Lies My Gov't Told Me by Robert W. Malone

Lies My Gov't Told Me
by Robert W. Malone

ISBN-13: 978-1510773240
ebook: 645 pages
Publisher: Skyhorse
Released: November 15, 2022

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description from Goodreads:
With contributions from eminent doctors, scientists, and experts in their fields, Lies My Gov't Told Me offers a comprehensive look at the coronavirus pandemic–where we are today, how we got here, and what's on the horizon. Challenging the mainstream government-pharma-media narrative, the chapters in this book will not only outrage readers but will also inform and give readers hope.


My Review:
Lies My Gov't Told Me was about things that happened during the 2020-2022 period (like censorship about various COVID treatments or when speaking out about concerns about the shots), and the book is still relevant today. Some of the content was written by others with an expertise in certain areas, but much of the book was written by Malone with his unique expertise. The writers explained their knowledge and experiences on topics like how governments were acting. They provided correct information about treatments, mRNA technology, and vaccines. Overall, I'd recommend this important book.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

Buyer Aware by Marta L. Tellado

Buyer Aware
by Marta L. Tellado

ISBN-13: 9781541768574
Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: PublicAffairs
Released: September 20th 2022

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
The rules that have protected consumers for decades are failing. Companies are spying on us. Many of the products we once trusted are dangerous and failing at alarming rates. Whether we are buying a crib, a small appliance, an iPhone app, or shopping for car insurance, it's become harder than ever to know whether the choices we make in the marketplace are putting us at risk-either from physical harm or the abuse of our personal data by hackers or corporations.

Marta L. Tellado, the president and CEO of Consumer Reports, has been an advocate for consumers for decades. In Buyer Aware, Tellado shows you the steps you can take to protect yourself from predatory business practices, and how to exert your inherent power as a consumer to spur politicians and businesses to clean up their act. Only then can we ensure that we have an economy that is fair, safe, and transparent for all, and puts consumers first.


My Review:
According to this author, "user generated reviews"--like this one--are generally untrustworthy, especially if they're 5 star reviews. Or if they're from social influencers who got the product for free. The only really trustworthy reviews are from Consumer Reports, for which the author works, and she highly promotes them. Either this is hypocrisy (as book reviewers have been asked to review her book which is given to them for free) or it's really stupid to insult the very people who are going to be the first ones reviewing your book. Just saying.

I've only read about a third of the book and won't be finishing it. So far, she has described some things that she doesn't like about the internet that people should be aware of, though nothing really new to me so far. She basically said to go the the Consumer Reports site for more information on how to prevent companies from tracking you to gather and sale your data, and I assume that she will point the reader there for solutions in future chapters, too.

Why have I stopped reading when I usually finish even the books I hate? Because she's ranting about how people are manipulated toward their own bias and how horrible misinformation is while proving with her examples that she's been manipulated toward her bias and hasn't noticed. If you're conservative, she'll insult you in some fashion, like specifically targeting Sean Hannity and Tucker Carlson (from Fox News) and saying they don't report news but rather provide manipulative fiction.

She also spread misinformation while complaining about how there's so much misinformation. One example is that she stated as fact that the COVID vaccines are safe and it's misinformation to say that they can cause death. Yet the CDC's own Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (for data up to June 17, 2022) indicates that 29,031 deaths have been reported from the Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson vaccines, with 16% occurring within 24 hours of vaccination, 20% occurring within 48 hours of vaccination and 59% occurring in people who experienced an onset of symptoms within 48 hours of being vaccinated. If she can't even correctly identify what is true and what is propaganda, why should I trust her discernment about anything else in this book?


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

The Big Book of Invisible Technology by Chloe Taylor

The Big Book of Invisible Technology
by Chloe Taylor

ISBN-13: 9781646112517
Paperback: 152 pages
Publisher: Rockridge Press
Released: July 21st 2020

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Learn to see how modern technology is all around us―a hands-on approach for kids 8 to 12. Bluetooth brings beautiful music to your ears―but how, exactly? Using technology and building with technology are two different skill sets―and a twenty-first-century kid will need to understand both. The Big Book of Invisible Technology offers ways to explore how things work for kids in fun, hands-on ways.

From the invisible Internet to driverless cars and drones, this book shows you how things work for kids, using step-by-step experiments. Then apply your knowledge and learn how you may, one day, bring real and important change to our lives. Are you ready to solve some of Earth’s biggest challenges with technology? The future needs you.

