Book Talk – July 2024

Has I have already told you, July was a busy month. I didn’t get to read as much as I would have liked and when my mind was wandering so I rarely had the time to focus. However I am happy I finished a non-fiction book I was working on for some time now. Let’s have our monthly book talk July edition.

I am a Nurse by Franziska Böhler | ★★★★★

Goodreads says: Franziska Böhler, a nurse by conviction, uses moving case histories to describe everyday life on hospital wards and makes it clear how much patients and staff suffer under profit-oriented structures. She has opted for night shifts and weekend shifts, for a lot of work and even more responsibility, for a job that challenges her – her heart and her mind. She has not opted for services that are constantly understaffed, for conditions that make nursing and medicine dangerous and inhumane. And yet nurses find themselves in this situation more and more often: they work in a healthcare system that has long been in urgent need of help itself.
What I thought: I really liked this book a lot. Probably also due to the fact that I started a project in a hospital and this gave me some insights of structure, workdays and terminology that I was lacking. Overall I really enjoyed listening to this book.
Medium: audiobook through library
Original Language and Title: German
Publications: no translations
Recommend to: Everyone wanting to learn about the German healthcare system.
Author’s Origin: born in Germany | 1988

Die KI war’s by Katharina Zweig | ★★★★☆

Goodreads says: It seems inevitable that algorithms will make decisions about people and their future – we have all long been exposed to the judgments of artificial intelligence: More and more companies are having job applications assessed automatically, and more and more people are receiving decisions or information prepared by machines. However, not all of these algorithmic decisions are correct; there are always cases in which AI discriminates, accuses innocent people of a crime or even endangers lives. Katharina Zweig, multi-award-winning computer science professor, explains in an entertaining way and using exciting current cases, how we can recognize wrong decisions and defend ourselves against them. Because we should know what to look out for so that algorithms play by our rules and not their own.
What I thought: This was not easy to read because the topic is so far from understanding for me. However this book really does a great job of talking about how the algorithm and models work, I don’t claim I have understood it all but I have scratched the surface and have an inkling of understanding. I did like that she showed where AI currently is pushing boundaries but also has its limits. The ways we as humans need to understand the technology in order to make educated decisions and where this will not be possible because we already don’t understand what the models are calculating. Very interesting. At times eyeopening and in case scary.
Medium: borrowed paperback
Original Language and Title: German
Publications: not yet translated but sure it will be has her previous books.
Recommend to: Everyone wanting to get a better understanding of AI
Author’s Origin: born in Hamburg, Germany | May 22nd, 1976

I’d rather be reading by Anne Vogel | ★★★✶☆

Goodreads says: For so many people, reading isn’t just a hobby or a way to pass the time–it’s a lifestyle. Our books shape us, define us, enchant us, and even sometimes infuriate us. Our books are a part of who we are as people, and we can’t imagine life without them.
I’d Rather Be Reading is the perfect literary companion for everyone who feels that way. In this collection of charming and relatable reflections on the reading life, beloved blogger and author Anne Bogel leads readers to remember the book that first hooked them, the place where they first fell in love with reading, and all of the moments afterward that helped make them the reader they are today. Known as a reading tastemaker through her popular podcast What Should I Read Next?, Bogel invites book lovers into a community of like-minded people to discover new ways to approach literature, learn fascinating new things about books and publishing, and reflect on the role reading plays in their lives.
The perfect gift for the bibliophile in everyone’s life, I’d Rather Be Reading will command an honored place on the overstuffed bookshelves of any book lover.
What I thought: I enjoyed this short little audiobook that felt more than a podcast episode. It gave some nice food for thought. There wasn’t any big realign thing more like a nice blanket to snuggle in a feel surrounded by like minded people. Perfect for when I listened to it.
Medium: audiobook through library
Original Language and Title: English
Publications: no translation found
Recommend to: Everyone loving to hear about books, breathing books living books.
Author’s Origin: born in U.S. (?) | 1978

Iceflight by Casey Lea | ★★★✶☆

Goodreads says: Darsey Ice never thought her first trip past Jupiter would claim the lives of her crew. But then she hadn’t expected to become the first person to make contact with aliens either.
Kidnapped, enslaved and lost on the Outer Rim of a mighty civilization light-years from Earth, the only person she can turn to is her enigmatic new owner. A dishonored outcast, he is just as alone as Darsey. Exiled by his people and struggling to survive, the last thing he wants is a rebellious primitive as a slave. She complicates his efforts to hide a dangerous secret and to complete a quest that is likely to claim both their lives. They will only survive if they can find enough trust to forge an unwanted alliance.
A science-fiction love story of alien romance, between a leading lady who packs a punch and her charismatic owner with a secret quest.
What I thought: This was surprisingly entertaining. I didn’t know I wanted to read an alien love story but it was nicely done. I did enjoy the description of the aliens and their traits. Something I haven’t read anywhere yet. They were not scary but defiantly not too human. I would love to continue the series but the books can nowhere been found for purchase or bowstring. However Goodreads says there are five books.
Characters: Darcey Ice, Farflight, Nightwing
Setting: Some galaxy, two ships, a few planet stops
Medium: eBook freebie
Original Language and Title: English – no longer available on Amazon
Publications: no translation
Recommend to: Anyone who loves a love story and science fiction.
Author’s Origin: mother daughter duo from U.S. | unknown

