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What are You Reading / Reviews - July 2016
Mod
278 pages
★★★ ½
When Gloria Vanderbilt was 91 (she is now 92), she was hospitalized for one of the few times in her life and things looked iffy – iffy enough that her son, Anderson Cooper, realized how little he actually knew about his mother that comes from the famous Vanderbilt family. Most his information came from other sources, but not from her. So he went on the quest of learning more about his mother. Through intimate emails between the two, we learn a lot about these two – their feelings about each other, their past, their family, etc.
I really wanted to like this book more than I did, although it did get 3.5 stars from me, I was really hoping for a 4 star or more (half a star may not seem like much but it can be a big difference). Something felt off about this to me and I can’t really place my finger on it. Maybe it was the email format that made it feel less personal. Maybe it was at times Anderson Cooper came off much more reporter/interviewer than a son wanting to know his mom. Some of his questions just seemed so formatted. Maybe I couldn’t take myself away from him being such an amazing reporter and just voiced him as such in my head or maybe it really is there, I don’t know really. I really like Anderson Cooper, he is such a talented man that I adore and I learned a lot about Vanderbilt (ok, like everything). It IS an interesting book and worth a read. It’s quick and informative and emotional at times. The dynamic between Vanderbilt and Cooper is fascinating.
Karl Jaspers,
Anaximander, Heraclitus, Parmenides, Plotinus, Lao-Tzu, Nagarjuna
[1957, tr.1966] 138 pagesWhile reorganizing my philosophy books I noticed this one I hadn't read, and decided because of the first three names to read it. Unfortunately, the book is almost all about Plotinus (40%) and Lao-Tzu (25%) with the three pre-Socratics mainly as background. I suppose it may be unfair to review a book which is a volume II part 2 of a four volume work (The Great Philosophers) but it did seem to be a self-contained unit . Jaspers writes not as a historian but as a philosopher, which is to say he finds his own ideas of "transcendance" or parts of it in the philosophers he's writing about; otherwise it would be hard to explain how he makes Anaximander, the archetypical materialist, into a metaphysical theologian. I'm not convinced that Heraclitus' logos was intended as transcendental, whatever the Stoics made of it, and while Parmenides' One obviously started the whole thing, I think for him it was more a logical paradox than a religious metaphysics. The others do more or less fit into the ultra-idealist mode, though I haven't read any of their own works. I didn't know much about Jaspers, beyond the label "religious existentialism" -- not a tradition that was taken very seriously in my philosophy classes -- but essentially I find writing about inexpressible being beyond being and non-being which is one and not one, caused and uncaused, free and determined, and can only be arrived at by thinking nonthought, to be rather incomprehensible, whether at first or second hand. Another philosopher I won't be spending much time on.
Hannah Coulter by Wendell Berry, 3 ***s
This novel is the story of Hannah Coulter told in first person of her life from the 1920's to the early 2000's. She grew up on a small farm in Kentucky, then after leaving the farm, she tells of meeting her husband(s), and of her life on the farm, raising children, being a part of the small farming community of neighbors, and of old age and the death of her husband. I liked it fine. It wanted to be more poetic and thoughtful than I was in the mood for right now, so it might be my own fault that I didn't like it better. It is the July read for my library book club, and I know the leader who recommended it really likes this author and has read many of his books, many of which are connected to each other. But I'm not inclined to read another one :/
This is the book I would have used for last month's challenge if I hadn't had such a terrible reading month and not finished it.Stendhal, Lucien Leeuwen [unfinished, written ca. 1834, published 1894] 596 pages [Kindle, in French]
Stendhal wrote two novels which are considered "classics", Le rouge et le noir and La Chartreuse de Parme. The first is one of my favorite nineteenth century novels; the second is on my reading list for this fall. In between, he worked on Lucien Leeuwen. The novel was never finished; not only did he not carry it to the end (there would probably have been another volume) but it was also unfinished in the sense that it was a rough draft, with many gaps, repetitions, inconsistencies, episodes which belong to incompatible alternative treatments, and notes to add or rearrange various episodes. Had it been finished, it might well have been a third classic; the style is similar to Le rouge et le noir, with its combination of psychological and social realism and romantic spirit. In a way, it is sort of a sequel; not that the plot is continued or the characters are the same (although Lucien's character is in some ways similar to that of Julien Sorel -- and Stendhal himself, he belongs to a different social class) but that just as the first novel is a study of French society during the Restoration, this is a study of French society under the bourgeois monarchy of Louis Philippe. Lucien Leeuwen is more comic, or satirical; although the subtle humor is not always evident in a different culture and after almost two centuries, some scenes are quite funny. The varieties of hypocrisy and stupidity are endless. In its present condition, I wouldn't recommend this to someone looking for an entertaining novel -- at times it's rather difficult because of its unfinished nature -- but to anyone interested in French history and the conditions which led up to 1848, it is well worth the effort.
