Search found 2496 matches

by bigdirtyfoot
28 Dec 2014 06:54
Forum: Arts & Leisure
Topic: 2014 Book Challenge
Replies: 50
Views: 36765

Re: 2014 Book Challenge

"What Color Is Your Parachute?: A Practical Manual for Job-Hunters and Career-Changers - 2013 Edition", Richard N. Bolles, 350 pg. Although this is the 2013 edition of "What Color Is Your Parachute?", I'm writing this review in December 2014. When I first started the book in July 2013 I was unaware ...
by bigdirtyfoot
15 Dec 2014 12:20
Forum: Arts & Leisure
Topic: 2014 Book Challenge
Replies: 50
Views: 36765

Re: 2014 Book Challenge

19. The World Jones Made, Philip K Dick, 199 pg. One of PKD's earlier novels, this one has a good mix of science fiction elements - pre-cogs, alien invasions, drug use, mutant humans, etc. It's not the strongest PKD, but I enjoyed it a lot and it was a fairly quick read. I'd suggest this one to anyo...
by bigdirtyfoot
30 Nov 2014 12:48
Forum: Arts & Leisure
Topic: 2014 Book Challenge
Replies: 50
Views: 36765

Re: 2014 Book Challenge

18. Working With Anger, Thubten Chodron, 169 pg. I am very impressed by the quality of this work. Chodron writes clearly and concisely throughout the entire piece. The book's focus is on how to approach, understand, and work with anger - our own and others'. As someone who has a long fuse but a viol...
by bigdirtyfoot
22 Oct 2014 07:50
Forum: Arts & Leisure
Topic: 2014 Book Challenge
Replies: 50
Views: 36765

Re: 2014 Book Challenge

17. The Walls Came Tumbling Down, Robert Anton Wilson, 174 pg. This is a screenplay about how one's concept of reality can completely change and how jarring it can be for that person. Having gone through some similar situations in my own life, it was relatable, but this is one of Wilson's weaker wor...
by bigdirtyfoot
17 Oct 2014 10:02
Forum: Arts & Leisure
Topic: 2014 Book Challenge
Replies: 50
Views: 36765

Re: 2014 Book Challenge

16. God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater, or Pearls Before Swine, Kurt Vonnegut, 190 pg. Wasn't a huge fan of this book. Made me chuckle a few times, but was never really grabbed by the plot. Doesn't really go anywhere and the characters aren't incredibly interesting. This is my least favorite Vonnegut so f...
by bigdirtyfoot
07 Oct 2014 18:25
Forum: Arts & Leisure
Topic: 2014 Book Challenge
Replies: 50
Views: 36765

Re: 2014 Book Challenge

15. Fishers of Men: The Gospel of an Ayahuasca Vision Quest, Adam Elenbaas, 276 pg. I wasn't definitively sure how I felt about this book at its mid-way point. The story had captivated me and was somewhat relatable for me personally, but I didn't care for the characters and the book lacked a concret...
by bigdirtyfoot
22 Sep 2014 12:23
Forum: Arts & Leisure
Topic: 2014 Book Challenge
Replies: 50
Views: 36765

Re: 2014 Book Challenge

14. Love Letter To The Earth, Thich Nhat Hanh, 142 pg. This is an ecological appeal for our species to get back in touch with our roots - the Earth, the Sun, and the universe beyond. I believe it is the second book I have read by Thich Nhat Hanh, the first bring "Peace Is Every Step". I found this b...
by bigdirtyfoot
21 Sep 2014 13:42
Forum: Arts & Leisure
Topic: 2014 Book Challenge
Replies: 50
Views: 36765

Re: 2014 Book Challenge

13. Time Out Of Joint, Philip K Dick, 234 pg.

I really enjoyed this one. Quick read, great plot/characters, as always - a different idea about what reality is... my full review is in the Modified Book Club.
by bigdirtyfoot
21 Sep 2014 13:30
Forum: Arts & Leisure
Topic: Modified Book Club
Replies: 34
Views: 23632

Re: Modified Book Club

Time Out Of Joint I'm actually surprised this is the first PKD I've read this year, since I bought four more of his novels. Been too focused on William Gibson and Kurt Vonnegut. Too much to read, too little time! This is a really solid PKD novel. One of his better works, in my opinion. It has been a...
by bigdirtyfoot
14 Sep 2014 09:28
Forum: Arts & Leisure
Topic: 2014 Book Challenge
Replies: 50
Views: 36765

