I really enjoyed his structure of interspersing the narrative of his journey with short excurses on local history, geology, biology, etc. It made for I really enjoyed his structure of interspersing the narrative of his journey with short excurses on local history, geology, biology, etc. It made for an interesting read, and the narrator is a likable, knowledgeable, humble individual....more
This book is basically a history of slavery and racism in the South, which is fair, since those constitute such a dramatic proportion of Southern histThis book is basically a history of slavery and racism in the South, which is fair, since those constitute such a dramatic proportion of Southern history. The format is a series of vignettes of southern states or cities, usually involving the author's personal experience but then broadening into other personalities or histories associated with the place. Particularly fascinating is the author's recounting of language and phrases that are used in the South and how they are used. The author also mentions a lot of music and musicians, so much was added to my playlist. This is not a comprehensive history of the South (could anything be?), but it is a fascinating, insightful journey with a passion for justice....more
This book is mostly a series of vignettes of travels to interesting and diverse places. There is not really a philosophical exploration of the "appealThis book is mostly a series of vignettes of travels to interesting and diverse places. There is not really a philosophical exploration of the "appeal" of wild places, as he seems to indicate--just a series of interesting travel narratives. Which is just fine. His chapter on the Mars Desert Research Station in Utah was probably the most unique and interesting....more
I reread this for either the 2nd or 3rd time. Having been to Alaska and passed by Healy and the Stampede Trail gave this reading an extra level of resI reread this for either the 2nd or 3rd time. Having been to Alaska and passed by Healy and the Stampede Trail gave this reading an extra level of resonance this time, as I could better picture where Chris was.
People seem to either glorify or villify Chris. Maybe he was something in the middle, simply human. Capable, idealistic, charismatic, and also a little naive and underprepared in the way that most young adults are. I'm always drawn to those who seek travel and experiences over possessions and are willing to live unconventionally. Chris was such a person.
Krakauer tends to give quite a lot of background, stories of alternate adventurers, and even a fair amount of information about himself. You could see this as extraneous or as setting Chris' story in a richer context....more
This book was surprising and, on the whole, disappointing. Now, Muir is an explorer of the first rate with incredible stamina. And his enthusiasm for This book was surprising and, on the whole, disappointing. Now, Muir is an explorer of the first rate with incredible stamina. And his enthusiasm for the beauty of nature is contagious, causing one to look more carefully at one's own surroundings. And there are some interesting stories here, such as when he went glacier hiking and a dog followed along, causing him to do much to look after the poor pup.
However, at times his language is so effusive about nature that it seems hyperbolic. If everything is "amazing," one starts to tune it out a little. Secondly, a missionary accompanies him on many of his trips (or vice versa?), so this is, in parts, a mission narrative. He goes into some detail about the sermons preached to "the Indians," how they universally responded positively and confessed their own ignorance, and even how their own experiences prepared them to accept the doctrine of the atonement. I knew Muir was religious, but I wasn't so much looking for an account of proselytizing, even though he generally has a positive view of the indigenous folks he encountered....more
A friend recommended this book, and I was pleasantly surprised by it! Though the book is themed about "life on the road," it is about 60% a summary ofA friend recommended this book, and I was pleasantly surprised by it! Though the book is themed about "life on the road," it is about 60% a summary of Steinem's political work and advocacy. The travel vignettes--going back to her childhood-were interesting, as she considers buses, taxis, even over the road truckers. But I was most surprised by her political summations. Anyone who would dismiss her as having the shortcomings of "First Wave Feminism" has clearly not read or interacted with her material. She has a thorough, persistent, and trenchant understanding of intersectionality, repeatedly emphasizing that "sexism and racism can only be uprooted together."
When she first mentioned the indigenous people of America and traveling to "Indian Country," I assumed it would be a token example to diversify her narrative. Instead, she goes deep into the philosophy, culture, politics, and history of America's First People, showing her genuine engagement and true love for the cultures and the people. Towards the end of the book, she spends significant time summarizing the lives of certain indigenous women who served on the board of Ms. Magazine and became friends of Steinem's.
