24
Aug
2010
Wench by Dolen Perkins-Valdez
In Dolen Perkins-Valdez’s debut novel, Wench, Lizzie, Sweet, Reenie, and Mawu are all brought to the Tawawa resort in southern Ohio for the summer by their masters. Perkins-Valdez researched the real retreat where it was common for Southern gentlemen to bring their slave-mistresses. Of course, being in a free state has a certain lure, and for the first time, their eyes are open to real possibilities of living free. An edifying friendship forms, one that none of the women have ever been able to have with other slaves, due to their status as the master’s mistress.
3
Jun
2010
Epileptic by David B.
I don’t often talk explicitly about the art when reviewing graphic novels. To me, the art is usually secondary to the story (and the writing thereof). But the art in David B.’s Epileptic blew my mind.
13
May
2010
Savor by Thich Nhat Hanh & Lilian Cheung
In Savor, Thich Nhat Hanh combines his wisdom with the expertise of the Harvard Director of Health Promotion and Communication, Dr. Lilian Chang. Together they write about the ailments of unhealthy living, such as obesity, that plague so many people.
5
Apr
2010
Watermark by Vanitha Sankaran
This book contained so many elements that speak to me in a book and engage my nerdy interests, I just have to list them out:
26
Jan
2010
The Game On Diet by Krista Vernoff and Az Ferguson
This is a DNF–a did not finish–for me. Not a did not finish the book, but a did not finish the diet.
12
Jan
2010
The Harvard Psychedelic Club by Don Lattin
I had a few problems with what was otherwise and interesting, edifying read.
1
Dec
2009
The Portable Jung by CG Jung, ed. by Joseph Campbell
Of course, with the drive towards ereaders, the portability of a book might not be of consequence, but it’s fun to carry around a book of Jung’s writing like he’s your own personal guru. Somebody tells you about an encounter or a dream or a movie, and you can say, hang on, let me consult with my colleague Herr Dr. Jung.
7
Nov
2009
Possible Futures by Jude Treder-Wolff
The subtitle to to this book is “Creative Thinking for the Speed of Life”. So, I was O.K., when the first few chapters talked about how desensitized we are by media, that we are bombarded with ads all day long. That was just set up, right?
20
Oct
2009
The Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean Auel
It’s tough when you have a understanding of something to not let inconsistancies or violations bug you when you just want to be entertained. For example, whenever we watch movies about, say, the American Revolution, my husband will point out that they are using the wrong guns. And so, because of my basic knowledge of anthropology and evolution I was often irked while reading this book.
13
Oct
2009
All the King’s Men by Robert Penn Warren
This is an epic, character-driven, beautifully-written, philosophical, sad, political, morally-ambiguous, expertly-foreshadowed, thematic,hard to get immersed in, dramatic, ironic, difficult, sweeping book.
