We’re going to be covering the books I’m reading going forward. While I get way more traffic for App Reviews, and iPad gear reviews, I think that is the least useful content for most people. They’d be much better served with a bit more knowledge about wider topics than apps and gear.
## January Reading Recap
### George Lucas
This was a Christmas gift from my amazing wife because she knew I liked Star Wars and had said I’d planned to read more biographies in 2020. We both thought it was an authorized biography upon first glance, but it’s not. This doesn’t detract from it’s value though. I enjoyed reading about what makes Lucas tick and didn’t find the book to be overly long.
What most impressed me about Lucas was his drive, and the risks he took, to have full control over what he developed. When he let “the studios” get involved he was never happy with the result. I liked that because it’s really what I want to be able to do wit my work. I want to explore the topics I find interesting and share them with my readers/viewers. I hope that someday that will earn enough money that I don’t have to worry about other programming work.
[Purchase George Lucas on Amazon](http://www.amazon.com/dp/0316257443/?tag=blogcurtismchale-20)
[Purchase George Lucas on Book Depository](https://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=5478&awinaffid=674023&clickref=&p=%5B%5Bhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.bookdepository.com%252FGeorge-Lucas-Brian-Jay-Jones%252F9781472224316%5D%5D)
### Acid for the Children
Early in this memoir by Flea from the Red Hot Chilli Peppers two quotes stood out to me.
> The greatest fault of humankind belongs to those who think their view of what’s real is the only truth. #5
> A father should be a sanctuary for a child. When Dad was nurturing and supportive, I felt whole, but when his eyes turned icy cold, and his face beet red, when rage came out…I lost touch with my own beauty. I walked through my days slowed by a tension in my heart that only he could soothe. #24
After that, I was constantly surprised/baffled that he made it through his childhood unscathed. From passing around dirty needles as a teen, to spending time in bed with little on with men he didn’t know…he’s just one lucky guy.
And seriously, I don’t go for the overparenting thing, but where on earth were his parents in most of this? Who lets their grade school kid have a sleep over at a grown man’s house that they don’t even know?
I don’t think I’ll read this again, so I’ll likely take it to the local used book store for credit though a friend has said they’d like to read it first.
[Purchase Acid for the Children on Amazon](http://www.amazon.com/dp/1455530530/?tag=blogcurtismchale-20)
[Purchase Acid for the Children on Book Depository](https://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=5478&awinaffid=674023&clickref=&p=%5B%5Bhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.bookdepository.com%252FACID-FOR-CHILDREN-Flea%252F9781472245342%5D%5D)
### Scarcity
If you’ve ever wondered what the effects of scarcity are, this is the book for you. From time to money, Scarcity looks at what happens when we don’t have as much as we think we need.
The full review comes out Friday
[Purchase Scarcity on Amazon](http://www.amazon.com/dp/0805092641/?tag=blogcurtismchale-20)
[Purchase Scarcity on Book Depository](https://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=5478&awinaffid=674023&clickref=&p=%5B%5Bhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.bookdepository.com%252FScarcity-Sendhil-Mullainathan%252F9781250056115%5D%5D)
### Alvin Journeyman
This is the first time I’ve read the book. I’ve owned it in audio formate for years, and listened many times to the entire series, but never absorbed light rays bounce off pages into my eyes. Consuming it while holding it was an entirely pleasurable experience. Now to be patient and get my hands on a full set of matching books for the series. I already know the [first one is likely to cost me over $60 in hard cover](http://www.amazon.com/dp/0812533054/?tag=blogcurtismchale-20).
[Purchase Alvin Journeyman on Amazon](http://www.amazon.com/dp/0312850530/?tag=blogcurtismchale-20)
### High School by Sara and Tegan Quinn
The first realization I had with this book was that we would have been in the same grade, though we lived on different sides of the country. That means much of the influences we would have had would be the same. The popular music was the same, the clothing was the same. I even pulled out my year book as I looked at their pictures and they could have been in my year book easily.
Overall, the book was decent. Not riveting, but not bad either. I liked it more than Acid for the Children, but I don’t have a specific reason why.
One thing I found most interesting was the exploration of sexuality that Sara, Tegan, and their friends did. I find this interesting because at my school in my friend groups this wouldn’t have been an okay thing to do. There with their friends they said that it wasn’t such a big deal.
One thing I hope I never have to deal with is the fights these sisters had with doors slamming and such. I hope that my girls don’t do this, but we shall see. I could certainly relate to their father sending them back to their mom’s house. I just want some peace and quite, not interested in abdicating parenting, but some peace to read is nice.
[Purchase High School on Amazon](http://www.amazon.com/dp/0374169942/?tag=blogcurtismchale-20)
[Purchase High School on Book Depository](https://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=5478&awinaffid=674023&clickref=&p=%5B%5Bhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.bookdepository.com%252FHigh-School-Tegan-Quin%252F9780349011974%5D%5D)
### iGen
This has come across my radar a bunch of times. It’s a book about iGen, or people born from around 2001 – 2014. The author calls it iGen, but says that it’s just her term and no official term has become popular. I haven’t heard one either, so I guess iGen is it.
Ultimately it takes a bunch of surveys and looks at how the beliefs of iGen has changed so rapidly compared to previous generations.
If there is one take away from the book, delay getting your kids a phone as long as possible. Make sure you get them out of the house without supervision meeting their friends in person. Help them build some resilience so that when tough things come along, they’ll be able to deal with it. Watch for a future full review of this book.
Full review coming
[Purchase iGen on Amazon](http://www.amazon.com/dp/1501152017/?tag=blogcurtismchale-20)
[Purchase iGen on Book Depository](https://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=5478&awinaffid=674023&clickref=&p=%5B%5Bhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.bookdepository.com%252FiGen-Jean-M-Twenge%252F9781501152016%5D%5D)
## The Zig-Zag Girl
Decent mystery novel, decent enough that I’ll take a look around for the second instalment in the “Magic Men” mystery. It’s not a must read, though so don’t go in expecting the next series you’re going to be waiting for.
