This short book is packed with cosmological goodness and is an excellent example of the wit, wisdom, and knowledge of astrophysicist Neil deGrasse TysThis short book is packed with cosmological goodness and is an excellent example of the wit, wisdom, and knowledge of astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, who has assumed the title of America's top science communicator from the late, great Carl Sagan. The book was more of a review for me as much of the subject matter has been discussed on his podcast StarTalk, which I've been a fan of for a number of years. Still, it never gets old listening to Neil talk about the cosmos. He is an excellent communicator and has a knack for explaining the complex concepts of astrophysics so that even those of us without science degrees can appreciate and understand them.
If you liked this book and have an extra hour a week, I highly recommend Neil's StarTalk podcast. The podcast is co-hosted by a comedian and Neil usually has an interesting guest and takes questions submitted by listeners. Guests range from astronauts to fellow scientists to celebrities who are interested in science. The comedian hosts are usually either Leighann Lord, Chuck Nice, Maeve Higgins, or Eugene Mirman. They keep the show's tone light and funny.
If you liked this book and have twelve hours to kill, I highly recommend Neil's 2014 TV series Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey, which was a follow-up to Carl Sagan's Cosmos TV series. Must-see TV for science geeks....more
While on vacation at the AZ Koeppen compound I like to pick a book off the right-wing bookshelf in order to get a different perspective on things thatWhile on vacation at the AZ Koeppen compound I like to pick a book off the right-wing bookshelf in order to get a different perspective on things that I would ordinarily get in the secular echo chamber that I choose to live in. This was an interesting choice: Newt Gingrich visiting a number of Washington DC historical places of interest.
Each chapter was about a different Washington DC monument / memorial (Lincoln, Washington, Jefferson, FDR, WWII, Vietnam War, etc.) or other notable locale (National Archives, Library of Congress, White House, Capitol Building, etc.). The chapters were divided in to three parts: a brief history of the location, a physical description of the location, and how the Christian god is honored at each of them. I enjoyed the short history of the places visited and his descriptions of them. I've never visited Washington DC but need to get there. This book piqued my interest. The third part of each chapter drove me bonkers, however.
Gingrich goes to great lengths to show how religion played a major role in the history of the US. I don't disagree with this assertion but I also understand the times when many of these men lived: a world with a remedial understanding of biology and cosmology. With no access to modern science or the knowledge of how things came to be most believed in the supernatural, like so many others of the times, and used a god to fill in gaps of understanding. They gave this god credit for the successes of America. This is no different than people today who feel comforted and soothed by believing that there is a supernatural entity who has a plan for you and is guiding your life with cosmic puppet strings. So yes, Newt, belief in a supernatural being was a part of America's history. But let's leave that as history and move forward.
Newt makes it clear that he does not like my ilk, the secular left, and he pulls no punches. Some of the comments get downright snarky at times. I no longer have the book with me but I remember at least two chapters which ended with "so if some secular person tells you that (insert US President name) wasn't religious, you just tell them.....". One such rebuttal stated that Thomas Jefferson let a church use a space in the Capitol building for worship. Newt also tried to rebut the belief that Jefferson was a Deist. Newt had no time for such nonsense, but fails to address the Jefferson Bible.
In the spirit of the Jefferson Bible, I could make this book a Koeppen Rediscovering God in America by eliminating all references to the divine and supernatural and it would be an interesting read for my fellow lowly secular leftists....more
I finished this book with hours to spare in 2017 and it may just be the best book I read this year. I bought the hard cover book and I'm glad I did. TI finished this book with hours to spare in 2017 and it may just be the best book I read this year. I bought the hard cover book and I'm glad I did. This is just a beautiful book, with 144 images of Leonardo's paintings and drawings all on high quality paper. The writing is just fantastic; it doesn't read like your typical history book. I was riveted to Leonardo's story from page one. He was an amazing person, and successfully combined art and science like no other person of his time.
I think most people are familiar with who Leonardo was, and have a basic understanding that he was one of the notable people of the Renaissance. This book takes a close look at Leonardo's life starting with his out-of-wedlock birth to his death in France after a long life, probably one of the most interesting lives I've every read about. He was one of the smartest men of his time, not because he was born a genius, but because he had an insatiable appetite for knowledge. He wanted to understand the world - from anatomy, to astronomy, to engineering, to geology, and everything in between. Some of his scientific theories and inventions were centuries ahead of their time. Amazing, just amazing! We know all this because he left behind 7,200 pages of notes which survived over the last 500 years. Oh, and he was a notable painter, too. Have you ever heard of The Last Supper or the Mona Lisa?
