Robin Wall Kimmerer uses Indigenous wisdom, and her knowledge as a botanist and an ecologist to write about the reciprocity in nature and a gift econoRobin Wall Kimmerer uses Indigenous wisdom, and her knowledge as a botanist and an ecologist to write about the reciprocity in nature and a gift economy. Photosynthesis and respiration--with the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide--is the ultimate gift exchange in nature. She also uses Serviceberries (Juneberries) as her example of the interconnectedness in nature:
"This pail of Juneberries represents hundreds of gift exchanges that led up to my blue-stained fingers: the Maples who gave their leaves to the soil, the countless invertebrates and microbes who exchanged nutrients and energy to build the humus in which a Serviceberry seed could take root, the Cedar Waxwing who dropped the seed, the sun, the rain, the early spring flies who pollinated the flowers, the farmer who wielded the shovel to tenderly settle the seedlings. They are all parts of the gift exchange by which everyone gets what they need."
Kimmerer compares modern market economics with its supply and demand, and manufactured scarcity with a traditional Indigenous "gift economy" where people share an overabundance of food. She wrote that "anthropologists who study gift economies note that they function well in small, tightly knit communities." However, we could start by sharing extra food or plants from our gardens, donating books to little free libraries, and eating in-season food to minimize our carbon footprint. Unpaid labor like family care and volunteering are also part of a gift economy, and promote a sense of community. Shared green spaces and public libraries are another example. Since most of us don't live in small communities, the modern market economy will still exist, but a gift economy will stretch resources and promote well-being. Sharing a basket of Serviceberries from a garden could be a first step. This lovely slim book also featured nature illustrations by John Burgoyne....more
In 1842, Charles Dickens and his wife, Catherine, voyaged to the United States. The weather was stormy and cold so it was dangerous crossing the AtlanIn 1842, Charles Dickens and his wife, Catherine, voyaged to the United States. The weather was stormy and cold so it was dangerous crossing the Atlantic Ocean, and most of the passengers were very seasick. He arrived in Boston and toured some of the New England and Mid-Atlantic states. The descriptions are unusual for a travel book because he spent a great deal of time looking at prisons, schools, mental hospitals, and mills. He wrote detailed, mostly positive descriptions about those institutions. Although we know from his letters that he was greeted in each city with welcoming dinners and tours since he was a world-famous author, very little mention is made of their hospitality. He seemed exhausted after all the uncomfortable traveling, especially when he went to see the prairie in the frontier of Ohio.
Dickens was used to the older country of England with established institutions and housing, and the British class system. It seemed surprising to him to find so many people living on the edge because they were new immigrants, or were homesteading in the forests or the prairies with no real support.
The highlight of his trip was Niagara Falls. He visited several cities in Canada, and the travel was easier by boat through the Great Lakes. Dickens also directed and acted in three short plays for charity while he stayed in Montreal. He seemed happier and more relaxed in Canada which was part of the British Empire at that time. Dickens and his wife had calmer seas for the return trip back to England.
The book has a section about slavery at the end. Dickens never went any further south than Virginia because slavery sickened him. He thought that tolerating slavery corrupted the character of a nation. He also held negative views of the press, and was disgusted by the habit of spitting chewing tobacco.
Dickens was not happy--with good reason--that the United States did not have an international copyright law. His books were pirated by anyone who wanted to print them. He had hoped to influence the government, but had little success.
The observant Dickens noticed little details, and some of his observations added humor to the account. It was interesting to see America through the eyes of someone who was traveling almost two centuries ago. Dickens, a social activist, was probably one of the few travelers who asked to see the prisons when he arrived in a city!...more
"The Comfort of Crows" is a glorious celebration of the natural world written in lovely prose. The book follows the 52 weeks of the year starting with"The Comfort of Crows" is a glorious celebration of the natural world written in lovely prose. The book follows the 52 weeks of the year starting with the winter season. There are 52 essays, and 26 additional mini-essays labeled "Praise Songs" which seem to be a spiritual reflection on a special experience that touched the author, Margaret Renkl. The author's brother, artist Billy Renkl, created 53 beautiful color illustrations, mostly collages.
Renkl's yard in Tennessee is planted mostly in wildflowers and trees. There are also carefully chosen plants in her gardens that provide nourishment and hiding places for birds, bees, butterflies, and other wildlife. Renkl writes about the interdependence of living creatures, and the cycle of life. She also writes about her family--the deaths of her grandparents and parents, aging, weekends at a cabin with her husband, the joy of raising her three sons and spending precious time with them during the pandemic.
While I admire her connection with nature outside, I was surprised that she keeps a potted plant containing a spider who spins a web around the plant's leaves sitting on her writing desk. Her writing desk is also home to a worm composter which turns kitchen scraps into dirt. She gives helpful ideas for being a friend of nature, some very simple like leaving out water during a heat wave.
"The Comfort of Crows" is a reminder to be more aware of nature during the four seasons. When the troubles of the world seem overwhelming, some time reflecting on the beauty of nature can be a source of peace. Although I read a borrowed book quickly, this would be a lovely gift so someone could read it slowly and thoughtfully during the 52 weeks of the year. 4.5 stars, rounded up....more
It was a race against time to save the life of Dr Thomas Patterson whose body was invaded by a superbug resistant to antibiotics. When he and his wifeIt was a race against time to save the life of Dr Thomas Patterson whose body was invaded by a superbug resistant to antibiotics. When he and his wife, Dr Steffanie Strathdee, were vacationing in Egypt, Tom was struck with pancreatitis and one of the most dangerous bacteria in the world. Medevac teams took him first to Germany, then later to the hospital at the University of California San Diego.
