A broad overview of beer. A basic reference source for craft beer lovers. A good reference to keep around if you want to sound like you know what your talking about.

Part 3: He did “live” his life. He wasn‘t a bystander. A trait that led to a very self destructive character. I have been a fan of swashbuckler‘s every since I was a kid. And there wasn‘t another swashbuckler quite like Errol Flynn. In my opinion the greatest of the screen Robin Hood‘s. Despite all of his flaws I am a fan of Errol Flynn. At least his image on the screen. One thing for sure, Errol Flynn wasn‘t dull.

Part 2: He was an alcoholic, a drug addict, and a notorious womanizer who was caught up in a statutory rape trial in the early 1940‘s that almost ruined his career. But as with many scoundrels he had redeeming qualities. He was charming, charismatic, well read, loyal to his friends, and possessing a real life sense of adventure. A native of Tasmania. He was discovered leading an expedition in Papua New Guinea.

In the 1980‘s an author named Charles Higham wrote a biography accusing Errol Flynn of being, among many things, a Nazi Spy. That accusation, among other accusations in the book, was proven to be false. The book itself was panned as trash. Good luck finding a copy now. Still that accusation to lingers and casts a shadow over him among some people. There is a lot to find unsavory about Flynn without resorting to fiction. (Part 1)

This is a book about values. Good values, playing fair, being honest, commitment, teamwork, and hard work. It‘s not overly complicated. But in a time when rudeness, insults, taking advantage, taking shortcuts, stretching the truth, bending the rules is not only accepted, but championed. It‘s a refreshing read. An autographed copy.

Listened to the audiobook. Some of it is funny. Some even insightful. Some just crude. A mixed bag.

More of a QA than a book of the rules of the game. If you are looking for knowledge of some of the more obscure rules, this may not be the best choice.

From the man who gave dignity to people who work the necessary “Dirty Jobs” and introduced us to people who make the world a better place. Mike Rowe started a Podcast and attempted to fill the late Paul Harvey shoes by telling little known stories about people and places we thought we knew. The Podcast is called, “The Way I Heard It” and this book is part a collection of those stories and part bio. It‘s just fun to read. A signed copy.

I know this is a book of primarily pictures. A collection of photographs take by Jeff Bridges on movie sets. There is some writing, that of Jeff Bridges and a co-author. This mainly about the pictures, which are interesting. I wouldn‘t say he‘s going down as the next Ansel Adams. But the photographs are good. Worth a look and a read. A signed copy. 3/5 Stars.

Everything from the “Star Spangled Banner” and “Yankee Doodle Dandy” to “Born in the USA” and “I‘m Proud to be American” and all the songs in between. Our Patriotic songs, protest songs, songs that reflected the America‘s highs, the guided through our hard times, and often sent us off to war. This is a history of America through its music. A very interesting take on who we were and who we have become.

As a fan of the old Mythbusters show I thought this book might be interesting. And having the opportunity to get a signed copy I made the purchase. I wasn‘t sure what to expect, it is mostly is an introspective look at his passion, making things with a focus on his work in commercials, movies, Mythbusters, and for Cosplay. It‘s somewhat inspirational if nothing else his for his focus and dedication to what he loved. 4/5 Stars.

I had no idea Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was a author of fiction. I guess he has written a few of these. This is my first. Well paced and interesting. I‘ve enjoyed the book. A good addition to the Sherlock Holmes tradition. An autographed copy.

Life advice from Michael Caine. Coming from his years as an actor, and although he often uses the phrase, “no matter what you do in life”, it‘s directed at that profession. There are many Hollywood stories, but what makes the Audio Book version enjoyable is Michael Caine‘s narration. One of the most recognizable voices.

I know this app is mostly concerned with books, but I look forward to National Geographic History. This Edition has an interesting article of someone from history that I wasn‘t aware of. Boudica, a female warrior queen who led Britons in a revolt against the Roman Empire in 60 A.D. Described by Cassius as “Tall, imposing with a great mass of the tawniest hair that fell to her hips.” After several victories she would lose to the power of Rome.

The Audiobook version is too much. Full of interesting information. Two hour long chapters are just too long to listen. This might be better to read in print. I rate the audio version low. Unless you have a series of eight two hour long commutes I can‘t think of many who have two hours to just sit and listen to an audiobook. I gave up.

This is a collection of stories experienced during the life of Admiral William McRaven who spent 37 years as a Navy SEAL rising to the rank of Commander of all U.S. Special Forces. Inspirational and surprisingly down to earth. He was either actively involved or leading the major Special Operations missions over the past 30 years. Each story is a stand alone tale like a good sea story should be. A entertaining read. Signed copy.

Interesting way of telling his life story. He basically is recalling Super Bowl III over four quarters as he‘s watching it being replayed years later on film. Interspersed with this recollection are stories from his youth, college years, his career in and out of football, and up to the present. An enjoyable read. An autographed copy.

Suppose that you imagine yourself to be a self-aware, intelligent, and reasonable person. Well you‘re not. This book details all the cognitive biases that mislead our thoughts and feelings. We naively delude ourselves everyday with imperfect and inaccurate interpretations of ourselves and other people. And we all do it regardless education or politics. We are in fact wrong most of the time. It‘s a bitter pill to swallow, but a fun book to read.

