MT60
Santa Monica Public Library
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Crime Wave ; DecoyCrime Wave ; Decoy, DVDFilm Noir Classic Collection Double Feature
DVDDVD
MT60's rating:
Added Nov 27, 2023
Silicon CowboysSilicon Cowboys, Streaming Video
Streaming Video - 2016Streaming Video, 2016
MT60's rating:
Added Nov 27, 2023
Comment:
Did not realize that this basically was going to be a history not only of Compaq Computers but of the entire PC - IBM clone industry.
Free SoloFree Solo, DVD
DVD - 2019DVD, 2019
MT60's rating:
Added Nov 27, 2023
Comment:
Totally gripping. My mouth was dry and my heart was thumping through the whole documentary. I did not know much about the world of free soloing. Honnold is a human spider.
The Code BreakerThe Code Breaker, BookJennifer Doudna, Gene Editing, and the Future of the Human Race
by Isaacson, WalterBook - 2021 | First Simon & Schuster hardcover edition.Book, 2021. First Simon & Schuster hardcover edition.
MT60's rating:
Added Aug 17, 2023
Comment:
A thrilling read about how a defense mechanism developed over billions of years by bacteria was discovered by humans and tweaked to enable editing of human genes. Oh, the power and the peril.
The Eagles of Heart MountainThe Eagles of Heart Mountain, BookA True Story of Football, Incarceration, and Resistance in World War II America
by Pearson, BradfordBook - 2021 | First Atria Books hardcover edition.Book, 2021. First Atria Books hardcover edition.
MT60's rating:
Added Jan 06, 2023
Comment:
A thorough and fresh treatment of this sad period of American history, with the relatively think football story thread running through it. The quoted statements alleging disloyalty from the government and military figures of the day would be absurdly funny had they not caused such hardship and injustice. Having grown up in the Los Angeles South Bay area, so the author's mention of places such as San Pedro, Banning High School, Terminal Island, and the Marine League of the then Los Angeles City Schools system are all struck a chord for me.A thorough and fresh treatment of this sad period of American history, with the relatively think football story thread running through it. The quoted statements alleging disloyalty from the government and military figures of the day would be…
MT60's rating:
Added Jan 06, 2023
Comment:
The opening line of this book is so beautifully simple and memorable. Later in the book, just the fact that she addresses the fatal accident with her teenage self at the wheel of one of the vehicles makes this a brave and moving memoir indeed. And keep in mind that I am not a fan of the G.W. Bush presidency.The opening line of this book is so beautifully simple and memorable. Later in the book, just the fact that she addresses the fatal accident with her teenage self at the wheel of one of the vehicles makes this a brave and moving memoir indeed. And…
Santa Monica BaySanta Monica Bay, BookThe First 100 Years : A Pictorial History of Santa Monica, Venice, Ocean Park, Pacific Palisades, Topanga, & Malibu
by Basten, Fred E.Book - 1974 | 1st ed.Book, 1974. 1st ed.
MT60's rating:
Added Aug 03, 2022
Comment:
Really interesting. Great photos.