In this book on how things work for kids you’ll discover: Important tech-related words are highlighted in bold along with their definitions, in a virtual dictionary of how things work for kids. Nine applied experiments will inspire you to learn while doing―like taking apart and safely rebuilding an old keyboard or remote control. Discover how to brainstorm as you plan ways to positively influence our planet.


My Review:
The Big Book of Invisible Technology provides a simple overview of how modern technology works. It's targeted at ages 8 to 12, and the word variety used is appropriate for that age range. However, the concepts were discussed at a level that younger kids could follow. The author provided some history about the technology and gave a simple explanation of how it worked. There were also a number of activities like pretending to code by telling someone what to do to complete a task. Since there are whole books out there that teach kids in this age range to actually code, I felt like these were very simple activities and not very challenging for this age range. The author covered coding, the Internet, Bluetooth and cellular technology, robots, smart devices, 3D printing, drones, artificial intelligence, and augmented reality. There was also a section about what might be possible in the future, but it was mostly prompting the reader to dream about what they might like to see.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

The Light Ages by Seb Falk

The Light Ages by Seb Falk ISBN-13: 9781324002932 Hardcover: 416 pages Publisher: W. W. Norton Company Released: November 17th 2020

Source: review copy from the publisher.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Soaring Gothic cathedrals, violent crusades, the Black Death: these are the dramatic forces that shaped the medieval era. But the so-called Dark Ages also gave us the first universities, eyeglasses, and mechanical clocks, proving that the Middle Ages were home to a vibrant scientific culture.

In The Light Ages, Cambridge science historian Seb Falk takes us on an immersive tour of medieval science through the story of one fourteenth-century monk, John of Westwyk. From multiplying Roman numerals to navigating by the stars, curing disease, and telling time with an ancient astrolabe, we learn emerging science alongside Westwyk, while following the gripping story of the struggles and successes of an ordinary man in a precarious world. An enlightening history that argues that these times weren’t so dark after all, The Light Ages shows how medieval ideas continue to color how we see the world today.


My Review:
The Light Ages explained in detail some of the mathematics, astronomy, and scientific knowledge of the 1300s. Not much is known about a monk named John of Westwyk. What little is known about his life is used as a frame for talking about the mathematics and science that he would've encountered and used. The author didn't just tell what he knew but explained in detail how they did the mathematics or used the machines.

He explained how they could tell time by shadows and the sun's location, how to count using Roman numerals and the sexagesimal system, why they changed over to using Hindu-Arabic numerals, and the development of precise clocks and accurate calendars from the close observation of the sun, moon, and stars. He explained how monks were sent to universities and the opposition to their learning and debating Aristotle's ideas before learning theology. He explained how to use an astrolabe, the Albion device developed at St. Albans, and how astrology was calculated and used to predict weather. He talked about St. Albans and the priory at Tynemouth and how some monks went on crusade. He explained why many medieval maps are distorted but served a distinct, useful purpose, the development of compasses and the exploration of magnetic attraction, and general information about medicine at the time and what was used for dysentery. He ended by explaining John's creation--a computer of the planets--and how it could be used to quickly find where the planets were in the sky. Overall, this book may be of most interest to mathematicians as a lot of math was described, but it does convey how scientific knowledge was being exchanged between cultures and religions and actively developed during the Middle Ages.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

Python Programming for Beginners by Patricia Foster

Python Programming for Beginners by Patricia Foster ISBN-13: 978-1646113880 Paperback: 198 pages Publisher: Rockridge Press Released: October 20, 2020

Source: review copy from the publisher through Amazon Vine.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Think like a programmer with this fun beginner’s guide to Python for ages 10 to 14. Python Programming for Beginners is the perfect way to introduce aspiring coders to this simple and powerful coding language. This book is packed full of fun and creative activities that make learning a blast!

In Python Programming for Beginners, kids will start off with the basics, learning all about fundamental coding concepts and how they can put these concepts together in Python to build their own games and programs. Each chapter focuses on a different coding concept—like variables, data types, and loops—and features three awesome coding activities to try. These activities get more difficult as they go, so young coders can see just how much their skills are growing. By the end of Python Programming for Beginners, they’ll create their own fully functional sci-fi game and crack the code to a secret message!

No coding experience needed! Designed for kids, this Python programming book is filled with step-by-step directions, simple explanations, and detailed code breakdowns. Kids will build their programming skills, learn how to troubleshoot bugs with a handy bug-hunting guide, and practice their Python programming knowledge with cool activities.

