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Wrapping things up.

Well, summer is coming to a close. It shouldn't mean a whole lot to me, since I am a working gal. But because I find it necessary to take math classes at Sacramento City College, and because I took the summer off from this endeavor, I am feeling the end of summer keenly.

Back in May, I made a list of things I wanted to read and watch over the summer. Here's my list and how I did on each.

If anyone out there has read or watched these things, I would love to hear your thoughts and opinions on them.

READ:

Astro Turf by M.G. Lord. Done! This is a history of JPL intertwined with a memoir of the author's relationship with her father, who worked there. It was good, but it seemed a bit truncated. Seemed like more could have been done and explored. But maybe it was good to leave it as it is ...

Independent People by Halldor Laxness. Partway done.
I am on page 100 or so.

Cruddy by Lynda Barry. Done!
Yikes, this book is good but not for the faint of heart.

Responsible Men by Edward Schwarzschild. Not read yet.

Wine for Dummies. Not read yet.

Art of Project Management by Scott Berkun. Not read yet.

WATCH:

The Elegant Universe (NOVA 3-part series on string theory). Done! :)
It was pretty good, but I have 2 quibbles: (1) Brian Greene, the host and a physicist at Columbia, is kind of irritating. He seems very self-conscious in his role as a host. (2) The special effects were mostly pretty dumb and did not help a lot in understanding the theory. During the interviews with scientists, there was lots of ridiculous editing and effects like flashes of light and panels moving in the background. Distracting, pointless, and hokey all at once!

Guns, Germs and Steel (Natl Geo 3-part series on why some societies advance(d) so much more quickly than others. Based on the book by Jared Diamond.)
Partway done: Going to watch the last part this week.

Evelyn Wood's Reading Dynamics. I watched this and it was very good. I wish I had learned this stuff when I was 13.

EXTRAS:
Books I read that were not on the original list:

Cashing in On Content by D.M. Scott. Handy, interesting book for those in my line of business.

The World is Flat (audiobook) by Thomas L. Friedman. Very interesting book! I may post more about it separately, later.