When the Mississippi Ran Backwards

May 19th, 2008 by Ed

by Jay Feldman

An exciting read about a massive series of earthquakes that shook the Mississippi Valley in 1811 and 1812.  The book covers the social background of the region including Native American relations, Slavery and the westward expansion of the fledgling republic of the United States.  The book filled in parts of my limited American history knowledge such as events that led to the War of 1812 with Great Britain and some interesting background on some of our former presidents.   It made me like Andrew Jackson a little more for his great abilities as a general although I still think he is despicable for his treatment of the Cherokee and other SE American tribes.  The book also talked about the early career of Benjamin Harrison who only managed to serve for about a month as president due to a death of pneumonia.  After hearing how he treated Native Americans as Governor of Indiana I am not so sad to hear about his demise.

The interesting point about this topic is that there are intra-plate faults that can wreak as much damage as any of the faults along the Pacific Rim of Fire.  Anecdotal evidence is included and makes one in awe of the power of nature.  I live in the Pacific Northwest and can relate as I was here the day Mt. St. Helens blew.


Posted in History, Nonfiction, Recommended Reads || 1 Comment

Into the Wild

May 9th, 2008 by Ed

by Jon Krakauer

Bean and I had seen this movie a few weeks ago and it really touched an emotional nerve for me. Emil Hirsch did an excellent acting job of portraying Chris McCandless. You really got a sense of the thought processes involved in getting this young guy in the predicament he ended up in. I am really glad I saw the movie first then read the book.

If you have not seen the movie it is about a young guy who graduates college and leaves his affluent East Coast background to go on an adventure across the United States and up to Alaska. Inspired by Tolstoy, Jack London and Thoreau he casts off the “baggage” of middle class America and seeks meaning for existence in nature. Chris floats down the Colorado river into Mexico, hops freight trains, lives in the Dakotas for a while driving harvesters and wanders the streets of Americas cities. Bean and I both agreed that he had some serious issue with attachment disorder in that any time some became emotionally close to him he would leave to a new setting.

The book gave a whole other dimension to the movie. Krakauer originally wrote the story for Outdoor Magazine but was intrigued so much that he decided to write a novel and investigate Chris’ life in detail. It touches on Chris’ difficult relationship with his father and how this may have motivated him to leave without ever contacting them while he was away. Krakauer also relates his own experience with his super-achiever father. I could also relate to Chris’ decision to travel and break away from family; mostly as an undergraduate. Krakauer also talks about peoples reactions to his story. Many were inspired by Chris’ motivation to search for truth and adventure and meaning of life. Others, many who resided in Alaska saw Chris as an idiot, who’s selfishness and hubris led to his death.

A very profound and thought provoking book. Once again see the movie first..I think they really complement each other


Posted in Nonfiction, Recommended Reads || 6 Comments

No-No Boy

May 9th, 2008 by Ed

by John Okada

Found this little gem in half priced books. It is a novel written by a local Seattle resident of Japanese descent that follows the travails of a young Japanese American man who gets out of jail after refusing to be drafted in WWII. It was an interesting perspective of a person trapped between the loyalty of his mother, who believed that her son was a hero and that Japan had won the war vs. other Japanese Americans who despised the young man for not standing up for America.

The protagonists family was interred during the war and I felt that he was hero for standing up to the injustice of America’s policy. There is also a character in the novel that states that he feels the same way and does not blame Ichiro for his decision.

The author of the book had actually served in the war for the American forces and had witnessed the forced relocation of Japanese Americans along the Pacific Coast. John Okada died in obscurity and his book was republished by the University of Washington Press and is often presented in Asian Studies in their curriculum.


Posted in History, Nonfiction || No Comments

Artemis Fowl: The Opal Deception

November 14th, 2007 by Ed

by Eoin Colfer

This is an intriguing series of books written for adolescent/young audiences and this book is the third in a series. The main protagonist is an Irish teenage genius who is trying to run the family business: a crime syndicate. The books are different and clever and a bit crude, probably more for a males liking


Posted in young adult, Fiction || 2 Comments

a long way gone

November 14th, 2007 by Ed

by ishmael beah

An intense biography of a young boy, growing up in Sierra Leone, who’s life is torn asunder by civil war.  He experience the horror of war and is abducted into fighting by the army.  While in the country, trying to return to his family he learns how to survive by becoming a drug induced terror.  Eventually he is rescued by UN relief operations and after a length of time to overcome his mental state he eventually comes to the United States.   A well written book but very violent.


Posted in History, Nonfiction || 2 Comments