Python is an awesome starting language for kids! It’s a powerful programming language that can be used for lots of projects but features simple syntax so beginners can focus on learning programming logic. Set kids up for a lifetime of programming success with Python Programming for Beginners.


My Review:
Python Programming for Beginners teaches the process of coding, specifically how to code in Python. It's targeted at ages 10 through 14 and it's explained clearly enough that it should be understandable to that age range, but it's also useful for adults who want to learn the basic concepts of coding. The author did a good job of showing how to think through what needs to be in the code and how to identify the problem and fix bugs that happen in the code. She taught how to get set up with Python and explained what a certain type (variables, data types, loops, etc.) of code does, how to write it so that it will work, and then showed step-by-step how to use it by coding a simple animation or game. She then walked you through two more projects, each involving progressively more advanced coding, as well as suggested some changes that the reader might try by themselves. By the end, I felt like I finally understood the basics of coding and that I could use Python to create from scratch, not just copy and modify the game code in the book. Overall, I'd highly recommend this book.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Scratch Programming for Beginners by Raina Burditt MS MA

Scratch Programming for Beginners by Raina Burditt MS MA ISBN-13: 978-1647396381 Paperback: 188 pages Publisher: Rockridge Press Released: September 1, 2020

Source: Review copy from the publisher through Amazon Vine.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Fun guide to Scratch programming for ages 8-12. Scratch is a visual computer language designed especially for kids, and Scratch Programming for Beginners is the perfect book to introduce kids to coding! It explains the fundamental concepts of Scratch in a kid-friendly way, and comes jam-packed with fun, creative activities.

This book starts with the scratch programming basics, teaching kids what coding is, and all about the different tools they can use to build their own programs and games. Each chapter teaches a different aspect of coding, with exercises that get more challenging as they go, so kids can test their abilities and unleash their imagination. They’ll even build their own game where they’ll fight off a fire-breathing dragon!

This book is designed for coding beginners, with kid-friendly explanations, step-by-step instructions, and lots of pictures. Kids will build their own toolbox of skills, learning how to install and use Scratch, how to troubleshoot any pesky coding bugs with the Bug-Hunting Guide, and practice their Scratch programming lingo with a glossary of computer terms. Scratch uses blocks of code that fit together like puzzle pieces, so kids can watch how their code affects the program as they’re building it. The fundamentals they’ll learn in this book apply to other coding languages, too!


My Review:
Scratch Programming for Beginners teaches the process of coding, specifically how to code in Scratch. It's targeted at ages 8 through 12 and should be easily understood by them, but it's also useful for adults who want to learn the basic concepts of coding. The author did a good job of showing how to think through what needs to be in the code and identifying potential bugs based on understanding how a computer reads code. She taught how to get set up with Scratch and how to use the different coding blocks as well as setting up the stage, getting sprites and sound, etc. For each section, she explained what the code did and then showed step-by-step how to use it by showing the process of coding a simple animation or game. She then provided several more advanced projects as well as suggested some changes that the reader might try by themselves. By the end, I felt fully confident in using Scratch to create my own unique projects, though obviously there will still be some trial and error. Overall, I'd highly recommend this book.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

The Fabric of Civilization by Virginia Postrel

The Fabric of Civilization by Virginia Postrel ISBN-13: 9781541617605 Hardcover: 320 pages Publisher: Basic Books Released: November 10th 2020

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
In The Fabric of Civilization, Virginia Postrel synthesizes groundbreaking research from archaeology, economics, and science to reveal a surprising history. From Minoans exporting wool colored with precious purple dye to Egypt, to Romans arrayed in costly Chinese silk, the cloth trade paved the crossroads of the ancient world. Textiles funded the Renaissance and the Mughal Empire; they gave us banks and bookkeeping, Michelangelo's David and the Taj Mahal. The cloth business spread the alphabet and arithmetic, propelled chemical research, and taught people to think in binary code.


My Review:
The Fabric of Civilization is a history about the far-reaching influence that textiles have had on the world. The author looked into aspects of fabric production, selling, and use that I have not seen covered in other histories about textiles. Overall, this was an interesting read, and I'd recommend it to those interested in this topic.

