Drood by Dan Simmons

Very long, slightly convoluted horror story with interesting historical information about the life and times of Charles Dickens.  I like Dan Simmons but don't enjoy horror, 2/5 stars.

neck pillow, sleep mask, and ear protection on long flights

This type of machine washable "scarf" with a removable neck support frame is, for me, more comfortable than standard airplane neck pillows.  They cost $10 on eBay with free shipping.

Another $10 deal on eBay is a blackout sleep mask that does not touch your eyes so you can REM sleep (or keep your eye makeup from smearing).  The standard airline sleep masks are not opaque and put pressure on my eyelids.

Standard soft ear plugs work ok for me but I also travel with the best active noise canceling headphones and they work much better.  When I sleep on the plane, I wear the headphones but don't play any sound.

Most Effective Mental Strategies for Aversive Challenges

This study has some groundbreaking and repeatable results for working through tough challenges at school, work, and in life. These results debunk over-generalizations from the marshmallow study.

Most effective strategies:

• thinking about the positive consequences of getting to the end 
  
• monitoring one's goal progress
  
• thinking that the end is near
  
• emotion regulation (e.g. trying to stay in a good mood)

In contrast, distracting oneself from an aversive challenge can frequently lead to less success.

Heads You Win by Jeffrey Archer

Fun, immersive historical fiction thriller with interesting perspectives on the politics, economics, and values of London, New York, and Leningrad from the fall of Chernenko through the rise of Putin. 4/5 stars.

The Brain: A User's Guide by New Scientist magazine

Long, superficial overview of many areas of research in understanding how our brains work. The book is a little misleading but not terribly so.  2/5 stars.

Super Human by Evan Currie

Currie tries his hand at writing comic book fantasies.  Not good, 1/5 stars.

Bombs Away by Harry Tirtledove

Very depressing and realistic speculation about  a 1951 nuclear war. The characters were well developed but there is no story. 1/5 Stars.  Not recommended .

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mfw@wyle.org | 1.425.249.3936

To Be a Machine by Mark O’Connell

Better than expected.  4/5 stars.

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mfw@wyle.org | 1.425.249.3936

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen read by Kate Beckinsdale

Apple was giving away some audiobooks and on a whim I pulled this one down and listened to it.  The bizarre victorian moires and customs were a little difficult but the story and delivery were quite good.  I do not recommend the book anymore, 2/5 stars.

Anti-Fragile by Nassim Nicholas Taleb

Interesting read. Mr. Taleb has some innovative ideas and an odd mix of sensibilities, ideas, & opinions.  He is extremely harsh and critical of many academic institutions as well as many branches of science and economics.  I found myself agreeing with him about how and why they are so broken about 60% of the time.  I think he is overly critical of medical science but justifiably critical of big pharma and medical doctors.  The book is highly entertaining but somewhat dense and abrupt.  5/5 stars.  I am going to read his other books now.