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Faris Badwan recommended track Eternal Source of Light by Kathleen Battle in Classic Kathleen Battle by Kathleen Battle in Music (curated)
ClareR (5885 KP) rated The Devil You Know: Stories of Human Cruelty and Compassion in Books
Jun 22, 2021
The Devil You Know is a series of case studies of some of the patients that Dr Gwen Adshead has worked with in her role as a forensic psychiatrist. I don’t know quite what I expected from this: perhaps a dry, academic-type book. It was nothing at all like that. It’s a book full of compassion for the terrible mistakes, acts and choices that these people have made. And this is what’s made clear in this book: we (or rather, I) have always been led to believe that people who murder, stalk or destroy others lives are sub-human, have no empathy, no guilt or reasons for their actions. But there are those who have made terrible, unforgivable, life-changing decisions and must now live with those choices. Some are wracked with guilt, others aren’t.
It’s really interesting to read about this diverse group of people - they were in Broadmoor, secure prisons or units, and some had been released back into society and were experiencing the world again after serving their sentences.
If you’ve always wondered what motivates people to commit violent crimes, then this is, in part, the book for you. I found it quite reassuring to know that there are people like Dr Adshead out there who listen to perpetrators of crime, who want to learn what it is that causes them to make that fatal decision. I found the part about early childhood neglect and abuse and its impact on brain development particularly interesting (I work in Early Years), and the fact that it is potentially within society’s power to prevent crime before it has even been thought about was sobering.
I could go on, but I won’t. Just to say that I found this whole book fascinating - it’s such a well-written, accessible and interesting read.
Many thanks to The Pigeonhole for serialising this, and to Gwen Adshead and Eileen Horne for reading along with the Pigeons!
It’s really interesting to read about this diverse group of people - they were in Broadmoor, secure prisons or units, and some had been released back into society and were experiencing the world again after serving their sentences.
If you’ve always wondered what motivates people to commit violent crimes, then this is, in part, the book for you. I found it quite reassuring to know that there are people like Dr Adshead out there who listen to perpetrators of crime, who want to learn what it is that causes them to make that fatal decision. I found the part about early childhood neglect and abuse and its impact on brain development particularly interesting (I work in Early Years), and the fact that it is potentially within society’s power to prevent crime before it has even been thought about was sobering.
I could go on, but I won’t. Just to say that I found this whole book fascinating - it’s such a well-written, accessible and interesting read.
Many thanks to The Pigeonhole for serialising this, and to Gwen Adshead and Eileen Horne for reading along with the Pigeons!
Eleanor Luhar (47 KP) rated Tyranny in Books
Jun 24, 2019
So as you've probably realised by now, I have anorexia. And because of that, I am always drawn to books about eating disorders, including this graphic novel I found in the library. It's always good to see realistic and relatable presentations of ED's, and I'm also always quick to point out when something is being portrayed wrong.
This book was a pretty accurate representation of my own personal battle with anorexia. It addressed the starving and the bingeing that many anorexics go through, as well as the body dysmorphia and unhealthy habits and routines. It included friends of Anna (the protagonist of this book) who are also suffering - one of which eventually suffered a heart attack and died. It's not uncommon for people with anorexia to have friends who pass away as a result of the unhealthy habits brought on by the disorder.
Anna does eventually decide she wants life, and goes into treatment. She learns to tell Tyranny (the voice/persons of her ED) that she doesn't care about being thin anymore, and eventually she gets her to leave entirely. (I can't say that's happened to me; it's more of an ongoing, up-and-down struggle in my experience.)
One thing I wasn't sure was so good about this book was the inclusion of weights - her weight loss process, the weight of another patient. This can be incredibly triggering for people suffering with an eating disorder, and can make people feel invalidated - feeling as if their ED isn't as "bad" or "real" because their weight wasn't quite as low. For this reason, I would be hesitant about recommending this book to people who are trying to recover from their disorder.
Overall, I felt it was a good portrayal of anorexia. It was brutally honest and included both the starving and the bingeing, which lots of people don't often discuss. 4.5 stars.
This book was a pretty accurate representation of my own personal battle with anorexia. It addressed the starving and the bingeing that many anorexics go through, as well as the body dysmorphia and unhealthy habits and routines. It included friends of Anna (the protagonist of this book) who are also suffering - one of which eventually suffered a heart attack and died. It's not uncommon for people with anorexia to have friends who pass away as a result of the unhealthy habits brought on by the disorder.