The author talked about how cotton, silk, wool, and flax were used to make fabrics very early on and how people improved the plants' and animals' production and quality of fiber through selective breeding and other practices. The first person to come up with the germ theory did so because he was working on curing a disease affecting silkworms. The next chapter covered spinning technologies, starting with the drop spindle and moving on to the spindle wheel, spinning jenny, and other factory machines. The third chapter covered weaving and how advanced math may have been developed by weavers creating complicated patterns, how physical codes for patterns were created in different cultures, the history of weaving patterns like brocade, and information about knitting machines.

The fourth chapter covered dying fabric and the developments in chemistry created by the demand for certain colors, from the original plant- and animal-based dyes to the synthetic dye development. The fifth chapter covered fabric merchants and how they developed things like accounting, using cloth as money, bills of exchange, and more. The sixth chapter covered how the demand for various fabrics influenced what was made and how some countries forbade certain fabrics or fashions. The last chapter covered modern innovations, from new types of synthetic thread to coatings that can be put on cloth to prevent stains and such.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

The 99% Invisible City by Roman Mars; Kurt Kohlstedt

The 99% Invisible City by Roman Mars; Kurt Kohlstedt ISBN-13: 9780358126607 Hardcover: 400 pages Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Released: October 6th 2020

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Have you ever wondered what those bright, squiggly graffiti marks on the sidewalk mean? Or stopped to consider why you don't see metal fire escapes on new buildings? Or pondered the story behind those dancing inflatable figures in car dealerships? 99% Invisible is a big-ideas podcast about small-seeming things, revealing stories baked into the buildings we inhabit, the streets we drive, and the sidewalks we traverse. The show celebrates design and architecture in all of its functional glory and accidental absurdity, with intriguing tales of both designers and the people impacted by their designs.

Now, in The 99% Invisible City: A Field Guide to Hidden World of Everyday Design, host Roman Mars and coauthor Kurt Kohlstedt zoom in on the various elements that make our cities work, exploring the origins and other fascinating stories behind everything from power grids and fire escapes to drinking fountains and street signs. With deeply researched entries and beautiful line drawings throughout, The 99% Invisible City will captivate devoted fans of the show and anyone curious about design, urban environments, and the unsung marvels of the world around them.


My Review:
The 99% Invisible City explains how different design features in cities have come about and why they are that way. These are short entries, only two or three pages long per topic. Rather than looking at the best design, we're often told about a poor design that doesn't work. Or we're told how someone was inspired to create something and how it works. The book covered things like what various sidewalk markings mean, how to spot fake façades and what they might cover up, how a city changes over time and how to spot marks of the past that have been left behind, how to create a memorable flag or warning symbol, how advertising can literally hide things, why manhole covers are round and have a design on the top, safety features that are built into signs and such, design considerations behind creating cycling lanes, the naming of streets, how revolving doors came about, how regulations have affected architecture over time, lots of things about skyscrapers, and more. There are some rough line drawings that show the object being discussed. Actual pictures would have been better, but you get an idea of what the thing being talked about look like. Overall, I'd recommend this interesting book.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

The Grimy 1800s by Andre Gren

The Grimy 1800s by Andre Gren ISBN-13: 9781526731401 Paperback: 136 pages Publisher: Pen & Sword Books Released: December 19, 2019

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
In the nineteenth century, as towns grew, Britain became increasingly grimy. The causes of dirt and pollution were defined legally as 'nuisances' and, in 1835, the new local authorities very rapidly appointed an army of 'inspectors of nuisances'.

This book is the inspectors' chronicle: it offers their eye-witness accounts and a plethora of details pertaining to the workings of the scrutinising Parliamentary Committees that were set up in an attempt to ease the struggles against filth. Inspectors battled untreated human excreta in rivers black as ink, as well as insanitary drinking water, home to tadpoles and portions of frogs so large that they blocked taps. They dealt with putrid animal carcases in cattle markets and slaughter-houses, not to mention the unabated smoke from mill chimneys that covered towns with a thick layer of black grime. Boggle Hole Pond was a source of drinking water full of dead dogs; ice cream was coated in bugs; stinking rotting crabs, poultry and pigeon smells polluted the air. Even the dead floating out of badly drained burial grounds were 'nuisances', leading to the practice of burning the remains of the dead.