Pacific Ocean ParkPacific Ocean Park, BookThe Rise and Fall of Los Angeles' Space-age Nautical Pleasure Pier
by Merritt, ChristopherBook - 2014Book, 2014
MT60's rating:
Added Aug 03, 2022
Comment:
i went to POP once as a kid about 10 years old. Recalled having fun though I don't remember the details. This book reveals POP as a futuristic getaway. Great photos and short chapters on the personalities and politics concerning the rise and fall of this attraction. I knew the name Charles Strub, but knew nothing about him until reading this book. Also on page 169, the photo of the Champs music group includes young Jimmy Seals and Dash Crofts, eventually to become famous as a songwriting and singing duo.i went to POP once as a kid about 10 years old. Recalled having fun though I don't remember the details. This book reveals POP as a futuristic getaway. Great photos and short chapters on the personalities and politics concerning the rise and fall of…
MT60's rating:
Added Jul 05, 2022
Comment:
The most introspective and candid memoir by a sports figure that I have read. I plan to purchase a copy of my own. The reader can open the book to any random page and find enjoyment or food for thought. His feelings about people are expressed in a polite but direct manner, without euphemism. Used his stature to make many contributions to US and world society after his playing career ended. Stellar example of how a champion comports oneself on and off the court. Help by a co-writer is understandable because the book was written as the end of Ashe’s life was drawing near. Though I do not play tennis, he is a hero of mine. He evolved from scholar-athlete (back when the term meant something), then pro athlete, and finally a statesman. Lucky for us, methods for detecting HIV in blood and plasma have improved greatly since those days.The most introspective and candid memoir by a sports figure that I have read. I plan to purchase a copy of my own. The reader can open the book to any random page and find enjoyment or food for thought. His feelings about people are expressed in a…
You're Leaving When?You're Leaving When?, BookAdventures in Downward Mobility
by Gurwitch, AnnabelleBook - 2021 | First hardcover edition.Book, 2021. First hardcover edition.
MT60's rating:
Added Jun 27, 2022
Comment:
Free-wheeling, clever memoir. Author Gurwitch is totally open with her experiences. Nothing coy about her writing. Short chapters keep you wanting to read just-one-more. Only a couple of boring spots for me. Well worth reading and enjoying.
EncantoEncanto, DVD
DVD - 2022DVD, 2022
MT60's rating:
Added Jun 25, 2022
Comment:
This came up on my Netflix queue before my library queue. I don't get the hype on this movie. I gave it a try - ultimately it was not fulfilling nor entertaining. Full of cliche characters and plot lines. Near the end, a sudden change in a key character was confusing. The hyper-realism makes the movie look like weird live action rather than a charming animation. I think that the flat looking cartoons of yesteryear made the fantasies more believable.This came up on my Netflix queue before my library queue. I don't get the hype on this movie. I gave it a try - ultimately it was not fulfilling nor entertaining. Full of cliche characters and plot lines. Near the end, a sudden change in a key…
The Rice RoomThe Rice Room, BookGrowing up Chinese-American : From Number Two Son to Rock 'n' Roll
by Fong-Torres, BenBook - 1994 | 1st ed.Book, 1994. 1st ed.
MT60's rating:
Added Jun 23, 2022
Comment:
Not surprising that this is a well-structured, compelling memoir, given who the author is. I was inspired to borrow this book after seeing the documentary about him. I was astounded by how hard he worked from a young age at his parents' restaurant, while discovering along the way his passion for music and writing. Interesting that he also worked as a radio station deejay.Not surprising that this is a well-structured, compelling memoir, given who the author is. I was inspired to borrow this book after seeing the documentary about him. I was astounded by how hard he worked from a young age at his parents' restaurant,…
HealingHealing, BookWhen A Nurse Becomes A Patient
by Brown, TheresaBook - 2022 | First edition.Book, 2022. First edition.
MT60's rating:
Added Jun 18, 2022
Comment:
Author Brown opens up about her experiences, feelings, frustrations, and behavior as she was diagnosed and treated for cancer. Though it was not for cancer, my most intense medical episode was quintuple bypass surgery. Thank goodness, I did not experience the roadblocks, lack of communication, that she did. She referred to the diffulties as "DIY" cancer treatment. On a lighter note, one of my favorite sentences of the book is, "I’m a type A person whom medication turned into a type B person. " Just as with "The Shift" her short-chapter format keeps you wanting to read just one more.Author Brown opens up about her experiences, feelings, frustrations, and behavior as she was diagnosed and treated for cancer. Though it was not for cancer, my most intense medical episode was quintuple bypass surgery. Thank goodness, I did not…
Running SidewaysRunning Sideways, BookThe Olympic Champion Who Made Track and Field History
by Davis, PaulineBook - 2022Book, 2022
MT60's rating:
Added Jun 10, 2022
Comment:
I eagerly awaited acquisition of this book by SMPL, and was thrilled to pick it up from hold. As a track fan, I remember Pauline Davis, one of the early top Caribbean female sprinters. She competed during the period when elite track and field was transitioning from a theoretically amateur sport (with uneven subsidies and salaries to athletes depending on country, shoe company, or other sponsors) to the full-out big bucks professional endeavor that it became by the 1990s. The author's childhood and career is a story of overcoming disadvantages, receiving long-term support from key people, excelling in competition, and contributing to the sport after hanging up her spikes. Unfortunately, the book, set in a small thin font, is hard to read, with dramatic episodes buried in tedious chronologies. Quotes from others about her interspersed with her own accounts disrupt continuity. Also teasers are abundant, and sometimes the episode about which she teased followed immediately, but sometimes delayed. I skimmed the last 2/3 of the book.I eagerly awaited acquisition of this book by SMPL, and was thrilled to pick it up from hold. As a track fan, I remember Pauline Davis, one of the early top Caribbean female sprinters. She competed during the period when elite track and field was…
The World Is My HomeThe World Is My Home, BookA Memoir
by Michener, James A.Book - 2007 | 2007 Random House Trade pbk. ed.Book, 2007. 2007 Random House Trade pbk. ed.
