The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
I’m very late to the party on this one, but a coworker’s enthusiasm pushed the book to the front of my To Be Read pile. If you want a hint of the plot, watch the trailer.
or read the New York Times review by Michiko Kakutani. I happen to agree with much of what it says. Ruth never sat well with me. I attributed her obsession with Susie to a crush that never ended due to Susie’s death. When Susie enters Ruth’s body, I was jolted. Now we were entering fantasy land, though her actions, once human again, were understandable.
The allure for me was the nature in which Sebold tackled Susie’s killer (though his demise was a little hard to believe, especially after all the build up via Hal, the police and Harvey’s brazen return to the Salmon residence). Some of it was tedious reading (some of the Salmon family past was excessive), but overall, a decent read.
I’m sure to make my way to the theater to see Jackson’s vision, though I have mixed feelings about the absence of a rape/murder scene. Early reviews applaud this absence (Good. Too many filmmakers revel in horror. The Sun) and others balk (The screen version, by contrast, is so infuriatingly coy, and so desperate to preserve the modesty of its soulful victim that it amounts to an ongoing clean-up operation. The Guardian).
Super Freakonomics by Steven Levitt & Stephen Dubner
…Crime is primarily driven by personal gain, whereas terrorism is fundamentally a political act…. The kind of person most likely to become a terrorist is similar to the kind of person most likely to … vote. Think of Terrorism as civic passion on steroids (p 63).
In the chapter titled “Why Should Suicide Bombers Buy Life Insurance?”, the authors discuss terrorism: its purpose, the response to acts of terrorism, those most likely to become terrorists, and how economics can aid in identifying terrorists.
Banks can help identify terrorists by creating an algorithm that identifies traits typical of a terrorist, including: an account opened with cash or cash equivalents at a branch of a large well-known bank, a P.O Box address, a muslim first and last name, no savings account or safe deposit box and… no life insurance, among other things.
In the same chapter, the authors bring to light our dolefully inadequate hospitals, from their infection spreading architecture to tight vehicle access including an ambulance bay that can fit a few vehicles at a time to rooftop helipads handicapped by single elevator access. What would happen during a major disaster or attack (especially biological)? You can see that identifying terrorists before they strike is crucial.
* * * * *
Much like its predecessor, Freakonomics, this book is highly accessible (I have no economics background) and highly enjoyable. Of course, it raises more questions than it answers (especially if you are sceptical of lab study results - and I am) but I definitely recommend it, as well as How We Decide by Jonah Lehrer.
Other chapters include: “How is a Street Prostitute like a Department Store Santa?”, “Unbelievable Stories about Apathy and Altruism”, “The Fix is in and it’s Cheap and Simple”, and “What do Al Gore and Mount Pinatubo have in Common?”.
The Blind Side: Evolution of the Game by Michael Lewis
I picked this up after seeing the trailer for Sandra Bullock’s upcoming movie of the same title and based on the biography by Lewis.
What the trailer didn’t prepare me for was the history of the left offensive tackle in pro and college football included in the book and integral to understanding what made Michael Oher (pronounced Oar) so special and so coveted by recruiters. As a long time fan of both college and professional football, this history was fascinating and succinctly conveyed.
It also shed some light on the NCAA’s practices, many of which I was ignorant of, including the rules governing recruitment – all arranged to exploit a money-making machine without having to compensate the players. Considering the number of players who don’t graduate, the system becomes even more disgusting. I can’t wait to see if the film lives up to the book, though it seems to sugar coat Michael’s destitute childhood (in the clip, his biological mother looks pretty glamorous for a crack addict).
If you are a football fan and the trailer looks good, I recommend this biography. I feel like a more educated spectator and I want to know even more!
NurtureShock: New Thinking about Children by Po Bronson & Ashley Merryman
Bronson and Merryman debunk many incorrect, yet firm parenting beliefs with solid evidence in readable terms. There are extensive notes and selected sources and references at the end. I highly recommend this book to parents. Here’s a sampling of the interesting points from the book:
Chapter 1: The Inverse Power of Praise – Constantly praising your children, calling them smart, “does not prevent them from underpreforming. It might actually be causing it” (p 13). General and abundant praise discourages a child from trying anything challenging. “Expending effort becomes stigmatized – it’s public proof that you can’t cut it on your natural gifts” (p 15). Instead, give specific praise for hard work and emphasis the process rather than the outcome. The mind is a muscle. Challenge it and it will become stronger. Flatter it and it will turn to Jello.