My Review:
The Grimy 1800s summarizes reports given by Inspectors of Nuisances in England on various sanitation topics between 1846 and 1915. These inspectors were created in the mid 1800s and reports were recorded by Parliamentary Committees over the years. The author summarized the contents of these reports, selecting ones that he felt were the most interesting. He covered overcrowding, privies, poor or no drainage, improper human waste disposal, lack of availability of clean water, water pollution, food safety, bad smells, reporting of infectious diseases, excess smoke from mills and such, and what type of ground made for a good cemetery. I'd recommend this to anyone researching specific examples of these problems (what town and at what time). It gets a little repetitive if you just want a general overview of the problem.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Spinning and Weaving by Lynn Huggins-Cooper

Spinning and Weaving by Lynn Huggins-Cooper ISBN-13: 9781526724526 Paperback: 128 pages Publisher: Pen and Sword History Released: Novemeber 1, 2019

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description from Goodreads:
This book offers a whistle-stop guide to the history of spinning and weaving. The story begins in prehistory when people first wove yarns to create clothing and blankets. The book explores the ways in which spinning and weaving has continued to be important throughout human history (or should that be herstory), in artistic, economic and functional terms.

The second part of the book brings us up to date, via interviews with modern day spinning and weaving artisans. These textiles artists generously allowed the author a window into their studios and discussed the way they use and adapt traditional methods, techniques and tools for the twenty first century. Photos of their work, and their working environment offers a unique view into the world of this ancient craft.

Finally, if you are inspired to try your hand at this fascinating and most ancient of crafts, the book also has a resources section. It includes a valuable list of suppliers of fibre, dyes, tools and yarn, as well as information about training courses, useful websites and more - everything you need to get started.


My Review:
Spinning and Weaving looked at spinning and weaving throughout history and as a modern handcraft. The author started by explaining what type of tools were used for spinning and weaving in ancient times and what fibers were used for clothing. She then talked about the new technologies that changed how spinning and weaving were done up until modern day. The second half of the book contained interviews with modern weavers who talk about how they got into traditional weaving, what they make, what tools they use, how they learned the skills, their advice to others, what their business is like and a typical day. At the back of the book, there were lists of suppliers and educational websites. I'd recommend this book to someone interested in trying out weaving who wants some background on the possibilities for learning and using the skill.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Get Coding 2! by David Whitney

Get Coding 2! by David Whitney ISBN-13: 9781536210309 Hardcover: 224 pages Publisher: Candlewick Press Released: September 24, 2019

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description from Goodreads:
Learn HTML and JavaScript. Design and build five interactive computer games. Create cool graphics. Code simple artificial intelligence. This appealing guide, covering essential coding concepts, offers an ideal introduction to all these activities and more. By following simple step-by-step instructions and completing five exciting missions, aspiring programmers are invited to code well-known games such as tic-tac-toe and table tennis, then customize their projects to test their skills.


My Review:
Get Coding 2! teaches teens (and adults) how to use HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to code five different old-style games: tick-tack-toe, snake, table tennis, an endless runner, and a side-scrolling platform game. The author teaches coding by breaking down the steps needed to create each game. He explained what game element you want to add next to create the game, how you can code that, and how that coding element works. He then walked you through adding each chunk of code to the html file (with the exact code provided) until you have a completed game.

By the end of each game, you've learned some new coding skills and other ways to use previously learned skills. You learn how to create 2D graphics, use object literals and arrays, make the game tick, process keyboard input, add moving or changing game elements, and more. By the end, you should understand enough to be able to modify the code to create variations of the game. However, I don't think the explanations were thorough enough that you could then code a completely new game from a blank text file by yourself. Still, this is a fun way to start learning for a beginner!


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

The Vlogger's Handbook by Shane Birley

The Vlogger's Handbook by Shane Birley ISBN-13: 9780711242876 Paperback: 96 pages Publisher: QEB Publishing Released: September 17, 2019

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
This fun guide to vlogging delivers an overview of the skills and tips you need to get started, produce a professional look, develop your skill level, and cultivate your creativity. With bite-sized text, learn about starting a vlog, inspiration for what to vlog about, how to storyboard a vlog, lighting and props, video skills, editing your vlog, adding sounds and effects, building an audience, and internet and social media safety guidance. Throughout the book, Q&A panels feature successful young vloggers who give their own personal tips and stories about how they got started.


