Monthly Archives: April 2024

Book Review: The Call Of The Primes

Posted on April 22, 2024 by nathanalbright

The Call Of The Primes: Surprising Patterns, Peculiar Puzzles, And Other Marvels Of Mathematics, by Owen O’Shea This book happens to sit in an unhappy place as far as books about mathematics go. On the one hand, this book is … Continue reading →

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How Should We Think And Feel About The Passover Lamb?

Posted on April 21, 2024 by nathanalbright

[Note: The following is the prepared text for a sermonette given to the Portland, Oregon congregation of the United Church of God on Sabbath, April 20, 2024.] Good afternoon; I hope you are having a happy Sabbath as we approach … Continue reading →

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Book Review: Confession–The Sacrament Of Penance And Reconciliation

Posted on April 21, 2024 by nathanalbright

Confession–The Sacrament Of Penance And Reconciliation, by Chuck Elms [Note: This book was provided free of charge by Reedsy Discovery in exchange for an honest review.] It should be noted and freely admitted at the outset that I come to … Continue reading →

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Book Review: Mathematics Minus Fear

Posted on April 20, 2024 by nathanalbright

Mathematics Minus Fear: How to Make Math Fun And Beneficial To Your Everyday Life, by Lawrence Potter It is well known and well-understood that people tend to struggle mightily with mathematics and that a great many people fear and hate … Continue reading →

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Implausible Deniability

Posted on April 19, 2024 by nathanalbright

From time to time it is important to remember that denial is not only a river that runs through Egypt, but a river that potentially runs through every human heart and mind. Such is the case, it would appear, with … Continue reading →

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Book Review: Wanderers, Kings, Merchants

Posted on April 19, 2024 by nathanalbright

Wanderers, Kings, Merchants: The Story Of India Through Its Languages, by Peggy Mohan This book provides a textbook example of how a book can be almost great. Its subject matter is quite interesting to me and quite relevant to the … Continue reading →

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Book Review: American Colonies

Posted on April 18, 2024 by nathanalbright

American Colonies, by Alan Taylor This book, the first volume in a series called the Penguin history of the United States, in which noted historian Eric Foner (noted for his writings on slavery and Reconstruction in particular) serves as the … Continue reading →

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Book Review: Prisoner Of Tehran

Posted on April 17, 2024 by nathanalbright

Prisoner Of Tehran: A Memoir, by Marina Nemat As a high school student who had been somewhat deeply concerned about the failures of education with regards to textbooks and supplies during the course of my own time in high school, … Continue reading →

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Book Review: All Strangers Are Kin

Posted on April 16, 2024 by nathanalbright

All Strangers Are Kin: Adventures In Arabic And The Arab World, by Zora O’Neill My generally positive review of this book that I give is dependent on my reading of the author’s self-presentation as being deliberately critical. To the extent … Continue reading →

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Book Review: Ages Of Discord

Posted on April 15, 2024 by nathanalbright

Ages Of Discord: A Structural-Demographic Analysis Of American History, by Peter Turchin In reading this book, I was struck by the fact that there are really two types of books by this author, and both of them are great kinds … Continue reading →

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