Book Spine Poem of recent reads

Since I haven't gotten around to blogging about the books I have been reading, I thought I would sum up by posting a book spine poem.

AntiCancer: A New Way of Life

Last fall a friend asked me to do some online research about what one should do in terms of nutrition and lifestyle choices when fighting cancer, in addition to all the doctor-prescribed treatments. I looked widely but did not find a lot that passed the "not hoo-doo" test. I'm using that term because my father, a medical doctor would refer to unsupported theory/practice as "hoo-doo." In other words I did not find a lot online that had hard evidence to recommend it to me.

This winter I saw a clip of an appearance on one of the network morning shows by Dr. David-Servan-Schreiber, talking about his book, Anticancer: A New Way of Life. He talked about his personal experience with cancer and how that led him to look widely and closely at various research about how environment, lifestyle, and stress can affect cancer. This book summarizes his findings and includes detailed recommendations on things such as what to eat and drink, the importance of exercise, and things to try to avoid. He addresses head on the problem of not having totally conclusive proof, but shows there is evidence for the effectiveness of his recommendations.

This is what I was looking for a year ago. I find the book both moving and persuasive. It's got me to take a look at my own diet and rethink some things. A lot of what he recommends is at worst harmless (2-3 cups of green tea a day and decaffeinated is fine) and at best could make a difference. My own brush with melanoma last summer gives me added incentive. I've always thought of myself as having a strong immune system. The development of a melanoma on my arm (which fortunately proved to be local in nature) showed me that my system isn't as strong as I thought. It seems reasonable to give it some help. This book offers some suggestions on how to do so.

Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri

In July I read the new collection of short stories from Jhumpa Lahiri, Unaccustomed Earth. As when I read her previous works, she captivated me with her ability to draw characters through subtle descriptions of their actions, words, and, at times, their thoughts. As before many of her characters find themselves putting down roots in "unaccustomed earth." Interestingly the quote with which she begins her collection (from Nathaniel Hawthorne) puts a positive light on that situation.

Still her characters often struggle to find their ways, sometimes with sad results. I found a couple of the stories particularly heartbreaking. As before, some of the characters stay with me, coming to mind as I go through my days. Her characters and their stories have gotten deep into me.

Choice Words

Now I want to write about a book I love: Choice Words by Peter H. Johnston. It is a non-fiction book that moves back and forth between my bedside bookshelf and the bookshelf by my desk at school. It is a book directed at teachers that reminds me how the words we use with our students carry so much communication beyond their basic meaning. Our words if well chosen can inspire and support our students. If not so well chosen, our words can undermine our students and our goals for them. He also talks about the questions teachers should ask and then listen carefully to the answers. This book is drawn from the author's experiences in classrooms with students and teachers, and their words echo throughout.

He begins the book quoting a poem by Herb Warren: Sticks and Stones May Break My Bones. The poem closes:

Sticks and stones may break the bones
But leave the spirit whole,
But simple words can break the heart
Or silence crush the soul.

Johnston's book illustrates the truth of these words.

The Other Boleyn Girl

It's been almost a month since I've posted. I have been reading, just not getting around to blogging. In part it's been because of some negative feelings about one book I read. It was definitely a case of not choosing wisely. With a little investigation ahead of time I probably would have known that this was not a book for me.

But the problem is that I have a long term fascination with the Tudors, particularly Henry VIII, his ill-fated wives, and his daughter Elizabeth I. I can trace it back to a visit with my family to New Orleans when I was 12 or 13. During an evening visiting various shops in the French Quarter, I saw a set of small dolls that represented Henry VIII and his six wives. I'm not sure how much it was the intriguing idea that he had six wives and beheaded two of them and how much it was the sumptuous, detailed clothing of the dolls, but I was fascinated. They were way beyond any price I could manage. I did, however, find a book Henry VIII and his Wives by Walter Jerrold at a used bookstore. That I could afford, so I bought it and it became the first of many I have read on this subject.

Now I know historical fiction is fiction and the authors take liberties. But in The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory, not all the liberties seem to me for the good. I had a hard time maintaining my interest. I've had this problem before where I am not really enjoying a book, yet I am driven to read on to see how the writer handles things. I was disappointed yet read on. I felt like I was reading Tudors 90210. These characters are so rich and complex. We know that from history. Yet somehow they shrank rather than expanded in this book. So after the first about 250 pages I found myself skimming, not reading every word but picking up the gist of the storyline. And that is how I finished the book. I did not look back but found something more engaging to read.

In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto

One of the non-fiction books that I am currently reading is Micahel Pollan's In Defense of Food. In this book he takes on the question of what we should eat to be healthy. He starts with a short answer: "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants."

Of course things quickly get complex as he examines how we got to where we are today with what real foods and not quite real foods are available today. He looks closely at what exactly is food. What does he mean by food? One qualification is that your great-grandmother would recognize it. He goes into more detail and really gets me thinking about what I eat in different ways. Due in large part to the influence of the food industry and the proponents of "nutritionism" (as opposed to nutrition), what we eat often does not meet his definition of food.

I haven't finished it yet. As I often do with non-narrative non-fiction, I have read the beginning and now am jumping around some, not reading it every day. Definitely another book by Pollan with a lot of food for thought.

Search the Dark by Charles Todd

I just finished Search the Dark by Charles Todd. It is the third in a series of mysteries featuring Inspector Ian Rutledge. I read the first two mysteries in this series several months ago after reading a positive review of the latest in the Raleigh News & Observer. I like finding a series that draws me in, as I can look forward to enjoying more than just the book I am reading. I found much to like in the first two books. I approached the third with both hope and worry. Sometimes a series run out of steam.

Fortunately that was not the case here and I liked Search the Dark even better than the first two books. These books are set in Post World War I England. The protagonist is a man whose life has been wrenched around by his experiences in that war. The war over, he has returned to his previous work at Scotland Yard. As he tries to move forward he realizes that, for him, the war is not really over. A fascinating (at least in terms of plot) remnant of the war is the voice in his head of a man, Hamish, whose death weighs on him. My hope is that over time Hamish will develop as much as the Inspector himself does as a character. The war and its effect on both the Inspector and others in the stories are major parts of the stories. The plot and its mystery are complex enough without being so intricate I get lost. I think what I love best is the fascinating characters whose motives I am constantly second-guessing as the story plays out.

I have read that the author is really a mother and son team. They certainly have developed a successful collaboration.