All posts by softie

Beautiful Creatures

June 4, 2010FictionFantasysoftie

After beginning to read Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl, I checked my hands to see if there happened to be glue on them. Use that as a warning. Once you start the book, it’s impossible to put it down.

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There is action after action and even when you close the book, what you just read stays in your thoughts throughout the whole day.

Beautiful Creatures can be classified under fantasy-fiction, and I would recommend it for readers between sixth and eighth grade. The book has a wide range of themes and settings.The themes include romance, wizardry, school-life,

the civil war, and many more! The settings go from an old town in South Carolina, to graveyards, to high schools, and even haunted mansions!

The book revolves around a high school boy named Ethan Wate who is living a boring and depressing life in the town of Gatlin. The book is also in his point of view. Ethan does not have a mother, and he spends most of the time trying to find out information about her. His Dad is no help either. He spends his whole life sitting in an office writing, never taking his eyes off the screen. Because of all this, Ethan has gained a large amount of independence. As you read, you will see how much this independence helps him in life.

The authors did a marvelous job when creating each character. Kami and Margaret made the characters realistic, unlike many other fantasy books. You easily imagine the people in the book being real and living life like

we do today. Each character is unique in his/her own way and that makes the reader pay attention closely. They all have distinct traits and you really learn a lot about how different people can be from each other.

Ethan (the main character) is continuously haunted by dreams of a mysterious girl he’s never met or seen. He is starting to lose control of his thoughts and even finds mysterious items in his room that he never had. The dreams Ethan has are very well described. You can really visualize what’s happening and it’s so well written that you feel like you’re looking through Ethan’s eyes.

The book isn’t only about a boy having nightmares. It’s also about a girl named Lena Duchannes (another main character) who moves into her Uncle’s house, also located in Gatlin. Lena’s family members are all “casters”. Now, the book’s’ definition of a “caster” isn’t exactly someone who cast spells. If you want to know what the real meaning of the word is, read the book!

Lena Duchannes is the new girl at Stonewall Jackson High. Everyone hates her because of what she wears, how she looks, where she lives, and the fact that she’s new at the school gives her a bad reputation. Not only do people think she’s bizarre, but they think her whole family is too. Well in a way, the people are right. Lena and her family aren’t normal. Actually, to be more specific, they’re not even human. Just like any other romance, the boy comes to the rescue. In this case, it’s Ethan who saves Lena from her misery. Nobody understands why such

a popular kid like Ethan would have interest in such a strange person like Lena.

The book just keeps getting better from that point. The couple constantly, become stuck in conflicts whether it’s with their friends, families, or even monstrous creatures. You’ll have to read the book to learn more about it!

There are some parts though, where it might seem slow at times. While reading the book, I felt there were scenes that did not need to be in the story. Almost as if the authors just put those scenes in to make the book longer and look bigger. Beautiful Creatures is still one of my favorite books read so far, and it is worthy enough to recommend it to a friend in the appropriate age group. Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl came up with a great story, and I praise them for having such creativity.

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Wolf Hall: A Novel

June 3, 2010FictionEnglish History, Tudorsoftie

Wolf hall The scope and breadth of this novel is immense. Hilary Mantel sets out to describe a tumultuous period in English history, not by focusing on viagra usa the main event- Henry and Anne- but by showing the struggle faced by those more behind the scenes. Thomas Cromwell says, late in the book, that worlds are not changed by kings and popes, but by two men sitting at a table, coming to an agreement, or by the exchange of thoughts and ideas across countries. And that is what Mantel seems to believe, too; thus, she does not focus her story on the huge proclamations or big meetings.

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She shows us Cromwell, alone at his desk, thinking and reminiscing. She details short, almost off-hand conversations between Cromwell and his wonderful family. And then, sometimes, she will give us fascinating debates between Cromwell and Sir Thomas More, the “man for all seasons” who was ruthless in his practices to rid England of heretics.

Even the title of the book is more suggestive than straight-forward. Wolf Hall is the seat of the Seymour clan, but no scene in the book takes place there. The Seymours make cameos, and Cromwell takes note of them, but Wolf Hall is a distant building for most of the book. Instead, it represents Cromwell’s forward thinking. He is grateful to the Boleyns for his rise in court and favor, but he does not allow himself to depend on them. He tells his son, “…it’s all very well planning what you will do in six months, what you will do in a year, but it’s no good at all if you don’t have a plan for tomorrow.” And Cromwell always, always has a plan for tomorrow.

I am not sure if I fully believe in Mantel’s reconstruction of Cromwell as a man who wanted only to reform England, and was so forward-thinking in his ideals. However, it’s understandable; Cromwell was a blacksmith’s son who rose to prominence at a time when everyone important was noble or royal. Of course he would want the same opportunities for his family and friends. Perhaps in the promised sequel, we’ll get the hardened and more ruthless Cromwell that people remember.

