When to Rob a Bank

When to Rob a Bank by Steven D. Levitt
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

There are a few gems in here that should be revisited and reframed for today. There is also a lot that was only relevant in the past. Overall, it is worth reading but maybe with an eye to skipping anything that seems overly out-of-date.

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Wayne of Gotham

Wayne of Gotham by Tracy Hickman
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

While reading this book I felt that there was too much everything. The crazy people were too crazy. The rich people were too snobbish and blind. Batman was too paranoid.

And yet, after finishing and thinking back on it I cannot come up with a better way of handling the story. The crazy people only seem too crazy because fragmented and false memories really do leave people making no sense. And maybe rich people really are snobs and blind to the world beyond their money. And Batman being paranoid is not a new theme and why wouldn't it just get worse as he gets older?!

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It's Superman

It's Superman! by Tom De Haven
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I enjoyed Tom De Haven's writing style and the story was good. But there were too many liberties taken with the idea of Superman for me to really enjoy it. De Haven puts a heavy gloss of reality on the story of Superman and sets the origin story in the 30s.

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Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix assaulted my emotions more than any of the previous books. There were plenty of unfair issues to feel sympathy for in the earlier books but emotions are more quickly evoked in this book. I do hope that Harry is able to better control his anger in the next book. And Snape is such a sad example of what happens to a person when they can't let go of past grievances. Seriously, a study of Snape should be a required course so people can think about would sort of sad sack they might turn into if they hang onto anger and hate. I am thoroughly enjoying the different characters in this series.

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Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wow! I can see why people raved about the Harry Potter series. There is so much good stuff in here and not just fun adventure but difficult topics like prejudice and death.

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Dumbheart

Dumbheart: A Get Fuzzy Collection by Darby Conley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Despite be 10 years old, I find all the republican/democrat jokes to be spot on. I'm not sure they were balanced by it was nice to see both sides lampooned.

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Your Brain At Work

Your Brain at Work: Strategies for Overcoming Distraction, Regaining Focus, and Working Smarter All Day Long by David Rock
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Great advice but the presentation via examples made the material hard to endure. Also the examples were so extreme I found them to be a bit off-putting. They followed a pattern of saying that without the miracle techniques being presented in the book you would end up poor and unloved and it would be your own fault. But by applying the strategies from the book you would be successful in business, friendship, parenthood, and you would have more sex.

Don't get me wrong. There is undoubtable good advice in this book but results will vary. Some of the strategies will likely offend other people because they might feel that they are being manipulated. Read this book with a large pinch of salt.

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Smoke Gets In Your Eyes

Smoke Gets in Your Eyes: And Other Lessons from the Crematory by Caitlin Doughty
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A fascinating book with a lot to teach. I wouldn't recommend it for someone who is young. There are a lot of the lessons are hard ones. However, I wonder if it should be required reading for an adult or a kid in high school.

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Kiss My Asterisk

Kiss My Asterisk: A Feisty Guide to Punctuation and Grammar by Jenny Baranick
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A fun way to brush up on grammar rules. Kiss My Asterisk is written such that each chapter is standalone. You can read it out of order or spread reading it over several months and you won't miss anything. This makes it great for focusing on specific areas, as a doctor's office book, coffee table book, etc.

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Barking Up The Wrong Tree

Barking Up the Wrong Tree: The Surprising Science Behind Why Everything You Know About Success Is (Mostly) Wrong by Eric Barker
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

An interesting collection of facts, research, and stories about success. For example,

"Distractions literally make you Stupid.

Students whose classroom was situated near a noisy railway line ended up academically a full year behind students with a quiet classroom. When the noise was dampened, the performance difference vanished. Offices aren't much different. Research shows that the most productive computer programmers have one thing in common. It's not experience, salary, or hours spent on a project. They had employers who gave them an environment free from distraction."

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Wonder Woman: Mythos

Wonder Woman: Mythos by Carol Lay
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Good story. As usual the Batman is awesome! It was a little stereotypical with the woman vs men subplot. It seems that most of the Wonder Woman stories are Greek myth themed as is this one. I'd like to read one where Wonder Woman is the star without any Gods or magic.

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Superman: The Never-Ending Battle

Superman: The Never-Ending Battle by Roger Stern
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I'm finding that Batman is the key figure in many of the Justice League books, which is fine with me. Superman was only a focus to answer the question of how to keep from abusing power. The answer seemed to be to make sure that your personal life is happy and fulfilling enough to prefer it over power. In that regard, I enjoyed the emphasis on Clark Kent's personal life.

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Hero: Being the Strong Father Your Children Need

Hero: Being the Strong Father Your Children Need by Meg Meeker
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

If you want some additional motivation to stand strong as a father, this is a good book to read. Hero is packed with good advice and stories of strong fathers.

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Batman - The Stone King

Batman: The Stone King by Alan Grant
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book demonstrates how Batman can hold his own amongst the other senior members of the Justice League. There is a big focus on Earth magic and psychic powers. The GraphicAudio version is very well produced and fun.

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The Flash - Stop Motion

The Flash: Stop Motion by Mark Schultz
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Superman. Batman. Wonder Woman. The Flash. Green Lantern.They are the world's greatest super heroes, fighting endlessly against corruption and injustice. Each of them is a formidable opponent of evil, but banded together their powers are unmatched. Ever ready, they stand united as the --
JUSTICE LEAGUE of AMERICA

As the Flash, Wally West may be struggling to find his place within the ranks of the JLA, but he knows he has one great advantage over every trial he has ever faced: he is the Fastest Man Alive. Now, for the first time, he has met his match. A scientist has created something that can move even faster than Wally West -- and it's killing people in Keystone City. Forced to battle the one foe who can truly stay one step ahead of him, the Flash soon learns that the consequences of the creature's actions reach far beyond Keystone and threaten the future itself with annihilation.

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Sorry, no review this time. I pasted in the publisher's summary instead. I didn't want to provide any spoilers.

Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters Devotional

Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters Devotional: 52 Devotions Every Father Needs by Meg Meeker
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I wish I could convince more fathers to read this book. Think of this as your weekly guide to a better father, daughter relationship.

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Your Best Brain

Your Best Brain: The Science of Brain Improvement by John Medina
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A good combination of theoretical and practical knowledge to help you understand and care for your brain.

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Groovitude: A Get Fuzzy Treasure

Groovitude: A Get Fuzzy Treasure by Darby Conley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book has groovitude.

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The Antidote: Happiness for People Who Can't Stand Positive Thinking

The Antidote: Happiness for People Who Can't Stand Positive Thinking by Oliver Burkeman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Despite the fact that the title implies that this is a self-help book, it really is not. It is more of a journalistic study of philosophies that don't focus on the positive. There are no step-by-step guides of how to change your life. It is more like following along with a friend is learning about different techniques and giving them a go.

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Scrum Bums: A Get Fuzzy Collection

Scrum Bums: A Get Fuzzy Collection by Darby Conley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Get Fuzzy is my go to comic to cheer me up. Scrum Bums does not disappoint.

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