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.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Monday, March 2, 2009
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.
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.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
