynicism being a profession, he is it. He read it and, predictably, attempted to shred it to pieces. This was one of my two pre-impressions of this book.

The other was seeing the author, Gladwell, at Cody’s. He related some of the stories that make up the supporting material for his ultimate point. Malcom is great at telling the stories in person. He draws you into them. This is not dissimilar to his writing style. It was a good primer for the book…even though that was months ago.

I think I’m given to long, furtive looks at people and situations. Maybe I think that this practice makes me look thoughtful. Maybe I’m trying to extract all of the meaning from whatever or whoever it is that I’m looking at. Blink has opened up the idea that analyzing something to death isn’t always the way to go. Our long, lingering looks can be whiddled down to focused glances…and be just as effective. Those that know me could tell you that me actually writing that last sentence is a stretch. So be it.

If not good, this book is thought-provoking, at the very least. Every once in a while, I come to a quickly formulated decision which leaves me feeling a bit off in the aftermath. While reading this, I feel that this may be because the decision made conflicts with what I truly feel to be the best course of action. I’m pretty sure the last two sentences sound like jibberish. So be it. Read this book. :)

(bold means ‘complete’ and italics means ‘in progress’):

1. The Tipping Point by Malcom Gladwell
2. Getting Things Done by David Allen
3. The Last Season by Phil Jackson
4. Scrolling Forward by David Levy
5. The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
6. Winners Never Cheat by Jon M. Huntsman
7. Dress Your Family in Courduroy and Denim by David Sedaris
8. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon
9. Blink by Malcom Gladwell
10. I’m Okay You’re a Brat by Susan Jeffers (130 of 275)
11. 101 Ways To Be a Terrific Sports Parent by Joel Fish (55 of 293)
12. How To Talk So Kids Will Listen… by Faber and Mazlish
13. Chicken Soup for the Father’s Soul by Canfield et. al.
14. Brief Interviews With Hideous Men by David Foster Wallace
15. More Than A Game by Thad Williamson
16. Momentum – Letting Love Lead by John-Roger
17. The Games Do Count by Brian Kilmeade
18. Designing With Web Standards by Jeffrey Zeldman
19. The Virtue of Selfishness by Ayn Rand
20. PHP Web Development with Macromedia Dreamweaver MX by Kent, Powers and Andrew
21. Who Moved My Cheese? by Spencer Johnson
22. Eastern Standard Tribe by Cory Doctorow
23. Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert J. Kiyosaki
24. Digital Photography Hacks by Derrick Story
25. Guns, Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond

Short and sweet. Tailor-made for a sagittarian, such as myself. I put it down feeling like I know a bit more about the autistic mind and wanting, again…a bit more, to visit Eng-er-land. Damn the exchange rates! Full speed ahead!

(bold means ‘complete’ and italics means ‘in progress’):

1. The Tipping Point by Malcom Gladwell
2. Getting Things Done by David Allen
3. The Last Season by Phil Jackson
4. Scrolling Forward by David Levy
5. The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
6. Winners Never Cheat by Jon M. Huntsman
7. Dress Your Family in Courduroy and Denim by David Sedaris
8. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon
9. I’m Okay You’re a Brat by Susan Jeffers (130 of 275)
10. 101 Ways To Be a Terrific Sports Parent by Joel Fish (55 of 293)
11. Blink by Malcom Gladwell (211 of 254)
12. How To Talk So Kids Will Listen… by Faber and Mazlish
13. Chicken Soup for the Father’s Soul by Canfield et. al.
14. Brief Interviews With Hideous Men by David Foster Wallace
15. More Than A Game by Thad Williamson
16. Momentum – Letting Love Lead by John-Roger
17. The Games Do Count by Brian Kilmeade
18. Designing With Web Standards by Jeffrey Zeldman
19. The Virtue of Selfishness by Ayn Rand
20. PHP Web Development with Macromedia Dreamweaver MX by Kent, Powers and Andrew
21. Who Moved My Cheese? by Spencer Johnson
22. Eastern Standard Tribe by Cory Doctorow
23. Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert J. Kiyosaki
24. Digital Photography Hacks by Derrick Story
25. Guns, Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond

Maybe the key to all of this is having a book that I’m nursing along, which prompts me to complete three to four other books betwen the its start and completion. The current book in that role is “I’m Okay, You’re a Brat”. shrug

I finished the last 2/3’s of DYFICAD going to and from Seattle, yesterday. I’m amazed at how much I packed into that day, even though my business up there isn’t completed (thorugh no fault of my own). Such is life.