My favorite parts of this book were his scientific discoveries and theories. There were a lot of "wow" moments for me. I had no idea that Leonardo dabbled in so many of the sciences. I also really liked the in-depth analysis of some of his paintings and sketches, and the accounts of his encounters with Michelangelo. The parts about Michelangelo paint him as a 15th century crab-ass who was no fan of our hero. They had little in common outside of being the best artists of their time.
I can't recommend this book highly enough, especially to history buffs. I'm glad I bought the hard cover over the audiobook as I was able to see the images of Leonardo's drawings and painting while the author described them. There is an extensive description if The Last Supper and a number of his other famous paintings, and a whole chapter describing the Mona Lisa. The book also includes a cast of characters, notes, and an index.
This is a nice anthology of short stories put together by Tony C. Smith of the science fiction podcast Starship Sofa. The authors are a mix of famous This is a nice anthology of short stories put together by Tony C. Smith of the science fiction podcast Starship Sofa. The authors are a mix of famous science fiction authors and some new authors. The authors are a diverse bunch globally, Tony collected stories from authors on every continent except Antarctica. Dr. Amy H. Sturgis adds a nice introduction. Like most anthologies, there are hits and misses. The stories that stood out for me were: The Remaker by Fábio Fernandes, The Dust Garden by Ken Liu, The Galaxy Cube by Jeremy Szal, Slipping Sideways by Carmelo Rafala, The Seed Keeper by Yukimi Ogawa, and Virus by Jonathan Dotse....more
This is a Steinbeck WWII short novel in which an unnamed invading force (Nazis) occupies a small mining town in an unnamed country (Netherlands). At fThis is a Steinbeck WWII short novel in which an unnamed invading force (Nazis) occupies a small mining town in an unnamed country (Netherlands). At first the conquerors and conquered have a seemingly innocent and uneventful, although uneasy, relationship but as the occupying army starts tightening the noose and establishing a totalitarian regime over the peaceful, hard-working citizens the plot turns dark and events go from being uneasy to ugly and sad. The winter setting adds to the cold and dark tone. A really good but gloomy tale. ...more
My Steinbeck journey continues. After spending time on a horse farm and in the Netherlands, I am back to a more familiar Steinbeckian setting, in MontMy Steinbeck journey continues. After spending time on a horse farm and in the Netherlands, I am back to a more familiar Steinbeckian setting, in Monterey, just down the road from Salinas. Not only is the location familiar but so are some of the characters. Like in Tortilla Flats, there was a group of unemployed/underemployed knuckleheads who live rent free in another character’s building, this one happens to be an abandoned storage shed. And also like Tortilla Flats, the knuckleheads had a common goal. This time it was to give their friend, marine biologist Doc, a party. Doc was based on a real person, Steinbeck’s friend Ed Ricketts, also a marine biologist in Monterey. Doc was the smartest and most admired resident on Cannery Row, even dogs smiled at him. Do our heroes successfully pull off their party to honor Doc? No spoilers here (although I might be the last person on the planet to have read this book).
This was another great Steinbeck read. I found it to be more humorous than the prior books of his I’ve read and, like the others, is was chock full of colorful characters, interesting settings, and humanity. Wonderful. ...more
I have reached the end of my Steinback short novel marathon. The Pearl is a book I won't soon forget. I fancy melancholy tales, and this one captivateI have reached the end of my Steinback short novel marathon. The Pearl is a book I won't soon forget. I fancy melancholy tales, and this one captivated me, but it was downright depressing.
