Sean Barrs 's Updates

Sean Barrs 's Updates en-US Wed, 10 Apr 2024 22:39:56 -0700 60 Sean Barrs 's Updates 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg Review6417226102 Wed, 10 Apr 2024 22:39:56 -0700 <![CDATA[Sean Barrs added 'The Diary of a CEO: The 33 Laws of Business and Life']]> /review/show/6417226102 The Diary of a CEO by Steven Bartlett

Sean Barrs gave 3 stars to The Diary of a CEO: The 33 Laws of Business and Life (Hardcover) by Steven Bartlett
bookshelves: non-fiction, 3-star-reads
“Stories are the single most powerful weapon any leader can arm themselves with �� they are the currency of humanity. Those who tell captivating, inspiring, emotional stories rule the world.��

I’m slowly playing catch-up on all the books I’ve read this year and adding them to ŷ��. I’ve been neglecting my account for a little while, though this was the first book I read in 2024 and it felt like a great way to start the year. I liked this quote in particular and it applies well to Steven’s own story.

His story is one of success. I like to start a year by reading a book like this because it feels refreshing and uplifting. Last year’s was Atomic Habbits, which Steven quotes here and uses the framework in his own journey. The impression I got of Steven here is that he is a driven and disciplined individual who has worked hard to gain his position, money and influence. I first became aware of his content after seeing him on Dragon’s Den, so I listened to his Podcast which I really enjoyed.

In the book, Steven mentions that he knows some people will skim several of the chapters. This suggests that he knows some of them are a little weak. Some of the laws are really great, though there’s a few that felt like mere page fillers and Steven clearly knows this. Sometimes less is more. Perhaps Steven had a word count to hit? If so, I think this book would have worked better if it focused on the stronger laws and expanded on them and strengthened them with examples.

Overall, it's great it parts and there's some really strong quotes in here though there are some weak parts. ]]> Review1973021360 Mon, 08 Apr 2024 06:51:48 -0700 <![CDATA[Sean Barrs added 'Animal Farm']]> /review/show/1973021360 Animal Farm by George Orwell

Sean Barrs gave 2 stars to Animal Farm (Paperback) by George Orwell
bookshelves: modernist-movement, 2-star-reads
I revisited Animal Farm recently and my opinions remain the same.

George Orwell leaves absolutely nothing to the imagination. This is a blatant political statement. There’s no reading between the lines in order to ascertain the meaning, it’s all here on the page. After around page twenty it was very obvious how this book would end. History repeats itself and in this case it goes full circle. Nothing changes. And a wise old Donkey was the only one in the piece aware of this. We can presume he has seen it before, though, on a character level he was a bit of an ass not to tell anybody what was coming. See what I did there? I’m good. I know.

The problem I had with Animal Farm is that I could not engage with it. The characters aren’t really characters. The setting isn’t really a setting. And the plot isn’t really a plot. They are all mere devices, a means for Orwell to blurt out his political statement. The entire book is one big author filibuster, an entire situation and a group of characters created for the simple reason of showing Orwell’s opposition to communism and, more specifically, the Stalin regime. It’s cleverly written, and it is funny at times, but such direct authorial intention took something away from the reading experience. I couldn’t lose myself within the writing.

The pigs were used as an insult to mankind. Their leader Napoleon (aptly named?) slowly distances the pigs from the animals of the revolution. They begin to take on the traits of humans, and after a few chapters they have set themselves up as the thing they originally usurped. They become corrupt and driven by money and profit. They’re above their peers, ultimately, destroying their own aims. By doing this Orwell is calling humans pigs; he is calling post-revolutionaries pigs. For me reading this, this was more of an insult to pigs than humans. Pigs are lovely animals. (Nicer than humans?) The metaphor certainly relies much on the reader’s interpretation of what a pig is.

That’s me just being pedantic and silly, but I guess I just like pigs. And I feel like I’ve read Animal Farm before. I feel like I know this story, and that’s because it is the history of mankind; it is the history of revolution. So, needless to say, Orwell has captured a large sense of this on the page. When it has been read, it is definitely something that cannot be unread. The allegory is pertinent and, in a sense, an almost pessimistic truism, though the inner romantic in me finds such a defeatist attitude, well, defeating.

It’s undoubtedly very intelligent writing, but I just didn’t enjoy it. When I read literature, whether it be poetry, play or novel, I like imagining things; I like coming up with my own interpretation, meaning, or criticisms. With this, Orwell has said it all. I feel like I didn’t need to read it, a plot summary would have given me everything the writing did.

