Monday, July 08, 2024

Book Ratings

The following is the link to the complete list for your entry: Compete book list. Please click on the link and input your ratings on a scale of 1-5.

We are in our 26th year and have read 296 books and counting. We have read a lot of very good books with an average rating of 3.64 on a scale of 1-5. 90% of our books received a rating of 3.0 or greater with the top 10 4.5 or more. Stanley and Dr. J are the toughest critics with and average of 3.41 with everyone else averaging between 3.68 and 3.73. On the low end we have just a few that fall below the Mendoza line established by Who Moved My Cheese at 2.86. This includes the third book chosen overall (by me) of "A Pirate Looks at 50" and Bill's "There is no Toilet Paper on the Road Less Traveled"(which also holds distinction of the longest title). We still have only read one book twice, "The Limits of Power", in 2009 and 2014 and I still can't remember it even though it rated very well at 4.13 and 4.25.
The book list covers a wide variety of books consisting of roughly 2/3rds non-fiction. Topics include the classics, politics, business, adventure, history, science, environment, humor, and morality. Multiple authors include Thomas Friedman (4), Malcolm Gladwell (3), Bill Bryson (5), Phillip Roth (3), Dan Brown (3), Sam Harris (3), Michael Lewis (3) and 2 from Russell Banks, TC Boyle, Tom Brokaw, David Brooks, David Guterson, Laura Hillenbrand, Hope Jahren, Jon Krakauer, Eric Larson, Annie Proulx, Alan Weisman, Eric Weiner and Irvin Yalom. We have branched out over the years to include a wide variety of authors and topics.

Made in America

Bryson's 1994 book is a wordy (in many ways) etymological history of America. The book is filled with his unique storytelling. He covers a wide range of topics including immigration, sports and games, sex and censorship, transportation, entertainment, business and consumption, and politics. He finishes the book with a discussion of offensive language and political correctness. I like the way he challenges America's tendency to white-wash our history and overestimate our exceptionalism. The nuggets of unusual information are fun. The reader comes away with knowledge of Pilgrims/Plymouth Rock, Bridegrooms/Dodgers, Woolworth's, Piggy Wiggly, Sears, Kodak, Kellogg, Hershey, Malls, "jumbo", Caesar salad, Conestoga wagon, Arroyo Seco freeway, Comstock Act, and many more tidbits. The book contains random historical quotes such as "I know it when I see it", that pitcher threw a "Linda Ronstadt", and a 1993 L&M cigarettes ad "Just what the doctor ordered." I have to admit I needed to hustle to finish in time and in the words of my late sister, "Whew, you are full of words."