12 Sunday Jan 2020
Posted in Reading
01 Wednesday Jan 2020
Posted in Reading
Another year gone by and some wonderful books completed. I hope everyone got their reading goals completed. This year I personally will be adding 5 more books to my goal. 25. Also, another goal is to dedicate 1 hour a day to reading. This will be an interesting challenge.
Happy Reading and enjoy a nice cup of coffee.
Lopaka
22 Sunday Dec 2019
Posted in Graduate Class Reading, History
In Search of the Forty Days Road by Michael Asher
1987 / 179 pgs
A very interesting novel about the journey that Michael took when he went to the Sudan originally as a teacher of English and searched out the 40 days road.
As an englishman, he learned that many thought he was crazy to look for a road that wasn’t used for many years. Also, he dealt with being arrested, interrogated, theft, and almost dying of thirst many times while in the desert.
It was a wonderful read, and again, this book was used for my graduate course.
Enjoy a good cup of coffee and a wonderful book.
Lopaka
01 Friday Nov 2019
Posted in Reading
The Outsider by Stephen King
2018 / 560 pgs
Back in the King car this round and what an insane ride this was. After reading nothing but Grad work textbooks, it’s nice to sit and read a novel that takes you away from the daily grid. This one definitely accomplished that task. There was time I was flying and while devouring each word he used to paint events as they are laid out, I forgot I was even in a plane.
Using his Pennywise grips, he holds on to you and takes you on a ride that you won’t want to stop because you need to know how does this end! There are twists so well placed that when you though the story was going one direction, a hard slap on the face and you are now going on the other dark and twisted path. King winds you through his who done it/how can someone be in two places at the same time story that even at some of the climactic moments, it will leave you shocked how it all goes down.
Also known for his Game of Thrones guessing game on who is going to live and who will die, I lost this bet as I was sure I knew who was going down. It will keep you guessing until almost the end. An delicious read that I would recommend to anyone.
Enjoy a good cup of coffee and a wonderful novel!
Lopaka
24 Thursday Oct 2019
Posted in Graduate Class Reading, Reading
Is the American Century Over by Joseph S. Nye, Jr
2015 / 127pgs
A quick read, only 2 hours and 10 minutes. An analysis of is the American chapter of US influence over the world done. However, it doesn’t just look at it as the rise of China as an economic powerhouse. It looks at multiple factors like education, military, democratic influence vrs communist influence and more. A different take on where the US is in the world and as we can see, this was just before the Trump Administration took over.
Enjoy a good book and come wonderful coffee.
Lopaka
24 Thursday Oct 2019
Posted in Graduate Class Reading, Reading
The Idea that is America: Keeping Faith with Our Values in a Dangerous World by Anne-Marie Slaughter
2007 / 233 pgs
A very interesting novel from a professor that was distraught over how the United States has changed under the George W. Bush Administration. It breaks down in Libery, Democracy, Equality, Justice, Tolerance, Faith, and Humility. It also lays out a blueprint on what the US could do to change this. It is a wonderful read.
As I read this novel, I felt that this was a guide for the Obama Administration and its Foreign Policy and quick google search did inform me that the author did work for the Obama State Department.
I did enjoy this insite of how America has changed, according to the author, and many keys points are correct. Although, I’m sure the novel would be completely different tone under the Trump Administration.
Yes, this was for a graduate class.
Enjoy a good book and a wonderful cup of coffee.
Lopaka
24 Thursday Oct 2019
Posted in Graduate Class Reading, Reading
American Foreign Policy: Past, Present, and Future by Glenn P. Hastedt
2015 / 359pgs
A very interesting text book about how American Foreign Policy is was created and how its evolved up to 2015 when it was published. It is not an chronological administrative narrative. The author took key policies that have changed the direction of the US policy. Also, he identifies how it is created, what agencies internal/external influences the direction it goes. If one is interested in how US Foreign Policy works, this is definitely a wonderful read. Although, it is a textbook meaning it’s not a very fast read.
Yes, it was for a graduate class.
Enjoy a good cup of coffee and a good book!
Lopaka
24 Thursday Oct 2019
Posted in Graduate Class Reading, Reading
Social Statistics for a Diverse Society by Anna Leon-Guerrero and Chava Frankfort-Nachmias
2017/456 pgs
Alas, another book for my graduate class. As the title states, this is stats focused on social issues. If someone is interested in statistics and how to create them, this is an interesting book to read. It attempts to break it down in the start to allow reader to understand statistical information.
Enjoy a good book a wonderful cup of coffee!
Lopaka
22 Sunday Sep 2019
Posted in Reading
International Relations Theories: Discipline and Diversity by Tim Dunne, Milja Kurki, and Steve Smith
2016/364pgs
The title should give it away. Yes, it’s another book for my graduate work. If one is interested in the theories that IR works in, this is the bible.
Happy Reading,
Lopaka
20 Tuesday Aug 2019
Posted in Reading
Animal Farm by George Orwell
1945/141pgs
Another Orwell classic and I would say a must read. This is a well known anti communist satire. If you understand the early Soviet Union and the power struggle between Stalin and Trotsky after Lenin’s death…reading this novel causes you to place the characters in their proper roles. Seeing what happened to those that supported the Soviet Revolution only to see it slowly change from what the dream truly was is the direction of the novel. The main characters are easy to assign into their human counterparts…
Old Major is Lenin
Napoleon is Stalin
Snowball is Trotsky
Mr. Jones is the Czar
the rest of the Animals are the common people.
While reading the story, I’m sure I’m not the only one wanted Napoleon turned into bacon. Squealer being the voice of the government and manipulating worlds to get the other Animals to fall in line with Napoleon’s wishes, just made me laugh because his name fitted his role perfectly.
This is about government and what happens when people get corrupt with power and others are unwilling to stop them.
I would definitely recommend this novel. It is a fast read, I finished it in four hours. However, if you are hoping Napoleon gets turned into bacon….he doesn’t. It would have felt good though…
Enjoy the coffee and a good book!
Lopaka
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