Case Histories by Kate Atkinson
4 stars
From the author of Started Early, Took My Dog (which I've read twice), I finally decided to go back and read the first 3 books in the Jackson Brodie series. I really did enjoy this book much more and am glad I gave it a go. Three unsolved case files are suddenly dropped at Jackson Brodie's office and even though he's dealing with his own troubles--his wife has left him for another man and it seems that someone is trying to kill him--he still has to pay the rent, so he accepts the work. I liked the way this book was presented. The first 3 chapters tell you something about the individual cases, which all occurred at different times and then we meet Mr. Brodie. Then we are introduced to the folks that are attempting to resolve the issues with the original crimes: a missing child, a dead office clerk and a husband with an ax in his head. This was a page turner and the characters were well done and believable. My only problem was that although we finally find out what happened in all 3 crimes--well, definitely 2 of them, the third was a little hazy--Jackson only actually solves one of them himself. We just get to read "the rest of the story" for the other two--one of which is the hazy one. Nonetheless, I enjoyed the book and was glad to get some backstory on Jackson Brodie. I am anxious to read the other two books between this one and Started Early, Took My Dog.
Mod
4:50 From Paddington by Agatha Christie – 3.5*** The story begins when Mrs McGillicuddy witnessed a murder on a passing train. She reports it to the authorities, but as there has been no body found, and no woman reported missing, they dismiss her story as active imagination. This is a great cozy mystery, featuring a fine cast of suspects and amateur sleuths. Miss Marple employs the assistance of the very capable Lucy Eyelesbarrow, a young woman who is smart and steadfast. Together, they are a force to be reckoned with. Joan Hickson - the marvelous actress who played Miss Marple in the television series – is absolutely pitch perfect narrating the audio book.
Full Review HERE
A Spot of Bother-- Three StarsA latecomer to audio books, I can say I really enjoyed the narration of this book. A Spot of Bother is about George and his family, who are thoroughly dysfunctional. George believes he has cancer, his wife Jean is having an affair with a former co-worker of George, Jamie is struggling with his boyfriend leaving him and the fact that few people even know he is a homosexual, and the daughter Katie is marrying for the second time, to an absolutely inappropriate man.
George reminded me of a more meek Ove (A Man Called Ove), a kindly curmudgeon, slightly demented, and a little older than his 61 years would dictate. Being 60 myself, I downright rebelled at the thought that George was acting the way he was at his age! No one in the family communicates with any of the others and spend a lot of time wondering how a certain family member or the other might be thinking or doing.
I could have done without the cussing and the rather graphic telling of sex scenes, although I understand the use in the context. I might have given it another star had this not been the case. Yes, I'm a bit of a prude concerning what I read!
Top Secret Twenty-One by Janet Evanovich, 4****S
These books are always fun! After twenty-one of them, they sometimes become repetitive...but you always know what to expect! And when I'm in the mood for something light and fun, I always go back to Stephanie Plum and the crew of misfits :)
Terris wrote: "Top Secret Twenty-One by Janet Evanovich, 4****S
These books are always fun! After twenty-one of them, they sometimes become repetitive...but you always k..."
I agree completely!
Mod
The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker – 3*** The novel – a combination of historical fiction and fantasy – tells the story of two supernatural creatures who appear mysteriously in 1899 New York. In general, I like fantasy, and I love magical realism, so I really wanted to like this book. But it never really captured my attention, and I found it tedious to read in places. I was not swept away. Still, there are passages that were riveting and I never felt like I should just give up on the book. Final verdict: a decent but uneven debut, and I won’t be in any hurry to read the planned sequel.
Full Review HERE
Night Shift by Charlaine Harris
4 stars
I have to say that I'm really glad that I've stuck with this series. This is the 3rd book about the tiny town of Midnight, Texas. The population is made up of folks from Charlaine's other series and so we have a mixed bag, including 2 angels, a vampire, a psychic and a witch. This, in my opinion, is the best offering so far. Alerted by a sudden rash of suicides--right under the stoplight at the center of town--the residents eventually figure out that something evil is "waking up" in Midnight and it might destroy the lives they've all become so comfortable in. Throughout the book, we continue to gain bits and pieces of backstory for various characters, just adding to the layers of interactions that were started in the first two books. I think that's what I really liked so much about this read, it just felt like the residents that we've been learning about are finally coming together and acting like a community. And with the variety of differences, I enjoyed the fact that they could all come together and attempt to save their little town.
Mod
The Last Runaway by Tracy Chevalier – 2.5** In 1850, Honor Bright accompanies her sister to America, hoping for a new start. But the “frontier” of Ohio is very different from the long-established English community Honor left, and she feels adrift and unwelcomed. I’ve been a fan of Chevalier’s for a long time. I like the way she puts the reader into the time and place of her historical novels, and this is no exception. But I didn’t really believe in Honor. It seemed to me that Chevalier got herself into a corner and didn’t know how to get out, so she used the most convenient way to end things. It was so dissatisfying, to me, that I dropped half a star.
Full Review HERE
Stendhal,
Le coffre et le revenant
[1830] 29 pagesA short, rather melodramatic work of Stendhal, set in Grenada. This has to be my shortest review ever.
Mod
TEXT –
The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down / Anne FadimanAUDIO in the car -
Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness / Susannah CahalanPortable AUDIO -
A Cold-Blooded Business / Dana Stabenow
The Airport Book by Lisa Brown
5 stars
Reviewed for the Mock Caldecott Awards. I loved this book. It would be wonderful for any child who is soon to be experiencing their first airplane ride. The pages are colorful and extremely detailed. We follow a family as they travel to the airport and through its many complexities. The youngest family member has brought along her favorite sock monkey which is a cute addition to the tale. Whether used as a child's first introduction to an airport or as a great book to talk about a recent experience at one, this is just a fun book to read.
Flora and the Peacocks by Molly Idle
3 stars
Reviewed for the Mock Caldecott Awards. By the same author that brought us Flora and the Flamingo, contrary to many others opinion--I was not a fan. I feel the same way about this book although I have to say that I love the color palette in this book as opposed to the first one which was mostly pink. Each page shows Flora, holding a fan, in a lovely dance pose and then the 2 peacocks mimic her poses using their tail feathers. Aimed at non-readers or beginners, this book is strictly a picture book. The fan and the peacocks tails are folded pieces and can be moved and so would be easily torn. Just still not a fan.
Frank and Lucky Get Schooled by Lynne Rae Perkins
4 stars
Reviewed for the Mock Caldecott Awards. I wasn't wild about these illustrations but did love the color palette. This is a very cute story about a little boy who gets a puppy and about their journey to learn about each other.
Nobody Likes a Goblin by Ben Hatke
5 stars
Reviewed for the Mock Caldecott Awards. Beautiful watercolor illustrations. This is a great story, which might be just a tiny bit scary, about friendship. Just because you're different, it doesn't mean that there's no one who loves you and when you need it, your friends will be there to help you out.
Mod
84 Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff– 5***** In October 1949 Helene Hanff, a single woman living and working in her small New York apartment, responded to an ad placed in the Saturday Review of Literature by Marks & Co, a bookshop in London that specialized in used books. Thus began a two-decade long correspondence and friendship between the reserved bookseller and the irrepressible Miss Hanff. What a delight it is to be allowed to watch this growing relationship, fueled by a shared love of books, and an ability to laugh at oneself and one’s follies. It’s the kind of book I’ll read over and over just for the sheer joy of it.
Full Review HERE
Island of Graves by Lisa McMann
(Unwanteds, #6)
4 ★
On the brink of war, the fates of both Artimé and Quill are at stake in book six of the New York Times bestselling Unwanteds series, which Kirkus Reviews called “The Hunger Games meets Harry Potter.”
Alex and Aaron Stowe are at a crossroads.
Everything Aaron has worked so hard to build in Quill has crumbled. Fallen from the height of power and influence and left for dead in a foreign place, Aaron has lost everything, and now he must humbly beg for food from those who saved his life.
In Artimé, Alex chooses his people over his brother and abandons his search for Aaron, closing the door on that relationship forever. The Artimeans need his focus now more than ever as they face the terrifying power of a new enemy who has taken control of Quill—the notoriously evil Gondoleery Rattrapp.
Desperate to stop her, Alex embarks on a risky mission to enlist help from an unlikely ally, and along the way he’s determined to rescue a lone sailor from monstrous beasts with mysterious origins—a sailor who just might show Alex a different world. As he prepares for an epic war with all of Quill and Artime hanging in the balance, Alex must place his faith in a reckless plan...and hope that he and all of his friends make it through alive.
My Review:
Alex and his friends come up with a plan to save Artime from Gondoleery Rattrapp. The only catch is that they will need to save Aaron, Alex's evil twin brother, from the Island of Shipwrecks first. Aaron is needed in the fight. Enroute to the island of Shipwrecks, Alex and Sky pass by the Island of Graves, where the giant saber toothed ape lives. While passing by they hear the voice of a young girl singing, asking for help. They promise to come back for her, and they do. Kaylee ends up being a great addition to the Artime family. I enjoyed Aaron's interactions with the scientists on the Island of Shipwrecks, and the transformation he went through. I really like this series because of the how the Unwanteds who live in Artime work together to save their land. There are some mishaps and tear inducing moments, but everything comes together at the end. One more Island to explore!
