Author: Roberta Larson Duyff
Published: 2006
Published by the American Dietetic Association, and book one of three towards my summer reading goal.* It is a hefty tome, close to 700 pages, and more complete than one might need. But if you are confused about how to navigate through a supermarket, or what appetizers might be a healthy choice in a Greek restaurant, perhaps this is just what you need.
Well written, nice amount of bullets, sidebars, and myth-busting factoids to keep it interesting. One criticism is the book makes the FDA sound like it can do no wrong. So, bring a shaker of salt (just not too much, have to watch sodium intake).
The information on nutrition was interesting and prompted some meal-time changes on my part. We eat healthy anyway, but one statistic worried me. Calcium is good for teeth and bones, we all know that. The body deposits calcium to build those bones and teeth, but only until about age 30-35. Okay, I can deal with being past the deposit stage.
But wait, the body still needs calcium all through one's life. If it doesn't get enough, it starts leaching it out of the bones! Thus, the bones become porous, as in osteoporosis. Thirty years after your bone-account is full, you fall, break your hip, and die.
Um, why didn't someone tell me this in my 20's when I could have been saving more! Back then my fluid intake consisted mainly of beer and coffee! Oh, and by the way, alcohol and caffeine inhibit the body's ability to absorb calcium. Well, I probably wouldn't have listened back then anyway.
So, the lesson for today: Drink your milk, eat your yogurt, and sip your soy smoothies every day!
*The theme of the summer adult reading program at the local library is "Gray's Anatomy". My goal is three books on health, nutrition, and exercise.
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Sunday, July 8, 2007
A Stainless Steel Rat Is Born
Author: Harry Harrison
Published: 1985
Packaged in a trilogy for the famous series, this book recounts the beginnings of James DiGriz, intergalactic rogue. Equal parts satire and silliness, the novel was very amusing. What I like about Harrison is he doesn't (in the two books I've read) write hard SF. No explanation of FTL, no excuses for mixing high tech with medieval style societies. It's just plain fun to read.
Maybe that's why I write in a similar way. I want to create something I'd want to read.
Published: 1985
Packaged in a trilogy for the famous series, this book recounts the beginnings of James DiGriz, intergalactic rogue. Equal parts satire and silliness, the novel was very amusing. What I like about Harrison is he doesn't (in the two books I've read) write hard SF. No explanation of FTL, no excuses for mixing high tech with medieval style societies. It's just plain fun to read.
Maybe that's why I write in a similar way. I want to create something I'd want to read.
Monday, July 2, 2007
Liquid From The Sun's Rays
Author: Sue Greenleaf
Published: 1901
When I visited the Library of Congress I wanted to find a SF book that couldn't be found elsewhere. Liquid From the Sun's Rays is not the first SF book written by a woman, but a very early one that is not in the utopia/dystopia category so popular around the turn of the 19th century. And very obscure (here is the closest relevant link I could find).
The story reminded me of gothic fiction, not because of elements such as horror and ghosts, but more of the many turns of the plot, stock characters who die and re-appear, as well as mysterious events and letters.
I had to read quickly since I had limited time (you cannot take books out of the LOC). The key element was "Memory Fluid" (aka "liquid from the sun's rays") which not only killed all the bad bacteria in one's body (bestowing very long life) but also restored to one all the memories from one's previous lives. This became a problem for someone who in a previous life was known as "The Kansas Plunger", a notorious confidence man who cheated thousands out of their money. The question is, can this man who admits to his past life crimes, be held responsible for them?
Alas, this is not what takes up most of the novel. There is a coup in a former-Mexican state (which has been annexed to the U.S.), issues regarding giving the "Memory Fluid" to anyone else, a strange case of love unrequited, another fluid that allows levitation, and a lot of talk about light, the divine, the universal, past sins, and so on (getting the drift here?)
In the end, the artist-previously-known-as-the-Kansas-Plunger is convicted, but the judge dismisses all charges. Love is still unrequited, some die, some live, and the coup is defeated.
Strange eh? But that is not the most interesting part of this book. The dedication is enough to make one wonder, not only about the novel, but about the author. It read:
Now, tell me there isn't a story behind those sentiments!
Published: 1901
When I visited the Library of Congress I wanted to find a SF book that couldn't be found elsewhere. Liquid From the Sun's Rays is not the first SF book written by a woman, but a very early one that is not in the utopia/dystopia category so popular around the turn of the 19th century. And very obscure (here is the closest relevant link I could find).
The story reminded me of gothic fiction, not because of elements such as horror and ghosts, but more of the many turns of the plot, stock characters who die and re-appear, as well as mysterious events and letters.
I had to read quickly since I had limited time (you cannot take books out of the LOC). The key element was "Memory Fluid" (aka "liquid from the sun's rays") which not only killed all the bad bacteria in one's body (bestowing very long life) but also restored to one all the memories from one's previous lives. This became a problem for someone who in a previous life was known as "The Kansas Plunger", a notorious confidence man who cheated thousands out of their money. The question is, can this man who admits to his past life crimes, be held responsible for them?
