en-US Tue, 22 Apr 2025 05:37:09 -0700 60 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg Friend1420849844 Tue, 22 Apr 2025 05:37:09 -0700 UserFollowing325156802 Thu, 10 Apr 2025 05:35:31 -0700 Review7477514843 Thu, 10 Apr 2025 05:22:23 -0700 /review/show/7477514843 Darryn gave 3 stars to Rainbow History Class: Your Guide Through Queer and Trans History (Hardcover) by Hannah McElhinney
Turns out, I knew embarrassingly little about LGBTQ+ history—and Rainbow History Class made that crystal clear in the best possible way. Who knew history could be this colorful and this entertaining?

As someone who doesn’t identify as LGBTQ+, I found it not just educational, but genuinely enjoyable. It’s like your coolest friend sat you down and said, “Let me tell you what really went down”—and then dropped some knowledge bombs with sass, heart, and a healthy dose of side-eye at the patriarchy.

Fairly comprehensive without feeling like a textbook, this book manages to teach you a ton without making your brain hurt. Highly recommend—even if you thought you already paid attention in history class. Spoiler: you didn’t. ]]> Review7477506924 Thu, 10 Apr 2025 05:17:52 -0700 /review/show/7477506924 Darryn gave 4 stars to All in the Family: The Trumps and How We Got This Way (Kindle Edition) by Fred C. Trump
All in the Family is a highly readable and revealing look into the personal history and psychology of Donald Trump. It goes beyond the headlines to offer real insight into what makes him tick—his upbringing, family dynamics, and the deep influences that have shaped his behavior and worldview.

What makes the book especially compelling is how it helps the reader understand not just what Trump does, but why he does it. The patterns, the instincts, the relentless need for dominance—it’s all there, and it’s unsettling.

By the end, you’re left with a sense that this isn’t just a character study—it’s a warning. The portrait it paints is both fascinating and, frankly, frightening. We should all be paying attention ]]> ReadStatus9292795837 Thu, 10 Apr 2025 05:13:36 -0700 /review/show/7477500930 Darryn started reading On Xi Jinping: How Xi's Marxist Nationalism is Shaping China and the World by Kevin Rudd
]]> Review7473415362 Thu, 10 Apr 2025 05:11:07 -0700 /review/show/7473415362 Darryn gave 4 stars to Rubicon: The Last Years of the Roman Republic (Paperback) by Tom Holland
While not as immediately readable or accessible as Dominion, Tom Holland’s Rubicon remains an important and richly detailed account of one of history’s most influential empires. Focusing on the final century of the Roman Republic, Holland brings to life the personalities, politics, and power struggles that defined the era.

What stands out is the way he subtly parallels the fall of Rome with its moral unraveling—highlighting how internal decay, corruption, and the erosion of civic virtue paved the way for collapse. It’s a sobering and fascinating narrative that feels strikingly relevant today.

Though the prose may be denser than his later work, Rubicon is still a compelling and valuable read for anyone interested in Roman history or the timeless dynamics of power and decline. ]]> Review7477477312 Thu, 10 Apr 2025 04:59:33 -0700 /review/show/7477477312 Darryn gave 5 stars to Dominion: How the Christian Revolution Remade the World (Hardcover) by Tom Holland
Dominion is a must-read for anyone curious about the deep and lasting impact of Christianity on Western civilization. Tom Holland offers a compelling and wide-ranging history—not just of the church, but of the revolutionary ideas at the heart of the Christian story and how they’ve shaped the moral and cultural fabric of the modern world.

What’s especially impressive is how thoroughly researched the book is. Holland draws from a vast range of sources and weaves them together with clarity and insight. It reads like the work of a seasoned historian, which makes it all the more surprising that he identifies as a journalist rather than an academic historian.

Despite the depth of material, his style is highly readable—engaging, accessible, and at times even dramatic. Whether you’re religious or not, Dominion offers a powerful lens through which to view the world today. It’s a fascinating, thought-provoking read that stays with you long after the final page. ]]> Review7477465897 Thu, 10 Apr 2025 04:52:06 -0700 /review/show/7477465897 Darryn gave 3 stars to The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate: Discoveries from a Secret World (Hardcover) by Peter Wohlleben
This book was definitely outside my usual reading habits, but I’m glad I gave it a go. The Hidden Life of Trees is a bit unusual—at times even a little weird—but undeniably fascinating. Wohlleben invites readers to see the forest in a completely new light, revealing the hidden networks and relationships that exist among trees.

What stood out most was the idea that trees live in a kind of symbiotic community—communicating, supporting each other, and responding to their environment in ways that feel almost sentient. It’s the kind of insight that quietly shifts how you see the natural world. I know I won’t walk through the bush again without thinking about the quiet, interconnected lives of the trees around me.

If you’re open to seeing nature through a new lens, this book will definitely leave an impression. ]]> ReadStatus9292736239 Thu, 10 Apr 2025 04:47:10 -0700 /review/show/7477459288 Darryn has read Working Class Man by Jimmy Barnes
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