Book 207: The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion

 

This book made me laugh out loud. At the present moment, books that make me laugh out loud are something I appreciate. 

Don's life is compartmentalized, neat, and bland. He looks at life in such a utilitarian way that he's just moving through the motions from one day to the next. He embarks on a project he's convinced will help him find the love of his life (and, he thinks, a wife). Unfortunately, he's a little light on experience with women, and the whole thing goes sideways.

When Rosie enters Don's life, he begins to learn why his project is a lost cause. But through the process, Don learns what is really missing from his life. I won't ruin the ending for you, but I can tell you that you'll enjoy getting there.

On a deeper level, this book taught me something about "the best laid plans" that we all try so hard to put into place. As humans living in reality, we're actually totally and hilariously underprepared for this task, and Simsion puts all of our shortfalls on display in this lovely little book. Plan your heart out, he seems to be saying, But enjoying the ride is just as important as where you wind up.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I read it in two days (a feat for me at this time of my life) and I bought a copy for my permanent collection. I hope you love it as much as I did.                                          

Book 206: The People of the Abyss by Jack London

Jack London is best known for his exploration of the unknown. Today, he'd be known as an "immersion experience junkie." I came across this book while reading another classic and took a break from that behemoth to read this beautiful little book. I'd highly recommend The People of the Abyss. 

The East End of London in the early 1900s was a terrible place, rife with poverty and starvation. News of the conditions reached Jack London in the United States, and he decided to embark on a journey to see the conditions for himself. He boarded a boat in 1908 and rented a room in a safe house near the East End. He purchased ragged clothing and assumed the identity of a lowly laborer immerse himself fully. With an emergency guinea (about a shilling and one penny) sewed into his sleeve, he stepped out into the streets to experience life in the most derelict corner of the "civilized" world.

At the time, the British Empire was still thriving, and it claimed had landholdings throughout the world. I'm not sure how it was received at the time of its publication, but The People of the Abyss certainly made it known that all was not well on the home front. Jack London does a fair job of making it clear that none of the wealth of the British Empire trickled down to the city of London's neediest citizens.

Jack London visited the infamous workhouses of London and met other "casual" workers who were daily fighting for their next meal and a safe place to sleep. He wrote about the gradual weakening of the workers by hunger, fatigue, and unjust, arbitrary laws like the one that made it illegal to sleep in public places during the day. The situation was so bad that huge numbers of people were committing suicide or killing members of their own families rather than allow them to suffer. Until I read this book, I didn't know the history of the East End.

This book was fascinating because it was a snapshot in time of a region that has been the subject of so many literary, television, and film projects. It also struck me that the socioeconomic situation documented within this book parallels our own right now - how the world's wealth is held by the top 1% of the population and everyone else is just trying to skimp by. Jack London does not mince words - he closes his book with an expression of his own opinion that if a country is truly civilized, there should be no abject poverty.

This e-book is available for free on Project Gutenberg (go to https://www.gutenberg.org/) and you can download it in several e-book formats. 

Book 205: Retrograde by Peter Cawdron

Let's talk science fiction. If you've read this blog for any length of time, you probably know I don't read many science fiction books. In fact, I've turned down multiple sci-fi book review requests because I just can't get into them.

Well, Retrograde is the exception, perhaps because it is actually half sci-fi and half mystery. One chapter in, I was hooked. It was imaginative, other-worldly, and had a lot of solid research behind it. Mars is inhospitable for most creatures. However, it seems it is the perfect place for inorganic life forms to thrive.

At first, this book confused me. Then I realized the author was playing games with my head. He gave me tidbits of information at the same time the main character was getting them. While she was trying to make sense of her situation, I was along for the ride. I took every wrong turn with her, until she was able to determine the source of the problem. A male author, Cawdron wrote Retrograde in female-first-person-narrative, which is not something I've come across very often. 

I'd die before giving you Peter Cawdron's secret, so you'll have to read this gem for yourself. If you're confused, it's because the author wants you to be confused. Hang on, push on through it, and you'll see that it's all worthwhile.

Book 203: Permanent Record by Edward Snowden

Before I begin this review, let me say that I have multiple family members who are (or have been) in the military. Some of them would like Edward Snowden to rot in Hell, or wherever he's living right now. I can understand that. He screwed over a lot of people in the intelligence community when he decided to unveil some of the most critically important covert technology to the world.

On the flip side, the intelligence community gave this young man (he is now 37 years old) access to top secret systems while he was a contractor. He may have been brilliant, but he was wholly blinded  to the ramifications of his actions, as many of us are when we are young. I'm not making excuses for his actions. I'm saying we've all been there. (Perhaps not at his level - Snowden is the Michael Jordan of Screwups.)

I had read about Snowden in the news but didn't understand the gravity of his sins against the government until I saw the movie Snowden with Joseph Gordon Levitt, which was released in 2016. And then, like you, I got chills up and down my spine, and wanted to delete my Facebook and Twitter accounts. Like, yesterday.

Whichever side of the issue you're on, this book will alter your perspective. I'll leave you to come to your own conclusions, but here are my thoughts. First of all, Snowden's wife (Lindsay) should be nominated for sainthood. Second, Snowden has been through a lot, but he still hasn't learned his lesson. I was left conflicted. It seemed he wanted forgiveness, but he did not want to apologize that by satisfying the needs of his own moral compass, he put former colleagues in harm's way.

I'm still very conflicted on Snowden's actions, but I think his book was important and well-written. Pick this up if you want to be as conflicted as I am!

Book 200: A Beautiful Work in Progress by Mirna Valerio

I LOVE MIRNA VALERIO. She is the bomb.

For my 200th book, I'm featuring A Beautiful Work in Progress, a book about a woman that doesn't give a rat's ass that she is technically obese. She is a mother. She is a writer. She is a teacher. She is African American. And she is an accomplished marathoner.

Mirna Valerio does not play. She trains every day and has run everything from a plain old 5K to an ultramarathon (anything over 26.2 miles). She is known as "The Mirnavator" on the trails and among her social media followers.

Although there were many wonderful stories within this memoir, the chapter that is most memorable is the one in which she paid homage to her own body. Mirna talks about each feature of her body and how each contributes to her success on the trail. I think I was so taken with this chapter because most women just hate their bodies, even those who have perfect ones. After reading this chapter, I had a serious conversation with myself about how I feel about my body.

As women, we need to support one another and stop beating ourselves up. This book changed my life. I encourage you to pick up a copy, especially if you are a woman. The Mirnavator is inspiring. She is on Instagram and shares many aspects of her life as a marathon runner. Go to https://www.instagram.com/themirnavator/.