Lover Enshrined by J.R. Ward
(Black Dagger Brotherhood, #6)
4 ★
Fiercely loyal to the Black Dagger Brotherhood, Phury has sacrificed himself for the good of the race, becoming the male responsible for keeping the Brotherhood's bloodlines alive. As Primale of the Chosen, he is obligated to father the sons and daughters who will ensure that the traditions of the race survive, and that there are warriors to fight those who want all vampires extinguished.
As his first mate, the Chosen Cormia wants to win not only his body, but his heart for herself. She is drawn to the noble responsibility behind the emotionally scarred male. But Phury has never allowed himself to know pleasure or joy. As the war with the Lessening Society grows grim, tragedy looms over the Brotherhood's mansion, and Phury must decide between duty and love....
My Review:
Phury's story was a tough one for me to get through. His past is still bothering him and his position as Primale adds to his stress. His addiction, the Wizard, takes center stage also. What bothered me the most was the self pity. I stopped feeling sorry for him. Cormia, the first of Phury's Chosen, is a delight! I loved watching her evolve and find herself. She's a strong women and perfect for Phury. He needs someone who will put him in his place. We learn more Rehvenge and his relationship with the princess. I hope we learn more sometime. John Matthews is becoming stronger, both in body and mind. I look forward to seeing how the whole Lash issue works out. Bella and Zadist become parents and the best part: someone who was lost is returned!
Mod
Meet You in Hell: Andrew Carnegie, Henry Clay Frick, and the Partnership that Transformed America by Less Standiford
319 pages
★★★★
As usual, the subtitles gives you a pretty good idea what this history book is about. It’s about Carnegie (Carnegie Steel Company) and Henry Frick (H. C. Frick & Company) and their partnership that would become the predecessor of U.S. Steel and boy would they become two rich people of the time (and even by today’s standards). If you’re looking for a detailed biography on each individual, you won’t get it here. As the author states, there’s plenty of books on these people and he mostly focuses on Carnegie and Frick’s “friendship” and work together. A good chunk of the book focuses on the deadly Homestead Strike of 1892 and the two men’s roles in it. Short story – Carnegie wanted to please even if it meant hiding the truth and throwing people under the bus and Frick was just a ruthless business man (you may have also heard of his name from the infamous Johnstown Flood) – a partnership made in heaven? Maybe not.
I enjoyed this one. I saw a special on the men that made America and the show glossed over the stories of these men and being the history geek I am – I instantly needed to know more! This is a well written account of Carnegie and Frick’s tumultuous relationship. If you come or live in Pennsylvania, this is all probably fairly well-known local history but I honestly didn’t know much about Carnegie and even less about Frick. Well researched. Easy to read. There are times where the author speculates what someone may have been thinking or saying and I’m not a fan of that but he’s probably not far on his speculations at least.
The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan, 5*****s
This is an amazing effort by the author to try to follow his food from the farm to the table. However..... he finds that he is unable to do so because of how our food today is grown, harvested, shipped, prepared, etc. So he does the next best thing and just tries to learn and experience as much as he can about each of these processes. He decides to break down his research going from "industrial" food all the way down to hunting and foraging; with some intermediate stops along the way, such as a farm where all the animals are raised with respect but, of course, they still get eaten ;)
Anyway, Pollan does a very good job of trying to give all the sides of our American food story so that everyone can decide for themselves what they are most comfortable with and what they think is healthiest for their bodies, the animals, and the planet. Very readable, very interesting! And a little scary :/
By the Silver Water of Lake Champlain by Joe Hill
4 stars
Two youngsters are out exploring the shores of a nearby lake one foggy morning and end up discovering the carcass of a huge sea creature. They examine their find carefully and spend a bit of time trying to decide what they are going to do about it, maybe sell it to a museum of some sort. Then the girl's older sister appears and says that their mother wants her. She tells her friend that she will be back as soon as she can with never a notion of what else might be hiding in Lake Champlain. A very quick read that I really enjoyed. The story is clean and concise with no extraneous language and it packs a surprise ending.
The Walking Dead, Vol. 4: The Heart's Desire by Robert Kirkman
4 stars
Rick and the gang are currently living in the prison complex thinking maybe they're a bit safer than they had been and we get to meet Michonne. The graphic novels are just different enough to make me wish I was watching the whole series over again so that I could compare them more closely.
Mod
The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down by Anne Fadiman – 4**** Subtitle: A Hmong Child, Her American Doctors, and the Collision of Two Cultures. This is a fascinating medical mystery, and a balanced exploration of two very different points of view. I thought the book could have used more editing; Fadiman tends to repeat her message. Still, I was really caught up in the story, and appreciated learning more about the Hmong culture.
