November 22, 2018
November 19, 2018
Brno by Libor Sváček
This is a nice travel/picture book.
Pros:
– Nice pictures
– identification in 4 languages
– easily fits into a purse or larger pocket
Cons:
– small format leading to in small images
– lack of detailed information
November 16, 2018
MetaAutomation by Matt Griscom
MetaAutomation is a collection of software automation patterns that, when combined, provide a greater value to your company than the sum of the parts.
The book presents a collection of software automation patterns that should be in every QA organization’s library. Most of the patters are fairly well known, but almost every organization I’ve seen still needs one or more of them. Having them in this collection makes this a valuable
book that should be in any software organization’s collection.
November 15, 2018
Fools and Mortals CD: A Novel by Bernard Cornwell
Bernard Cornwell takes a break from his traditional military-based historical fiction to tell the story of an actor, Richard Shakespeare, the younger and estranged brother of William Shakespeare. It is a coming-of-age story about Richard, but it is more a story about late 16th century theater and politics.
The story itself would have made a good Shakespeare play, it has love, politics and betrayal. The author brings the stage to life and gives the reader a good feel for life in the Elizabethan period.
In his usual way, Cornwell tells a very good story. The characters are real and the situations believable.
This isn’t what I expected when I started, I didn’t read the jacket and was expecting a typical Bernard Cornwell novel, but I was pleasantly surprised and could not turn away.
November 2, 2018
Star Trek Psychology: The Mental Frontier edited by Travis Langley
This is a collection of short papers on common subjects in psychology. It uses Star Treck characters and events to provide examples and explain concepts. Each paper is written by different experts in the field paired with someone more experienced in writing to the common man. Editing is done well, as each paper has a similar style, making the collection feel coherent.
I found the book both interesting and easy to read. The use of Star Trek to drive ideas home makes it easy to understand and (hopefully) remember.
The book is part of a series, Psychology of Popular Culture. I plan to read more of this series.