- This is the first book I read on my 2017 reading challenge, I hope I enjoy the others more! ]]> Review5375004556 Mon, 01 Jan 2024 16:39:54 -0800 <![CDATA[Sean Barrs added '2023 on ŷ��']]> /review/show/5375004556 2023 on ŷ�� by Various

Sean Barrs has read 2023 on ŷ�� (Unknown Binding) by Various
2023 has been an interesting reading year for me. I’ve read several great books but not nearly as many as I’d like to have. I’m coming towards the final stages of my PhD so a lot of my time has been taken up writing my thesis or reading academic text books. So, I’ve not had as many reviews to share this past year!

I’m hoping to balance things a little bit better in this coming year and be a bit more present on ŷ��! For now, though, here is my favourite book from 2023:

1. Children of Time

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__________________________________ ]]> Review5855596118 Mon, 01 Jan 2024 16:06:14 -0800 <![CDATA[Sean Barrs added 'Children of Time']]> /review/show/5855596118 Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky

Sean Barrs gave 5 stars to Children of Time (Children of Time, #1) by Adrian Tchaikovsky
bookshelves: sci-fi, nature-ecology-enviroment, 5-star-reads
My top read of 2023!

The Children of Time is a fantastic piece of science fiction that addresses ecological concerns and explores terraforming on alien worlds. It considers the problems of colonization, empire, and the destruction of the natural world. All in all, it’s the absolute pinnacle of the genre and up there with science fiction greats such as Ursula Le Guin and Issac Asimov. I cannot recommend this book more highly or give it higher praise. It’s simply spectacular.

“Earth had been green in her day, though colors had faded since. Perhaps never as green as this new world though, where even the oceans glittered emerald.��

The imagination behind this book is incredible because the scale behind the story is so vast. It reminds me of a cross between Interstellar and Star Trek with giant spiders thrown into the mix. It’s a brilliant combination that weighs up societal progress with human folly. And it demonstrates that the human approach is not always the best one.

Indeed, the society the genetically modified spiders have created is far superior. Their society has learnt to be compassionate and would rather work with others than destroy them, and this is one of the main motifs of the book. We need to learn to get along rather than becoming tyrannical dictators or colonists. We must work together if we are not to repeat the mistakes of history. Earth in this universe has a bloody history that led to the destruction of its people and empire. The remainders became space explorers to find a new planet to live on whist the remnants of the old empire’s tech is scattered across the stars.

“Who knows what we might have achieved, had we not been so keen to recreate all their follies, he thought now. Could we have saved the earth? Would we be living there now on our own green planet?��

Naturally, this book has a strong environmental message as it demonstrates what excessive consumerism and war wreak on a planet. The survivors of humanity seek a new home across the stars as theirs has collapsed, and the novel focuses on their exploration across time. As the centuries pass, most of the race is asleep in chambers that preserve their age whilst a crew of key members wakes up during intermittent periods to keep the ship functioning. Centuries pass by and over time one of the key crew members makes a bid for control, to create a means to set himself up as the leader of humanity to dictate its progress (or lack thereof.)

“A life lived entirely at the whim of another is no life at all.��

Meanwhile an old empire experiment to breed a new race of humanoids goes wrong with the result being a colony of giant, yet intelligent and developed, spiders. The cultural clash and value clash between them and the remainder of humanity is fascinating to watch. And I can’t quite express how developed and well written this new species is. Tchaikovsky has a true talent for anthropomorphizing spiders and giving them a distinct character and culture. It’s brilliant! It works far better than it sounds. And I look forward to reading more of his books to see how he handles it with other animals as this seems to be a frequent theme throughout his work.

I’ve tried very hard not give any spoilers here, though this is a hard book to talk about without mentioning its ending and the future it sets up. So, I won’t say anymore on that, other than I’m very excited to read the rest of the series to see where this goes. I’m going to end here by saying this is a fantastic book that I think you should go read.

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__________________________________ ]]> Review5375004556 Sun, 31 Dec 2023 02:47:42 -0800 <![CDATA[Sean Barrs added '2023 on ŷ��']]> /review/show/5375004556 2023 on ŷ�� by Various

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__________________________________ ]]> Review866648276 Sat, 30 Dec 2023 07:18:01 -0800 <![CDATA[Sean Barrs added 'A Storm of Swords']]> /review/show/866648276 A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin

Sean Barrs gave 5 stars to A Storm of Swords (A Song of Ice and Fire, #3) by George R.R. Martin
bookshelves: fantasy
2023 Update

The was the series at its finest. The plot was so strong here and the characters so well done. And the real mastery of style comes with the possibility. It feels like this story could go anywhere and that the fate of any of the characters could come swiftly.

I've lost count of how many times I've read this, though this is my first in many years. With the ending of the show in mind, which we can only assume is the ending the books will take, there are so many clues here and hints of where the plot eventually does end up. Of course there will be major differences, as there are a number of characters who never made it onto the TV screen, but by and large the main plot will end in the same fashion of that I have no doubts.

