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What are You Reading / Reviews - September 2016
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Robert M. Sapolsky,
A Primate's Memoir: A Neuroscientist's Unconventional Life Among the Baboons
[2001] 304 pagesThe memoir of a primatologist and neurobiologist who spent over twenty years studying baboons in a game park in Kenya. I was expecting something more along the lines of Jane Goodall's books about the chimps of the Gombe Reserve, mostly about the animals and only a little about the author outside his involvement with the baboons. In Fact it is mostly about his experiences, often hitchhiking around East Africa and the various African cultures he interacted with. This is not to deny that it was a very interesting book, just not what I thought it would be. Coming after a year and a half of reading African literature, it was interesting seing these cultures described from an outsider and comparing his American impressions to the descriptions ofthe writers from those cultures, although little of my reading has been on
East Africa. The book does debunk some of the "sociobiological" stereotypes of baboon behavior and show a wider variety of behavioral strategies. The last chapter in particular shows the difficulty of protecting animals against human corruption, especially in the case of a relatively non-endangered species without the emotional appeal of he great apes.
J.K. Rowling, John Tiffany and Jack Thorne,
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
[2016] 327 pagesI don't suppose there is really much point in reviewing a book which already has 34,500 reviews after being out for about a month. Of course it wasn't as good as the original series, but it was an entertaining read and there were none of the continuity errors that one often finds when a series is resumed after a long time. Any fan of the series will have to read it. It is a little oversentimental and probably has less crossover appeal to older readers than the original series. There is one scary glimpse of a world under Voldemor, which is timely today. As I've always said, Harry Potter is fiction, but the Death Eaters are real.
Lawrence M. Krauss,
A Universe from Nothing: Why there is Something Rather than Nothing
[2012] 202 pagesThis is a short summary of modern cosmology, with (yawn) a bit of polemic against religion. The book is based solidly on accepted observationally confirmed science, with barely a mention of more speculative ideas (one critical page on string theory, a few references to the multiverse.) Not much that will be new to anyone who reads much popular science writing, but a good starting book that is relatively up to date.
The Two Family House by Lynda Cohen Coigman, 4****s
This was SO good! It is about two families in 1947 in Brooklyn, NY, that live in the same house, one family upstairs and one family downstairs. The husbands are brothers and are in business together. Both wives become pregnant and are due at the same time. One family already has 4 boys & would like a girl this time, and the other family has 3 girls & would like a boy this time (the husband especially wants a boy & is putting pressure on the wife -- like that's going to do any good!). So on a snowy night in December, when both men are away on a business trip & no traffic is moving, both women go into labor at the same time. Just by luck, there is a midwife nearby, who delivered a baby at a neighbor's house earlier in the day, & because of the weather is unable to go home. So, she is able to come and deliver the two babies: one boy and one girl. And therein, begins the story of what happens to these two families, especially the two women, after this mysterious night. Nothing is said out loud about what happens, but the reader gets a pretty good idea of what is going on. And it is surprising how that night affects the rest of all of their lives.
This is a very well-written book with some excitement & mystery mixed in. I enjoyed it very much and highly recommend it!
Mod
TEXT –
Help, I Am Being Held Prisoner by Donald E. WestlakeAUDIO in the car –
The Girls of Atomic City: The Untold Story of the Women Who Helped Win World War II by Denise KiernanPortable AUDIO –
By the Shores of Silver Lake by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by J.K Rowling, John Tiffany & Jack Thorne
(Harry Potter #8)
4 ★
It was always difficult being Harry Potter and it isn't much easier now that he is an overworked employee of the Ministry of Magic, a husband and father of three school-age children. While Harry grapples with a past that refuses to stay where it belongs, his youngest son Albus must struggle with the weight of a family legacy he never wanted. As past and present fuse ominously, both father and son learn the uncomfortable truth: sometimes darkness comes from unexpected places.
