Review: The Drunken Botanist: The Plants That Create the World's Great Drinks

The Drunken Botanist: The Plants That Create the World's Great Drinks by Amy Stewart
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I received this book as a gift from my step-mother, but I think it was more meant for my husband, who is a horticulturist.

I am definitely not the target audience for this book, and this is not really a book meant to be read from cover to cover. At least, I don't think it is. But that is how I read it anyway, and while I found many parts of it interesting, as a whole, this book is rather dry.

This is one of two books that made me wish I appreciated alcohol, the other being Love by the Glass by Dorothy Gaiter and John Brecher. While I do think I've found a drink I actually enjoy, it will take a while for me to come around to the hard stuff which seems to be the focus of this book.

The parts I found most interesting were the growing tips of various plants that can be used in cocktails. I don't live in a place where any of them are really viable, but a girl can dream.

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Review: Julius Caesar

Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I picked up this book from the free books pile in the faculty lounge of the school where I used to work.

I'm sure it was an old student copy, and I wonder what grade read this. The annotations were definitely very helpful, and I'm sure I would not have understood a lot of this without its help.

What also helped was seeing a performance of this at Shakespeare in the Park in Central Park. In fact, it was the one that was interrupted by protesters claiming that the play is normalizing "political violence against the right." When the stage manager announced to resume at the line "Liberty! Freedom!" there was a standing ovation from the audience. It was pretty amazing.

I don't think I have the background to give Shakespeare the deep reading he deserves, and trying to go through this play definitely made me appreciate what the actors and everyone involved in the production do.

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Review: The Tangled Tree: A Radical New History of Life

The Tangled Tree: A Radical New History of Life by David Quammen
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I received this book from my brother-in-law as I studied evolutionary biology in grad school.

It's been seven years since I was in the world of evolutionary biology, and while reading popular science books about the topic is a fun way to still connect to that world, I don't think I would enjoy rereading this book to do so.

It feels to me like this book is falsely advertised. The title and the "we'll get there, but I need to tell you some backstory" aspect of the book makes it seem like the main idea is that Darwin's conception of evolution is deeply flawed. I'm not sure Quammen really makes that point particularly clear. It feels like this book is purposely slanted as seeing more of a challenge to Darwin to draw more attention and shock value, even though Quammen really wanted to write about Woese and the other scientists who were involved with his work. I'm sure challenging Darwin sells more books than a scientist's biography.

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Review: The Fourth Monkey

The Fourth Monkey by J.D. Barker
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I received this book as a free Kindle book through IHG Rewards Club.

An interesting thriller with a few different limited third-person perspectives interlaced with a first-person narrative from the presumed killer. The date and time at the beginning of each chapter really emphasizes how much happens during a very short amount of time.

I thought the banter between the investigators a little bit unnatural and rankling. I thought the puzzles were interesting, and at least some of the plot twists were surprising. The diary sections are quite disturbing, so I would be cautious about reading this book if you are squeamish.

The fact that this is the first in a series called 4MK kind of destroys at least some of the "surprise," but I think that may be intentional. But I don't know, a lot of the twists were very transparent. I won't be seeking out any sequels.

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Review: Still Waters

Still Waters by Viveca Sten
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I received this book through the Amazon World Book Day celebration.

I'm not sure I've ever read a book by a Swedish author. Actually, there's The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. I didn't realize until I read some of the reviews here that this is quite a widespread phenomenon. I can't think of any others I've read, though. I do appreciate Amazon expanding my reading selection like this, and I hope they do something similar this year as well.

I feel like this is a robust thriller. If you like them, you'll probably like this book. If you don't, you probably won't like this book. I find them entertaining but not that engaging or memorable, so I found this entertaining but not that engaging or memorable.

One memorable moment in this book - when one of the protagonists faces real danger, and only indirectly from a villain. Diabetes really is scary.

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Review: Six of Crows

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I purchased this book from our local bookstore, Kew & Willow. This was on the 11-12 summer reading list for NYC Reads 365.