As much as it pains me to say it, I don't think we will ever see this series finished in print though. Too much time has elapsed and Martin doesn't seem to be progressing, I think he lost his passion for the work and it grew out of control. The story he began writing changed with each new book and new character introduced. As soon as this book closes, the process really began to start and the series ballooned and Martin lost control.

2015 Review

It's easier if I break this one down into characters.....

Jamie

When I first read A Game of Thrones I hated Jaime Lannister. Now, I think he’s awesome. If someone would have told me then, that by book three I would consider him one of my favourite characters, I’d have likely pushed them out of the moon door. It’s quite surprising that George R.R Martin actually changed him around like this. Well, I say change around. What I actually mean is showed the reader what he actually is. Never before, with any novel, have I had my feelings of pure hatred completely collapse in on them self and turn into pity and admiration.

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George R.R. Martin achieved this astonishing reversal by showing us the man as he saw himself. Instead of ignorant Ned Stark condemning him in his point of view, we see how Jaimie thinks. Indeed, we see his side of the story and why he committed his Kingslaying. It was no ill thought out act or cowardly murder; it was a killing of pure honour and decency. Surprising, I know. I was convinced by Ned Stark’s judgment. I, too, saw a backstabber and murderer. I was glad when the veil was lifted because never before has a character been so wrongly perceived by so many. Jaimie Lannister, certainly, deserves more recognition for his act. But, like a man of honour, he kept the details to himself and cared not what the world thought. He knew that he exacted justice and that’s all that mattered.

Jaime reached for the flagon to refill his cup. "So many vows...they make you swear and swear. Defend the king. Obey the king. Keep his secrets. Do his bidding. Your life for his. But obey your father. Love your sister. Protect the innocent. Defend the weak. Respect the gods. Obey the laws. It's too much. No matter what you do, you're forsaking one vow or the other.��

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Tyrion

And then there’s Tyrion’s little fiasco with that crossbow. I mean, wow! I did not see that coming. I literally cheered the very first time I read that; it was so perfect and so necessary. The way the chapter ended was superb also. I’d put the quote in, but that would be a big plot spoiler. I guess there is only so far you can push someone before they finally snap, and lash out against the world. Tyrion could only take so much abuse and disuse from the ones who should actually love him. What he did was totally justified and necessary for his own survival. He simply couldn’t go on anymore with that kind of treatment. The end he provides to his victim’s name will well, and truly, sully his reputation. It was most apt to finish him in such a way. What an awful, and deserved, way to go.

Also, I think the blow of the red wedding has somewhat softened over the years. Initially, it is upsetting and horribly unjust, but then you read the build-up of it again and see it in a different light. It is clear that it was completely King Rob’s fault. He caused it; he should have known better than to renegade on such an important deal. It was pure folly. He left himself completely vulnerable. But, he isn’t to blame completely; he was very young after all. Maybe one day the Starks will be avenged completely. Well, I think it’s obvious that there is only on person with the capabilities to do it.

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Dany

By this point in the series Dany has truly cast aside her fear. She has realised who she is and what she is capable of; she has become the dragon her brother was attempting to be. But, for all her power, she lacks wisdom. It isn’t a lack of wisdom born of stupidity, but through a lack of experience. She needs someone to guide her and help her realise her destiny; she needs someone well versed in the game to lead her steps, and insure her politics are not completely detrimental. In short, she needs someone braver than Jorah and someone more cunning than Barristan; she needs a strong right hand. She needs an ally who can truly save her. It’s just a shame that the television show has beat Martin to it! However, she still has her own natural leadership abilities. She has taken an army and freed a city; she has found her voice and her confidence. But, she still needs help. Dragons are a powerful weapon, though they will only take her so far. They’ve saved her in this novel, and they will save her again. But, it takes more than Fire and Blood to win a throne, though it does help.

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This, for me, is the strongest novel in the series so far. The characters have evolved and become figures of investment. The characters in this are truly brilliant. It’s why this series is so damn good. It’s very difficult to actually pick a favourite because with each novel my opinions seem to change as the characters do. It’s also very hard to give each of them a mention in a review! I didn’t even talk about Jon Snow. Never mind. I think it’s clear what my opinion of this book is.

I do love this series!

