Bill Russell really has a gift with stories. Especially when relating the stories of his family and early childhood in Louisiana, the way the family y...moreBill Russell really has a gift with stories. Especially when relating the stories of his family and early childhood in Louisiana, the way the family yarns spin one into the other makes for a wonderfully fun start to the book.
For a book by a sports figure, Russell does not dwell too much on his successes. Considering he won two NCAA titles and 11 NBA titles as a player or player-coach, it is admirable restraint on his part. While he gives accounts of Red Auerbach, Bob Cousy, Sam Jones, and K.C Jones, it never becomes a panegyric for Russell or the Celtics.
Bill Russell was strong advocate for civil rights, and it is understandable why. Racism played a large role in his and his family's life, motivating them to move to Oakland. This provides the launch point for his discursions into African colonies (where he is rather critical of Liberia among others) and American imperialism in Vietnam. Russell's perspective is interesting and informed (or at least I thought so, agreeing with him on most points). It's not too surprising considering how Russell has always wished to be seen as a human being first, and one who just happens to play basketball well. He has never wanted sports to be his whole identity. While most people will remember his for his athletic feats, this book shows how that is just one facet of his life.
Decided to pick this one up since my parents got me the second volume Glory Days: Bruce Springsteen in the 1980s. I figured I should read the first vo...moreDecided to pick this one up since my parents got me the second volume Glory Days: Bruce Springsteen in the 1980s. I figured I should read the first volume while I was at it, and have always liked Springsteen. I even got to see him, briefly, while he was stumping for John Kerry in 2004.
This book is fairly informative, and reading it made me listen to Springsteen albums that I had not listened to a whole lot like Darkness on the Edge of Town and The River. That was the best part of it. Seeing some of the lyrics written out I saw the continuity of a lot of his themes even more strongly.
The book only thoroughly covers up through the end of the Born in the U.S.A tours in the late 1980s. That's a bit of a shame, since I was hoping for more on The Ghost of Tom Joad. The author was obviously a fan, and ended up as a friend of Springsteen. He willingly admits this, since apparently he was criticized for it being a hagiography. That seems to be the case with most musician biographies, and it did not seem ridiculously fawning.(less)
This book does an excellent job of showing how Bill Mauldin went from a war cartoonist to a prominent figure in the editorial pages, and how complicat...moreThis book does an excellent job of showing how Bill Mauldin went from a war cartoonist to a prominent figure in the editorial pages, and how complicated his feelings were with his own fame and trying to be a voice for the common combat soldier while never truly being part of the infantry. It also delved into his often rocky personal life. Especially as he aged, he seemed to be prickly and not a terrible good spouse.
It starts with discussing Mauldin's rather itinerant upbringing in the southwest during the Great Depression and how he entered into the US Army. I had already seen a lot of Mauldin's work in Willie and Joe: The WWII Years and Willie and Joe: Back Home, so I was familiar with his work. This book was one of the first I've read to clearly explain how brutal and miserable the Italian front was in World War II.
It was interesting also of how Mauldin transferred back into civilian life and how he transitioned from Willie and Joe to an editorial cartoonist. His dislike of the American Legion made for very interesting reading. One of the most fascinating portions of the book was Mauldin's strong support of civil rights after the war and his complicated feelings towards the Vietnam War.
The banana trilogy has been completed. I had previously read Bananas!: How The United Fruit Company Shaped the World and Bananas: An American History,...moreThe banana trilogy has been completed. I had previously read Bananas!: How The United Fruit Company Shaped the World and Bananas: An American History, and this book was the favorite of the bunch. It delves a little into the impact of bananas in American culture and how they were marketed like the book by Virginia Scott Jenkins and it covers the geopolitics and corporate influence over the policy of the United States and Latin America as discussed by Peter Chapman. However, the reason this book was so interesting to me was it did a great job of explaining how bananas spread around the world in prehistoric and historic times, how new varieties came into being, and how bananas are being developed right now.
Bananas are sterile and seedless, so they are reproduced by cuttings from the root bulbs. This means that commercial bananas are clones, and very susceptible to disease, which has been a major problem over the past century. While the lose of a breakfast banana for Americans would be sad, Dan Koeppel puts the greater importance of the bananas grown for subsistence rather than export, in places like the Rift Valley Lake region in Africa and in India. In areas where the banana is a staple crop, any banana disease has a risk of creating famine. This is where creating new disease-resistant bananas is most crucial, and the book explains many of the labs which are working on solutions. Many of the solutions, especially the most feasible and quick ones, rely on genetic modification. This may bother some, but considering all domesticated crops have been modified by humans, and what is at stake for populations all over the world, hopefully it succeeds. (less)
I had not known much about the Basques before reading the book. I knew the language, Euskara, has no real relatives. It seems to be a totally unique language dating back well into prehistoric times. I also would hear about Basques occasionally, particularly in the Basque separatist group, ETA, was in the news. Since I did not know a whole lot, that made the book really interesting.