This is an intriguing young adult novel and the first in a duology. I have not continued on to read the others, including the other series this duo relates to. I do not really plan to, although this might change depending on whether I watch the Netflix series and how much I like it. The characters are interesting enough, but this is just not the kind of series I want to invest my time in.

I do think this is excellent for young adults. Out of the admittedly not too many young adult fantasy I've read, this is definitely one I would be happy to have young people reading these days, unlike some I could name.

The interview with the author at the end of the book is very enjoyable as well. Don't skip it.

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Review: The Light of the Fireflies

The Light of the Fireflies by Paul Pen
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I received this book during Amazon's World Book Day celebration.

This is a very intriguing book. I tend to read a lot of horror, so I think I kept expecting this to be a much darker book than it actually is. Because it is told from the perspective of a child, everything seemed just a little more sinister because of his naivete. I guess this book is pretty sinister, but I'm used to it being a lot more so. I guess this book could still be labeled as a horror story because it is quite eerie.

I'm not really sure how I feel about the lack of names in this book. Or the appearing and disappearing living things. I didn't really mind the ending as much as many others did, but the whole thing requires quite a suspension of disbelief. There's no fantasy element in the book, but it sort of feels like it would be better if there was because that would make the unreality of the main story a little more believable.

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Review: The Story of the Human Body: Evolution, Health, and Disease

The Story of the Human Body: Evolution, Health, and Disease by Daniel E. Lieberman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I'm a little upset because I lost my first review of this book when I changed editions. My fault, though.

I received this book from my friend Simona when she was getting rid of some of her old things. She told me she couldn't really get into it, but after I told her I really enjoyed it, she decided to give it another try.

I really enjoyed this book, and it has made lasting changes to my diet and exercise routine. Unfortunately for Lieberman, it doesn't seem like the new terms he proposes in this book are really catching on like the word "meme" did for Dawkins. But then, "dysevolution" and "mismatch diseases" don't have quite the same ring.

Though I say this book has made lasting changes to my lifestyle, I would not really consider this a self-help book. Lieberman does not structure this book as a manual to combat dysevolution. Instead, he lays out the natural history of human evolution and how current environmental pressures are drastically different even from the not-so-distant past. But it is easy to pull relevant suggestions to leading a healthier life.

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Review: Ten Women

Ten Women by Marcela Serrano
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was a book I received through Amazon's World Book Day promotion in 2018.

I found this book to be interesting while reading it, but totally forgettable. In fact, I basically forgot everything about this in the short four months it has been since I finished the book. I didn't really make a strong connection to any of the ten women sharing their stories, and I didn't really see a strong takeaway from the book. I guess that is part of the danger of trying to write a review so long after reading a book.

The framing of the stories as vignettes told by each woman in a group therapy session was a clever way to tie everything together and perhaps helps alleviate some of the stigma associated with seeking therapy.

I find it very intriguing that so many of the reviews of the book are written in Arabic. As far as I can tell, it looks like the original language for this book is Spanish, but I guess there was some strong marketing in the Arab community as well?

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Review: Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters Most

Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters Most by Douglas Stone
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

My friend Simona gave me this book when cleaning out her apartment. I see it is still listed as "currently reading" for her, haha.

I really enjoyed reading this book, and probably not least because I find a lot of the things the authors talk about to align well with my own perspectives. Not to say I really partake in many difficult conversations at all, but I often think about what it takes to change someone's mind.

I basically live under a rock when it comes to current events, but even I am exposed to the strangeness of today's politics. It definitely seems like people are just talking past each other, and I wonder if anything would change if everybody read this book. I really liked the Q&A section at the end which asks about, "What if the person is actually crazy?" Sometimes it certainly seems that way, and in all seriousness, I do have people in the family who suffer from mental illness, and it's good to have a reminder that that's not an excuse to not listen to them.

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Review: The Professor

The Professor by Robert Bailey
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I received this book as one of the free Kindle eBooks from the IHG Rewards Club.

