Valentino Rossi is one of those stars that rose very quickly through the ranks of the motorcycle world. Many people know of him or have heard of him if they have any interest in motorcycles what so ever, and I am also a fan of this amazing rider including a few other amazing riders such as Noriega Haga, Colin Edwards, Nicky Hayden, Casey Stoner, and Biaggi. I have a lot of respect for these professional riders because they are perfecting their riding techniques in extreme conditions with very little room for error which also helps develop our consumer motorcycles. I picked this book up back in 2006 and I didn’t get around to reading it until a couple of months ago because I realized that information in an autobiography gets old quickly and I might get annoyed unlike other fictional stories. So I decided it was next up on my list and I was happy I read that book, gave me an incite into the mind of one of the greatest riders of this century. Valentino Rossi may come off as a bit egotistical but he has the track record to back it up, and I do enjoy his sense of humor and his tenacity to come back and win at the last minute. This book gives you an idea of what these riders go through, they have been riding their whole lives with so much at stake and they are all extremely passionate about it. There are a few boring parts in the book and it doesn’t seem like a complete thought but it is entertaining and I did learn something new, it wasn’t the riveting read I was expecting but still worth reading, if you are a follower of MotoGP then this book is a must read other then that I don’t think others would understand it, one thing is for sure Valentino is a typical Italian.
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I remember picking up this book in 2007 in Waterstones in London and I didn’t start reading it until 2008. It took me just under a year to finish this book, this was the book that I read when ever I was flying, kept it in my travel messenger bag. John Perkins is an excellent story teller, getting the concept of the Economic Hit Man across, or EHM. Putting into perspective the tools used by the US government to control assets across the globe, those tools were EHMs and if that didn’t work then the Jackals would go and the last resort would be military action. You are taken through an amazing story of a man who has been at the all the places which were the certain of change during its time for the past half century. Also a man who was confessing to all his actions and deeds which have altered the course of countries and the lives of people. A great read which I think any person would enjoy.
Link: Amazon
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Everyonce in a while I pile up a few books in my Amazon cart, and I wait until they are a few before I purcahse them. And this time around its an interesting bunch, not as much literally as much as they reference books and something I would look into and use every once in while.
An interesting bunch
- The Art of Terminator Salvation
- Sketchbook: Conceptual Drawings from the World’s Most Influential Designers
- Enemies & Allies: A Novel
Some reference books that I want to keep, if you can’t find it online its good to have the book for it:
- Satellite Technology: Principles and Applications
- Introduction to Satellite Communication (Artech House Space Applications)
- The Satellite Communication Ground Segment and Earth Station Handbook
- VSAT Networks
Every once in a while I go through this reading binge where I just can’t stop reading, and I honestly have more books then I can keep up with. Or lets put it another way, I tend to find a lot of interesting books so I buy them at pace which is faster then I can finish them. Having too many choices with books leaves me stumped, I know some books are going to be great because I read the authors previous book so I want to save it for later and I try another one. Some turn out to be great and some are sometimes disappointing, I’m annoyed when I’m reading a bad book, it just feels like I wasted all that time reading a mediocre book when I could have read one which I know is going to be entertaining. I’m reading some good books but after this bunch I’m going to jump into some fantasy books, I need a new bout of imagination to get me going again.
I usually read through the inside jacket of a book or the back so I can get an idea of book, and even if I like them I just make a note of it because I do have too many books piled up. I couldn’t resist the urge to pick up a couple of books while walking around Kinokuniya Bookstore. We spent a lof of time there and I read some of the boosk, and some I was thinking about for a while now. And now I have a larger pile of unread books and a small pile of read books. There is never enough space to organize the books, I always tend to somehow fit somewhere.
Books
- The Rosetta Key
- Child 44
- The 47th Samurai
- The Wolf Of Wall Street
- The Toyota Leaders
- Good to Great
- The Art of Halo 3
I kept hearing rumors about this bookstores, whispers from different people about its size. I went to Dubai Mall for the main purpose of visiting this bookstore, and after walking around for about 15 minutes and making a quick stop at the aquarium, we found it on the second floor towards the back end.
Kinokuniya is about the biggest bookstore I have ever seen, there is no end to this bookstore. If you have any inclination towards books then you MUST visit this bookstore. They also have the most organized magazine section I have ever seen in my life, and a very large selection of magazines, very easily navigated, you can find what your looking for since they are organized by interest.
Now for the different sections, as many know Kinkuniya is a Japanese chain which has locations in different locations in the world. The best part is since they are from a Japanese company they have a large manga section which I spent over an hour there, and then there were some statues/models which are on sale and some had reasonable prices, but the Ironman model that I was looking at was over 150 KD so I wasn’t to keen about the price, but the display is just amazing for all the different models.
