Tag: Prairie Fire

Posted in Paper Chase

Q3 Read It 2022

Posted on by Michael

The third book in the A Song of Fire and Ice series, A Storm of Swords by George RR Martin won several awards after being published in 2000.  This section of the story contains several weddings including Joffrey’s, Tyrion’s, and the dreaded red wedding. The latter is no less shocking having seen it on TV and now reading about it.  In other chapters, the Night’s Watch are on the move back to the wall, Khaleesi marches onwards, and Arya travels with the Hound in one of the novel’s best plotlines.  This epic book rivals the first for its staggering achievement and thrilling action.

10/10

Viktor Frankl’s book, Man’s Search for Meaning is one of the most popular books that gets recommended as a must read.  It has sold over 20 million copies and translated into 24 different languages.  The powerful first half of the book describing day to day life in a German concentration camp is a must read to discover the power of human resilience in devastating circumstances. The second half describes Frankl’s logotherapy philosophy.  Frankl’s main message here is that people must find something to live for and that will help them survive anything, even the horrors of a concentration camp.

8/10

Steven Hyden’s book This Isn’t Happening goes into great detail on the band Radiohead surrounding the recording and release of their seminal Kid A album in 2000.  Recognized as one of the top albums of the aughts, Kid A is a recording that was initially panned by critics and many fans alike.  The book also takes in the history of the band leading up to Kid A as well as the aftermath of their recordings and career.  Hyden is a knowledgeable music writer and here he has created a fascinating look at a polarizing album.

9/10

Prairiefire Magazine – Winter 2021-22, Volume 42 No. 4

Posted in Paper Chase

Q1 + Q2 Read It 2022

Posted on by Michael

Reading this book in early 2022 while the trucker’s “Freedom Convoy” worked its way across Canada to then occupy downtown Ottawa was a stark contrast in realities. Colson Whitehead’s book, The Underground Railroad, from 2016 was hugely popular – it won a Pulitzer Prize before eventually being turned into a TV show.  The book follows Cora as she escapes the plantation she is enslaved on in order to find a better life. In the book, the underground railroad is an actual railroad that takes ex slaves around America through secret tunnels. Even as Cora runs further and further away from the plantation, her past is never far behind. It’s a powerful book that should be widely read.  

9/10

The first book in a series that will follow the songs of the Bee Gees decade by decade. Starting off in the 60s, this volume is split between the group’s Australian beginnings and it’s first brush of international fame with their first UK albums. The book written by several authors including Winnipegger (and friend) Grant Walters is expertly written with many in-depth anecdotes about the Gibbs’ brothers writing and recording history. It is a book that will keep both the hardcore and casual fans entertained throughout.

8/10

On top of work, working towards a Business Analyst certificate occupied a lot of my time in early 2022. This book taken for the Business Re-Engineering course was a companion for a few months.  Workflow Modeling is a way of looking at the design of work/process mapping to gain more insights into where process improvements can be made. Certainly, dense with a lot of information, the second edition by Alec Sharp and Patrick McDermott has several interesting business stories and is swimming with swim lane diagrams.

7/10

Prairiefire Magazine – Summer 2021, Volume 42 No. 2

Posted in Paper Chase

Q1 Read It 2019

Posted on by Michael

The subtitle of Susan Cain’s 2012 New York Times Bestseller Quiet is “The Power of Introverts in a World that Can’t Stop Talking”.  Quiet is a well-researched look into how introverts handle a world that is geared towards celebrating the extrovert ideal.  There are many examples that introverts will readily notice in themselves.  The Harvard student who feels like he’s yelling if he talks above his normal, low speaking voice, the woman whose husband wants to entertain friends every week and the professor who has to seek out quiet areas after giving (very well received) speeches.

Cain’s writing style is interesting and can be quite funny at times.  Some of the material feels geared to more of an extreme introvert, can be a bit too rah rah for the quiet ones, and a bit too harsh in regards to society.  I would consider myself an introvert but have never been uncomfortable in work places that have cubicles and generally enjoyed my co-workers chatter.  However, I definitely seek out quiet at the end of the day in order to recharge the batteries. It is nice to read that some of the social tics introverts have are felt by others and that it’s perfectly OK to say no to nights out on the town vs staying at home to read.

7/10

Before releasing the commercially and critically unsuccessful punk rock album Animal Rights in 1996, Moby was a rising star in the world of dance music.  His 1995 release, Everything Is Wrong was rated as Spin’s album of the year and is solidly one of this writer’s favourite discs of all time. Moby’s first book, Porcelain, focuses on his rise through the New York DJ ranks to his mid-90s commercial failures and the recording of Play that would make him a mega star.  The conflicted Christian and staunch vegan, it is interesting to read Moby navigate New York’s music world while remaining sober through much of it.  The book is not only a look at Moby but also what living in NY was like on a shoestring budget.  It’s hard to like Moby at times but it’s a fascinating read for even those with a passing interest in the music industry and electronic music world.  The follow-up, Then It Fell Apart, came out on May 7th.

9/10

Prairie Fire – Volume 39, No.  4, Winter 2018

Prairie Fire – Volume 38, No.  4, Winter 2017