Books
The Bonnie Lea Book Group
Our Last Read:People Who Eat Darkness
Richard Lloyd Parry |
Who We Are
The Bonnie Lea Book Club is a book club devoted to reading books that the members wouldn't otherwise consider reading. It's an endeavor that has shown us some real literary gems over the years!
Included on this page are the books we've read and our reviews, as well as links that you can use to purchase them at the lowest price. If you find this page half as enriching as we found these books that's a win as far as we're concerned! Next Meeting: July 16, 2013
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Previous Books
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Bad Money
The Blind Side Burr Franklin The Given Day |
House of Morgan
Imperium In the Heart of the Sea Lost in Shangri-La Left in Dark Times Mayflower |
Mountains Beyond Mountains
A Moveable Feast New York The Old Man and the Sea Season of Life The Selected Works of TS Spivet |
The Steel Wave
Steve Jobs The Trouble with Islam Today Twilight in the Desert When the Rivers Run Dry World Without End |
Previous Meeting Notes (Books are Alphabetized)
Bad Money: Reckless Finance, Failed Politics, and the Global Crisis of American Capitalism
Kevin Phillips
Previous Books
Phillips has plenty to say about the "financialization": of America: Wall Street's shilling bad paper to investors around the world, abandonment of of dollars as foreign reserves, petrodollars replaced by baskets of currencies, and of course, that recurring nemesis, peak oil.
We all agreed the book was provocative, diligently researched, and timely.
Chapin posed: Where do we go from here? Geoff hoped for a more responsible national debate (and working strategy) about oil; Robin corrected that we need a national strategy toward ENERGY, Rob L and Rob R agreed that alternative energy would be in our future.
Dan suggested we'd have all the valuations trouble behind us in 6-12 months, and discouraged sitting on the sidelines at this juncture. There are many good opportunities, and while the real estate pain may endure for years, the credit crisis should be short lived. (Not everyone agreed)
NPR interview with author
Previous Books
Phillips has plenty to say about the "financialization": of America: Wall Street's shilling bad paper to investors around the world, abandonment of of dollars as foreign reserves, petrodollars replaced by baskets of currencies, and of course, that recurring nemesis, peak oil.
We all agreed the book was provocative, diligently researched, and timely.
Chapin posed: Where do we go from here? Geoff hoped for a more responsible national debate (and working strategy) about oil; Robin corrected that we need a national strategy toward ENERGY, Rob L and Rob R agreed that alternative energy would be in our future.
Dan suggested we'd have all the valuations trouble behind us in 6-12 months, and discouraged sitting on the sidelines at this juncture. There are many good opportunities, and while the real estate pain may endure for years, the credit crisis should be short lived. (Not everyone agreed)
NPR interview with author
The Blind Side: The Evolution of a Game
Michael Lewis
The development of the game was one of the best parts of the book. We've all watched football with a more critical eye, especially the big guy on the left side of the line. Fun to learn the origins of the West Coast offense
Did Sean and Leigh Ann adopt Michael for altruistic, or selfish reasons? Maybe a little of both. Geoff believes 80% altruistic, 20% personal need. But why does Sean look for other young up-and-coming athletes from disadvantaged communities? (The cynic's view)
How can America abide the communities Michael grew up in, ...are there solutions in a land of personal freedom? The heterogeneity of America's demographics are different from Europe's where homogeneous populations tend to take care of their own, England is experimenting with community centers for adolescents who need protection from their neighborhoods, communities, and families, where they can see and experience the result of work and dedication. Could that model work in America?
For a similar discussion on Baseball (also by Michael Lewis) read Money Ball Also examines fundamental changes in a game.
The development of the game was one of the best parts of the book. We've all watched football with a more critical eye, especially the big guy on the left side of the line. Fun to learn the origins of the West Coast offense
Did Sean and Leigh Ann adopt Michael for altruistic, or selfish reasons? Maybe a little of both. Geoff believes 80% altruistic, 20% personal need. But why does Sean look for other young up-and-coming athletes from disadvantaged communities? (The cynic's view)
How can America abide the communities Michael grew up in, ...are there solutions in a land of personal freedom? The heterogeneity of America's demographics are different from Europe's where homogeneous populations tend to take care of their own, England is experimenting with community centers for adolescents who need protection from their neighborhoods, communities, and families, where they can see and experience the result of work and dedication. Could that model work in America?
For a similar discussion on Baseball (also by Michael Lewis) read Money Ball Also examines fundamental changes in a game.
Burr
Gore Vidal
"After reading this, I like Burr more than Vidal".
The book's leader, Rob, gave the book a "4". Its flaws included some choppiness in flow, ineffective use of the first person, and over-sexualization of some of the players. However, it still gave a great taste of the people who were instrumental in the earliest days of the republic, and illustrated the broad diversity of opinions and interests from those years. Additionally, the characterizations of our familiar founding fathers was good for discussion: Jefferson's conceit, Hamilton's status, Adams' discomfort with politics, even a rare look at a very human Washington. Overall, it was worth reading, the insights good; but it was harder than most of us thought it should have been..
"After reading this, I like Burr more than Vidal".
The book's leader, Rob, gave the book a "4". Its flaws included some choppiness in flow, ineffective use of the first person, and over-sexualization of some of the players. However, it still gave a great taste of the people who were instrumental in the earliest days of the republic, and illustrated the broad diversity of opinions and interests from those years. Additionally, the characterizations of our familiar founding fathers was good for discussion: Jefferson's conceit, Hamilton's status, Adams' discomfort with politics, even a rare look at a very human Washington. Overall, it was worth reading, the insights good; but it was harder than most of us thought it should have been..
Franklin
James Srodes
7 members present: For a man with such extraordinary grace, energy, and intellectual curiosity, we only faulted him for his personal relationships with wife Deborah and son William. Overall, a very likeable man, a giant among demigod peers.
Must add to the list Adams, Hamilton, His Excellency (Washington), and 1776 to catch the nuances of this tome.
Related books:
Suggested related books for added perspective: John Adams, Alexander Hamilton, Founding Brothers, His Excellency (Washington), From Dawn to Decadence (by Jacques Barzun), The Glorious Cause (Jeff Shaara) and anything else about Franklin or 18th century America. Your host, Geoff Gordon, has all these for loan.
7 members present: For a man with such extraordinary grace, energy, and intellectual curiosity, we only faulted him for his personal relationships with wife Deborah and son William. Overall, a very likeable man, a giant among demigod peers.
Must add to the list Adams, Hamilton, His Excellency (Washington), and 1776 to catch the nuances of this tome.
Related books:
Suggested related books for added perspective: John Adams, Alexander Hamilton, Founding Brothers, His Excellency (Washington), From Dawn to Decadence (by Jacques Barzun), The Glorious Cause (Jeff Shaara) and anything else about Franklin or 18th century America. Your host, Geoff Gordon, has all these for loan.
The Given Day
Dennis Lehane
In this book by Boston author Lehane, Boston in 1919 comes to life, along with its colorful characters (with apologies to Luther), the Coughlin family, Tessa, Nora, Eddie, and of course the Babe. The divergence of history and fiction is hard to discern at some points, but the story's characters make that all irrelevant. Anarchists, Bolshevicks, unions, influenza, murder, intrigue, love, passion, disappointment, this book has it all.
Bruce remarked that as tragic and hard life was, it showed how far we've come in 90 short years: medical advances, social contracts, unions, ...life in the City of Boston. In many ways, we’d made more progress in the past 90 years than in the previous 900 (Since WWE)
The story line's various twists and turns were intricately drawn, with very few inconsistencies. We identified a few minor criticisms, but overall the group was pleased with the book. Recommended to anyone who likes history, and a story of humanity, love, honor, and duty.
In this book by Boston author Lehane, Boston in 1919 comes to life, along with its colorful characters (with apologies to Luther), the Coughlin family, Tessa, Nora, Eddie, and of course the Babe. The divergence of history and fiction is hard to discern at some points, but the story's characters make that all irrelevant. Anarchists, Bolshevicks, unions, influenza, murder, intrigue, love, passion, disappointment, this book has it all.
Bruce remarked that as tragic and hard life was, it showed how far we've come in 90 short years: medical advances, social contracts, unions, ...life in the City of Boston. In many ways, we’d made more progress in the past 90 years than in the previous 900 (Since WWE)
The story line's various twists and turns were intricately drawn, with very few inconsistencies. We identified a few minor criticisms, but overall the group was pleased with the book. Recommended to anyone who likes history, and a story of humanity, love, honor, and duty.
Genius of Place: The Life of Frederick Law Olmstead
The life of Frederick Law Olmstead, a life with diverse experience, multiplicity of
talents, and great vision. He sacrificed his family and his health for enduring landmarks that give joy to
millions today.
