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July 26
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leighcia
gave
 
to:
The Road (Hardcover)
by Cormac McCarthy
bookshelves:
fiction
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my rating:
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read in July, 2008
leighcia said:
"This book traces the journey made by a father and his son as they attempt to reach the coast. The world has been destroyed by presumably what resembles a nuclear apocalypse. Major cities were burned, nearly all vegetation and animal life were destroy...more
This book traces the journey made by a father and his son as they attempt to reach the coast. The world has been destroyed by presumably what resembles a nuclear apocalypse. Major cities were burned, nearly all vegetation and animal life were destroyed, and everything was covered in ashes. As food became scarce, violence and murder increased until even humans were far and few between. McCarthy writes very simply and very calmly, but manages to recreate the bleakness and constant fear that permeates the father and his son’s journey. His novel highlights the extremes of human depravity, explores the tensions between compassion and survival, and offers a somber picture of hope. ...less
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July 06
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leighcia
gave
to:
The Sociological Imagination (Paperback)
by C. Wright Mills
bookshelves:
non-fiction
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my rating:
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read in July, 2008
leighcia said:
"The first 100 pages of this book were really hard to get through, and even after that, the book was very dense and took quite a bit of effort to understand. All that being said, this has been one of the most thought-provoking and academically-inspiri...more
The first 100 pages of this book were really hard to get through, and even after that, the book was very dense and took quite a bit of effort to understand. All that being said, this has been one of the most thought-provoking and academically-inspiring books I have read in the past year. Mills was a prominent sociologist of the earlier half of the twentieth century (if I’m not mistaken, he coined the phrases “WASP” and “white collar”). In this book, Mills criticizes the two dominant methods of studying sociology (grand theory and abstracted empiricism), and then goes on to delineate the sociological imagination—a way of studying society that factors in historical, political and individual factors, that does not get too lofty with grandiose theories and abstractions nor too mired in the numbers and statistics of abstracted empiricism. He then writes about the need for the sociological imagination in today’s society, in relation to our reason and freedom, our democracy and politics. The appendix provides some guidance on how to conduct such research. Though Mill had a few touches of elitism to him, it was so refreshing to read someone who had a vision for social sciences (and for the academy) that mandates relevance to society at large and the individual.
To summarize his stance on the subject: “Our public life now often rests upon such official definitions, as well as upon myths and lies and crackbrained notions. When many politics- debated and undebated – are based on inadequate and misleading definitions of reality, then those who are out to define reality more adequately are bound to be upsetting influences. … Such is the role of mind, of study, of intellect, of reason, of ideas: to define reality adequately and in a publicly relevant way. The educational and the political role of social science in a democracy is to help cultivate and sustain public and individuals that are able to develop, to live with, and to act upon adequate definitions of personal and social realities.”
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leighcia
gave
to:
The Death and Life of Great American Cities (Hardcover)
by Jane Jacobs
bookshelves:
non-fiction
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my rating:
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read in June, 2008
leighcia said:
"Written in the 1960’s, Jane Jacobs revolutionized the way we viewed and studied the city. She summarizes her approach in her final chapter—cities are not to be studied as objects of simplicity (e.g. simple relationships, more open space = better ...more
Written in the 1960’s, Jane Jacobs revolutionized the way we viewed and studied the city. She summarizes her approach in her final chapter—cities are not to be studied as objects of simplicity (e.g. simple relationships, more open space = better neighborhoods), nor objects of disorganized complexity (e.g. statistical approaches), but are to be treated as a living organism—incredibly complex yet organized and interrelated. She advocates the “microscopic” approach to looking at the city—digging in very deeply, instead of relying on high flying theories. She concludes that the success of a city is not dependent on any single component (e.g. open space, broken windows, etc…), but on a complex interaction of various factors, which she outlines in her book. However, for most of the book though, Jacobs rarely talks to high-brow metaphor, but remains incredibly practical, concrete, realistic and easy to understand. She relies heavily on examples from Boston, New York, Philadelphia and Chicago. She focuses on several elements that in combined, including mixed and diverse uses (e.g. commercial and residential areas mixed together), shorter blocks, ideal density and lack of large borderlands/abandoned spaces (which can be parks!), and diversity. Her book was long to read, but definitely provided me with a new framework with which to observe and understand the city. ...less
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leighcia
gave
to:
Housekeeping: A Novel (Paperback)
by Marilynne Robinson
bookshelves:
fiction
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my rating:
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read in July, 2008
leighcia said:
"This is a beautifully written novel about two sisters coping with the death (apparent suicide) of their mother in the small town of Fingerbone. The prose reads like poetry and the quiet, somber, dreamy reflections on life and death weave their way in...more
This is a beautifully written novel about two sisters coping with the death (apparent suicide) of their mother in the small town of Fingerbone. The prose reads like poetry and the quiet, somber, dreamy reflections on life and death weave their way into the narrative. However, that very reverie-like prose made it difficult to connect more deeply with the characters—they seemed like beautiful ghostly abstractions rather than real flesh and blood individuals (but I suspect that may be the author’s intentions). In any case, it was enjoyable to read, and perhaps can be very inspiring to an aspiring writer. ...less
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May 28
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leighcia
gave
to:
Final Exam: A Surgeon's Reflections on Mortality (Hardcover)
by Pauline W. Chen
bookshelves:
non-fiction
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my rating:
Added to my books!