In The Pearl, a dirt-poor pearl-diver named Kino finds a very large pearl and justifiably believes his life is about to improve after he cashes in with the pearl dealers. He envisions new clothes for the mother of his baby, Juana, and their church wedding. For his son Coyotito, he wants a fancy blue sailor suit from the United States and an education. "He thought of all the good things one could do with the money from the pearl, of all the charities, benefits, of all the rescues one could perform if one had the money." Alas, things don't go quite as planned. As in a number of Steinbeck's other books, the tale of Kino is told simply and beautifully, with the the darkness of human nature always lurking in the background....more
This is my least favorite trip to the Salinas Valley with John Steinbeck so far. The only character really fleshed out is the affable, polite, and somThis is my least favorite trip to the Salinas Valley with John Steinbeck so far. The only character really fleshed out is the affable, polite, and sometimes naughty, son Jody. I know he was ten but suffocating a bunch of lizards and dismembering a bird? C'mon! Each of the four chapters is a stand-alone story and none of them are resolved pleasantly. Unlike the Mary Tyler Moore show, love is not all around in the Tiflin family. Dad is stern and crabby, and mom doesn’t have much to say because she’s too busy making food and banging on the triangle. I thought the farmhand, Billy Buck, was the most interesting character in the book. He took it upon himself to teach Jody about horses and ran the whole Tiflin Ranch. The Tiflins’ horses play a key role in three of the chapters and none of the chapters end on a happy note. The final chapter is about Jody’s grandfather and also is a downer. Despite this being a somber novel, it was written beautifully and contains great descriptions of the Steinbeck’s typical California settings....more
This was a fun read. I can see where some might be rubbed the wrong way by Tortilla Flat due to the political incorrectness of the time when it was wrThis was a fun read. I can see where some might be rubbed the wrong way by Tortilla Flat due to the political incorrectness of the time when it was written but most of the shenanigans come across to me as innocent and harmless and the main characters to me seem to be colored positively, as likable knuckleheads. Oh, and one character, the Pirate, had a pack of five obedient, loyal, and lovable dogs named Enrique (houndish), Pajarito (brown and curly), Rudolph ("an American dog"), Fluff (a Pug), and Señor Alec Thompson (!) (an Airedale).
Like other Steinbeck that I've read, the words flow smoothly. He can make you laugh and then put a lump in your throat in the next sentence. The first paragraph lays out the plot: "This is story of Danny and of Danny's friends and of Danny's house", and "when you speak of Danny's house you are understood to mean a unit from which came sweetness and joy, philanthropy and, in the end, a mystic sorrow." And of course, the Round Table is mentioned early on, the connection to which becomes evident as you read along.
My advice: buy a gallon of wine from Torrelli (wink), snuggle in with your best pooch and dig in to this short novel. ...more
This is the second such collection of Richard's essays and speeches, some of them going back a couple decades. I listened to the audiobook which was nThis is the second such collection of Richard's essays and speeches, some of them going back a couple decades. I listened to the audiobook which was narrated by Richard and his ex-wife Lalla Ward. The content is grouped by subject matter in to eight different sections in the book with each section introduced by editor Gillian Somerscales. Each chapter contains a separate essay / speech. Richard provides an afterword to a number of the chapters with updated information or a comment about how he could've written the essay / speech better originally.
I'm a Dawkins fan so this book spoke to me and I loved most of it. It is typical Dawkins: promoting science and rationalism through subjects such as evolution and biology, and taking down religion and supernaturalism. He is preaching to his atheist and science enthusiast choir.
One section didn't quite work for me: the humor section called "Laughing at live dragons". Dawkins is a witty chap and uses humor effectively within essays but when his humor didn't work so much for me when the whole essay is supposed to be comedy.
The sections I enjoyed the most included the following subjects: anti-religion, Galapagos Islands, animal rights, and the tributes to his father and Christopher Hitchens. The animal rights essays surprised me as I've never heard Richard talk about this subject. He used his knowledge of biology to illustrate how humans underestimate the intelligence, ability to feel pain, and ability to express emotions of animals. He predicted that 100 years from now humans will look back in shame at the way animals are currently treated, just as we now look back 100 years and are embarrassed at the way certain segments of the human population were treated.
I think this is a good introductory collection of essays / speeches for someone wanting to dip their toe in to Richard Dawkins' pool of work. He is often portrayed as a divisive character due to his unabashed criticism of religion but his knowledge of biological science is hard to top and his standing as a science communicator is matched by very few today. This is an excellent collection. ...more
I'm a fan of Ben Goldacre. I've heard him interviewed on a number of podcasts and he's always interesting and makes great points. I just did not conneI'm a fan of Ben Goldacre. I've heard him interviewed on a number of podcasts and he's always interesting and makes great points. I just did not connect at all with this audiobook, however. I was very familiar with most of the subject matter, as much of the material has been covered in depth on the podcast The Skeptic's Guide to the Universe. The book felt like a review and a lot of rehash.