We didn’t have the wine open before several guys started in on Olmstead. Before that, Doug has sent an opening volley responding to an early email reminder of parallels between Olmstead was Steve Jobs: A little OCD, visionary, ruthless, not particularly devoted to his family, not successful with women nor with relationships in general, but a man driven.
Olmstead’s diversity of experiences contributed to his effectiveness: the sail to China taught him suffering, endurance through
hardship, and likely management skills from the captain. His less than fully successful farming ventures taught him about plants and the land. Clearly his trips through the South where he discovered the economic inefficiencies of slave labor and witnessed poverty of the culture, even among moderately successful planters, influenced his vision for places where the rich and the poor could enjoy themselves as equals: his own noblesse oblige.
His combination of talents including management / administration and artistic vision, and oratorical and persuasive skills is uncommon, if not unique. These cross skill sets served him well in the development of Central Park, and other large projects.
We all seemed to agree that the author Martin Justin was more apologetic for Olmstead’s failings than other authors may have been.
He failed at so many ventures but managed to rebound and become the legend he is today. Was the CSSC really the predecessor to the Red Cross? Would you want to be hid ‘friend’? Did he have any friends?
He was ahead of his time in logistical mastery: The great strides made during the Civil War as Sanitation Commissioners
was testament to this logistical understanding and management execution. And the lives saved: thousands.
As with other historical characters, it’s hard not to speculate “what if”s, or “but for”s. What if his father hadn’t bailed him out over several ventures gone south? What if he hadn’t paid himself in gold at Mariposa before that whole house of cards came tumbling down?
Olmstead was a great American, a man of the time.
Another book where he makes a cameo is Devil in the White Cit, a
gripping novel about the 1892 World’s Fair at Chicago.
Next book: People Who Eat Darkness, April 16th.
It’s new, it’s Asia, it’s non-fiction.
talents, and great vision. He sacrificed his family and his health for enduring landmarks that give joy to
millions today.
We didn’t have the wine open before several guys started in on Olmstead. Before that, Doug has sent an opening volley responding to an early email reminder of parallels between Olmstead was Steve Jobs: A little OCD, visionary, ruthless, not particularly devoted to his family, not successful with women nor with relationships in general, but a man driven.
Olmstead’s diversity of experiences contributed to his effectiveness: the sail to China taught him suffering, endurance through
hardship, and likely management skills from the captain. His less than fully successful farming ventures taught him about plants and the land. Clearly his trips through the South where he discovered the economic inefficiencies of slave labor and witnessed poverty of the culture, even among moderately successful planters, influenced his vision for places where the rich and the poor could enjoy themselves as equals: his own noblesse oblige.
His combination of talents including management / administration and artistic vision, and oratorical and persuasive skills is uncommon, if not unique. These cross skill sets served him well in the development of Central Park, and other large projects.
We all seemed to agree that the author Martin Justin was more apologetic for Olmstead’s failings than other authors may have been.
He failed at so many ventures but managed to rebound and become the legend he is today. Was the CSSC really the predecessor to the Red Cross? Would you want to be hid ‘friend’? Did he have any friends?
He was ahead of his time in logistical mastery: The great strides made during the Civil War as Sanitation Commissioners
was testament to this logistical understanding and management execution. And the lives saved: thousands.
As with other historical characters, it’s hard not to speculate “what if”s, or “but for”s. What if his father hadn’t bailed him out over several ventures gone south? What if he hadn’t paid himself in gold at Mariposa before that whole house of cards came tumbling down?
Olmstead was a great American, a man of the time.
Another book where he makes a cameo is Devil in the White Cit, a
gripping novel about the 1892 World’s Fair at Chicago.
Next book: People Who Eat Darkness, April 16th.
It’s new, it’s Asia, it’s non-fiction.
The House of Morgan: An American Banking Dynasty and the Rise of Modern Finance
Ron Chernow
The history of the greatest financial institutions in American history took us from the Civil War to the modern day, an examination of American, and in many cases international, history for a century and a half.
The discussion of the Morgan family didn't take long to circle around to discussions of today's economic malaise. If we could take Pierpont Morgan, and set him on Wall Street in October 2008, or March 2009, what advice would he offer? We agreed that partnerships where capital was the net worth of the bankers was a more stable structure than paid CEOs and directors working with other peoples' money. We also agreed that today's financial products and landscape are infinitely more complex than the deals done a century ago.
We discussed the panics of 1873, 1893, 1907, 1929... and wondered, why do we continue to do these things? We did agree, they seem to be getting worse.
One memorable line, by Andrew Carnegie, upon Pierpont's death "I thought he was rich".
It was a simpler time, when single men made decisions and then worked hard to make sure the decision was the right one;
Five in attendance, four of whom actually read the whole book, the best absentee excuse being Peter T's, in Vegas, being entertained by other peoples' money...
The history of the greatest financial institutions in American history took us from the Civil War to the modern day, an examination of American, and in many cases international, history for a century and a half.
The discussion of the Morgan family didn't take long to circle around to discussions of today's economic malaise. If we could take Pierpont Morgan, and set him on Wall Street in October 2008, or March 2009, what advice would he offer? We agreed that partnerships where capital was the net worth of the bankers was a more stable structure than paid CEOs and directors working with other peoples' money. We also agreed that today's financial products and landscape are infinitely more complex than the deals done a century ago.
We discussed the panics of 1873, 1893, 1907, 1929... and wondered, why do we continue to do these things? We did agree, they seem to be getting worse.
One memorable line, by Andrew Carnegie, upon Pierpont's death "I thought he was rich".
It was a simpler time, when single men made decisions and then worked hard to make sure the decision was the right one;
Five in attendance, four of whom actually read the whole book, the best absentee excuse being Peter T's, in Vegas, being entertained by other peoples' money...
Imperium
Imperium was timely given the date of Massachusetts’ special election in which Scott Brown became the junior Senator from Massachusetts, though we managed to stay mostly clear of the details of that contest. Cicero’s early years are chronicled in Robert Harris’ great book, written from Tiro’s perspective, from speech training on the shores of Greece, to great power plays on the floor of the Forum.
Occasional anachronisms were distracting to some, but served as effective means of bringing the story into a modern context for others. But the overall story of raw power, corruption, soft power, dedication, leveraged power, political power, and the power of persuasion made for good reading and good discussion.
We marveled at Rome’s highly developed society: a well functioning metropolis with no electricity, but plenty of diversity, opportunities, and culture, and agreed that it was the government with a rule of law and effective checks and balances that made such development possible. Back when being a citizen of Rome meant something! Nevertheless, the extreme depravity of those who crossed power, slavery as a way of life for Tiro, the cheapness of life, and bold unfairness in the affairs of men were reminders that not all was perfect.
We also deliberated on the historical accuracy of the characters. How about Caesar! How about Crasseus? Hortensius; Verres; Pompei; Tiro (behind the tapestry)?
Overall, nobody was disappointed, and another trip back in to history was worth the trip
Reminder: the sequel to Imperium is Lustrum. Pompei is another by Harris that takes you to Vesuvius on that fateful day.
Occasional anachronisms were distracting to some, but served as effective means of bringing the story into a modern context for others. But the overall story of raw power, corruption, soft power, dedication, leveraged power, political power, and the power of persuasion made for good reading and good discussion.
We marveled at Rome’s highly developed society: a well functioning metropolis with no electricity, but plenty of diversity, opportunities, and culture, and agreed that it was the government with a rule of law and effective checks and balances that made such development possible. Back when being a citizen of Rome meant something! Nevertheless, the extreme depravity of those who crossed power, slavery as a way of life for Tiro, the cheapness of life, and bold unfairness in the affairs of men were reminders that not all was perfect.
We also deliberated on the historical accuracy of the characters. How about Caesar! How about Crasseus? Hortensius; Verres; Pompei; Tiro (behind the tapestry)?
Overall, nobody was disappointed, and another trip back in to history was worth the trip
Reminder: the sequel to Imperium is Lustrum. Pompei is another by Harris that takes you to Vesuvius on that fateful day.
In the Heart of the Sea
Nathaniel Philbrick
A Nautical theme for our July meeting, we read In the Heart of the Sea, Nathaniel Philbrick's account of the Whaleship, Essex, and Ernest Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea. Both are stories of the big fish that got away, so to speak.
Our discussion began with our collective appreciation of the Old Man, Santiago, and his enduring stoicism, his strength, his character. He is a simple man; a fisherman. And yet he embodies so many things we as men want to be: respectful, tough, determined, a survivor.
Jeff's and Chuck's comparison of taking a tuna over five hours gave us all some perspective on endurance: with no power, hand held lines, no navigation system (as we know it), and a single bottle of water over three days , the old man boats a great fish. He proves himself again and again. He yearned for the companionship of the boy to wet the lines and help him retrieve the great fish; he may have yearned for simple companionship too, but would never admit it. He was at one with his environment, accepting the ruthlessness of the sea as a playing field where you do your best to survive. Though his moods and some perspectives changed, his respect for the fish and for the battle itself, were uncompromising. He is a man's man.
