Interesting tale of the women murderers of 1920s Chicago and one of the "girl reporters" who covered them. Sometimes disjointed - I kept mixing up BelInteresting tale of the women murderers of 1920s Chicago and one of the "girl reporters" who covered them. Sometimes disjointed - I kept mixing up Belva & Beulah - but solid storytelling. Apparently he aims to correct some of the myths about the author of the original play "Chicago" (the aforementioned girl reporter) - none of which I was aware of, but she's an intriguing character nonetheless....more
Saw the PBS show about this last week, then happened to spot the ebook while looking in the library for airplane reading. Glad I checked it out. FasciSaw the PBS show about this last week, then happened to spot the ebook while looking in the library for airplane reading. Glad I checked it out. Fascinating blend of history, true crime, and science, plus a glimpse of the New York of my grandparents' youth....more
Forgot to review right after I read it -- so I lost all my bookmarks when it automagically checked itself in. Damn ebooks. :( In any case, definitely Forgot to review right after I read it -- so I lost all my bookmarks when it automagically checked itself in. Damn ebooks. :( In any case, definitely recommended. Fascinating look at the players in the financial crisis, and the long slow way that it unfolded WAY before 2008. Works well in concert with 13 Bankers. (If by well, you mean: may make you despair for the future.)...more
Utterly fascinating narrative about how our financial system got f'd. He actually explains the finance bits well enough that I think I maybe finally uUtterly fascinating narrative about how our financial system got f'd. He actually explains the finance bits well enough that I think I maybe finally understand WTF credit default swaps are...although don't test me on that. But he also embeds it into the story of a set of individuals who saw things getting ready to implode. Alas, they were all enough of the system that they all seem to have made serious money off of it, as the damn thing turned into a snake eating its own tail. Lewis tells a great story, even if it's a horror story. Highly, highly recommended....more
Wow. Depressing and astonishing. The stories of individual mercenary disasters are actually pretty heartbreaking, even if you think the guys are jerksWow. Depressing and astonishing. The stories of individual mercenary disasters are actually pretty heartbreaking, even if you think the guys are jerks for getting into it. Prince, on the other hand -- the founder of Blackwater -- gives me the heebie-jeebies. And the guys in DC who were all gung-ho to outsource the military: I got nothing good to say, at all....more
I'm still working on what I think about this. Oddly enough, it's become bound up in my head with my thoughts about Facebook. (In short, just because iI'm still working on what I think about this. Oddly enough, it's become bound up in my head with my thoughts about Facebook. (In short, just because it's legal doesn't mean it's the right thing to do.) I had a instant distrust of Rich, and I think the brief reference to Ayn Rand has something to do with it. Then "realpolitik", and one thinks of Kissinger, and I think there's a connection amongst people who have fled dictatorships, and one reaction being the development of an amoral outlook, at least in some aspects of life, and of individuality above all else. I still can't quite articulate exactly what bothered me, which also bothers me.
It's a well-written book, though, definitely something to make a person think about money and business and politics. A few oddities in turns of phrase that I suspect come from the author not being a native English speaker. A sympathetic portrayal, is my take, in what seems like a very Swiss (neutral turned up to 11) way.
I think I recommend it. (C was definitely into it, and recommended it to me.)...more
Fascinating narrative, weird & gritty, even "hard-boiled" -- I stayed up past midnight to finish it, after a couple of days of reading little chunks aFascinating narrative, weird & gritty, even "hard-boiled" -- I stayed up past midnight to finish it, after a couple of days of reading little chunks at lunchtime. ...more
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