MT60's rating:
Added May 16, 2022
Comment:
Perhaps the best memoir by a famous person that I have ever read. Interesting separation of chapters by one-word titles, except for one chapter with a two-word title. Though Michener started from poverty and uncertain parentage, his breadth and depth of experiences are astounding. What a life he led! He seemed to have retained his humility, recognized his limitations, and reminds us that luck was on his side many times.Perhaps the best memoir by a famous person that I have ever read. Interesting separation of chapters by one-word titles, except for one chapter with a two-word title. Though Michener started from poverty and uncertain parentage, his breadth and…
The ShiftThe Shift, BookOne Nurse, Twelve Hours, Four Patients' Lives
by Brown, TheresaBook - 2015 | First edition.Book, 2015. First edition.
MT60's rating:
Added May 14, 2022
Comment:
I read the whole book in one evening, staying up too late. Fitting for a story that takes place in one 12-hour shift. I have long appreciated what nurses do and how they do it. My respect increased during an 11-day hospital stay four years ago, and increased even more reading this book. Author Brown is an interesting combination - college English teacher turned RN. Perfect for writing this book.I read the whole book in one evening, staying up too late. Fitting for a story that takes place in one 12-hour shift. I have long appreciated what nurses do and how they do it. My respect increased during an 11-day hospital stay four years ago, and…
Miles DavisMiles Davis, DVDBirth of the Cool
DVD - 2020DVD, 2020
MT60's rating:
Added Mar 28, 2022
Comment:
The statements by music scholars are insightful, and the music of Davis's mellow period was enjoyable. Unfortunately, the documentary gets repetitive, and his non-communicative persona was boring. In addition, Davis seems to get a pass on his history as a serial domestic abuser of wives and girlfriends.The statements by music scholars are insightful, and the music of Davis's mellow period was enjoyable. Unfortunately, the documentary gets repetitive, and his non-communicative persona was boring. In addition, Davis seems to get a pass on his…
Lens of WarLens of War, BookExploring Iconic Photographs of the Civil War
Book - 2015Book, 2015
MT60's rating:
Added Mar 25, 2022
Comment:
Thorough and enlightening analyses of well-known and lesser known photographs of the Civil War. As with all wars, much heartbreaking stuff.
