Search Results: “Steven Johnson”

10 results were found.

The Ghost Map

When I learned Steven Johnson (my favorite author) has a new book out, it prompted me to finally read one of his previous books that’s been on my list for a while. The Ghost Map: The Story of London’s Most Terrifying Epidemic—and How It Changed Science, Cities, and the Modern World was a timely read, […]

June 16, 2021 Add Comment

Favorite Books of 2020

In his year-end summary of reading, Seth Godin wrote: “Books are an extraordinary device, transitioning through time and space, moving from person to person and leaving behind insight and connection. I’m grateful every single day for the privilege of being able to read (and to write).” I read 18 books in 2020. For some people […]

January 5, 2021 4 Comments

Media of the moment

An ongoing series on books, movies, and music I’ve encountered recently. Songs for Singin’ by the Okee Dokee Brothers. My eager anticipation was rewarded with this double-album’s worth of characteristically clever, catchy, and joyful tunes. I may have teared up during “Jubilation”. The Last Temptation of Christ. Sure, there are few regrettably ’80s moments and […]

June 30, 2020 Add Comment

Favorite Books of the 2010s

See also: my favorite films, TV shows, and albums of the 2010s. This list happens to coincide perfectly with the period of time I began (1) reading for fun once I graduated college, (2) tracking my reading, and (3) reading a lot more. This means I had tons of titles to consider. I forced myself […]

December 12, 2019 2 Comments

Favorite books of 2018

Goodreads tells me I read 72 books this year. Though I didn’t read as many as last year, with a baby on the way I’ve been trying to read abundantly while I can, for both quality and quantity. Here are the books published in 2018 that I enjoyed the most. (See previous best-of book lists.) […]

January 2, 2019 1 Comment

Potent quotes noted in 2017

A few years ago I started logging the interesting or inspiring quotes I come upon in my reading and watching. I thought it would be fun to post the ones I captured in 2017, which taken together tell part of the ongoing story going on in my head and heart. What story do they tell, […]

January 5, 2018 Add Comment

Favorite Books of 2016

According to my records I read more than ever in 2016. Partially this was due to starting as a book reviewer for two library trade journals, thus increasing the volume of pages coming my way. But I also made more time overall for reading, because I love it and I work at a library and […]

January 2, 2017 1 Comment

How I Got to Now: A Librarian Year

This week I celebrated my one-year anniversary of librarianship. In my application essay for library school I wrote that I’d been a frequent library user for most of my life, yet had never considered working in one until recent epiphanies changed my outlook. Perhaps I thought of it like working at a movie theater—another regular […]

March 7, 2015

How We Got to Now

I couldn’t put down How We Got To Now, Steven Johnson’s six-part book on “innovations that made the modern world.” The book is an exposition on the theory of the “hummingbird effect,” which occurs when “an innovation, or cluster of innovations, in one field ends up triggering changes that seem to belong to a different domain altogether.” […]

January 22, 2015

On Books

Best-Of Lists Original posts with remarks and initial rankings: 2020, 2010s, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013. Reviews Post date in parentheses. More book talking on Goodreads. Paper Trails by Cameron Blevins (June 2021)The Ghost Map by Steven Johnson (June 2021)Down from Basswood by Lynn Maria Laitala (February 2021)Meditations on Hunting by José Ortega y Gasset […]