Steff was both a loving, concerned wife and a top scientist - an infectious disease epidemiologist and professor at UCSD. Tom was a psychology professor at UCSD. As her husband's condition deteriorated, Steff researched alternative medical therapies. She and the team of doctors collaborated with phage researchers who worked day and night to create a phage cocktail specific for Tom's infection. A bacteriophage is a "virus that will eat bacteria by injecting their DNA into them and turning them into phage manufacturing plants." The bacteria die and the phage virus multiplies. Phage therapy has been used in Poland, Russia, and Georgia, mainly by the military, but not in the United States. A history of phage research was also included in the book.
The book was a warning against overuse of antibiotics. Emergence of superbugs is a global emergency. For years antibiotics have been used to promote growth in livestock. Although this practice has now been banned in the United States, important antibiotics are still being used in some other countries as a growth enhancer in animals.
I'm glad that Tom Patterson's name was on the cover of the book as a co-author so I knew he lived through this frightening ordeal. Tom's resilience, family love, the dedication of the hospital staff, and the collaboration between world-class scientists, the FDA, and the doctors all contributed to his recovery. Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction, and "The Perfect Predator" was as riveting as a thriller....more
Maya Angelou's collection of short essays is inspirational and full of wisdom. She writes from the view of an African American and a woman, but anyoneMaya Angelou's collection of short essays is inspirational and full of wisdom. She writes from the view of an African American and a woman, but anyone could appreciate her thoughts. She's willing to share experiences from her journey through life to illustrate her ideas. Her writing has a timeless quality although the book was published in 1993.
The title is taken from the lyrics of an African American spiritual about life's journey. The chorus of the song is:
"Oh, I wouldn't take nothin' for my journey now Gotta make it to Heaven somehow Though the devil tempts me and he tried to turn me around He's offered everything that's got a name All the wealth I want and worldly fame If I could, still I wouldn't take nothin' for my journey now"...more
Valerie Biden Owens' heartwarming memoir tells about growing up as the younger sister of President Joe Biden. Their close Irish Catholic family in DelValerie Biden Owens' heartwarming memoir tells about growing up as the younger sister of President Joe Biden. Their close Irish Catholic family in Delaware emphasized the importance of family, and always being there to help each other. Owens says that her earliest memories are of her brother Joe watching out for her welfare. When Joe's first wife and daughter died in a 1972 auto accident, she was there to help him, moving in to care for his two motherless boys. Owens was Joe's longtime campaign manager, good friend, and trusted advisor. She also has a close relationship with her other brothers, Jimmy and Frankie. After raising her three children with her husband, Jack, she also worked as a political media consultant and trained women in developing countries through the Women's Campaign International.
Owens is a good storyteller, and wrote amusing anecdotes about the four Biden siblings as children before moving on to their even more interesting adult lives. She also tells about the difficult times such as pressure-filled campaigns, and the loss of Joe's oldest son, Beau, to cancer. Owens faith, strong family ties, and humor keep her steady. She notes the declining empathy in this country, not so much on an individual level, but on a societal level. The country has become divided, and the pandemic keeps people isolated so simple acts of kindness are especially important now. Having a kind heart was one of the most important things she learned growing up Biden.
Thank you to Celadon Books for the opportunity to read this enjoyable Advanced Readers Copy. Publication date is April 12, 2022....more
Speck is a terror--a half-blind stray dog that won't behave. But the starving dog arrived at the Bragg's Alabama farm just when he was needed. Rick waSpeck is a terror--a half-blind stray dog that won't behave. But the starving dog arrived at the Bragg's Alabama farm just when he was needed. Rick was in remission from non-Hodgkin's lymphoma after going through the hell of chemo, and isolating with his mother during the pandemic. Speck helped fill up the hours that would have been spent feeling depressed. Speck is part Australian shepherd who feels that he's needed to herd the kittens and the donkeys. The dog offered love, and laughter at his crazy antics. Speck and Rick needed each other's company to heal.
Rick Bragg shows shows a great love for his family, his adopted dog, and his Southern roots. He also writes about his close relationship with his older brother, Sam, who recently died. "The Speckled Beauty" is a warm story full of humor told by a man with a big heart....more
Mamie Dickens, the older daughter of Charles Dickens, wrote a slim, engaging memoir. She showed him as an affectionate father, but barely mentioned heMamie Dickens, the older daughter of Charles Dickens, wrote a slim, engaging memoir. She showed him as an affectionate father, but barely mentioned her mother and did not reveal any family secrets. Mamie regarded her father as a talented, energetic man who loved to entertain and spent time with his children. There were also lots of amusing anecdotes about Dickens and the family pets.
Dickens loved his home, "Gads Hill," which he admired even as a child. It was always full of children, other relatives, and visiting friends. It's amazing that he found time to write with all the activity around him. Mamie remembers how her father became emotionally involved with his characters, and found it difficult to write about his child characters' deaths.
In the first chapter, Mamie set the tone for the rest of the book:
"In what I write about my father I shall depend chiefly upon my own memory of him, for I wish no other or dearer remembrance. My love for my father has never been touched or approached by any other love. I hold him in my heart of hearts as a man apart from all other men, as one apart from all other beings."...more