Anna does eventually decide she wants life, and goes into treatment. She learns to tell Tyranny (the voice/persons of her ED) that she doesn't care about being thin anymore, and eventually she gets her to leave entirely. (I can't say that's happened to me; it's more of an ongoing, up-and-down struggle in my experience.)
One thing I wasn't sure was so good about this book was the inclusion of weights - her weight loss process, the weight of another patient. This can be incredibly triggering for people suffering with an eating disorder, and can make people feel invalidated - feeling as if their ED isn't as "bad" or "real" because their weight wasn't quite as low. For this reason, I would be hesitant about recommending this book to people who are trying to recover from their disorder.
Overall, I felt it was a good portrayal of anorexia. It was brutally honest and included both the starving and the bingeing, which lots of people don't often discuss. 4.5 stars.
Caffeinated Fae (464 KP) rated The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable in Books
Jul 12, 2018
I was asked to read this book as part of a management team building exercise. I was truly hoping that this book would help me understand some of the personalities that are harder to get along with but this book seems to justify some of their behaviors.
I do understand the concepts in this book and I can see how they can be beneficial but I also struggle with how this book can be used to justify being an asshole. I understand that a management staff needs to be able to trust that they can be honest and candid when it comes to personal responsibilities but I also fear (due to seeing this book in action) that this book can be used as a way to bully your way into the management staff.
There are some people that this book would work wonders for and other people that will not be able to handle it. I think I'm one of those people. It seems that this book talks of trust, and very simple concepts but it does not explain ways to truly create any sort of buy in from a employee. I think that it is a good thing to be honest but I also think that you need to take people into consideration. Just saying that it isn't personal does not help if the statement is personal.
Ultimately, I think that the concepts can be good but I also see this book as another way to create bullies and unneeded conflict.
I do understand the concepts in this book and I can see how they can be beneficial but I also struggle with how this book can be used to justify being an asshole. I understand that a management staff needs to be able to trust that they can be honest and candid when it comes to personal responsibilities but I also fear (due to seeing this book in action) that this book can be used as a way to bully your way into the management staff.
There are some people that this book would work wonders for and other people that will not be able to handle it. I think I'm one of those people. It seems that this book talks of trust, and very simple concepts but it does not explain ways to truly create any sort of buy in from a employee. I think that it is a good thing to be honest but I also think that you need to take people into consideration. Just saying that it isn't personal does not help if the statement is personal.
Ultimately, I think that the concepts can be good but I also see this book as another way to create bullies and unneeded conflict.
Sam Hill (23 KP) rated Carcassonne in Tabletop Games
Jun 20, 2019
Carcassone is one of the classics of board gaming and great for moving people away from the likes of Monopoly into proper board games.
The basic rules, pick a tile at random, place in a legal position and choose to place a needle, is simple enough that people who do not board game regularly are able to get comfortable quickly with the game. Its simplicity also means that a younger audience is able to readily partake in the game, making decisions on their own, and still have a chance of doing reasonably well.
There is little in the way of language in the game, other than being able to read the score chart everything is pictorial, so this also opens it to playing with people who are too young to read, or speak other languages without buying another copy.
If you're looking for an in depth Euro game however this will not help. There is little in the way of long term strategy, and the tile you pick is random - as a major factor of what you do with your turn this constricts long term planning.
To sum up this is a great game if you are putting it in front of the right audience, or want a simple game to chill out with a beer with, but don't expect such a positive reaction from everyone.
The basic rules, pick a tile at random, place in a legal position and choose to place a needle, is simple enough that people who do not board game regularly are able to get comfortable quickly with the game. Its simplicity also means that a younger audience is able to readily partake in the game, making decisions on their own, and still have a chance of doing reasonably well.
There is little in the way of language in the game, other than being able to read the score chart everything is pictorial, so this also opens it to playing with people who are too young to read, or speak other languages without buying another copy.
If you're looking for an in depth Euro game however this will not help. There is little in the way of long term strategy, and the tile you pick is random - as a major factor of what you do with your turn this constricts long term planning.
To sum up this is a great game if you are putting it in front of the right audience, or want a simple game to chill out with a beer with, but don't expect such a positive reaction from everyone.
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