Finished March 8
The Age of Empathy: Nature's Lessons for a Kinder Society by Frans de Waal
The author is a biologist who uses his studies of social behaviours in animals as a basis for the study of empathy. He argues that empathy comes naturally to humans as well as many animals. Acknowledging that there is far more research that needs to be done, he nevertheless shows that there is a solid base for further research on a variety of animals.
While many have argued that humans are, by nature, selfish, looking out for themselves at the expense of others, de Waal argues against this, and makes a good case. Using examples from recent history and culture, he shows the human side of this story. The animal side is shown through his own research with chimpanzees and elephants as well as the research of many other biologists.
This is a compelling and hopeful book.
Tuesday, 9 March 2010
Sunday, 7 March 2010
Thought-provoking
Finished March 7
Making Rounds with Oscar: the extraordinary gift of an ordinary cat by David Dosa
If you read the paper or watch the news you've probably seen a story about Oscar, the cat at a nursing home that goes and sits on the bed of people just before they die.
David Dosa is a geriatrician that works with patients at that nursing home, Steere House in Rhode Island. Many of the residents of Steere House live with Alzheimer's or other types of dementia. Oscar is friendly and provides a feeling of home and comfort to many, but he nevers comes and spends significant time with any resident until they are in the last hours of their life.
Dosa had this occurence pointed out to him by Mary Miranda, the day shift nurse. Dosa was a skeptic at first, but after he took Mary's advise and met with the families of the residents who'd had Oscar come, and observed Oscar's behaviour himself, he found that he couldn't deny that something special was happening.
Dosa shows us not only the phenomenon of Oscar and his empathy, but also the effects of dementia on patients and their loved ones. We see these people in one of the most difficult times of their lives, and see how caring people and animals make the ordeal more livable. Oscar is the catalyst for this story, but it is so much more than that.
Making Rounds with Oscar: the extraordinary gift of an ordinary cat by David Dosa
If you read the paper or watch the news you've probably seen a story about Oscar, the cat at a nursing home that goes and sits on the bed of people just before they die.
David Dosa is a geriatrician that works with patients at that nursing home, Steere House in Rhode Island. Many of the residents of Steere House live with Alzheimer's or other types of dementia. Oscar is friendly and provides a feeling of home and comfort to many, but he nevers comes and spends significant time with any resident until they are in the last hours of their life.
Dosa had this occurence pointed out to him by Mary Miranda, the day shift nurse. Dosa was a skeptic at first, but after he took Mary's advise and met with the families of the residents who'd had Oscar come, and observed Oscar's behaviour himself, he found that he couldn't deny that something special was happening.
Dosa shows us not only the phenomenon of Oscar and his empathy, but also the effects of dementia on patients and their loved ones. We see these people in one of the most difficult times of their lives, and see how caring people and animals make the ordeal more livable. Oscar is the catalyst for this story, but it is so much more than that.
Very Different Mystery
Finished March 6
Still Waters by Nigel McCrery
This is a very different mystery novel. Main character DCI Mark Lapslie gets called off sick leave when a traffic accident brings a body to light. Mark doesn't understand why he would be linked with this case. He's been off on leave due to his acute synaesthesia. Mark's version of this means that sounds set off tastes for him. The sensory overload at work was too stressful, and the condition has even affected his marriage.
Both voices and other sounds trigger the tastes and sometimes they are extremely unpleasant. Even when not, they don't always go together well.
The body that has come to light has been dead around 9 months and has had some fingers chopped short after death. It also appears that the victim was poisoned. Lapslie is intrigued by the case and despite some discouragement from his superiors keeps doggedly on, following every clue he has.
We also see some of the story from the murderer's viewpoint, a woman who ingratiates herself with elderly isolated women and then poisons them and assumes their identity.
How is Lapslie connected with her and will he be able to find her before she finds and kills her next victim. This is a very interesting plot and although very violent, makes a great and engrossing story.
Still Waters by Nigel McCrery
This is a very different mystery novel. Main character DCI Mark Lapslie gets called off sick leave when a traffic accident brings a body to light. Mark doesn't understand why he would be linked with this case. He's been off on leave due to his acute synaesthesia. Mark's version of this means that sounds set off tastes for him. The sensory overload at work was too stressful, and the condition has even affected his marriage.
Both voices and other sounds trigger the tastes and sometimes they are extremely unpleasant. Even when not, they don't always go together well.
The body that has come to light has been dead around 9 months and has had some fingers chopped short after death. It also appears that the victim was poisoned. Lapslie is intrigued by the case and despite some discouragement from his superiors keeps doggedly on, following every clue he has.
We also see some of the story from the murderer's viewpoint, a woman who ingratiates herself with elderly isolated women and then poisons them and assumes their identity.
How is Lapslie connected with her and will he be able to find her before she finds and kills her next victim. This is a very interesting plot and although very violent, makes a great and engrossing story.
Saturday, 6 March 2010
A Look at North Korea
Finished March 6
Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea by Barbara Demick
This book looks at the lives of six North Koreans over a fifteen year period that covers the death of Kim Il-sung, the taking over by his son Kim Jong-il, and a devastating famine that killed up to 20 percent of the population. Demick, Beijing bureau chief of the Los Angeles Times, has done thorough research to verify as much of this information as she can. All six of her subjects now live in South Korea and she includes the tales of their escape here as well. The facts of living in North Korea are worse that I'd imagined, and each person's experiences are told with clarify but not without feeling.
This book is worth reading to better understand this country, alienated from the rest of the world more than any other. I found it compelling to read and enlightening.
Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea by Barbara Demick
This book looks at the lives of six North Koreans over a fifteen year period that covers the death of Kim Il-sung, the taking over by his son Kim Jong-il, and a devastating famine that killed up to 20 percent of the population. Demick, Beijing bureau chief of the Los Angeles Times, has done thorough research to verify as much of this information as she can. All six of her subjects now live in South Korea and she includes the tales of their escape here as well. The facts of living in North Korea are worse that I'd imagined, and each person's experiences are told with clarify but not without feeling.
This book is worth reading to better understand this country, alienated from the rest of the world more than any other. I found it compelling to read and enlightening.
Canadian Fiction
Finished March 5
The Sea Captain's Wife by Beth Powning
The main character, Azuba Galloway, grew up in a small community on the Bay of Fundy, Whelan's Cove. Her family were shipbuilders, and she always dreamed of going to sea someday. When she meets and marries a sea captain she expects to sail with him, but he leaves her shortly after their marriage while he goes on another voyage.
She doesn't feel comfortable with the other captain's wives, and is lonely in the big house on the hill, and finds a friend in an unlikely place. Just before her husband returns, her actions cause a scandal, and when he next returns to sea, he feels that she and their daughter must go with him.
As they voyage, Azuba discovers that sea life is not as she expected, and the difficulties test her in ways she didn't expect. They also test the marriage and allow Azuba and Nathaniel to see each other in ways they hadn't before. This is a story of discovery and adventure as well as a story of the couple.
Capturing the time period of the last days of the Age of Sail, this book gives a good sense of the life on board a ship and travelling the seas.
The Sea Captain's Wife by Beth Powning
The main character, Azuba Galloway, grew up in a small community on the Bay of Fundy, Whelan's Cove. Her family were shipbuilders, and she always dreamed of going to sea someday. When she meets and marries a sea captain she expects to sail with him, but he leaves her shortly after their marriage while he goes on another voyage.
She doesn't feel comfortable with the other captain's wives, and is lonely in the big house on the hill, and finds a friend in an unlikely place. Just before her husband returns, her actions cause a scandal, and when he next returns to sea, he feels that she and their daughter must go with him.
As they voyage, Azuba discovers that sea life is not as she expected, and the difficulties test her in ways she didn't expect. They also test the marriage and allow Azuba and Nathaniel to see each other in ways they hadn't before. This is a story of discovery and adventure as well as a story of the couple.
Capturing the time period of the last days of the Age of Sail, this book gives a good sense of the life on board a ship and travelling the seas.
Audio Thriller
Finished March 4
Sworn to Silence by Linda Castillo, read by Kathleen McInerney
Main character Kate Burkholder definitely has her flaws, but she has a tough history that has led to them. Now the chief of police of Painters Mill, Ohio, she grew up Amish. At the age of 14, she survived an attack that ultimately led her to withdraw from the life she knew.
When one of her officers discovers the body of a murdered woman that has signs the same as a killer that operated in the area 16 years ago, Kate is drawn back to the attack she survived. What happened to her then comes back to haunt her. As she struggles to keep her own secret, she is also walking a line between her law enforcement present and Amish past. As this case develops, Kate also struggles against prejudice and the agendas of others to find the truth.
Lots going on here, and many characters with interesting issues.
Sworn to Silence by Linda Castillo, read by Kathleen McInerney
Main character Kate Burkholder definitely has her flaws, but she has a tough history that has led to them. Now the chief of police of Painters Mill, Ohio, she grew up Amish. At the age of 14, she survived an attack that ultimately led her to withdraw from the life she knew.
When one of her officers discovers the body of a murdered woman that has signs the same as a killer that operated in the area 16 years ago, Kate is drawn back to the attack she survived. What happened to her then comes back to haunt her. As she struggles to keep her own secret, she is also walking a line between her law enforcement present and Amish past. As this case develops, Kate also struggles against prejudice and the agendas of others to find the truth.
Lots going on here, and many characters with interesting issues.
Tuesday, 2 March 2010
Memoir
Finished March 1
Invisible by Hugues de Montalembert
This memoir is short but gripping. The author returned home to his New York City apartment on a summer night in 1978 to find two men robbing him. They turned on him and one threw paint thinner in his face. Within a few hours, he was completely blind. As a painter and a filmmaker, vision was part of his being in a deep way.
Sharing his reactions and experiences, freeflowing at times, Hugues takes back control of his life, and regains his independence in a way others thought foolhardy. He talks about how being blind changed how others reacted to him and interacted with him. He talks about how he began a new life and about how his strong sense of vision allowed him to imagine his surroundings to such a strong degree that he sometimes confused them with real memories of seeing things.
He writes with great insight and absolutely no self-pity as he shares his new sense of himself and his life.
This book kept me reading, except when I had to break for work or driving my car for the whole day, and yet I found myself reading more slowly to savour it.
Invisible by Hugues de Montalembert
This memoir is short but gripping. The author returned home to his New York City apartment on a summer night in 1978 to find two men robbing him. They turned on him and one threw paint thinner in his face. Within a few hours, he was completely blind. As a painter and a filmmaker, vision was part of his being in a deep way.
Sharing his reactions and experiences, freeflowing at times, Hugues takes back control of his life, and regains his independence in a way others thought foolhardy. He talks about how being blind changed how others reacted to him and interacted with him. He talks about how he began a new life and about how his strong sense of vision allowed him to imagine his surroundings to such a strong degree that he sometimes confused them with real memories of seeing things.
He writes with great insight and absolutely no self-pity as he shares his new sense of himself and his life.
This book kept me reading, except when I had to break for work or driving my car for the whole day, and yet I found myself reading more slowly to savour it.
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