The Basques were late adopters of Christianity, but once they became Christian, they did so with ardor. Through much of their history they were very strongly allied with the clergy, which in many ways had them allied with the monarchy in Spain. Often the monarchs would allow the Basques a certain degree of autonomy, and customs exemptions, that kept the Basques pretty happy and they would often rally to protect their homeland. Their support of the clergy made them pretty unhappy with the new constitutions Spain drafted in the 19th Century. Often the rural priests were some of the most fluent in the Basque language. Often times it seems like the Basques would not fit nicely into a leftist or rightist dichotomy politically.
The book also delves into the Spanish Civil War. This is a part of history that I'm pretty ignorant about. I really would like to read more about it, perhaps Homage to Catalonia and For Whom the Bell Tolls. It is really interesting how the most prosperous parts of Spain, Catalonia and the Basqueland, are also the areas that most strongly opposed Franco, and even in 2012, often would be happy to be rid of Spain.
Another thought that this book helped reinforce is the oddity the notion of Spain. For most of its history, there was no king or queen of Spain. Rather, the king was given the title king of Aragon and Castile and Leon instead of king of Spain. The idea of Spain as a monolithic country is a bit of a fallacy and the regional differences can still be seen today. This also came up recently in a Sports Illustrated article by Grant Wahl about FC Barcelona . This book really makes me want to learn about Spain.(less)
This book picks up at the final months of World War II, after Bill Mauldin returned to the US. It still focuses a lot on the experience of returning G...moreThis book picks up at the final months of World War II, after Bill Mauldin returned to the US. It still focuses a lot on the experience of returning GIs, but also branches out into other areas. Infantry soldiers, a.k.a. "dogfaces," seemed to have a different post-war experience than many. Mauldin shows them as slightly less gung-ho towards red-baiting, having served up front and having seen the cost of war. Due to this, Mauldin often skewers World War I American Legion members for their jingoistic militarism against the Soviet Union and the older population who would not have to fight in any future conflicts. He also rails against blacklisting people for knowing leftists and censorship of left-leaning materials. He has some really great comics involving the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC).
Mauldin also repeatedly goes after the Ku Klux Klan and nativist groups. This is especially poignant given that Mauldin has Native American ancestry, which he uses to show the ridiculousness of such prejudice. The book also delves into issues like finding housing and work, reacclimating to home life, and price gouging (he even gives some praise to the work of the Office of Price Administration and brickbats to the people trying to get around the price controls).
This book might not be as consistent as Bill MauldinWillie and Joe: The WWII Years, but it brings to light a lot of the issues that returning service personnel faced, as well as some of the issues affecting the countrymen who stayed on the home front.
Part of the impetus for my reading this was I saw a Bill Mauldin created political pin with Willie or Joe telling explaining "I Like Adlai." while at work. Itwas a fun little find in the Ohio Historical Society political pin collection.(less)
This was a book that I had been meaning to read for a while, and since the election got me energized about politics again, this seemed like a good tim...moreThis was a book that I had been meaning to read for a while, and since the election got me energized about politics again, this seemed like a good time.
I found it interesting how little Richard Nixon shows up in the book. He is more of this terrifying specter in the background than a main character. Instead most of the focus is on the Democratic Primary and the various candidates, McGovern, Muskie, Humphrey, Wallace, and Chisholm. The campaign was interesting in how the presumptive nominee Muskie cratered early and McGovern had his success. However, even with good showings the candidate was not certainly known prior to the convention in Miami.
The Miami Convention seemed like a convoluted affair, with various protests about how many delegates should be for each candidate, and there seemed to be a lot of byzantine procedural votes that I could never wrap my head around. McGovern, by losing one vote by a wide margin, helped secure disputed Californian delegates. This convention craziness also alluded to things inside the 1968 Democratic National Convention. In addition to the protests and rioting outside, there was apparently strange goings-on inside the convention hall, or at least Hunter S. Thompson alludes to some. He is an unreliable narrator, but it has made me curious to learn more.