A Song of Ice and Fire
1. A Game of Thrones- A life chnaging five stars
2.A Clash of Kings- An Impish five stars
3. A Storm of Swords - A Lannister loving five stars
4. A Feast for Crows - A flat 3.5 stars ]]> Review6068018149 Wed, 27 Dec 2023 04:59:58 -0800 <![CDATA[Sean Barrs added 'The Humans']]> /review/show/6068018149 The Humans by Matt Haig

Sean Barrs gave 4 stars to The Humans (Paperback) by Matt Haig
bookshelves: 4-star-reads, contemporary-lit, magical-realism, sci-fi, veganism-and-vegetarianism

“This was, I would later realise, a planet of things wrapped inside things. Food inside wrappers. Bodies inside clothes. Contempt inside smiles. Everything was hidden away.��

This book made me laugh out loud, and that doesn’t happen very often. I wasn’t expecting it to be quite this good. The plot is a bit of a joke, the characters are all a bit ordinary and boring, but it is the irony and the dry wit that makes it all so brilliant.

Perspective can be an extraordinary humorous thing when the world is viewed through the eyes of an emotionless and uncaring alien. He arrives on earth and takes over the body of a maths professor, Andrew Martin. The alien is unaware of human social rules and basic etiquette and walks around campus completely naked at Cambridge University. He is quickly arrested, taken away, and finds himself having to explain his actions to the authorities. He doesn’t understand the world and is all a bit lost.

Ironically, the family of Andrew begins to prefer the alien to the original version. He is far more interesting and attentive to their needs in his efforts to conform to human social norms. He was sent to Earth to erase a big mathematical discovery that the original Andrew made, to halt the progress of humanity and to restore balance to their development. His mission is to also erase everyone who may also know about Andrew’s discovery, so it remains a permanent secret. However, the alien begins to like his newfound humanity and struggles with his task. He quite likes having a wife and a son and seeks an alternative life, a human life.

“Make sure, as often as possible, you are doing something you’d be happy to die doing.��

And that’s important advice and the book is full of it. Matt Haig is a self-help author as well as a novelist, and that does shine through the narrative. I feel like his books are always written with the intention of helping people in some way shape or form. This is the first novel I’ve read in several months because my reading time has been taken up by academic books, so I’m glad I chose wisely and had so much fun reading this. I hope you do too.

On another important note about the author and the book, I recently realised he’s a vegan. I didn’t know going into this but came across this quote:

“A cow is an Earth-dwelling animal, a domesticated and multi-purpose ungulate, which humans treat as a one-stop shop for food, liquid refreshment, fertiliser and designer footwear. The humans farm it and cut its throat and then cut it up and package it and refrigerate it and sell it and cook it. By doing this, apparently they have earned the right to change its name to beef, which is the monosyllable furthest away from cow, because the last thing a human wants to think about when eating cow is an actual cow.��

The alien is horrified by the ways in which we treat animals, and how we hide behind this façade of renaming them to make the notion more attractive to us. Things are hidden from the human eye behind wrappers, false names and distance. And this is certainly a great point to take away from this book and to close my book review with.

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__________________________________ ]]> Review1470328367 Mon, 25 Dec 2023 04:42:19 -0800 <![CDATA[Sean Barrs added 'A Christmas Carol']]> /review/show/1470328367 A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

Sean Barrs gave 4 stars to A Christmas Carol (Paperback) by Charles Dickens
bookshelves: classics, 4-star-reads
I read this every year at Christmas, and I always will do. Simply because of the atmosphere it evokes. This story is Christmas as far as I’m concerned. It wouldn’t be the same without it. It is perfectly festive and is also appropriately didactic. It is an allegory for what happens to those that are unnecessarily bitter and twisted, refusing to take part in a joyful occasion. It is a glimpse at what could happen to someone who rejects their family upon trivial grounds, and let’s themselves be set apart. It is also a suggestion that one shouldn’t be so concerned with money. Money isn’t everything; it certainly didn’t buy ol�� Scrooge happiness. But, Christmas did and will do so again.

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__________________________________ ]]> Review5911875403 Tue, 17 Oct 2023 15:13:57 -0700 <![CDATA[Sean Barrs added 'The Lost Words']]> /review/show/5911875403 The Lost Words by Robert Macfarlane

Sean Barrs gave 4 stars to The Lost Words (Hardcover) by Robert Macfarlane
bookshelves: 4-star-reads, nature-ecology-enviroment
This is a beautiful book that combines exquisite illustrations with poetry for the purpose of restoring lost language, that captures our declining natural world, and placing it back into our lexicons.

It’s marketed as a children’s book, but this is important for everyone to read and to remember what has been lost. We all need to read these words and to fight for their survival and their usage because it is so important that we don’t lose our natural world and the words used to describe it.

This is strikingly educational; it’s a book we should give to our children and to our adults to help them see the sense of wonder that is outside, and it’s captured perfectly though the power of words and illustrations. Let us not forget these words, let us make an effort to keep them (and the natural world they represent) alive.

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__________________________________ ]]> Review5855596118 Fri, 13 Oct 2023 08:57:36 -0700 <![CDATA[Sean Barrs added 'Children of Time']]> /review/show/5855596118 Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky