Dresden Files

Dresden Files: Storm Front & Fool Moon by Jim Butcher

A few years ago I asked some science fiction authors at DragonCon what book they had read recently that they really enjoyed. I was surprised when more than one of them said “Storm Front” by Jim Butcher. I am sorry it has taken me so long to begin reading the Dresden Files series; I should have taken their advice and read Storm Front much sooner. ...

September 14, 2010 · 3 min · 490 words · Dave Nelson
National Geographic Greatest Places

National Geographic Photo Books

I believe that to be a great photographer I should study a lot of images created by other people, especially those considered great by a consensus. So I spend a lot of time looking at books about art history that contain photos of paintings by “The Masters” and photo books like the two I am writing about here. ...

September 7, 2010 · 2 min · 228 words · Dave Nelson
Influencer

Influencer: The Power to Change Anything

I bought this book from audible.com. It is written by Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, David Maxfield, and Ron McMillan and narrated by Eric Conger. I struggled to make it through the fist half of this book, I am not sure why, but somewhere around the halfway point it really started to speak to me. In my opinion this is not a great book, but it is a very good book. ...

August 31, 2010 · 2 min · 256 words · Dave Nelson
Doctor Who: The Taking of Chelsea 426 by David Llewellyn

Doctor Who: The Taking of Chelsea 426 by David Llewellyn

Man I love these Doctor Who novels; they are like munching on great candies. The Taking of Chelsea 426 involves the Doctor as played by David Tennant without any companions facing the Sontarans and Rutans on a space station full of humans from Earth. Written by David Llewellyn who has also written 2 Torchwood novels and 2 Doctor Who novels including Night of the Humans featuring the new Doctor and Amy Pond. ...

August 24, 2010 · 1 min · 152 words · Dave Nelson
A Hat Full of Sky

A Hat Full of Sky, An Adventure of Tiffany Aching and the Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett

Terry Pratchett is my favorite writer and Discworld is my favorite fictional universe. I find the Discworld novels to be incredibly fun reads and the Young Adult Tiffany Aching series is no exception. The main body of Discworld novels are targeted at adults while Tiffany Aching books are in the same universe they are targeted at YA readers and I believe they really hit the mark. ...

August 17, 2010 · 2 min · 278 words · Dave Nelson
The Blessing of a Skinned Knee

The Blessing of a Skinned Knee: Using Jewish Teachings to Raise Self-Reliant Children by Wendy Mogel, Ph.D.

Wendy Mogel is a clinical psychologist and Jewish educator who discovered that her treatment of children in her practice was not yielding the results or insight that she desired. After delving into her Jewish heritage and the teaching of Judaism she has found a much more effective and rewarding ways to help both children and their parents. I was recommended this book during a Bootcamp for New Dads class a couple weeks before Eli was born, and I am so glad I have read it. I expect the knowledge and ideas contained within to be a huge help with parenting. ...

August 10, 2010 · 2 min · 270 words · Dave Nelson
Doctor Who: The Sands of Time By Justin Richards

Doctor Who: The Sands of Time By Justin Richards

In this adventure the Fifth Doctor as played by Peter Davidson travels with companions Nyssa and Tegan to London and Egypt to thwart the Osiran Nephthys. I really enjoyed reading this book using eReader on my iPhone. It is available free from the BBC’s Doctor Who Classic web site along with 8 other books. The story moves along at a good pace, not a fast as some Doctor Who novels, but this is book meant for more mature readers than the new series. I really enjoyed the way the Doctor plays with time in this book taking Atkins back and forth through time even having his past and future selves in London at the same time. ...

August 3, 2010 · 1 min · 201 words · Dave Nelson
Andrew Carnegie by David Nasaw

Andrew Carnegie by David Nasaw

I find Andrew Carnegie was a fascinating man, born into poverty in Scotland during a time of economic upheaval to a hardworking mother and a father who was not. In his lifetime he made and gave away millions of dollars. I learned that he was a very hard worker who appeared to intuitively know what he needed to do to take himself to the next level of success. ...

July 27, 2010 · 2 min · 377 words · Dave Nelson
Blink

Blink: The Power of Thinking Without by Malcolm Gladwell

I enjoyed the side stories and insight into the way we make decisions and form opinions. I found this book interesting but it really didn’t excite me. I had a hard time writing this review because the book left me with no strong feelings about it. There are some insights into human nature in this book, but nothing that really jumped out at me and changed the way way I think or challenged my perceptions. ...

July 20, 2010 · 2 min · 222 words · Dave Nelson
iWoz

iWoz: How I Invented the Personal Computer and Had Fun Along the Way

This book is the personal memoir of Steve Wozniak, one of the founders of Apple Computers. Woz fascinates me, he is an engineer at heart but he is also a teacher, a humanitarian, and a jokester. In this book he recounts his childhood experiences at science fairs, his teenage years with neighborhood friends plying practical jokes and making cool electronics, on to college, the creation of Apple, creating the US festival, becoming a 5th grade teacher, having children, and everything in between. ...

July 13, 2010 · 2 min · 242 words · Dave Nelson