This aims to offer the reader an alternative perspective on epidurals. It is also super short and has a free Kindle version (as of Jan 2014), so I decThis aims to offer the reader an alternative perspective on epidurals. It is also super short and has a free Kindle version (as of Jan 2014), so I decided to give it a read. On the plus side, the author does a good job of describing what an epidural is and why they are not harmful to either mother or baby. On the other hand, he's a bit overly enthusiastic by epidurals — he thinks that every laboring woman should get an epidural as soon as she gets to the hospital.
The thing is the author may be right, for the type of birth that he expects a woman to be having, but he assumes a fairly standardized hospital birth experience which does not involve a lot of movement on the part of the mother. He discusses how walking epidurals don't completely immobilize the mother — depending on the strength of the epidural, the woman may still be able to walk around and, regardless, should be able to get to the bathroom, change positions occasionally, and feel herself push. However, many birth positions and intermediate coping techniques would be hindered by being attached to a bag on a pole. The author might claim that these coping techniques are unnecessary if the woman isn't experiencing pain, but the author did not address the point directly.
The other weakness of the book is that the author equates pain and suffering. Unlike the author's claims most of the materials I read don't try to make women feel guilty about getting epidurals[1], but they do try to distinguish between the sensation of pain and the mental experience of suffering. If you are suffering, the general opinion seems to be, of course you should get an epidural. But if you're not experiencing the pain as suffering, you can try these other techniques. Not because the epidural is bad, but because it changes the birth experience in a way that some women don't want.
This is probably a good book to read if you worry about feeling guilty if you get an epidural. If what you want is a discussion to help you decide for yourself if and when you want an epidural, then this book, with it's flat recommendations, is not for you.
[1] That said, I don't read pregnancy forums and the like.
Merged review:
This aims to offer the reader an alternative perspective on epidurals. It is also super short and has a free Kindle version (as of Jan 2014), so I decided to give it a read. On the plus side, the author does a good job of describing what an epidural is and why they are not harmful to either mother or baby. On the other hand, he's a bit overly enthusiastic by epidurals — he thinks that every laboring woman should get an epidural as soon as she gets to the hospital.
The thing is the author may be right, for the type of birth that he expects a woman to be having, but he assumes a fairly standardized hospital birth experience which does not involve a lot of movement on the part of the mother. He discusses how walking epidurals don't completely immobilize the mother — depending on the strength of the epidural, the woman may still be able to walk around and, regardless, should be able to get to the bathroom, change positions occasionally, and feel herself push. However, many birth positions and intermediate coping techniques would be hindered by being attached to a bag on a pole. The author might claim that these coping techniques are unnecessary if the woman isn't experiencing pain, but the author did not address the point directly.
The other weakness of the book is that the author equates pain and suffering. Unlike the author's claims most of the materials I read don't try to make women feel guilty about getting epidurals[1], but they do try to distinguish between the sensation of pain and the mental experience of suffering. If you are suffering, the general opinion seems to be, of course you should get an epidural. But if you're not experiencing the pain as suffering, you can try these other techniques. Not because the epidural is bad, but because it changes the birth experience in a way that some women don't want.
This is probably a good book to read if you worry about feeling guilty if you get an epidural. If what you want is a discussion to help you decide for yourself if and when you want an epidural, then this book, with it's flat recommendations, is not for you.
[1] That said, I don't read pregnancy forums and the like....more
A fun and fast-paced addition to B.B. Alston's Supernatural Investigation series. A fun and fast-paced addition to B.B. Alston's Supernatural Investigation series. ...more
I found this book to be rather tedious. We spend a lot of time on Anna's emotional processing. The world development was great... but there was too muI found this book to be rather tedious. We spend a lot of time on Anna's emotional processing. The world development was great... but there was too much of it. At one point, I wasn't sure that the climax this book had been setting up for would happen in this book. I seriously thought it might be saved for the next one.
Neither Anna nor Effie were likable for most of this book (by the end, Anna was likable again but Effie went down even lower in my regard). The characters I did like – Rowan, Manda, Attis – didn't get enough screen time.
That said, the overall story is compelling enough that I'll read the next one. I just hope that the ratio of navel gazing to plot development is more in favor of the plot. ...more
This is one of my top reads for the year. Anil Seth’s Being You explores the nature of consciousness, blending neuroscience with philosophical inquiryThis is one of my top reads for the year. Anil Seth’s Being You explores the nature of consciousness, blending neuroscience with philosophical inquiry. Seth invites us to rethink what it means to be conscious, presenting it as a deeply embodied biological process.
Seth’s central argument is that our experiences of the world and the self are "controlled hallucinations" created by the brain. Our minds contain interpretations, not direct sensory experiences, but these interpretations are guided by the sensory signals we receive. Thus, everything we experience is a hallucination — grounded in reality, yet shaped by our brain's predictions. Seth argues that consciousness arises from our living bodies as the brain predicts and regulates the body's internal states. This explains why experiences, such as color perception, are not direct reflections of reality but evolutionary adaptations to help us navigate the world.