Full Review HERE
Beverly wrote: "By the Silver Water of Lake Champlain by Joe Hill
4 stars
Two youngsters are out exploring the shores of a nearby lake one foggy morning ..."
This looks like a good one! And since I haven't read any Joe Hill, this might be a good one to start with :)
Terris wrote: "Beverly wrote: "By the Silver Water of Lake Champlain by Joe Hill
4 stars
Two youngsters are out exploring the shores of a nearby lake on..."
This is a really quick read and is not really what I'd call horror. It might not be exactly representative of other things he's written. Most of what I've read is more like his dad's stuff--this one is "sweeter".
Mrs. Ike by Susan Eisenhower
3 stars
I was not excited about reading this book and the read was not exciting. But, I found myself getting through it rather quickly and it was interesting. Eisenhower is the first president that I remember and I certainly remember his wife as well--especially her bangs and her hats. But I knew very little else about them. This book is full of personal correspondence between the 2 of them, as well as revealing their lives and lifestyles. It turns out that Ike was quite the romantic and Mamie was extremely loyal and supportive of him. There are pages of photos from different stages of their lives which were fascinating to me. I came away from this book with the feeling that our country has fallen a long way from the moral, hard working, family loving ways of the Eisenhowers.
The All-Girl Filling Station's Last Reunion by Fannie Flagg
5 stars
I have loved most of the books I've read by Fannie Flagg and this one is no exception. This is just a warm, cozy romp through the life of 59...I mean 60...year old Sarah Jane (Sookie) Simmons who lived her life in the shadow of her mother, Lenore. Sookie had married a wonderful dentist, Earle Poole Jr., and had 4 wonderful children and in a whirlwind 2 year period her 3 girls had all married. Now she was ready to sit back, rest up and enjoy her bird feeders--if she could just figure out a way to keep the blue jays from chasing off all the smaller birds. Of course, she still had to deal with her mother, who wanted to run everything and lived only 2 doors down but she was used to that. Then one day something came in the mail that would forever change her life and leave her wondering who she really was. Her wonderfully funny way of dealing with this unexpected news is priceless and she just keeps presenting an approach/avoidance tract as she slowly and carefully explores her expanding horizons. Jumping back and forth between the present and the past, Fannie Flagg is at her best, keeping the reader turning the pages and trying to figure out what happened before they're told. Some very interesting historical information is thrown into the mix about the women (WASPS) that flew planes during the war but never received much recognition. A really quick read that will keep you chuckling.
I'm not counting this as a July read, but I bought this board book for my granddaughter and I haven't enjoyed a book so much in years!!
Beverly wrote: "The All-Girl Filling Station's Last Reunion by Fannie Flagg
5 stars
I have loved most of the books I've read by Fannie Flagg and th..."
Yes, I really enjoy Fannie Flagg (I may have read all of hers!). And I also liked this one a lot. Glad you liked it :)
Mod
Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness by Susannah Cahalan – 3*** This was a fascinating memoir – drawn partly from interviews with friends, relations, colleagues and medical personnel, her journal writings during the period, and her medical records – of a time period when Cahalan was nearly completely lost. Her training as a journalist is evident here. She includes much background information on the research into the disorder – anti-NDMA-receptor encephalitis. I was engaged and interested from beginning to end, though I did feel it was a bit repetitive. Heather Henderson does a fabulous job reading the audio book. Her performance really brought to life the deterioration Cahalan experienced, as well as how anxious and confused she felt.
Full Review HERE
Beverly wrote: "The All-Girl Filling Station's Last Reunion by Fannie Flagg
5 stars
I have loved most of the books I've read by Fannie Flagg and th..."
I enjoyed Welcome to the World, Baby Girl!
Beverly wrote: "The All-Girl Filling Station's Last Reunion by Fannie Flagg
5 stars
I have loved most of the books I've read by Fannie Flagg and th..."
Thanks for the great review, Beverly. I have this on my TBR list for this year and your review may make me bump it up to this month.
Dracula
I just finished Dracula by Bram Stoker. This was actually the 2nd or perhaps 3rd time (I can't quite remember) that I've read it. It's not, by today's standards, an edge-of-your-seat thriller, but I greatly enjoy it just the same. True, the men are sometimes very dense, but honestly, if we were in that situation, would be behave any differently? Would we even believe?
Anyway, the book has inspired me to begin a journal of my own, since it is written completely from journal entries (written by both men and women), newspaper articles, and telegrams.
