5 Books about Ourselves and Our World: June Nonfiction
A few days ago I was involved with an email conversation with a
blogger friend of mine about the path our reading lives have taken in
the last couple of a years. We were in agreement: we find ourselves
turning more and more to escape reading (with some nonfiction thrown
into the mix) and less and less to heavy, deep books. Coincidentally, I
saw a similar conversation between two other blogger friends on Twitter
just yesterday.
Perhaps it's the political climate or
perhaps it's 11 years of blogging. I don't have the answer, but I'm
happy to know that I'm not alone. Today's post is all about June's
nonfiction that I still plan to read. I've made some headway on some of
these, and hope to have fuller thoughts soon.
Childfree by Choice by Amy Blackstone
(Dutton, June 11): This look at "redefining family" is written by a
research sociologist and professor who is herself, child free by choice.
Blackstone's book (and her research) explores why choosing not to be a
parent is still controversial, how that choice affects a couple's
relationship to their extended families and friends, and what it all
might mean for our world at large. Spoiler: she sees many positives.
Granted, you might dismiss her as defending her own lifestyle choice,
but Blackstone backs up her conclusions. You can get a sense of her work
and her humor on her popular blog, We're {Not} Having a Baby. Why I want to read this: I'm drawn to Childfree by Choice
for a couple of reasons. First, I too am child free, mostly by choice
and somewhat by failing to choose. Second, I'm interested in the
author's academic viewpoint, which I suspect will differ from some of
the more popular (trade) reporting on what it means to opt out of
parenthood.
Giants of the Monsoon Forest by Jacob Shell (Norton,
June 11): This is a kind of ethnography written by a geology professor
about the relationship between humans and elephants in Burma and India.
Most of us have two visions of elephants: wild and roaming the African
savanna or serving the tourist industry in southeast Asia or perhaps
doing tricks in a circus. In fact, elephants of the southern Asian rain
forests have had a long relationship with humans, similar to the Western
idea of humans and horses. They work with and for people, and develop
lifelong attachments to their riders. In this book Shell introduces to
the forests, the elephants, and the people who bond with them and we
learn how even though the Asian elephant is not bred to be domesticated,
these intelligent animals nonetheless help humans and at the same time
may save an ecosystem. Why I want to read this: I jumped at the chance to read Giants of the Monsoon Forest
first and foremost because I have a lifelong interest in animal
behavior. In fact, my undergraduate thesis was on nonhuman primate
behavior. I also have a love of elephants that I inherited from one of
my grandfathers, who liked all things elephant.
The Ice at the End of the World by Jon Gertner
(Random House, June 11): This book, written by a journalist, focuses on
Greeland's melting ice sheet and its implications for our future. Did
you know there were entire branches of science devoted to studying ice
cores and that Greenland is one of the places to go if ice is
your thing? Ice cores reveal not just Earth's history--climate,
creatures, polutants--but they also hold keys to our future. Gertner
talks about the island's transformation from hostile wilderness to major
scientific laboratory and then introduces us to contemporary
scientists who are racing the climate-change clock to recover as much
data as possible before Greeland's trillions and trillions of tons of
ice melt into the sea. In addition, he gives us perspective on what it
means now and what it will mean for younger generations when Greenland
at last turns primarily green. Scary and fascinating stuff. Why I want to read this: If you follow my blog then you know I love nonfiction about the cold regions of our world, so The Ice at the End of the World
seems a good fit for me. I'm of course interested in climate change and
the fate of our planet, And, finally, I've met one of the leading ice
core scientists (he's the husband of a woman I know through fiber arts),
and I've been curious about his and his colleagues' work for years.
The Way Home by Mark Boyle
(June 11, Oneworld): This modern-day Walden story, set in Ireland, is
written by a former businessman. Most off-the-grid memoirs have an
element of wacky about them, but Boyle's experience of living without
electricity (and thus without the internet) in a house he build himself
follows in the footsteps of Thoreau. He's no isolationist, either, and
his story is as much about life in rural Ireland as it is about
reconnecting with self and nature. It's my understanding that is also an
account of living without money (or very little of it), which has both
benefits and risks (though healthcare is less of a worry in Ireland than
it is in the United States, though I digress). Why I want to read this: I realize it wouldn't be the life for everyone, but when I was younger, I was drawn to the homesteading idea The Way Home
describes a similar experience. I also like the fact that Boyle is not a
cultist; he's just a guy who found a way to live with less in a world
that always seems to want more, whether that's money, things, or
connectedness.
One Giant Leap by Charles Fishman
(Simon & Schuster; June 11): This history of how we went from a
president's speech to a moon landing in less than decade is written by a
journalist. Perhaps in this day and age of technology, the idea that
United States successfully landed two men on the moon isn't all that
shocking, but at time when color television was definitely not in
every household, it was a pretty amazing accomplishment. Fishman gives
us the backdoor look at the people, technology, and politics behind the
moon landing. We visit the research laboratories, learn about how space
suits where made, and discover the engineering behind the Apollo
program. It's a story of invention and bravery and everyday acts of
devotion to the project. Why I want to read this: I grew up with the
manned space program and still remember watching the moon landing on our
family's (black-and-white) television. I'll never stop being fascinated
with space. This is the 50th anniversary of the first human to have
walked on the moon and this book is just of many that tell the story.