My Thoughts
I enjoyed this addition to the Harry Potter series and although I was nervous about it being in play form, it ended up not being an issue. I think I may have enjoyed it more that way. I prefer to read dialogue. The one thing I didn't like about the story was the way Ron was portrayed. I realize that in the original series he's sort of a goofball, but this one made him out to be a complete moron. I liked the new characters and the twisted throughout the book.
Mod
Tuesdays With Morrie
– Mitch Albom – 5***** The subtitle is the perfect synopsis: An Old Man, a Young Man, and Life’s Greatest Lesson. This little gem of a book is the result of Tuesdays the author spent discussing life, death, family, work, and love with his former professor and mentor, who was dying of ALS. It’s touching and inspiring.
Full Review HERE
Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
3 stars
I have wanted to read this for so long and now I wonder why. It's not that I didn't like it at all, it just wasn't what I thought it was going to be and struggling with all those Russian names just wore me out. There were bits and pieces that I really enjoyed and then I'd get bogged down in other parts. Overall, I found it interesting to get glimpses into the lives of these characters, even though some--especially Anna--seemed tormented by issues that I had a difficult time understanding. I'm glad to have this huge book out of the way and ready to start on my next quarterly read.
Josh Malerman,
Bird Box
[2014] 262 pagesI read this for my library's book discussion for October, and for this month's challenge in PABW (bird on cover). It is a horror story, which is not one of my usual genres. It takes place in Michigan, near the present time; people start going crazy because of something they apparently see, so they begin to stay in their houses with the windows covered, only go out with blindfolds, keep their eyes shut as much as possible . . . and of course, society collapses, so it fits into the "post-apocalyptic" trend of so much YA literature -- which is what it struck me as, although the characters are all in their twenties or thirties; partly because of the simple writing style, and partly because it avoided any sexual dynamics, even though there were unrelated people of both sexes living in such close contact.
I have to admit I did not find this book especially scary; much of the horror was more gross than frightening -- rotting corpses and so forth. The plot and the descriptions were not all that realistic; I never really believed in it. In fact, my first impulse was to consider it as some sort of allegory: people thinking that they will be safer if they refuse to look or see, that what they don't perceive or acknowledge can't hurt them, fearing especially those who try to make them look at reality; isn't that a description of our world today (global warning, people being shot in the streets, NSA spying, wars all around the globe, and people in denial refusing to see any of it)? Sometimes I feel that I've spent most of my life trying to make people see, and been disliked for it. But in the end, and especially in the ending, this wasn't borne out by the plot, so I had to consider it basically as a failed effort at a standard horror novel. Perhaps those who are more into the genre would be more impressed -- or perhaps not.
Mod
Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
3 stars
I have wanted to read this for so long and now I wonder why. It's not that I didn't like it at all, it just wasn't what I th..."
That's kind of how I felt as well, Beverly. I knew the basic plot line, had seen a dramatized play version, as well as watched at least one movie version... I guess I just wanted the torrid love affair, and Tolstoy's book is so much more than that.
Mod
Eggsecutive Orders
– Julie Hyzy – 3*** Book number three in the series has Executive Chef Ollie Paras and her staff planning for the annual Easter Egg Roll at the White House. I like this cozy mystery series. Ollie is a strong female lead character – tenacious, hard-working, and intelligent, if given to the occasional emotional outburst. Hyzy includes a variety of potential suspects and enough plot twists to keep the reader guessing right up to the reveal. A fast, enjoyable cozy mystery.
Full Review HERE
Ghosts by Raina Telgemeier
5 stars
Reviewed for the Mock Caldecott Awards. I loved this graphic novel. Cat and her younger sister, Maya--along with their parents--are moving to Bahia de la Luna. Maya has cystic fibrosis and the weather in this fog shrouded, windy community on the California coast is supposed to much better for her lungs and over all health. Soon after arriving, the girls learn that the area is also a great place for ghosts to gather...especially on Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). Maya is excited and really wants to meet a ghost--Cat wants nothing to do with them. I really liked the relationship that was portrayed between these sisters. I thought it was very realistic and even when Cat was irritated with her sister, you could always tell she loved her and wanted to take care of her. I also appreciated the truthful handling of Maya's illness and it's repercussions.