My Review:
The Vlogger's Handbook provides basic advice on how to get started vlogging. It appears to be aimed at younger people (teenagers and up), and the author chose four young vloggers to offer tips and advice on each vlogging topic. The author covered how to decide on what type of vlog you want to do, how to come up with ideas to vlog about, online safety, what basic equipment is needed and what equipment you might like to get someday, the basics of filming, lighting, sound, and editing, and choosing what online platforms to use. If you've never really done video or audio editing or have never learned to storyboard or create a story sequence, then this book will get you started off quickly with good advice and basic information. However, this book didn't provide much detail (no step-by-step projects) or cover more advanced skills, so it might not be useful if you've already done some video work.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

Coding for Kids: Scratch by Matthew Highland

Coding for Kids: Scratch by Matthew Highland ISBN-13: 9781641522458 Paperback: 172 pages Publisher: Rockridge Press Released: July 2, 2019

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
From sprites and code blocks to scripts and scorekeeping, Coding for Kids: Scratch helps you discover everything you need to know to create 10 amazing games that you and your friends can play. Watch your confidence grow with step-by-step instructions and clear directions that keep things simple—even as the games you’re making get more challenging. Game on!

Coding for Kids: Scratch includes: Coding for kids—Learn Scratch terms and concepts, then use them to build games you can start playing immediately.Create 10 games—Cake Clicker, Dino Hunt, Crystal Keeper, and more—code, play, and share 10 cool games.Master Scratch—Simple directions, full-color screenshots, and projects that get more difficult make mastering Scratch a breeze.


My Review:
Coding for Kids: Scratch teaches readers how to use the drag-n-drop coding language called Scratch. You sign up (for free) to use the Scratch website and need to use one of the following web browsers: Chrome, Firefox, or Safari. Kids 6 years old and older can use the language, but the author suggested that kids 6-8 years old may need an adult's help while they learn (and I'd agree). I'd suggest the adult work through the book first rather than learn it at the same time as the child, but either would work. Basically, you sit at your computer and follow his instructions to learn how to use the Scratch coding interface, then you put together his codes for the 10 games to learn how to make functioning games. In the game coding section, he simply showed the finished code and explained why the different pieces were needed. You must look for the code blocks and put it together.

Overall, it's an informative book written at a level that kids can understand. You can put together the suggested, basic games pretty quickly. But there were a few times in the instructions about using the Scratch coding interface where he'd say to do something and just assume you'd see how to do it. For example, I initially thought you were supposed to type "timer" into a slot when you were supposed to drag-n-drop that piece from the code selection area. Or he didn't say exactly where to find the code, so I had to scroll through the options to find it. It wasn't until coding the actual games that I got frustrated, though. I followed his code exactly, but the code for the first game sometimes worked perfectly and other times wouldn't completely reset. I figured out what piece of code was missing to make it always work, but I was disappointed that the very first game code that he gave us wasn't complete. Overall, though, this is a great way to teach your kids the basics of coding games.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

The Real World of Victorian Steampunk by Simon Webb

The Real World of Victorian Steampunk by Simon Webb ISBN-13: 9781526732859 Paperback: 168 pages Publisher: Pen and Sword History Released: Sept. 19, 2019

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
In the last few decades, steampunk has blossomed from being a rather obscure and little-known subgenre of science fiction into a striking and distinctive style of fashion, art, design and even music. In this book Simon Webb explores and examines the real inventions which underpin the fantasy.

The Real World of Victorian Steampunk shows the Victorian era to have been a surprising place; one of steam-powered aeroplanes, fax machines linking Moscow and St Petersburg, steam cars travelling at over 100 mph, electric taxis and wireless telephones. It is, in short, the nineteenth century as you have never before seen it; a steampunk extravaganza of anachronistic technology and unfamiliar gadgets. Imagine Europe spanned by a mechanical internet; a telecommunication system of clattering semaphore towers capable of transmitting information across the continent in a matter of minutes. Consider too, the fact that a steam plane the size of a modern airliner took off in England in 1894.

Drawing entirely on contemporary sources, we see how little-known developments in technology have been used as the basis for so many steampunk narratives. From seminal novels such as The Difference Engine, through to the steampunk fantasy of Terry Pratchett's later works, this book shows that steampunk is at least as much solid fact as it is whimsical fiction.


My Review:
The Real World of Victorian Steampunk is a book about how the fiction genre of Victorian Steampunk is inspired by attempted inventions or real technology created during the reign of Victoria. The author started by explaining what steampunk is, and he frequently referred to various novels that were inspired by the real technology that he's describing. I think this book was aimed more at fans of this genre than history buffs as I've read most of this material in more detail in books by other authors. This was more of an overview of the many ideas that were coming out at the time with some general descriptions of how they worked and why they didn't endure.