I am a man of very different tastes for books, I like all kinds but not all kinds of books. I like Crime Thriller, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Magic, Biographies, Comic Relief, Economic, Business, and a few others. Basically what ever grabs my interest while I’m reading at the bookstore. Some books just seem so dull, and some are amazing. When I walked into the bookstore I couldn’t help but walk out with so many different books. All the different sections of books were ample in size and very easy to navigate, I bought some books that I have seen before but didn’t bother reading. There aren’t any couches that I remember but I just read in the sections. So many books, so many choices, we literally spent over three hours there before we started feeling hungry and that wasn’t enough.
Then there was the security who were hounding me, I was literally running around the place dodging these guys and taking pictures. Since I’m a paying customer I’m going to take some damn pictures. What is it about these places that they wouldn’t want you taking pictures, I don’t understand the mentality behind it, but it never really has stopped me. I just put the camera down and start taking pictures at odd angles with the camera. All I can say is that every person should visit this bookstore, I know that I will be going as much as possible when I will be in Dubai.
A wild imagination is needed for this book, it draws all the images of history together tying it together to Nathanial’s present predicament. The third book of Bartimaeus Trilogy, it is amazing climax to the end of the trilogy. Each book of this trilogy has amazing characters, a colorful and historical storyline, pulling together so many interesting magical characters throughout history and giving you a different view of them and their characters. The last of the trilogy keeps the adventure and mystery going while answering so many questions that have developed since starting this trilogy years ago. It took me a long time to finish this trilogy, I think its because I didn’t want to finish it since I enjoyed it so much. I wouldn’t want to ruin the book or the trilogy for anyone, but if you like fantasy then you will love this book, the ending left me wanting more but still satisfied. Its difficult to find books as good as these. Â
Link: Amazon
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Every once in a while I just save up all the random things I want in my shopping cart and decided to purchase them. Some were books, some were electronics, I have been waiting for the Sonos Controller Cradle for a while now but I just didn’t get around to it. The Flip MinoHD Camera is quiet simple and easy to use for what I have in mind, I want to record some videos while riding bikes and cars and tweak the videos. And I got a stand for my iPod Touch, honestly the stand just looked really cool.
- Ocean: An Illustrated Atlas (National Geographic Atlas)
- Sonos CC100 Charging Cradle for Sonos CR100 Controller
- Wolverine: Violent Tendencies
- Wolverine: The Nature of the Beast
- Wolverine: Election Day
- Fantastic Four: Doomgate
- Leatherman 934870 40 Bit Assortment with Nylon Sheath
- Flip Video MinoHD Camcorder, 60 Minutes (Black)
- Just Mobile iPod Touch 1G & 2G Xtand Deluxe
- Adhesive Magnet Tape
I have had a few books to look forward to the past couple of months since I got the books of authors that I enjoyed. I tend to have a pattern, if I like a book from an author I buy some of their other books which usually I seem to enjoy.
Confessions of an Economic Hitman – John Perkins
I have been hearing a lot of good buzz around this book, and just from reading the first few chapters it seems justified. A man who works unofficially in the background to make sure that American interests are maintained in all countries through all means possible. The book draws you in since it starts in chronological order, and I’m curious to what they have been up to in different countries.Â
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The Golem’s Eye – Johnathan Stroud (The Bartimaeus Trilogy)Â
Following the Amulet of Samarkand I wanted to see what Nathanial was up to. I bought this book I think almost two years ago now and didn’t pick up until recently when I was rummaging in the cube space next to my camera lenses. I was happy that I picked it up, there is so much imagination and wit in the characters that I can’t seem to get enough of it. Its a trilogy and I have to say I’m happy that I have the third book waiting until I finish this one.
The comic story turned into a novel with the most enticing story, multiple plots running parallel with superheroes trying to find their way again after the last catastrophe. Superman, Wonder Woman, and Batman are no where to be found and the Justice League is only a semblance of what it once was. There are still many heroes left but can they hold out on their own. Something is brewing between Gotham, Metropolis, and the other cities while people are left picking up the pieces. You get drawn into multiple stories slowly building up, the look, feel, and familiarity of the comic characters is brilliant. It feels like I know all of them and their habits, and the build up just keeps getting better. As things progress you get hints of what 52 is, and ideas start patching together, but I won’t spoil the story. The best part is the amazing satisfaction from this book, and you get some completed stories but you are still left wanting more. I haven’t finished a book so quick such as this and at the same time hated finishing it. An amazing novel which any comic lover would adore, and keeps you turning the pages.
Link: Amazon
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