Alas, this is not what takes up most of the novel. There is a coup in a former-Mexican state (which has been annexed to the U.S.), issues regarding giving the "Memory Fluid" to anyone else, a strange case of love unrequited, another fluid that allows levitation, and a lot of talk about light, the divine, the universal, past sins, and so on (getting the drift here?)
In the end, the artist-previously-known-as-the-Kansas-Plunger is convicted, but the judge dismisses all charges. Love is still unrequited, some die, some live, and the coup is defeated.
Strange eh? But that is not the most interesting part of this book. The dedication is enough to make one wonder, not only about the novel, but about the author. It read:
"With sorrow in my heart
and
much pity for the weak
who put obstacles in my path
and
wishing my life a perpetual
slough of despair
I respectfully dedicate this volume"
Now, tell me there isn't a story behind those sentiments!
Monday, June 18, 2007
This Immortal
Author: Roger Zelazny
Published: 1966
The novel started as a novella with the title ...And Call Me Conrad. The novella shared the Hugo Award in 1966 with Dune (and as much as I like Roger Zelazny, I find that fact astounding, even if there was no separate category for novella back then).
This book is heavy on clever dialogue and big ideas, a little light on plot and character development, and very deep on mythology (much of which went over my head). And with this book, I begin rebuilding my Zelazny collection.
Published: 1966
The novel started as a novella with the title ...And Call Me Conrad. The novella shared the Hugo Award in 1966 with Dune (and as much as I like Roger Zelazny, I find that fact astounding, even if there was no separate category for novella back then).
This book is heavy on clever dialogue and big ideas, a little light on plot and character development, and very deep on mythology (much of which went over my head). And with this book, I begin rebuilding my Zelazny collection.
Friday, June 15, 2007
Gone Tomorrow
Author: Heather Rogers
Published: 2005
Subtitled, 'The Hidden Life of Garbage', covers much of the same ground as 'Garbage Land', though with more emphasis on the manipulation by companies to promote disposable items over refillable and bulk purchases. I'm often sceptical of claims of corporate manipulation, mostly based on the fact that we have free will as human beings and if we choose to be lazy and wasteful then bad on us.
For example, this book does document some things like disposable drink containers for which companies make large profits in the U.S. while in other countries in Latin America and Europe, the culture returned to or never gave up refillable containers. Bad on us U.S. citizens for letting it happen. Fixing the problem, on the other hand, could be a challenge since we've ceded so much power to those companies.
On the third hand, there is the whole Keep America Beautiful (KAB) anti-littering cabal, pushing for some 50 (!) years the idea that waste is the problem of consumers, not the companies that create the products. On the fourth hand, aren't we? I mean, if we didn't buy those cute Dora the Explorer bath sets with the toxic-to-the-environment PVC head/body molded around the shampoo bottle, then companies would stop making that crap. On the other hand...
Maybe I should stop now. I'm getting dizzy.
Published: 2005
Subtitled, 'The Hidden Life of Garbage', covers much of the same ground as 'Garbage Land', though with more emphasis on the manipulation by companies to promote disposable items over refillable and bulk purchases. I'm often sceptical of claims of corporate manipulation, mostly based on the fact that we have free will as human beings and if we choose to be lazy and wasteful then bad on us.
For example, this book does document some things like disposable drink containers for which companies make large profits in the U.S. while in other countries in Latin America and Europe, the culture returned to or never gave up refillable containers. Bad on us U.S. citizens for letting it happen. Fixing the problem, on the other hand, could be a challenge since we've ceded so much power to those companies.
On the third hand, there is the whole Keep America Beautiful (KAB) anti-littering cabal, pushing for some 50 (!) years the idea that waste is the problem of consumers, not the companies that create the products. On the fourth hand, aren't we? I mean, if we didn't buy those cute Dora the Explorer bath sets with the toxic-to-the-environment PVC head/body molded around the shampoo bottle, then companies would stop making that crap. On the other hand...
Maybe I should stop now. I'm getting dizzy.
Monday, June 11, 2007
Windows Vista Unleashed
Author: Paul McFedries
Published: 2007
At close to 800 pages, this is not a quick read. Some parts were fun, others rather scary. The only reason to read this book is if one has gotten a new computer. Because Vista just isn't going to be fat and happy on last year's model.
Published: 2007
At close to 800 pages, this is not a quick read. Some parts were fun, others rather scary. The only reason to read this book is if one has gotten a new computer. Because Vista just isn't going to be fat and happy on last year's model.
Friday, June 1, 2007
Bone Dance
Author: Emma Bull
Published: 1991
A good read. Felt like I had one foot off the ground for the first half of the book as the protagonist's gender is in question (which is developed in a very interesting way in the second half). Reminded me, strangely enough, of A Fistful of Dollars. Yes, strange association. The similarity is in how Sparrow retreats with broken wings (if you will), heals up, and returns to fight the bad guys. Another author I'll have to read more of.
Published: 1991
A good read. Felt like I had one foot off the ground for the first half of the book as the protagonist's gender is in question (which is developed in a very interesting way in the second half). Reminded me, strangely enough, of A Fistful of Dollars. Yes, strange association. The similarity is in how Sparrow retreats with broken wings (if you will), heals up, and returns to fight the bad guys. Another author I'll have to read more of.
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