I have never been a big fan of the more juvenile aspects of his show. But over the years he has built a reputation as being one of the best interviewers, if not the best. Of this I agree. This is a collection of those interviews with original lead ins. Worth a read.

This man is true to his word and puts his money where his mouth his. His patriotism is more than just lip service. As a successful actor he has dedicated so much effort and time to the military and first responders. I think he can be compared to Bob Hope in his dedication to the military. A good Autobiography.

I really enjoyed this book. I think David McCullough is one of today‘s best popular historians. Not only is this good history, it is great storytelling. Though lacking in technical details, what you get is a story of the excitement of the times. You feel you are with the crowds who showed up in both Europe and the US to watch this “miracle” and you are in awe.

Purchased this book prior to the Cubs winning the World Series. This is a good world of fiction looking into the lives of those involved and playing professional baseball. If you approach the author online you can get a signed copy.

I was interested in this book because my youngest son is on the Autistic Spectrum. I like to hear stories of anyone who excels beyond the expectations of those around them. This is a book written from a perspective of an older child/young adult and the writing style reflects that. If your interested in reading a Autobiography of a young man who overcame obstacles. Mostly limits placed on him from the outside world. Then read this book. signed copy

I have always loved Calvin and Hobbes. When the comics were originally published in the newspaper they were the first thing I read whenever I picked up a paper. Never missed a Calvin and Hobbes.

This book is a recommended read by Bill Gates. In short, the way we view the world is based on information we learned in High School or College. And even that data may have been 10 to 20 years out of date. The world is healthier, wealthier, better educated, safer than most of us believe. The idea that the world is split in two: the developing and the developed world are outmoded ideas. The truth most of the world fall somewhere in between.

This history of the Lakota and the story of Crazy Horse as passed down through Oral History and presented to the author by Crazy Horse‘s closest descendants. A very interesting book. It‘s difficult to put down. So many historical events were witnessed by this family and are told from their perspective. It also tells the story of Crazy Horse‘s descendants to the present which in many ways is just as interesting. My autographed copy.

A nice little book about a nice little ballpark on Chicago‘s North Side. A well written history of the Cubs and Wrigley Field.

Attended a talk and book signing by Lakota Warrior Crazy Horse Family Elder, Floyd Clown, one of Crazy Horse's grand nephews. And the author, William Matson, who was entrusted by the Clown family to tell their families oral history. Including the story of Crazy Horse as the Lakota and his family knew him. I‘m having them sign my copy of, “Crazy Horse, The Lakota Warriors Life and Legacy.”

I wish this was more Autobiography and less self help. Interesting biography of a man who had a rough childhood, who grew up to be the only man to complete Navy SEAL, Army Ranger, and Air Force Tactical Air Controller Training. The Motivational Self-Help aspect eventually devolves into “I, I, Me, Me, aren‘t I wonderful, and if you‘d do like I do, you‘d be wonderful, too.” Like most motivational books do. Which May be true, but it gets repetitive.

This is the one thing that I find disappointing about Litsy is the limited space for comments. There is so much to be said about this book. Bleak! A look into North Korean Society thru the eyes of a common North Korean turned national hero. If George Orwell predicted anything in “1984” it was North Korea. I have a much lengthier review on Good Reads.

Who doesn‘t like Jackie Chan? He seems so friendly. But I don‘t know what to think of him after reading his book. The first part is a great story of struggle. The second is largely him boasting. Telling the reader how much money he spends on everything even on charity. I‘ve got a feeling if you met him he wouldn‘t be as nice as you‘d expect. Great career. And certainly set the bar for stunts in movies. I‘ll give him that. Read for the 1st part.

This is more than just a book specific to Reagan in Moscow. It‘s a biography of Ronald Reagan and his Presidency. It is the story of the meetings with Gorbachev and his trip to Moscow. As well as the collapse of the Soviet Union and the fall of the Berlin Wall during the Presidencies of George Bush and Boris Yeltsin. A very interesting book.

Autographed copy. Unfortunately it‘s a so-so memoir. His early years before his success are much more interesting. There is no insight into his relationship with Daryl Hall. The height of their success is little more than name dropping, going to nightclubs, and buying expensive toys. Personal relationships are almost non-existent. I always preferred the 70‘s music than their 80‘s pop stuff. The book is about as fluffy as the 80‘s pop.

From George Washington to Donald Trump. This book offers good general knowledge biographies on each President of the United States. With this it is also a good general history of the United States.

This is the English translation of written Japanese documents describing the training of Shinobi or Ninja. It is pretty interesting and dispels a lot of the myths of the Ninja.

“If we don‘t believe in freedom of expression for people we despise, we don‘t believe in it at all” - Noam Chomsky.

People do not seem to realize that their opinion of the world is also a confession of their character.

Very interesting. A bane to all conspiracy theorist. Brian Dunning, who is the host of one of my favorite podcasts; Skeptoid, addresses conspiracy theories one by one and debunks them. If you‘re Conspiracy Theorist you won‘t care much for this book. If you‘re not you‘ll will read clear, solid, and rational arguments that will put these theories to rest.

I probably would have got more out of this book had I read it when it first came. It‘s been analyzed and over analyzed. Already old news.

It‘s generally the side of a debate the resorts to name calling first who has the weaker argument.