Re: 2014 Book Challenge

12. Zero History, William Gibson, 404 pg. This is the final book in the Blue Ant trilogy and the latest novel that Gibson has published to date. I found "Zero History" to be a great story, flush with an exciting plot development and engaging characters. I was extremely happy with the novel, especial...
by bigdirtyfoot
10 Aug 2014 13:46
Forum: Arts & Leisure
Topic: 2014 Book Challenge
Replies: 50
Views: 36765

Re: 2014 Book Challenge

11. Spook Country, William Gibson, 373 pg. The second book in the Blue Ant trilogy, after Pattern Recognition. Out of all the books I have read by Gibson, I judged this to be his weakest contribution. The characters and plot were not very captivating, and the ending was anticlimactic. However, it is...
by bigdirtyfoot
29 Jul 2014 18:00
Forum: Footblogs
Topic: North Carolina Shred - BigDirtyFoot
Replies: 388
Views: 55976

Re: North Carolina Shred - BigDirtyFoot

Played tonight with Aaron and Darren. First time I'd kicked in a looonnnnngggggg time. First time I'd laced up Lavers in a long time. I struggled to put together 2-3 move strings, although I didn't do as badly as I thought I might. Overall, it was a pretty fun time and I plan on playing with those g...
by bigdirtyfoot
20 Jun 2014 13:29
Forum: Arts & Leisure
Topic: 2014 Book Challenge
Replies: 50
Views: 36765

Re: 2014 Book Challenge

10. Pattern Recognition, William Gibson, 367 pg.

Review is in the Modified Book Club thread. I definitely enjoyed this one. It features an internet forum as well!
by bigdirtyfoot
20 Jun 2014 13:27
Forum: Arts & Leisure
Topic: Modified Book Club
Replies: 34
Views: 23632

Re: Modified Book Club

Pattern Recognition: This is the first novel in William Gibson's "Blue Ant" trilogy, which is set in modern time, rather than in the future or the past. It seemed to feel closer to me than his other books, which may be because of the time it is set in. I really enjoyed reading this novel. The charac...
by bigdirtyfoot
31 May 2014 07:36
Forum: Footblogs
Topic: North Carolina Shred - BigDirtyFoot
Replies: 388
Views: 55976

Re: North Carolina Shred - BigDirtyFoot

Awesome! I'm looking forward to it. I'll be sure to check your blog out as well! Haha, you can see it's been 5 years since I last posted in this blog, and I wasn't playing often then anyways.
by bigdirtyfoot
25 May 2014 14:59
Forum: Footblogs
Topic: North Carolina Shred - BigDirtyFoot
Replies: 388
Views: 55976

Re: North Carolina Shred - BigDirtyFoot

I thought about footbag today. Maybe I'll play again sometime soon. :P
by bigdirtyfoot
18 May 2014 15:00
Forum: Arts & Leisure
Topic: 2014 Book Challenge
Replies: 50
Views: 36765

Re: 2014 Book Challenge

9. Hinduism: A Very Short Introduction, Kim Knoot, 142 pg. I approached this book with very little knowledge about Hinduism and an open mind. The author does a good job of presenting Hinduism in an unbiased manner, which I appreciate. She does not shy away from discussing the caste system and the tr...
by bigdirtyfoot
09 May 2014 14:58
Forum: Arts & Leisure
Topic: Modified Book Club
Replies: 34
Views: 23632

Re: Modified Book Club

I will still need to read "Invitation to a Beheading", although it may be later in the year. I finally finished "Cat's Cradle" today. I don't consider my review to contain any spoilers, but to be safe you might not want to read it until you've finished the novel. "Cat's Cradle" is the fourth novel w...
by bigdirtyfoot
09 May 2014 14:17
Forum: Arts & Leisure
Topic: 2014 Book Challenge
Replies: 50
Views: 36765

Re: 2014 Book Challenge

8. Cat's Cradle, Kurt Vonnegut, 287 pg.

Review in book club.
by bigdirtyfoot
11 Apr 2014 14:29
Forum: Arts & Leisure
Topic: 2014 Book Challenge
Replies: 50
Views: 36765

Re: 2014 Book Challenge

7. Mother Night, Kurt Vonnegut, 268 pg. Another great novel by Vonnegut, Mother Night is about an American spy in World War II that became a powerful Nazi propagandist for Germany. The story is told in first-person by the propagandist, Howard W. Campbell, Jr. The novel starts with Howard in an Israe...