The book attacks medical quackery, homeopathy, nutritionists, anti-vaxxers, and several other health-related and anti-science topics. A couple chapters I found interesting were about Brain Gym and statistics manipulation. Brain Gym is a brain training company which is apparently a bigger deal in the UK (I've never even heard of it) which Goldacre claims is bad science and he takes it down in a big way. The Andrew Wakefield / MMR vaccine scare is covered in depth in this book. The author does a great job presenting his case against lousy science in a concise and sometimes funny way.
Despite my rating, I would recommend this book for anyone looking to become more proficient in seeing through anti-science claims and recognizing scams and pseudoscience. If this subject matter is new to you, you will probably find this book enlightening. It was written in 2012 and the message is as important now as it was then. Maybe more so, actually....more
Solaris was a different reading experience for me as I watched both movies before reading the book. The book, 1972 film, and 2002 film are about a smaSolaris was a different reading experience for me as I watched both movies before reading the book. The book, 1972 film, and 2002 film are about a small group of scientists studying Solaris while living on a space station above the planet. There are primarily only four characters in the book: Dr. Kelvin, who just arrived from Earth to study the Planet; two scientists already aboard the station, Snaut and Sartorius; and Harey, Kelvin’s former girlfriend.
I know that Stanislaw Lem was not a fan of the Steven Soderbergh movie, which I thought was fantastic, but not entirely true to Lem’s book. I also really liked Tarkovsky’s Russian film, which is very true to the book. Lem’s book is primarily about the difficulty of communication between humans and an alien species, which is a sentient ocean on the planet Solaris. The characters are focused on communicating with the planet and understanding its mechanisms and motives. Soderbergh’s movie is more about human relationships, particularly about love and loss, with the intelligent ocean on Solaris playing with the minds of the humans aboard the station. Another thing I enjoyed about the Soderbergh movie is the soundtrack. Ambient and eerie, it captures the tone of the story perfectly and sounds like an extended B-side of Radiohead’s song "Kid A".
But this is supposed to be a book review. Overall, I liked this book. The narration was excellent, he gave each of the four characters their own distinct voice and delivery, and there was never any question who was talking. The story was slow-paced, but quite a mind bender. The parts that dragged for me were when Lem wrote extensively about the the history of human observation of the planet. He had our hero, Kris Kelvin, sit down with some scientific history books and we read along with Kris about historical observations and strange goings-on in Solaris’ ocean below. After a while my brain would wander, only to be brought back to the station when Kelvin finally put the books down.
I also had one nit-pick. Lem wrote that reports from Solaris were beamed to earth through the constellation Orion. Um, actually constellations are not really stars grouped together, they just appear that way two-dimensionally from earth. The stars in Orion are actually not anywhere near each other. Orion isn’t a location in space and, furthermore, it wouldn’t look like “Orion” from a planet in another solar system in the Milky Way galaxy, like Solaris was. Lem could’ve used the Orion Nebula or one of the stars like Rigel or Betelgeuse if he wanted to reference a specific celestial location recognizable to his human readers.
Overall, I enjoyed this science fiction classic, but I liked the movies better....more
I was looking forward to reading this book as Bob Mould is my favorite musician and I absolutely love his album, Workbook, which is the subject of thiI was looking forward to reading this book as Bob Mould is my favorite musician and I absolutely love his album, Workbook, which is the subject of this book. I’ve seen him every time he’s been through the Twin Cities, and caught his Workbook 25th anniversary concert in 2014.
The book was not at all what I expected. I thought the introduction was interesting but as the chapters wore on the book gradually lost me. Each chapter of the book was a letter written by one of the two authors to the other, alternating back and forth between them. Most of the conversation consisted of the authors (over)analyzing Workbook while flying off on tangents, and worse, diving in to deeper subjects like comparing it to the Bible(?!) and Catcher in the Rye. I’ve read both, I don’t get it. I did enjoy the interview with Bob and with the musicians who performed on the album. But this was a very, very small slice of the book.
The book had a very complete section of notes and resources. The authors’ research was thorough. I didn’t agree with all of their takes about Bob, Workbook, his former band Husker Du, etc., etc., etc., but I admire their effort to put the spotlight on this excellent album. ...more
I love the concept of this book and have not seen the movie Sliding Doors so I don’t recall experiencing a story such as this – where a person’s life I love the concept of this book and have not seen the movie Sliding Doors so I don’t recall experiencing a story such as this – where a person’s life unfolds in two parallel story lines after a critical decision is made. This fascinates me because in 1990 I almost chose not to go to the party where I met my wife. If I had not gone to the party I probably wouldn’t have met her and what the hell would my life had been like? I can’t even imagine.
The main character in the book, Hannah, attends a party shortly after moving back to LA where she grew up, and has to choose whether to leave the party with her ex-boyfriend / high school sweetheart or go home with the couple she is staying with temporarily. The plot forks from there. In the next nine or so hours the book takes some interesting and surprising twists and turns, all while Hannah worries over and over about her bun (a high bun), and obsesses constantly about cinnamon rolls. I thought both stories were really well told and moved along at nice clip, my interest never wavered. The characters were all believable. The ending was satisfying. I liked the inherent message that our lives are based on the choices we make, not the invisible guiding hand of fate.
What I didn’t like was that the chapters were pretty short and as I listened to the beginning of each chapter I sometimes had to think to figure out which of Hannah’s lives we were in. Sometimes the author changed the story line at the beginning of a new chapter and sometimes she didn't, and often times Hannah is interacting with the same person in both lives so it was a little confusing. I wonder if the paper book had the chapters marked in some way to let the reader know which life we were in. I thought the narration was great for the most part with a minor criticism that all the men seemed to have the same breathy voice. The book was a little bit too romance-y for me at times but none of the scenes lasted very long due to brisk pace of the book.
Overall, it was pretty good and I give it 3.5 stars. It was a nice, easy listen and a welcome change of pace after having my brain taxed with science (not complaining) in the last two audiobooks I listened to.
I think I will check out the author’s new 2017 book The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo....more
I listened to this book written by my senator mostly on dog walks in one of the coldest early Minnesota Novembers I can remember; it was such a fun liI listened to this book written by my senator mostly on dog walks in one of the coldest early Minnesota Novembers I can remember; it was such a fun listen and I laughed so often that I forgot all about my frozen face. I'm generally not interested in politics but Franken is an exceptional politician in that he is hilarious, has an interesting background, and knows how to tell a story. He recites a number of anecdotes which made even campaign fundraising and senate squabbles interesting and entertaining.
The book goes back to Franken's early life growing up in New York and then moving to Albert Lea, Minnesota and eventually to St. Louis Park, Minnesota. Even as a grade schooler he was witty and satirical. In second grade after the girls in his grade put on a song and dance performance for the boys, he wrote a "scathing parody" of the girls' show which the boys later presented to the class, and some of the girls cried. Ouch.
The book recounts a number of stories from Franken's SNL and comedian / writer days. Fans of SNL during the 70s, 80s, and 90s will get a kick out of this. He gives the reader and interesting behind-the-scenes look at SNL, and he covers some of the successes and failures of the show during his stint as one of the original writers of the show. He left the show in 1995.
The most interesting parts of the book dealt with his rise in the political arena. He paints a very interesting behind-the-scenes look at what goes in to campaigning and what goes on in the Senate. Being a Minnesotan definitely added to this section, as I remember his campaigns and the intense battle in his first election, which he only won by only 312 votes. He was an unlikely candidate, and in his first election was up against incumbent Norm Coleman, a heavy favorite to win. The campaign got ugly and Coleman ran some pretty mean and unfair ads, one of which made Franken's mother-in-law cry. He talks about his hero and political inspiration, Senator Paul Wellstone, who tragically died in a plane crash in 2002, and who was well known in Minnesota politics as a champion for the everyman. Even today, I still see Wellstone bumper stickers once in a while.
Franken is not your typical polished politician, and sometimes struggled to maintain decorum on the job. His staff had to rein him on occasion, as he would speak his mind or react without thinking first. He is a breath of fresh air from the stereotypical polished, haughty politicians you see all too often on the news or C-SPAN (does anyone even watch this?). In the book he tells it like it is about some of the politicians he works with. He names names and pulls no punches. I thought the chapter devoted to savaging Ted Cruz was a but much, but otherwise found his takes on some of his fellow senators to be interesting.
