Kristi Wachter.com

I'm starting this tonight - I'm so excited.

My main motivation for reading this is that I'm planning to read Zadie Smith's On Beauty, and I've read that was inspired by Howards End. Plus, it's always good to read an unread classic.

I'm skimming most of this, but paying closer attention to the chapters defining deliberate practice.

I grew up on top 40 radio with minimal knowledge of jazz. I've come to really enjoy a lot of jazz, but I often feel like I barely speak the language. So far, this is giving me a lot of new understanding - a lot of pathways into appreciating the music more.

I requested this from the library on a friend's recommendation. I'm about halfway through and I think it's pretty amazing.

936 pages.

Somebody recommended A History of the Modern World over on Ask Metafilter and I leapt over to the San Francisco library's website and requested it.

It's 936 pages. Not counting the (excellent-looking) appendices and bibliography.

I don't know what I was thinking.

Wow. So far I love this book. I'm especially wowed by Haas's ability to craft a brilliant simile. I'm enjoying the story, the characters, and the writing. So far, it's superb.

This was a pleasant read. The main character, Alice, was likable enough (although I was occasionally impatient with her over-accommodating ways early in the book), and I enjoyed the plot's journey - I was slightly surprised by Alice's ultimate career shift, and there were a number of nice moments along the way.

Not a huge favorite, but enjoyable.