Book Reviews

Fiction-Stories History

Review: Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes

Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes by Edith Hamilton My rating: 0 of 5 stars This book, widely recognized as a classic – or perhaps the classic – in the field of mythology, provides not just Hamilton’s scholarship over a lifetime of classical myths; it provides Hamilton’s outlay for how to live the good life. She respects and admires the Greek and Roman cultures whose myths she portrays – so much so that she…

Continue reading

Software-Technology

Review: Mastering Deep Learning: A Complete Introduction for Beginners and Newbies

Mastering Deep Learning: A Complete Introduction for Beginners and Newbies by James Gabriel My rating: 0 of 5 stars Deep Learning seeks to mimic how humans learn (i.e., the brain processes of how humans learn in their cerebral cortex) and apply this mimicry to how computer programs are written. Thus, we have terms like a “neural network” which does not refer to a brain (made up of neurons) but to a web of computer cells…

Continue reading

Humanities

How to Read Literature Like a Professor: A Lively and Entertaining Guide to Reading Between the Lines

by Thomas C Foster Copyright (c) 2014 I found this book while on a search for a good introduction to literary criticism. This seemed to hit the mark. In it, Foster pursues hard-core analysis of the literary project while spinning a down-to-earth persona (which was obviously well-honed while in a classroom). I was not let down. One can see why Foster’s work is popular among Advanced Placement English teachers in America. He presents himself as…

Continue reading

Fiction-Stories

Vanity Fair: A Novel Without a Hero

by William M. Thackeray Written 1847-1848 This novel, set in part around the famed Battle of Waterloo in which Napoleon gets his ultimate defeat at the hands of the British, goes through 66 chapters of set up for a tumultuous (and brilliant) final chapter in which every supposition in the prior chapters is set on its head. As a whole, this book is witty, wonderful, and enchanting. It is fit to be a classic –…

Continue reading

Biostatistics Software-Technology

Introduction to Natural Language Processing: Concepts and Fundamentals for Beginners

by Michael WalkerCopyright (c) 2018. This book sits in a series by the publishing house AI Sciences that traverses topics in the field of Artificial Intelligence to make these subjects more accessible for the masses. I bought this book’s Kindle Edition for only $5. Interestingly, this was one of the most expensive items in the series. I am glad to have taken this short (77-page) book for a perusal. It reviewed some of my prior…

Continue reading

Fiction-Stories

The Return of the King

by J.R.R. TolkienBBC Audiobook This book brings about the trilogy’s climax – when the ring leaves Frodo’s hand into the fire of Mordor with a special literary twist. However, this climax occurs relatively early in the third book. Like most wars (or football games), the victory is apparent much earlier than the end. The tale must continue as all of the intricate details must be tied up. Such is the case with The Lord of…

Continue reading

Family Management-Business

Emotional Intensity in Gifted Students: Helping Kids Cope with Explosive Feelings

by Christine FonsecaCopyright (c) 2010. I picked up this book in an attempt to dive deeper into the psychological concept of emotional intensity. I’m an intense guy myself; I live in an intense workplace full of gifted people; my boss is intense; I have an intense wife and daughter at home. I’m trying to learn how to keep all these intense people (including myself) from boiling over. I could not find any management books on…

Continue reading

Fiction-Stories

The Age of Innocence

by Edith WhartonWritten in 1920. This tale spans 20-30 years, two continents, and the hearts of two women and one man. Newland Archer is engaged in pre-World-War-One New York City to May Welland. However, he falls for May’s cousin Ellen who is fresh off a separation from her marriage in Europe. Ellen seems to respond (however subtly) to Newland’s flirtations and overtures. Newland seems torn between his two lovers and seems to prefer Ellen over…

Continue reading