tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4133324887867280534.post2445633345949705093..comments2023-08-23T11:27:41.336-04:00Comments on Tia's Book Musings: "Opening Skinner's Box" by Lauren SlaterTiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15334016706182776266noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4133324887867280534.post-59906796330097836082012-03-11T21:42:03.811-04:002012-03-11T21:42:03.811-04:00I'm so glad you enjoyed Psychopath Test! I als...I'm so glad you enjoyed Psychopath Test! I also thought Ronson was a great narrator, and (like you) I enjoyed the way I could identify with the feelings he was having.<br /><br />I definitely have the same problem of being too quick to read negative reviews. I'm sure I've ruined a number of books (or skipped over books I might have really liked) because of it. Maybe I'll have to make a commitment to at least reading one positive and one negative each time. <br /><br />Thanks for coming back and letting me know what you thought!Tiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15334016706182776266noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4133324887867280534.post-48602900313215400342012-03-10T22:54:26.860-05:002012-03-10T22:54:26.860-05:00I finally got around to finishing the book (had to...I finally got around to finishing the book (had to read Cry, the Beloved Country for school). It was great following Ronson around practically the world just to get an interview or some new piece of information. His neutrality throughout the whole book, while talking to the scientologists, the psychologists, or the psychopaths, was a comforting voice amid all the conflicting information being tossed at the reader. Especially when he himself isn't quite sure who to trust, and like myself, anxiously wonders how well he'd do on the Hare checklist. Or when he too starts questioning who else in his life might be a psychopath (his harshest literary critic?). And finally trying to find out what "psycopath" really means, whether there's a gray area etc...<br /> <br />I feel I learned a lot from the book (different cases, people, events) but really it was how much fun the story was which made the book the most enjoyable. <br />Anyway, I agree with your last point. Even worse, i usually skip right to the reviews with the worst ratings. I'm trying to stop doing that, though, at least until I've finish the book.<br />Haha, well thanks again a ton for letting me know about The Psychopath TestUlisesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4133324887867280534.post-59060404144668543272012-02-13T22:14:17.089-05:002012-02-13T22:14:17.089-05:00I hope you do try The Psychopath Test--I really en...I hope you do try The Psychopath Test--I really enjoyed it. The author puts a lot of his own voice and experiences in that story too, so it makes an interesting comparison with how Slater structured her book. I wonder, though, if I would have liked Ronson as much if I had read some negative reviews of his work as I had Slater's--definitely brings up, for me, how easily I can be influenced to think of something a certain way!Tiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15334016706182776266noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4133324887867280534.post-81849501015668450362012-02-11T15:30:42.203-05:002012-02-11T15:30:42.203-05:00Hey Tia, thanks for checking out the book! Before ...Hey Tia, thanks for checking out the book! Before reading the book I wasn't very familiar with any of the experiments mentioned, so I think that was a big part of how much I was able to enjoy reading the stories. I agree that sometimes her style can be a put-off, and can even feel like it was artificial (manipulative?). Obviously the writer wants the reader to experience a certain emotion or feeling, but it should be a natural thing (I think). Anyway, nice review. I'm gonna go look for the Psychopath Test :)Ulisesnoreply@blogger.com