Book 55: The Shallows

Maybe this book should be subtitled: What Everything is Doing to Our Brains.



The first part of the book went into great detail about neuroplasticity and how every new technology (including something as basic as a writing system or a hammer) affects the brain. Long ago, Socrates was worried that writing ideas down would have negative effects on thinking and ideas. And yes, writing things down and being able to read them did change the brain, but I don't think most of us would consider that a problem. (Like Socrates, I prefer to sing hymns from memory, rather than reading from a hymnbook.)

I really enjoyed the book, even as a digital immigrant. Even my little analog brain is affected by the division of attention and the constant input of the web. The effects will be even greater for digital natives like my kidlets.

Book 54: The Feminine Mystique

I decided I needed to read this if I wanted to consider myself a feminist, so that I knew more about what feminism means. I'm not a 50s housewife; I only play one on TV.



The first few chapters were especially good and eye-opening. Later, it got a little bit dated (homosexuality and autism caused by an overly-attached, immature mother?!). But the final chapter, which included suggestions for ways women can find meaningful, creative ways to enrich their lives, was great as well.

Book 53: Coming Out of the Ice

Didja think I was going to stop reading? It felt (to me) like a long pause between books 52 and 53.

Maybe it was because I kept trying to quit listening to this book. I tried to quit twice within about half an hour the other day. But I always went back because I just had to know what happened.




This is a memoir by Victor Herman, an American man who went, with his family, to the Soviet Union in 1931. His father helped to run a Ford auto plant in Nizhny Novgorod. And, well, bad things started to happen. Any one of them probably should have killed Victor, but he was pretty much indestructible, so he survived assault after assault.

Victor's relationship to his wife, his daughters, his father, and his mother are beautiful aspects of the book.

Book 52: 1493

Hooray! Book 52! Now I don't have to read again until January 1, 2013!

Yeah, not really. That would be a challenge: "Catherine's Zero Book Challenge for the Last Four Months of 2012".



Anyway, back to 1493.  The content of this book was amazing. There really is no aspect of our lives that is not touched by the "Columbian Exchange", or the transfer of people, animals, insects, diseases, and goods around the world that began with Colombus' voyage. The writing was a bit dry sometimes.

Book 51: Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can't Stop Talking

Lots of people I know have recommended this book, and it was great, particularly if you are an introvert, or know someone who is (and that really is everyone, since a third to a half of all people are introverts). Personally, I lean a bit toward the introvert side of the spectrum.



One of my favorite parts was about Asian students tending to be more introverted and their perceptions of classroom discussions being a waste of time because student comments can sometimes be nonsense. If you've ever been in a (ridiculous) class where you were graded on your participation (ugh), you have probably seen that in action. It makes me wonder a bit about what my Asian students *really* thought of my classes when I was teaching.

A lot of the Western world is geared toward extroverts, so it's good to be reminded that being introverted does not equal a deficient personality.

Book 50: Farm City

You may have seen me walking around town this week alone, laughing aloud. It was thanks to this audio book.



Novella Carpenter started an urban farm in a run-down neighborhood in downtown Oakland and wrote about her experiences.

Apparently, chickens are the gateway drug in the urban farm. Next, I may be getting a beehive (well, yes, that thought has crossed my mind) and maybe some rabbits. To eat. Gulp.

Today:

Tomorrow?

Book 49: The First Twenty Minutes

If you need more encouragement to exercise, then this is the book for you. Interested in better cognition? Longer telomeres? No shrinking *ahem* gonads?



The book summarizes much of the current research on exercise: that it slows aging, improves cognition, prevents and treats a bunch of diseases and disorders, and improves longevity and the quality of those additional years. I'll take it all!

The book also discusses why exercise alone won't always help you lose weight, why lots of us don't like to exercise, and why being active throughout the day and not just in an isolated bout of activity is most beneficial.