Tag: Book Review
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Welcome to A World Of Reading!
A world of words to discuss the book you are currently reading, A book you recently completed reading and your next book to read.
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Book Review: The 1898 Wilmington Coup: How White Supremacists Destroyed a Thriving Multiracial Democracy on American Soil
Book Review: The 1898 Wilmington Coup: How White Supremacists Destroyed a Thriving Multiracial Democracy on American Soil David Zucchino Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5) Most Americans never learn that the only successful coup d’état in United States history happened not overseas, but right here at home. It didn’t occur in a moment of national collapse or chaos.…
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Book Review: 1776: The Year the American Revolution Nearly Died — and Was Reborn
Book Review: 1776: The Year the American Revolution Nearly Died — and Was Reborn David McCullough Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5) Most Americans remember 1776 as the year of the Declaration of Independence — soaring words, bold signatures, and the birth of a nation. But David McCullough’s 1776 insists that the true test of revolution was not…
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Newsletter The Week Of 30-March
Being Kevin: Weekly Newsletter from Rio BeingKevin Tech, books, musings, Retirement, and Life in Brazil About Kevin, I spent 40 years in FinTech before retiring to Rio de Janeiro to trade software releases for a front-row seat to the beautiful absurdity of life in Brazil. This blog is my digital porch, a place for unpolished commentary…
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Easter Special – The Revised 10 Commandments. Moses, Pharaoh, and Trump
The Exodus: A Very Tremendous Negotiation Our story takes place in the desert just after Pharaoh’s soldiers dumped Moses into the wasteland. Moses is seen staggering through the dunes, swatting at sand fleas and cursing the heat. It’s humiliating; he doesn’t even have his traditional Brazilian Havaianas, just some cheap, Egyptian-imitation flip-flops that are giving…
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The Sunshine Blogger Award
I would like to thank P. J. Gudka for this award. Please visit her blog here P. J. Gudka Guidelines Here are the guidelines: My Answers: I Nominate: Ellie RJ Gustavo Kent georgi Victoria W.E. Hunt Karen Bob Mahananda Jerly Questions
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Book Review: J. Edgar Hoover: The Man Who Built the FBI — and Bent America Around His Power
Book Review: J. Edgar Hoover: The Man Who Built the FBI — and Bent America Around His Power Beverly Gage Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5) Presidents, generals, and business titans often symbolize American power. Yet for nearly half a century, J. Edgar Hoover, the first FBI director, quietly outlasted them all—shaping modern America from behind the scenes.…
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News Letter Week Of 23-March-2026
Being Kevin: Weekly Newsletter from Rio Tech, books, musings, Retirement, and Life in Brazil About Kevin, I spent 40 years in FinTech before retiring to Rio de Janeiro to trade software releases for a front-row seat to the beautiful absurdity of life in Brazil. This blog is my digital porch, a place for unpolished commentary…
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Book Review: The House of Morgan: How a Family of Bankers Built, Lost, and Rebuilt Global Finance
Book Review: The House of Morgan: How a Family of Bankers Built, Lost, and Rebuilt Global Finance Ron Chernow Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5) Most dynasties rise through bloodlines, thrones, or empires. The Morgans built theirs through capital — and in doing so, they reshaped the modern financial world. The House of Morgan by Ron Chernow tells…
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Book Review: The Warburgs: The Banking Dynasty That Shaped Modern Finance — and Lived Through the Century’s Darkest Storms
Book Review: The Warburgs: The Banking Dynasty That Shaped Modern Finance — and Lived Through the Century’s Darkest Storms Ron Chernow Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5) Some dynasties ruled kingdoms, but the Warburgs ruled the capital, shaping economies and societies with their financial acumen. The Warburgs ruled the capital. Chernow’s The Warburgs tells the story of a…
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Weekly News Letter – Week Of 16-March-2026
Being Kevin: Weekly Newsletter from Rio Tech, books, musings, Retirement, and Life in Brazil A Note from the 19th Floor I’m Kevin, a retired tech pro now living my best life in Rio de Janeiro. Whether I’m driving my wife crazy, working from the 19th floor, or stopping at a beach bar for a drink,…
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The “Old Guy in the Coffee Shop” Manifesto: Now Accepting Tips (But No Obligations)
If you’ve been following my digital trail for a while, you know my routine. I’m the retired guy sitting in the corner of a Rio café, likely squinting at a screen, nursing a strong coffee, and dodging the crumbs of a pão de queijo. I spend a lot of time here. Probably too much between…
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Book Review: Demon Copperhead
Book Review: Demon Copperhead Barbara Kingsolver Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5) Barbara Kingsolver’s Demon Copperhead (2022) follows Damon Fields — “Demon” — a boy born into poverty, addiction, and instability in Appalachia. From the start, his world is against him. Yet the story is not only hardship, but also resilience, identity, and the will to survive in…
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Book Review: Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind
Book Review: Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind By Yuval Noah Harari Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5) Sapiens is a provocative exploration of human history that defies the traditional “textbook” mold. Rather than a dry recitation of dates or the rise and fall of specific empires like the Ottomans, Harari provides a macro-history of our species—tracing our…
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My Favorite Activity
I’m not sure I “Lose myself” in the activity. But the one activity I do consistently every day is read. I never miss a day, and it is something I find relaxing and enjoyable, as well as the one true way to learn not only about the topic but also from a different perspective. My…
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Weekly News Letter – Week Of 09-March-2026
Being Kevin: Weekly Newsletter from Rio Tech, books, musings, Retirement, and Life in Brazil A Note from the 19th Floor I’m Kevin, a retired tech pro now living my best life in Rio de Janeiro. Whether I’m driving my wife crazy, working from the 19th floor, or stopping at a beach bar for a drink,…
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Book Review – 1984
Review: 1984 George Orwell Rating: ⭐ (1/5) The Review: A Manifesto of Narrated Drivel I’m not going to beat around the bush: this book sucked. It reminded me of Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged, though the only “saving grace” here is that Orwell spared us the 1,300-page slog, clocking in at a merciful 387 pages instead.…
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Blog Post Frequency
Hello All, First, a huge thank you for following and subscribing. Now that the blog is established and humming along, I’ve decided to settle into a smooth, consistent rhythm of one post per day. Up until now, I’ve been hitting you with two a day, but I think a daily flow will let us all…
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Post Of The Week 02-March-2026
I picked this post because, if I guessed correctly, it is the start of a book. I liked it so much that I would definitely buy and read it. I am kind of book-picky. I like a story that hooks me quickly, and this did. Typically, I like a book or know I will in…
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Book Review: To Kill A MockingBird
Review: To Kill A MockingBird Harper Lee Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5) Review: To Kill A MockingBird Harper Lee To Kill a Mockingbird is a profound, must-read classic. Set in a small Alabama town during the Great Depression, as the shadows of World War II began to loom, it offers a haunting look at the American South.…