Seth also challenges the view of the self as a fixed, unchanging entity. Instead, he presents the self as a perception, or rather, a collection of perceptions—a tightly woven bundle of predictions geared toward keeping the body alive. He details how the self comprises various components, such as the bodily self, the perspectival self, and the narrative self, and how these can become disconnected in various conditions, such as delirium.
The book explores the relationship between perception and action, showing that action is inseparable from perception. Active inference, where the brain minimizes prediction errors, is a key mechanism by which we navigate the world. This continuous loop of "what," "when," and "whether" we take an action underscores the idea that volition is not about willing an action but about the flow of voluntary actions and their inhibition (which we sometimes perceive more clearly than at other times).
Whether or not you agree with his claim that this approach dissolves the hard problem of consciousness, Seth’s focus on neuroscience provides new insights. His discussion of the self-maintenance of living systems and its implications for consciousness challenges us to reconsider our assumptions, particularly in light of debates on machine consciousness. Seth argues that consciousness arises the biological drive to stay alive and expresses skepticism about the possibility of truly conscious machines.
Being You reminds us of the intricate and dynamic nature of consciousness. Seth grounds this inquiry firmly within the natural world and our existence as self-sustaining biological organisms. By framing consciousness as a tangible biological process, Seth brings the discussion down to earth, offering a scientifically grounded and philosophically provocative framework for understanding the nature of self and perception....more
Based on the premise, I ought to have loved this book, and I definitely liked many parts of it. What brought down its rating for me is that there wereBased on the premise, I ought to have loved this book, and I definitely liked many parts of it. What brought down its rating for me is that there were too many threads going on and they never quite felt like they integrated into a singular whole. It felt as if the story were a tool of sharing some history rather than the reverse. That said, it was a solid read, and I did appreciate the light it shined on some of the issues of the day. ...more
This book had an interesting premise, one that made me willing to take a chance on it despite the lack of reviews. Battle Mind explores approaches thaThis book had an interesting premise, one that made me willing to take a chance on it despite the lack of reviews. Battle Mind explores approaches that enable individuals to excel in high-pressure situations. To some degree, the book lived up to my leap of faith. It covers what Battle Mind is, how it differs from an everyday mindset, and what one can do to build up one's Battle Mind. However, while the book did have some well defined takeaways, overall it felt very loosely structured which made it hard to grasp the point of different sections and how they were supposed to relate to each other.
The book introduces the concept of "Battle Mind," a heightened state of awareness that allows people to perform when the stakes are high. While Battle Mind is beneficial in critical situations, its intensity must be carefully managed to avoid overwhelming everyday life. The author argues that while some are more naturally inclined toward Battle Mind than others, this mindset can be cultivated.
The core methodology for activating Battle Mind includes three main steps: first, assessing the situation with clarity to understand what is truly at stake ("listening with the third ear"); second, adjusting one’s mental state to balance composure and alertness ("adjusting your thermostat"); and third, feeling when it's time to take action and preparing an effective opening move that sets the tone for the entire engagement ("feeling your inner clapboard").
The bulk of the book discusses the Battle Mind platform, a set of skills to invest in which help one thrive in high pressure situations. This is built on four key pillars: resilience, end vision, turning points, and courage. Resilience provides the mental and physical strength to endure and stay focused, even in the face of adversity. End vision is the ability to clearly define and visualize the ultimate goal, creating a compelling “future memory” that guides decision-making and maintains motivation. Turning points represent the critical moments where strategic decisions can tip the balance toward success; the ability to identify and leverage these moments is crucial. Lastly, courage is the commitment to take decisive action, even when the risks are high. Together, these are elements leaders and teams can activate when facing challenging situations, enabling them to operate with clarity, precision, and effectiveness under pressure.
If you're willing to do the work to separate the wheat from the chaff, Battle Mind can provide some good insight into how leadership is different under pressure... and how it is the same. In the end, I probably should have skimmed this instead of giving it a thorough read, but I do not regret having read it....more
The Problem with Change examines organizational change and its often-overlooked consequences. The book challenges the assumption that change, particulThe Problem with Change examines organizational change and its often-overlooked consequences. The book challenges the assumption that change, particularly disruptive change, is a good thing. Goodall argues that while change can be necessary, the way it is typically managed leads to negative outcomes for both organizations and employees. By exploring the psychological and social costs of change, Goodall provides helps us understand why change initiatives frequently fail to deliver the promised benefits.
While I love the idea of this book, I found the execution to be rather scattered. The overall structure of the book felt disjointed with the first half, on the problems of change, only connecting loosely to the second half, on how to make change less disruptive. Some of the discussions felt more like rants than necessary (like on using real language). Overall, this made the very valuable content in the book a challenge to extract.