The book also covers McGovern's disastrous VP selection and his general election drubbing. At this point it seems like most people know that Nixon will crush McGovern, but it is interesting to read writing done at the time rather than with the benefit of hindsight. The writing may not always be lucid, but it is generally interesting in both style and substance, and so it seemed like a much breezier read than what one would expect from a 500 page book about an election 40 years ago.(less)
This book covered an interesting subject, of salt, humanity, and how important salt has been throughout history. It is interesting of how important sa...moreThis book covered an interesting subject, of salt, humanity, and how important salt has been throughout history. It is interesting of how important salt was to the preservation of food in the age before refrigeration, and the book discusses the role of salt in fermented, pickled, and dried food. Salt has left its mark on the map as well, with important salt regions being named after their critical resources, such as Salzburg (Salt Castle).
It is interesting of how a lot of mining technology was focused on salt extraction. Some of the deep drilling technology of the Chinese is remarkable considering how earlier they developed it. They even used natural gas to evaporate the brine and extract salt.
The book was fairly meandering, and didn't seem to have quite enough focus. It also does not do an good job of citing where the information is found (just a personal pet peeve of books for me). It was an interesting book, but I definitely enjoyed Cod: A Biography of the Fish that Changed the World by Mark Kurlansky better.(less)
This was a very fast read and an enjoyable one. It is interesting to think how much more of a fringe sport NBA basketball was when Larry Bird and Ervi...moreThis was a very fast read and an enjoyable one. It is interesting to think how much more of a fringe sport NBA basketball was when Larry Bird and Erving "Magic" Johnson entered the league in 1979. At that time the NBA Finals were shown on tape delay. Magic and Bird also helped the NBA help reduce the image problems that were related to player drug use in the 1970s and 1980s, probably exemplified by Len Bias dying days after being drafted (which really hurt Bird since the Celtics drafted Bias).
I really enjoyed how the book was framed, with each chapter featuring a date, such as the NCAA Championship Game between Michigan State and Indiana State in 1979. Then the chapter gives related events and background and wonderfully candid anecdotes and stories from Johnson and Bird. The two players are wonderful contrasts in personality, with Bird being more reserved and quiet, avoiding crowds, and Magic being more gregarious with an electric smile. However, they both are quite funny, and some of Bird's quotes really made me laugh out loud. This book does a good job of showing how Johnson and Bird's relationship evolved from adversarial antipathy, to begrudging respect which drove each player to get better and reach greater heights, finally to a mutual friendship and being forever linked in the public's mind.
One thing which I did not realize was how much resistance there was by some players to playing with Magic Johnson after his HIV diagnosis in 1991. He didn't play in the 1991-1992 season, but was chosen as an All-Star regardless. It was interesting how Dennis Rodman (in certain ways, unsurprisingly) took the initiative and treated Magic as another opponent, bodying up for rebounds and talking trash, rather than as a leper. One thing that saddened me was how years later when Johnson returned to the NBA, many players, including one of my favorite players as a kid, Mark Price of the Cleveland Cavaliers, were not really comfortable with it. Then, and sadly still today, there seem to be a lot of misconceptions about HIV transmission. Think about Senator Bill Frist, a doctor, and his 2004 comments about tears transmitting HIV.
I also never realized that Bird's father committed suicide while he was in college. However, Bird seems to keep most personal things close to the vest, so he probably has plenty of things that he doesn't actively share.(less)
This collection is an interesting look into the life of infantry soldiers, a.k.a. "dogfaces," in World War II. It's an interesting read since these co...moreThis collection is an interesting look into the life of infantry soldiers, a.k.a. "dogfaces," in World War II. It's an interesting read since these comics by Bill Mauldin were mostly for other troops, appearing in Stars and Stripes. Due to the audience, there is a lot of visual jargon that could be lost to someone not as familiar with the equipment, insignia, and other details of life in the service. This book is good in that it adds handy notes to help explain some of the panels when they are a bit beyond the knowledge of a civilian like me. The book also had an interesting brief biography of Mauldin's life and even detailed how his cartoons ran afoul of General George S. Patton. I have been meaning to and look forward to reading Bill Mauldin: A Life Up Front at some point to get more detail.
Part of the impetus for my reading this was I saw a Bill Mauldin created political pin with Willie or Joe telling explaining "I Like Adlai." while at work. Itwas a fun little find in the Ohio Historical Society political pin collection.(less)
Pete Maravich is a mythic figure in the basketball pantheon, but I do not think I have seen too many clips of him playing the game. Prior to reading t...morePete Maravich is a mythic figure in the basketball pantheon, but I do not think I have seen too many clips of him playing the game. Prior to reading this book, I didn't have too good of an idea about the life of Maravich, besides his prolific scoring (especially at LSU) and an early death.