But men in a whaleboat in the middle of the great Pacific Ocean face other challenges. Here among other men, one leader fails (Captain Pollard) by questioning his own judgmen), and another emerges by personal expectations (Chase). The men who go off to sea for years follow a similar pattern as their sperm whale prey, whose females rear young while males venture thousands of miles. The brutal harvesting of these great "fish" was an avocation for a unique breed of Americans: Nantucketers. These Quakers engaged in a most violent and bloody harvest, away from home, to return occasionally to their pacifist homes. Chase can't keep married, and Pollard becomes a nighwatchman.
One questions for discussion included, "what would you do at the island: stay behind or leave?" Imagine the calculus by the three men who stayed, wondering if the small island produced enough bird eggs and fresh water to survive. Apparently so, as they were rescued eventually. One more man and they may have met the fate of the Elizabth. We also discussed the morality of the segregation within the three boats: Pollard and the Nantucketers, Chase and Nantucket and Cape Codders, and the second mate with African Americans. The survival of the Nantucketers and the death of so many African Americans wasn't spoken of openly after the voyage, but Philbrick poses the question. Was this a simple Darwinian segregation? If so, why were food stores equally divided? Were the physiological factors that handicapped Africans and favored the plump Pollard enough to result in such survival rates? Could there have been ruthlessness unreported?
We all agreed that if Hemingway wrote the story of the Essex, we'd get more than Philbrick delivered. Perhaps that's why reading another classic, Moby Dick, becomes compelling.
Two other books drifted into our discussion: Unbreakable, another story of survival on the Pacific, and Seen the Glory about race and death and survival in the Civil War from another Massachusetts Island, Martha's Vineyard.
A Nautical theme for our July meeting, we read In the Heart of the Sea, Nathaniel Philbrick's account of the Whaleship, Essex, and Ernest Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea. Both are stories of the big fish that got away, so to speak.
Our discussion began with our collective appreciation of the Old Man, Santiago, and his enduring stoicism, his strength, his character. He is a simple man; a fisherman. And yet he embodies so many things we as men want to be: respectful, tough, determined, a survivor.
Jeff's and Chuck's comparison of taking a tuna over five hours gave us all some perspective on endurance: with no power, hand held lines, no navigation system (as we know it), and a single bottle of water over three days , the old man boats a great fish. He proves himself again and again. He yearned for the companionship of the boy to wet the lines and help him retrieve the great fish; he may have yearned for simple companionship too, but would never admit it. He was at one with his environment, accepting the ruthlessness of the sea as a playing field where you do your best to survive. Though his moods and some perspectives changed, his respect for the fish and for the battle itself, were uncompromising. He is a man's man.
But men in a whaleboat in the middle of the great Pacific Ocean face other challenges. Here among other men, one leader fails (Captain Pollard) by questioning his own judgmen), and another emerges by personal expectations (Chase). The men who go off to sea for years follow a similar pattern as their sperm whale prey, whose females rear young while males venture thousands of miles. The brutal harvesting of these great "fish" was an avocation for a unique breed of Americans: Nantucketers. These Quakers engaged in a most violent and bloody harvest, away from home, to return occasionally to their pacifist homes. Chase can't keep married, and Pollard becomes a nighwatchman.
One questions for discussion included, "what would you do at the island: stay behind or leave?" Imagine the calculus by the three men who stayed, wondering if the small island produced enough bird eggs and fresh water to survive. Apparently so, as they were rescued eventually. One more man and they may have met the fate of the Elizabth. We also discussed the morality of the segregation within the three boats: Pollard and the Nantucketers, Chase and Nantucket and Cape Codders, and the second mate with African Americans. The survival of the Nantucketers and the death of so many African Americans wasn't spoken of openly after the voyage, but Philbrick poses the question. Was this a simple Darwinian segregation? If so, why were food stores equally divided? Were the physiological factors that handicapped Africans and favored the plump Pollard enough to result in such survival rates? Could there have been ruthlessness unreported?
We all agreed that if Hemingway wrote the story of the Essex, we'd get more than Philbrick delivered. Perhaps that's why reading another classic, Moby Dick, becomes compelling.
Two other books drifted into our discussion: Unbreakable, another story of survival on the Pacific, and Seen the Glory about race and death and survival in the Civil War from another Massachusetts Island, Martha's Vineyard.
Left in Dark Times: A Stand against the New Barbarism
Bernard Henri Levy
So when you signed on to the Bonnie Lea Book Club, you signed on to try books that you might never have read on your own. Well, this one proved the rule.
Bernard Henri Levy goes to great lengths to prove that he is a pure European Liberal, in every way: He needs to establish this as he begins to tear apart the weakest links of today's European Left's political philosphy. By the end of the book he appears to tire of his own verbosity and intellectual masturbation and actually get into some real ideas.
Some of the fallacious arguments Levy attacks are European Left's Anti-Americanism (borne in part by their inability to accept America's saving Europe in WWII), Anti-Semitism (Israel and America too tightly connected, identity with Judaism before nationalism, and millennia of Christian intolerance), and of course the dishonesty of "Tolerance" (distinct and far removed from respect).
Will his promotion of "Universality", those enduring principles of respect for human integrity and the sanctity of life find nourishment in the soil of other civilizations around our troubled world? Levy argues that the Left must embrace universal truths if it will have a basis for future credibility, rather than chase tired old arguments that he dismantled throughout the book.
Conclusion? Few reached the epilogue: Levy's writing style was pompous, complicated, overly academic. But it provided the foundation for a great discussion. Overall, a succeess. But Rob Raymond won't even think about recommending another book for another couple of years.
So when you signed on to the Bonnie Lea Book Club, you signed on to try books that you might never have read on your own. Well, this one proved the rule.
Bernard Henri Levy goes to great lengths to prove that he is a pure European Liberal, in every way: He needs to establish this as he begins to tear apart the weakest links of today's European Left's political philosphy. By the end of the book he appears to tire of his own verbosity and intellectual masturbation and actually get into some real ideas.
Some of the fallacious arguments Levy attacks are European Left's Anti-Americanism (borne in part by their inability to accept America's saving Europe in WWII), Anti-Semitism (Israel and America too tightly connected, identity with Judaism before nationalism, and millennia of Christian intolerance), and of course the dishonesty of "Tolerance" (distinct and far removed from respect).
Will his promotion of "Universality", those enduring principles of respect for human integrity and the sanctity of life find nourishment in the soil of other civilizations around our troubled world? Levy argues that the Left must embrace universal truths if it will have a basis for future credibility, rather than chase tired old arguments that he dismantled throughout the book.
Conclusion? Few reached the epilogue: Levy's writing style was pompous, complicated, overly academic. But it provided the foundation for a great discussion. Overall, a succeess. But Rob Raymond won't even think about recommending another book for another couple of years.
Lost in Shangri-La
Mitchell Zuckoff
We all agreed that Lost in Shangri La was a worthwhile read, a simple book about a simple story of fortitude and toughness, interesting on multiple levels: History, specifically U.S. history and the regular people from the 'greatest generation' who faced incredible challenges; sociology and the interplay of western and Dani culture, and interesting character dynamics.
Jeff began discussions posing some questions from an internet book club to get us started. We delved into the interaction between the three survivors and their unwitting hosts. Was the author unfair in pointing out how the Americans thought the natives as 'children' or simple? To his defense, someone acknowledged he spent plenty of time describing Margaret's relationship with the Chief's wife, and the real human connection that developed in spite of language and cultural barriers. In the end, humanity wins.
What about the devastation of the crash? Lose your twin brother, have your legs burned, have a great gash in your head, burned buttocks, and never complain�then walk through an impenetrable jungle to set up a site to be seen by searchers. The generation of children reared of the Depression were indeed a remarkable lot, their secure conviction in their superiority perhaps a natural development given the circumstances.
We also talked about the carnival atmosphere after the discovery: airlift drops; Hollywood, even the extension to selling war bonds long after the jungle.
And of course, the glider snatch. Were the other options not as impressive, or simply, not options at all?
We are in search of a theme for our spring '12 book.. Come with an opinion. Meanwhile, in deference to a request for something modern, scientific, or technological, we're going to read about Steve Jobs.
We all agreed that Lost in Shangri La was a worthwhile read, a simple book about a simple story of fortitude and toughness, interesting on multiple levels: History, specifically U.S. history and the regular people from the 'greatest generation' who faced incredible challenges; sociology and the interplay of western and Dani culture, and interesting character dynamics.
Jeff began discussions posing some questions from an internet book club to get us started. We delved into the interaction between the three survivors and their unwitting hosts. Was the author unfair in pointing out how the Americans thought the natives as 'children' or simple? To his defense, someone acknowledged he spent plenty of time describing Margaret's relationship with the Chief's wife, and the real human connection that developed in spite of language and cultural barriers. In the end, humanity wins.
What about the devastation of the crash? Lose your twin brother, have your legs burned, have a great gash in your head, burned buttocks, and never complain�then walk through an impenetrable jungle to set up a site to be seen by searchers. The generation of children reared of the Depression were indeed a remarkable lot, their secure conviction in their superiority perhaps a natural development given the circumstances.
We also talked about the carnival atmosphere after the discovery: airlift drops; Hollywood, even the extension to selling war bonds long after the jungle.
And of course, the glider snatch. Were the other options not as impressive, or simply, not options at all?
We are in search of a theme for our spring '12 book.. Come with an opinion. Meanwhile, in deference to a request for something modern, scientific, or technological, we're going to read about Steve Jobs.
Mayflower
Nathaniel Philbrick
So much for the romantic imagery of Pilgrims serving their Pokanoket guests a feast of turkey, venison, sweet bread and cranberry sauce! We agreed that the Pilgrims assured their survival exploiting the Massasoit's political vulnerabilities, making great land deals, and pressing every advantage that England, small pox, influenza and God gave them.
Their faith sustained them, their fortitude kept them, and their accomplishments against great odds will never be repeated in the history of our world.
We agreed also that King Phillips War was inevitable, and the players were all products of their own culture and world view. And Benjamin Church was a stand-up guy! (But what about the murder of Indian children by the old lady as a final act of desperation in 1675? And what about that War's casualties? 8% of New England's white population, and 50+% of the native population!) Lost to history, but here we are.
Can we compare the Pilgrims to al-quaeda in their use of religion to justify other ends?? Can we equate English taking of land to developers’ use of 40B by developers?
The view was indeed Euro-centric, and lacked a deep discussion of native culture, though Philbrick never held back from his exposure of English atrocities, such as the at the Great Swamp massacre of the Narragansetts or other acts of perfidy. For a broader view of the two irreconcilable cultures, try Crazy Horse and Custer: The Parallel lives of two American Warriors.
Great story, and we managed pretty much to stay clear of economics and politics, tough in today's climate. For better discourse of those subjects, you'll have to read the next book!
So much for the romantic imagery of Pilgrims serving their Pokanoket guests a feast of turkey, venison, sweet bread and cranberry sauce! We agreed that the Pilgrims assured their survival exploiting the Massasoit's political vulnerabilities, making great land deals, and pressing every advantage that England, small pox, influenza and God gave them.
Their faith sustained them, their fortitude kept them, and their accomplishments against great odds will never be repeated in the history of our world.
We agreed also that King Phillips War was inevitable, and the players were all products of their own culture and world view. And Benjamin Church was a stand-up guy! (But what about the murder of Indian children by the old lady as a final act of desperation in 1675? And what about that War's casualties? 8% of New England's white population, and 50+% of the native population!) Lost to history, but here we are.
Can we compare the Pilgrims to al-quaeda in their use of religion to justify other ends?? Can we equate English taking of land to developers’ use of 40B by developers?
The view was indeed Euro-centric, and lacked a deep discussion of native culture, though Philbrick never held back from his exposure of English atrocities, such as the at the Great Swamp massacre of the Narragansetts or other acts of perfidy. For a broader view of the two irreconcilable cultures, try Crazy Horse and Custer: The Parallel lives of two American Warriors.
Great story, and we managed pretty much to stay clear of economics and politics, tough in today's climate. For better discourse of those subjects, you'll have to read the next book!
Mountains Beyond Mountains
Tracy Kidder
Our discussion tonight ranged from our health care delivery system (not perfect) to charitable giving (the closer to the recipients the better), to John D Rockefeller (read Titan), to the Bible (Matthew 24) and everything in between. We agreed in general that Paul Farmer is an inspiration who challenges us and certainly has delivered life to countless people who would not be alive without him.
If you're a Russian physician and given a grant that can save 5000 lives with the proper treatment to drug-resistant TB, or prolong the lives of 100,000, which do you choose?
Our discussion tonight ranged from our health care delivery system (not perfect) to charitable giving (the closer to the recipients the better), to John D Rockefeller (read Titan), to the Bible (Matthew 24) and everything in between. We agreed in general that Paul Farmer is an inspiration who challenges us and certainly has delivered life to countless people who would not be alive without him.
If you're a Russian physician and given a grant that can save 5000 lives with the proper treatment to drug-resistant TB, or prolong the lives of 100,000, which do you choose?
A Moveable Feast and The Sun Also Rises
Earnest Hemingway
We began our discussion of A Moveable Feast with the theme the Hemingway writes the truth. Write one page of truth and discard 90 pages of crap. The quality of writing can be measure by the amount of good work that has been discarded. We enjoyed all the characters from A Moveable Feast, the story of Hemingway’s years in post WWI Paris. Scott Fitzgerald was human, Zelda was crazy, Gertrude Stein and Alice B Toklas lesbians in a time when people didn’t talk about lesbians, the smelly liar Ford Maddox Ford, and of course, his love, and the collapse of his love to, Hadley. We started down the path of criticism of the bohemian lifestyle of “the Lost Generation” group of ex-patriots wining and dining their way through Paris, but were brought back by Jeff’s admonishment not to view history through any-colored, contemporary glasses. We were reminded that this was in fact, post- war Paris, where the celebration of life after the horror of the world’s first world war continued.
Interestingly, after all the descriptions, we learned from Hemmingway’s book on writing that he had disdain for writers who wasted their lives away boozing and talking in French cafes.. Witness his discipline in waking, writing, living, and writing more.
The close while skiing in the Vorarlberg in Austria brought a brief description of the unraveling of his marriage to Hadley, and his complete mea culpa for that affair.
Love may have been where we transitioned to The Sun Also Rises. The shallow love and obsession with Brett Lady Ashley was a common point of focus for many of the other characters. She loved Jake as a girlfriend, the one safe (impotent) man in her life. She wrecked all the other men who loved her, her husband Lord Ashley, her fiancé Mike, poor pitiful Robert Cohn, and of course, the vulnerable magnificent Romero the matador. Only the war veteran Bill Gorton seemed immune to her wiles; perhaps he had seen enough in the war to see the truth.
The fishing scene with Bill in the hills above Pamplona touched us all. Catch a few trout, drink a little wine, nap, and return only after enough fish were taken. Maybe stay an extra day. That’s living.
We disagreed about how despicable was Cohn, the amateur boxer, who would drag the elegant master of another craft into his fighter’s world (again, over Lady Ashley). Some found him a sympathetic character; surely a pitiable character given others’ treatment at every turn. We recognized the anti-Semitism as common to the day, and this did elicit a measure of sympathy, but Cohn was hardly a likeable character. We only disagreed on whether his beating Romero was so much worse than hitting any other random character. (Editor: why would Hemmingway have opened the book with a biography of Cohn, if not to highlight his amateur boxing status?)
With all the dialogue, none of the characters engaged their friends on things that mattered: not their fragile relationships, nor their responsibilities to themselves or to others. The characters’ failure to speak the truth makes the reader discover it through the dialogue, actions, and misadventures of this well developed cast.
Overall, we were glad to revisit the master. Highly recommended as a follow-up, A Farewell to Arms, which Geoff read first by mistake and found the most emotionally charged, and Follet’s latest, The Fall of Giants, the first in the Century Trilogy about WWI, which Geoff has for borrowing.
We began our discussion of A Moveable Feast with the theme the Hemingway writes the truth. Write one page of truth and discard 90 pages of crap. The quality of writing can be measure by the amount of good work that has been discarded. We enjoyed all the characters from A Moveable Feast, the story of Hemingway’s years in post WWI Paris. Scott Fitzgerald was human, Zelda was crazy, Gertrude Stein and Alice B Toklas lesbians in a time when people didn’t talk about lesbians, the smelly liar Ford Maddox Ford, and of course, his love, and the collapse of his love to, Hadley. We started down the path of criticism of the bohemian lifestyle of “the Lost Generation” group of ex-patriots wining and dining their way through Paris, but were brought back by Jeff’s admonishment not to view history through any-colored, contemporary glasses. We were reminded that this was in fact, post- war Paris, where the celebration of life after the horror of the world’s first world war continued.
Interestingly, after all the descriptions, we learned from Hemmingway’s book on writing that he had disdain for writers who wasted their lives away boozing and talking in French cafes.. Witness his discipline in waking, writing, living, and writing more.
The close while skiing in the Vorarlberg in Austria brought a brief description of the unraveling of his marriage to Hadley, and his complete mea culpa for that affair.
Love may have been where we transitioned to The Sun Also Rises. The shallow love and obsession with Brett Lady Ashley was a common point of focus for many of the other characters. She loved Jake as a girlfriend, the one safe (impotent) man in her life. She wrecked all the other men who loved her, her husband Lord Ashley, her fiancé Mike, poor pitiful Robert Cohn, and of course, the vulnerable magnificent Romero the matador. Only the war veteran Bill Gorton seemed immune to her wiles; perhaps he had seen enough in the war to see the truth.
The fishing scene with Bill in the hills above Pamplona touched us all. Catch a few trout, drink a little wine, nap, and return only after enough fish were taken. Maybe stay an extra day. That’s living.
We disagreed about how despicable was Cohn, the amateur boxer, who would drag the elegant master of another craft into his fighter’s world (again, over Lady Ashley). Some found him a sympathetic character; surely a pitiable character given others’ treatment at every turn. We recognized the anti-Semitism as common to the day, and this did elicit a measure of sympathy, but Cohn was hardly a likeable character. We only disagreed on whether his beating Romero was so much worse than hitting any other random character. (Editor: why would Hemmingway have opened the book with a biography of Cohn, if not to highlight his amateur boxing status?)
With all the dialogue, none of the characters engaged their friends on things that mattered: not their fragile relationships, nor their responsibilities to themselves or to others. The characters’ failure to speak the truth makes the reader discover it through the dialogue, actions, and misadventures of this well developed cast.
Overall, we were glad to revisit the master. Highly recommended as a follow-up, A Farewell to Arms, which Geoff read first by mistake and found the most emotionally charged, and Follet’s latest, The Fall of Giants, the first in the Century Trilogy about WWI, which Geoff has for borrowing.
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New York
Edward Rutherford
New York was all we hoped for and then some. The first quote referenced Napoleon’s lack of business acumen, but discussion rolled right into the Dutch – English transition, the value of beavers, wampum, and of course, the main theme: the primacy of commerce in New York.
Free and open commerce prompted the resistance to the Stamp Act (and all that followed); but close ties with London finance and business opportunities for war trade influenced New York’s Tory loyalty to the Crown. Commerce had plenty to do with New York's anti-Union sentiment during the Civil War, and of course business was the topic right to 9-11.
We all enjoyed Rutherford’s strong character development. Most characters, flawed or pure as they were, made the times come alive. Washington’s tip of his hat showed good fictional author’s license. While we liked the Masters, most seemed to have enjoyed other families: Quash and Hudson, the O’Donnell’s, the Caruso’s, and all the others who make up New York . It is a city of immigrants, a city of diversity, and most of all, a city of commerce.
Rutherford's research is impressive (read also Sarum, London, etc), and glimpses in to humanity's inhumanity was not new. The prisoner ships, Quash's transfer to the plantation, Five Points, Draft riots mob rule... all sorry commentaries on the depraved human condition.
I for one, need to get down to the City again soon.
New York was all we hoped for and then some. The first quote referenced Napoleon’s lack of business acumen, but discussion rolled right into the Dutch – English transition, the value of beavers, wampum, and of course, the main theme: the primacy of commerce in New York.
Free and open commerce prompted the resistance to the Stamp Act (and all that followed); but close ties with London finance and business opportunities for war trade influenced New York’s Tory loyalty to the Crown. Commerce had plenty to do with New York's anti-Union sentiment during the Civil War, and of course business was the topic right to 9-11.
We all enjoyed Rutherford’s strong character development. Most characters, flawed or pure as they were, made the times come alive. Washington’s tip of his hat showed good fictional author’s license. While we liked the Masters, most seemed to have enjoyed other families: Quash and Hudson, the O’Donnell’s, the Caruso’s, and all the others who make up New York . It is a city of immigrants, a city of diversity, and most of all, a city of commerce.
Rutherford's research is impressive (read also Sarum, London, etc), and glimpses in to humanity's inhumanity was not new. The prisoner ships, Quash's transfer to the plantation, Five Points, Draft riots mob rule... all sorry commentaries on the depraved human condition.
I for one, need to get down to the City again soon.
The Old Man and the Sea
Ernest Hemingway
A Nautical theme for our July meeting, we read In the Heart of the Sea, Nathaniel Philbrick's account of the Whaleship, Essex, and Ernest Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea. Both are stories of the big fish that got away, so to speak.
Our discussion began with our collective appreciation of the Old Man, Santiago, and his enduring stoicism, his strength, his character. He is a simple man; a fisherman. And yet he embodies so many things we as men want to be: respectful, tough, determined, a survivor.
Jeff's and Chuck's comparison of taking a tuna over five hours gave us all some perspective on endurance: with no power, hand held lines, no navigation system (as we know it), and a single bottle of water over three days , the old man boats a great fish. He proves himself again and again. He yearned for the companionship of the boy to wet the lines and help him retrieve the great fish; he may have yearned for simple companionship too, but would never admit it. He was at one with his environment, accepting the ruthlessness of the sea as a playing field where you do your best to survive. Though his moods and some perspectives changed, his respect for the fish and for the battle itself, were uncompromising. He is a man's man.
A Nautical theme for our July meeting, we read In the Heart of the Sea, Nathaniel Philbrick's account of the Whaleship, Essex, and Ernest Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea. Both are stories of the big fish that got away, so to speak.
Our discussion began with our collective appreciation of the Old Man, Santiago, and his enduring stoicism, his strength, his character. He is a simple man; a fisherman. And yet he embodies so many things we as men want to be: respectful, tough, determined, a survivor.
Jeff's and Chuck's comparison of taking a tuna over five hours gave us all some perspective on endurance: with no power, hand held lines, no navigation system (as we know it), and a single bottle of water over three days , the old man boats a great fish. He proves himself again and again. He yearned for the companionship of the boy to wet the lines and help him retrieve the great fish; he may have yearned for simple companionship too, but would never admit it. He was at one with his environment, accepting the ruthlessness of the sea as a playing field where you do your best to survive. Though his moods and some perspectives changed, his respect for the fish and for the battle itself, were uncompromising. He is a man's man.
People Who Eat Darkness
This was a book that met one of our book club’s central tenets: it was a book we would never pick up and read on our own. This was the story of the murder of a young English woman, Luci Blackman, in Tokyo, the difficult and Byzantine police response following her disappearance, and the tearing apart of her family and friends.
For the first third of the book, you don't even know if they will figure out who her killer was. It turns out the crime rate is so low in Japan that the police were unprepared and inexperienced in crime investigations against a perpetrator as skilled and careful as this case. Were it not for Luci's father Tim Blackman, the investigation would have gone no further than investigations of previous murders by the story's monster, Obara. Tim Blackman, for all his failings, was the force behind the ultimate discovery and capture of his daughter’s killer.
The book also examined the extensive personal fallout from Luci's disappearance/murder. One line toward the end of the book summed it up: where after some tragedies, people come together, in this case the centrifugal forces pushed people apart: Luci's' mother Jane, sister Sophie, brother Rupert, and friend Louise all ended up with their own sets of demons, and all suffered mostly alone. The damage of the murder, the tedious and impersonal investigation, the battered relationships among people in Japan, all contributed to the depths of despair for all the affected characters.
Some of the greatest insights into Japanese culture included examination of its xenophobia: separation of gaijin (foreigners) and particularly deep prejudice against Koreans, which may have been at the heart of Obara's sociopathy. The protocols within Japanese society toward criminality, including a 99+% confession rate, stifled the investigation and the conviction (there never was one) in a variety of ways; the expectation of "salary men" to hang out and flirt with young women after work and before going home sustained a 'mistress for an evening' custom, where excesses were mostly reined in by unwritten rules of engagement; precisely where Obara inserted himself. Obara operated cleverly within his society, understanding its vulnerabilities, and leveraging these to satisfy his personal brand of depravity.
The trip into such degradation in the underbelly of an urban Japanese society was distressing. We all agreed it was worth reading, but to peer into the heart of evil is not a place to visit deeply, or often.
Some questions we explored:
Was Tom wrong to take the money? Jeff argued (and Geoff agreed) that we should pause before being too judgmental. How we think we might react in a given situation may be different when faced with such opportunities. We are all the products of our own experiences, and these are different for every soul.
Could he have operated as effectively within American culture? Hard to know.
The other gross characters:
How about the con man Mike Hills? Predator of people in desperate circumstances.
The S&M sickos, Matsuda, and Takamoto. 'Nuf said.
And the outlier of human personality (the effective sociopath) intersecting the outlier very rich and very smart (the evil genius) trust fund operator: together enabled his continuous two decade long sex crime spree. The combination of evil with its effect on all the people it touched was beyond disturbing, particularly as these characteristics collided badly with an otherwise normal, adventurous yet inexperienced girl.
Our conversation led into a broader discussion of institutions (or in this case an entire culture) lacking adequate degrees of accountability, and how such institutions leave room for evil to sprout quietly up from within, ultimately challenging the very foundations of the affected institutions. Would the case change Japanese police procedures? Even that question remains unanswered.
