I just finished this book and... > Likes and Comments
I'm going to kick off this thread with Signs of Life: To the Ends of the Earth with a Doctor. While I gave it five stars, I wasn't sure it was quite right for a travel folder mention itself. The story does jump around a bit, and some might not appreciate his... style. If you think it's for you after reading the comments, it probably is My review
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Good Neighbor: The Life and Work of Fred Rogers I will make the second entry by telling your about this biography covering Mister Rogers- Fred Rogers. I liked the book a lot, because I was so interested to know more about Fred Rogers the man behind my favorite TV show when I was growing up.If you are a fan, you'll enjoy this book, although the writing is somewhat repetitive and unsophisticated. But the author does a great job explaining how the show came to be and you get a much fuller picture of the man. Yes, he was really good and kind, and very dedicated to children's education, PBS, and -- was quite an exacting producer.
I have completed A Promised Land by Barack Obama. I found this to be a very, very good book. I highly recommend it.My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Chrissie wrote: "I have completed A Promised Land by Barack Obama. I found this to be a very, very good book. I highly recommend it.My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3..."
Glad you enjoyed it, Chrissie.
Eileen, I really did. Have you come far? Are you enjoying it?
Chrissie, I'm still early on but I'm really enjoying it so far, especially since he's also narrating it. I liked the quotes he opened with and also how he started the story in the White House garden.
Larry had asked about Pakistan: A Hard Country (in another thread but fits better here) - nearly finished with it, finding the read textbook/wonky but he can handle it given his background, definitely not general interest!Yesterday, I finished I Have Something to Tell You, a memoir by Chasten Glezman Buttigieg. Haven't written a formal review yet, but while I'm here figured I would mention it. This one I would definitely recommend (planning on four stars); the first part focuses on his life up until he meet Pete which has almost nothing whatsoever to do with politics, while the later sections do focus on the issue of being a significant other of someone who rather quickly goes from unknown to "celebrity" status. I have not yet read Pete's Memoir, but I get the feeling I might actually appreciate this one as much, if not more than, that one.
Anybody interested in biodiversity, conservation, ecology and biographies / autobiographies of interesting people will I think enjoy Naturalist by and about Edward O. Wilson. Wilson is known as "the father of sociobiology " and "the father of biodiversity".My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
John wrote: "Larry had asked about Pakistan: A Hard Country (in another thread but fits better here) - nearly finished with it, finding the read textbook/wonky but he can handle it given his bac..."John, I acquired that book and will get around to reading it. Before I retired, my last boss was a Foreign Service Officer who came from Pakistan and was a true American success story. He eventually became the U.S. Ambassador to Moldova and is currently a VP at Washington State University. I asked him once if he had ever visited the Tribal Territories in Pakistan. He said "Once ... that was enough."
Have received a Xmas present of The Promised Land by Barack Obama. It is currently quarantining in my hall and will read it after Xmas. Glad to see you both like it, Chrissie and Eileen. Am looking forward to it.
Re: memoir of Chasten Glezman. I was pleased to see that Pete Buttigieg is being given a post by Biden in his new government. He is relatively young, but will, I am sure, go far.
Carol wrote: "Have received a Xmas present of The Promised Land by Barack Obama. It is currently quarantining in my hall and will read it after Xmas. Glad to see you both like it, Chrissie and Ei..."Nice to know you have a really good book ahead of you. Enjoy! And happy holidays to you too!
Carol wrote: "Have received a Xmas present of The Promised Land by Barack Obama. It is currently quarantining in my hall and will read it after Xmas. Glad to see you both like it, Chrissie and Ei..."Carol, yes, I am enjoying it and I will be interested in your thoughts!
Eileen wrote: "Chrissie wrote: "I have completed A Promised Land by Barack Obama. I found this to be a very, very good book. I highly recommend it.My review: https://www.goodreads...."
As I said in an earlier post, I am reading it verrrrry slowly and savoring every word. As I read I think back to hearing and reacting to the events and decisions he discusses. The transition from Bush to Obama was certainly a stark contrast to the one we're witnessing now.
Carol wrote: "Re: memoir of Chasten Glezman. I was pleased to see that Pete Buttigieg is being given a post by Biden in his new government. He is relatively young, but will, I am sure, go far."Carol:
At one of the Democratic debates last winter, someone brought up the fact that Biden may be too vulnerable a candidate in November because of his "Hunter problem". Pete immediately jumped in to denounce that comment as completely despicable. Joe gave him a look as though he wanted to adopt Pete then and there. So, I expected something Cabinet-level for him. A real win-win for Pete, as he's a terrific fit for this department being such a huge policy wonk guy, as well as probably not straining his marriage with lots of night and weekend work as State or Defense would involve.
I can highly recommend Somewhere in the Unknown World: A Collective Refugee Memoir bu Kao Kalia Yang. It is an important book, and it is well written. Nevertheless, I do prefer her two earlier memoirs--The Latehomecomer: A Hmong Family Memoir and The Song Poet: A Memoir of My Father.My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
A History of English FoodI read this book earlier in the year, but I'm adding it to this thread as it's neither completely a food book nor history, but some of both.
My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
John wrote: "A History of English FoodI read this book earlier in the year, but I'm adding it to this thread as it's neither completely a food book nor history, but some of both.
My review: h..."
Clarissa Dickson Wright was one of my favourite cooks on the TV. Always witty and humorous and with a wonderful knowledge about food. She was literally larger than life and clearly enjoyed her food as much as she enjoyed presenting the programmes. A much-loved person, as well as a cook, I am not surprised her book is excellent.
John wrote: "Carol wrote: "Re: memoir of Chasten Glezman. I was pleased to see that Pete Buttigieg is being given a post by Biden in his new government. He is relatively young, but will, I am sure, go far."Ca..."
John, your explanation/insights are great about Buttigieg.
The Mind of a Mnemonist: A Little Book about a Vast Memory by A.R. Luria. A short book and an interesting case study of a man who could remember almost anything, and retain it in his mind for years later. His synesthesia (the linking of one sense to another, eg visual images would conjure up tastes or smells for him) contributed to his memory. It’s an academic book but written in a narrative style that is simple to understand.
Hello Maggie-- It sounds as though he had a better chance remembering because two or more senses were involved. What I wonder is what percentage of the population has the ability for synesthesia? Can this be trained, or is it genetic/biological? Can it be cultural? What country was the subject from? Thanks for sharing...
My final nonfiction of the year: Ready for a Brand New Beat: How Dancing in the Street Became the Anthem for a Changing AmericaMy review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Sher wrote: "Hello Maggie-- It sounds as though he had a better chance remembering because two or more senses were involved. What I wonder is what percentage of the population has the ability for synesthesia? C..."Hi Sher, I have absolutely no idea what the answers to your questions on the epidemiology of synesthesia is! This was a case study of a single Russian man written by a Russian psychologist in the 1960s. The subject himself went on to do stage performances where he’d recall things he’d been asked to memorise, and Luria also found that he could recall lists that Luria had read to him even 15 years later. He was born with the trait, but it doesn’t seem to be genetic as his family didn’t have it, although they did have good but not extraordinary memories.
Interestingly, when I clicked from the book’s page to other book reviews, I found a book on synesthesia called The Man Who Tasted Shapes. In the first few reviews, there are people who say they’ve had synesthesia all their lives and never knew what it was. So it’s probably more common than we expect, though it doesn’t usually result in the sort of memory that the subject in Luria’s book had, maybe because it isn’t as profound in other people as it was in him. He couldn’t even read newspapers while he was having breakfast, for example, because the taste of the words would interfere with the taste of his breakfast.
Sher wrote: "Hello Maggie-- It sounds as though he had a better chance remembering because two or more senses were involved. What I wonder is what percentage of the population has the ability for synesthesia? C..."Sher, I do recall reading perhaps two years ago that a lot more people have some mild degree of synesthesia than was previously thought. I doubt that I could find that article. It was in something like SCIENCE NEWS.
My first five-star book this month is The Arrogant Years: One Girl's Search for Her Lost Youth, from Cairo to Brooklyn by Lucette Lagnado. Of course I recommend it. It is for those readers who enjoy biographies and learning about different places and history through people's lives.My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I actually like it even more than the author's first book focused primarily on her father--The Man in the White Sharkskin Suit: My Family's Exodus from Old Cairo to the New World!
Maggie wrote: "Sher wrote: "Hello Maggie-- It sounds as though he had a better chance remembering because two or more senses were involved. What I wonder is what percentage of the population has the ability for s..."Maggie:
I apologize to not have replied sooner, and I hope you are still here. Your book and information really interests me because of a book I read in November One River It is a dual-biography of sorts covering a field biologist in the 1940s and his work with psychedelics in the forest tribes of Columbia, and then his student researcher who goes back years later to do more research on these plants like cocoa leaves that were traditionally used in religious ( I use that term loosely) ceremonies. I had some issues with this book, but the writing about the experiences the researchers had during these ceremonies was striking because when they used these drugs all their senses got turned upside down-- they could hear what they were seeing, and taste what they were touching and so on. And, this was brought on by the drug and then used by the people to gain wisdom. Your book reminded me of the book I just read --
I'm linking three titles below, which share a common theme. As I didn't really write much of a review for the last two, I'm going to stick with a general comment for each instead.At Home: A Short History of Private Life
I'm not a huge fan of Bryson as a travel writer, but my strong impression when I finished this book was that I was blown away by how blown away by the book I was! He does an incredible job of bringing the history of the house to life as though we were watching a living documentary of the inhabitants' lives.
Inside the Victorian Home: A Portrait of Domestic Life in Victorian England
More solid research, and definitely kept my attention throughout with ever seeming dry. Being brutally honest, I read it a while ago, so don't recall its exact details, but I can verify that Flanders is a terrific writer; the book has definitely lodged in my memory as having been a good read!
If Walls Could Talk: An Intimate History of the Home
I reread this one this year. The book is structured around the various parts of the house and their respective functions, which worked well. Again, am a fan of the author who came through with another great read here.
Bryson's is obviously the strongest of the three in terms of making a recommendation. However, if that one is not available at your library at present, but you can get one of the others, do so. Obviously, I'm not recommending that one reads all three back-to-back, instead the others would make good TBR for later as it's not a matter of reading the same thing three times.
Thanks John- this was such a nice summary of each book and helped me to know which one I would pick... actually it is the Victorian Home book.
American Transcendentalism and Asian ReligionsThis book looks at all the primary transcendentalists thinkers of the 19th century and tries to consider what aspects of Asian religion and thought show up in their work. Versluis is aware that for many such as Thoreau and Emerson, these thinkers combined aspects of Hindu thought with Buddhism without knowing the difference, and their addition of Buddhism for example was more aesthetic in content than in practice. Author does a good job showing how superficial and naive understanding of Buddhist and Hindu thought was during this time and how without much depth American thinkers used these new ideas. The comparison between Asian thought in Thoreau's work and life was interesting in comparison to how Asian thought arose in Emerson's more armchair than living it approach to Asian religions. If this topic interests you, a well worth addition to your library, because it will give you much to think about-- lots of details regarding American Transcendentalism and how it was colored to an extent by watered-down rather ill-presented Hinduism and Buddhism. Plus the book shows what sources, translations, and versions 19th C artists, writers, and thinker had of Buddhism and Hinduism at that time.
Here's another one that I think goes here, rather than the main threads. I gave it four stars, but it's a hybrid of publishing background and general memoir, so doesn't really classify.Stet: An Editor's Life
My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Journal of a Disappointed Man by W.N.P. Barbellion is a moving and beautiful non-fiction classic, but not an easy read emotionally.My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I start commenting in the other thread about Extraterrestrial: The First Sign of Intelligent Life Beyond Earth.Here is my review.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4...
Voices from Chernobyl: The Oral History of a Nuclear Disaster by journalist Svetlana Alexievich is a book I strongly recommend. I have given it five stars. It is my first five-star book of the year.My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
All the Young Men: A Memoir of Love, AIDS, and Chosen Family in the American South by Ruth Coker Burks is an excellent book. I'm giving it five stars.My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Chrissie wrote: "Voices from Chernobyl: The Oral History of a Nuclear Disaster by journalist Svetlana Alexievich is a book I strongly recommend. I have given it five stars. It is my ..."Chrissie, the latest New Yorker has a fascinating piece about nuclear power. I read it this morning and want to read it again. It is basically told through the viewpoint of two young engineers who were initially skeptical about nuclear power, but came to a new opinion about it.
