domingo, 31 de julho de 2016

The book on mediums (o livros dos médiuns [Portuguese])

By Allan Kardec:
It is a descriptive book that does not teach to be a medium. This book is more boring than «the spirits' book», a book from the same author. Allan Kardec, before anything else, was a scientist and he respected the observational method and the rigor. However, the author was also a great writer in that he describes and explains impartially all the facts. I advise you to read «the spirits' book» first, and thus you already get a good perspective of what is Spiritualism, a branch of Christianity.

Obelix and Co. (Obélix e companhia [Portuguese])

By René Goscinny (stories) and Albert Uderzo (illustrations):
It is one of the best management and marketing books. This cartoon volume has the particularity to show how takes place the publicity to promote the consumption of somewhat superfluous and the mechanisms of supply/demand/competition. The most interesting is that the main reason around this marketing is the generation of a crisis at the heart of a "healthy and normal" population, with the onset of feelings of power, envy, vanity, and competition.

Metodologia de investigação e comunicação do conhecimento científico (Portuguese) (research methodology and communication of scientific knowledge)

By Margarida Pocinho:
Well written, but unnecessary parts.
This book brought me some knowledge, but it is not an indispensable book. It is best suited for those who do research and surveys/interviews. The part of the communication of knowledge talks about the definition of symposiums, conferences and others, and contrary to what I expected, it does not explain in detail how to speak in public and how to make and present posters.

High art (a grande arte [Portuguese])

By Rubem Fonseca:
The criticism of the corrupt Brazilian society. Ruben Fonseca leads us to the most representative Brazilian society of that country where corruption and crime still prevail. The language is strong, unfit for prudes; but, therefore, it is delicious and portrays perfectly that miserable, but majestic and precious, Brazil. It is a detective story that criticizes the society, and therefore it is very informative, current, recommended for those who want to be knowledgeable about the harsh realities of the world.
  • The movie:

Fifty shades darker (fifty shades, #2) (as cinquenta sombras mais negras [Portuguese version])

By E. L. James:
It is the second volume of «Fifty shades of Grey (Fifty shades, #1)». Like the first volume, it is a book written primarily for women and it follows the same clear and coherent writing style. It remain eroticism and sickening sex scenes. The story seems monotonous until half of the book, but then turns out to have some interesting plot, which makes it better than the previous book. But again I emphasize that there are Harlequin books much better, interesting, and faster to read.

A nova medicina (Portuguese) (the new medicine)

By João Lobo Antunes:
Quick passage through the key points of Medicine.
This essay is a delightful review of the history of medicine until the problems of our time. The reading is pleasant and it seems accessible to any non-medical person. The book is recommended to all health professionals, because it covers, with excels synthesis capacity, various problems of medicine in the world.
It is worth noting the following part of the text: "(...) for every five years of increase in life expectancy in a country, its gross national product (GNP) grows from 0.3 to 0.5%. Therefore, it is appropriate to ask whether health spending should be viewed as 'expenditure' or as 'investment'."