#re-write that to be both readable and enjoyable

[ravencincaide]

Hi Raven.

Do you think It's okay to give your own opinion about a story of a fanfiction, even if it isn't just compliments?

Like I wanted to suggest to a writer here on tumblr to fix a thing on their story, so that it could be more readable, but I don't want to come off as rude.

I mean, I know what constructive criticism is but... yeah. My question still stands

Hi anon! What a good question. Love these types of asks! The short answer is it depends on the writer, it depends on the story and it depends on your comment. Let me exemplify what I mean below. First, there's a huge difference between an established writer, who is semi active, engages with comments on their stories and encourages discussions and feedback, in contrast with writers who are just starting out. OR writers who are publishing without looking at comments because they are just happy to share without caring about feedback. OR writers who are getting back into it after years of NOT writing. They are aware that they aren't at their best but still fucking trying and with time will get better and figure it out. In the later cases a critique wouldn't achieve much, be a waste of both your times and could actually do more harm than good. Second it depends on the story; for example if the writer says 'warning lowercase writing' and you point out that it's written in lowercase then it kinda doesn't do much but cause frustration. Similarly if you point out on my writing that 'hey you have a lot of simple errors that you'd catch with a re-read or a beta' when I've clearly said that I don't do heavy editing at the moment because I'm working on combating perfectionism and focus on getting stuff out then once again said comment wouldn't really achieve much. There are so many more examples when a critique will just not achieve much- if anything. So please be mindful of that and attentive to what the writer says. Finally it depends on your comment, how you write it and why. Saying something like ' your character is sooo OC get a better read on X, Y, Z' is just rude and will disregard the writers interpretation of the characters, story and creative liberty. OR 'Your twist sucks/ you overuse it/ its predictable cuz of this- this and that' doesn't do much but put the writer down, makes them tempted to quit or block you. So the question becomes are you critiquing to help or to show your own frustration at the way they write their story? Critique is valuable to a writer; it helps us improve. It gives us things to consider and be aware off. It can also push us down a peg when we get too cocky. BUT this type of feedback should be written with care. If you give a writer critique on tumblr, keep in mind that they most likely produce this content for free, at their own time, for their own enjoyment and decide to share it with you out of the goodness of their own heart. Therefore the critique should be written with care and due diligence; write it in the way You yourself would want to receive it. Be kind, polite and humble. We're all human, we're all trying to do our best and to improve. Please remember that. After saying all that, l am honestly a person who often encourages feedback and gives feedback back, following the model of 'two stars and a wish'. So that it's not JUST negative but a combination of both. That way its easier to write it, often its better received and creates a better atmosphere all around. Best of luck <3

Hope this helps ~ Raven

[mothballmilkshake]

@Anon , Hope you are doing fine, at which chapter are you in the Moment ? Hope you keeping on the Updates , its so enjoyable to read your similar Enthusiasm and to re-read some fav Story lines.

I live reacted myself on AO3 , First really collected , later my sleep deprivated mind sometimes wasnt able to produce proper wording 😅

@mothballmilkshake did such a great Job with writing that I felt completely overwhelmed how some Things can ressonate with Real Life experience so much. You only can Fall for all of the characters , their Background Stories and development are *dont know an english word that fits how awesome I find It* .

And though I am usually often uncomfortable with smutty scenes, this fic is also really readable for someome with, hm, lets say issues (though my blushing through the scenes makes me Look Like an innocent schoolgirl, huh). Its freeing to read and talk openly about this.

Thanks for the great experience to the writer and the Reader .

Love to both of you 🩵

I'm very very glad you enjoy it so much! Seeing other people's enthusiasm for this story is what has kept me updating it so frequently, I just wanna deliver more!

[grotechminds]

Python and Code Quality

Python and Code Quality

Introduction

In the fast-paced world of software testing , code quality is paramount. Poor code quality can lead to bugs, security vulnerabilities, and a poor user experience. One of the best tools for ensuring code quality is Python, especially when it comes to automation python  . But how can you leverage Python to improve your code quality? This article will explore that question and more, providing practical insights and tips along the way. Learn how to maintain high code quality with Python for automation testing. Discover tips and best practices for Automation Testing with Python .

Table of Contents

Sr#

Headings

1

Introduction

2

Why Code Quality Matters

3

The Role of Python in Code Quality

4

Benefits of Python for Automation Testing

5

Setting Up Your Python Environment for Testing

6

Writing Readable and Maintainable Code

7

Using Python Testing Frameworks

8

Implementing Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery (CI/CD)

9

Best Practices for Python Code Quality

10

Common Python Testing Tools

11

Managing Dependencies and Virtual Environments

12

Debugging and Troubleshooting

13

Handling Test Data

14

Reporting and Analyzing Test Results

15

Conclusion

16

FAQs

Why Code Quality Matters

The Impact of Poor Code Quality

Poor code quality can have serious consequences. It can lead to software that is difficult to maintain, riddled with bugs, and vulnerable to security threats. For users, this can mean a frustrating experience and a lack of trust in the software.

The Benefits of High Code Quality

On the other hand, high code quality ensures that your software is reliable, secure, and easy to maintain. It leads to fewer bugs, better performance, and a more enjoyable user experience. High code quality also makes it easier for other developers to understand and work with your code.

The Role of Python in Code Quality

Python's Simplicity and Readability

Automation with Python  is known for its simplicity and readability, which makes it an excellent choice for maintaining high code quality. Its syntax is clean and straightforward, which helps developers write clear and concise code.

Python for Automation Testing

python selenium tutorial  is also a popular choice for automation testing. It has a rich ecosystem of libraries and frameworks that make it easy to write and run automated tests. This can help ensure that your code is thoroughly tested and free of bugs.

Benefits of Python for Automation Testing

Ease of Use

Python is easy to learn and use, making it accessible to both new and experienced developers. This means that you can quickly get up and running with automation testing, even if you're new to Python.

Rich Ecosystem

Python has a rich ecosystem of libraries and frameworks for automation testing. Some of the most popular include pytest, unittest, and Selenium. These tools provide everything you need to write, run, and analyze automated tests.

Versatility

Python is a versatile language that can be used for a wide range of tasks. This means that you can use it for everything from writing tests to managing test data and generating test reports.

Setting Up Your Python Environment for Testing

Installing Python

Before you can start using Python for automation testing, you'll need to install Python on your machine. You can download the latest version of Python from the official Python website.

Setting Up a Virtual Environment

It's a good idea to set up a virtual environment for your Python projects. This helps manage dependencies and ensures that your projects are isolated from each other. You can create a virtual environment using the venv module that comes with Python.

bash

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python -m venv myenv

source myenv/bin/activate # On Windows use `myenv\Scripts\activate`

Installing Necessary Packages

Once your virtual environment is set up, you can install the necessary packages for your project. For example, you can install pytest using pip:

bash

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pip install pytest

Writing Readable and Maintainable Code

Follow PEP 8 Guidelines

PEP 8 is the style guide for Python code. Following these guidelines helps ensure that your code is readable and maintainable. Some key points include using consistent indentation, limiting line length to 79 characters, and using meaningful variable names.

Use Docstrings and Comments

Docstrings and comments are essential for making your code understandable. Use docstrings to document your functions and classes, and use comments to explain complex logic or important details.

Keep It Simple

Avoid unnecessary complexity in your code. Use simple and straightforward solutions whenever possible. This makes your code easier to read and maintain.

Using Python Testing Frameworks

pytest

pytest is a popular testing framework for Python. It's easy to use and has a lot of features that make writing and running tests a breeze. Here's an example of a simple pytest test:

python

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def test_addition():

 assert 1 + 1 == 2

unittest

unittest is the built-in testing framework in Python. It's similar to JUnit in Java and provides a lot of functionality for writing and running tests. Here's an example:

python

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import unittest

class TestMath(unittest.TestCase):

 def test_addition(self):

 self.assertEqual(1 + 1, 2)

if __name__ == '__main__':

 unittest.main()

Selenium

Selenium is a tool for automating web browsers. It's commonly used for end-to-end testing of web applications. You can use Selenium with Python to write tests that interact with a web browser:

python

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from selenium import webdriver

def test_google_search():

 driver = webdriver.Chrome()

 driver.get("https://www.google.com")

 assert "Google" in driver.title

 driver.quit()

Implementing Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery (CI/CD)

What is CI/CD?

Continuous Integration (CI) and Continuous Delivery (CD) are practices that help ensure your code is always in a deployable state. CI involves automatically testing your code whenever you make a change, while CD involves automatically deploying your code to production.

Setting Up a CI/CD Pipeline with Jenkins

Jenkins is a popular tool for setting up CI/CD pipelines. You can configure Jenkins to automatically run your tests whenever you push code to your repository. Here's a simple example of a Jenkins pipeline for a Python project:

groovy

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pipeline {

 agent any

 stages {

 stage('Test') {

 steps {

 sh 'pip install -r requirements.txt'

 sh 'pytest'

 }

 }

 }

}

Best Practices for Python Code Quality

Write Tests for Your Code

Writing tests is one of the best ways to ensure code quality. Tests help catch bugs early and ensure that your code works as intended. Make it a habit to write tests for all your code.

Use Static Code Analysis Tools

Static code analysis tools can help you identify potential issues in your code. Some popular tools for Python include pylint, flake8, and mypy. These tools analyze your code and provide feedback on potential issues, such as code style violations and type errors.

Regularly Review Your Code

Regular code reviews help ensure that your code meets quality standards. Make it a habit to review your code regularly and get feedback from other developers. This can help you identify potential issues and improve your code quality.

Common Python Testing Tools

pytest

pytest is a powerful testing framework that makes it easy to write and run tests. It has a lot of features that make testing more efficient, such as fixtures, parameterized tests, and detailed reporting.

unittest

unittest is the built-in testing framework in Python. It's similar to JUnit in Java and provides a lot of functionality for writing and running tests. It's a great choice if you're looking for a robust and feature-rich testing framework.

Selenium

Selenium is a tool for automating web browsers. It's commonly used for end-to-end testing of web applications. With Selenium, you can write tests that interact with a web browser, simulating user actions and verifying that your application works as expected.

coverage.py

coverage.py is a tool for measuring code coverage. It helps you determine how much of your code is being tested and identify areas that need more tests. You can use it with pytest to generate detailed coverage reports.

Managing Dependencies and Virtual Environments

Why Use Virtual Environments?

Virtual environments help manage dependencies and ensure that your projects are isolated from each other. This makes it easier to manage your dependencies and avoid conflicts between different projects.