Overall, this was an excellent book! I highly recommend the audio version, especially to Minnesotans who will remember much of what Franken recounts about his campaigning and senatorial career. Even if you are not a fan of politics this book will provide you with plenty of laughs and insights about our disheartening political system....more
Very interesting. I need to read more books like this. This was a fun and engaging read about some not-so-pleasant subject matter. While I loved the sVery interesting. I need to read more books like this. This was a fun and engaging read about some not-so-pleasant subject matter. While I loved the story, and loved to hate the six main characters, at times I had a hard time believing in them. I went to college in the 80s, the same time as the main characters, and never knew any one who drank and took pills constantly as it seemed they did. (And drank not the cheapest beer on sale, but scotch, whiskey, etc.) Maybe the college experience was different at small liberal arts schools out East than it was at public universities in the Midwest. I didn't hang out with any richy-rich trust fund kids, either, maybe all the hours I spent working and studying kept me out of trouble (and kept me from being a murderer!).
This book sucked me in from the start and it was easy to keep turning the pages. Watching the world unravel and plot unfold through the eyes of the main character and narrator, Richard from California, was fascinating. He was relatable, an average fellow, trying to fit in with a tight knit group of spoiled rich kids, all of whom were in a Greek class group together. Were his "friends" up front with him or were they just playing him? They were obviously doing things behind his back and excluding him from certain activities. Was he really part of the group?
Knowing about the Greeks will help you enjoy this book. I remember very little about them from my high school and college courses, so some of this went over my head and I missed out on what the author was writing about in places.
There is a where-are-they-now epilogue at the end which really tied things up nicely. I'm not sure how a normal person can live a guilt-free life after what goes down on the first page, but after getting to know the characters over 559 pages I guess I'm not surprised....more
WOW. This book MUST be listened to in audio if possible, Sherman reads it with such raw emotion, laughing and crying at times. Most of this memoir is WOW. This book MUST be listened to in audio if possible, Sherman reads it with such raw emotion, laughing and crying at times. Most of this memoir is about his life growing up on the Spokane Indian Reservation, and most of the stories center on his difficult relationship with his mother. He wrote this after his mother died. Growing up on the “Res” was difficult to say the least, especially for women, and this book gives the reader an insight in to the hopelessness that pervades many Native American communities.
The book has 160 chapters, divided between short poems and life stories. For me this book worked really well in small chunks on my commute or dog walks as some of the chapters are so moving and powerful that they leave a lasting impression and you don’t want to move on right away. I can’t say anything more that will do this book justice and I can’t recommend it highly enough. I’ve read a lot of good memoirs lately and this is my favorite of them....more
This is my first Mary Roach book and was probably not the best choice given the subject matter and my squeamishness. The lives of corpses aren't filleThis is my first Mary Roach book and was probably not the best choice given the subject matter and my squeamishness. The lives of corpses aren't filled with duckies, bunnies, and rainbows. I listened to the audio book which was narrated by Shelly Frasier, she was really good. The book had me running the gamut, from laughter to cringing to reaching for the pause button.
My favorite chapters were the ones about air disaster investigation, alternative funerals/ corpse preparation, and the last chapter called “Remains of the Author” in which Mary went over the many options she has for what to do with her body after her death. She made the good point that one should consult with the surviving loved ones as they will be the ones who have to deal with the ramifications of the choice, and with what is ultimately left of the body after science is done with it.
In the chapter about air disasters, Mary talks about her time spent with Dennis Shanahan, an Injury Analyst. Dennis is brought to sites of disasters to examine corpses to figure out what happened to them based on their condition. In the book he describes in detail his investigation of the TWA Flight 800 crash which exploded over the Atlantic Ocean in 1996. By looking at the corpses and knowing where they were sitting and where in the ocean they were found he was able to determine probable locations of explosions, causes of trauma, how long they lived after the explosion, etc. He was able to rule out terrorism right away in this particular crash. It was fascinating.
The alternative funeral / corpse preparation chapter as also interesting as Mary addresses the numerous ways a body can be dealt with after death. I’ve never understood why humans bury bodies in an expensive casket in a cement vault. What a waste of space for a body. Why wouldn't we want our atoms to return to the natural world? Even the description of the cremation process was horrible. Mary addresses a number of new ideas being bandied about also. I might have to try one someday.