I believe this goes hand-in-hand with competition. Oft praised kids are so afraid to loose that they often quit or never even try. That’s a sure way to raise a spineless kid who will be unable to handle life’s many difficulties as an adult. Failure is a part of life. It’s okay to learn about it as a child and to help your child deal with it.
Chapter 3: Why White Parents Don’t Talk about Race – White parents often refrain from talking about race with their children, wanting them to grow up color-blind. In actuality, during the period “of our children’s lives when we imagine it’s most important to not talk about race is the very developmental period when children’s minds are forming their first conclusions about race” (p 55).
The authors also point out evidence that desegregation in schools has not had the desired effect on elementary and high school students. The idea that immersing a student in a diverse environment will result in a better understand of race and diverse friendships assumes positive interaction. In reality, “increased opportunities to interact are also, effectively, increased opportunities to reject each other. And that is what’s happening” (p 61).
The solution, talk to your children about race while they are young (prior to second grade). Don’t remain silent! Read picture books to them that include or star black or diverse characters such as Twas the Night Before Christmas by Melodye Rosales. This version features a black Santa.
Chapter 10: Why Hannah Talks and Alyssa Doesn’t – Baby DVDs (Baby Einstein not The Little Mermaid) and CDs don’t work. Disembodied voices that don’t interact with your child might as well be blabbering, because your child isn’t absorbing any of it. “They absolutely do learn from a live, human teacher” (p 202). To help your child get a head start with language (not a guarantee of future brilliance but a head start), respond to your child’s blabbering with caresses, kisses, or some other sign of affection. Before 15 months, use motionese (moving and object while naming it) and multiple speakers to reinforce vocabulary.
I was delighted to hear this because a founding component of our Library’s popular baby program, Mother Goose, is to use motion, repetition, rhyming and group learning to help babies develop early literacy skills. I have a Mother Goose program tomorrow. I will take a video and post it here to show you what we do.
Also, don’t over do it. Baby brains need play time, a break, just as much as adults do.
Perfection by Julie Metz
What is it about relationships? When we are single, we long for companionship. When we are in a relationship, problems abound and it seems to be more work than the satisfaction justifies, yet we are loath to break bonds.
Happy is the man or woman who finds delight in their own comfort. Happier still in the man or woman who finds love without possession.
Henry, Julie’s husband, cannot endure solitude. Dinner parties, travel, correspondence … anything for constant interaction. This leads him to an adulterous life so complicated it is only through constant and willful ignorance that our narrator does not discover his misdeeds.
Then Henry drops dead, survived by Julie and her six-year-old daughter. Six months later, Henry’s indiscretions are revealed. Julie spends the next year discovering the complexities of Henry’s numerous indescretions and sorting through her own troubled life. Julie goes through several stages: suspicion and denial (during her marriage), grief (at Henry’s death), anger and confusion (six months after Henry’s death), and finally forgiveness and acceptance.
Her emotional journey is a difficult one: from Henry’s former lovers, to psychologists, to scientists. I was surprised when Julie turned to new age thinking and finally modern science in her attempt to understand Henry’s actions, bringing in the whole nature versus nurture debate. Her need for understanding and the lengths to which she was driven was pitiable.
Mostly, I was shocked that Julie remained with her husband, even ignorant (as she was) to his affairs. Perhaps I am a selfish beast, but to remain in so unfulfilling a relationship seems ludicrous. If Henry hadn’t past away so young, how long would Julie have remained married, half-alive? It seems there is much I do not understand about the dynamics of American relationships (which explains my preference for non-Americans!) which seem dominated by need, possession, separateness and jealousy.