Euphoria by Lily King | ★★★☆☆

Goodreads says: In 1933 three young, gifted anthropologists are thrown together in the jungle of New Guinea. They are Nell Stone, fascinating, magnetic and famous for her controversial work studying South Pacific tribes, her intelligent and aggressive husband Fen, and Andrew Bankson, who stumbles into the lives of this strange couple and becomes totally enthralled. Within months the trio are producing their best ever work, but soon a firestorm of fierce love and jealousy begins to burn out of control, threatening their bonds, their careers, and, ultimately, their lives…
What I thought: This book grabbed my attention at the library flea market because of its cover. So pretty. It was interesting to read too. This book was loosely based on anthropologist Margaret Mead – whom I have never heard of before. I love when books make me look up characters and research what was true and really happened. I had no idea about the work they did in the 1930’s. Overall it was interesting but didn’t grabble my intention as much as I had hoped.
Characters: Nell Stone – anthropologist, Fen – husband to Nell, Andrew Bankson – rival anthropologist,
Setting: rain forest in New Guinea along a river
Medium: hardcover
Original Language and Title: English
Publications: German Title “Euphoria”
Recommend to: Everyone loving historic fiction, a tale about discovery, hardship and a love triangle.
Author’s Origin: born in U.S. | 1963

Der Migräne-Detektiv by Dr. medic Roland Pfeiffer | ★★✶☆☆

Goodreads says: n 44 practical cases, Dr. Roland Pfeiffer decodes the causes of migraines and shows ways to treat them. A book for patients, doctors, alternative practitioners and osteopaths. Every migraine patient is individual and every migraine cause is individual. As individual as the fingerprint of each of us. That is why this book was written. Migraine is a puzzle that challenges us to solve it. Dr. medic Pfeiffer’s book is aimed at all people with migraines in order to make this puzzle more tangible for each individual. He also addresses his colleagues – doctors, alternative practitioners and osteopaths – in order to solve the puzzle for the benefit of their patients.
Dr. medic Pfeiffer uses 44 patient examples to describe in detail how diverse the causes of migraines can be and how these causes can be uncovered and eliminated with a detective’s instinct. He describes people with migraines and how he succeeded in curing their migraines. As a patient, you will also come across parallels to your own medical history. He sees his professional insights as an impulse and inspiration for all those who are professionally involved in curing migraines. In his book, he presents the complete system of root cause analysis: a detailed migraine anamnesis, special laboratory diagnostics, a detailed osteopathic examination and neural therapy interference field search and test treatment. With the systematic decoding of migraine, Dr. medic Pfeiffer shows how the barrel of causes can be emptied in a targeted manner and how the body is enabled to compensate for the remaining cause potential on its own. The message is: migraine is curable!
What I thought: While this was interesting to listening to and I am sure lots of things are relevant when it comes to migraine I have a huge problem with the main message: migraine is curable! It is NOT! And I feel this book is giving too much hope and lots a blame to the victims of the disease. If you are no in the topic this could give you false hope and seek out doctors who are not all to up to date. However the many patients he claims to have cured are raising question. I do think there are lot of things about our body working together and once out of balance lots of aches are triggered. And why symptoms can be reduced and triggers avoided you can not heal a neurological issue…
Medium: audiobook through library
Original Language and Title: German
Publications: no translations found
Recommend to: Only to people who are already well versed in migraine knowledge otherwise it may be harmful.
Author’s Origin: born in Frankfurt am Main, Germany | March 10th, 1967

New books on the shelves

Always buying books even though I am trying to reduce my TBR pile. Here is this month purchases. Please hold me accountable and ask if I read them or just piled them up.

• Your absence is darkness by Jón Kalman Stefánsson – paperback bought
• City of Storms by Kat Ross – kindle freebie
• Ice Mermaid by M.C. Frank – kindle freebie
• Buried Magic by TJ Green – kindle freebie
• When the Sun Goes Down by Vivienne Corvene – kindle freebie
• The Girls in the Snow by Stacy Green – kindle freebie
• For All The World by Jean Grainger – kindle freebie
• The Hampstead Mystery by Arthur J. (Arthur John) Rees – – kindle freebie

Did you receive a book for Christmas? What book did you enjoy in December? What book was a total fail? How many books did you gift for Christmas?