The book is about a young man, Jonathan Harker, who travels from England to Transylvania in order to assist a Count with his recent purchase of a house in England. Jonathan quickly feels his unease growing and finally blossoming while staying with the Count. The cleverness of the Count and the persistence of Jonathan and his friends, even with their increasing troubles, is interesting and heart-wrenching to read.
I just finished Dracula by Bram Stoker. This was actually the 2nd or perhaps 3rd time (I can't quite remember) that I've read it. It's not, by today's standards, an edge-of-your-seat thriller, but I greatly enjoy it just the same. True, the men are sometimes very dense, but honestly, if we were in that situation, would be behave any differently? Would we even believe?
Anyway, the book has inspired me to begin a journal of my own, since it is written completely from journal entries (written by both men and women), newspaper articles, and telegrams.
The book is about a young man, Jonathan Harker, who travels from England to Transylvania in order to assist a Count with his recent purchase of a house in England. Jonathan quickly feels his unease growing and finally blossoming while staying with the Count. The cleverness of the Count and the persistence of Jonathan and his friends, even with their increasing troubles, is interesting and heart-wrenching to read.
Émile Durkheim, The Elementary Forms of the Religious Life [1912, tr. 1915] 507 pagesOne of my current reading projects is on Archaic Greece, and on my reading list are several books by Walter Burkert. In skimming through them, I noticed that they were rather dense and would require some background, so I looked at the bibliographies and notes, and then at the bibliographies and notes of the books they were based on, and then . . . my usual infinite regress. What I realized was that all the different paths seemed to converge on Durkheim's Elementary Forms, so I decided to start with this. Of course, Durkheim was hardly the first writer to deal with the origin of religions. The question goes back to the eighteenth and especially the nineteenth centuries; Durkheim himself begins by summarizing and polemicizing against the theories of Tylor (animism) and Max Müller (naturism), but since he does summarize them and I need to start somewhere, I'm not going any further back than this (and I have already read many of the authors he refers to such as Fustel de Coulanges, Lewis Henry Morgan, and Frazer's The Golden Bough -- I have to admit my reading in the social sciences is mostly a century or more out of date.) I'm reading it in the 1915 translation by Joseph Ward Swain, which I bought from a sale at the library; I know there are at least two recent translations which may be better, but I didn't find any passages that didn't make sense because of translation problems (although for a print book there were a lot of typos).
Durkheim begins by defining religion as the division of the world into the categories of the sacred and the profane. He makes a further distinction, which I did not find very satisfactory, between religion as social and magic as private. He simply assumes, like the earlier writers, that there had to be one single origin for religion, either it originated once very early or if it originated in many places, it had the same cause and form everywhere, and went through the same stages. (Actually, he does say that a single effect can only be due to a single cause, which is simply bad logic.) While there are enough similarities between the religions of different parts of the world that I can't accept the postmodernist claim that there are no regularities, I think the situation is probably more complex than these early anthropologists assumed. His preferred version of religious origin -- the "elementary forms" of the title -- is totemism. There is a major problem with his method, which is to try to find the earliest form of religion by looking at the most "primitive" contemporary peoples known to ethnography (he explains that by "primitive" he means essentially close to the origins), which he takes to be the native people of Australia. The premise here is that "primitive" people today were somehow stalled at an early level of development while other peoples evolved pastoralism and agriculture, and maintained the same culture as they had at the beginning. Now, even a little bit of reflexion should show that a people with a rudimentary hunter-gatherer culture such as that of the native Australians could never have reached Australia to begin with; it's basically a big island, and a culture like that would have neither the technology nor the motivation for long sea voyages. So it seems that the culture of the Australians must be a secondary adaptation to the environment there on the part of people whose ancestors were at a different stage of development; and thus there is no reason to suppose that their culture, and particularly their religious ideas, had any continuity or bear any close resemblance to the original hunter-gatherers of the Paleolithic. It's as though someone were to assume that because dolphins and whales live in the ocean, they represent the primitive form of animals before the first amphibians arrived on land. The same would be true for other hunter-gatherers today; they all live in marginal environments which would not have been the choice of the original hunter-gatherers, and were probably forced into those environments by movements of other peoples. The Amazon Basin for example has many small groups with some of the most rudimentary technologies known, yet there is evidence that before European diseases and conquest, the area was heavily populated and had specialized agriculture and trade. If any culture today represents the primary hunter-gatherer culture, we have no way of identifying it, or any reason for assuming that it would have remained unchanged for tens of thousands of years or had no outside contacts and influence.