Next book, not even published: Rutherford's Paris. Due out in late April.
For the first third of the book, you don't even know if they will figure out who her killer was. It turns out the crime rate is so low in Japan that the police were unprepared and inexperienced in crime investigations against a perpetrator as skilled and careful as this case. Were it not for Luci's father Tim Blackman, the investigation would have gone no further than investigations of previous murders by the story's monster, Obara. Tim Blackman, for all his failings, was the force behind the ultimate discovery and capture of his daughter’s killer.
The book also examined the extensive personal fallout from Luci's disappearance/murder. One line toward the end of the book summed it up: where after some tragedies, people come together, in this case the centrifugal forces pushed people apart: Luci's' mother Jane, sister Sophie, brother Rupert, and friend Louise all ended up with their own sets of demons, and all suffered mostly alone. The damage of the murder, the tedious and impersonal investigation, the battered relationships among people in Japan, all contributed to the depths of despair for all the affected characters.
Some of the greatest insights into Japanese culture included examination of its xenophobia: separation of gaijin (foreigners) and particularly deep prejudice against Koreans, which may have been at the heart of Obara's sociopathy. The protocols within Japanese society toward criminality, including a 99+% confession rate, stifled the investigation and the conviction (there never was one) in a variety of ways; the expectation of "salary men" to hang out and flirt with young women after work and before going home sustained a 'mistress for an evening' custom, where excesses were mostly reined in by unwritten rules of engagement; precisely where Obara inserted himself. Obara operated cleverly within his society, understanding its vulnerabilities, and leveraging these to satisfy his personal brand of depravity.
The trip into such degradation in the underbelly of an urban Japanese society was distressing. We all agreed it was worth reading, but to peer into the heart of evil is not a place to visit deeply, or often.
Some questions we explored:
Was Tom wrong to take the money? Jeff argued (and Geoff agreed) that we should pause before being too judgmental. How we think we might react in a given situation may be different when faced with such opportunities. We are all the products of our own experiences, and these are different for every soul.
Could he have operated as effectively within American culture? Hard to know.
The other gross characters:
How about the con man Mike Hills? Predator of people in desperate circumstances.
The S&M sickos, Matsuda, and Takamoto. 'Nuf said.
And the outlier of human personality (the effective sociopath) intersecting the outlier very rich and very smart (the evil genius) trust fund operator: together enabled his continuous two decade long sex crime spree. The combination of evil with its effect on all the people it touched was beyond disturbing, particularly as these characteristics collided badly with an otherwise normal, adventurous yet inexperienced girl.
Our conversation led into a broader discussion of institutions (or in this case an entire culture) lacking adequate degrees of accountability, and how such institutions leave room for evil to sprout quietly up from within, ultimately challenging the very foundations of the affected institutions. Would the case change Japanese police procedures? Even that question remains unanswered.
Next book, not even published: Rutherford's Paris. Due out in late April.
The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Disagree on Politics and Religion
We had most members join us for this topical and timely discussion of Jonathan Haight’s book, The Righteous Mind, Why Good People Disagree on Politics and Religion. The book had so many provocative features we jumped around in our discussions, and still covered a lot of ground.
The book is broken into three logical sections , each building on the previous. The first section introduces the elephant and rider metaphor: the rider can influence the direction of the elephant of our emotions, but can’t control them. The next discussed how political proclivities can be reflected by a combination of measuring personal interest on 6 spectra: Care – Harm; Liberty – Oppression; Fairness – Cheating; Loyalty – Betrayal; Authority – Subversion; and Sanctity – Degradation. Conservatives find all six metrics important; liberals are more influenced by the first three, to the exclusion of the latter three.
Joel and Chuck were skeptical of the characterizations that make up a Righteous mind, putting human thinking and behavior into these six silos reduces the incredibly complex and infinitely more variable human being onto a chart. But this is the nature of science: you have to measure what you want to quantify.
The final section discussed human groupishness. We are mostly chimps, pursuing self-interests first, but partly bees, a part of a community greater than we can be on our own. These communities can be national (affecting ‘loyalty’ and ‘authority’), as well as groups closer to home. We talked about our own “hives”. All found family to be primary, but other hives included local social hives, professional, and church.
Chapin argued against the Dawkins view that sanctity and religion are mere evolutionary coping mechanisms for establishing a moral order within human society with degradation and suppression often the result. The early Christian church behaved in ways that severely reduced their chance of survival as an institution, based on faith, not to establish a moral order. Chuck posed the question, to what degree must you believe the supernatural of the ‘sacred’ in order to have faith as guide in life. Geoff offered that it’s the struggle in pondering this question that matters.
Most members agreed that this book helped to understand why different people think differently about the same set of facts. We also talked about the distinction between evolving political positions and ‘flip flopping. Evolution is defensible, but switching based on polls alone deserves the scorn usually heaped on anyone whose political position changes.
We concluded our discussion early to allow all to get home in time for the second presidential debate.
The book is broken into three logical sections , each building on the previous. The first section introduces the elephant and rider metaphor: the rider can influence the direction of the elephant of our emotions, but can’t control them. The next discussed how political proclivities can be reflected by a combination of measuring personal interest on 6 spectra: Care – Harm; Liberty – Oppression; Fairness – Cheating; Loyalty – Betrayal; Authority – Subversion; and Sanctity – Degradation. Conservatives find all six metrics important; liberals are more influenced by the first three, to the exclusion of the latter three.
Joel and Chuck were skeptical of the characterizations that make up a Righteous mind, putting human thinking and behavior into these six silos reduces the incredibly complex and infinitely more variable human being onto a chart. But this is the nature of science: you have to measure what you want to quantify.
The final section discussed human groupishness. We are mostly chimps, pursuing self-interests first, but partly bees, a part of a community greater than we can be on our own. These communities can be national (affecting ‘loyalty’ and ‘authority’), as well as groups closer to home. We talked about our own “hives”. All found family to be primary, but other hives included local social hives, professional, and church.
Chapin argued against the Dawkins view that sanctity and religion are mere evolutionary coping mechanisms for establishing a moral order within human society with degradation and suppression often the result. The early Christian church behaved in ways that severely reduced their chance of survival as an institution, based on faith, not to establish a moral order. Chuck posed the question, to what degree must you believe the supernatural of the ‘sacred’ in order to have faith as guide in life. Geoff offered that it’s the struggle in pondering this question that matters.
Most members agreed that this book helped to understand why different people think differently about the same set of facts. We also talked about the distinction between evolving political positions and ‘flip flopping. Evolution is defensible, but switching based on polls alone deserves the scorn usually heaped on anyone whose political position changes.
We concluded our discussion early to allow all to get home in time for the second presidential debate.
Season of Life
Male relationships, the core issue discussed over Season of Life. Too many men have few male relationships, and we questioned why. Hard wired? Family experiences? Cultural expectations? (Ball field, bedroom, bill-fold) Are bad coaches always a bad thing? Or just something to experience and endure?
They do give a preview to life. If they push kids out of sports when team building may be one of the most important and enduring experiences available during formative years, that’s beyond unfortunate. Our relationships with our fathers varied, though most of us realized the book will let us have new relationships with our kids. (“Read this book, and tell me when you’re done!”) One tip: Find a cause bigger than you.
Overall, we didn’t talk about the Gilson Greyhounds a lot, but the book laid the foundation for open honest discussion about important relationships and how success is measured in many different ways.
They do give a preview to life. If they push kids out of sports when team building may be one of the most important and enduring experiences available during formative years, that’s beyond unfortunate. Our relationships with our fathers varied, though most of us realized the book will let us have new relationships with our kids. (“Read this book, and tell me when you’re done!”) One tip: Find a cause bigger than you.
Overall, we didn’t talk about the Gilson Greyhounds a lot, but the book laid the foundation for open honest discussion about important relationships and how success is measured in many different ways.
The Selected Works of T.S. Spivet
Reif Larson
This debut by Reif Larsen is the story of a 12 year old cartographer turned out to be a win for the attendees. Rob R said it was one of his favorite books ever. We jumped around the book a lot, debating the development of cowboy T.E. Spivet, speculating about whether Dr Claire engineered the trip to the Smithsonian, Layton's "your death is your fault" , the fortuitous (incredible among incredibles) appearance of Valero the Winnebago on the train, Josiah Merrymore's appearance in the big city of Chicago, followed by Rick's "WTF happened to you, little man?," and of course, T.E.'s saving the day at the end of the story, knocking Jibson to the ground with the "Father" to the priest witness. And then there was the richness of the margins. If, when you first got the book, you thought you might skip the margins, fuggetaboutit. Great escpism. Now on to something a little more challenging...
