This book (mine was an early review copy via LibraryThing) was inspired by Atul Gawande’s “Being Mortal”, and since both physicians have worked at the same Boston hospital, I was interested in reading this take on how doctors deal with terminal patients. It’s pretty much of a memoir of how Zitter came to be a doctor and learned to overcome her training to become more of a patient focussed healthcare provider. She’s worked in ICUs around North America and shares deidentified stories about how people […]
From the Siege of Chicago to the Recent Past
An unsatisfied Midwestern suburban housewife abandons her husband and young son, only resurfacing decades later when she suddenly and inexplicably attacks a prospective presidential candidate. Suddenly drawn back into his mother’s orbit, her failed writer of a son finds himself torn between an opportunity to cash in on the notoriety and the chance to finally learn his mother’s secrets. Along the way, the narrative will connect a disparate crowd of characters including video-game playing hoarders, entitled college students, Norwegian evil spirits, bankers, violinists, soldiers, poets, […]
Take a Trip with Mary Roach
I love Mary Roach. I will read whatever she writes, regardless of whether or not the subject area really sounds interesting to me. I was admittedly indifferent to this one, generally speaking, before I picked it up. The Read Harder challenge said to read a non-fiction book about science, and I knew Mary Roach was my gal for this. I enjoy Mary Roach’s smorgasbord approach to non-fiction writing. Each idea is linked to the next, but if you look at them from the macro you […]
” Close your eyes and open them again. That’s what a blackout feels like.”
In my life I can recall (or not recall) two times I blacked out from drinking. One lead to vague consent issues and the other lead to me arriving at home- 20 miles away from where I started- with no recollection of my drive home… when I was the driver. (Hi mom!) Sarah Hepola spent 25 years having similar, and worse, experiences to mine. A person suffering from a black out may appear fine. The hippocampus is shut down but short term memory still works, therefore […]
The adjacent possible
I found this book, six chapters about six different inventions or discoveries that changed the world in massive ways, to be utterly fascinating. I did, however, also enjoy a 400 page book about salt, so I understand that your mileage may vary. Then again, y’all are a bunch of nerds like me so you should probably go ahead and read this one. Steven Johnson, who also wrote a really cool book about cholera, examines six innovations that had worldwide implications. Each chapter starts with a […]
Banned Book Week Selection
Over the past few years I have begun to pay attention to reading books by or about members of the LGBTQ community. In general, I’ve tried to be more aware of my reading habits and expand them generally. It was a boon to me then that one of the tasks for Read Harder challenge was read a book by or about a person who identifies as transgender. I shortlisted three, but decided to go with Beyond Magenta: Transgender Teens Speak Out by Susan Kuklin as […]
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