The book begins with an exploration of what it’s like to live through constant change. Goodall describes how organizations subject employees to overlapping and often endless cycles of change that foster uncertainty, disengagement, and exhaustion. Despite the good intentions behind these initiatives, they often do not achieve their intended goals. In fact, they frequently make things worse by leaving employees unsure of what is valuable or where to focus their efforts. Goodall highlights that the real issue isn’t change itself but the haphazard, unrelenting nature of how it’s introduced and managed. He critiques the modern business culture that equates disruption with progress, emphasizing that change is not synonymous with improvement. Many organizational changes fail because they overlook the actual costs involved, such as lost employee trust, diminished collaboration, and reduced productivity.
The book delves into the specific ways change can be harmful, including uncertainty, loss of control, breakdown of belonging, displacement (physical and psychological), and the loss of meaning. All of these combine to weaken motivation and overall well-being. Goodall argues that organizations often fail to consider these human factors when planning change initiatives, resulting in long-term negative impacts.
Goodall proposes an alternative approach centered on treating people as fully human rather than as simplified models driven purely by extrinsic motivations. He suggests leadership should focus on creating stability and predictability while empowering employees to build skills, find meaning, and experience belonging in their work. Practical strategies include providing space for employee autonomy, recognizing excellence in real-time, and respecting the rituals and routines that ground employees’ work lives. Goodall advocates for dynamic stability — maintaining flexibility without compromising the human need for consistency and control. Much of this will be most successful if leaders pay more attention to making teams successful since individual experience is primarily mediated through the team.
In summary, *The Problem with Change* offers a lot of good ideas on why organizational change is problematic and how to do it better. Unfortunately, it does so in a way that ends up being a grab bag of ideas without enough organizing structure to make them memorable. The result is gems interspersed with overly detailed side quests into psychological research, uneven use of examples (sometimes too few, sometimes too many), and the occasional rant. Overall, the book is worth a read if you're willing to mine for the gems yourself....more
While better than Flashback, I felt this book kept up the trend of the books filling more drawn out than they needed to be. Did we really need to spenWhile better than Flashback, I felt this book kept up the trend of the books filling more drawn out than they needed to be. Did we really need to spend 20 pages on Sophie literally making a single decision? Also, perhaps it is because I was an adult reader, I was very much on team, "Yes Sophie, you should be spending time on your broader responsibilities and let the more personal things wait awhile." That said, the book had a number of good moments and the climax sequence was solid. ...more
While still entertaining, this was the weakest of the three. While the overall plot was compelling in the abstract, the execution felt more disjointedWhile still entertaining, this was the weakest of the three. While the overall plot was compelling in the abstract, the execution felt more disjointed than in the first two books. Also, I go back and forth on how I feel about the ending......more
This book was a fun collection of mini-biographies of different games. Each chapter could be read largely independently of the others. The 3.5 stars.
This book was a fun collection of mini-biographies of different games. Each chapter could be read largely independently of the others. The games covered include pop culture icons from chess to Mouse Trap to Catan. The author explores how the highlighted game of each chapter influenced the broader history of board gaming. If you are deeply into the modern board game scene, you'll likely wish for more than just the last chapter of Catan for exploring that space more deeply. But even if you are the sort of board game nerd that looks down upon Monopoly (raises hand), there's still a lot of interest in the book as a whole....more
This was a combination of "not my thing" and an overall okay writing style, hence the low rating.
The book started out compelling. In contrast to fairlThis was a combination of "not my thing" and an overall okay writing style, hence the low rating.
The book started out compelling. In contrast to fairly standard elemental magical systems, in this world, magic is specifically about manipulating manmade materials. The main character, Ceony, is a reluctant paper magician entering her apprenticeship.
Where the book started to go downhill for me was when Ceony went off to try to save the day. The plot was disjointed from there onward. This was intentional, but in my opinion, Holmberg was not yet ready for the structure of plot she was attempting. (Note: I've read and enjoyed later works by Holmberg. This is not a general aspersion on her writing.) I didn't find the core relationship compelling. It was also rather gory at times, which is not my thing.
All in all, this was a miss for me, and I do not plan to dive into the rest of the series....more
Fun and fast-paced. I found the first in the series, Scales and Sensibility to have a bit more depth to the plot and the development of the romance (jFun and fast-paced. I found the first in the series, Scales and Sensibility to have a bit more depth to the plot and the development of the romance (just a bit). However, if you're looking for a light, fun historical romantasy, this is a good read. ...more
Generally my hope when I pick up a cozy magical romance is for something that I enjoy reading in the moment but which I don't expect to really touch mGenerally my hope when I pick up a cozy magical romance is for something that I enjoy reading in the moment but which I don't expect to really touch me more deeply than that. This book was a lovely exception. I found the development of the main character and her relationships to be touching. This was partially because we saw the character through more than the growth of her romance. We saw her grow in her skill as a honey witch, build and repair relationships with a variety of people, and become deeply a part of a place. The plot was pretty good too!
The main shortcoming of the book is that the last part of the book was rather rushed (and I could see others saying the first part was rather slow, although I enjoyed it). I can see why the rather tense part of the book was moved over fairly quickly; in a cozy book, dwelling on the tension is rather a dissonant tone shift. But I would have loved to spend more time with the aftermath and see more of the resolution and restoration that followed the destruction. ...more
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