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read in May, 2008
leighcia said:
"This is a beautifully written book by a surgeon. Chen recounts her training and her practice as a doctor, narrating the ways in which she and her fellow medical students or doctors confronted or avoided confronting death. While Chen touches upon poli...more
This is a beautifully written book by a surgeon. Chen recounts her training and her practice as a doctor, narrating the ways in which she and her fellow medical students or doctors confronted or avoided confronting death. While Chen touches upon policy-oriented issues, such as the need for palliative care, better M & M conferences, better medical training, her book reads best as a memoir of her own personal and emotional struggles. I found most moving Chen’s narrations of how she responded to a husband or a wife dying to a chronic disease, while his or her partner watched and waited. Chen writes both vividly and compassionately. This book touched me more personally than most, perhaps as I have been reflecting more on how hard it would be to lose my husband (or for him to lose me) after the recent death to cancer of a church member with a husband and young children....less
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leighcia
gave
to:
The Sabbath (Paperback)
by Abraham Joshua Heschel
bookshelves:
christianity,
non-fiction
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my rating:
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read in May, 2008
leighcia said:
"Heschel is a Jewish theologian and this short book is his reflection on the role of Sabbath in Jewish religious life. The Sabbath is a day of holiness, a palace of time, a way to commune with God. While I found most of this book less applicable to me...more
Heschel is a Jewish theologian and this short book is his reflection on the role of Sabbath in Jewish religious life. The Sabbath is a day of holiness, a palace of time, a way to commune with God. While I found most of this book less applicable to me as a Christian (though it did help me start to understand better Jewish culture), the first two chapters and the last one are absolutely phenomenal. In these chapters, Heschel reflects on society’s tendency to devalue time, which it cannot so easily control, in order to acquire more of space, that which seems so much easier to possess.
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leighcia
gave
to:
Bowling Alone : The Collapse and Revival of American Community (Paperback)
by Robert D. Putnam
bookshelves:
non-fiction
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my rating:
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read in April, 2008
leighcia said:
"This book summarizes substantial amounts of empirical studies on American community, which is broadly defined to include civic engagement, participation in different interest groups, church attendance, philanthropic giving, volunteering, or simply ha...more
This book summarizes substantial amounts of empirical studies on American community, which is broadly defined to include civic engagement, participation in different interest groups, church attendance, philanthropic giving, volunteering, or simply hanging out with friends. After Putnam clearly demonstrates the decline of American community since the 1950s, he spends a good portion of time investigating the various factors that may have caused it, including suburban sprawl, television, less free time, generational change etc… He spends the last few chapters on a hopeful note, mentioning the spurt in community involvement after the growing injustices of the late 1800s. Though he didn’t leave me entirely convinced, Putnam posits a series of societal changes that could have substantial impact on community involvement, ones that are very well in the realm of possibility. Putnam does spend quite a bit of time detailing methodology, but overall the book is not technically bogged down. My favourite chapter was probably the one detailing the detrimental effects of television....less
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May 20
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leighcia
gave
to:
Watchmen (Paperback)
by Alan Moore, Dave Gibbons
bookshelves:
fiction
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my rating:
Added to my books!
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read in May, 2008
leighcia said:
"Heralded as one of the best graphic novels ever, The Watchmen is a very intense and dark story of the lives of former costumed vigilantes (superheroes without superpowers). It begins with the investigation into the mysterious murder of one of them. I...more
Heralded as one of the best graphic novels ever, The Watchmen is a very intense and dark story of the lives of former costumed vigilantes (superheroes without superpowers). It begins with the investigation into the mysterious murder of one of them. It’s extremely well-written and well-told, but requires quite a bit of thought and attention to follow along. I won’t say too much, but I will say that the Watchmen defies the genre, by being an anti-superhero story....less
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leighcia
gave
to:
Straight Man: A Novel (Paperback)
by Richard Russo
bookshelves:
fiction
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my rating:
Added to my books!
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read in May, 2008
leighcia said:
"This book recounts a week in the life of a professor of English in Railton, Pennsylvania. It is focused on the drama of his department, the university (facing extreme budget cuts), and his family. The book is meant to be humorous, and succeeds most o...more
This book recounts a week in the life of a professor of English in Railton, Pennsylvania. It is focused on the drama of his department, the university (facing extreme budget cuts), and his family. The book is meant to be humorous, and succeeds most of the time, though sometimes the events end up being a bit absurd. It was decently/mildly entertaining to read, especially as it mocks academe culture. Summed up, the book is about: “Only after we’ve done a thing do we know what we’ll do, and by then whatever we’ve done has already begun to sever itself from clear significance, at least for the doer.” It’s nothing life changing but if you’re looking for a light, quick, funny read, and you have a soft spot for the university, this might work out well. ...less
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April 07
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leighcia
gave
to:
Bone: One Volume Edition (Paperback)
by Jeff Smith
bookshelves:
fiction
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my rating:
Added to my books!
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read in April, 2008
leighcia said:
"I burned through this graphic novel (aka, fancy term for comic book)in 3 days, struggling to resist the urge to stay up until wee hours of the night in order to finish it. It is absolutely delightful! The characters are so memorable—the protagonist...more
I burned through this graphic novel (aka, fancy term for comic book)in 3 days, struggling to resist the urge to stay up until wee hours of the night in order to finish it. It is absolutely delightful! The characters are so memorable—the protagonist loves Moby Dick, the greedy Phoney Bone, a rat creature obsessed with quiche, and a talking leaf bug just to name a few. While managing to be extraordinary cute, corny and funny, the novel is also incredibly thought-provoking, particular on the subjects of relativism, cultural imperialism and power. The drawings are beautiful. The dialogue is excellent. And the story a definite page-turner—the start of the novel can be a bit slow, but hopefully the wackiness of it will keep one’s interest. Three cousins are driven out of a town which resembles something of early 20th century and stumble into a valley that appears to be from the middle ages, complete with vicious rat creatures who are searching for one of the cousins and a mysterious guardian dragon who always seems to appear at just the right moment, and then disappear. Think Disney meets Lord of the Rings. ...less
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