valihugs

I greatly feared starting this book. Quite frankly, I was worried I would feel thoroughly hopeless after the reading. I was pleasantly surprised by the author's engaging overview of past cultures, their mistakes and the outcomes.
I appreciated the manner in which the author built our understanding of current peril while still offering hope for change. It is a galvanizing read.

Overall, I enjoyed the book but the focus was more on the era and the cast of characters involved and less about Atanasoff than I had expected. Still very interesting and, I think, worth while.

I was hoping for more information about the actual process of invention undertaken by Atanasoff and Berry and perhaps some technical detail. The book was completely non-technical. A LOT of time was spent on biographies of the other people involved in the birth of the computer, which was interesting, just not what I expected in this book.

I didn't and don't want to know anything about Jane Smiley's life. It wasn't her biography. I would have enjoyed a bit more about Atanasoff''s professional life during the time he spent at Iowa State College (now University). The period in which he was actually creating his invention is, perhaps, the least well covered period of his life.

A lot of the suggestions are quite dated (buy a Palm Pilot, for instance).
Seems to be a shill for Amazon (buy everyone a hard-cover book)

The reader performs the content clearly and at the correct pacing.

The concepts in the book are timeless and nothing new, really: be compassionate; work in a win-win mode; serve others. Building and sharing a network and being a connector without a vested interest is a valuable lesson and overall the book is worth reading. I'd like to read an updated version dealing with e-books, facebook, twitter, and other forms of electronic network sharing to see how the author has updated his approach to keep pace with technology - especially since the author worked in the technology sector.

I found Rob Lowe's autobiography to be a very enjoyable listen. I found he balanced insider information of the industry nicely with his own progress and experience. And of course he is a wonderful reader.

The author told and delivered a wonderful story, with just the right mix of letters and story. I'll keep this one on the list for any time my life seems overwhelming.

This was a thoughtful book which provided an interesting if frightening review of the shifts in truth in today's society.

This is an old fashioned romance, reflective likely of the time it was written but disappointing after reading her more current stories.

I very much appreciated the author's style, providing enough detail to explain without making them overwhelming or frustrating, and the reader was wonderful.

Nice light, funny reality check on getting off the grid.

We read this one first and much preferred it to its more famous sibling The DaVinci Code. Found the book absorbing, enjoyed the reader and was surprised by the ending.