Hank's Big Day by Evan Kuhlman
5 stars
Reviewed for the Mock Caldecott Awards. Another cute, cute book. I loved the colors used in this story. Hank is an adorable pill bug and this is a day in his life. Hank has a best friend who is a little girl named Amelia and she loves to pretend to be Amelia Earhart. She lets Hank crawl up onto her aviator's cap and flies him around while he gets an entirely new view of the world. This is just a really sweet story about friendship.
Lion Lessons by Jon Agee
4 stars
Reviewed for the Mock Caldecott Awards. Such a cute book. I loved the message of the book which was that you never know what you can do or are capable of until the right situation arrives and someone needs your help. The book has a lovely sense of humor. The illustrations are simple with beautifully muted colors.
The Music in George's Head by Suzanne Slade
3 stars
Reviewed for the Mock Caldecott Awards. The illustrations in this book are acrylic on paper and mostly in tones of blue and brown. I really liked the flow of this story and think it presents a wonderfully simple biography for young people to learn more about a brilliant composer.
Enduring Love by Ian McEwan
4 stars
This was a very interesting book. It started out so unexpectedly, with a balloon accident during which a man dies. This horrific accident impacts so many lives in such unexpected ways. Joe and his wife are soon caught up in an unexpected "stalker " situation that each looks at differently and so start growing apart from one another. Joe continues to do the right thing (i.e. try to get the police involved) until a startling confrontation pushes him past his limits. This was very different from Atonement but it certainly held my attention.
White FireRating: 4.25
As Corrie Swanson is working on her thesis for college she gets a tip to check out some mysterious bear killings in Roaring for that are 150 years old. She wants to study the remains for tips into crime scene investigations for future law enforcement. Roaring Fork is a ritzy Ski town in Colorado but it was once a mining town. When Corrie starts looking at the bones she realizes this was no bear attack, but before she can do further research she is thrown in jail for trying to steal some of the evidence. Pendergast swoops in to get her out of jail and tries to help her with her thesis. Being prideful and worried her thesis will be frowned upon with the help of FBI special agent Pendergast she goes off on her own. Pendergast hearing details of the history of the town tries to hunt down a Sherlock Holmes story that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle wrote after hearing about the bear attacked Miners. (the whole made up Sherlock tale is told which makes a nice little side story) Upon returning with the Doyle story that has parallels to Roaring Fork, Pendergast realizes more of what is going on. As he tries to right wrongs that have been done he comes to the realization that you can't save them all.
The Last September by Elizabeth Bowen
3 stars
I had a difficult time getting through this book. It was just so sad. It's 1920 and Richard Naylor, his wife and family are at their country home in County Cork, Ireland. They are attempting to live a normal life full of socialization mostly by totally ignoring and/or disbelieving what is going on around them. There are tennis parties and visiting with friends and family but all along, Britain's rule in southern Ireland is coming to an end and there are troops marching through the area and homes are occasionally invaded. The young people are still falling in love, worrying about fashion and trying to stretch their wings in the midst of all the political upheaval and impending change of life. Overall, the story was just upsetting to me because I really felt like there was never a satisfactory outcome. None of the characters ever seemed to come to a final realization that what was coming was inevitable.
The Wright Brothers by David McCullough, 5*****s
Very Good! Very interesting telling of the Wright brothers' invention of the first flying machines. Author also tells of other things happening during that same era -- such a historical time! Highly recommended!
Los Pollitos/Little Chickies by Susie Jaramillo
4 stars
Reviewed for Mock Caldecott Awards. Very cute board book for the very young. There are multiple flaps to look under and the hen is backed with a spinning wheel to "make her run". You can read the book from one direction in English and in the opposite in Spanish.