It's been a couple of months since I finished the book, but I remember enjoying it. Legal thrillers all start to blend together after a while, but this one felt very grounded. I know very little about law, but I felt that this book balanced the explanations about the complexities of law and the momentum of the story well. It definitely seemed to me like it was written by someone very knowledgeable.

That said, it's still a legal thriller. I can understand people not really liking the genre, but there's something very comforting in reading something where no matter what gets thrown at the protagonists, you know everything is going to work out in the end. Oops, is that a spoiler? I don't particularly favor the genre myself, but I do feel like they are always an interesting way to pass the time. I think it would take a lot for one to leave a lasting memory, and I probably won't even remember I read this without Good Reads to remind me in a year or so.

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Review: Dinosaur in a Haystack

Dinosaur in a Haystack by Stephen Jay Gould
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I purchased this book at The Word Secondhand Books in Montreal.

Immediately upon starting the book, I remarked to my husband because of the dedication in this book. Gould dedicates this book to his brother, who had apparently passed away the year prior to this book being published. "May we someday, somewhere and somehow live together in that two-family house of our lifelong dreams." This was incredibly touching to me because though I have no siblings of my own, I know my husband feels a lot of affection for his brother and often remarks about how he wishes we could all live in a duplex together.

His first essay, "Happy Thoughts on a Sunny Day in New York City," was also personally relevant. I visited my husband at work on August 21, 2017, the day of a total solar eclipse, though it was only a partial eclipse in New York City. People at his workplace made pinprick devices and went out to the park (they work for the NYC Parks Department) to view the eclipse, just like Gould describes. I love how he appreciates these human moments of people connecting to scientific phenomena.

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Review: Helmet for My Pillow: From Parris Island to the Pacific

Helmet for My Pillow: From Parris Island to the Pacific by Robert Leckie
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I "purchased" this eBook from Amazon for $0.00.

If this wasn't such a well-written book, I'm sure I would have hated it. It reminded me a little bit of Yeager, which is the autobiography of Chuck Yeager. That was one that I couldn't stand. Both books are autobiographies that rather unapologetically talk (even brag) about various exploits and things that probably shouldn't be bragged about. For whatever reason, when Leckie describes his plan to make his superior unwilling to report him missing or his various trysts with women in Australia, it doesn't seem so bad.

It's pretty clear from page one that this guy is an amazing writer and no wonder he was a journalist and wrote this book. His diction and turns of phrase are top-notch and really kept me engaged through this book, even with my overall very low interest in military history. I'm really glad these free Amazon books are expanding my reading selection.

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Review: Survival Medicine & First Aid: The Leading Prepper's Guide to Survive Medical Emergencies in Tough Survival Situations

Survival Medicine & First Aid: The Leading Prepper's Guide to Survive Medical Emergencies in Tough Survival Situations by Beau Griffin
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I "purchased" this book on Amazon for $0.00.

I had come across the concept of prepping through some novels as well as the memoir, Educated, so I was interested in seeing how this book would line up with my expectations based on my impressions. This book doesn't feel particularly useful or specific for preppers. Although Griffin writes about how in a global catastrophe scenario, you (the reader) might be the only help that someone will receive, which is how things might differ from a more localized emergency, I felt like the guide was otherwise no different from any disaster response first aid book. I was expecting more creative solutions when a lot more improvising will be necessary, and not just a list of medications and dosages for various infectious diseases.

I guess the whole idea is that you (the reader) are a prepper and will have fully stocked your bunker with all of the necessary first aid supplies, so there will be no improvisation necessary. And thus this book gives you an idea of all of the different supplies you might need. So many of these drugs are not available without a prescription. I wonder if most preppers find a way to get them anyway.

Since I'm not a prepper and live in New York City, of all places, I didn't really find anything useful in this book. It did make me want to get a refresher course on first aid, though, since it has been a long time since I was a certified first responder.

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Review: Hidden History of Queens

Hidden History of Queens by Richard Panchyk
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

My husband purchased a signed copy of this book from our local bookstore, Kew and Willow Books.