He talked about various steam-powered vehicles (cars, buses, lorries, dirigibles, a motorcycle, and a plane) and described why petrol vehicles "won" when electric and steam-powered vehicles were much more desirable (quieter, more reliable, etc.). He described several stretches of pneumatic railway that were actually built and why the technology was abandoned. He talked about wind-powered cars, the mechanical telegraph network, mechanical computers and calculators, wireless sunlight phones, telegraph fax machines, recording voice on metal wire or disks, their understanding of how televisions could be made, home stereo music over the telephone line, attempts to make mechanical men or animals, and solar-powered generators.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

How to Do Things by William Campbell, Brian Barth

How to Do Things by William Campbell (Editor), Brian Barth (Foreword) ISBN-13: 9781452171678 Hardcover: 272 pages Publisher: Chronicle Books Released: April , 2019

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
For anyone who wants to learn how to catch a runaway pig, mend a fence post, milk a cow, or throw an unforgettable barn party, this engaging volume delivers timeless advice on accomplishing tasks big and small around the house, garden, and farm. Featuring original text and illustrations from the 1919 first edition, this 100th-anniversary volume presents a new generation of readers with expert guidance on every facet of homesteading in a very handsomely crafted package. With projects that range from practical (ridding a yard of poison ivy) to downright bemusing (organizing a potato peeling contest), this delightful book is equal parts useful and entertaining. An ode to self-reliance brimming with wit, wisdom, and nostalgia, this is a must-have for anyone who enjoys doing things with their own two hands.


My Review:
How to Do Things was published in 1919 as a collection of the best articles from The Farm Journal. It's an interesting look at farming at a time when technology was changing things. They talked about a wide variety of topics, like how to best do various farming activities (relating to cattle, pigs, chickens, and horses) and pest control, or the most efficient way to wash dishes or clothing, or how to build an ice house or cellar, or the best layout for a barn or porch, or food recipes and information on canning, carving and preserving meat, or a long list of indoor and outdoor games (which usually only used common objects). It's an interesting read for those curious about how things used to be and, in some cases, useful advice on how to do things even now.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Winslow Homer and the Camera by Frank H. Goodyear, Dana E. Byrd

Winslow Homer and the Camera: Photography and the Art of Painting by Frank H. Goodyear, Dana E. Byrd ISBN-13: 9780300214550 Hardcover: 208 pages Publisher: Yale University Press Released: July 10, 2018

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
One of the greatest American painters of the 19th century, Winslow Homer (1836–1910) also maintained a deep engagement with photography throughout his career. Focusing on the important, yet often-overlooked, role that photography played in Homer’s art, this volume exposes Homer’s own experiments with the camera (he first bought one in 1882). It also explores how the medium of photography and the larger visual economy influenced his work as a painter, watercolorist, and printmaker at a moment when new print technologies inundated the public with images.

Frank Goodyear and Dana Byrd demonstrate that photography offered Homer new ways of seeing and representing the world, from his early commercial engravings sourced from contemporary photographs to the complex relationship between his late-career paintings of life in the Bahamas, Florida, and Cuba and the emergent trend of tourist photography. The authors argue that Homer’s understanding of the camera’s ability to create an image that is simultaneously accurate and capable of deception was vitally important to his artistic practice in all media. Richly illustrated and full of exciting new discoveries, Winslow Homer and the Camera is a long-overdue examination of the ways in which photography shaped the vision of one of America’s most original painters.


My Review:
Winslow Homer and the Camera is basically two essays about Winslow Homer. The first was by Frank Goodyear, who looked at Homer's entire career with a focus on what influenced his artwork and especially at how photography influenced his art. The second essay was by Dana Byrd, who looked at how Homer captured the Bahamas, Cuba, and Florida in his art during his vacations in 1884-1886. She compared and contrasted his art with others who were painting or photographing these areas at that time. There were pages of pictures along with each essay showing the photographs and artwork that were mentioned in the essays.

The essays were informative and will probably be of most interest to fans of Homer's artwork. I was curious about how photography influenced American artwork at that time, and now I know as much as I care to. However, the authors assumed a previous knowledge of Homer's overall body of artwork, which I didn't have. While I could follow the specific references since pictures were provided, I couldn't fully appreciate their comments about his work in general.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.