In short, I came for travel stories and left with a more nuanced understanding of Steinem's politics. She also speaks intriguingly about how deeply rooted traveling and wandering are in the human psyche because of our forebears; and also that travel gets us beyond the statistics into stories of actual people's lives....more
Different readers are looking for different things in books, of course, but this book was exactly what I was looking for. It's an intriguing recountinDifferent readers are looking for different things in books, of course, but this book was exactly what I was looking for. It's an intriguing recounting of various adventures in Alaska (her own and others'), but more than that, it's a lyrical and philosophical exploration of the very concept of wilderness, nature, and how we navigate our lives within and without "nature." She doesn't idealize nature and outdoor trips, writing honestly of the hardship and the "slog." She is also honest about her own life, her restlessness, the benefits and costs of that. I also appreciated her discretion, such as the chapter where she wrote of the struggles in her marriage without going into too many details--it was a light but honest touch that is not often seen.
But is is mostly the writing where I found myself! Sometimes books just meet you where you're at...
"… the way it feels to stand alone beneath some big sky, part of an unsparing landscape that unaccountably enlarges you, knowing that miles and days separate you from some other life you used to lead, some other person you used to be.” (p. 10-11)
"Every couple of hours I stirred long enough to peer outside [my tent]. Close to dawn, the quiet was liquid, something you’d have to push against to move through.”
"We do not find our homes. We map them inch by inch, story by story, day by day." (p. 191)
I could keep going, but in short, I appreciated the honesty and beauty of this book. It was just what I needed. ...more
This is an intriguing, brief amble of a book. It's not as thematically tight as the publisher's synopsis makes it sound, but Junger's excurses are alwThis is an intriguing, brief amble of a book. It's not as thematically tight as the publisher's synopsis makes it sound, but Junger's excurses are always interesting: stories of resilience, explorations of why nomadism is appealing, explanations of why states can never fully repress nomadic peoples, why walking can be a form of resistance, the history of indigenous groups in Pennsylvania, etc., etc. As he says in his book, he leaves out distracting, non-essential details, like when his journey stops and starts again, who joins and leaves... What matters are the moments, the vignettes, the reflections. It's an interesting, terse ramble of a book, like a good speech: Be interesting, be brief, be done....more
I should've written this review when the book was fresher on my mind, but I was RV'ing in Alaska at the time I finished it! I appreciated the blend ofI should've written this review when the book was fresher on my mind, but I was RV'ing in Alaska at the time I finished it! I appreciated the blend of narrative and social commentary in the book. I also respect the way the author doesn't pity the subjects of her book but instead recognizes that, though many of them may have suffered tough circumstances that led to them becoming "nomads," what sets them apart is their choice to embrace this lifestyle and to often do so with a sense of community.
There is something wrong with American culture and economics when so many people can't make a living and have to make hard choices between paying for food or paying for healthcare. Often housing is the most unaffordable piece of the puzzle. Hence the "nomadic" lifestyle. The author touches on it, but there is a long history of nomads being harder to control by the state. Freedom can be found in movement, but also a kind of vulnerability. What was revelatory in this book for me was the extent of the problem but also the kinds of community and cooperativity that have sprung up to offset at least some of that vulnerability....more
It's striking that the author is neither from Alaska, nor does he live there for all that long (about 10 years, I believe). But he doesn't claim any sIt's striking that the author is neither from Alaska, nor does he live there for all that long (about 10 years, I believe). But he doesn't claim any status that he doesn't have, and he uses that outsider/insider lens to good effect. In fact, I found his wanderlust compelling and wondered about the reasons for his several moves, which only come out in hints, bit-by-bit.
The structure of the book can be a bit unusual, in that it is more like vignettes of his adventures and that of his forebears who lived in Alaska, rather than being an in-depth narrative of any one thing. But this has the virtue of keeping the story from getting bogged down, and perhaps this is the only way to characterize a land as vast as Alaska through a piece a time. Anticipating my first-ever trip to Alaska in a few months, I enjoyed reading about places I intend to visit, as well as places that are not on the itinerary (this time, at least).
His writing is clear and strong, naturally reflective without being forced. I've read some books lately where it's obvious: "Now I'm trying to be profound..." None of that in Bernard's writing. Here is a person who has lived some life in some beautiful, tough places and is simply sharing some of that experience.
Needless to say, I spent some pleasant evenings in the author's company via this book, in the boats, planes, and rather short roads of Alaska....more
McCarthy powerfully interweaves his personal story of how nature provided him reprieve and healing from childhood trauma with a potent philosophical aMcCarthy powerfully interweaves his personal story of how nature provided him reprieve and healing from childhood trauma with a potent philosophical argument for joy in nature. Beyond merely utilitarian arguments for nature, which can only go so far, he argues that we must rediscover our joy and wonder in nature if we are to have a hope of saving it from ecological disaster.
