Reading Failing… Need to Regroup

I am failing at reading… at least stuff that aren’t my textbooks at the moment.  I have seven textbooks for four classes and probably between 30-50 “articles” to read on top of all of that.  Soooo… I have to return Console Wars to the library.  They only let you renew it so many times, and since it’s a brand new book, I can’t renew it again.  I’ll have to purchase a copy of it in order to be able to finish reading it and write the review!  So glad I took notes of the reading I did do!!

I was thinking of starting a new book I picked up, in honor of the 150th anniversary of Alice in Wonderland: Alice in Zombieland… It’s a YA book, so I imagine that it shouldn’t take me as long to read and not being the size of my head, it’ll be easier to carry and read on the bus…

What do you think?

Quick Update: 1/10/15

I haven’t forgotten to finish reading Console Wars, I promise. School just started and I’m taking three 300 level psych classes and one 400 level communication class. Seven textbooks for the four classes. Lots of reading is happening, just not the book I actually want to be reading. In fact, it’s overdue from the library!

I have been taking notes of thoughts and ideas as I’ve been reading Console Wars, so I don’t forget what I want to talk about in the review. One thing I noticed off the bat , and wanted to make mention, was that there are no in-text citations. This threw me for a moment until I reminded myself that it is a narrative non-fiction. Being an INTJ, couldn’t help but take a peek and see if there was an index of source information at the back of the book…

The book, while having been a long read so far, has been very informational. And I’m only 43 percent of the way through! I will brag that I can normally read fast but am finding that not to be so true with Console Wars. Even though it is narrative, it can still have a textbook feel to it from time to time. Not a bad thing, as it is non-fiction!

As I do read, I really wonder how much of the dialog are actual quotes and how much Mr. Harris gave flourish. I really can’t wait to be able to finish the story… Even though I know who wins the Console Wars ;P

Half-way through and I am enjoying it.

Reading is Better with Cats #3

Reading is Better with Cats #2

Console Wars

by Blake J. Harris
Non-fiction; History

“Following the success of The Accidental Billionaires and Moneyball comes Console Wars–a mesmerizing, behind-the-scenes business thriller that chronicles how Sega, a small, scrappy gaming company led by an unlikely visionary and a team of rebels, took on the juggernaut Nintendo and revolutionized the video game industry.

“In 1990, Nintendo had a virtual monopoly on the video game industry. Sega, on the other hand, was just a faltering arcade company with big aspirations and even bigger personalities. But that would all change with the arrival of Tom Kalinske, a man who knew nothing about videogames and everything about fighting uphill battles. His unconventional tactics, combined with the blood, sweat and bold ideas of his renegade employees, transformed Sega and eventually led to a ruthless David-and-Goliath showdown with rival Nintendo.

“The battle was vicious, relentless, and highly profitable, eventually sparking a global corporate war that would be fought on several fronts: from living rooms and schoolyards to boardrooms and Congress. It was a once-in-a-lifetime, no-holds-barred conflict that pitted brother against brother, kid against adult, Sonic against Mario, and the US against Japan.

“Based on over two hundred interviews with former Sega and Nintendo employees, Console Wars is the underdog tale of how Kalinske miraculously turned an industry punchline into a market leader. It’s the story of how a humble family man, with an extraordinary imagination and a gift for turning problems into competitive advantages, inspired a team of underdogs to slay a giant and, as a result, birth a $60 billion dollar industry.” — Goodreads

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I follow the Fluxtaposed podcast and they recommended I read this book.  (They had previously told me to read Ready Player One, and I did and it was amazing, so I trust their judgement when it comes to books I will like…) So I went directly to my local library and put a request in for it.  I’d be told that I should have it in my hands by October.  Instead it happened yesterday, December 16th.  Via Twitter, the author has even requested that I let him know what I think of it…. Woohoo!  I’m so excited to finally be able to read this.

4/24/2015: Just a quick update, I have purchased this book and will begin reading it again soon! I don’t know when exactly, but before the end of summer for sure.