The general theory he presents is that the distinction between the sacred and the profane -- i.e. for him the origin of religion -- was derived from the experience of assemblies of the clans; where the ordinary "profane" life of the Australians was in separate family groups searching for food, the periodic assemblies were a very different type of experience, and thus became "sacred". The feeling of sacredness of the clan became attached first to its name and emblem, then secondarily to the totem species which the name and emblem represented. The totem, and other entities related to it, became considered as a part of the clan. The sacredness of the totem and the clan became considered as a special, impersonal power -- "mana" -- which was distributed in varying intensities to all the clan members, totem animals, and symbolic items, or in short to everything which was considered sacred. The portion of the "mana" in the individual gave rise to the notion of the soul; the idea of ancestral souls gave rise to spirits; the spirits tended to become spirits of various topological features which were sacred to the clan; and these local spirits, having powers over various natural phenomena, were then generalized into gods. In other words, the stages in Australia -- and presumably everywhere else -- were totemism, pre-animism, animism, "higher religion." He does state that these were logical rather than chronological stages and probably the belief in souls was not later than totemism but merely logically derived from it. In all this evolution, the real essence of the sacred was society itself, the power of the group considered under the various forms of totems, souls, and spirits, because it was a power which was outside the individual. In the second part of the book, he discusses various rituals and explains them on the basis of this theory, including the origins of sacrifice in the double form of communion and oblation.
It is easy to see why this book had such influence. Its major thesis is that religion originated, not from misunderstandings of psychic or cosmic phenomena as others had theorized, but from social structures; that in fact religion was, and still is, a social construct reflecting the organization of a given society. Leaving aside the methodological problems, and the particular theory of the various "stages", this is certainly a major insight into the nature of religion. Of course others, in particular Karl Marx, had much earlier considered religion, like all intellectual activity, as a superstructure based on socio-economic relations, but Durkheim and his "sociological" school were among the first to introduce the idea that religion is a reflection of social categories into academic sociology and try to establish it in detail. One might have expected from his thesis that he, like Marx, would have developed a materialist analysis, but in fact he explicitly defines his theory as "idealist" and claims that it refutes materialism. Essentially, rather than going on to consider the origin of the social order itself, he sometimes claims in circular fashion that it is derived from the totemist beliefs themselves, but more often he treats it simply as a given absolute, which is independent of the conditions which gave rise to it; he then emphasizes that the rites and behaviors of the clan members is determined by the "idea" of the totem and related "ideas". However, when he's not trying to philosophize -- and justify religion rather than exlain it -- he emphasizes just the opposite point, that the ideas or beliefs of religion are secondary to the rituals themselves, which is another concept that has become influential in later theories of religion.
There is much of interest in the book; I was especially impressed by his discussion of early systems of classification, which classify all phenomena into categories based on phratries and clans on the criterion of opposition; i.e. if a black cockatoo belongs to one group, a white cockatoo has to be in the other. This to me cast a new light on the similar classifications in the Presocratic philosophers, which always seemed to me to be totally random. He suggests that a modern survival of this classification system is to be found in the languages which have grammatical gender. His explanation of taboo and asceticism as basically ways of isolating the sacred from the profane is also interesting. He doesn't consider in this book the marriage system and thus deliberately excludes sexual taboos, which might be difficult to explain on this theory; or perhaps the origins could be explained, but they certainly serve other social purposes as well.
Obviously, however, a more than a century-old book is mainly of interest for understanding the later theories and books which it influenced, and that is the purpose for which I am reading it and would recommend it.
Team of Teams: The Power of Small Groups in a Fragmented WorldRating: 4.25
Some books have what seem to be random abstract stories. Whether it is Frederick Taylor and his scientific study of how to make things more efficient, or how Admiral Nelson empowered his men to defeat the French at the Battle of Trafalgar by getting everyone on the same page. This book starts out by laying the groundwork to moments in history that changed everything.
When General McChrystal was in Iraq they faced a dilemma. They were so big and powerful and structured that there were struggling to make any headway against their opposition. The Iraqis while not as sophisticated and less hierarchy were able to move quickly and were causing lots of problems for the people of Iraq. McChrystal realized he had to be more of a gardener than a General. He needed his teams to work together, work quickly, and to trust each other. This book explains why trusting more people and not having to run every decision through the highest person on staff can make the whole operation better. McChrystal learned that he needed transparency between teams, sharing intel became key.
A few quotes from the book:
Simple honesty shows and ears respect.
The union of shared consciousness is greater than the sum of its parts.
Einstien said " Our theories determine what we measure"
The examples that McChrystal pulled together to show how great companies need great leadership but still need to be a team of teams include Nasa and Chevy. He points out how each department was working solely on their own project and had little to no interaction with the other department, so when components didn't work together it became highly costly.
Overall one of the biggest takeaways from this book is communication. If you are only focused on your position you may miss out on the bigger picture. You may miss key information that can take your company from being average to being great.
