J.A. Pipes is a self-proclaimed politics junkie, anarchist podcaster and blogger. He has traveled the world from Uluru to Istanbul. He has dug up dinosaurs in the badlands of Montana. He served in the United States Marine Corps during Desert Storm. He holds degrees in Computer Science and Mathematics from the University of Missouri. He is currently an engineer for the world’s largest aerospace company. Mr. Pipes resides in St. Louis with his wife and two children.
This link opens in a pop-up window
The Old Man and the Sea is one of Hemingway's most enduring works. Told in …
The ending disappointed me. The fact that the old man had this great accomplishment in his life, but received no credit for it, while realistic, is truly tragic.
Catch-22 is like no other novel. It has its own rationale, its own extraordinary character. …
I was a little disappointed in this one. It's obviously a classic, and hailed for being such a funny story. But I think I smirked a few times and laughed out loud only twice - I didn't find it very funny. Perhaps the humor is a bit dated, but it was still a good story and thought-provoking at times, especially when it veered into ethical or moral discourse.
When an army of invading Martians lands in England, panic and terror seize the population. …
It is perhaps unfair to compare science fiction from 1898 to its modern equivalent, but some of it holds up remarkably well. I'm going to say that this book is not terribly well written by today's standards, and probably the only reason it made a splash in the literary world is because it shocked the Victorian sensibilities of its target audience. Which, let's be honest, were Britons living in and around London at the turn of the last century. Wells could not have predicted that this story would one day have worldwide appeal. Told in the first person, it is heavy on the place name dropping and light on the character development. It is essentially destruction porn, describing the ghastly deaths of innocents and the obliteration of landmarks. The David to the Martians' Goliath turns out in the end to be both recognizable and prescient. But the end is not …
It is perhaps unfair to compare science fiction from 1898 to its modern equivalent, but some of it holds up remarkably well. I'm going to say that this book is not terribly well written by today's standards, and probably the only reason it made a splash in the literary world is because it shocked the Victorian sensibilities of its target audience. Which, let's be honest, were Britons living in and around London at the turn of the last century. Wells could not have predicted that this story would one day have worldwide appeal. Told in the first person, it is heavy on the place name dropping and light on the character development. It is essentially destruction porn, describing the ghastly deaths of innocents and the obliteration of landmarks. The David to the Martians' Goliath turns out in the end to be both recognizable and prescient. But the end is not particularly satisfying.
In June 1925, twenty-three-year-old Werner Heisenberg, suffering from hay fever, had retreated to the treeless, wind-battered island of Helgoland in …
Civil Disobedience and Other Essays is a collection of some of Henry David Thoreau's most important essays. Contained in this …
It is the story of a World II deception by the Allies intended to dupe …
What an awe-inspiring account of a secret mission during WWII that so few people have ever heard of! Definitely worth a read for any history buff.
The New York Times best-selling book exploring the counterproductive reactions white people have when their …
Informative and interesting call to self-reflection and humility in order to interrupt centuries-old patterns of racism in America. Approach this book with an open mind with the intent to change society and make the world a better place and you will come away with insight into how you can be part of the solution instead of part of the problem.
Really interesting research into the socioeconomic status of all of the presidents up to Reagan. Bottom line: only 2 or 3 of our presidents grew up poor, the rest enjoyed very privileged upbringings.
Holden Caulfield, knowing he is to be expelled from school, decides to leave early. He …
I never read this book as an adolescent/teen, so maybe it would have made a greater impact on me if I had. As an adult, it is hard for me to see why this is such an influential book. Salinger's very conversational writing style lends itself to developing the character of Holden Caulfield, but it is also distracting and sometimes hard to follow. I wish Holden were a more sympathetic character, and I wish that he had found peace (or even just a date with Jane) before the end of the book so I would have a reason to cheer for him, but instead I found it difficult to care very much about his fate.
"Good evening, London." It's nine o'clock and this is The Voice of Fate... It is …
I saw the movie when it came out in 2005, but I had never read the book. I found it interesting and compelling. The notion that people must be set free from their own minds and culture before they can truly appreciate freedom resonated with me.
If you are a fan of the Beastie Boys, hip-hop, or even just the 80s, this is a must-read. At times it is laugh-out-loud funny, and at others it is like reading the private diary of Mike D and ADROCK as they delve into the personal issues in their lives that lead to some really great music. But most of all, this book is about friendship and how valuable that can be when other things in your life are falling apart.
Ready Player One is a 2011 science fiction novel, and the debut novel of American …
For someone in my generation, spending the 80s as a teenager, this was a fun and nostalgic ride. Looking forward to seeing the movie...
It's a pleasant and wholesome story with plenty of Savannah's local color and history blended in. The character of Bobby T. is perhaps a bit implausible, but certainly likable enough to overlook that and root for him in the end.
They'll Call It Treason has an intriguing and fast-paced story line. The characters are well-developed and interesting. And the story resolves itself nicely, while leaving open the possibility of a sequel with further adventures of Ethan Shaw.
My secret santa got this book for me, and I just finished it. The essays the book is based on are about 10 years old, so some of the references are a bit dated, but the stories are still very relatable. It's good to know the plight of a software manager is universal.