Beverly wrote: "Los Pollitos/Little Chickies by Susie Jaramillo
4 stars
Reviewed for Mock Caldecott Awards. Very cute board book for the ver..."
I guess you deserve a break after reading Anna Karenina ;)
Terris wrote: "Beverly wrote: "Los Pollitos/Little Chickies by Susie Jaramillo
4 stars
Reviewed for Mock Caldecott Awards. Very cute board ..."
You are soooooo perceptive--it couldn't have gotten much easier!! :)
Return by Aaron Becker
5 stars
Reviewed for the Mock Caldecott Awards. In the tradition of Journey and Quest (which are the first 2 books in the trilogy), Mr. Becker has brought us another beautiful book where the intricate pictures (done in watercolor and pen & ink) tell the entire story. A young boy embarks on an amazing adventure and because of it, his dad learns that sometimes you need a break from your work to just enjoy life.
NanoBots by Chris Gall
5 stars
Reviewed for the Mock Caldecott Awards. I loved this book, the colors and the illustrations. An inventor sets out to build robots to help the world. He makes imaginative, wonderful specialized robots (like Lady Lance-O-Bot who guards the greenhouse to keep the plants healthy) that can do so many things but they are incredibly small. He enters his creations in a robotic competition and although they don't win, everyone walks away feeling good about the fact that they can still make a difference and can continue to help the world be a better place.
Crouching Buzzard, Leaping Loon by Donna Andrews
3 stars
This is the 4th book in the Meg Langslow series and sad to say, this one was a disappointment to me. I really enjoyed the first 3 and I will still go on to the next one and hope that it is better but this was really lacking. In this book, Meg has had an injury and so she cannot do any metal work. She opts to help her brother out by working at his computer gaming company. There's a murder, of course, and solving it involves dealing with the psychiatrists' who share part of their office space, internet porn and a couple of unusual pets. All in all, OK but you could certainly skip it in this series. This was read by Bernadette Dunne who did a great job.
Alexander von Humboldt,,
Kosmos: Entwurf einer physischen Weltbeschreibung. Volume 1
[1844] 507 pages [in German; Kindle]I've always been an avid reader of science popularizations, and I've read many especially in the past two years; so eventually I had to go back to one of the first, the most comprehensive, and certainly the most successful popularizations of all time -- Alexander von Humboldt's Kosmos. This book is a summary of early nineteenth century science. After an introductory section giving von Humboldt's conception of science and explaining what he intends to cover and what he wants to accomplish -- not an encyclopedic collection of facts or theories but a view of the interconnections of phenomena, the first volume (the general "Weltgemalde" or "world picture") is divided into an astronomic part and a "telluric" part. The first part begins with nebulas and the galaxy, and narrows down to the stars, the solar system, the planets, comets and meteors, and then describes the Earth in its general form as a planet. The second part deals with the structure of the Earth, earthquakes, volcanoes, mountains, rocks, the oceans, the atmosphere and weather, organic life, and physical anthropology. The most extensive sections are the geological ones; the biological and especially the human sections are short. I believe the second, third, and fourth volumes are more detailed accounts of astronomy and geology; he never got to the detailed views of biology and anthropology, which however are covered in many of his more specialized books. Kosmos was one of the major "best-sellers" of its time, despite its length and difficulty; it represents what the educated non-scientist could be expected to know about the sciences for most of the nineteenth century, and for that reason alone is worth reading for anyone interested in the thought of the period.
