Partita

Barbara Kingsolver's latest is a roller coaster of ups and downs in the life of a middle-aged pianist from the backcountry of East Tennessee. She gives us a glimpse into the music world, college life, and country living on a dairy farm. The heroin has a difficult upbringing with a dysfunctional mother, a brother that commits suicide, a hot college romance and breakup, physical tragedy, and the resilience to overcome her personal setbacks. The book is organized around classical music pieces, particularly Gaspard. The book gave me an appreciation for the challenges and hard work of farming offset by the support of fellow country folk. Despite Livia's devastating injury, she overcomes Segund, marries Charlie, and gets to have Gaz again. Music ultimately triumphs through the children she teaches.

Next Book Club Meeting

The next meeting will be held by Zoom and in person at Dr. Jones house on November 10th at 6:30 pm. Bill will send us all a link to Zoom. David's pick is "Partida: A Novel" by Barbara Kingsolver.

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The updated rotation is Bill, John S, Bob, David J, Stanley, and John H.

The Third Revolution

Bob's selection is a challenging read about the strengths and weaknesses of the Xi Jinping regime in today's China. Xi has rejuvenated China with "a world-class military, a game-changing economy with world-class technology, and a global footprint that matches and perhaps even exceeds that of any other country." China has filled the void left by the US "America First" policy by expanding its influence across the globe. Xi's authoritative communist system of government and abundance of trained engineers enables China to dominate in new technologies like renewable energy, high-speed rail, and electric vehicles. On the other hand, the state operated entities are often inefficient and result in overcapacity. China excels at getting large projects done but still lacks innovation due to governmental restraints. The author states that Xi's quest for greatness remains largely unrealized due to a lack of social norms, political values, and cultural dynamism to attract large segments of the world's population.

The book is filled with acronyms, and you need a key to follow. For example, the PRC, China, has a party CCP, with a 7-man politburo PBSC, a youth group CYL, a consulting group CPPCC, security group CSRC, inspectors CCDI, tech group CAC, and finance group APPCL, not to mention a bunch of ministers MPS, MOF, MEP...working with state run companies SOE's and NGO's, using a world bank AIIB, working on the long-term trade expansion plan BRI.

Democracy Awakening

Heather Cox Richardson's book is a history of civil rights in America. The book contains important historical events in our nation's quest towards the goal of "...all men (and women) are created equal." The country has experienced resistance that has often taken us backwards from this goal including Jim Crow laws, the KKK, immigrant discrimination, and the current MAGA movement. All Americans should be aware of our underbelly as well as our inspirational leaders. True democracy is difficult and it requires informed citizens. We must resist the elite Christian nationalist authoritarians of Trump and MAGA. We are at a crucial time in American history where we still have a chance to preserve the American ideal based on norms, laws, and equal opportunity for all. "We shall nobly save, or meanly lose, the best hope of earth."

Whistler

Ann Pachett's latest novel follows three separate timelines. The current timeline includes Daphne, her sister, her mother, her older husband, and her stepfather Eddie in New York City. The past story includes the same characters, minus her husband, surrounding a car accident 45 years prior. The third story comes from a novel involving a horse named Whistler that saves author's life.

Daphne saves her stepfather life in the past and is saving him again by attending to him in the present. She is a selfless person that is there to help someone in need from Eddie, her mom, and her husband; just like Frank and Whistler.

The Girl who Played with Fire

John's selection is the second in the three-part Millennium (magazine) series written by Stieg Larsson. It follows our only perfect 5, "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo". Lisbeth Salander proves to be the ultimate bad-ass by taking on men that abuse women with her own sense of moral justice. Although she is small in stature, she makes up for it with an unbridled fierceness. She takes on the nickname "Wasp" by sparing with heavyweights in the gym and has no fear. In this installment, she has a woman love interest, the villains turn out to be her father and half-brother, she has a macho boxer friend, and a comrade in arms in the persistent journalist Mikael Blumkvist. The middle section did drag on a bit where most everyone is convinced that she is mentally incompetent and is the killer. Yet she battles on independently, and despite being shot three times and buried alive, she somehow survives to get justice.

Larsson died before publishing the third book of the series; however, he had envisioned a total of 10 books. The series has continued through 8 books with the help of ghost writers. I find these books, although quite long, very exciting and true page turners. This series (circa 2005-2007) reminds me of several other long page turners such as "Clan of the Cave Bear" (1980), "Pillars of the Earth" (1989), "Century Trilogy" (2010), "Harry Potter" (1997-2007), and "Hunger Games" (2008-2025) to name a few. I am sure each of you can think of your own personal favorite series that you could add to the list.

Book Ratings - 300 and counting

The following is the link to the complete list for your entry: Compete book list. Please click on the link and input your ratings on a scale of 1-5.

We are in our 26th year and have read 315 books. We have read a lot of very good books with an average rating of 3.64 on a scale of 1-5. 90% of our books received a rating of 3.0 or greater with the top 10 rating 4.5 or more. We still only have only one perfect 5.0 in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.

The book list covers a wide variety of books consisting of roughly 2/3rds non-fiction. Topics include the classics, politics, business, adventure, history, science, environment, humor, and morality. Multiple authors include Thomas Friedman (4), Malcolm Gladwell (4), Bill Bryson (5), Phillip Roth (3), Dan Brown (3), Sam Harris (3), Michael Lewis (3) and 2 from Russell Banks, TC Boyle, Tom Brokaw, David Brooks, David Guterson, Laura Hillenbrand, Hope Jahren, Jon Krakauer, Krueger, Eric Larson, Annie Proulx, Alan Weisman, Eric Weiner and Irvin Yalom. We have branched out over the years to include a wide variety of authors and topics with each of us choosing what interests us at the time.

London Falling

Patrick Radden Keefe is a long-time journalist for the New Yorker Magazine that spent over two years researching the death of a 19-year-old young man in London. The book digs deeply into the criminal underworld of London and also delves into the family history of the victim.

The book explores the inflow of bad characters from Uganda and India, the Great Brinks Mat gold heist, the Russian oligarchs' investments throughout the city, the Mermaid theater, corrupt music business in Hollywood, and the systematic corruption of the banking system. In the process he exposes several con men and evil gangsters, including Indian Dave who was present when Zac meets his demise.

Keefe also digs into the family background of the Brettlers. Zac was raised in a good household; however, he went astray while attending an elite private school. He was a born con artist that was determined to make a quick fortune. He developed a persona of an abandoned son of Russian oligarchs to get in with unsavory characters. As a side, his grandfather, a respected rabbi and Holocaust survivor, lead a double life. He fathered a child out of wedlock and lied that he graduated from Cambridge.

The book is filled with lies, deception, violence, suicide, and murder. The police/Met/Scotland yard are displayed with incompetence and possible collusion. The book never proves that Zac was murdered or committed suicide, however Volinder was "heating up the knives" when he jumped to his death.

A World Appears

Michael Pollan begins his book by describing a 1998 wager between Koch and Chalmers. The wager was that in 25 years Koch and his other brilliant scientists would find the physical footprint of consciousness in the brain. Koch ended up losing the bet and he is still searching for the source of consciousness. Pollan then ends his book with the quote, "I open my eyes and a world appears". However, he contradicts this at the end of the previous chapter by saying "that after my five-year journey into nature and workings of consciousness, I somehow knew less than I did when I started." To which Koch says, "but that's good, that's progress.

Throughout the book, the author refers to "the big question" of what is consciousness. The book is arranged by chapters titled Sentience, Feeling, Thought, Self, and The Cave. Sentience tells us that most every living thing has senses and reminded me of the book "Overstory" concerning trees. Feelings get into "the hard problem" of pain, suffering, pleasure and life and death. Feelings can come from the brain, the brain stem, and even the gut. Next, he gets into thoughts and experiences and the "really hard problem" of who am I and what am I thinking. Descartes said, "I think, therefore I am". Phenomenology is the study of consciousness as the object of direct experience. Then there are both conscious and unconscious thoughts to consider. Finally, the author explores self as it relates to consciousness. He explores childhood development, the concept of self-confidence, and the importance of self in western civilization. Pollan explains the different emphasis on self as either a spotlight and exploitation, or a lantern and exploration. In "The Cave", he explores meditation, Buddhism, and psychedelic drugs as vehicles for transcending from oneself. No matter how you look at it, we are all very complicated creatures with our own set of neurons, experiences, and memories.

This was definitely a tough read about the very difficult concept of consciousness.

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Vigil

Vigil is a loosely based historical fiction novel by George Sanders. The story covers the death of a famous and influential oil executive and his journey into the afterlife. K.T. Boone is an unremorseful bully that has lied his way through life deceiving and harming others while inflicting terrible damage to the world for his own personal gain. Jill "Doll" Blaine is his noble and unlucky guide to the afterlife. She tries valiantly to get him to find comfort by repenting his sins to no avail. By the time Boone admits his bad deeds, he is already dead and destined to remain in purgatory. The book has a sad message that people like Boone are "inevitable" and that guilt and innocence, accomplishment and harm, and sinner and saint get all mixed up. Let's hope that humans find a better way to sort the good from the bad. 

