In The Mail

May 3 2011

In the Mail: Boombustology

Boombustology: Spotting Financial Bubbles Before They Burst

Synopsis

THE WORLD IS in the midst of an accelerating sequence of booms and busts, and despite these developments, no organized multidisciplinary framework exists for thinking about them.

With the increased complexity and volatility surrounding financial bubbles, we need a more effective way to spot, and understand, these events. Based on his popular seminar at Yale University, Boombustology presents Vikram Mansharamani’s multi-lens framework fore valuating the extremely elaborate social phenomenon of financial market booms and busts.

Unlike other finance books—which discuss making day-to-day investment decisions or the optimal strategy for a particular market—Boombustology will help you identify the “needle-moving” extremes that have the potential to render many traditional investment approaches useless.

 

By Kevin Holtsberry • In The Mail • 0 • Tags: , , ,

Apr 30 2011

In the Mail: Divinity of Doubt

Divinity of Doubt: The God Question

Library Journal

Distinguished attorney and true crime author Bugliosi (Helter Skelter; Outrage: The Five Reasons Why O.J. Simpson Got Away with Murder) here takes on the subject of God’s existence, making the case for agnosticism. Anyone expecting a gentle and centrist approach may be surprised by the ruthlessness of Bugliosi’s scathing attack on both theism and atheism (although he focuses most of his attention on Christianity). Although the book makes quite a number of arguments (e.g., since death is so awful, how can a kind God exist?), they are unfortunately muted by a frequently superficial and sometimes inaccurate understanding of his opponents’ views on matters from natural selection to resurrection, all of which significantly dilutes the potency of what could have been a stronger book if better researched. Given the author’s background as a seasoned and renowned prosecutor, this major shortcoming is surprising. VERDICT Considering that this book is a systematic attack on the belief or unbelief systems of so many, his readership is unclear. One can only hope for a revised edition that unearths any gems latent within this flawed manuscript.

 

By Kevin Holtsberry • In The Mail • 0 • Tags: , , ,

Apr 28 2011

In the Mail: Into My Father’s Wake

Into My Father’s Wake by Erick Best

“Into My Father’s Wake” records the 5000-mile solo sail of journalist Eric Best as he struggles to come to terms with a recent divorce, solitude at sea and the impact of his powerful father in his life.

This personal adventure is a beautifully written and often poetic journey of a man sailing a 40-foot-ketch from San Francisco to Hawaii and back for the first time, testing his competence as a small-boat sailor and his tolerance for fear and physical exhaustion while issues in his life continue to dog him.

While Mr. Best’s realistic account of solo navigation should appeal to sailors everywhere – particularly those contemplating such an adventure at sea – his accompanying story of self-discovery will lend valuable insight to anyone trying to understand family origins and the influence of powerful individuals in our lives.

 

By Kevin Holtsberry • In The Mail • 0 • Tags: , , ,

Apr 22 2011

In the Mail: The Body in the Gazebo

The Body in the Gazebo: A Faith Fairchild Mystery

From Publishers Weekly

Two puzzles tax Faith Fairchild in Agatha-winner Page’s genial 19th mystery featuring the Aleford, Mass., caterer and amateur sleuth (after 2009′s The Body in the Sleigh). When an audit finds more than ,000 missing from the minister’s discretionary fund at Aleford’s First Parish Church, suspicion falls on Faith’s husband, the Rev. Thomas Fairchild, the only person with access to the account. To complicate matters, Ursula Rowe, Faith’s friend Pix Miller’s elderly and ailing mother, asks Faith’s help in dealing with the disquieting letters she’s recently received. Secrets, the kind that fester and can make even strong people ill, reach back to the 1920s. Faith juggles her many roles of wife, mother, businesswoman, and confidant with steadfast assurance as she looks into the missing church funds and provides relief for Ursula. Series fans will relish the descriptions of tempting culinary offerings. Recipes round out the volume.

By Kevin Holtsberry • In The Mail • 0 • Tags: , ,

Apr 20 2011

In the Mail: The Map of True Places

The Map of True Places: A Novel by Brunonia Barry

From Booklist

Psychotherapist Zee Finch is dealt a blow when one of her patients, a troubled bipolar housewife named Lilly, leaps off a bridge to her death. The tragedy brings up memories of Zee’s own mother’s suicide, prompting her to go see her father, Finch, in Salem. She is startled to find Finch’s Parkinson’s disease is much more advanced than she’d been led to believe, and that he has kicked his partner, Melville, out of the house. Zee decides to take a leave of absence from her practice to care for Finch, a move that puts a strain on her engagement to Michael, one of her mentor’s closest friends. As her relationship with Michael comes to an end, Zee tries to puzzle out what caused Finch to abruptly break up with his beloved Melville. She also tries to make sense of Lilly’s death, unaware that the dangerous man Lilly was involved with now wants to exact revenge on her. Like her hit debut, The Lace Reader (2008), Barry’s second novel features an involving, intricately woven story and vivid descriptions of historic Salem.

By Kevin Holtsberry • In The Mail • 0 • Tags: ,

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 »