This book pours over news articles and personal letters of Maravich and his family. The reader gets a lot of information but the writing is a bit flat. Maravich is a player who had a unique "showtime" style, but the writing does not do a good job of capturing the art and beauty of Maravich's game (Another basketball book, The Art of a Beautiful Game: The Thinking Fan's Tour of the NBA, was much better at exciting the reader).
Some of the most fascinating parts of Maravich's life were how he helped his father get a coaching job at LSU by his sheer talent as a prospect. The two seemed to have an interesting relationship, with the father driving the son to excellence. Maravich's relationship with God and religion is also intriguing. He was quite dismissive of it early in his life, but became quite an adamant believer. When Pete Maravich's odd heart finally gave out, he was playing basketball at a church with James Dobson, of Focus on the Family. Quite an odd little story. (less)
Nikita Khrushchev seems like such an amazing and terrifying character. Journeying across the United States for two weeks in 1959, he seemed to oscilla...moreNikita Khrushchev seems like such an amazing and terrifying character. Journeying across the United States for two weeks in 1959, he seemed to oscillate between manic episodes of hilarity, sullen withdrawal, and livid spurts of rage. Quite frightening considering he was at the helm of the USSR. Khrushchev comes across as smart and funny at his best, and insecure and unhinged at worst. The use of a shoe as a gavel at the United Nations a year later reinforces the later. This book shows his strengths and his weaknesses, from his quick wit and wicked humor to his red-faced apoplectic anger.
One reason why this book was so interesting was that this book struck home the absurdity and fear of the Cold War. Being a relatively young individual, the specter of communism has never been frightening during my life time, or at least what I remember. This book, and its vivid descriptions of Khrushchev's bluster, as well as some truly frightening tales about Stalin, make it seem far more understandable. When a head of state continually references his ability to obliterate the world, it makes sense that he and his nation would be feared. Somehow even the odd stories like the premier ranting about how he could not go to Disneyland drove home why the Soviet Union seemed like such an existential threat. (less)
This book was a somewhat informative look into the Ohio State basketball program just a few years ago. It's a very light read, and fairly entertaining...moreThis book was a somewhat informative look into the Ohio State basketball program just a few years ago. It's a very light read, and fairly entertaining, although at times is extremely crass. Pretty much what I expected, having read a little bit of Mark Titus' blog. Titus can be at times quite interesting and insightful, and then bury that with a mountain of scatological humor. Sort of expected from a 20 something jock. Titus' style can probably best be summed up by the trick shot video, which has spawned some awesome t-shirts.
I think the best parts are when he's talking about Greg Oden, such as how when in high school for an AAU tournament, Oden and Titus decided to go see a matinee magic show, something which makes me like Greg Oden all the more. I also liked his joke attempt to declare for the NBA draft. I appreciate how he doesn't take sports too seriously and just enjoyed the rare opportunity he had. Titus has actually kept up his writing for Grantland, a sports website, and has had some solid articles for them. Hopefully he can mature as a writer, since he has had a unique perspective of college sports. (less)
It seems that I like biographies by comedians proportionally to how much I enjoy their acts. Thus I enjoyed Zombie Spaceship Wasteland, Bossypants, an...moreIt seems that I like biographies by comedians proportionally to how much I enjoy their acts. Thus I enjoyed Zombie Spaceship Wasteland, Bossypants, and Born Standing Up: A Comic's Life a bit more. However, this book is still a fun breezy read. Aside from the bed-wetting, Sarah Silverman seemed to have a fairly routine childhood. The most enjoyable parts of the book were some stories involving Louis C.K. and about her eponymous Comedy Central show. I found it pleasant how she had a respect for and admiration for her censors. There seemed to be quite an interesting give and take between the two sides.
So, if you enjoy her comedy work, the book will probably be a quick, fun, read. If you don't, you are not going to gain any wonderful insight by reading this book, so it's probably advisable to not bother.(less)
This book is a fantastically interesting read. The title might make it seem like it would be a philippic against the Sun Belt migration, but it is far...moreThis book is a fantastically interesting read. The title might make it seem like it would be a philippic against the Sun Belt migration, but it is far more nuanced than that. The book delves into many factors that make cities sustainable or unsustainable. Phoenix has particular issues of water scarcity and the heat island effect that pose unique challenges, especially with anthropogenic climate change, but there are many other issues that apply to all cities. In many ways Phoenix is a parable for any citizen of a developed nation, living far beyond the resources at hand.
