About a week ago I finished reading Survivor by Chuck Palahniuk. I had previously read a few books by the author, including Rant and Lullaby. While unique, Survivor lacked the technique of Rant yet, in my opinion, was an improvement on Lullaby. If you’ve read anything by Chuck Palhinuik before, this book also has his unique and distinct style.
Plot (possibly spoilers) In Survivor, Tender Branson, the product of the Creedish Cult District, must find a way to truly live. Since childhood he was brought up to serve the church district, only to have them all kill themselves in The Deliverance. He is [nearly] the last remaining member of the cult, and as a result he is thrust into stardom. He, using his friend's ability, predicts the future periodically to the world. The entire story is recounted by Tender Branson as he is 20,000 feet in the air in a hijacked airplane. Response In general, I liked Survivor, though it wasn’t as fast-paced as I would have liked. However, rarely are Palhinuik’s books fast-paced. He instead focuses on technique, which he does quite well. I would recommend this book to anyone if you’re looking for something new or something unique.
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Most readers nowadays use Amazon Kindle ebooks instead of printed. The product is wireless and allows you to access Amazon’s ebook store wirelessly. It also allows you to purchase books from there store, which holds more than 88,000. Unfortunately, the product can only hold about 200 titles. Firstly, the reason I don’t think this product will be successfully – or any similar future product, for that matter – is because of the nature of it. I just don’t see typical readers buying a product to read their books on. There is something unique about reading a book, holding it and turning the pages. Carrying a screen around won’t change that. Secondly, it’s monstrously overpriced. The asking price for this product is $400. I can’t see anyone other than the rich or the foolish purchasing this product.
The second issue I have with this product is simply the look. The design is horrible; it looks like a low-end product from the 90s. The awkward keypad and bulky, uncreative design put a damper on a good concept. I’m sure amazon will keep trying, but for now I think this product is anything but revolutionary (as Amazon claims it is). Recently i finished Freedomnomics by John Lott Jr. Freedomnomics is a book about various economics situations. The subtitle of the book is “Why the Free Market Works and Other Half-Baked Theories Don’t.” This is basically the thesis of the book; Lott discusses why he thinks the American free market works and why various theories don’t. Freedomnomics is also a rebuttal to Freakonomics.
In this book, John Lott discusses oil and cheaper drugs, and how higher prices help the economic. His theory is that because people pay higher prices for products, oil, drugs, and so on when other’s are paying less, they cover the cost of research and development. through this, he explains how price discrimination is a good thing. He also discusses how reputations keep businesses and politicians honest, and explains how abortion is not the real cause of decrease in crime, but that the death penalty, law enforcement, and concealed-carry laws are. He also touched on voting, voting fraud, and other political topics. For the most part he demonstrated these economic principals accurately and well, though I would still recommend you read by Freedomnomics and Freakonomics to get an objective picture. The one thing that Lott doesn’t really cover is Freakonomics, which it theoretically is a rebuttal to. It discusses the book and it’s topics, but not extensively as one would assume. Overall, Freedomnomics was an enjoyable economical book that I’d recommend to anyone and everyone. |
Edward B. ChambersWriter, novelist, fender owner and The Paper Guide author doing book reviews. Working at the fulcrum of modernism and futurism to craft delightful book experiences. I'm fueled by poems, classics and mexican vine. ArchivesCategories |