Using pipenv

pipenv is a tool for managing dependencies and virtual environments in Python. It simplifies the process of creating and managing virtual environments and installing packages. Here's how you can use pipenv to create a virtual environment and install packages:

bash

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pip install pipenv

pipenv install requests

pipenv shell

Using requirements.txt

If you're using pip to manage your dependencies, you can create a requirements.txt file to list your project's dependencies. This makes it easy to install all the necessary packages for your project:

bash

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pip install -r requirements.txt

Debugging and Troubleshooting

Using the Python Debugger

The Python debugger (pdb) is a powerful tool for debugging your code. It allows you to set breakpoints, step through your code, and inspect variables. Here's an example of how to use pdb:

python

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import pdb

def add(a, b):

 pdb.set_trace()

 return a + b

add(1, 2)

Using Logging

Logging is a useful tool for debugging and troubleshooting. It allows you to record messages about the state of your program, which can help you identify issues and understand what's happening in your code. Here's an example of how to use logging:

python

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import logging

logging.basicConfig(level=logging.DEBUG)

logging.debug('This is a debug message')

Handling Test Data

Using Fixtures

Fixtures are a way to provide test data to your tests. They allow you to set up the necessary state before running your tests and clean up afterward. In pytest, you can create fixtures using the @pytest.fixture decorator:

python

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import pytest

@pytest.fixture

def sample_data():

 return {'name': 'John', 'age': 30}

def test_sample_data(sample_data):

 assert sample_data['name'] == 'John'

Using Mocking

Mocking is a technique for simulating the behavior of objects in your tests. It allows you to isolate the code you're testing and avoid dependencies on external systems. In automation testing in python , you can use the unittest.mock module to create mocks:

python

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from unittest.mock import Mock

def test_mock():

 mock = Mock()

 mock.method.return_value = 'result'

 assert mock.method() == 'result'

Reporting and Analyzing Test Results

Generating Test Reports

Generating test reports is an important part of the testing process. It helps you understand the results of your tests and identify any issues. In pytest, you can generate test reports using plugins like pytest-html:

bash

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pip install pytest-html

pytest --html=report.html

Analyzing Test Coverage

Analyzing test coverage helps you understand how much of your code is being tested and identify areas that need more tests. You can use coverage.py to measure test coverage and generate reports:

bash

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coverage run -m pytest

coverage report

coverage html

Conclusion

Ensuring code quality with python course  is both an art and a science. By following the best practices and using the tools and techniques outlined in this article, you can maintain high code quality and ensure that your software is reliable, secure, and easy to maintain. Python's simplicity, readability, and rich ecosystem make it an excellent choice for automation testing and improving code quality.

FAQs

What are the benefits of using Python for automation testing?

python automation testing  is easy to learn and use, has a rich ecosystem of libraries and frameworks, and is versatile enough to handle a wide range of tasks. This makes it an excellent choice for automation testing.

How can I ensure high code quality in Python?

You can ensure high code quality by writing tests, following PEP 8 guidelines, using static code analysis tools, and regularly reviewing your code.

What are some common tools for Python automation testing?

Some common tools for python for automation testing include pytest, unittest, Selenium, and coverage.py.

How do I set up a virtual environment for my Python projects?

You can set up a virtual environment using the venv module that comes with Python or by using tools like pipenv. This helps manage dependencies and ensures that your projects are isolated from each other.

What is the role of CI/CD in maintaining code quality?

CI/CD practices help ensure that your code is always in a deployable state by automatically testing and deploying your code. This helps catch bugs early and ensures that your code works as intended.

[rebelwriter99]

AI is theft.

Transformative works are not.

I will explain why.

Imagine, for a second, that capitalism did not exist. Capitalism is why copyright law exists, because people who imagine things for vast amounts of time need to avoid death by starvation, and to do this they need to sell their imagined ideas. To do this they first need to OWN their ideas. And so, copyright law! So what is original art in a world where nobody can make money from it?

Art is a thing that makes a point.

Art (read, the imagination stuff done by the humans) is almost always done in conversation with something. You get political protest art, art that references other art, abstract art, performance theatre and so on.

Writing is art too. The writer is having a conversation. With themselves and/or the work and/or the audience. That writer’s conversation can be something like ‘hey this would fun if the characters were queer! Let’s see what I can do’ or ‘I take your point author and think it’s bullshit. I’m doing this instead’

One particular version of ‘hey this is bullshit’ is a very famous international bestseller that has a poor film adaptation and a half decent BBC television series. It’s called His Dark Materials by Phillip Pullman. And it is intellectually brilliant, in part because it relies on existing intellectual property. Just like fanfics might have song lyrics at the start, this series has a quote from Paradise Lost, which Pullman draws on heavily (it’s where he got the title from and everything!). His work also has a conversation with C S Lewis’ Narnia series. His protagonist, a girl whose name begins with L, goes on an adventure to a snowy land, befriends a fierce talking animal (there are lots of other talking animals too). The adventure begins in a wardrobe. Is this perhaps sounding familiar? Great! It’s supposed to! It’s intentional! Pullman spends quite a lot of the series criticising religion as an institution - he aims his pen at these things using direct references like this one. It’s not unlike a fanfic writer re running a scene with a ‘what if?’ in mind (eg. What if Harry was a Slytherin). Pullman’s what if is ‘what if Lucy meets and loves Aslan, but they actually go to War with the church back in London and in the world between worlds?’ And off he goes!

Setting this up in such a way that it is understandable, readable, and enjoyable is no mean feat. And AI can’t do it.

Before Pullman, no books like his existed. I’m yet to find anything with exactly the same themes and scope other than the works he references. He makes clear where he is drawing on existing work. He even wrote an essay/commented in an interview that he is a magpie - he takes shiny things he likes from existing literature and reworks them into his own writing.

AI can’t do that. AI doesn’t understand how to transform, it can only copy. AI can’t criticise, it can only regenerate.

AI is theft because it cannot have a conversation. It is not entirely capable of creating something both new AND coherent. If it manages something that appears to be good art, that is only because it has regurgitated something human made that already fit the bill.

Sure you could go to ChatGPT and say ‘write me a dystopian fic with Wolfstar in it’ and it might be alright. There are lots of dystopian novels in the world it can copy and it just has to put the right names in. But ask a human to recommend some and you can get writing that is stratospherically good. Because it exists in conversation with the source material, and the writer knows the soul of these characters and how they’ve adjusted to fit the boundries of the world they’ve built, and they may also reference other things they draw on in their writing. And by the end you have a complex, delightful and ultimately very HUMAN piece of work.

The idea that a human “hardly puts in personal and/or original effort” when writing a transformative work suggests to me you have never written one. Fic writers and artists use existing characters, worlds, and sometimes plot lines sure, but the second you change even one of those (character is gay, modern AU, fix it fic, to give three common examples) EVERYTHING else shifts. You cannot change one without modifying the others somehow, because a human is able to appreciate that characters, worlds, and narrative are inextricably linked. For example I’ve read many fics where “these characters are in love actually which causes the fix it to happen, so after that the world changes to avoid big bad plot happening again. All happy now!”. That thread exists across multiple fandoms. But it takes work to be able to balance all those things - so there’s lots of personal effort. And every fic is different. Because humans cannot make identical copies of things. We do not have a scan and print function, and so everything we make is always original and our own unless we deliberately intend to make a copy. Which fanfic writers do not - the whole point is to change (transform) the source work in some way. To have a conversation with it.

Because art is conversation and communication and so it must be human.

So even in a world without money, and where AI doesn’t destroy the environment, AI cannot make art. It can only steal it and pretend to.

Following your line of reasoning, if we temporarily set aside the environmental impact of AI to focus solely on the issue of 'intellectual theft/appropriation', then the act of AI utilizing others' ideas to assist in someone else's work would be equally justifiable (within fandom), particularly given that such behavior is considered acceptable (according to the post) when carried out by a human person since the person in question hardly contributed personal and/or original effort but merely appropriated the work from someone else as they would with AI. I am sincerely wondering here because the discussion leaves me confused about whether there are double standards. No hate

im gonna be so real here and say that i have been looking at this since it came in and scrolling my account and i have No Idea what post you're referring to,,, like at all. soooo i cannot answer this in depth at all, all i can reallyyy say is - fuck ai in fandom, in any scenario or capacity

[nny11writes]

My “favorite” thing about the bloodborne AU is each time I get a burst of excitement and inspiration for it, the very first thing I have to do is scrap tens of thousands of words of written work because it’s cluttering the story.

I’m not deleting them, but good god each time I look at this monster I realize a huge problem is I’m doing the equivalent of trying to explain all the backstory and lore in the fic itself. Which, like, most of my worldbuilding has been more for me than my readers. For internal guidelines and rules to follow, but they would detract from the story if left in.

I am just not used to doing this kind of in depth world building, so I have to stop come up with explanations and background to help me chart out the plot, and then painfully realize that there is no way for me to include some of these things at all.

I have a hole document just for Etherian Customs and Practices, a deep dive breakdown on the main types of blood (one of which I don’t think even makes a named on page appearance), major institutions, political historys and alliances, important items to the story, and a timeline that stretches over the 72 years the broader fic takes place during.

And today I realized I need to focus in on one character’s story if I ever hope to finish this.

I’m glad I’m making it better! Just! Would be cool to write something that will actually be in the fic. :)

[skepticbeliever-bookclub]

Greetings, shippers and readers!

So as we flow our way into Febs, we wanted to follow our path from the swelter of enemies/rivals to lovers to an explosive piece that explores their chemistry; the very vibe that makes them physically intimate and among our choices, the members took us all the way back to another work by one of the first authors we initially celebrated when the book club was in its more tender beginnings! Flash back to 2018 and an author who has blessed us so much since, the vote was unanimous and we read Keeping Out the Cold by blacktofade.

The distinctive skill the author handles the trope of forced intimacy, telepathy, and seeing the world through the eyes of someone who loves you stood out for us as we devoured all 28k of this one. Between their sexual tension, the hilarious character-specific antics, and the little twists on the classic telepathy trope, this fic stands out for its re-readability and actively rocked our world as we continue to chat about the steamiest scenes we'll never forget!

Rating: E

Summary:

After a strange ghostly encounter, Ryan and Shane begin sharing visions via a telepathic bond. AKA: the In Your Eyes AU that no one asked for.

Book Club Thoughts

This whole fic is so intimate. The different ways they touch and intersect, slipping into each other's lives.

I liked how much the two of them wanted to have their hands all over each other right from the beginning, so many casual touches but also they're both very soft and full of want

Sometimes the softer less obvious visions were the softest. The one where he's watching the sea when they're on that ghost hunt was gorgeous

I really like the fact that she really illustrated Shane's attempts to avoid talking about stuff via humor and stubbornness

the fic really begins with an uncanny voice that is them in BFU and it feels like a real deal episode and that's where I gotta give most of my kudos to [the author]. Her ability to write their banter

in the same vein as it being awesome how in character it is, it's also a testament to how the whole "here's the downlow on the location" isn't clunky or anything, it's just so thorough and spot on

the way Ryan fell asleep to the sound of Shane quietly working on the Hot Daga, hearing him type away ….. so domestic already

Ugh when the small moments of touch make you blush while reading you know the fic is good

boy oh boy, [the author] has got some crazy good abilities to make smut very present and so filthy in all the best ways

can I just say I love how wonderfully [the author] writes unspoken emotion and sexual tension into their scenes

i absolutely love that this fic did was a mid-story childhood flashback to back up/flesh out characterization. it's a very movie thing and i looooove it

I'm a slut for when Ryan s healthy childhood bode well for more emotionally maturity and understanding when dealing with Shane's emotional constipation

i love a fic where all the details are so well set up like this that you get as much enjoyment from the reread where you know the ending as you do from the first read where you don't know how it's gonna shake out

WOULD YOU LIKE TO JOIN US FOR OUR NEXT DISCUSSION? CHECK OUT THE FAQ, AND SEND US AN ASK! IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR FIC RECS, PLEASE CHECK OUT OUR READS, NOMINEES AND BOOK CLUB REC LISTS!

[hecallsmehischild]

Recent Media Consumed

Games

The First Tree. So, I’ve concluded that this game is not for me, but that doesn’t mean it’s bad. If anything, I’ve found it at the wrong time in my life. This is clearly a game meant to help people process grief, and I might recommend that anyone who is going through grief and loss give it a try. It might help.

Portal 2: Co-op version. SO. I can’t believe neither of us realized this… but around the same time, my husband and I realized that for years we’d both “figured we’d never get to play the co-op version of Portal 2.” HAHAHAH. We kind of sat there, stunned for a moment, and immediately dove in. MUCH FUN. And sometimes Glados has different dialogue for each player, trying to pit us against each other. Lovely extension of the game.

Books

The Housing Boom and Bust by Thomas Sowell. This was one where I didn’t understand everything, but the parts that I understood helped clarify a lot. My parents were one of the couples suckered by an institution that knew how to take advantage of the loopholes and risky creative home re-financing procedures described by Sowell. I have hazy memories of the situation because I didn’t care for finances and didn’t understand what was happening. I appreciated how Sowell tackled the failings of both political parties in this whole debacle, and the way he describes it, it stretches backwards and forwards and I can see the pattern and it is dismal and depressing. At the same time, very useful to know. It’s fairly readable and on the shorter side of his works. Very useful read.

Nutcracker and Mouse King/The Tale of the Nutcracker by E.T.A. Hoffmann/Alexandre Dumas. These two versions of the Nutcracker fairytale were paired in a Penguins Classic volume, along with a helpful introductory. I have to say that, though Hoffman’s is the original, I understand Dumas’ version far more easily. Maybe it’s a translation issue or maybe it really is a drastic difference in writing. Either way, it was interesting to read the roots of the George Ballanchine ballet I grew up watching, and getting a heavy dose of “author’s intent” lecture in the introduction.

Clara & The Nutcracker by T.K. Merchant (Jessica Kalei Sheffield). I was pointed in the direction of this story that someone had written as a follow-up to the Nutcracker story. First, I had to read the original Nutcracker story (as seen in the previous point) and then I read through this. I have mixed feelings. On the one hand, I feel this story could have benefitted from more editing work. On the other hand, I have bittersweet pangs of jealousy reading what is clearly a published (and legal) fanfiction. It’s a good story with a solid core that (IMO) just needs some more spit and polish.

12 Rules for Life by Jordan Peterson. At this point I’ve seen enough of his lectures that I’m starting to get a real feel for what he says and believes in general. That being said, this was still a very polished and condensed version of it, and well worth reading. I think I was dragged into an alley and MUGGED by his chapter about friendship. It was a big, “Ow. But. True,” feel. Some of his chapters are straightforward and concrete and some are more abstracted, so this book ranges from chapter to chapter in terms of ease in reading comprehension. This book is geared more toward chaotic type people like me. Now I’m curious what he has to say to the more orderly type people. *eyes the other book*

A Conflict of Visions by Thomas Sowell. This was interesting. It was probably medium difficulty to read because it did deal with abstract concepts but grounded them pretty thoroughly in examples and historical references. Though it’s likely clear which vision Sowell ascribes more to, this work (as far as I can tell) is an academic look at the roots, paths, strengths, and weaknesses of the political divide. I think this is a good “bridging the gap” book because it does attempt to thoroughly lay out why each side is self consistent in its beliefs and behaviors. I think it is a read that leads to deeper understanding of both sides.

The Quest for Cosmic Justice by Thomas Sowell. This is a collection of essays that overlaps other works of his (Intellectuals and Society, A Conflict of Visions, etc) but focuses on this one aspect. It is definitely not unbiased, but it’s very readable.

Movies

Loving Vincent. I’d heard about this movie, off and on, for a long time. Is it too low of a pun to say, “This movie is art”? I mean… this movie is animation… but with HAND PAINTED OILS. In the style of Van Gogh. How even??? And the dialogue is pretty good, too. There’s a lot of emotion conveyed in this film, both through the visuals and story of it all. And the flashback scenes are, sometimes, nearly photorealistic in their style. I also love how you have to piece together who Vincent was through many different peoples’ memories of him, not all flattering. It is a painful movie to watch, and ends with the iconic song dedicated to Vincent. This is quality cinema.

Missing Link. I really shouldn’t have put watching this off for so long. Laika studio’s stop motion gets smoother EVERY. FRIGGIN. FILM. Gosh… I have to believe some of these shots were just them showing off, seriously. Once you are looking for it, you can see some scenes that are just there because they’re impressive under the circumstances of it being STOP. MOTION. But they’re done well enough that they don’t detract even a tiny bit from the quality of the film (as opposed to situations where I’ve seen some films do 3D effects very intrusively). So, all that said, I didn’t enjoy the story as much. Cardboard villainy isn’t as fun for me as it used to be, so my enjoyment of the story isn’t as high as for other Laika films, but it's good for one watch through.

[levyfiles]

helloooo!!!! since you are my fave blog about shyan content, i must ask: what are your favorite fics???

AHhh! I–OK well, Lately I’ve been finding more and more fics that fill my heart right up with every gorgeous headcanon there is, but If we’re talking all-time favourites, I have finally compiled a List from the moment I started reading shyan fic in 2018 of fics that have ruined my life; all of them here in no particular order.

Be All My Sins Remembered by spoopyy

Summary: In every lifetime, they find each other.

Review: This fic manages to take you on a long journey through what feels like a series of AUs and they all weave in and out of the wealth of their relationship with some vivid descriptions of the historical settings their journey takes them through. As someone who grew up reading Anne Rice’s epics through historical events, this fic is right up my alley. A vampire Shane passing through the wave of human society’s climb searching for a reincarnated Ryan again and again, trying to hold on to him and keep him through great tragedies and timeframes that just don’t let them be together. This was one of the first fics I read when I was only a lurker and to be quite honest, I need to give this one a nice re-read, maybe for the book club which would be loads of fun. Either way, 10/10. Would be Hurt in the heart again.

Perfect Fit by @beaniegara

Summary: There’s a legend that says anyone able to take all of statue Shane’s cock will summon the god to the mortal realm. Given the statue’s excessive size, no one has ever succeeded to prove or disprove the story.Until Ryan that is.

Review: Listen. You wanna talk actual fandom legends. This fic is one of them and it pulls out all the stops on being delicious and evocative. Also features one of my favourite incarnations of size queen bergara. Good stuff and you’re really rooting for Ryan in this lol. 

Everything’s Weird and We’re Always in Danger by the beethechange

Summary: Ryan perches on the edge of the bed, an indistinct shape that Shane can only just make out in the dark, so he turns the lamp back on. He wants to see Ryan’s face, wants to know that he is alright. Ryan’s cheeks are damp, his hands fisted in the hideous flowered duvet.

“It won’t go away,” Ryan says miserably. “I’ve been like this since we got here, basically, and it won’t fucking—”

“Ah,” Shane says. “Well, you know, sometimes fear…adrenaline…they can affect people. Physically.” He waves his hands indistinctly crotchward. “It’s a, a scientifically known phenomenon.” Shane feels a little better staying in the realm of scientifically known phenomena.

Review: Word of advice. You see a fic is authored by beethechange, run don’t walk because you’re absolutely always going to be treated to the best of banter, the best of prose, chemistry, organic execution and feels right up the bottom end of your heart. This fic, this changed everything I thought I knew I wanted out of a bed-sharing fic. It’s got a little bit of two treats here. You got a sex-pollen-esque situation mixed with bed-sharing and holy fucking damn that is more than you think you deserve, but read this because you do deserve the best of the best. The build up, the dialogue, the surprisingly hilarity of it, the hotness woah, and The Aftermath. When you think you know what you’re in for, you’re wrong and you’re most pleasantly surprised. Get this fic in your life and honestly? while you’re at it, you could do a clean sweep of every fic in her list of works and while my less than adequate reading time management may still be short on some of her most well-recommended pieces, I have an adamant faith that Bee doesn’t disappoint. Go get y’all juice.

Maelstrom by thewindupbird

Summary: Here’s the thing about driving halfway across the country to see someone. You can’t really deny, after that, that you’re pretty much head over heels for them.

Review: Listen. One morning on a day off, I just laid in bed and read this– all 40k+ words– while lying there clutching my pillows, hurting and loving every moment of it. The descriptions of Americana, the slow steady metronome rhythm of Ryan’s feelings as frightened and helpless as they feel when you’re relating deeply to them juxtaposed with the deep-seated struggle of understanding what it is to be with someone you love so much but your mental health is burning quiet holes in your ability to express it in a way that can be understand. Ryan’s fierce determination, breaking through the silence of their non communication is really Everything to me in this fic. i think I really left my heart in the scene in Shane’s parents kitchen. That finished me. Read this fic and understand the deep relief you get when you’ve finished a fight with someone you fiercely care about and they understand you and you understand them and it’s OK; it’s gonna be all right. Augh. 