I have discussed the book with my partner (a Puerto Rican) and it resulted in lengthy conversations that gave me great hope. He and I are of a similar mind and more open to talking about sexuality and human nature than Julie and Henry were. Candid communication seems the keystone to a happy partnership. A good read, if a bit rambling at times.
Summer 2009 Wrap Up
This is a list of books I read this summer but didn’t have the time or inclination to review in detail. So this will be brief:
Crispin: The Cross of Lead by Avi – A work of historical fiction that won the Newbery in 2003. Crispin is a young boy whose mother has just died. He is soon on the run (accused of a crime he did not commit) being declared a wolf’s head (meaning anyone may kill him). The secret to his sudden fall from obscurity lies in the identity of his father. A great read but not a favorite, if you know what I mean. I hate the cover! I think it has been a turn off for a lot of young patrons, who might otherwise gravitate toward it as the language is very accessible.
Someone Like You by Sarah Dessen – Not my favorite Dessen but an okay read. Clearly one of her earlier books. I was dying to know if Michael’s parents replied to Scarlett’s letter. Dessen certainly has a hang up when it comes to Mother/Daughter relationships. Regarding teen boys, they have ranged from the wonderful (Along for the Ride and Just Listen) to average (Someone Like You) to terrible (Dreamland) in nature. It was satisfying that our heroine, Halley, didn’t end up with the stereotypical loner but that her experiences shed some light on the relationship between Scarlett and her deceased boyfriend (aka father of her child).
The End of Overeating: Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appetite by David Kessler – You wouldn’t believe how you are being manipulated by the restaurant industry. Fat, sugar and salt (the three points of the compass) combine to trick your mind into eating more and more and more food you do not need. What’s worse, they stick healthy sounding names (like Spinach Dip) on the dishes to mislead you. Read this book. Take back control!
Gods Behaving Badly by Marie Phillips
I heard about this book from my younger (college student) sister. The gods only know how she unearthed it. Published almost two years ago, Gods Behaving Badly follows the Greek gods living in contemporary London. Stripped of most of their powers for reasons unknown, the immortal family now lives in a fetid house. They are up to their old tricks; plotting against each other and interfering with mortals, causing much grief to the objects of their attention.
The main characters include Apollo, Aphrodite, Artemis, Eres, a plain and kind mortal woman (Alice) who is in love with a plain and kind mortal man (Neil). In a Washington Post review, Ron Charles wrote, “[Gods Beaving Badly] hovers somewhere between Pride and Prejudice and an episode of ‘Bewitched’.” It had moments of super-silly hilarity, moments of theological insight, and moments where I found myself diappointed. Overall, I wanted a more complicated satire. It had a lot of potential, but in the end, this was just a fun beach read.
I suppose I would recommend this to older teens, looking for something outside the YA genre (because, let’s face it, it gets boring reading about the same teen/high school problems) and to adults who have read Percy Jackson and want to read something similar but for adults.
How We Decide by Jonah Lehrer
I haven’t posted a book review in a couple days… and that usually means I’m reading nonfiction!
I picked up How We Decide because it was on the NY Times best seller list and because it had a cute cover. I’m very glad I did. Highly readable, Lehrer takes the author on a journey through our minds, uncovering the process behind our routine and spur-of-the-moment, life-saving (or condemning) decision making.
Lehrer begins by debunking Plato’s theory that the brain is divided in two separate spheres (the rational side is the charioteer while the emotional side is the wild horses pulling the chariot). “One the one hand, humans are part animal, primitive beasts stuffed full of primitive desires. And yet, humans are also capable of reason and foresight, blessed with the divine gift of rationality” (p 10).
Lehrer counters, “What we discover when we look at the brain is that the horses and charioteer depend upon each other. If it weren’t for our emotions, reason wouldn’t exist at all” (p 13).
Through a series of accounts, Lehrer reveals incidents where emotion plays a key role in either benefiting lives or destroying them. He stresses preventing the onset of panic during new, life-threatening situations but relying on your gut during routine operations when neural pathways pick up on divergences faster than our rational brains.
Sound confusing? It is, but Lehrer lays it out so beautifully that I was able to follow along easily, often gripping my chair during the story-telling parts. The brain is an amazing thing.