Although science was and is always changing, and any science popularization is somewhat outdated by the time it is even published (the later volumes make an effort to keep up with the latest developments, and a posthumously published fifth volume is made up entirely of such corrections and additions, along with the index to all five), von Humboldt seems curiously modern compared to many other figures of the time. The general view of astronomy here didn't change much until the time of Hubble in the 1920's; the geology was essentially (except for the Ice Ages, which had only recently been suggested about this time and might be in the later volumes) the same paradigm as what I learned in grade school -- the new view of plate tectonics didn't come until I was in high school. The biology on the other hand was superceded the year Humboldt died, with the publication of The Origin of Species, which relies on von Humboldt's discoveries in plant and animal geography for its most convincing arguments. The anthropological section, though only a few pages at the end (and censored out of the early American translations) was especially modern, as he emphasizes his belief in the unity of the human species and makes the case against racial theories with ideas that were only recovered in the 1940s and 1950s, after a century of racist anthropology: the facts that traits such as dark skin, "wooly" hair, and so forth do not vary together but separately in different groups, that various traits are a result of adaptation to the climate and other factors, that language groups and ethnic groups are not the same, and so forth. He ends up with a sharp attack on slavery, and unambiguously states that all races have the same rights to freedom.
If von Humboldt's work is worth reading, the same however cannot be said for the Kindle version. While, unlike many free or low-cost e-books, it is adequately proofread, the formatting is terrible; the original endnotes are inserted in the text without any indication of where they begin or end, so that a sentence will break off in the middle, and resume a page or two later without warning. This makes the book very confusing to read -- there are long notes on every page -- and is especially damaging in German, where verbs and separable prefixes come at the end of sentences. My view is that printed books should never have endnotes, and e-books should always have endnotes with links from the text. Given that von Humboldt was a pioneer in scientific illustrations, inventing isotherms, isoclines, etc. as well as geological sections, it is surprising that the book had no illustrations (although just as well in the Kindle version, since e-books don't generally do well with illustrations -- the one chart included here was cut off at the end.) Apparently there was an atlas published by someone else at the same time which contained illustrative material for the book.
I will add my reviews for the subsequent volumes as I finish them.
Mod
Help, I Am Being Held Prisoner
– Donald E Westlake – 3*** Harry Künt (WITH an umlaut, and pronounced KOONT) finds himself in prison after pulling one practical joke too many. Westlake excelled at writing comic crime capers, where something always goes wrong, but no one is shot or seriously injured. There are plenty of escapades herein and some were laugh-out-loud funny.
Full Review HERE
Mod
By the Shores of Silver Lake
– Laura Ingalls Wilder – 4**** Book number five in the Little House Series has the Ingalls family moving to Dakota Territory. Wilder gives the reader a good picture of the joys and sorrows of pioneer life – the harshness of weather, the bounty of a good crop and plenty of game to hunt, the dangers of the wilderness, the joy and comfort of family. These books are just a joy to read.
Full Review HERE
Artful by Peter David
3 stars
When I started this, I was not impressed and was really having a difficult time even figuring out what was going on but it got a little better, especially if you're into vampires. Basically, the Artful Dodger is back for more adventures after he didn't get sent to Australia for his "criminal" exploits. Only now, London is full of vampires and the Artful, along with Bram Van Helsing, must try to save the next queen of England. Along the way we run into characters from Mr. Dickens' Oliver Twist like Fagin, Charley Bates and Oliver himself. All in all, the further I read, the more I liked it but it is certainly a far stretch from what Charles Dickens intended.
Paging All Bookworms!
Books mentioned in this topic
Artful (other topics)By the Shores of Silver Lake (other topics)
Help, I Am Being Held Prisoner (other topics)
Crouching Buzzard, Leaping Loon (other topics)
NanoBots (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Donald E. Westlake (other topics)Denise Kiernan (other topics)
Laura Ingalls Wilder (other topics)
This is a memoir of growing up in Brownsville Texas, near the border with Mexico, in a poor barrio, with few opportunities and even less hope. There are parts of this memoir that are engaging and funny. But on the whole I felt as disenfranchised from the experiences he relates, as he states he felt. I kept waiting for some insight, and never got it, and I’m left disappointed and dissatisfied. I felt I was reading the rambling notes of a journal his therapist suggested he keep, rather than a cohesive memoir.
Full Review HERE