[Book Review] How to Win Friends and Influence Fungi: Collected Quirks of Science, Tech, Engineering, and Math from Nerd Nite - Chris Balakrishnan & Matt Wasowski

Title: How to Win Friends and Influence Fungi: Collected Quirks of Science, Tech, Engineering, and Math from Nerd Nite

Writer: Chris Balakrishnan, Matt Wasowski

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Format: eBook, 320 pages

Publishing date: February 20, 2024

Language: English

Genre: Nonfiction, Science, Humor, Essays
Source: Libby 

Read on May, 25th 2024

My rating: 4 of 5
Buy a digital copy at Amazon (INT)

The co-founders of the global science organization Nerd Nite bring readers a collection of wacky, yet fascinating STEM topics.

For twenty years Nerd Nite has delivered to live audiences around the world the most interesting, fun, and informative presentations about science, history, the arts, pop culture, you name it. There hasn’t been a rabbit hole that their army of presenters hasn’t been afraid to explore. Finally, after countless requests to bring Nerd Nite to more fans across the globe, co-founders and college pals Matt Wasowski and Chris Balakrishnan offer readers the quirky and accessible science content they crave in book form. Focused on STEM and paired with detailed illustrations that make the content pop, the topics are quirky and vast, from kinky, spring-loaded spiders to the Webb telescope’s influence on movie special effects.

How to Win Friends and Influence Fungi features narratives, bursts, and infographics on all things STEM from scientists around the world. Chapters are sure to make you laugh-out-loud, with titles such as "The Science of the Hangover," "What Birds Can Teach Us About the Impending Zombie Apocalypse," and "Lessons from the Oregon Trail."

Even with a towering TBR pile, one day, I suddenly felt like finding some new non-fiction books about science. So, I started reading Goodreads articles about book recommendations, and this one popped up on the list. A strange title trying to mimic Dale Carnegie's book, an unfamiliar author, and a blurb I didn’t really understand. What even is this Nerd Nite? Let’s be honest, at first glance, what a weird title! And who on earth is Nerd Nite?! But I decided to give it a shot anyway, hahaha.

[Book Review] Night of January 16th - Ayn Rand

Title: Night of January 16th

Writer: Ayn Rand

Publisher: Signet

Format: Mass Market Paperback, 121 pages

Publishing date: 2nd, January 1971

Language: English

Genre: Plays, Fiction, Philosophy, Drama, Classics
Source: Gift from a dear friend

Read on June, 19th 2022

My rating: 5 of 5

Buy a hard copy at Periplus (ID) or a digital copy at Amazon (INT)

On one level, Night of January 16th is a totally gripping drama about the rise and destruction of a brilliant and ruthless man. On a deeper level, it is a superb dramatic objectification of Ayn Rand's vision of human strength and weakness. Since its original Broadway success, it has achieved vast worldwide popularity and acclaim.

"Who is on trial in this case? Karen Andre? No! It's you, ladies and gentlemen of the jury, who are here on trial. It is your own souls that will be brought to light when your decision is rendered.”

Last year I got Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand as a gift, I always know that this friend is a big fan of Ayn Rand, and on one fine day while this dear friend tried to rearrange collection of books, I saw the book and was surprised with the title and the author. The author is Ayn Rand, a philosopher who was famous for Objectivism, hence the title of her book is very dramatic, what makes me surprised that the night of

[Book Review] Dear Evan Hansen - Val Emmich, Steven Levenson, Benj Pasek, Justin Paul

Title : Dear Evan Hansen

Writer : Val Emmich, Steven Levenson, Benj Pasek, Justin Paul

Publisher : Poppy

Format : eReader, 368 pages

Publishing date : 9th, Oct 2018

Language : English

Genre : YA, Contemporary, 

Source : kobo store

Read on August, 10th 2020

My rating :  3.5 of 5

From the show's creators comes the groundbreaking novel inspired by the Broadway smash hit Dear Evan Hansen.

Dear Evan Hansen,

Today's going to be an amazing day and here's why...

When a letter that was never meant to be seen by anyone draws high school senior Evan Hansen into a family's grief over the loss of their son, he is given the chance of a lifetime: to belong. He just has to stick to a lie he never meant to tell, that the notoriously troubled Connor Murphy was his secret best friend.

Suddenly, Evan isn't invisible anymore--even to the girl of his dreams. And Connor Murphy's parents, with their beautiful home on the other side of town, have taken him in like he was their own, desperate to know more about their enigmatic son from his closest friend. As Evan gets pulled deeper into their swirl of anger, regret, and confusion, he knows that what he's doing can't be right, but if he's helping people, how wrong can it be?

No longer tangled in his once-incapacitating anxiety, this new Evan has a purpose. And a website. He's confident. He's a viral phenomenon. Every day is amazing. Until everything is in danger of unraveling and he comes face to face with his greatest obstacle: himself.

