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Customer Review
An Inspiring and Valuable Book, But Use with Caution
In this book, James Marcus Bach, son of Richard Bach (author of ), tells us a lot about his rather atypical life and what he's learned along the way. Skeptics might question his motives and speculate that he wants to prove or promote himself, but I appreciate his candor and willingness to share, and I'm willing to grant that his main motive is to sincerely help the reader. In reading the book, it quickly becomes evident that Bach is indeed his father's son. He dropped out of high school and never went back for formal education, but he was intelligent and motivated, so he managed to chart his own passionately self-directed course of intellectual development and built a career as a recognized expert in software testing. Here's a summary of most of the key "secrets" he offers for a...
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September 15, 2009
(Towson, MD USA) | Helpful Votes: 26 | Rating: 5
Product Description
Like many young people, James Bach struggled in school. While he excelled in some subjects—earning A’s in physics and calculus—he barely passed the courses that didn’t interest him. By the time he was sixteen, he dropped out. After teaching himself computer programming and software design, he started working as a manager at Apple Computer—and he never looked back. Now, in Secrets of a Buccaneer-Scholar, James shares with readers how he acquired his own education on his own terms, and how that unorthodox education brought ?him success.
James uses the metaphor of a buccaneer to convey a love of learning and pursuit of knowledge that is not bound by institutions or authorities. He shows how every reader can develop a method for acquiring knowledge and expertise that showcases their unique abilities. Top to learn more
What It Takes To Be a Buccaneer
The original title for this book was School Kills. While James Bach changed the title, there is still some of this very message in his book. Bach is not as anti-school as he is a believer that the best learning is that a person does on their own because they want to. Secrets of a Buccaneer Scholar alternates between chapters outlining Bach's theory of learning (a very Montesorrian free-flowing approach) and autobiographical chapters detailing his fall from high-school as a drop out to his rise in the computer world - all due to the kind of self-motivation and passionate learning he was disallowed from in high school. At times, Bach can come off as a bit cocky and conceited, like when he tells us of memorizing hte first 41 digits of pi just for kicks (reciting them for us again), or when he explains why he doesn't "know how to talk about things that don't matter." (kindle edition, loc. 1798) I have mixed feelings about this book, especially as a teacher. One...
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July 23, 2009
(Newark, Delaware) | Helpful Votes: 34 | Rating: 3
Idiosyncratic
James Bach is a high-school dropout who achieved a successful career as a consultant and trainer in the field of software testing. In "Secrets of a Buccaneer-Scholar," he shares some of his thoughts about his career, his self-education, and his general philosophy of life. Note the repetition of the pronoun: this book is all about *him*. Examples: "Other minds exercise my thinking and applaud my exploits," "My mind is free," "I can learn on purpose while also creating opportunities to learn by accident," "If I try to understand, but fail, that's progress." I wanted to give the book a positive rating, because I agree completely with the author's core advocacy of constant lifelong learning. However, in reading it I was put off by the book's random organization, banal mottoes, relentless self-promotion, and ranting against formal education. I think it is likely to appeal almost exclusively to readers who share the author's unorthodox cognitive style and point of view. In...
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August 26, 2009
(Maryland, USA) | Helpful Votes: 27 | Rating: 3