A concise summary of the issues at play is difficult, but the author delves into the culture of the region, its politics, the tension over immigration, and social justice. All of these areas have a important place in talk about sustainability. It highlights to good work some people are doing as well as the momentous challenges that they face. The best part is how the book clearly brought to mind how I live in Ohio, and how so many of the same issues are present here, although in a slightly more forgiving natural environment.
That being said, I still do not like the idea of Americans flocking to a Sun Belt city which has so much pressure on water resources. The city could not have been built without federal water projects and even still the aquifers and rivers of the region are being siphoned out of existence.
Petra is a really fascinating ancient city. In popular culture, it's probably best known as the setting for the final scenes of Indiana Jones and the...morePetra is a really fascinating ancient city. In popular culture, it's probably best known as the setting for the final scenes of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. The site is in Jordan, and was a trading center uniting the Mediterranean and Arabian worlds. It was a vibrant city and a hydrological marvel. Being in an arid environment, the book explains how the Nabataeans were able to store the water necessary to provide for the population and make the desert bloom. The art is eclectic, combining Arabian styles with the Hellenistic. While the book is small, there are an amazing amount of photographs which showcase the grandeur of a unique ancient city.(less)
A long-winded overview of the book: This book goes into the history and influence of the Cynic "school...more"Beard-growing alone does not make a philosopher"
A long-winded overview of the book: This book goes into the history and influence of the Cynic "school" of philosophy. The term has its origins in the Greek word for dog, as the philosophers lived in a fashion, out in the open and shamelessly, that was pejoratively linked with the animal, which Greeks thought was sort of filthy, rather than man's best friend. They generally tried to free themselves from the burdens of human customs and lived instead for the present in nature. Nature they viewed as generally benign, and the world and people were good. Viewing the present as the only thing that men could truly know, it was important to bask in the here and now, rather than dwell on the past or future. Somewhat strangely for a philosophy, they were adamantly against book learning. Yet at the same time they seemed very inventive with literary styles and word play. Witty repartee seemed highly valued by them.
These philosophers were an odd lot, generally living simply, without home or employment, wandering around, stirring up trouble and generally living in the present. They ate simply, and scandalously by eating in public and in temples. Similarly some thought nothing wrong with sex in the public arena, for if animals would do such a thing, it is natural and cannot be bad. Rather than being fixated on patriotism and civic pride, they claimed to be "citizens of the cosmos." They wished to speak freely and rule themselves.
One fascinating way they prepared for this was to toughen themselves by being rid of the conveniences of contemporary society. No shoes, no warm clothes, no fancy hair cuts or shaving (and on occasion, radically shaving half of a head to show the ridiculousness of any style, and no fancy foods (perhaps even shunning cooked food (although how one would eat lentils and peas raw escapes me, and those were highly touted by the Cynics).
They seemed fixated on pointing out the foibles of elitism and conspicuous consumption as foolish wastes of efforts in trying to impress others, when one should be equal and love all of mankind. This philanthropy seemed to be a central tenet, along with self-sufficiency and speaking freely. However, this self-sufficiency often relied on begging, and the free speaking was often viewed as shameless self-promotion. Also, there were charges of hypocrisy.
As for the book, it does a good job of giving the background, although the first chapter is a long and occasionally tedious list of the major players in the school. More interesting were the implications of Cynics interacting with the world, particularly the political world, and how various Cynic views reverberated down to the present day. The contrast between Cynicism and modern cynicism is fairly wide, considering the optimism of the ancient strain and the pessimism of modern cynics. Lastly, this book has annoying references. If you aren't well versed in ancient literature, parathetical references like (Aug, De civ. D.) is not very helpful. All and all, it's an edifying read.(less)
This is the longest book I have read in quite some time, and the 1100 pages don't exactly fly by. Even though it is a fairly arduous read, the subject...moreThis is the longest book I have read in quite some time, and the 1100 pages don't exactly fly by. Even though it is a fairly arduous read, the subject matter is very engrossing, 150 years after the Civil War.
Being a biography, it covers the his upbringing, early military assignments, the Civil War, and his time as the highest ranking officer in the Army after the war. In addition to his thoughts, he includes letters and correspondence, and in various addenda, let's people who feel he has slightly misrepresented occurrences with a chance at rebuttal. Some of the highlights for me were his time in California during the Mexican-American War (for which there is a fine book Eagles and Empire: The United States, Mexico, and the Struggle for a Continent). It was interesting that right as Sherman arrived, the city of Yerba Buena was rebranding itself as San Francisco, to attract everyone who came to the bay of the same name to it, rather than other Bay-Area cities. Sherman also helped set up a seminary/military academy which would eventually become Louisiana State University. At the onset of the Civil War, Sherman left his post as superintendent of the school, but was slightly reluctant to rejoin the army since he felt that the Union wasn't committing the resources necessary to do the job.