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Death of a Kitchen Diva by Lee Hollis – ZERO stars This cozy mystery is the first in the Hayley Powell Food & Cocktails Mystery series. There’s a decent idea for a cozy here. But the execution is terrible. The characters are cardboard cutouts, the plot (thin as it is) is completely ridiculous, and the dialogue is tortured. I kept reading only because it fulfilled several challenges. At least it was a fast read.
Full Review HERE
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A Cold-Blooded Business by Dana Stabenow – 3.5*** After one too many drug-related deaths at the site, former DA Investigator Kate Shugak is asked to go undercover to the Prudhoe Bay oil fields to find out who is dealing drugs. I had read the first book in this series a couple of years ago and I was not impressed, but I’m glad I gave the series another chance. I like that Shugak is a strong woman, smart, resourceful, dedicated, committed and independent. I also like her strong sense of integrity. I did find some of the characters thinly drawn, however.
Full Review HERE
Dosha (Bluestocking7) wrote: "Beverly wrote: "The All-Girl Filling Station's Last Reunion by Fannie Flagg
5 stars
I have loved most of the books I've read by Fan..."
I don't think I've read that one yet but I intend to!!
Melissa wrote: "Beverly wrote: "The All-Girl Filling Station's Last Reunion by Fannie Flagg
5 stars
I have loved most of the books I've read by Fan..."
I hope you enjoy it Melissa!!
Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne
What an exciting story written in 1870! I had always heard about Captain Nemo, and now I'm glad to have finally read this book of underwater adventure!
The Girls of Atomic City: The Untold Story of the Women Who Helped Win World War II by Denise Kiernan, 3***s
This book tells the very interesting story of the building of the atomic bombs that were dropped on Japan during WWII. Many of the workers in the Oak Ridge, TN plant were women. And even though the people who worked there didn't know what they were producing at the time because everything was Top Secret, they knew it was important work.
The information in this book is very interesting, however....it was very long, very detailed, and highly technical, and it didn't make me want to keep coming back to the story to see what was happening to each one of the characters. I read it for my library book club, so I made myself read 25 pages a day so that I would finish it in time. And I hate to say, as much as I wanted to know about this subject, if I hadn't been reading it for book club, I'm not sure I would have finished it :/
The Fireman by Joe Hill
3 stars
I hate to say this but I was really disappointed with this book. After reading NOS4A2, this was a huge let-down. Although I liked the premise, I just thought this 700 plus page book was repetitive, predictable and draggy. Basically, a pandemic called Dragonscale, is causing people to spontaneously burst into flame. Those that don't have the symptoms, a delicate black and gold scaling across the skin, are terrified of catching it and seek to kill anyone who does. Affected folks are seeking refuge anywhere they can find it. Harper Grayson, who is a nurse has just discovered two things--she's pregnant and she has Dragonscale. When the baby's father tries to kill her, the Fireman rescues her and brings her to a community of others with the illness who are hiding out in the woods and have learned to control the scale. Soon there are power struggles within the camp and rumors of a "safe" island somewhere out there. As Harper, the Fireman, a deaf boy and his sister attempt to give themselves and Harper's baby the best chance of surviving, all I could think was that I had read similar stories many times before...Parable of the Sower, I Am Legend, The Stand, MaddAddam trilogy, Station Eleven...I could go on. This book just wasn't different enough to warrant more than 3 stars. The audio was read by Kate Muldrow and I thought she did a great job.
The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B by Teresa Toten
4 stars
This, as so many of the YA books I've read recently, is such a different book. It tells the stories of a group of teenagers who suffer from Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. Adam meets Robyn is a support group for OCD and immediately falls head over heels in love with her. He wants to protect her for the rest of their lives but between dealing with his first overwhelming emotional involvement, his younger step-brother who can barely deal with life without him and his mother's hoarding behavior (not to mention his own OCD) this does not progress easily. The biggest stumbling blocks in this budding relationship come about because, as Adam says, "everybody lies". I loved Adam's sensitivity, Robyn's supportive approach and the whole groups ability to come together and help one another. I also thought this was a great look at what it must feel like to suffer from OCD.
Mod
Grunt: The Curious Science of Humans at War by Mary Roach
285 pages
★★★★
Author of books such as Bonk, Gulp, Stiff, and many more brings her latest book, Grunt. It tackles the science behind some of a soldier's most challenging adversaries―panic, exhaustion, heat, noise―and introduces us to the scientists who seek to conquer them. I really love Mary Roach’s books and this one was no different. It’s well researched and written. There are important subjects in here on US military that are often overlooked today but that Roach delves deeper into. And while these are serious subjects, the author puts her little bits of humor here and there – something she is so great at – without degrading any of the topic at hand. I won’t say it is my favorite of Mary Roach’s titles but it’s definitely a good, interesting, informative read.
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