Composer portrait seriesComposer portrait series, Music CD
by Southwest Chamber MusicMusic CD - 2000Music CD, 2000
Added Mar 25, 2022
Comment:
I tend to rate items higher than most people, but couldn't bring myself to give even 0.5 star for this one. Musical taste of course is subjective, but this was the worst music I have ever tried to listen to. Would give modern music a bad name. Seemingly random bowing and squeaks from the stringed instruments in volumes ranging from almost inaudible to annoyingly loud. There must be some musical theorists out there who like this stuff.I tend to rate items higher than most people, but couldn't bring myself to give even 0.5 star for this one. Musical taste of course is subjective, but this was the worst music I have ever tried to listen to. Would give modern music a bad name.…
Carrying the FireCarrying the Fire, BookAn Astronaut's Journeys
by Collins, MichaelBook - 1974Book, 1974
MT60's rating:
Added Mar 06, 2022
Comment:
Published in 1974, this is one of the earliest, if not the earliest astronaut-authored books. In my opinion this is still the best one. Amazing what the Mercury-Gemini-Apollo programs accomplished, given the limited technologies of the day. Too bad we lost Collins in 2021.Published in 1974, this is one of the earliest, if not the earliest astronaut-authored books. In my opinion this is still the best one. Amazing what the Mercury-Gemini-Apollo programs accomplished, given the limited technologies of the day. Too bad…
MT60's rating:
Added Mar 06, 2022
Comment:
Other than the building at UCLA named after him, I only had a vague knowledge that Bunche was an American statesman of some sort. Little did I know that he was a peacemaker at the highest conceptual level, as well as at detailed negotiation and document drafting levels. A founding father of the United Nations, and a principled, brave, and skilled diplomat who stood head and shoulders above the often petty and obstinate American and world leaders of the time. Also a basketball star in his UCLA days. That being said, I started to skim the book about halfway through. The exhaustive, exhausting treatment by author Urquhart was too much for me, even though written in fast-moving style. This book also tells how much of an absentee father he was. Wife Ruth was a full-time schoolteacher raising their two daughters and a son like a virtual single mom. Seems that in the rare stretches when he was home, he was ill-tempered and rude. Still, what a gift to the world this man was; a man who virtually worked himself to death in service to mankind. This is not to mention his clear observations about racism and his work on civil rights for Black Americans.Other than the building at UCLA named after him, I only had a vague knowledge that Bunche was an American statesman of some sort. Little did I know that he was a peacemaker at the highest conceptual level, as well as at detailed negotiation and…
The Story of MoreThe Story of More, BookHow We Got to Climate Change and Where to Go From Here
by Jahren, HopeBook - 2020Book, 2020
MT60's rating:
Added Mar 06, 2022
Comment:
The best book on global warming that I have read. I am a chemist, so I understand the hard science, but the imagery with which she offers analogies make the concepts understandable to everyone. The responsibility is not with governments, oil companies, or automakers -- it is on us consumers to practice mindful lifestyles where less is more, as opposed to more is more.The best book on global warming that I have read. I am a chemist, so I understand the hard science, but the imagery with which she offers analogies make the concepts understandable to everyone. The responsibility is not with governments, oil…
HummingbirdsHummingbirds, BookA Life-size Guide to Every Species
by Fogden, MichaelBook - 2014Book, 2014
MT60's rating:
Added Mar 06, 2022
Comment:
A beautiful, informative book. Hummingbirds are my wife's and my favorites. Not every species is represented by a male and female picture, but still this book helps us identify the birds we see in Southern California. I suggest that hummingbird lovers also check out the DVD called "Super Hummingbirds" from SMPL.A beautiful, informative book. Hummingbirds are my wife's and my favorites. Not every species is represented by a male and female picture, but still this book helps us identify the birds we see in Southern California. I suggest that hummingbird…
Super HummingbirdsSuper Hummingbirds, DVD
DVD - 2016DVD, 2016
MT60's rating:
Added Mar 04, 2022
Comment:
Amazing birds, new research, state of the art production values, pleasant narration delivered by Patricia Clarkson. A nature documentary doesn't get any better than this. My wife and I learned a lot about the progress of babies from hatching to fledging.Amazing birds, new research, state of the art production values, pleasant narration delivered by Patricia Clarkson. A nature documentary doesn't get any better than this. My wife and I learned a lot about the progress of babies from hatching to…
America & Lewis HineAmerica & Lewis Hine, BookPhotographs 1904-1940 : [exhibition]
by Hine, Lewis WickesBook - 1977Book, 1977
MT60's rating:
Added Feb 24, 2022
Comment:
Remarkable photographs which present strong social commentary just by the images themselves.
Comment: