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The AI character, Eunice, was the best part. I was fascinated with the idea of the number and depth of tasks she was capable of simultaneously, coordinating an astounding series of cause/effect to reach a goal. The rest of the book was a maze of confusing subplots and characters I didnt feel anything for, which led to not keeping track of much and not enjoying the book as much as I hoped to.

other dislikes: Topics from 2020 are name-dropped then forgotten. A main character is a remote-control robot where every single mention includes the location or circumstance of the charger it comes with. OMG the charger got tedious. The character names feel like advanced scrabble moves.

This is a unique work, different than previous books. A departure from the kind of scifi one might expect from a Stephenson novel. Its an origin story of a make-believe world that exists in a computer. Nearly all of the 890 page book is that story, using mostly characters from the first 15% of the book that happen outside the computer. I enjoyed it to the end, though perhaps because I was unwittingly exposed to genres I wouldn't have picked outright.

I have to say Doctorow's writing seems much improved since Eastern Standard Tribe. Walkaway is a nuanced exposition of another way to think about how our society might operate. It has interesting characters, plots that move along, and lots of possible near-future tech. it was a great read and had important things to say.

A fun read and surprisingly good writing. Lots of personal anecdotes mixed into a snow-race diary.

This book is fantastically written, really. The intelligence, humor, and descriptive power made this a page-turner. It was a great vehicle for the message that power inevitably serves itself first.

I'm so surprised at how much I enjoyed this book. I found it in a Little Free Library and because of my interest in The West Wing I took it home. Like Sam Seaborne, Rob Lowe is a great writer (presuming he is the true author). Its a long, detailed look at his adventurous life that holds interest due to his enduring honesty, bordering on patronizing but somehow still completely belivable. I loved the name-dropping and inside view of Hollywood in the 80s, and an explanation of why he had to leave the West Wing.

I wouldnt say its a 'balanced' biography, but it does have interesting detail. I got half way through it.

great writing and genuinely informative. it makes the point that concerted effort is the most important thing and the rest is techniques that anyone is capable of.

a very enjoyable read. i liked his approach of i know nothing but what has worked for me, so take it as you will. there was a lot of horse and dog content and lenard nemoy was mentioned more than once. he talks a lot about fear of loneliness and about facing each day as if it might be your last.

Moore's writing style is fantastic. I wish he had more books published. This was a very enjoyable walk through the late 1800s as a lawyer involved in the fight for how the power of electricity would be controlled and rolled out in America. Edison, Westinghouse, and Tesla are the major actors here and each one gets satisfying character development. Its historical fiction but nearly all the important details are historical and Moore writes a whole chapter going point by point as to what he fictionalized and why.

after two chapters i stopped reading. while there is some nice research that went into the book, it repeats the same message over and over - more smart devices mean more things to hack into.

I've seen The Expanse season 1 and 2, and reading this book was like rewatching the directors cut of the show. It was a great read, even at 540+ pages, and interesting to see what was changed for the show. For instance the UN leaders are central in the show but barely register in the book. Miller's obsession with Julie is more consistenstly portraited in the book, and more random in the show.

set in sweeden, a present day highschooler learns from an old jazz musician about finding happiness and handling unhappiness both today and in the 1930s. an enjoyable read.

its an interesting mix of stephenson science context and romance novel. stephenson's signature composition is world building at the start, story in the middle, then go completely off the rails at the end. here the other co-author clearly takes over the ending so at least its coherent. if this book's aim is to appeal to a wider audience, its a good effort.