A Burial on Box Hill by InkStainsOnMyHands

Summary: The Celtics believed that the yew flower symbolized both immortality and death. Meanwhile, for centuries, the buxus flower was seen as a symbol for safe passage into the afterlife.

Or,Shane and Ryan were never the same after investigating the Black Forest of Germany alone.

Review: Let me just quote my bookmark comment here. Usually I flee from tragedy like a cat spotting a cucumber but the brevity and the prose dragged me in and now I’m a functioning mess. Bless this fic. Oh my god it’s short and reads like one of those quick horror stories you’ll read to your friends just as the scary stories are transitioning from the urban legends to the ones that feel real. Big warning for main character death but still read it if you appreciate a good story told.

Body Farming by shiphitsthefan

Summary: Failed suppressants and a surprise heat: the worst of cliches, and here Ryan stands, living the trope on location with the alpha he’s hopelessly in love with. Even worse, they’re spending the night in the famous Bell Witch Cave, completely alone and with no way to contact the outside world.

Ryan knows he can survive and keep his preheat a secret, as long as Shane will stop being so protective and concerned. After all, it’s not like Shane wants to bond with him.

Right?

Review: Now judging from the reactions of many people I’ve spoken to, big heavy ABO kink is not popular here but guys, GUYS. This one. Let this one in I promise it is not what you think it is. The dynamic is organic and the worst side of the trope is subverted in all the best ways and lord help us, the smut is hot, like swelteringly smoking. It’ll stay with you. 

Believer by cellard00rs

Summary: Some demons and otherworldly creatures love climbing up the power ladder. Shane is not one of these. He likes where he is (thank you very much) and has no interest in moving up. All he wants is to give his friend Ryan a nice birthday gift. So, naturally, everything goes to hell.

Review: This fic is another fandom legend. When I think demon!Shane. It’s this and one other one that always pops right into my mind. This was my first exposure to the bureaucracy meets the supernatural!Shane trope and I was sold from the get-go. The Shane in this fic is everything I imagine a demon!Shane is and his ginger care for Ryan, the concept of their bond and how even though Shane is a demon and responsible for keeping the supernatural a firm secret from Ryan and the rest of the world, his skepticism is relayed through his status as a demon. I want to talk more about it but I think so much of the enjoyment comes from the surprises as the plot unfurls. 

Heartbeat by quackers

Summary: So the guy Ryan sits next to at work is a vampire. That’s no big deal, right?

Review: I could talk your literal ear off about this fic. Vampires, man. I love the trope; you don’t know me as a person if you don’t know this at least. And this fic kept me fed all damn year. It was a readable garden. If there is one thing I can guarantee about quackers’ work, it’s that their world-building is a festival of detail. The realms and alternate universes they work with while still managing to keep Shane and Ryan’s voices so familiar and real is a talent not attributed to your everyday author. This fic propelled me into wanting to write more and more because quackers makes stories so much fun! Reading their work is, to me, not unlike the feeling I got when I was younger and finding series that speak to my need to escape this crummy existence, made me want to believe in fun spicy things like a vampire that lived through centuries, cynical but still searching, navigating a world where people are still people, adjusting to differences and prejudices, finding comfort in a guy that understands that and more. I’ve talked about this fic in more than a few different posts so I’d just be reiterating a lot of things I loved about the more historical aspects of Shane’s journey, the way Ryan is so firmly curious and inventive in ways to connect with Shane. Look, even if vampires aren’t your thing, I can promise that if you visit quackers list of work, you will find something for your supernatural-lovin’ palate that speaks to a gentler side of your own curiosity about monsters and the jocks that love them. lol.

I’ll Crawl Home by carrieonfighting

Summary: “Shane was almost unnerved by how quickly he’d settled into this body, this name, this life - his friendship with Ryan was the most time he’d spent with any human before, and yet the man fascinated him.”

Review: This is the second fic I think of when someone says the words ‘demon!Shane’ to me because ohhhh my word, this fic is a masterpiece. I really am hard pressed to find anything better than the feeling I get when I think of demon!Shane headcanons interwoven with the irl Buzzfeed reality and the idea of the Ryan as we know him being protected and watched and loved so deeply by a demon that found him so long ago and wanted nothing but to protect him. I feel an almost vicious glee reliving that moment when Ryan and Shane are on goatman’s bridge and man, I just really love canonical fic mixed with a slight twist. The writing in this makes it work so well with lines that still haunt my heart and soul like “Ryan liked popcorn. So did the demon. Genuinely, not just out of a desire to please the human – he liked the way it crunched between his vessel’s teeth. There were some aspects of taking a corporeal form that were…nice; laughing, coffee, feeling warm. Ryan made him laugh.” FUCK! The beautiful agony of it, watching the demon fall in love with Ryan through the eyes of his vessel. Just stark with pain and unspoken, well-written angst and pain with a perfect ending, I wouldn’t change for anything. I love this for us as a fandom and will always love that author crafted this piece and shared it with us. (Also every time I hear Work Song by Hozier, I think of this fic again and sigh).

Like I said at the beginning, thanks to @skepticbeliever-bookclub I’ve been discovering and re-discovering some fics I hadn’t had the chance to read and or have never even heard of before and my bookmarks list is growing with each new week. So if you get through this list and need more in your life, here you go. Every fic in my bookmarks deserves the community’s attention. If I can just make one special request of you guys? If you do happen to click any of these and enjoy what you read, please take the time and tell the author what you loved about it. It really changes the game out here for fanworks and fan-creators like you wouldn’t even believe and the people who shared these works with us worked hard to make the stories what they are and put a great deal of emotional investment in sharing it. Share more than your silence in return. 

Hope you find something you like here, nonnybabe.. 

[hoggle-is-hoggles-friend]

June 2022 reading summary

I’m open to making new friends on Goodreads!

 https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/136256483-cailyn-l 

Number of books read: 9 (6 novels, 1 anthology, 2 short works)

On Stranger Tides by Tim Powers

June 1st-8th

Format: Ebook

Rating: 2.75/5

Interesting plot with some fun pieces of history (not always accurate) wound into it. The worldbuilding and lore was fascinating and well-done (if possibly racially insensitive). Definitely not the best book, but an easy and exciting read.

Sea Witch by Sarah Henning

June 8th-10th

Format: Ebook via Libby

Rating: 5/5

An exciting and beautifully written re-imagining of “The Little Mermaid”, drawing elements smartly from both the original tale and the familiar film. Incredibly readable and full of exciting twists that, although I did not guess them, fit perfectly into the story.

Crush by Richard Siken

June 10th-12th

Format: Ebook

Rating: ???

I think I may just be too dense and unfamiliar with poetry to understand most of the poems in the first part. I greatly enjoyed the second part. The poems were all very raw and visceral. I’m still not sure how I feel about it.

A Modest Proposal by Jonathan Swift

June 15th

Format: Ebook via Project Gutenberg

Rating: N/A

A strange piece of writing that certainly lived up to its description of satire.

Sea Witch Rising by Sarah Henning

June 12th-17th

Format: Ebook via Libby

Rating: 2.25/5

I didn’t enjoy this book as much as the first in the series. The plot drastically shifts direction about halfway through. As a whole, it wasn’t as interesting or enjoyable to read as “Sea Witch”. “Sea Witch Rising” was not a bad book: I can see some of the things I enjoyed so much about the first book in glimpses, but I would probably recommend reading the first book as a standalone.

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

May 28th-June 18th

Format: Paperback, purchased new

Rating: 3/5

Definitely over-hyped. Certainly not the great, serious work of literature that I was led to believe it was, but not a bad book. Definitely an easy, low-consequences beach read. It is a little slow to pick up at first, so I would recommend reading it in longer sittings. It does get exciting as the book continues (about halfway through). Some more specific complaints: Often, the thoughts that would take a person years to develop and put into words were thrown onto the page too simply, making the characters seem one-dimensional (e.g., Monique’s admiration of Frankie, which is the introduction to her character; Monique’s interaction with David). There was pretty regular objectification of women (by the woman narrators), and I had trouble determining whether any of it was self-aware or not. I was disappointed by the lack of any clear character arc experienced by Evelyn. There was very little historical research put into this book (no mention of the Hays Code, slang in the tabloid entries, popular filming locations, LGBT community dynamics/theories/experience is inaccurately represented, feminist theory of the time largely ignored for a more “girl-boss” spin), which is frustrating as a history nerd and especially as a classic film fan.

Tex by S. E. Hinton

June 19th-20th

Format: Paperback, borrowed

Rating: 3/5

Pretty unfocused, but a compelling read. This would probably only appeal to those that are already fans of Hinton’s work.

The Collector by John Fowles

June 20th-28th

Format: Ebook via Libby

Rating: 2/5

Although generally well-written and exploring an interesting concept, the book dragged terribly (especially around the middle). I found none of the characters to be relatable (and mostly found them unbearable and irritating). I can’t help but feel that “thriller” is an improper label for this book. Some interesting ideas begin to take shape, but none of them ever seem to make a conclusion. The ending is extremely well-written and fascinating.

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving

June 29th

Format: Ebook via Libby

Rating: 5/5

Beautiful and engaging prose. I was interested by the depiction of the superstitions of Sleepy Hollow as a quality of the land itself. Contains period-typical racism and misogyny.

[aquariusshadow]

More questions!! 4, 11, 14, 38

More answers!!! Lesss gooo ........again cuz my laptop died and lost all my progress

4) Do you have any OCs? Do you have a story for them?

I do actually! I made an OC for a Harry Potter WIP fic that's still readable on my ffnet page. I do need to give it a major rewrite/re-editing since the quality of my writing and overall style has improved since I started working on it, but it's there if you dare read....!

I do have ideas for future OC's but that's an adventure I haven't embarked on quite yet.

11) Three tropes that are fine but overrated.

Hoo boy...I wouldn't say any regular trope is overrated personally just because I find that the quality of the trope heavily relies on how it's written and how we as viewers commonly see the trope portrayed in media. So, the tropes I would classify as 'overrated' are simply because I'm not happy with some of the portrayal of these consistently and I think the poor writing of these tropes is what's overrated...not necessarily the trope itself, especially since this is the 'this trope is fine' as opposed to the 'absolutely not okay' tropes.

That being said here are my biases with tropes I find overrated.....when I'm just tired of seeing these written in a way I personally don't jive with lmao until that one ship comes in and I'm so pleasantly surprised : childhood friends to lovers, best friend's to lovers, fake dating/anonymity/secret identity realm. The last one tho...not enough ships come to mind with that one, it's more of a practicality thing I think. Especially since all of these tropes just need a brilliant couple to make these much more enjoyable as opposed to 'overrated' haha.

14) Write and share the first sentence of a new fic. Just that.

Roxas was never one to admit that he’d always have a soft spot for fairytales, or fables, as he would prefer to say if he had to confess under immense pressure and teasing.

38) "This never happened" fix-it fics or "this happened but" fix-it fics?

It completely depends on the ship/fandom. I like both pretty equally!

[faradayb-fmp-y1]

On Monday we we are instructed to complete any of our own independent work as the teachers completed our assessments for that half of the process. I spent my time going through my blog and writing about a few artists as well as completing some end of week reflections.

Tuesday was more eventful as it was a digital workshop day, the teacher was absent for the first part of the lesson so we had to get started using our own initiative and the power points as well as video she’d left for us as guidance.

The task was to create multiple typography pieces on Adobe illustrator, First I signed in with my college account and then I created a ‘new document’ within the programme, size A4 with at least five art boards lined up together using ‘more settings’.

So that I had all of the tools specified in videos we were given I changed the layout of the program to essentials classic – the option to change this is next to the search bar.

I learned that when using the text tool ‘T’ to not draw a box with my mouse as it will be filled with preset words. Simply click and type, hold shift to upscale and down scale – this stops the sentence and or word from distorting.

Next I use the search bar ‘myriad pro’ to select a bold font– Preferably a bold/easily readable font as it will be altered later. I also used Dafont.com to find other more interesting options for my type.

To change the premade fonts from both the program and from the website are used the warp options changing the angles and the values of the type as well as the sizing to fit my preferences. An example of this being the ‘Arc’ option that curved the words in any direction I wanted.

I was certain things about Adobe illustrator that I found to be easier than photoshop whilst certain things also more difficult than photo shop, such as the absence of certain features or the difference in those features.

Surprisingly there was no bucket to like there is in photo shop, so to find the option I needed to colour in my background so I selected the ‘rectangle tool’ creating a box over my canvas to achieve that result-Going to ‘re-colour’ for more colour options and a larger colour wheel, then using ‘arrange’, ‘send to back’, bringing my type to the forefront.

I learnt to use ‘command C’ and ‘command V’ to copy and paste words multiple times, as well as using the ‘switch fill to stroke’ tool- And adjustable setting that could turn solid words into outlined words. These were both options that I ended up using in my work, I found them to be useful when creating my typography pieces.

I found this lesson to be a productive one and a very enjoyable one as I learnt to use a new program relatively quickly as well as completing all of the work in one session, which I find difficult to do usually in computer bass lessons. Overall I’m happy with my final five designs and I feel that they represent my topic as well as my ideas for their outcomes properly.

For the words used for the type I decided on singular words relating to both sides of my topic as well as the title of said topic for one of them.

1.) Artificial/Natural

2.) Humanity

3.) Glitch

4.) Organic

5.) Robot

6.) The completed lineup

[seoexpert332]

When the Dinosaurs Decided to Call It a Day

If, like yours really, you're previous and decrepit, and you're afflicted with osteoporosis or perhaps a receding hairline-as the case may possibly be-, failing eyesight and/or hearing, then you'll recall the ruddy contraptions. Needless to say, the web technology has no idea.

spotify acim

When I was a kid, we had a German portable Adler. And when I state lightweight, I should claim transportable. Anyhow, it was an excellent bit of German grundlich engineering. Strong and stolid, I suspect it was created of throw iron. With some lead in underneath, for added gravitas. I know wherever my dad got his hernia from. Plus, it was your normal knuckle-bender. Finding any page in some recoverable format expected perseverance, strength, and a wholesome breakfast. Today's keyboards are for wimps. In true truth, fifty decades on I still reach the secrets so very hard that more regularly than maybe not, my Apple keyboard both misses the attack, or forms the page twice.

The situation was really good, too: some sort of reinforced cardboard, with an imitation fabric imprint, and one of those good, hand-stitched leather, oblong handles on two swiveling eyelets that you simply discover on classic suitcases these days.

Writing (of course, we however typed words in those days) was a feast, at the least for the experienced typist. Each time you hit a letter, only a little sort could move out, and prior to it strike the paper, the device might raise an inked material (not inappropriately called the printer ribbon) in the way of the sort, so the latter would not hit the paper right nevertheless the lace instead, leaving on the report a level, with a good small "tattoo" sound. If you were great, it would be a readable letter. If you were poor, or just feeble, it could leave a obscure smudge. Anyway, lest you keep on typing at the same place, the machine could move the complete carriage one level to the remaining, readying the report for the next impact.

The absolute most enjoyment was once you achieved the margin (which you set with only a little metal area on top of the carriage): the equipment would band only a little caution bell. Dimple! And that was whenever you got to do a genuine carriage return: there clearly was a long lever on the remaining give side of the carriage, which you could strongly flip inwards. And lo and behold: the carriage would slide completely back again to the right, and change the paper one fall into line, building a amazing whirring sound, and again ring that little bell. Reduction! Actually: this again needed dedication and a strong hand. Any doubt, and your carriage could arrived at a standstill halfway its journey. But at the same time, you probably currently had transferred the paper one point up. Problems, issues, problems.

All this is to state that publishing a document was an rational, a physical, and a responsive problem and pleasure.

There were drawbacks of course. Things could get really dirty in the event that you typed too fast, and the hammers might collide in mid-flight, and remain stuck. Or if the ink ribbon had to be transformed in the center of a document. Improving typos was not easy. And in the event that you wanted extra copies, you created carbon copies (that is what the cc. in your e-mail comes from) by placing a carbon sheet among two sheets of report: Xeroxing was still a pretty costly proposition.

I recall when I began out in individual legislation practice. You'd have a secretary (secretary was however a good deal straight back then) form out a quick, and then you'd modify it. And then she'd re-type it all over. And maybe even a second time if you however didn't like it. And then you'd send it to the client, and probably he did not like it either. You get my drift? All of it was in a day's perform and in the client's statement of course, therefore we didn't especially worry, but can you imagine? Think of all the literature created on typewriters, till about thirty decades ago. Try and photograph state, David Steinbeck, striving out at the Grapes of Wrath. The noise of the "tattoo, tattoo, tattoo, dimple, whir, dimple, tat, tattoo, tattoo,... " and so on and therefore forth, for hundred of pages. And the re-writing. And then the editor's twenty site page would come in, and down he'd get again, for re-typing umpteen lots of pages, and possibly even the whole awful thing. Your brain reels... You'd obtain a case of writer's block for less than that.

I you know what I genuinely wish to state is that publishing was previously a struggle, actually challenging with matter. With the typewriter, with the paper. It practiced not just the mind, but also the body. On another give, we still had twenty-four hours per day, straight back then.

Needless to say, we now have Microsoft Term, or must I say Microsoft Term ®, and it's all a great deal more convenient. It is a bit like MP3 versus vinyl. Enjoying an LP included many measures that must be performed with accuracy and in a specific purchase, before you might sit back in your seat and listen. And after twenty minutes, you'd need to get around turn within the record. Today, you simply touch a few keys in your keyboard, or fairly, you touch the screen of your tablet or smartphone several times, and Spotify, oops!, After all Spotify®, begins playing some of the thousands songs and melodies it's stored in their server farms somewhere. Convenient. You are able to experience sleeping today without freaking out at the notion of your pick-up needle attaining the end of the report, and planning plop... plop... plop... plop... while you're down to Never-Never Land.

[whitewallbooks]

Book Review; the third.

The book in question: The Heart Has Its Reasons, by María Dueñas

Blanca Perea, in simple terms, is having a mid-life crisis. Her husband of twenty-five years left her only two months ago, and yet has already impregnated another woman. Her two sons are adults now and haven’t lived with her for ages. Blanca is lonely and hates life. She needs to get away - so, her logical decision as a university professor is to travel halfway around the world from her mother country of Spain, to San Francisco, America, following the idea of spanish missions in the 19th century to this very city. She only wants to take on mindless work to forget about her old sad life, but unexpectedly, falls further down the rabbit hole of a past professor at the university who tragically died before he could finish his life-long research. Thus, Blanca, somewhat subconsciously, commits herself to finish the work he started. But her old life keeps creeping up her, and her new life is starting to be a burden too. Hardships, torn relationships and deceit ensue.

I was excited because this book is about a university professor, an occupation that excites me - the research and discussion between adults of a like-mindedness seems really exciting to me in comparison to sad teachers only half-invested in what they are teaching talking down to a class of high-schoolers who are essentially forced to do subjects that don’t really matter and they don’t really care about (can I say matrices, anybody?). However, this character is not one happy to discuss with other professors and learn about the university, and almost every time we see her in the university, she’s throwing herself into the work of the late professor. Thus, the one thing that had drawn me to this book, unfortunately, was not at all what I wanted from this book, if not the most boring part of it.

Chapters flip between Blanca’s POV in the present, a narrator detailing the life of Andres Fontana, the professor Blanca is researching, and third person POV of Daniel Carter’s past, Blanca’s work colleague, who essentially got her started on her Andres Fontana-related work. I understood why in Chapter 4 we flipped to Andres Fontana - he’s the centre of Blanca’s work and so it’s cool to see what she’s researching instead of being in the dark, but reading Daniel Carter’s story didn’t make much sense at all to me until chapter 32. It did all make sense in the end - but only by the very last sentence! That made me a little frustrated.  

And perfect segue. The reason this frustrated so much, or why I mentioned chapter 32 is because the story doesn’t pick up until chapter 32. To put it in perspective, that’s chapter 32 about of 45, page 266 out of 372, more than 70% of the way through. This book is slowwwwww. And the twist or rather, the good part of this story, the part that hooked me at least, didn’t come until chapter 32. I know that the previous book I read (2nd Chance) was maybe oversaturated with twists in every chapter, but this was dramatically on the other end. Most of the chapters 1-31 saw Blanca switching between ”I hate my old life and where I’ve been left in the cold mean world”, and “I hate this work and the only thing I want is the satisfaction of completing it”. In other words, pretty boring. 

There were small smatterings of some kind of romantic tension, but it was never initiated or even appreciated by Blanca, she didn’t seem to really make a connection even platonically, probably because she assumed she was going to finish the work, and then leave the uni. Then suddenly in the last three pages of the novel, there is a romantic action (I won’t spoil) that came super out of the blue, and came at an unexpected moment, from an unexpected source. It was nice, but not satisfactory because Blanca really didn’t seem to like people at all, and now people are making her super happy? I’m not sure how I feel, I just don’t think that the happy ending was earned by this book’s beginning and middle.

