'Origins: How Earth's History Shaped Human History' by Lewis Dartnell

Origins: How Earth’s History Shaped Human History, Lewis Dartnell (4.0)

The author nicely puts together many things we may have heard or read in the past about how the earth’s physical features over millions of years have impacted life in general and human life in particular. Sometimes a bit dry, I suggest reading each chapter in one sitting to get the most impact. There were nuggets of important information throughout the book. My main comment is that many things were stated as fact that are still, in fact, theory. As we gain new techniques, we learn things about our past and I expect that to continue. I will be curious to see what might change in this book in 25-50 years’ time.

'Remarkably Brilliant Creatures' by Shelby Van Pelt

Remarkably Brilliant Creatures, Shelby Van Pelt (3.5)

I was a little surprised at the level of enthusiasm shown for this book. It is definitely a ‘feel-good’ book that is generally enjoyable to read. That being said, it is predictable and a tad far-fetched. I love octopi and real stories about their surprising natures. A giant octopus plays a big role in this story and is quite a charmer. The story follows a widower, a troubled young man and said octopus. That the octopus sees as much or more than some readers will figure out, indicates he’s both the heart and brains of the tale. I did find the story to be very predictable and the idea that the octopus was so smart was a bit much to take. If you want a relatively light book with an enjoyable outcome, this book will serve.

'Going Infinite' by Michael Lewis

Going Infinite, Michael Lewis (4.0)

I found it interesting that the drama following the subject of this book continued to the writer and the book itself. For those not interested in crypto-currency or familiar with the latest fallen wunderkind, Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF), Mr. Lewis started this book as a study of a company and person whose net worth became shockingly large in a very short time. It sounds like a Michael Lewis subject, but the interesting part is that during the writing (as the author followed and researched SBF) the company went bankrupt and SBF was arrested for major mismanagement of funds. I don’t think Mr. Lewis made him appear innocent in his writing, but he did seem to lose his journalistic distance as he struggled to account for why SBF did what he did. Sam reminded me of Rainman – a non-neural-typical person with one strength (math/gaming), no empathy (he had to teach himself how to smile) and zero interest or understanding of how people and businesses work. Bottom line, Sam only cared about the game, nothing else. Would you want someone like that in charge of a company worth billions? Really not surprising that it failed, and he doesn’t think he did anything wrong.

'Remember: The Science of Memory and the Art of Forgetting' by Lisa Genova

Remember: The Science of Memory and the Art of Forgetting, Lisa Genova (4.0)

Parts of this book are very reassuring parts are very frightening. Even given that, I do recommend anyone concerned with memory read it. The author is a neuroscientist and explains how memory works physically and procedurally. Her examples are familiar to us all -at various points in our lives. I particularly appreciated that while our memories are better when we are younger, we also didn’t get as worried when we forgot something as early onset Alzheimer’s was not a concern. She does spend a good portion of the book differentiating between normal aging memory loss and the various forms of dementia. Importantly she also discusses how to improve your memory at any age. 

'Reckoning' by Baron Birtcher

Reckoning, Baron Birtcher (4.0)

I found this story following an Oregon sheriff/rancher in the 1970’s quite engaging. He is smart and thoughtful but struggles from his time in the military. The characters throughout are engaging and feel real. The story is somewhat complicated, which makes it that much more interesting. Birtcher had included land issues, water issues, corruption and murder that will be familiar to those who live in the west. This is the third in the Ty Dawson series and I will have to read the others.

'Trail of the Lost: The Relentless Search to Bring Home the Missing Hikers of the Pacific Coast Trail' by Andrea Lankford

Trail of the Lost: The Relentless Search to Bring Home the Missing Hikers of the Pacific Coast Trail, Andrea Lankford (3.5)

Having hiked in the areas of California near and on the Pacific Coast Trail, I was particularly interested in reading this book which talks about several thru hikers who have gone missing while attempting to hike the PCT. The author, a former Search and Rescue (SAR) professional, does a good job describing the people and environments of the PCT. She follows 3 specific missing hikers and their family’s search for them. Along the way, other missing hikers are discussed. I enjoyed most of the descriptions of the people and understood the difficulties inherent in the searches (based on the basic wilderness aspects). I did get a bit lost on the timelines as the searches were multi-year and the book did not flow chronologically. The jumping around was a distracting. Sadly, resolution was minimal, the book is more about the journey.

'Sold' by Patricia McCormick

Sold, Patricia McCormick (3.0)

I wonder how reading this book would change if you were younger and less jaded? The book is labeled ‘young adult’ and has been on banned book lists. What was happening to the protagonist was painfully obvious for an adult, but I can imagine it would read quite differently as someone more innocent. Taken from her home in the mountains of Nepal, she was told she was going to work as a maid and make money for her family, but obviously she was being lied to along the way. The story was short and compelling, but very painful to read. I never agree to ban a book, but I would caution very young readers as the reality of her journey’s destination could be quite disturbing. The trite ending with a ‘great white hope’ was disappointing.