In contrast to the brand of Christian theology that says "this world is not our home," McCarthy brings the simple facticity of our evolution in nature to bear in this argument. If, for 50,000 generations we lived in close connection to nature, knowing its rhythms and fullness, then we are are most ourselves when we are in touch with a natural world that is vibrant and healthy. Thus, to save "nature" is also to save ourselves for--in the end--we are one and the same.
Another aspect of the ecological catastrophe he highlights that I found rare and therefore illuminating is not so much species extinction as species diminuation. Specifically, this is the idea that environmental degradation has not only driven some species entirely out of existence but it has also so diminished the numbers of many more species that the fullness of nature is much diminished. This is from whence the title of the book derives: In his childhood, a car with its headlights might drive through a "snowstorm" of moths there were so many; now, they are never to be found in such numbers. He highlights moths, butterflies, and birds in particular, none of which are among my favorites types of critters, but my understanding and sympathies were expanded all the more so because of that. Now, when I walk, I listen for the fullness of birdsong in the meadows and even somewhat appreciate the bugs that swarm me, evidence as they are that nature has not been entirely attenuated.
We are meant to live in the midst of such fullness, and we starve in a famine of our own making when we don't....more
The book reads more as a travel memoir of a walk across America than as an explicit political critique of the military or the U.S. economic and politiThe book reads more as a travel memoir of a walk across America than as an explicit political critique of the military or the U.S. economic and political system, though those elements are sprinkled in. Mostly, we journey with the author as he shares pieces of his story, meets people along his journey, reflects on the complexity of human nature, and realizes the shortcomings of the nonprofit industry (it's "too vertical" and doesn't change the economic or political system). Fanning is a thoughtful and humble narrator, despite the fact that it's no mean feat to qualify as a Ranger, nor to endure the abuse he did once he refuses to continue fighting in Iraq. The sections about his experiences in Iraq once he refused to view the locals through the lens of combat are some of the most interesting in the book. His excurses reflecting upon social history along his route adds another dimension to his journey, making it a journey through the history of social struggle and not just across America. The ending of the book is poignant and symbolic....more
This book was a great blend of thought-provoking and fun, and my book club of seniors thought so too! It reminded me of Bill Bryson a bit, with its wrThis book was a great blend of thought-provoking and fun, and my book club of seniors thought so too! It reminded me of Bill Bryson a bit, with its wry sense of humor, but there were also plenty of substantial concepts to ponder: Does thinking about our happiness make us unhappy? Is happiness the highest good? Does happiness follow a "U-pattern" from youth to old age? What is happiness anyway? Some of the book seems a bit dated now (he was in Qatar just after 9/11), but you can't beat the mix of travel narratives, humor, and thoughtful introspection....more
This is a short book, with the pros and cons that implies. On the upside, in a short amount of reading time, you get a compelling story about a modernThis is a short book, with the pros and cons that implies. On the upside, in a short amount of reading time, you get a compelling story about a modern-day explorer set against the backdrop of the history of exploration in Antarctica. There are also a number of interesting photographs, both contemporary and historical. However, on the downside, the story is short and lacks detail. One wonders why the book was so short... was there not a lot of material? If so, why is a book warranted, rather than just a long article? Is the lack of detail to keep one in the dark about the ending?...more
Overall, this was an enjoyable read, and--having been to New Zealand myself--I certainly enjoyed the "return trip." For much of the book, however, theOverall, this was an enjoyable read, and--having been to New Zealand myself--I certainly enjoyed the "return trip." For much of the book, however, the author and her partner were staying in cabins and even a cottage, so it didn't quite feel like "wilderness"--or at least it was different from my expectations. But the final section of the book was their thru-hike of both islands, and that was truly sleeping out in the rough in their tent, and I found that the most enjoyable section of the book.
What I struggled with most in the book was the re-created conversations between her and Peter, which often felt condescending and didactic. Perhaps he, being older, spoke to her that way; but it also became the forum through which she attempted to convey her philosophy to the reader. Something about the format irked me... I would've preferred her reflections to simply be more direct and part of her writing to the audience, not "hidden" in faux dialogue between her and Peter.