A simple lie leads to complicated truths in this big-hearted coming-of-age story of grief, authenticity and the struggle to belong in an age of instant connectivity and profound isolation.

“I wish that everything was different. I wish that I was a part of something. I wish that anything I said mattered, to anyone. I mean, let's face it: would anybody even notice if I disappeared tomorrow?”

Evan Hansen hanya seorang murid SMA biasa, tanpa teman, tanpa gebetan, tanpa afiliasi dengan klub manapun, jika tidak terlalu jauh, dia pun tidak terlalu memahami dirinya sendiri, dan malangnya dia punya kewajiban untuk bertemu terapis untuk mengatasi masalahnya ini.

[Book Review] Think Like a Freak - Steven D. L & Stephen J. D

Title : Think Like a Freak

Writer : Steven D. Levit & Stephen J. Dubner

Publisher : Noura

Format : Paperback, 253 pages

Publishing date : January 2016

Language : Bahasa Indonesia

Genre : Non Fiction, Social Science, Economic
Source : a gift from giver (theladybooks.com)

Read on March, 27th 2016

My rating :  4 of 5

Buy a hard copy at Mizanstore (ID)

• Apa rahasia juara dunia lomba makan hot dog asal Jepang yang makan 50 hot dog dalam 12 menit?
• Apa alasan seorang dokter asal Australia rela menelan setumpuk bakteri berbahaya?
• Bagaimana bisa calon teroris terdeteksi melalui rekening bank di Inggris?
• Mengapa penipu melalui e-mail sering menyatakan diri berasal dari Nigeria?
• Mengapa orang dewasa justru mudah ditipu daripada anak-anak?

Buku ini memaparkan pemikiran yang tidak biasa, aneh, dan jarang terpikir oleh orang kebanyakan. Disertai contoh-contoh menarik, cerita yang memikat, dan analisis yang tidak lazim, kedua penulis mendorong kita agar mampu berpikir jauh lebih rasional, lebih kreatif, dan lebih produktif. 

Cara baru yang revolusioner ini telah terbukti menyelesaikan berbagai masalah, baik masalah kecil ataupun global. Anda pun bisa mempraktikkannya di berbagai bidang, mulai dari bisnis, olahraga, hingga politik.

"Memahami insentif semua pelaku dalam skenario tertentu merupakan langkah fundamental dalam memecahkan masalah apa pun." pg.115

Jika kamu adalah seorang pemain bola kaki di ajang piala dunia, dan saat ini kamu mempunyai satu kesempatan untuk memenangkan negara mu dengan satu tendangan penalti. Kemanakah arah tendangan mu itu? Pemain sepak bola profesional tentu akan memilih antara dua pilihan, menendang dengan powerfull ke ujung kanan gawang, atau menendang ke ujung kiri gawang. Apakah kamu berpikir seperti itu juga? Hal itu tentu saja masuk akal, dan rencanamu cukup mainstream.

MARKITUKA JABODETABEK 2.0

Setelah keberhasilan perdana MARKITUKA tahun lalu, maka event tukeran kado buku ini pun berlanjut tahun ini.

Langsung saja, berikut buku wishlist saya :

Raden Mandasia

Bisa beli disini

Sungu Lembu menjalani hidup membawa dendam. Raden Mandasia menjalani hari-hari memikirkan penyelamatan Kerajaan Gilingwesi. Keduanya bertemu di rumah dadu Nyai Manggis di Kelapa. Sungu Lembu mengerti bahwa Raden Mandasia yang memiliki kegemaran ganjil mencuri daging sapi adalah pembuka jalan bagi rencananya. Maka, ia pun menyanggupi ketika raden Mandasia mengajaknya menempuh perjalanan menuju Kerajaan Gerbang Agung.

Berdua, mereka tergulung dalam pengalaman-pengalaman mendebarkan: bertarung melawan lanun di lautan, ikut menyelamatkan pembawa wahyu, bertemu dengan juru masak menyebalkan dan hartawan dengan selera makan yang menakjubkan, singgah di desa penghasil kain celup yang melarang penyebutan warna, berlomba melawan maut di gurun, mengenakan kulit sida-sida, mencari cara menemui Putri Tabassum Sang Permata Gerbang Agung yang konon tak pernah berkaca-cermin-cermin di istananya bakal langsung pecah berkeping-keping karena tak sanggup menahan kecantikannya, dan akhirnya terlibat perang besar yang menghadirkan hujan mayat belasan ribu dari langit.

Meminjam berbagai khazanah cerita dari masa-masa berlainan, Yusi Avianto Pareanom menyuguhkan dongeng kontemporer yang memantik tawa, tangis, dan makian-makian Anda dalam waktu berdekatan–mungkin bersamaan.