Brooklyn
Colm Toibin
Eilis is content living in 1950s Ireland and expects to keep on living there for the rest of her life – until her charismatic sister Rose books her on a ship to America. She is sent away in search of better opportunities than home can offer post-war, and sure enough in NY, Eilis works in a shop and is studying bookkeeping. She remains desperately homesick though, until she meets Tony, an Italian golden retriever-esque plumber. But her family suffers
a tragedy, and on her return she is swept up in the life she could have lived back home. Eilis is torn between two promising, parallel versions of a life she will have to choose for herself. 
I’ve loved the movie adaptation for years but somehow never thought to check if it was a book – until I heard there was a sequel being released. Brooklyn was super short – I finished it in two evenings – but pretty weighty. I was moved by the compassionate portrayal of so many ordinary people with unimportant lives, for whom the little things that happen are the big things that make up a life. Toibin wove a lot between the lines; even though these characters leave most things unsaid, you can feel the tug of desires and duty, motivations malicious or sacrificial, as an undercurrent to most interactions. Though it was written with a light hand – deft and funny, it felt real and complex.
I also sympathised with Eilis’ actions – some self-sabotage, some in avoidance or confusion. She tended to go along with everyone’s expectations whilst privately ignoring her own reservations until the last minute, then blowing everything up. There was also that warped sense of place in regard to travel: that feeling that you’re growing and changing when you’re travelling and everything seems so vivid and tangible you believe it of yourself, then the ease of returning home and slotting into your old self with the trip becoming like a dream.
I understand not much actually happened in this book, but maybe that’s why I loved it, and could recommend to others who enjoy character rather than plot driven novels. I am very curious to read the sequel now.
Many reviewers hated this book for the same reason I liked it! Thankfully, a lot of the text was dedicated to how the venture capitalists could support Stella’s Signature Scent start-up. There aren’t too many loooonnnngggg sex scenes that have them going at it like bunnies all night (and getting a blow by blow of the action). Does anyone read those $3X scenes and actually enjoy them? I’m also very over people saying ‘is it spicy?’ No, there’s no delicious cooking in this novel, just home-made mac’n’cheese.
This book lives up to its title by effectively condensing an MBA into a single volume. It provides a concise overview of many essential business topics. While it doesn’t delve deeply into each subject, it serves as an excellent starting point if you want to read just one business book on MBA concepts. This book is a valuable guide for beginners and equips you with the necessary information and tools to further your business education.
Sooo, it’s kind of like Hunger Games but a little less predictable because it’s not always obvious who needs to be the survivor, and who is going to win. I enjoyed the various powers that Kai got to play with, and I think more could have been done with it. Also, as if you’d fall for the illusionist twice…
This book offers an insightful look into the inner workings of the FBI, narrated through the lens of an experienced agent. It demonstrates how the following principles are fundamental not only to FBI operations but also to broader applications in business and personal life. The author delves into the Bureau’s adherence to the seven C’s:
I had high expectations for this book, hoping to find compelling case studies and valuable insights about women in the tech industry. While it does touch on those aspects, I found the book to be disorganized and lacking a clear structure. It begins with a captivating short story about GoldieBlox, which instantly grabbed my attention. However, this story is only briefly explored and not revisited until the very end, which left me eagerly waiting for more throughout but left me disappointed.
I approached this book with a sense of uncertainty, unsure whether it would be exceptionally good or disappointingly bad. To my delight, it turned out to be a truly commendable read, deserving a solid four stars. I was concerned that it might be overly centered on Navy SEAL anecdotes at the expense of practical business applications, but I found the abundance of such stories surprisingly captivating. Despite my initial reservations, the author successfully bridged the gap between the SEAL experiences and their relevance to the business world to create a compelling narrative.
This book hooked me right from the start with its engaging storytelling. The first section, “Misconceptions about the Real Work,” was packed with interesting studies, statistics, and stories that highlighted the importance of behavioral design. However, I didn’t really learn anything new from that section. Things went downhill from there, with less exciting sections that didn’t hold my attention. The ending was a bit of a letdown. It seemed like it was building up to a solution, but then it shifted focus to testing and case studies, which weren’t anything groundbreaking since they had already been discussed throughout the book. So, it felt like we circled back to the solutions section was the real end earlier on, which was anticlimactic.
The readers are treated to a comprehensive exploration of the company’s history. The narrative seamlessly weaves together the personal stories of Cal Turner Senior and Cal Turner Jr, offering a delightful blend of humor and insightful anecdotes from the company’s journey.
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