'The Fifth Season' by N. K. Jemison

The Fifth Season (The Broken Earth #1), N. K. Jemison (4.5)

It’s worth noting that this trilogy won the prestigious Hugo award for each of the 3 years a book was released. I can definitely see why the first one won and look forward to reading the other two. Ms. Jemison has created a unique world where seismic activity drives the lives of the inhabitants. Major earthquakes occur that wipe out nearly all civilization (the ‘seasons’). There is a group of humans (Orogenes) with powers to control the planet’s movement What is most interesting is that they do not run the world, they are the workers who attempt to keep it in control but are held in check by the Guardians. The social dynamics and messaging in this book are as clever as the world building. I find it refreshing to read something so different (what, no dragons, elves or dwarves in a fantasy book??) that puts our worlds issues in a different light. Very thought provoking! To top that the characters are amazing and how they interrelate is surprising without being gimmicky. 

'The Tribe of TIger: Cats and Their Culture' by Elizabeth Marshall Thomas

The Tribe of Tiger: Cats and Their Culture, Elizabeth Marshall Thomas (4.0)

This is a great book for all cat lovers. It was written years ago, but still has amazing insight to behaviors of all types of cats and how they are related. I particularly enjoyed the many examples of behavior in the wild and in the home- including the behavior of a wild panther in a home! Also interesting was the difference in behavior of wild cats she witnessed among bush tribes versus more recent animals in preserves. The cats appeared to communicate more directly when they lived amongst the bushmen, potentially a more symbiotic relationship. Her view on circus cats vs zoo cats is very interesting and probably controversial. While we may never know what cats are thinking, the author uses many examples to point to reasons for their actions.

'The Moth and the Mountain' by Ed Caesar

The Moth and the Mountain, Ed Caesar (3.0)

I enjoyed the history and love the adventure but am loath to give more attention to the main character. He reminded me of a recent narcissistic politician who plays loose with the truth if it means getting more attention. What a nutter. It’s crazy to hear that someone was so misguided to believe they could fly from Britain to Nepal (in the 1930’s and he had never flown a plane before), land on the side of Mt. Everest and climb to the summit alone (with no climbing experience)! A few groups had tried, but this was prior to Hillary and Tanguy’s successful trip. Again – a nutter filled with hubris. Oh, to top it off, he had to engage in subterfuge as the sane civil servants of Britain, India and Nepal were on the lookout for this crazy person with a death wish. The writer did a good job researching his journey, though had more compassion for him than I did.