Anyhow…I usually write something about the book I finished, don’t I? Sedaris is funny. Reading about his development through his contemplatively funny eyes is a treat. It’s a guilty treat, because (and this keys one of the chapters) his family had no idea that their existence would eventually amount to a wellspring of material for their gay son. I’m not gay, and didn’t even notice that he was (I’d never read any of his stuff) until now. Still, I identified with him and fit his specific experiences into my own life. I imagine it’s his writing that makes it easy for people to do this.

Recommended.

(bold means ‘complete’ and italics means ‘in progress’):

1. The Tipping Point by Malcom Gladwell
2. Getting Things Done by David Allen
3. The Last Season by Phil Jackson
4. Scrolling Forward by David Levy
5. The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
6. Winners Never Cheat by Jon M. Huntsman
7. Dress Your Family in Courduroy and Denim by David Sedaris
8. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon (90 of 226)
9. I’m Okay You’re a Brat by Susan Jeffers (99 of 275)
10. How To Talk So Kids Will Listen… by Faber and Mazlish
11. Chicken Soup for the Father’s Soul by Canfield et. al.
12. Brief Interviews With Hideous Men by David Foster Wallace
13. 101 Ways To Be a Terrific Sports Parent by Joel Fish
14. More Than A Game by Thad Williamson
15. Momentum – Letting Love Lead by John-Roger
16. The Games Do Count by Brian Kilmeade
17. Blink by Malcom Gladwell
18. Designing With Web Standards by Jeffrey Zeldman
19. The Virtue of Selfishness by Ayn Rand
20. PHP Web Development with Macromedia Dreamweaver MX by Kent, Powers and Andrew
21. Who Moved My Cheese? by Spencer Johnson
22. Eastern Standard Tribe by Cory Doctorow
23. Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert J. Kiyosaki
24. Digital Photography Hacks by Derrick Story
25. Guns, Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond

I started reading this on a whim. Completed it in a total of 4 days or so. Very quick, but incisive meditation on holding to the morals one (hopefully) learned as a youth. The prevailing thought is that business is a realm where these playground ethics can be cast aside. Indeed, some think they MUST be, in order to get ahead. Huntsman begs to differ.

He draws upon a varied breadth of work that awed me, at least. He worked in Washington under Nixon. He was in the Navy. Most famously, though, he built a company from scratch into a multi-billion-dollar international powerhouse. He keeps it simple, here, and that is a good thing.

(bold means ‘complete’ and italics means ‘in progress’):

1. The Tipping Point by Malcom Gladwell
2. Getting Things Done by David Allen
3. The Last Season by Phil Jackson
4. Scrolling Forward by David Levy
5. The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
6. Winners Never Cheat by Jon M. Huntsman
7. Dress Your Family in Courduroy and Denim by David Sedaris (30 of 257)
8. I’m Okay You’re a Brat by Susan Jeffers (99 of 275)
9. How To Talk So Kids Will Listen… by Faber and Mazlish
10. Chicken Soup for the Father’s Soul by Canfield et. al.
11. Brief Interviews With Hideous Men by David Foster Wallace
12. 101 Ways To Be a Terrific Sports Parent by Joel Fish
13. More Than A Game by Thad Williamson
14. Momentum – Letting Love Lead by John-Roger
15. The Games Do Count by Brian Kilmeade
16. Blink by Malcom Gladwell
17. Designing With Web Standards by Jeffrey Zeldman
18. The Virtue of Selfishness by Ayn Rand
19. PHP Web Development with Macromedia Dreamweaver MX by Kent, Powers and Andrew
20. Who Moved My Cheese? by Spencer Johnson
21. Eastern Standard Tribe by Cory Doctorow
22. Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert J. Kiyosaki
23. Digital Photography Hacks by Derrick Story
24. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon
25. Guns, Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond

Well, I guess I can get on with my life, now! I picked this up at the insistance of a friend that I add more “palate cleansers” to my list. Started on 2/24, it took me 9 days to finish it, which is far less that a book usually takes me to read…and far MORE than it took almost everyone else, I know, that read it!

I can return my attention to “I’m Okay You’re A Brat” which should be done in short order…and then either “Blink” or “More Than A Game”, which will coincide with UNC’s run to a niational championship bid.

