Neon Nites

Healthcare in the United States is a nightmare of profiteering and there's nothing 'political' about this statement; it’s a fact. The more I learn about healthcare in this country the more egregious the media's apathy toward, literally, the lives of Americans, while sensationalizing low-hanging nonsense in mass circulation -- for example: New York Mag’s op-ed drowning in sour grapes about rich, white girls in the West Village ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I rated 3.5 stars instead of 4 due to the last chapter's vague and underwhelming recommendations on what individuals can do to advocate for healthcare that actually cares about a patient’s health. The tips for individual conversations with one's medical provider and insurance are helpful -- however, I think when someone, such as this author, a physician and former journalist, has the professional expertise, industry know-how and a major publisher-backed book deal to put it all on blast, the book is only complete once its been made equally clear how readers can also engage to change unscrupulous policies emboldening the many problems she very clearly and competently laid out in detail.

A tidy little book; essentially a collection of small, 2-pagers for each flower, much of it about when first "discovered" by W. European explorers or missionaries, and introduced to W. Europe. I was hoping for something that maybe incorporated a bit more of a plant's etymology by way of folklore -- nevertheless, a nice appetizer for someone who likes history, plants, and historical fun facts about plants. Also, bibliography section is excellent.

I don't typically leap to leave poor reviews, but in this case, I believe this is a Public Service Announcement: the French bits in the audio version are astonishingly substandard. The author cites for the book archival, primary sources written in French yet for some bizarre reason, the media company responsible for the audio format decided a narrator without even a passable ability for French pronunciation was suitable.

A well researched and widely reviewed accounting of the French Revolution, one of, if not the defining dethronment (arguably, gone awry) to embody the Enlightenment's influence across Western Europe. A topic of such historic magnitude deserves better than shoddy French, imo.

While I cannot recommend this audio edition, it isn't a reflection of the book -- I do still intend to read it.

Recommend this book for anyone who feels any type of way about having a financial plan -- be it curious, intimidated, discouraged, enthusiastic, or anywhere in between.

If at the initial stage of creating a budget, it may mean reading only Chapter 1 for how to start, where you are, with what you have. Template and sample worksheet included.

For those a little further along who've stuck with a budget for a while and feel solid underfoot, this book does a commendable job demystifying the basics of investing -- there's no anecdotal fluff, no fear-mongering, no gimmicky, zero-to-financial-hero in 30 days, and it definitely does not advocate anyone stoically suffer decades of joyless, deprivation for the sake of 'Some Day'. In other words, this book doesn't attempt to push any emotional triggers. If anything, it's accessible language and layout from one chapter to the next is careful to point out the benefits when financial decision-making isn't led by emotional highs and lows.

For those already investing, this book works as a friendly reminder that there's no One-Size-Fits-All portfolio, and provides an opportunity to reassess whether where you started still works for where you are now

TLDR for those "jumping into the stock market": easy to follow, sensibly written, introduces clearly foundational components and concepts, informs the reader enough to know where and how to learn more on their own. Worth the read.