During the war, the most action packed sequences are the campaigns from Tennessee to Atlanta, the March to the Sea, and the Carolina Campaign. One of the most interesting sections for me was how the military dealt with property issues in Memphis. For example, if your landlord was a rebel, to whom do you pay rent. There were all of these complicated property issues which an occupying army had to deal with. With that in mind, it makes sense why Sherman evacuated Atlanta of civilians after he conquered it.
Sherman also discusses what would more or less be called public relations mistakes. He had some contentious issues with various other generals, and especially Secretary of War (calling things like it is, not "Defense") Stanton. Sherman was not very savvy. Its understandable why he was not interested in elected office.
William Tecumseh Sherman is perhaps my favorite Ohioan, as I love his pragmatic/cynical view that war is hell, war is cruelty, and it can not be refined, et cetera. This gels well with the pacifist and curmudgeonly aspects of my personality, that war should not be taken lightly, and those who agitate for war should feel its consequences. I like to be an ardent Union man, considering there are still idiots who embrace the stars and bars of the Confederate flag. I am proud that an Ohioan made Georgia howl, and marched across South Carolina. The South started the war and deserved everything that it received.
That being said, it can not be ignored that William Tecumseh Sherman did not have enlightened views about African-Americans. He accepted slavery as a fact prior to the war, and was in no way an abolitionist. His views show a white supremacist sentiment, and he did not really embrace the use of African-American troops. However, at least according to Sherman and some letters from others, in personal interactions with freed slaves he was gracious and fair. Sherman is a complicated character, and probably shouldn't be lionized (as I like to do) or denigrated. Due to this, his autobiography is an extraordinary read for anyone with interest in American History and especially the Civil War.(less)
This book is gorgeous. The design of the panels and the entire aesthetic is so well executed. The sepia coloring and art drive the narrative so effici...moreThis book is gorgeous. The design of the panels and the entire aesthetic is so well executed. The sepia coloring and art drive the narrative so efficiently that there isn't any need for text. Much of the text is derived straight from the Confessions of Nat Turner, which was dictated from a prison cell. It really makes me want to read the entire account. Nat Turner combined a meticulous plan with a prophetic/messianic aura that created an relatively effective strike force for people with no military training.
The art shows the brutality of the slave trade and the insurrection in Southampton, Virginia. Nat Turner's revolt led to the deaths of 55 whites. The book doesn't explicitly say how many slaves were killed or executed in the revolt and its aftermath, but I imagine it was an even higher toll. (less)
This book is a light introduction into bees and beekeeping. It also contains an interesting mix of instructions for bee box assembly, candle making, r...moreThis book is a light introduction into bees and beekeeping. It also contains an interesting mix of instructions for bee box assembly, candle making, recipes for lip balm, energy bars, and how to make a bees wax death mask. It wouldn't have hurt if this book was more in depth, but it was a pleasant read, and its always nice to be able to fly through a book.(less)
Decided to pick up another book about the Great Lakes Water Compact after reading the engrossing The Great Lakes Water Wars. This book is written by a...moreDecided to pick up another book about the Great Lakes Water Compact after reading the engrossing The Great Lakes Water Wars. This book is written by a former staff member for the Michigan governor who has also worked with conservation groups.
The tone at time verges on philippic, and he seems to focus more on the weaknesses of the compact than the previous book. One thing which Dave Dempsey does particularly well is his explanation of the changes in water use and the degradation of public trust doctrine and legal precedent (most often due to the machinations of right-wing politicians). The issue of water use and export is very complicated, and the laws are patchwork quilts of strange legal definitions, but that is part of what makes them so fascinating.(less)
Marcus Aurelius doesn't come off as a particularly happy individual in this book, which is just Meditations repackaged. However, happiness isn't the m...moreMarcus Aurelius doesn't come off as a particularly happy individual in this book, which is just Meditations repackaged. However, happiness isn't the most important thing, at least to the Stoic emperor. The main thrusts are to live within oneself, keeping the mind pure by keeping it in line with natural law. Some other themes he returns to are: dying (It doesn't matter, since it will happen to everyone. It is natural and unites all living creatures), humility (Everything dies, everything is around for such a short time, so be humble, you're a flash in the pan), and respecting one's own opinions over the opinions of others. The view of the present being everything, while past and future are unchangeable or unknowable, so they shouldn't have an impact on how one lives life.