A positive: If you like Spanish history or the history of Spanish colonisation or missionaries, this might actually be nicer for you, because of the split perspectives you learn some Spanish history, as well as some information on modern day Spain and what drives people in the present to move from Spain to America. We also get to see native Spaniard Blanca, adjust to some American traditions, such as Thanksgiving. That gives this book some insightful points. If Spain’s not your thing though, there’s really not a draw to this book.

I really have nothing more to say about this book. I felt bored reading it, and had to push myself to get through, and like Blanca, only felt good about this reading due to the satisfaction of finishing it (it was satisfying, I was told twice to just give up on it, but I pushed through, good for me). Basically, I am not happy with this book, and it’s not a recommendation that I will give anyone. I’m sure there are other books with similar plots that are much more interesting the whole way through, and not a dull slog to get through. I don’t think this book was worth my time apart from for making another review (though I will say that writing a negative review, and formulating my own opinion on a book rather than being informed of it before for once has been quite fun). Final word on this book: It was not worth my time and not worth yours either.

Quality of writing: 8/10 Pace: 3/10 Plot development: 5/10 Characters: 7/10 Enjoyability: 3/10 Insightfulness: 4/10 Ease of reading: 8/10 Re-readability: 0/10

Notes: I gave plot development 5 and enjoyability 3 and not a 0 literally only because of the split POVs and the last 13 chapters. Everything else seems to add little to the plot. Not going to lie, though I finished this, I skimmed so much of this, and I’m not even embarrassed or apologetic, it was boring. I would like to add that the author María Dueñas is not a bad writer, all the language was easy to read. It’s obvious that she’s well-researched, knows about Spain, and the little bit of research I myself did shows that this story comes from her experience as a professor herself at both Spanish and American universities. And, believe it or not, I actually quite like the way she writes - not overly simplistic but not flooding the pages with unnecessary detail either. In fact, she easily shows that she has a good grip on effective contemporary writing. But a good writing style won’t save a book when the problem is a lack of plot. Sorry Dueñas.

[onlinemarketingcourses]

50 Must-Read Psychology Books

Reading is the supreme lifehack. Distilled knowledge that often took years to assemble can be consumed in just a few hours.

And the more you know about social psychology and human behavior, the better. Reading good psychology books lets you jump-start your education by absorbing what researchers, professors, and authors spent years putting together.

I can’t think of a single better way to empower yourself than that.

Note: While all of the books below will deal with the human mind, not all of them are purely scientific. Some books deal with persuasion, productivity, or creative work. With that caveat, let’s begin.

1. The Social Animal

Buy the book: http://amzn.to/2cA6upp

In my humble opinion, the greatest general overview of social psychology ever written.

This book seems to be in such high demand that the Amazon prices are often outrageous.

The demand is warranted however, few books will give you as in-depth, interesting and just a generally well written overview of social psychology quite like Elliot Aronson’s classic.

A must-read if you can obtain it; I consider it the best presentation of social psychology 101 ever written.

2. Influence: Science and Practice

Buy the book: http://amzn.to/2bQeH5X

This is considered the gospel on the psychology of persuasion. Cialdini’s now infamous work deserves the amount of praise it gets.

Not only is the book easy to follow with tons of excellent examples (explained in laymen terms), Cialdini also spends the time to go into why these studies played out as they did.

Lastly, he addresses how to defend yourself from persuasion techniques that wish to harm you rather than ethically convince you (scammers, people selling faulty products knowingly, disingenuous attempt to persuade, etc.) A true classic.

3. Yes! 50 Scientifically Proven Ways to be Persuasive

Buy the book: http://amzn.to/2c0BOIt

Don’t get me wrong, I really enjoyed this book, but just be forewarned that this should be used as a compliment to the other more comprehensive entries on this list.

While the book is informative, the studies are grazed over pretty quickly, not much depth is given to any individual study. It does make for a great “rabbit hole” read.

This is where you find out about a study, look up more about it, find more related studies, and “go down the rabbit hole” searching for new material. A great starting point to getting your feet wet in a variety of persuasion related studies.

4. Thinking, Fast and Slow

Buy the book: http://amzn.to/2bPhvDp

Without a shadow of a doubt, one of my all time favorites.

Trying to go over what this book digs into would take me a whole post in itself, so allow me to just gush: This book is damn awesome, read it!

Seriously though, for behavioral research, there are few books that touch the scope and breadth that Dan Kahneman dives into with this masterpiece

Mr. Kahneman holds a Nobel Prize in economics as well, and this aspect shines through in the book’s many examples.

5. Switch: How to Change Things When Change is Hard

Buy the book: http://amzn.to/2bXsFjy

The Heath brothers, Dan Heath and Chip Heath, put out some of my favorite material on the subject of persuasion.

Their book Switch aims to answer the question: “Why is it so hard to make lasting changes in our companies, in our communities, and in our own lives?”

Specifically, why is it so hard to change things that have become commonplace. Their arguments are structured well, as is their other entry on this list, and incredibly readable; you can tell that a lot of effort was put into breaking the book down into appropriate sections and making it easy to pick up by anyone.

6. The Art of Choosing

Buy the book: http://amzn.to/2cqQkdC

This is the quintessential read on how human beings make choices and what external influences affect those choices.

I first came across Sheena Iyengar’s work through finding out about her infamous “jam study” through an online publication.

Needless to say, I was fascinated by the idea that choice can actually overwhelm, causing people to delay choosing rather than benefit from the extra options offered. It’s a fantastic read and very enjoyable all the way through, I happen to consider Sheena a great writer as well as a great researcher.

7. Priceless: The Myth of Fair Value

Buy the book: http://amzn.to/2cA7D01

Human beings have zero understanding of intrinsic value. We are heavily influenced by contextual clues when we examine things like “price” and “cost.”

This has been shown via a number of studies, and this book offers a superb analysis of the literature.

You’ll be very surprised to see just how easily marketing departments can influence our perception of things with subtle tweaks to pricing, making this an important read for every consumer, which is all of us.

8. Stumbling on Happiness

Buy the book: http://amzn.to/2bPiTpu

Despite the title of this book, this isn’t a self-help book by any means. It’s more concerned with the process in the mind than on ways you can “be your best self.”

One commentor pointed out a quote that fits the book well: “The first principle is that you must not fool yourself — and you are the easiest person to fool.”

It’s a fitting quote because the entire book reveals how your brain is essentially hard-wired into doing the exact opposite. Fortunately, Gilbert’s incorporation of research and insightful anecdotes make this one of the most enjoyable positive psychology books out there.

9. Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us

Buy the book: http://amzn.to/2cqS8Dt

Again, a book that may seem like self-help, but really isn’t. Drive spends a majority of it’s time focusing on what gets us motivated in the workplace.

It examines the intrinsic and extrinsic motivators that allow us to keep pushing, and questions which methods of utilizing both (with intrinsic being far more important) are the most effective for both employees and employers.

The book is a really important read, and I love how Pink tackles the subject, but I couldn’t help but agree with the highest critical review: the book has some padding. If you don’t mind a few sections going on a bit longer than they should though, this book is a must read.

10. Predictably Irrational

Buy the book: http://amzn.to/2bMMbUB

Few books will make you question your own decisions quite like this one; Ariely shows how seemingly mundane or meaningless changes can greatly impact our behavior when we don’t realize what’s going on, which appears to be a majority of the time.

As a sample, check out his famous pricing study on the Economist, you’ll see how small changes can really play with our perception of things.

I would put this book squarely on the understanding your brain category in this list, but this book also has some fantastic insights on persuading others if you closely examine the given examples.

11. Fascinate: Your 7 Triggers to Persuasion and Captivation

Buy the book: http://amzn.to/2bWiRYK

I’ll avoid the entirely too awful pun of calling this book “fascinating”, but I will say that it is a captivating read. I have two main comments on Sally’s writing: the first is a slight critique, in that the book often tries to take more established ideas and make them sound entirely new.

The second is full of praise: it’s hard to title a book with the word “Fascinate” if it’s not a page-turner, and Sally’s writing will definitely hook you until the end.

She also leaves readers with an actual game-plan and candid examples when ideas are brought up, which I loved. I enjoyed Sally’s speaking and picked this book up when someone recommended to me, and now I’m recommending it to you because it’s an insightful look at persuasion.

12. Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die

Buy the book: http://amzn.to/2c4NVGx

Definitely one of my favorite marketing books ever written , but it’s not something that can only be enjoyed by marketers.

This quote from Mark Twain is included in the book’s description: “A lie can get halfway around the world before the truth can even get its boots on.” The authors offer an explanation as to why these ideas can stay with us for so long.

I feel like we all find ourselves asking a similar question at times, as to why something caught on so quickly while something else that may have been superior faded away. Diving a little deeper than the answer of better marketing, this book aims to address the 6 ways certain ideas just stay with us while others slip away.

13. Numbers Rule Your World: The Hidden Influence of Probabilities and Statistics on Everything You Do

Buy the book: http://amzn.to/2c4NJqL

This book is probably the most unique of all of the books on this list. I wouldn’t call it a book about persuading others, but it does address what could have been an incredibly boring topic for some readers, the application of statistics and how they affect you, and turned it into a really easy read.

I approached this book expecting to slowly crawl through it, but there are a ton of great examples and Fung does a fantastic job of using stories to get his points across.

Whether you’re a numbers guy (or gal) or just want to take a laymen’s look at statistics and their involvement in the current affairs of the world around you, you’ll enjoy this book thoroughly.

14. The Honest Truth About Dishonesty: How We Lie to Everyone (Especially Ourselves)

Buy the book: http://amzn.to/2bMMmPz

In case it hasn’t been made apparent so far, I’m a big fan of Dan Ariely’s work. There are some bold claims in this book: that perhaps honesty is but a choice between benefit from cheating and our psychological motivation. Fortunately, Ariely makes some compelling arguments to back up each point addressed.

As with Predictably Irrational, you’ll come away with a lot of questions, but in a good way: you’ll begin to re-think things that were formerly “obvious” in the context of what you just learned from Ariely. Many people have commented on how powerful the last two chapters are in particular: is there ever a context where cheating becomes socially acceptable? Ariely forces you to ask these and other meaningful questions, and the result is a powerful message with some great research & examples to comb through.

15. The Power of Habit (Why We Do What We Do)

Buy the book: http://amzn.to/2bXvfpV

This book came highly recommended, and I enjoyed it, but I have some thoughts. While the author does a great job of splitting up habits into appropriate sub-groups, and in showing how habits actually operate in the brain there is one shortcoming: the book doesn’t specifically show you how to change any habits.

Maybe my expectations were set for a different kind of book, but I found the lack of this aspect being addressed as a bit un-fulfilling.

All that said, the book is still a very easy read and a great look on how habits manifest in the brain.

16. Brainfluence: 100 Ways to Persuade and Convince

Buy the book: http://amzn.to/2cqSFW0

This is another book that focuses more on serving up bite-sized analysis of multiple studies rather than diving deeply into a few. As such, it serves as a fantastic jumping-off point and one of those rabbit hole books that I mentioned above: you’ll find yourself following up on multiple experiments in order to learn more.

One fantastic thing that Roger Dooley has done is to break these studies up into separate categories, something that was failed at in the Yes! book above. With sections like Brainfluence Copywriting and Brainfluence Branding, you can tell what sort of studies you are about to get into.

In some instances, I found the sources to be somewhat lacking: links to other books instead of the actual studies, for instance. But don’t let that stop you from picking up what is an otherwise great read.

17. Neuromarketing: Understanding the Buy Buttons in Your Customer’s Brain

Buy the book: http://amzn.to/2cqUceD

This is, frankly, one of the best beginner books for those interesting in neuromarketing or “brainy marketing” as it is so affectionately referred to. This means two things:

The book is a very easy read; studies are not cited in-depth and the content can be easily consumed

If you’re not new to this space, this book can seem a little simplistic

For instance, you could read my post on viral content and cover a whole section of this book on arousing emotions from buyers in a single blog post. But if you’ve never encountered this stuff before, this book, along with Influence, are must-haves for beginners. Those who have read a few of these books already can probably give this a pass.

18. The Branded Mind

Buy the book: http://amzn.to/2cqU5js

This book is not an easy read. That being said, it is a rewarding read if you can make it through. Du Plessis makes the argument that emotions are not in conflict with rational behavior, and that they in fact can cause rational behavior.

As mentioned though, this books requires some patience: if you love pop-psy only, be prepared for a challenge, this book reads more like a college textbook than, “I’ll kill 5 minutes by reading this.”

If you’re willing to put in the effort, you’ll get a lot out of this book, this is definitely one of the most compelling & challenging books on the list.

19. The Paradox of Choice: Why More is Less

Buy the book: http://amzn.to/2cqUgLv

I really enjoyed this book, it makes you think a lot about if having a ton of options at your disposal good for your well-being.

Schwartz argues that decision-making was a lot simpler years ago, and while the majority of the book focuses on a “buying angle,” the lessons here can be carried to many of life’s aspects.

An abundance of choices has a tendency to trick our brain into thinking a lot of choice is a good thing, when that is not necessarily the case. While Schwartz is very much an academic, the book reads quite fluidly and won’t trip you up with an abundance of scientific terms, although each point made is backed up quite eloquently.

20. Brandwashed: Tricks Companies Use to Manipulate Our Minds

Buy the book: http://amzn.to/2bWkZQj

This is one of those amazing crosses between understanding marketing to utilize it for your entrepreneurial endeavors or to simply understand how brands try to persuade you.

Some of the examples aren’t so mind-blowing, like grocery stores using crates to make fruit seem “farm-fresh,” but others are really interesting.

I wish Lindstrom would have done a bit more analysis on each study, as he seems to just take each at face value. That being said, the studies cited are really interesting and very revealing in how easy it is for marketers to trick us.

21. The Compass of Pleasure

Buy the book: http://amzn.to/2cr2pQb

The subtitle of this book is just too good:

How Our Brains Make Fatty Foods, Orgasm, Exercise, Marijuana, Generosity, Vodka, Learning, and Gambling Feel So Good

If you’ve ever wanted to know why cigarettes are one of the most addictive substances of all time or how dopamine can turn your brain into a addict for pleasure, this is the book for you. I would forewarn that this isn’t really a book to help addiction, but for understanding the nature of addiction and the processes in the brain.

22. The Buying Brain

Buy the book: http://amzn.to/2cr46gj

There is another book by Lindstrom called Buyology that often comes highly recommended when discussing books of this ilk. But I would say that you should skip that book and get this one instead.

Pradeep creates a great overview of the emerging neuromarketing space and does so with a lot of good concrete examples.

I enjoyed that specifically because many books have a problem of simply citing the research at hand: as a guy who regularly reads research papers, I appreciate the exposure to new research, but I could have just read it myself. This book avoids this problem by giving actionable steps for implementing.

23. The Secret Life of Pronouns: What Our Words Say About Us

Buy the book: http://amzn.to/2bXG6Qt

You all know that I’m very interested in the psychology of language, and in particular, how psychology plays a role in storytelling.

This books digs into how language can reveal a lot about a person.Some archetypes that are focused on include gender, affluence, liars, sadness, introverts vs. extroverts, and a variety of others.

While the research in this book was excellent (and often collaborative), I wanted more. I felt like more examples could have been used in particular, but as for what’s there, it’s great.

24. Mistakes Were Made (But Not By Me)

Buy the book: http://amzn.to/2bPszQX

If you head back up to #1 on this list, you’ll see that I’m an Elliot Aronson fan. If I could define this book in one word though, it would be: frightening.

Even more so than Ariely’s contributions, this book exposes how everyone is at risk of refusing to admit to their mistakes, even when the evidence is conclusive.

The research is accurate and cited appropriately, the book is still an easy, enjoyable read, and it’s from the guy who wrote my favorite social psych book of all time, with a talented co-author. What’s not to love.

25. Social Engineering: The Art of Human Hacking

Buy the book: http://amzn.to/2bXFXN2

While this book specifically addresses social engineering, there are many psychological aspects that turn this into a very intriguing read on influence.

The book definitely has an antagonistic tone, but that’s because of the subject matter: people are referred to as “victims” and the activities are defined as “exploits” and “attacks,” because that’s what they are.

It’s kind of like watching those shows where a former thief shows the homeowners how easy it was to break into their house. Except with this book, manipulation is the subject at hand.

26. The Lucifer Effect: Understanding How Good People Turn Evil

Buy the book: http://amzn.to/2bQq79O

This book focuses on the findings from the legendary Stanford prison experiment. If that research has fascinated you in any way, you need to check this book out; it essentially offers an “inside look” at much of the data from the study, including things like transcripts.

It’s a compelling look at how even “normal” people fall into the roles of situations that many of us in the first world can hardly imagine happening, or would like to deny.

The last chapter is also quite intriguing for those familiar with the experiment: the author outlines a program intended to build resistance to mind-control strategies. Scary stuff, but a necessary read.

27. Obedience to Authority

Buy the book: http://amzn.to/2cAfNpg

Another book that is a tell all about fascinating, provocative, even horrifying psychology study known as the Milgram experiment, named after the lead researcher.

If you are unfamiliar with the study, it was meant to test whether or not people would obey authority even when they were asked to do something that they knew was wrong.

It details many accounts of participants showing signs of severe distress, yet continuing on with the applied shocks as actors in another room, pretending to be other subjects, screamed cries of pain. This book is a necessary read in understanding the construct and inherit dangers in authority.

28. The Optimism Bias

Buy the book: http://amzn.to/2cAggrE

Tali Sharot’s in-depth look is one of the better efforts to analyze the current research, along with Sharot’s own research, on optimism, memory, and their connections to our emotions and actions.

My single gripe with the book is that it is too long. I wouldn’t normally make a statement like this, but what I mean is that certain parts of the book feel a bit wordy, although given the topic and the tendency to pick apart certain aspects of research, it’s understandable.

I still feel like the content could have been more concise, but as for what’s there, it’s great. This is no pop-psy self-help book, this takes a look at some incredible research from a leading expert. Definitely worth picking up if you’re interested in neuroscience and studies on memory.

29. Mindfulness

Buy the book: http://amzn.to/2bMUpvQ

Author and professor Ellen Langer would posit that robotic, or mindless behavior, can lead to a lot of pain in life. I would agree, and the fact that so many other books on this list show just how susceptible we are to that sort of behavior, I’d say it’s a problem worth worrying about.

The aim of this book is therefore to be more mindful of our actions and to notice when automatic behavior begins to take over.

As a few disappointed reviewers have noted, this is not a self-help book; the focus is on the process of creating more mindfulness in your life, rather than the benefits of change.

30. Sway: The Irresistible Pull of Irrational Behavior

Buy the book: http://amzn.to/2bMT8Fa

While I did really enjoy this book, there is certainly some merit to the top critical review on Amazon: “This book is a rehash of other, better books.” That’s not to say that Sway isn’t an enjoyable read, it’s that it has predecessors that dive into concepts more deeply.

One of these is Influence, so at the very least, the book is in good company in terms of the things it talks about, it just did so much later and from a bite-sized perspective.

Again though, this book can serve as a fantastic starter read that helps you find a ton of other great studies to check out. The content is also quality stuff and will be new to you if you aren’t an avid reader of psychology books, so don’t be afraid to give this one a go.

31. Redirect

Buy the book: http://amzn.to/2cr4NGB

Wilson’s focus on this book can be summed up in two large, overarching points:

Using the process of “story editing” to change our perception.

That what is true of culture is also true of individuals.

This book seeks to understand and to pass on knowledge, not to help you change your life.

This book, being all about subtlety and subtle changes, does a good job in giving relevant examples that make somewhat opaque descriptions a lot easier to relate to. This is an interesting book and one of few that strays into the positive psychology territory, definitely worth checking out.

32. Brain Rules: 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving

Buy the book: http://amzn.to/2bWruT2

I really liked one reviewers summary on this book: It’s like Myth Busters for the brain. Misconceptions like “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks” are put to the test, and Medina does a great job of finding relevant research to put claims like that to bed.

Funny enough, this book often appears on leadership lists, despite not being an outright leadership or management book.

I’d say that it’s main two topics seem to hinge on productivity and relationship management, so it is easy to see why a business and leadership oriented crowd would enjoy this book. For everyone else, it is a very easy read and very much worth checking out.

33. You Are Not So Smart

But the book: http://amzn.to/2cg1938

Largely dealing with fallacies in our minds that happen to make us look very stupid when they’re in action, McRaney takes topics that are largely known by those with an interest in the field, like the Dunning-Kruger effect, and creates an entertaining read on otherwise well-covered studies.

The thing is, the presentation makes this book worthwhile even if you have already heard of a few of these, and McRaney is a great writer; his blog was featured on my big list of blogs that are awesome and not about marketing.