I tried to think of who K.T. Boone is modeled after and thought of T. Boone Pickens. Pickens was an old oil company CEO from Dallas that was a ruthless corporate raider. However, he ended up giving up much of his fortune through philanthropy and was instrumental in the development of wind turbines throughout the Midwest. Rex Tillerson was aware early on of the damage to the environment while at Exxon, however I don't see him as the bully type. Donald Trump is the ultimate destructive force to the world in the promotion of fossil fuel; however, I don't believe he understands the damage he is causing. 

Theo of Golden

Allen Levi's first novel is pretty long; however, you never want it to end. Every chapter pulls at your heart strings with its random acts of kindness and tenderness. Theo is a mysterious 86-year-old Portuguese gentleman that decides to make seemingly random "bestowments" of portraits to the citizenry of Golden. The selfless gifts endear him with each of the many recipients through his observations and caring for each one. Each receiver has a story to be told and Theo brings it out. There is a tragic ending to the story from a random act of violence and the demise of Theo. Nonetheless, goodness prevails with the discovery of the identity of Theo as the famous artist Zila, his connection to Golden and Asher, and the triumph of the people of the Promenade of Golden. The author brings to life Tony, Shep, Minnet, Mr. Ponder and Mrs. Gidley, Ellen, Lamisha and Kendrick, Simone, Basil, and many more. Overall, a very sweet book that I will likely read again.

Levi shines a positive light on a true Christian and Southern hospitality. These are two things that I believe are rare, however they can exist. Theo was a "saintly" man of faith that believed that everyone is capable of being a saint. What a pleasant thought.

The Kindness of Color

Bob's selection is a sweet memoir by a Japanese woman and her Hispanic friend. Their lives were intertwined by a shared family farm in Westminster. Each woman endured the racism of their time, one through internment and the other from school segregation. Both overcame their challenges with the aid of their families and friends. There are many stories of random acts of kindness that are emphasized by a hand with a plant and "kindness is..." The reader leans about the Japanese internment, and the inmates calm and stoic coping with the injustice. You also learn of the desegregation of the Orange County schools for Hispanic children 7 years before the federal desegregation laws were enacted. It is a lovely book about normal people making a difference through acts of kindness. Very Zen.

Project Hail Mary

Andy Weir's latest Sci-Fi adventure is an imaginary Earth saving tale with science lessons. We learn about interstellar space travel, rocket ships, robots, nutrition, comma induced sleep, gravity, EVA suits, and Tau Ceti. We also learn about Astrophage, Eridians, xenonite, and Tauomeoba. Dr. Grace is an unwilling high school science teacher who saves Earth (with help from the Beetles) and his friend Rocky, who saves his own planet Erid. Between his scientific knowledge and problem solving, and Rocky's superior engineering knowhow, they somehow accomplish the impossible. 

The book is long, but a page turner. I thought there was a little too much time dedicated to the prep time on earth and the reluctance of the hero to sacrifice himself for the mission. Nonetheless, I did enjoy the ending despite the improbability. Overall, an enjoyable read.

The Ice Master

The "Ice Master" is a lengthy tale of the doomed voyage of the Karluk. The title refers to the hero of the book, Bartlett, and his quest to save the members of his crew. The villain of the story is famous anthropologist, Stefansson, who organized the ill-equipped fiasco and then abandoned ship to continue his exploration. But mostly, it is the story of the 22 men, 1 woman, and two children who stayed and who came back and who did not. The main story tellers are Mamen, the diary of the dead man, and McKinlay, who lived to an old age to tell the tale. Like the book "Animal Farm", many of the men were either lazy or rotten, especially when their leader went off for help. It is very unlikely they would have made it without the help of the native Alaskans. The 13-month ordeal on the sinking ship, the ice flow, and on Wrangel Island was horrendous and hard to fathom. 

Coming Up Short

Robert Reich's memoir is a long book from a man that has experienced a long and impactful life. In the vein of "Ours was Brighter Future", Reich tells personal stories of what happened and what could have been regarding politics in America. With titles like my date with Hillory and I inhaled with Bill, he tells of his personal relations with the Clintons, W, Bernie, Biden, Trump and other individuals his age. Though his eyes, the reader sees how Wall Street has moved into the U.S. administrations, including those of Clintons and Obama. The hiring of Goldman Sachs CEO's and the loosening of the banking regulations paved the way to greater inequality and a financial collapse. You relive the Bush Gore election and the influence of Fox and the Supreme Court. You feel his frustration from working in the Clinton administration as the Secretary of Labor and his faith in the future from his 40+ years as a university professor. Reich is a champion for the working class and challenges the gross inequalities in America today. The title "Coming up Short" is appropriate for what he feels his generation has left for the future generations to fix. The final section is titled "The Long Game" and he provides his ideas for a road forward.

The Great Gatsby

 ...or the Great American Novel.

Why is The Great Gatsby considered a classic American novel? Is it for the depressing plot and unlikeable characters? Is it for the wordy and flowery language? Who is your favorite character? Gatsby, Nick, Daisy, Jordan, Myrtle, or any of the old or new rich party goers? The narrator, Nick Carraway is likeable enough but is drawn to the flawed Gatsby and Jordan Davies. I tended to root for the tragic Jay Gatsby, or westerner Jason Gatz, in spite of his hopeless obsession with Daisy.

AI says, "The Great Gatsby is considered the Great American Novel because it encapsulates the essence of the United States by examining the American Dream, capturing the spirit of the Jazz Age, reflecting on the social materialism and moral decadence, and embodying key themes like self-invention and the pursuit of happiness through a perfectly crafted and stylistically masterful American prose." 

Or, as my big sister used to say to me on occasion, "Phew, you are full of words."

Age of Diagnosis

 "How our Obsession with Medical Labels is Making us Sicker"

Dr. O'Sullivan's book addresses the overdiagnosis of Huntington's disease, Lyme disease, long Covid, Autism, Cancer, ADHD, Depression, and many other lessor known illnesses. She points out that we live in an age of increased medical labeling of "abnormal" symptoms as the result of increased testing, patient demand, and willing doctors.

She made me think about how I feel about...psychosomatic illnesses, Cancer treatments, long-term Covid, Genetic testing, and Genetic screening. Are doctors over-testing, over-diagnosing, over-medicating, and over-treating Americans? I am a strong supporter of vaccines, I support genetic screening for the unborn, I believe in my Cancer doctors, and I don't trust RFK Jr. Nonetheless, she gives me school for thought.

Night Shade

Night Shade is the latest book by Michael Connelly about an LA County Sherrif detective in Avalon. Sergent Stillwell had recently been demoted from the LA homicide department for being a loose cannon and exiled to a supposedly sleepy Catalina Island. The story involves a mysterious death of a young woman that worked at the Tuna, or "Black Marlin", Club. The author references many Avalon and Catalina landmarks including Maggie's, the Casino, Harbor Master's office, The Sand Trap, Zane Grey Hotel, Buffalo Nickle, and Pebbly Beach. He captures some of the uniquely peculiar nature of Avalon, verses "overtown", and the challenges of a maintaining order and peace in a small town. I could not help to notice a few mistakes like there being a hardware store on Marilla, that you can drive completely around the Casino, or that there is coral on Catalina Island. Nonetheless, it is a fun, active adventure, who-done-it caper that could be the start of another Connelly series like the Lincoln Lawyer and Bosch. 

Abundance

Abundance is a book co-authored by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson. It is a challenge to democracies to establish a new social order to accelerate technological advancement. They make the case that the major advancements of mankind have slowed by comparing the 1890's to the 1920's, to the 1990's to the 2020's. They are critical of the over regulating and NIMBY policies of the left as well as the overall disregard of advancements for the sake of profit by the right. I came away thinking the book is optimistic, with a faith in technology, and an alignment of collective genius.

"It is the promise of not just more, but more of what matters. It is a commitment to the endless work of institutional renewal. It is a recognition that technology is at the heart of progress and always has been. It is a determination to align our collective genius with the needs of both the planet and each other. Abundance is liberalism, yes. But more than that, it is liberalism that builds."

Who is Government?

Michael Lewis' latest book is a tribute to some outstanding civil servants at a time when they are underappreciated and under attack. He praises a coal mine safety expert in the Department of Labor, the man in charge of the national cemeteries, the group at JPL, the group in charge with calculating the CPI in the DOL, a cyber sleuth in the IRS, the woman in charge accessibility of the National Archives, his young goddaughter in the anti-trust department, and the woman in charge of gathering data on rare deadly diseases. Each the individuals and groups are apolitical and dedicated to noble, worthwhile causes that should be honored and not scorned. 

Some of my take-aways..."The United States is an Enlightenment project based on supremacy of reason; on the idea that things can be empirically tested; that there are self-evident truths; that liberty, progress, and constitutional government walk arm in arm and together form the recipe for the ideal state. Statistics-numbers created by the state to help understand itself and ultimately to govern itself-are not some side effects of that project but a central part of what government is and does." Biden is a rare case where a sitting President lost an election with a "misery index" (inflation plus unemployment rate) below 10 (7.2). Somehow the good news and reason did not translate. Interestingly, only7 percent of the current federal workforce under the age of 30.

There is no epilogue in the book, and you are left wondering what will become of each of them and their departments under the current administration. For that matter, what will become of our current social order and the vast number of essential governmental services? Lewis does wander off a bit into sports, detailed minutia, and his goddaughter. Nonetheless, he does effectively honor several important and unsung civil servants.