It is most interesting how the work seems to reflect the issues the emperor was struggling with day to day, fighting inconclusive battles with Dacians on the frontier near the Danube. Certain passages seem to show his frustration with other Roman officials and members of the court. The meditations seem a way for Marcus Aurelius to think out what his course of action should have been or should be, and a way to collect himself for his numerous duties in the military and government.
This book is an overview about the Great Lakes, water rights, and how the states and provinces in the region are working to control their own destiny...moreThis book is an overview about the Great Lakes, water rights, and how the states and provinces in the region are working to control their own destiny and protect their most notable natural resource. The book takes the events up to 2006. The politics of the issue are pretty interesting, in that most of the issues are purely geographic rather than partisan. It is also interesting how the different partners in the Compact view each other. Michigan hates any diversion of water from the drainage basin, understandably, since they are right in the middle of the watershed. Illinois wants special deals for Chicago, and actually gets them because of Supreme Court precedent on their crazy reversal of the flow of the Chicago River (originally done to ensure their waste wouldn't flow into their water intakes). The Canadian groups think everyone on the US side uses way too much and is worried that the Yankees will divert all of the water.
Ohio was always a mover and shaker in the talks, and seems to have carried itself well, regardless of the party of the governor at the time. That pleases me as a resident of Ohio, and formerly of the Lake Erie Watershed. It also showed how even a water-rich state and region has water issues. Akron and some of its neighbors got into quite a legal wrangle in the 1990s over diversion, mostly because Akron was trying to secure water ownership rights, similar to the system in place in the Western United States, rather than the riparian use model of water law which is generally used in the Eastern United States. Akron also set a precedent that if water is to be diverted out of the Great Lakes watershed, equal water must be replaced into the system. Water law is shockingly interesting to me.
The greatest thing I took away from the book is the impressive foresight of regional politicians who want to protect the greatest asset the region has. It might not be sunny all the time and has cold winters, but the Great Lakes are rich with water. It would be a shame to let short-sighted diversion plans redistribute one of the main assets of the region to populations who are foolishly living beyond their hydrological means in other parts of the nation or the world. Hopefully the plans implemented will protect the Great Lakes ecosystem so that nothing like the Aral Sea disaster can happen here.(less)
I will loosely categorize this as non-fiction. The strengths of this book are how it using the format. It is richly self-referential, sending you back...moreI will loosely categorize this as non-fiction. The strengths of this book are how it using the format. It is richly self-referential, sending you back and forth if you'd like, or to the earlier The Areas of My Expertise. It also has a running "This Day in History" segment, so that the book could double as a page-a-day calendar, if you're willing to destroy a book in the process.
Some parts get a little tedious (700 Mole Men names), but other parts are surprisingly personal. It is a fun adaptation of the almanac, in a world where such a thing may soon go extinct in published form.(less)
This book is a great way to look at a variety of historical developments. It examines the origins of agriculture, and the positive and negative effect...moreThis book is a great way to look at a variety of historical developments. It examines the origins of agriculture, and the positive and negative effects that it had on neolithic humans (Early farmers were malnourished and averaged several inches shorter than their hunter-gatherer predecessors). It examines how farming dovetailed with organized societies and cities. It examines the allure of spices, and the effects the trade networks, and the searching for alternatives to these networks, impacted knowledge of the world and cartography (a la The Taste of Conquest: The Rise and Fall of the Three Great Cities of Spice). It examined the role of food in governance, conquest, and propaganda. The author examines how successful military leaders were often experts in logistics and being able to field and feed armies effectively. He also delves into the failures of the Soviet and Chinese collective farm efforts, where ideological purity and appearances were more important than the facts on the ground, leading to catastrophic results. Lastly, the book delves into the world of fertilizer. South American countries fought over deserts due to mineral deposits which were crucial ingredients in fertilizer and countries tried to lay claim to any island which had nitrogen rich bird guano. The book also examines Malthusian crises, and how they can be avoided.
This book seemed excellently researched. The author also took on current issues, such as organic farming, food miles, sustainability, and bio-fuels. With these topics, there was a distant eye which made me think a lot about them. For example, with some foods, a significant part of their environmental impact comes with the cooking and serving, so a crappy kitchen can undo much of the environmental good of a food choice. Similarly, certain foods just grow better in different locals, and that can have enormous environmental impact. The author was able to look at the positives and negatives of agriculture that relies on fertilizer and specialized crops or organic or traditional methods and heirloom varietals. One of the most interesting points was that if everything was grown organically, much more land would need to be converted to farmland to feed the world's population. So in certain ways fertilizer intensive agriculture can preserve wilderness. Overall, the author sees the importance of all of the different strategies that humans use to feed themselves.(less)
An engrossing, yet reasonable light, examination of the biological underpinnings of certain aspects in personality and survival strategy in human bein...moreAn engrossing, yet reasonable light, examination of the biological underpinnings of certain aspects in personality and survival strategy in human beings and mice. Using the Five Factor personality model, the author goes through various facets of each of these factors and the various rodent research that shows it in animal behavior.