If you’re interested in how your brain is sabotaging you and in finding out more about the delusions we all hold, this book is the perfect place to start.

34. What Makes Your Brain Happy (and Why You Should Do the Opposite)

Buy the book: http://amzn.to/2c4QsS6

Take this as a more serious version of the book above. Largely concerned with cognition and specifically with cognitive biases, David DiSalvo makes this book stand out in quite a few ways.

The research isn’t rehashed like many books you’ll find in this space. Not only that, there are tactics and resource materials included in the book.

My only problem with these is that they are clumped near the end instead of being sprinkled about the many great examples. An overall exciting book with a lot to offer, I’ve read this one very recently and was happy that I did.

35. Incognito: The Secret Lives of the Brain

Buy the book: http://amzn.to/2bQsk5j

This book is all about the levels of consciousness in the brain, as as we’ve seen, you’re brain isn’t just the thing you think you control. While the examples in this book are quite interesting, considering it is a “real” neuroscience book, I expected a bit more from the research.

Despite that, Eagleman has put together a seriously fascinating list of studies that I will shamelessly steal and write about here on Sparring Mind.

Seriously though, the writing is captivating, if nothing else, you’ll learn how to write attention-grabbing headlines as Eagleman sends you page after page into highly interesting findings on our unconscious.

36. Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World

Buy the book: http://amzn.to/2crAx1d

Whatever you make will be deemed original or cliché in comparison to what currently exists; creation may be about the lonely hours, but a final product is never judged in isolation.

In other words, creative work lives in a dynamic, ever-changing ecosystem.

Getting ahead of the curve, or doing the unexpected, means eschewing what everyone currently expects, which requires knowing what everyone expects. Knowing the metagame — or comparing your work to what exists today — is useful for spotting opportunities for differentiation.

Originals will help you spot opportunities to stand out, and digs into the research around how creative thinking works, and what you can do to encourage those light-bulb moments.

37. Out of Character

Buy the book: http://amzn.to/2bQsPw6

Just what exactly is happening when someone breaks character? Is character even concrete, or is it more like a shade of gray?

I found this book really fascinating in it’s singular focus on character and the psychology of how external events impact it.

Living a humdrum life often makes understanding these crazy acts difficult, and this book takes a look at a lot of examples that show us that if we were in similar circumstances, we’d be very likely to act in a similar manner. Great examples, great research, and a great focus make this a must-read.

38. Blink

Buy the book: http://amzn.to/2bQsUjo

The good part about this book is that the studies presented are interesting, and Gladwell does a superb job of showcasing how people are able to develop a sense about things; it becomes one of the more interesting books on the unconscious because of this.

The problem with the book is apparent though: it’s been pointed out by many others. This book seems like a collection of short stories, and not a unified idea.

Putting that aside, the different sections are far too interesting to pass up for this general lack of unity.

39. The Person and the Situation

Buy the book: http://amzn.to/2crB2bA

This book is about situational influence and the effects on our decision making process. The authors do a great job in demonstrating the many types of faulty logic that we are prone to in a variety of environments.

This book almost reads like one of those great textbooks that you had in college: the one’s that you actually enjoyed, even though they were supposed to be academic.

I would classify this as an introductory book, however, so keep that in mind if you are very familiar with the field.

40. The Psychology of Attitude Change and Social Influence

Buy the book: http://amzn.to/2c4ST76

If I could sum up this book in a single phrase, I would call it a more academic Influence. What I mean is that the book takes a very scholarly approach to the psychology of influence, but is perhaps a little bit less practical than Cialdini’s work.

For a true academic understanding of persuasion though, this book is fantastic. It came highly recommended from a former professor of mine, and I’m glad I picked it up.

If you enjoyed the former recommendation at all, the one that covers Zimbardo’s prison experiment, you will need to pick this up.

41. Situations Matter

Buy the book: http://amzn.to/2cr82xU

I really enjoyed the writing style of this book. My goal with this blog has always been to take interesting psychology and neuroscience research and turn it into actionable, digestible posts for readers. I can appreciate when an author has a fun writing style to keep things engaging.

That being said, it’s not for everyone. The research, however, is enjoyable by academic or laymen readers alike in my humble opinion.

I’d sum the subject matter of being about the psychology of “context”, the implications are pretty powerful. For instance, “Who we love is more explained by geography, familiarity and state of mind than we realize.” One of those books that has a knack for getting your brain to ask intriguing questions.

42. The Willpower Instinct: How Self-Control Works

Buy the book: http://amzn.to/2bXK8Zq

This is a book that falls squarely into positive psychology, but it is, bar none, one of the best out there.

Self-control & work ethic go hand-in-hand in my opinion: many people want to work hard, but it’s self-control that prevents them from doing so. And let’s be frank here, everybody suffers from a lack of self-control from time to time.

If you are interested in applying psychology to improve yourself and your mind, this is the book for you.

If not, you’ll still walk away with a great understanding of how self-control works in our minds. This book is practical, the science is sound, and the author, Kelly McGonigal is highly recognized: I have no hesitation recommending this one.

43. Beyond Culture

Buy the book: http://amzn.to/2bPwDjW

This book is not very actionable in any way, but the ideas explored are enormously important.

I have a lot of praise for this book in that specific regard, in the same way that I once overheard someone talking about Guns, Germs and Steel saying: “If you read that book, you’ll find it hard to be racist.”

Funny, but it makes a compelling point: we aren’t often educated on understanding others, and while GG&S looks at human evolution and human history, this book is largely concerned with cross-cultural human psyche and it’s implications on our interactions.

44. The Tipping Point

Buy the book: http://amzn.to/2bQuIsC

As with much of Gladwell’s work, I found this really interesting, but maybe a bit short of the hype surrounding it (and there was a ton of hype, so it’s hard to approach this book with neutral anticipation).

Gladwell would suppose that there are 3 types of gifted people who are essential to “sticky” ideas: Connectors, Mavens and Salespeople. While all of the information is great on explaining that there are critical aspects of things that become “epidemics” or “go viral”, he doesn’t really get into how that happens, just that it does.

Now, it’s not like I was looking for a “how to create a viral campaign” from this book, but the examples are lacking in that area. Still, a highly important book, and it references the monkey sphere, so I needed to include it.

45. The 48 Laws of Power

Buy the book: http://amzn.to/2cr9bWe

This book is a great example of fantastic book marketing: the ideas in this book are sound, and are often backed by real research elsewhere.

What the book does well in it’s marketing is that it creates this ideal that these are some secret laws for the inner Machiavelli in us all (despite that The Prince may have been written as satire).

The funny thing is, some of the ideas are not all that devious, it’s just smart interpersonal relationship & persuasion advice. Despite it’s fantastic marketing and seemingly cynical nature, it’s just really good advice on interacting with people.

I would warn that you shouldn’t let the sometimes negative messages detract your from enjoying this; don’t take an exploitative view of persuading people.

46. How to Win Friends and Influence People

Buy the book: http://amzn.to/2bQtSMv

With the reach that this book has had in it’s long lifetime, it’s unlikely that you’ve never encountered it before. In order to mix things up a bit, since this book is so well known, I thought I might offer some fantastic insights from one of my favorite Amazon reviews of all time:

—

The advice is largely sound, but I think the reader should keep in mind the context within which this book was written… [it was] intended primarily as a companion book to Dale Carnegie’s classes on how to be a good salesman.

…these techniques work very well in the context of sales and public relations, i.e., in relationships that are not expected to be deep and/or long-lasting.

What I found most interesting was that the last chapter… was to describe those individuals with whom none of Dale Carnegie’s techniques work. In this unpublished chapter, Carnegie wrote that there were some people with whom it was impossible to get along. You either needed to divorce such people, “knock them down,” or sue them in court.

Why is that chapter absent from this book, you ask? Well, Dale Carnegie was in the middle of writing this chapter when he was offered a trip to Europe, and rather than complete this last chapter he decided to take the trip. The uncompleted book was sent off to publishers, and Carnegie shipped off to Europe.

—

Interesting stuff to consider before you dig in.

47. Strangers to Ourselves

Buy the book: http://amzn.to/2c4U1aM

Your conscious mind isn’t always in control. If many of these books on the brain teach you anything, it’s probably this.

This book is one of the biggest jolts in this category of understanding that concept; it’s definitely a psychology book, but the questions it brings up almost make it feel like the book was written for philosophy majors.

While it’s an easy read, it’s certainly challenging to the mind, I didn’t find the research as compelling as some other similar books, but the questions raised by Wilson are by far some of my favorites.

48. Sleights of Mind

Buy the book: http://amzn.to/2bXJB9A

The main issue that this book tackles is more on how we are influenced, with the author taking a very specific look at the tricks of magic and some related neuroscience studies.

This book therefore reads like “The Psychology of Magic,” and if that sounds interesting to you, this is a must read.

As for practicality, I would say this book is another one of those books that is about understanding, and through this understanding there are some practical applications to be had. All that being said, to me it was damn interesting, and it’s one of the most unusual books on this list.

49. Why We Buy

Buy the book: http://amzn.to/2cg4oHF

I’ll agree with the many reviewers of this book that it ends… uneventfully, shall we say. It gets very sales-y for the author’s company, which was a huge letdown.

The rest of the book is a fun read. Be sure to verify claims by checking the actual studies, as this is definitely the ‘fun’ side of science. Still, it’s interesting to see some data on how people shop.

Some of the examples definitely left me scratching my head, especially in areas of business where I’m clueless, such as product placement in grocery stores.

50. The Invisible Gorilla (How Our Intuitions Deceive Us)

Buy the book: http://amzn.to/2bWsLcZ

Before reading this book, watch this video and count how many times the players in the white shirts pass the basketball.

Go on, I’ll wait.

How many did you count?

That’s the study that the book gets it’s name from, and it looks at how we often have massive illusions about our attention. Even if the study didn’t trick you, you’ll still enjoy the book, I promise. If the study did get you, you’ll love it even more.

Over To You

First of all, thanks for stopping by and for reading my post. I hope you found this list of psychology books useful.

A humble reminder: this list was compiled based off of a large scope — social psychology, persuasion, understanding one’s mind — and it was also not limited to strictly scientific books so that it could be enjoyed by a wide variety of people. Some pop-psychology is obviously going to appear on the list.

Other than that, feel free to recommend any other good social psychology books on your bookshelf.

If you’re interested in some of the deeper stuff out there, feel free to shoot me an email, it mostly comes to me in the form of research papers, not full books. But I’m always glad to share.

Thanks for reading, please share this article if you enjoyed it.

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