Welcome to The Techno Scholar Chronicles
Hi there! I’m Michael Hall—avid reader, computer engineer, university lecturer, and enthusiastic supporter of creativity in all its forms. By day, I teach computer engineering at Washington University in St. Louis, but in nearly every other moment, I’m reading, reflecting, writing, or lending my support to the amazing talents of my wife, Hailey Hall.
This site is a space for me to share something that’s become a real passion of mine: book reviews. I read a wide range of books—fiction, non-fiction, fantasy, science fiction, literature, engineering texts, and works that explore faith and spirituality, especially within the Catholic tradition. If it piques my interest, it might just show up here!
Since publishing children’s books with Hailey, I’ve come to appreciate just how important reviews are to authors. Writing thoughtful, honest reviews is my way of giving back to the reading and writing community—posting on Amazon, Goodreads, Instagram, and of course, right here on this site. What started as a small endeavor has turned into a hobby I truly enjoy. I hope my reviews are helpful and maybe even inspire you to discover something new.
Hailey and I also run a small business together—Hailey Hall Art, LLC—to share and support her art and creative projects. You can check out more of her work at haileyhall.art or explore her portfolio at portfolio.haileyhall.art.
When I’m not teaching, reading, or writing reviews, you might find me exercising, diving into computer projects, or lectoring at my parish. Faith, creativity, and lifelong learning are threads that weave through everything I do, and I’m glad you’re here to be part of it.
Thanks for stopping by!
Recent Posts
Excellent textbook on engineering design with an industry perspective for senior capstoneEngineering Design: A Survival Guide to Senior Capstone contains a wealth of information about the engineering design process. One of the goals of this textbook is to bridge the gap between academia and industry. To that end, it draws on project management resources and provides extensive insights from an industry …
Read More
Action-packed, heroic, and morally groundedThis is another good book and a very enjoyable read! I must say, I’m perhaps even more hooked on this series now than when I first started it. The story is pretty action-packed. You know that saying about real-life events where all you can say is “You can’t make this stuff up!”? Well, that’s exactly how this series …
Read More
Moral Struggles, Survival, and the Rescue of the OppressedThis story takes place in space and weaves an intriguing narrative around the main character, Megan, who is branded a pirate. She fights for survival and strives to do what is right, especially after learning about child trafficking and making it her mission to free the enslaved children. Although still a child …
Read More
Reread and picked up on new detailsIt has been over a decade since I last read The Lord of the Rings, so I decided to pick it up again. It is amazing how many details stand out upon rereading, even though I am already very familiar with the story. I chose to revisit this book as a way to relax—what could be better than a great novel? This story is …
Read More
An Excellent Read That Brings Greater Awareness to the Modern-Day Battle Against EvilThis is an excellent spiritual read! Msgr. Rossetti, an exorcist, and his prayer team regularly perform exorcisms to drive out demons from people and places. Nothing is done by his own power but only through Jesus, the sacraments, and the intercession of the saints. An exorcist has a special authority given to him to …
Read More
An intensely packed novel contrasting Christianity, Humanism, and the AntichristLord of the World was written by Robert Hugh Benson, a Catholic priest, and published in 1907. Benson himself was a convert to the Catholic faith. He wrote this novel about a dystopian society centered around an anti-Christ figure, Julian Felsenburgh. This is a very packed and well-written novel! It shows one way that …
Read More
A well-written textbook for teaching and learning computer architectureI am an instructor, and we use this textbook to teach Computer Architecture. I enjoyed reading it and thought the authors wrote in a simple and understandable style. They introduced and built on concepts throughout the book, providing detailed explanations and a wealth of information. The book can be read …
Read More
A thriller novel about a priest’s moral struggles in a time of persecutionThis book was fascinating and mysterious, and it kept me wondering what would happen next. It is a fictional novel about a priest in Mexico during a time of anti-Catholicism when Catholicism was outlawed. This priest had been on the run for years, and the police had been unable to catch him. We start in the story by …
Read More
Deep Insights on Family from G.K. ChestertonG.K. Chesterton lived in the early 1900s and wrote on the issues of his time. He was a great defender of Christian orthodoxy. In this book, Dale Ahlquist compiled a collection of poems, quotations, excerpts, and essays on the family from G.K. Chesterton. In today’s society, we see all kinds of attacks on the family …
Read More
Developing new perspectives and appreciation for those with disabilitiesThis book has been very enlightening for me to read. It gives the perspective of many individuals who are disabled in some way and living with that disability. They tell their stories, providing insight into their lives. But it’s not just about their stories. They also give advice, speak about their faith, and tell us …
Read More