This debut by Reif Larsen is the story of a 12 year old cartographer turned out to be a win for the attendees. Rob R said it was one of his favorite books ever. We jumped around the book a lot, debating the development of cowboy T.E. Spivet, speculating about whether Dr Claire engineered the trip to the Smithsonian, Layton's "your death is your fault" , the fortuitous (incredible among incredibles) appearance of Valero the Winnebago on the train, Josiah Merrymore's appearance in the big city of Chicago, followed by Rick's "WTF happened to you, little man?," and of course, T.E.'s saving the day at the end of the story, knocking Jibson to the ground with the "Father" to the priest witness. And then there was the richness of the margins. If, when you first got the book, you thought you might skip the margins, fuggetaboutit. Great escpism. Now on to something a little more challenging...
The Steel Wave
Jeff Shaara
The Bonnie Lea Book Club met on a warm October evening outside by the fire to talk about Jeff Shaara’s The Steel Wave. This book about the Invasion of Normandy in World War II did an outstanding job of giving personalities to both the men on the ground (Adams, Unger), and the men in the war rooms (Eisenhower, Monty, Leigh Mallory, Bradley, Patton and of course Rommel).
We asked whether any of us would have hit the German sniper, how the war might have turned out if Rommel got the defense provisions, armor, or personnel that he had asked for to defend the Normandy coast, and how many ways Hitler cost Germany the war. To our humanity, we had to ask, knowing the horror of war, how does war persist?
The character development permitted good discussions about differences and similarities between Monty (British – with very fresh memories of the Great War - WW I) and his deliberate, careful progress, and Patton, the impatient American who was probably let loose at the best time for him, when Germans were already on the run. Also the characters of Rommel and the assassination conspirators.
Several members had not assumed that the characters were non-fictional. Curiously, my mother who called right after the gang left, remembered General Gavin, including his young age, and subsequent work at Arthur D Little. Knowing they were real was an interesting point at the end of the book.
We speculated whether we would today respond to an attack on South Korea with tactical (or shall we say strategic) nukes? How about if they attacked Boston? How much force is too much in war? What was the justification of Dresden fire bombing? Vengeance?
The Bonnie Lea Book Club met on a warm October evening outside by the fire to talk about Jeff Shaara’s The Steel Wave. This book about the Invasion of Normandy in World War II did an outstanding job of giving personalities to both the men on the ground (Adams, Unger), and the men in the war rooms (Eisenhower, Monty, Leigh Mallory, Bradley, Patton and of course Rommel).
We asked whether any of us would have hit the German sniper, how the war might have turned out if Rommel got the defense provisions, armor, or personnel that he had asked for to defend the Normandy coast, and how many ways Hitler cost Germany the war. To our humanity, we had to ask, knowing the horror of war, how does war persist?
The character development permitted good discussions about differences and similarities between Monty (British – with very fresh memories of the Great War - WW I) and his deliberate, careful progress, and Patton, the impatient American who was probably let loose at the best time for him, when Germans were already on the run. Also the characters of Rommel and the assassination conspirators.
Several members had not assumed that the characters were non-fictional. Curiously, my mother who called right after the gang left, remembered General Gavin, including his young age, and subsequent work at Arthur D Little. Knowing they were real was an interesting point at the end of the book.
We speculated whether we would today respond to an attack on South Korea with tactical (or shall we say strategic) nukes? How about if they attacked Boston? How much force is too much in war? What was the justification of Dresden fire bombing? Vengeance?
Steve Jobs
Walter Isaacson
We began our discussion on Steve Jobs discussing what it would have been like working for him. Geoff said he never could, not for a moment, but Chapin countered, if he came to you and said, 'this is a singular life opportunity to change the world, and you're the only person who can do it�" would you? There was no doubt, he had an uncanny way to assemble A-players, and drive them to develop great ideas into revolutionary products.
It may have been Jony Ives who suggested that Jobs' greatest attribute was to take a vision and drive that vision through all the financial and engineering impasses, and spearhead through marketing, without compromising the simplicity and elegance of the original idea. We all agreed this close to the mark.
Jobs created truly new products that changed our world: the graphical interface PC started it all. Pixar changed animated movies and led the digital development of film. The imac brought us the PC as a hub, the macbook elegant laptops, and of course, more recently, the greatest art to music since the electric guitar, the ipod for music, and ipads as tablets, and the iphone for just about everything digital. The results speak for themselves.
Rob spoke to the difficulty, the tedium, and the mindset needed to get through software engineering: to develop a new process or function which might take ten-steps. The ten step process might have taken getting to step 7 or 8 a few times before realizing you needed to go back to step 2 or 3 to redevelop.
We talked on and off about Steve Jobs as a human being. Clearly he was difficult to work with in so many ways; and those who did most successfully learned to recognize the 'reality distortion field' as well as understand and moderate the extreme emotional swings. One human moment was near his death when he recognized how liberating impending death could be (a thought articulated by St Benedict in the 5th century).
The book was everything we expected, and knowing Steve Jobs better makes us all richer.
We began our discussion on Steve Jobs discussing what it would have been like working for him. Geoff said he never could, not for a moment, but Chapin countered, if he came to you and said, 'this is a singular life opportunity to change the world, and you're the only person who can do it�" would you? There was no doubt, he had an uncanny way to assemble A-players, and drive them to develop great ideas into revolutionary products.
It may have been Jony Ives who suggested that Jobs' greatest attribute was to take a vision and drive that vision through all the financial and engineering impasses, and spearhead through marketing, without compromising the simplicity and elegance of the original idea. We all agreed this close to the mark.
Jobs created truly new products that changed our world: the graphical interface PC started it all. Pixar changed animated movies and led the digital development of film. The imac brought us the PC as a hub, the macbook elegant laptops, and of course, more recently, the greatest art to music since the electric guitar, the ipod for music, and ipads as tablets, and the iphone for just about everything digital. The results speak for themselves.
Rob spoke to the difficulty, the tedium, and the mindset needed to get through software engineering: to develop a new process or function which might take ten-steps. The ten step process might have taken getting to step 7 or 8 a few times before realizing you needed to go back to step 2 or 3 to redevelop.
We talked on and off about Steve Jobs as a human being. Clearly he was difficult to work with in so many ways; and those who did most successfully learned to recognize the 'reality distortion field' as well as understand and moderate the extreme emotional swings. One human moment was near his death when he recognized how liberating impending death could be (a thought articulated by St Benedict in the 5th century).
The book was everything we expected, and knowing Steve Jobs better makes us all richer.
The Trouble with Islam Today
Irshad Manji
Does America's long history of integrating immigrants insulate it from Islamic extremism? A little (Geoff's conclusion)
Is Manji a true Muslim?
For all here criticisms, couldn't she have spent a little time discussing the beauty of the religion she calls her own? (Chapin)
Comparisons to the Reformation of the Christian church (Martin Luther, Protestantism) were made, but just because a religion has been around for 1400 years, doesn't give it a pass to go around killing non-believers (and partial believers). (Jeff)
Is there anything we can do to promote reformation? Mosques have been inundated with churches looking to engage them since 2001, and right now, there just aren't enough mosques to handle the entreaties.
What are possible solutions to the treatment of women? Micro loans? hardly. Education? There are so many men who are threatened by greater roles for women, a solution is evasive.
Economic incentives tend to get results in all societal contexts; the blending of religion and culture that gets noticed by sociologists, but what about religion, culture, and economics? This blend may be more powerful, and certainly gets results.
Other books to provide additional perspective:
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini (author of Kite Runner) for an examination of women’s rights in Afghanistan ;
The Looming Tower: Al Qaeda and the Road to 9/11 (Vintage) by Lawrence Wright (I borrowed Steve Lombardo's copy - excellent, very disturbing analysis of al qaeda)
No god but God: The Origins, Evolution, and Future of Islam by Reza Aslan (i read in a small group at church - good background into the foundation and origins of Islam)
Does America's long history of integrating immigrants insulate it from Islamic extremism? A little (Geoff's conclusion)
Is Manji a true Muslim?
For all here criticisms, couldn't she have spent a little time discussing the beauty of the religion she calls her own? (Chapin)
Comparisons to the Reformation of the Christian church (Martin Luther, Protestantism) were made, but just because a religion has been around for 1400 years, doesn't give it a pass to go around killing non-believers (and partial believers). (Jeff)
Is there anything we can do to promote reformation? Mosques have been inundated with churches looking to engage them since 2001, and right now, there just aren't enough mosques to handle the entreaties.
What are possible solutions to the treatment of women? Micro loans? hardly. Education? There are so many men who are threatened by greater roles for women, a solution is evasive.
Economic incentives tend to get results in all societal contexts; the blending of religion and culture that gets noticed by sociologists, but what about religion, culture, and economics? This blend may be more powerful, and certainly gets results.
