Quiet, by Susan Cain

Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


For whatever it's logical flaws (judging from some of the other reviews), after finishing this book I felt like I could give it to other people and say "If you want to understand who I am, read this." (I've only had this reaction with one other book, Limbo by Alfred Lubrano.)



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Prodigal Son by Dean Koontz

Prodigal Son by Dean Koontz

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


�I probably haven't read a Dean Koontz novel since I was in high school. This book (which takes place in my current home of New Orleans) may not cure cancer, but I enjoyed it thoroughly anyway. Not the modern retelling that I imagined, Prodigal Son starts off a 4-book series about the mad scientist and his original creation, here calling himself Deucalion. The story is fast, with unexpected twists and turns. The characters all have some depth to them, and Victor Helios (nee Frankenstein) is your archetypical American villain--insanely rich, evil on the inside but suave on the outside (think Patrick Batemen grown up), with half the city in his pocket. I'm looking forward to the next one.



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Dear European Union...

According to media reports, you're all very concerned about birthrates, replacement of retirees, and such. You fear that you'll soon lack the workers needed to keep your economies going. Well, I'd like to volunteer my services. I have at least 20 good years of working life ahead of me, and I believe I have a lot to offer.

I'm a fast learner, not afraid of hard work, and a professional at finding and disseminating information (and have master's and bachelor's, respectively, in both). I have a stronger knowledge of the vagaries of English grammar and syntax than a large portion of the American population. My particular specialty is turning research information into something folks can actually read. I adjust quickly to new situations and environments. After moving from West Virginia to Washington, D.C., I am undaunted by a life abroad. I speak a little of two of your languages and would jump at the chance to become fluent. I come with a spouse who is fluent in one and conversational in another. I admire and envy the societies you have developed and would love to be a part of them. I want to live somewhere where evolution is established fact, alternative energy is pursued and valued, and fossil fuels are avoided if at all possible.

In exchange, all I ask for is a work visa and a salary that will cover living expenses (including kibble for my canine family members) and such.

Sincerely,
Mtnlibrarienne

The Canon

The Canon: A Whirligig Tour of the Beautiful Basics of Science by Natalie Angier

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Natalie Angier is one of my favorite science writers, and this book did not disappoint. While her writing style allowed me to understand the scientific concepts involved, it is not simple, eg, Science for Dummies. Her lush use of language, including metaphor, pop culture as well as historic references, and rapid-fire banter, paints a picture with words. I will never write with a pencil without seeing the chemical bonds breaking as the graphite molecules attach themselves to paper. Speaking of pictures, I found that to be one of the few flaws of the book (other than the fact that she couldn't cover the entire body of science). The complexity of the material involved could have used some well-done illustrations to better, well, illustrate the concepts she was discussing.



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Reading Challenges, January: A Slow Start

Not just slow, but pretty damn bad. I read one nonfiction book, but for my personal challenge of reading 2 books I already own: zero. I'm almost done with 2, but didn't finish either by the end of the day on the 31st. January was a rough month in general: I got sick at Christmas and stayed that way for more than 3 weeks. After taking an extra day or 2 during the holidays, I had to drag my ass to work. By the time I made it through the workday, I didn't have the energy for anything more than walking the dogs in the evening and staring at bad television for an hour or so before falling asleep. I couldn't concentrate for more than 5 or 10 minutes at a time. This, in addition to a shitstorm of a financial roller coaster, meant that I was pretty useless.

However, it's a new month, I'm feeling human again, and I have high hopes to catch up with my challenges. Plus, we no longer have cable, which can only help.

Bonk, by Mary Roach

Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex by Mary Roach

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Like any good science reporter, Mary Roach transforms the jargon of scientific research into something understandable by lay readers while still being informative. With the subject of sex research, her sense of humor shines through while still presenting solid information. At the same time, you can't help but feel somewhat sad that human hang-ups about the topic have prevented really robust and useful research on the topic.



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Reading Goals for 2013

Every year I strive to read more, being of the opinion that the more I read, the more I know and feel, and the better a person I become. To that end, here are my reading goals for 2013:

My central goal is to read 2 books each month that I already own, for a total of 24. Because the mister and I have a library that flows into 4 rooms of our house (not counting the books sitting in the bathroom, the garage, or on random tables in the house), my only problem will be choosing which books to read.

Additionally, I will be participating in the Non-Fiction/Non-Memoir Reading Challenge sponsored by Chaotic Compendiums. I'm aiming for at least a Bachelor's on this one -- 15 books. Because I tend to read a lot of nonfiction, this shouldn't be tricky.

Let the games begin!