It is very interesting that Chernobyl has become a wildlife sanctuary; the flora and fauna appear to be flourishing there despite what was initially feared. It was a very frightening time, not just at Chernobyl but also in Europe, and there are still hot spots of radiation in Britain and elsewhere in Europe where it rained heavily as the radioactive cloud passed over. I remain permanently grateful to the incredible courage of the Russian pilots who dropped chemicals on it to dampen the fire otherwise the disaster would have been of unthinkable proportions for the rest of Europe.I believe, Chrissie, that it was Sweden where scientists first noticed the increase in radiation levels and alerted people to what was happening. Secrecy in Russia. Secrecy also in other countries. I tried to follow where the nuclear cloud had reached in order to keep my children indoors when it arrived. I knew from the French media it had reached there, but there was nothing from our news here in Britain. I took my family out for a walk in a very windy, warm evening and when we returned found bits of black on my face and on our clothes and was very annoyed when it later became clear that the cloud had reached us that evening with absolutely no word from the British authorities about it. Some school trips were caught in the Welsh hills in heavy rainstorms. Even today, I believe that some Welsh lamb cannot be sold because of its radiation levels. Perhaps it was not a danger to us. I don't know, but I dislike the secrecy so often present with nuclear power. Britain was the first country to have a civil nuclear programme, at Windscale, in 1956, and there has always been a strong defence of it here and a wish to have it.
I have never liked nuclear power although I understand the arguments put forward for it in this time of climate change. There is little else which can contaminate our land for millions of years. We are leaving a terrible inheritance for our children who will have to clean up our mess. So far, disasters have been 'managed' and the situation hasn't run completely out of control. One day we will not be so lucky. Accidents can happen even with the best of skill and technology. Ageing reactors are in seismic zones or at risk of tsunamis.
An interesting and thoughtful review, Chrissie.
I have completed The Housekeeper's Tale - The Women Who Really Ran the English Country House by Tessa Boase.My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Day the World Came to Town: 9/11 in Gander, Newfoundland by Jim DeFede is a book of oral history not to be missed.My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Chrissie wrote: "The Day the World Came to Town: 9/11 in Gander, Newfoundland by Jim DeFede is a book of oral history not to be missed.My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show..."
Great review, Chrissie. I do remember the airliners being diverted and never considered the possibility that an overall narrative to this story would someday arise and be written.
Thank you, John. Think to see the the thirty-eight jet airliners lined up nose to tail one after the other. The kindness of the Gander people knocks you off your feet.
Paper: Paging Through History by Mark Kurlansky, another of his single-topic histories. (four stars) My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
John wrote: "Chrissie wrote: "The Day the World Came to Town: 9/11 in Gander, Newfoundland by Jim DeFede is a book of oral history not to be missed.My review: https://www.goodread..."
We were lucky enough to see the musical COME FROM AWAY that tells how the people of Gander opened their homes to the passengers from the planes that were forced from the air on 9/11. We saw it at Ford's Theater in Washington, DC before it made it to Broadway ... but it was such a hit that it made it to Broadway and then even made it overseas. Here's the BBC review that really captures the spirit of the musical.
https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/2...
John wrote: "Paper: Paging Through History by Mark Kurlansky, another of his single-topic histories. (four stars) My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show......"
I love Kurlansky's books that focus on a single-topic.
Read and loved Everybody: A Book about Freedom by Olivia Lainghttps://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
This one just didn't quite make the cutoff for formal mention in a specific thread, but I think folks here might be interested... The Masque of Africa: Glimpses of African Belief by V.S. Naipaul
My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Read and enjoyed Why Peacocks?: An Unlikely Search for Meaning in the World's Most Magnificent Bird https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Diane- thanks for mentioning this book; I just nominated it for the Nat Lit group based on your suggestion. I've always be attracted to learning more about these birds.. I would love to try them at the farm--husband says no way!
I just finished this book, and here is what I thought about it.
Most books don't make it to the great list but are still good reads, so whether a solid 4 star or a 3, please share your thoughts about your recent read. We'd love to know what you thought.