I enjoyed how the author was willing to hypothesize reasons why certain traits would be advantageous in various situations. I also appreciate that she is open about these being personal hypotheses, rather than a given fact. It was also neat to meet some of the primary researchers in the field. Many of them get a lot of flak for experimenting on animals, but most of them were well aware of the consequences their lab work has on the animals, and they took it with gravity. It's nice to know that these are not mad scientists, and they do have a strong regard for the comfort of their animals.
This book was recommended to me by a co-worker through a Reader's Advisory training workshop. A good choice.(less)
This book is a really fascinating look in to the growing partisanship of the American electorate, told in a reasonably non-partisan way (the author ad...moreThis book is a really fascinating look in to the growing partisanship of the American electorate, told in a reasonably non-partisan way (the author admits his liberal leanings, but shows how both liberals and conservatives contribute to "The Big Sort" and generally just looks at the trends and why they started).
So what is "The Big Sort?" Essentially, people beginning in the 1970s have started living in like-minded groups many. Many cities have become overwhelming Democratic and rural areas and exurbs are overwhelmingly Republican. This book looks into the trends of this polarization, and how it relates to group psychology, market research, the history of the political parties, the Social Gospel and the Great Commission philosophies of Christianity.
Some of the most interesting aspects were how there wasn't much difference in the two major parties through the 1940s and 1950s (and both were recruiting Eisenhower for a presidential candidate), but party affiliation was high and both parties had a mix of liberal, moderate, and conservative members. During 1965, public trust took a nose dive and party affiliation followed on a huge decline. Over the coming decades, the parties have realigned themselves.
The greatest value of this book is how it makes one realize how little civil discourse there is and how rare it is to have interaction with people who differ on many issues. Both sides have circled the wagons and are further polarized by a feed back loop of their own rhetoric. This makes it all the easier to vilify the "other". Looking at my own choices, of what I study, where I spend my time, my hobbies, and where I live, I see that I am part of "The Big Sort." It will be interesting to see if the trends continue.(less)
Grant Morrison is a very long winded author. The book combines a history of various trends in comics from their start in the 1930s up to the present w...moreGrant Morrison is a very long winded author. The book combines a history of various trends in comics from their start in the 1930s up to the present with an autobiography. The story is generally ordered chronologically, with in-depth looks at particular titles or covers which seem to embody the trends of various periods. Much of the personal aspects lead into Morrison's personal life and efforts to find himself, including several odd visions he had. These would be more interesting if I did not have such skepticism about such things. By no means is this a bad book, it's just sort of slow moving and dense, lacking the speed of comics.(less)
The premise of this book seemed to be visiting famous death sites of various rock stars, a musical Assassination Vacation. While the author does tour...moreThe premise of this book seemed to be visiting famous death sites of various rock stars, a musical Assassination Vacation. While the author does tour the country, and briefly muses about the role death plays in cementing a rock star's legacy, most of the book is about his love life. Perhaps if I knew the author better and his various paramours, this would be more engrossing. Like all of the Chuck Klosterman books I've read, the writing has a very conversational tone of a person getting lost in his own thoughts. This is the first book where that sort of irked me, but that's his style, so it's just something to accept.
The most interesting blurbs in this one were: Radiohead's Kid A being the closest thing to a soundtrack for September 11 (listening to the album, I can sort of see it) and that all males at one point or another will love Led Zepplin (in my test sample of one, me, I find this to be very true)(less)
This is an exceptional sports book, even though it is less ballyhooed than Bill Simmons's The Book of Basketball: The NBA According to The Sports Guy....moreThis is an exceptional sports book, even though it is less ballyhooed than Bill Simmons's The Book of Basketball: The NBA According to The Sports Guy. Chris Ballard gets some great interviews, from major stars like Shaq, LeBron James, and Steve Nash, as well as less heralded players like Shane Battier, Steve Kerr, and Craig Ehlo. The chapters are broken down into aspects of the game (shooting, rebounding, dunks, blocks, defense, killer instinct, etc.) and it makes the reader appreciate how it is not merely the physicality of the athletes which makes them great. The detailed look at off-season workouts and tape studies reflects how much work NBA players put into their craft, and how deeply they think about it.
Thanks to my friend Demetri for the recommendation.(less)
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