(bold means ‘complete’ and italics means ‘in progress’):

1. The Tipping Point by Malcom Gladwell
2. Getting Things Done by David Allen
3. The Last Season by Phil Jackson
4. Scrolling Forward by David Levy
5. The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
6. I’m Okay You’re a Brat by Susan Jeffers (99 of 275)
7. How To Talk So Kids Will Listen… by Faber and Mazlish
8. Chicken Soup for the Father’s Soul by Canfield et. al.
9. Brief Interviews With Hideous Men by David Foster Wallace
10. 101 Ways To Be a Terrific Sports Parent by Joel Fish
11. More Than A Game by Thad Williamson
12. Momentum – Letting Love Lead by John-Roger
13. The Games Do Count by Brian Kilmeade
14. Blink by Malcom Gladwell
15. Designing With Web Standards by Jeffrey Zeldman
16. The Virtue of Selfishness by Ayn Rand
17. PHP Web Development with Macromedia Dreamweaver MX by Kent, Powers and Andrew
18. Who Moved My Cheese? by Spencer Johnson
19. Eastern Standard Tribe by Cory Doctorow
20. Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert J. Kiyosaki
21. Digital Photography Hacks by Derrick Story
22. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon
23. Guns, Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond

This book is an anomaly – a short, engaging meditation on something that I’m interested in…and yet one which I couldn’t bring myself to finish. This was (still is?) my perfect book, one which I could pick up, finish in 4 days and then not pick up another book for a couple of months. I was somehow stuck on the last two chapters.

The second to last section was a bit drier than the rest, but the final chapter was really well done. It’s the sort of book that I want to talk to everyone about but know that no one will read it. S’ok, maybe I’ll coerce someone, someday.

This also marks the conclusion of the books-I-never-got-around to finishing section of my reading list. The rest are fresh, unopened. Next up: “I’m Okay You’re a Brat”

(bold means ‘complete’ and italics means ‘in progress’):

1. The Tipping Point by Malcom Gladwell
2. Getting Things Done by David Allen
3. The Last Season by Phil Jackson
4. Scrolling Forward by David Levy
5. I’m Okay You’re a Brat by Susan Jeffers (99 of 275)
6. The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown (224 of 454)
7. How To Talk So Kids Will Listen… by Faber and Mazlish
8. Chicken Soup for the Father’s Soul by Canfield et. al.
9. Brief Interviews With Hideous Men by David Foster Wallace
10. 101 Ways To Be a Terrific Sports Parent by Joel Fish
11. More Than A Game by Thad Williamson
12. Momentum – Letting Love Lead by John-Roger
13. The Games Do Count by Brian Kilmeade
14. Blink by Malcom Gladwell
15. Designing With Web Standards by Jeffrey Zeldman
16. The Virtue of Selfishness by Ayn Rand
17. PHP Web Development with Macromedia Dreamweaver MX by Kent, Powers and Andrew
18. Who Moved My Cheese? by Spencer Johnson
19. Eastern Standard Tribe by Cory Doctorow
20. Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert J. Kiyosaki
21. Digital Photography Hacks by Derrick Story
22. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon

Yes, it was eerie, because yes, Rudy Tomjanovich did step down. Th last couple pages of the book/diary were about him being the heir to Phil Jackson’s throne. That was not even one year ago. Good LORD, my team is in flux.

Ahhhh…that’s a reflection for another time. Next up on this list is the polishing off of Scrolling Forward and the beginning (and completion of I’m Okay…You’re a Brat).

(bold means ‘complete’ and italics means ‘in progress’):

1. The Tipping Point by Malcom Gladwell
2. Getting Things Done by David Allen
3. The Last Season by Phil Jackson
4. Scrolling Forward by David Levy (181 of 202)
5. I’m Okay You’re a Brat by Susan Jeffers
6. How To Talk So Kids Will Listen… by Faber and Mazlish
7. Chicken Soup for the Father’s Soul by Canfield et. al.
8. Brief Interviews With Hideous Men by David Foster Wallace
9. 101 Ways To Be a Terrific Sports Parent by Joel Fish
10. More Than A Game by Thad Williamson
11. Momentum – Letting Love Lead by John-Roger
12. The Games Do Count by Brian Kilmeade
13. Blink by Malcom Gladwell
14. Designing With Web Standards by Jeffrey Zeldman
15. The Virtue of Selfishness by Ayn Rand
16. PHP Web Development with Macromedia Dreamweaver MX by Kent, Powers and Andrew
17. Who Moved My Cheese? by Spencer Johnson
18. Eastern Standard Tribe by Cory Doctorow
19. Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert J. Kiyosaki
20. Digital Photography Hacks by Derrick Story