[Purchase The Zig-Zag Girl on Amazon](http://www.amazon.com/dp/0544527941/?tag=blogcurtismchale-20)
[Purchase The Zig-Zag Girl on Book Depository](https://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=5478&awinaffid=674023&clickref=&p=%5B%5Bhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.bookdepository.com%252FZig-Zag-Girl-Elly-Griffiths%252F9781784291969%5D%5D)
## Talking to Strangers
This is Malcom Gladwell’s most recent work which looks at why we are so bad at reading the intentions of strangers. Not just you and me, but even trained officers and interrogators are nothing short of terrible. I didn’t find much revolutionary in it, and the only take away to improve your read on strangers is to stop drinking a lot when interacting with them, which is hardly revolutionary.
Full review will be published in the next week or two
[Purchase Talking to Strangers on Amazon](http://www.amazon.com/dp/0316478520/?tag=blogcurtismchale-20)
[Purchase Talking to Strangers on Book Depository](https://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=5478&awinaffid=674023&clickref=&p=%5B%5Bhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.bookdepository.com%252FTalking-Strangers-Malcolm-Gladwell%252F9780241351567%5D%5D)
## Haul
– Words Have a Past: [Amazon](http://www.amazon.com/dp/1487501617/?tag=blogcurtismchale-20), [Book Depository](https://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=5478&awinaffid=674023&clickref=&p=%5B%5Bhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.bookdepository.com%252FWords-Have-Past-Jane-Griffith%252F9781487521554%5D%5D)
– Library Book: [Amazon](http://www.amazon.com/dp/1476740186/?tag=blogcurtismchale-20), [Book Depository](https://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=5478&awinaffid=674023&clickref=&p=%5B%5Bhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.bookdepository.com%252FLibrary-Book-Susan-Orlean%252F9781782392286%5D%5D)
– Why I’m No Longer Talking To White People about Race: [Amazon](http://www.amazon.com/dp/140887055X/?tag=blogcurtismchale-20), [Book Depository](https://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=5478&awinaffid=674023&clickref=&p=%5B%5Bhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.bookdepository.com%252FWhy-Im-No-Longer-Talking-White-People-About-Race-Reni-Eddo-Lodge%252F9781408870587%5D%5D)
– The God Delusion: [Amazon](http://www.amazon.com/dp/0618680004/?tag=blogcurtismchale-20), [Book Depository](https://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=5478&awinaffid=674023&clickref=&p=%5B%5Bhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.bookdepository.com%252FGod-Delusion-Richard-Dawkins%252F9781784161927%5D%5D)
– The Great Pretender: [Amazon](http://www.amazon.com/dp/1538715287/?tag=blogcurtismchale-20), [Book Depository](https://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=5478&awinaffid=674023&clickref=&p=%5B%5Bhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.bookdepository.com%252FGreat-Pretender-Susannah-Cahalan%252F9781838851415%5D%5D)
– The Seven Deadly Sins and Cardinal Virtues of Science Fiction: [Amazon](http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0011NMO5E/?tag=blogcurtismchale-20)
– Play Nice in Your Sandbox at Home: [Amazon](http://www.amazon.com/dp/0998064424/?tag=blogcurtismchale-20), [Book Depository](https://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=5478&awinaffid=674023&clickref=&p=%5B%5Bhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.bookdepository.com%252FPLAY-NICE-Your-Sandbox-at-Home-Bill-Farrel%252F9780998064420%5D%5D)
– Homecoming Earth: [Amazon](http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003054XV4/?tag=blogcurtismchale-20), [Book Depository](https://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=5478&awinaffid=674023&clickref=&p=%5B%5Bhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.bookdepository.com%252Fsearch%253FsearchTerm%253DHomecoming%252Bearth%2526search%253DFind%252Bbook%5D%5D)
– The Second Mountain: [Amazon](http://www.amazon.com/dp/0812993268/?tag=blogcurtismchale-20), [Book Depository](https://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=5478&awinaffid=674023&clickref=&p=%5B%5Bhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.bookdepository.com%252FSecond-Mountain-David-Brooks%252F9780241400630%5D%5D)
– River Queen: [Amazon](http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01F9QJJEM/?tag=blogcurtismchale-20), [Book Depository](https://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=5478&awinaffid=674023&clickref=&p=%5B%5Bhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.bookdepository.com%252FRiver-Queen-Paul-E-Levy%252F9781550173697%5D%5D)
– Nation Maker: [Amazon](http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004KPM1DU/?tag=blogcurtismchale-20), [Book Depository](https://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=5478&awinaffid=674023&clickref=&p=%5B%5Bhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.bookdepository.com%252FNation-Maker-Richard-Gwyn%252F9780307356451%5D%5D)
## TBR for February
– Words Have a Past
– Library Book
– Play Nice in Your Sandbox at Home
– Free Range Kids: [Amazon](http://www.amazon.com/dp/0470471948/?tag=blogcurtismchale-20), [Book Depository](https://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=5478&awinaffid=674023&clickref=&p=%5B%5Bhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.bookdepository.com%252FFree-Range-Kids-Lenore-Skenazy%252F9780470574751%5D%5D)
– God Delusion
– Mere Christianity: [Amazon](http://www.amazon.com/dp/0060652888/?tag=blogcurtismchale-20), [Book Depository](https://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=5478&awinaffid=674023&clickref=&p=%5B%5Bhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.bookdepository.com%252FMere-Christianity-C-S-Lewis%252F9780007461219%5D%5D