I have been living in Queens for just over three years now, and I'm married to a local who adores the borough. I guess it is hard for me as a transplant to love all of the different places as those who have strong ties. It was nice to read about some of the places I do know about, like the Fire Alarm Telegraph Station on the corner of Forest Park, but the little nuggets of history mostly were too short and sounded like a laundry list.

I think I would have enjoyed this book more had it focused on fewer locations in Queens and spent more time talking about the Panchyk's search for the hidden history. I enjoyed the stories when he talks about his own experiences, like how things attracted his attention, how he tried to reconcile conflicting information, or what happened when he visited the location. But learning who passed down a house to who, who passed it down to who, etc., just wasn't all that interesting to me.

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Review: How to Be Alone

How to Be Alone by Jonathan Franzen
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I received this book from my late father-in-law's collection. It came recommended by my cousin, Beverly.

I had read The Corrections a while back. Looking at my Good Reads entry, apparently I read it over four years ago, and I don't really remember a whole lot about it. But I tend to like collections of short essays, so I decided to give this a shot.

This collection is a little bit of a hodgepodge. Some essays are deeply personal, some are Luddite rants, and others are reports about things that the author has little or no personal connection to. I found the personal essays the most interesting, and he hits with that first. The very first essay is about Franzen's family's experience as his father degenerates through Alzheimer's. This was a very emotional read and well worth picking up the book.

The essays about things like the USPS or the prison system were also interesting, but I didn't feel as connected to Franzen through them and they weren't what I wanted after I read the first essay.

Then there were the essays about the novel. These were very uneven. Some of them just felt whiny, like "I'm becoming obsolete like my favorite, the rotary telephone," but I really enjoyed others, like the essay that talks about Status vs. Contract model of fiction. It reminded me of when Umberto Eco wrote that those who like The Name of the Rose are all readers who didn't understand it. This of course miffed me because I loved The Name of the Rose and didn't enjoy Foucault's Pendulum at all. Franzen's essay gave me a little bit more perspective on this.

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Review: To Pixar and Beyond: My Unlikely Journey with Steve Jobs to Make Entertainment History

To Pixar and Beyond: My Unlikely Journey with Steve Jobs to Make Entertainment History by Lawrence Levy
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I received this book as one of the free Kindle books available through IHG's Rewards Club.

This was a surprisingly entertaining read about Levy's relationship with Steve Jobs and his role at Pixar. It has been a long time since I have seen any of the Pixar movies, but Finding Nemo was an enormous influence on my life, so I guess I owe a lot of what's happened in my life to Pixar. This book has made me want to go back and watch some of the movies again (or some for the first time).

I don't know if I ever realized Jobs owned Pixar, and since I'm not much of a movie person, didn't realize Pixar made a lot of the movies that it did. This book does a great job in making you appreciate all of the care and thought that went into these movies, and the direction Levy goes after leaving Pixar goes a long way in explaining 1) why he was successful in marrying the creative and business aspects of Pixar and 2) how he was able to write this book in a way that makes you care about the people. I'm a cautious skeptic when it comes to books on spiritualism and meditation and there is a taste of that at the end of the book, but Levy doesn't really use this book to promote this strongly, which I appreciated.

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Review: The Food Explorer: The True Adventures of the Globe-Trotting Botanist Who Transformed What America Eats

The Food Explorer: The True Adventures of the Globe-Trotting Botanist Who Transformed What America Eats by Daniel Stone
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

My stepmother gave this book to us (probably to my husband, but I read a lot more than he does).

This is a biography of David Fairchild, who I knew nothing about except that the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden is named after him. I don't think I've ever been there, but my husband worked there for a summer before I met him. Though the botanic garden is basically an afterthought mentioned in the very final chapter, I feel more inspired to visit it next time we are in the area.

Learning about the process of introduction of various foods that are so readily available today was enlightening. I had never really thought about where the various names come from, like the Meyer lemon or the Haas avocado, but it certainly makes sense.

I feel like Marlatt is unnecessarily maligned in the book. I don't have any prior knowledge about either man, but there are definitely some serious tragedies of thoughtless introductions, and it felt unfair that Marlatt is portrayed as a paranoid alarmist.

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