There were chapters that we just plain gross and creepy, though. Using human cadavers and anesthetized dogs and pigs for ballistics tests was kind of weird and sad in a way; and using freshly dead heads for transplants was hard to listen to and just plain bizarre. She talks about one experiment where a decapitated dog head is attached to a living dog. Throughout the book there was a lot of talk of body parts, blood, guts, and brains which gave me the heebie jeebies.
Overall, it was OK. For a person who is not squeamish and loves to read about fun with corpses, this would be right up their alley. I'm looking forward to reading or listening to more Mary Roach, though, and hopefully her other audiobooks have the same narrator....more
The book's title, Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal refers to the words spoken by Jeanette Winterson's adoptive mother as Jeanette was being kicThe book's title, Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal refers to the words spoken by Jeanette Winterson's adoptive mother as Jeanette was being kicked out of the house at the age of sixteen for being a lesbian. Earlier in Jeanette's life, when her mother discovered her first girlfriend, she was the subject of an exorcism in front of their entire Pentecostal congregation (seriously!). Needless to say, life was difficult growing up with a fanatical born-again mother who was obsessed with the apocalypse and suffering. Some of Mrs. Winterson's (as Jeanette called her mother) actions were horrific and some were rather amusing in a sad way. Some of my favorite lines from the book were:
- About Christmas: "Most kids grow up leaving something for Santa at Christmas time, when he comes down the chimney. I used to make presents for the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse."
- While on vacation: "My mother sat in a deck chair most of the day reading sensationalist literature about Hell."
- When a friend slept over: "Vicky was struggling. Just before Christmas she went up to bed and found that her pillowcase had no pillow in it. It was stuffed with religious tracts about the apocalypse."
Jeanette's mother heaped psychological abuse on her constantly. But our formative lives shape us in to what we are and during this time Jeanette developed a love for literature, and when her mother disallowed this Jeanette decided to write her own literature and she eventually became the acclaimed author she is now.
The latter portion of the book recounts Jeanette's search for her birth mother. This was a difficult process due to the secrecy of her adoptive family and difficulty obtaining records through the system at the time. The process was very interesting but difficult emotionally.
I listened to the audiobook read by the author. Her wit and emotions really come through on the recording and this added a lot to the experience. I would highly recommend this even if you are not yet a fan of Jeanette Winterson.
While listening to this audiobook I was reading the paper book of Alan Cumming's memoir Not My Father's Son which was also about growing up with an irrational, abusive parent. It was quite a one-two punch of gloominess....more
I found this (audio) book to be engrossing all the way through and I must say I liked it better than its companion novel, Life After Life. The narratiI found this (audio) book to be engrossing all the way through and I must say I liked it better than its companion novel, Life After Life. The narration was excellent, too. This book centered around Edward "Teddy" Todd and his family: wife Nancy, daughter Viola, and grandkids Bertie (Moon) and Sunny. The rest of the Todd family you loved and didn't love from Life After Life (go Izzie!) also make appearances as the narrative jumps back and forward in time.
Just like in Life After Life, the author really brings the characters to life, and I really felt a connection to them. Teddy's experiences as a bomber pilot in WWII feature prominently in the book. If a reader is not a fan of war stories, this may detract from their enjoyment of this novel. In fact, in the Afterword the author addresses why she made this a major theme. The WWII chapters reminded me of the most excellent Gregory Peck movie Twelve 'O Clock High, which was about an American bomber group stationed in England which performed bombing raids deep in to Germany like Teddy's group did. The horrors of war and loss of young soldiers' lives were the themes of Teddy's WWII chapters, as well as the loss of German civilian lives after the allies changed bombing targets from the industrial locations to the citizens who worked in industry.
I would say the overall tone of the book was melancholy (love that), and there were many sad and difficult situations, but there was some humor sprinkled about, too. As in Life After Life there were some nice twists which I didn't see coming.
When I got to the end, I chose to finish the book on a long, late night dog walk under the stars so I could fully concentrate on the words flowing in to my ear drums. I'm glad I did, it was not what I expected and I had to rewind and listen again and soak it all in. Wow....more
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