Other books to provide additional perspective:
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini (author of Kite Runner) for an examination of women’s rights in Afghanistan ;
The Looming Tower: Al Qaeda and the Road to 9/11 (Vintage) by Lawrence Wright (I borrowed Steve Lombardo's copy - excellent, very disturbing analysis of al qaeda)
No god but God: The Origins, Evolution, and Future of Islam by Reza Aslan (i read in a small group at church - good background into the foundation and origins of Islam)
Twilight in the Desert
Matthew R. Simmons
Jeff Caira recommended this book about sustainability of the Saudi oil fields, particularly its super giants, Ghawar, Abquaiq, and Safaniya, to meet an increasing global demand for cheap energy.
The discussion began with whether the Saudis were justified in using the oil sword in 1973 (yes), and moved to why they don't make a concerted effort to bring the price higher than its current $60/bbl. One reason was the inefficiency of OPEC as a cartel. We spent some time on how to reduce our dependence on cheap energy, which led to the conundrum of how can a free and democratic society can ration a resource as broadly available as petroleum? One big concern Rob L raised was the fragility of the Saudi political system: a major revolution there could result in $120 / bbl oil, causing major fundamental economic disruptions on the world's economy. $120 / bbl oil is in our future, but if it comes at a pace that allows people to adjust, then adjust we will. Sharp increases cause the most economic disruption and pain.
Taxes a la Europe and U.K. are politically unfeasible (too regressive), even if gradually phased in higher gas taxes would reduce our demand for and dependence on foreign oil. Energy unencumbered by additional tax loads also helps many aspects of our economy run efficiently and competitively.
The second hour dwelled on what we can do, since political leaders have not provided leadership. Eating locally produced food, and consuming locally produced product are likely effects of higher transportation costs. Energy efficient homes (Robin's dream) and autos (Jeff's reality) are other solutions. For all the debate about whether global warming is energy consumption caused, if the concern forces us to be smarter consumers of energy, that would be a good thing. Oil is a finite resource. Now that we know that, we know something most people haven't bothered to consider. Be prepared.
Jeff Caira recommended this book about sustainability of the Saudi oil fields, particularly its super giants, Ghawar, Abquaiq, and Safaniya, to meet an increasing global demand for cheap energy.
The discussion began with whether the Saudis were justified in using the oil sword in 1973 (yes), and moved to why they don't make a concerted effort to bring the price higher than its current $60/bbl. One reason was the inefficiency of OPEC as a cartel. We spent some time on how to reduce our dependence on cheap energy, which led to the conundrum of how can a free and democratic society can ration a resource as broadly available as petroleum? One big concern Rob L raised was the fragility of the Saudi political system: a major revolution there could result in $120 / bbl oil, causing major fundamental economic disruptions on the world's economy. $120 / bbl oil is in our future, but if it comes at a pace that allows people to adjust, then adjust we will. Sharp increases cause the most economic disruption and pain.
Taxes a la Europe and U.K. are politically unfeasible (too regressive), even if gradually phased in higher gas taxes would reduce our demand for and dependence on foreign oil. Energy unencumbered by additional tax loads also helps many aspects of our economy run efficiently and competitively.
The second hour dwelled on what we can do, since political leaders have not provided leadership. Eating locally produced food, and consuming locally produced product are likely effects of higher transportation costs. Energy efficient homes (Robin's dream) and autos (Jeff's reality) are other solutions. For all the debate about whether global warming is energy consumption caused, if the concern forces us to be smarter consumers of energy, that would be a good thing. Oil is a finite resource. Now that we know that, we know something most people haven't bothered to consider. Be prepared.
When the Rivers Run Dry
Fred Pearce
Our discussion of When the Rivers Run Dry began with a criticism of the author’s fast and loose tossing around statistics in the first few pages�turning some off, including non-present but contributing Jeff Caira. We agreed the message was stronger in the anecdotes from around the world’s rivers, from the opening chapters about farming along on the Rio Grande to fishing in the Great Lake on the Tonle Sap, and that the variety of different stories about rivers around the world all pointed to a similar trend.
One stat that caught our attention: half the world’s population lives in the basins of international rivers. The potential for conflict for a resource that we consider “free” and unlimited, and is neither, is almost inevitable. When treaties fail, war often follows. The greater question seems to be what the conflict’s catalyst might be: food production (crop failure) or another by-product of water, the water itself�or something else. Witness the Kashmir, headwater of the Indus which supports Pakistan, or the Golan Heights, which hydrate Israel.
Another epiphany was China’s obsessive attention to Tibet. We all thought that the Tibetan issue was more symbolic than practical. But Tibetan snowmelt water (and of course rare earth metals) have strategic values for the billion people in eastern China.
The trends that appeared clear included: the agricultural demands for water are unsustainable if they draw from non-replenished sources (ancient aquifers). So how will all the people be fed? Malthus noted that human population is regulated by three things: war, pestilence, and starvation. Are Malthusian predictions finally coming near?
The final chapter – solutions - was too short, and could have been developed further. There may be solutions to the waste while still supporting agriculture; but regulation and respected international agreements will need to work. Problems seem inevitable from the waste of this limited but valuable resource.
Our discussion of When the Rivers Run Dry began with a criticism of the author’s fast and loose tossing around statistics in the first few pages�turning some off, including non-present but contributing Jeff Caira. We agreed the message was stronger in the anecdotes from around the world’s rivers, from the opening chapters about farming along on the Rio Grande to fishing in the Great Lake on the Tonle Sap, and that the variety of different stories about rivers around the world all pointed to a similar trend.
One stat that caught our attention: half the world’s population lives in the basins of international rivers. The potential for conflict for a resource that we consider “free” and unlimited, and is neither, is almost inevitable. When treaties fail, war often follows. The greater question seems to be what the conflict’s catalyst might be: food production (crop failure) or another by-product of water, the water itself�or something else. Witness the Kashmir, headwater of the Indus which supports Pakistan, or the Golan Heights, which hydrate Israel.
Another epiphany was China’s obsessive attention to Tibet. We all thought that the Tibetan issue was more symbolic than practical. But Tibetan snowmelt water (and of course rare earth metals) have strategic values for the billion people in eastern China.
The trends that appeared clear included: the agricultural demands for water are unsustainable if they draw from non-replenished sources (ancient aquifers). So how will all the people be fed? Malthus noted that human population is regulated by three things: war, pestilence, and starvation. Are Malthusian predictions finally coming near?
The final chapter – solutions - was too short, and could have been developed further. There may be solutions to the waste while still supporting agriculture; but regulation and respected international agreements will need to work. Problems seem inevitable from the waste of this limited but valuable resource.
World Without End
Take a tour of 1327 England! Meet the residents of the town of Kingsbridge, in southeastern 14th century England, where nobles aren't noble, clerics aren't all pure, and peasants struggle. This was our first novel, and a pleasant break from some of the meatier books we've been reading.
Several participants also read Pillars of the Earth, Follet's earlier tome, and while some argued that Pillars was the better of the two, we all agreed they were both worth the time to live in medieval England and feel the pain, the suffering, and savor the little victories of Follet's well developed characters.
One of our more provocative questions, posed by Robin, was "was the plague a good thing?". Clearly the effect on the cost of labor and the change that forced wage concessions by landowners helped the survivors leverage their value to landowners. The loss of labor intensive agriculture prompted the wool industry, as sheep keep the woods from encroaching, and made better use of the land which can support lots of sheep on fallow land.
This brought us back around to today's current commodity pressure and the great threat to the world's billion poorest from famine. Whether commodity inflation is caused by excess dollars or by demand outstripping supply is a debatable subject, but the reality of potentially broad and horrifying starvation is our modern day Plague. Once again, Malthus has raised his head. Is is Malthus, or Kevin Phillips who has the answer?
Note to club: If you have a finished copy of the prequel Pillars of the Earth, let other members know.. Readers of World Without End may want to borrow. Personally, I liked the time between the two so as to avoid comparisons, but both are fun experiences.
Several participants also read Pillars of the Earth, Follet's earlier tome, and while some argued that Pillars was the better of the two, we all agreed they were both worth the time to live in medieval England and feel the pain, the suffering, and savor the little victories of Follet's well developed characters.
One of our more provocative questions, posed by Robin, was "was the plague a good thing?". Clearly the effect on the cost of labor and the change that forced wage concessions by landowners helped the survivors leverage their value to landowners. The loss of labor intensive agriculture prompted the wool industry, as sheep keep the woods from encroaching, and made better use of the land which can support lots of sheep on fallow land.
This brought us back around to today's current commodity pressure and the great threat to the world's billion poorest from famine. Whether commodity inflation is caused by excess dollars or by demand outstripping supply is a debatable subject, but the reality of potentially broad and horrifying starvation is our modern day Plague. Once again, Malthus has raised his head. Is is Malthus, or Kevin Phillips who has the answer?
Note to club: If you have a finished copy of the prequel Pillars of the Earth, let other members know.. Readers of World Without End may want to borrow. Personally, I liked the time between the two so as to avoid comparisons, but both are fun experiences.