Mantel’s writing style drew me in completely. This book reminded me a great deal of A Place of Greater Safety, in terms of writing style. I don’t think I enjoyed it as much as that book, but that’s probably because the French Revolution

absorbs me far more than Tudor England does. Mantel writes so lyrically, so adeptly. She immerses herself in the period- the food, the clothes, the heat, the stench. She researched this book for years, and it’s obvious in the product. But she does not get bogged down by her facts, or by history. Her flair for witty conversation brings

her characters to life, giving them flesh and blood where history only gives them stark facts and wooden portraits. Yes, Cardinal Wolsey was able to tell a joke. Yes, Cromwell loved his wife. We don’t see those things, 500 years later.

The only parts of the writing that annoyed me, stylistically, were as follows: first, Mantel usually uses quotation marks to denote conversation, but sometimes she does not; second, Mantel uses the pronoun “he” too much. The first is just frustrating in reading such a thick novel because it can interrupt a rhythm. The second is confusing because there are often multiple “he” in conversation, and you can’t be sure who she is referring to, all the time.

Other than that, though- this book is great! Very worthy of the Booker Prize, in my view, and I look forward to the sequel. Lovers of epic, varied novels will be thrilled. Not only are extensive family trees provided, but there is also a five-page long list of characters. This isn’t the sort of book you read for ten minutes on the morning commute. It’s one to savor with a glass of wine.

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Living Memories

May 27, 2010HistoryKenya, Short Storysoftie

Living Memories - Al Kags The author tells the stories of people over 65 years of age who lived during the pre-independence times.

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Told in first person, he reveals small aspects of their lives, those he thought today’s readers would find interesting. He manages to bring out the unique tones of the people who talked to him.

Each of the stories make for interesting-easy reading but embedded at the back of my memory are the stories of Hussein Warutere (the last story in the collection). This is a ‘loo’ story that is as shocking as it is hilarious. He woke up after a siesta with the need to go

to the loo. Because of desperation, he ends up using the white

mans toilet. A white corporal sees him leaving. He is arrested days later, accused of assisting the Mau Mau by trying to plant a bomb in the loo. He ends up spending 13 years in hard labour; six in Mwea and seven in Manyani.

Al Kags says that these stories are meant for our generation. He hopes that as

you read them, you will understand and see yourself because these are our grandparents. He also urges us to ‘write the memoirs of the elderly people near you, or record them in some fashion.”

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Debt is Slavery: and 9 Other Things I Wish My Dad Had Taught Me About Money

May 25, 2010Self HelpBusiness, Moneysoftie

Debt is Slavery Great books are usually short, to the point, and interesting enough to cause even casual

book browsers to stop and think. Occasionally, the rare title does the aforementioned while highlighting uncomfortable, yet powerful, truths. “Debt is Slavery” by Michael Mihalik is one of those titles. Better still, its one of those books that is tightly focused on the

kinds of truths that can make a profound difference in the lives of real people – many of whom are struggling to navigate their way through our consumer society.

Let’s face facts, the recent global economic meltdown 9which is still all the rage in Europe) proved beyond doubt that the world is really badly off financially. people need to learn how to make basic financial sense for themselves.

Turning this around is no easy task. But, it starts with people, one at a time, educating themselves and then acting on the knowledge they obtain. Mihalik does the educating quite well by pointing out in succinct fashion many timeless truths:

Money IS Time
Possessions ARE a Prison
There IS an Ongoing Campaign to Separate You from Your Money
Money BUYS Freedom, and
Control Your Money or YOUR MONEY WILL CONTROL YOU

Most importantly, the short direct tone of the book makes it easy to read and then ACT UPON. So, read “Debt is Slavery” and ACT on the information. You will gain control of your life and free yourself from the shackles of debt.

Pass the book by, or fail to heed its advice, and the next time you pull out your credit card to buy something, or are tempted to borrow money, the queasy truth remains: Debt, indeed, is Slavery.

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Wasee Wasee!

May 25, 2010KenyanKenya, Mchongoanosoftie

Wasee Wasee Mchongoanos are very much a part of our (Kenyan) culture today as they were all those years ago during my primary school days. And it’s not only school going kids who enjoy this form of art but adults with a youthful heart (and a sense of humour) as well.

This book is

chock full of mchongoanos that you can use for every situation. Sample this: ‘Kwenu nyinyi mafala hadi mna patia kuku zenu

maji moto

ati ndio zitoe mayai boilo’

I’m sure you’ll love it!

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Halfway Between Nairobi and Dundori

May 24, 2010KenyanKenya, Romancesoftie

Halfway Between nairobi and Dundori This is a book that takes through the up and downs of being Kenyan and

in love, kinda…You will recognize the places, smell the places, love and hate the characters, incredible word pictures!

Muthoni Garland’s characters

are so sharply etched that you want to ask them for the fifty bob they borrowed from you last week. I can’t decide if I like it as much as Tracking the Scent of My Mother, or even more.

I wish it ended ‘my fairy tale’ way. But hey, life is

hard and gritty, no?

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The Evolution of God

May 23, 2010HistoryReligionsoftie

The evolution of God Robert Wright is an intellectually curious journalist and a fine writer whose previous books (The Moral Animal & Nonzero) I enjoyed. Wright’s new book explores the character of religion through history, and, marshalling scholarly research, shows how religious ideas developed in response to changing social and political circumstances. The explanations make no appeal to the supernatural. But Wright sees progress (however haphazard and intermittent) in

the moral dimension of religion through time, which leads him to speculate that this phenomenon actually points to the existence of something worthy of being named divine.

The bulk of the book is an interesting run new canadian meds through research findings from anthropology, archaeology and textual analysis on the topic of historical religious ideas and practices. The tour begins with a look at hunter-gatherer style animism and the role of gods and religion in tribal cultures, continues with an examination of the development of the various pantheons of gods in ancient civilizations, and

then tackles the Abrahamic traditions. In all cases there seems to be a plausible explanation of prevailing religious ideas and the character of God or gods changing in concert with the “facts on the ground”. As nations make war, their gods intone contempt for non-believers. As empires digest conquests, they co-opt the gods of their new subjects. More positively, as societies enter into non-zero sum relationships with a wider circle of neighbors, their gods become more universal and more supportive of a broader moral vision.

Wright also presents his own thoughts on what it all means. First off (repeating the theme from Nonzero), Wright argues that with the passage of time, humans have expanded their circle of moral consideration, and that this constitutes an arrow of moral progress through history. However, it seems hard to point to the evolution of our ideas regarding gods or God (more loving, less vengeful), and say that this adds anything to the story of moral progress. His analysis doesn’t provide evidence that religion drives moral progress – it seems to mainly reflect it.

Nevertheless, in the final section, Wright proposes that the existence of an historical arrow of moral progress might be evidence for an objective moral order which transcends nature. He argues that even if the traditional idea of a personal God seems highly implausible given naturalism, it might nonetheless point (however imperfectly) towards truth. His arguments for this position aren’t strong, however, consisting as they do of analogies and a repeated appeal that something special must be going; I don’t think many traditional materialist-atheists will be convinced.

This is unfortunate because I think his intuition is sound. I think that any naturalist worldview needs to be expansive enough

to account for first person experience and the meaning and values which arise from our engagement with the world. In any case, I admire Wright’s contribution in these books. And in particular I find his vision of moral progress to be inspiring. We can all hope that the forces of globalization in today’s world might promote peace, as we expand our circle of moral concern to finally cover the planet.

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Strength in What Remains

May 23, 2010HistoryHuman Strugglesoftie

Strength in What Remains Tracy Kidder’s book, briefly, is the non-fiction tale of Deogratias. Raised in Burundi, Deo lives a nearly idyllic life until the outbreak of ethnic violence in his country replaces Wordsworth’s “of splendor in the grass, of glory in the flower” with a living hell that makes Dante’s Inferno look like a pleasant winter destination resort. Deo, a Tutsi third year

medical student, flees Burundi, arriving at age 24 in New York City with $200 in his pocket, the clothes on his back, and his will to survive. Kidder artfully alternates between Deo’s fight for survival in the United States and scenes of the genocidal massacres

that Deo witnesses in Burundi. Deogratias emerges as a complex

and rich personality, more a testament to human resilience than a hero (though certainly not lacking in heroic qualities).

With serious books, and this is one, sometimes I get the sensation that I’ve put myself in harness, and in the effort to get the fruits of my labor I will be forced to trudge forward until the job is done. Strength in What Remains Behind is the opposite: once attached to the book by the first few pages, it will draw you wide-eyed and enthralled rapidly towards its conclusion.

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How We Decide

May 23, 2010ScienceNeurosciencesoftie

How We Decide This book describes the neuroscience behind decision making, and in particular the various parts of the brain that are involved in different parts of problem analysis. It is filled with interesting examples from real world situations such as airplane near-disasters, poker playing, and Parkinson’s patients, and uses these examples to illustrate various parts

of our brain machinery.

The book is an easy read, interesting, and informative. It is, however, a lightweight read. Do not expect

great depth into any of the studies

— it is more like a survey course or cliff notes in many respects. This makes it approachable for an audience without any science background, but it also left me wanting a lot more depth. I also found the concluding chapter to be forced… it didn’t really have much to offer.

I am glad to have read the book, but I didn’t walk away feeling amazed.

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