Overall, however, the book is laudable because her journey and life is noteworthy. To be willing to shed a comfortable, "civilized" life to live how you want, to live simply and closer to nature is profound and rare. She shows great strength and courage. I also appreciate how she narrated her moral flexibility and struggles, how she was willing to flex her vegetarianism when living in the wild necessitated it and when she was hunting for her own food. She writes well of the hardships of living and traveling in the wild, and she is open about her own faults and struggles....more
Simply an amazing book! I am floored by it. Of course, it's an amazing story, as perusing the summary of the book will tell you. But it is very capablSimply an amazing book! I am floored by it. Of course, it's an amazing story, as perusing the summary of the book will tell you. But it is very capably written by Jonathan Franklin, who provides the perfect mixture of detail and pace. You get a sense of Alvarenga's hard lifestyle among the fishermen of western Mexico before he is plunged into his ordeal. Franklin gives you a sense of the monotony involved without the book itself becoming monotonous. Best of all, at just the right times and to the right extent, the author brings in the perspectives of various experts on oceanography, physiology, survival psychology, etc. to deepen the reader's understanding of what's happening.
In my opinion, the portion of the book where he finally lands on a tiny atoll and encounters two humble coconut gatherers is the most fascinating. The author captures Alvarenga's fear, disorientation, and paranoia after spending so very much time absolutely alone on the ocean. At one point, Alvarenga is afraid the people will eat him, simply because he himself has survived the last year+ by eating absolutely everything he can get his hands on! Alvarenga also thinks that he might have to work for a while to buy his passage back to El Salvador, unintentionally showing his humble, simple view of the world. We feel his struggle as he attempts to adjust back into the world mentally and physically, and especially to reconnect with his daughter, from whom he's long-estranged.
At first, I was put off by his "episodic" structure to this book, hoping instead for a more systematic treatment of the Pacific Ocean. But it is a masAt first, I was put off by his "episodic" structure to this book, hoping instead for a more systematic treatment of the Pacific Ocean. But it is a massive subject, so some kind of delimiting structure was necessary. And by the end of the book, I felt like most of the topics I was interested in were covered: various points of history, geography, geology, commerce, politics, culture, colonialism, etc. What a fascinating path through an absolutely massive subject......more
This was a fascinating and quick read about an appalling experience at sea. The author has a humble, slightly sardonic voice that makes him a likable This was a fascinating and quick read about an appalling experience at sea. The author has a humble, slightly sardonic voice that makes him a likable narrator. And even though he in fact was the "last man off" the sinking ship and did all he could to help others, he never sounds like he's bragging, and in fact later in the book he recounts what more he wished he'd done to assist. He helpfully gives lots of background about the fishing boat and fishing process without sounding pedantic.
The reader really feels like s/he is in Lewis' boots, watching as things seem to be going horribly wrong, yet most everyone (including the skipper) is acting so casually that it's disconcerting. Then all of a sudden, the ship is indeed sinking, and the crew is woefully underprepared. Compared to experiences like those described in "Unbroken," where the survivors were in the lifeboat for weeks, the survivors here were only in the lifeboats for hours before rescue. Yet, because of the extremely cold Antarctic waters and high waves (up to 30'!), this ends up being a far deadlier experience.
The author describes well his ambiguous estimations of the actions of his fellow crewman and the process of trauma they all went through. All in all, this is a very relatable narration of a horrible experience...more
This book was quite useful as a quick introduction to Chinese history. Of course, given its length and nature as young-adult nonfiction, it lacked somThis book was quite useful as a quick introduction to Chinese history. Of course, given its length and nature as young-adult nonfiction, it lacked some detail and complexity. I particularly liked the few glimpses into Chinese culture (the meaning of colors, the inventions, etc.), but mostly the book was about the various emperors and the intrigues surrounding them. If that got repetitive, I suppose that says more about the human lust for power than Mah's writing. It was interesting (and sad) to read about how advanced Chinese culture became at certain points in time, coming up with useful inventions and far exceeding the West, only to lose that emphasis on science and advancement. It's a reminder of the rise and fall of civilizations, when they get off-track....more
As others have said, this is a fascinating book. In a general sense, the pictures all show how the world has changed, and the text gives details aboutAs others have said, this is a fascinating book. In a general sense, the pictures all show how the world has changed, and the text gives details about those changes. Specifically, this book focuses upon the many negative effects that humans have had upon the environment through urbanization, pollution, resource-mining, warfare, etc. It's a sobering wake-up call about the devastating effects we can have upon the natural environment. This book is easily absorbed in bite-sized chunks, and it made fascinating reading over my lunches for a period of time....more