Category Archives: Book Reviews

My reviews of books I have read (or listened to on audiobooks).

Book review: Nova’s Fire Wars

Posted on July 30, 2016 by JohnMatel

I got  Nova’s “Fire Wars” video as part of my study of fire science.  It is a great complement to the many books and magazine article.  To actually see the flames and the firefighters at work, and hearing them speak … Continue reading →

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Book review: Chaos Monkeys: Obscene Fortune and Random Failure in Silicon Valley

Posted on July 28, 2016 by JohnMatel

Chaos Monkeys: Obscene Fortune and Random Failure in Silicon Valley Hardcover – June 28, 2016 by Antonio Garcia Martinez   The author describes himself as a disenchanted idealist who turned cynical. I suggest that it takes a smart person to … Continue reading →

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Book Review: Young Men and Fire: A True Story of the Mann Gulch Fire

Posted on July 25, 2016 by JohnMatel

Young Men and Fire: A True Story of the Mann Gulch Fire September 1, 1992 by Norman Maclean  This is a multidimensional story.  It is the story of the sixteen-man crew that in 1949 fought a wildfire at Mann Gulch, … Continue reading →

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Book Review: Investing in Nature: Case Studies of Land Conservation in Collaboration with Business

Posted on July 23, 2016 by JohnMatel

Investing in Nature: Case Studies of Land Conservation in Collaboration with Business Dec 22, 2005 by William Ginn “Investing in Nature” was published in 2005, i.e. more than ten years ago. It is useful to remember that, since some of … Continue reading →

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Book Review: Success and Luck: Good Fortune and the Myth of Meritocracy

Posted on July 23, 2016 by JohnMatel

Success and Luck: Good Fortune and the Myth of Meritocracy Apr 19, 2016 by Robert H. Frank Read enough of these sorts of books and the ideas start to mash together.   In fact, they often use some of the same … Continue reading →

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Book Review: A Landscape Painted by Fire

Posted on July 17, 2016 by JohnMatel

A delightful book, fun to read, but also lots of really good information about longleaf pine ecosystems. By John Matel on July 10, 2016 Format: Hardcover Verified Purchase The longleaf pine ecosystem may be the most diverse in North America … Continue reading →

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Comment on – The Half-Lives of Facts by Samuel Arbesman

Posted on July 16, 2016 by JohnMatel

If the facts change, at least there is always something new to discover, July 16, 2016 By John Matel This review is from: The Half-Life of Facts: Why Everything We Know Has an Expiration Date (Paperback) Kids like dinosaurs and … Continue reading →

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Book Review: Elegance in Science

Posted on July 16, 2016 by JohnMatel

Good history of science, mostly tangential about elegance., July 16, 2016 By John Matel Verified Purchase This review is from: Elegance in Science: The beauty of simplicity (Paperback) I bought this book as part of my self-help search for elegance … Continue reading →

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Book Review: Longleaf as Far as the Eye Can See

Posted on July 15, 2016 by JohnMatel

A beautiful, infomative and even inspiring book, July 15, 2016 y John Matel This review is from: Longleaf, Far as the Eye Can See: A New Vision of North America’s Richest Forest All the beautiful pictures and the large format … Continue reading →

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Book review of “Half Earth” by E.O. Wilson

Posted on July 8, 2016 by JohnMatel

We cannot abdicate our responsibility to act wisely, July 6, 2016 By John Matel This review is from: Half-Earth: Our Planet’s Fight for Life (Hardcover) This book is beautifully written. It is erudite & detailed in describing the wonders of … Continue reading →

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