Myths, Lies, and Downright Stupidity
Tag Archives: nonfiction
Myths, Lies, and Downright Stupidity by John Stossel
The Death of Common Sense by Philip K. Howard
The Death of Common Sense by Philip K. Howard: This is not a good bedtime read. It’s frankly aggravating, but I knew that coming in. This is, more or less, 287 pages of stating the obvious, but in ways that continue to amaze and infuriate anew. In short, there are too many laws, and more specifically, too many highly detailed universal regulations that don’t actually apply to anything in the real world. It was a little upsetting how this book reminded me of all the things I don’t like about my job: the idiotic paperwork and endless mandatory procedure that goes along with basically everything. This book simply gave me more reasons to roll my eyes. Sure, I didn’t quite see eye to eye with the author on everything – I am not quite as enamoured of the New Deal as he, for instance – but he makes enough valid points to give me plenty of food for (frustrating) thought. There is, luckily, a marginal amount of hope offered in the last chapter. I think the author’s purpose here was mostly to point out the inanity of the current climate, to show us just how far down the slope we’ve slid. I doubt we are quite as close to the authoritarian, death-of-democracy dystopia as he implies, but there are unquestionably problems with the way things are being done. This is a book more people need to read, especially those who work as bureaucrats and special-interest advocates.
Also posted on BookCrossing.
A Little Twist of Texas by Linda Raven Moore
A Little Twist of Texas by Linda Raven Moore: This is the true story of Moore’s month-long solo motorcycle trip from Silicon Valley, California, to Fort Worth, Texas. As with any adventure, things don’t turn out quite as planned but it’s a good read nonetheless, and perhaps made better for all the unexpected twists. This is different from most travel writing I’ve come across, in that Moore manages to be a tourist no matter where she goes. Her descriptions of all the Tinytowns and Nowheresvilles she encounters are as enchanting as if she were exploring Paris or Tokyo. Though there were parts where her seemingly limitless credulity got a little exasperating, it was refreshing to witness someone so enthusiastic about life and so unabashed in her wonder at the world around her. It was surprisingly inspiring and reminded me that the world is really only as mundane as you make it. It’s been a long time since a book touched me in this way. It makes me want to go on a journey of my own.
Also posted on BookCrossing.
Blink by Malcolm Gladwell
Blink by Malcolm Gladwell: This book uses a lot of words to say very little. Basically, snap judgements and gut reactions are the result of very quick processing of information by our subconscious mind, and if we try to think hard about why we feel the way we do, we’ll come up empty because that information isn’t accessible by our conscious minds. So we should trust our intuition…except that we shouldn’t, because our gut reaction can also reveal our inner racist and cause us to elect people like Warren Harding. So we shouldn’t trust it…except that many major decisions can and should be made using a very small amount of information, because too much will hinder your decision-making process…but you can’t know which information is critical without a lengthy and detailed study of all possible factors. So…trust your gut only if you’re highly trained and not under very much stress. I guess. I was tempted to put down this book several times, but the writing style is actually quite engaging, and I had faith that the author would somehow tie up all his suppositions into some kind of generalized theory. He doesn’t. He shares a lot of marginally interesting anecdotes, but I was definitely unimpressed. So if you enjoy arbitrary and often conflicting psychological conclusions supported by loads and loads of case studies from a large variety of fields (from New Coke to marriages to police brutality), you will like this book. If you’re looking for a cohesive explanation or even a concrete argument one way or another, you will be left wanting.
Also posted on BookCrossing.
Young Female, Traveling Alone by Anne-Marie M. Pop
Young Female, Traveling Alone by Anne-Marie M. Pop: Feeling unaccountably miserable living the life of a successful Westerner, Anna decides to leave it all behind to backpack around Asia. This book is comprised of many very short chapters, more like a series if memories than a cohesive narrative, and told in the blunt style of a personal diary. As someone who has never seen any of the places Anna visits, I would prefered a lot more detail and description, but I still learned a lot about the life of the solo backpacker.
Also posted on BookCrossing.
One Writer’s Beginnings by Eudora Welty
One Writer’s Beginnings by Eudora Welty: I confess, I have not read any of Ms. Welty’s stories. The only reason I’d even heard of this book was because some famous author listed it as required reading for all aspiring writers. Having read it, I’m not entirely sure why. Sure, it’s a lovely painting of life in early 20th century Mississippi, but besides making the point of “good writers can come from any background” there isn’t much to be gained in terms of writing advice. So while I may recommend it as a descriptive and nostalgic memoir, I would not include it in my personal list of a writer’s essential texts.
Also posted on BookCrossing.
Jump the Shark by John Hein
He was sent sailing straight over the shark.
The shark smelled blood.
The shark started to circle.
We spotted a fin.
But the damage had been done.
The shark had moved on to its next victim.
If hearing those phrases repeatedly does not bother you, then you will enjoy the abridged audiobook version of Jump the Shark
Also posted on BookCrossing.
Maybe Baby edited by Lori Leibovich
Maybe Baby
This book is a little lop-sided. A mere 18% of it is spent on people who made the decision to be childless; the “On the Fence” section is misnamed, as all the articles are about people who want children but for whatever reason do not have them (with the exception of the woman who has already children, but they are not biologically related to her). It should have been titled “On the Verge.”
A few of the essays stick out in my mind. One believes that while she practices it herself, childlessness on a large scale will mean the death of American culture. Another admits to wanting a child mostly because she wants someone who looks like her. Another talks about her son’s diagnosis of autism. But while there were certainly differences, I was struck most by the similarity of the stories. Sure, they’re all writers, but it went beyond that. A large number of them casually discussed their travels to far corners of the world, their liberal political leanings, their abortions, their passion for fine art and wine. Most of them also started their families relatively late – in their 30s or 40s.
Unless you are fascinated by the subject of parenthood, this is not a book to be read all in one sitting. The stories start to run together and more than a few feel tediously familiar. That said, I’m glad I read it; I still don’t want children, but now I understand a little better those that do.
Also posted on BookCrossing.
On Writing by Stephen King
On Writing
Many writing books are either discouraging (you will never get published unless your father owns Random House) or full of shiny happy talk about creative orgasms (anyone can write brilliantly – just let it flow). King finds a happy medium between the two. While he does lay down some strict but reasonable ground rules about grammar, editing, and reading (if you don’t have the time to read, he says, you don’t have the time or the tools to write), he is also full of solid advice and real encouragement. This book was recommended to me as something every aspiring author should read. I concur.
Also posted on BookCrossing.
Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
Bird by Bird
However, this book did not fill me with the heaping piles of inspiration that other writing books have in the past. Some part of me is now filled with the newfound fear that I am neither brave enough nor honest enough to churn out truly excellent fiction. But in the end, perhaps that’s not really the point. After all, if you’re not writing because you want to write – if you just want to be published and receive all the attention and reassurance that you believe it brings (which it really doesn’t) – then maybe you should be rethinking this whole writing thing. To the artist, the creation of the art, however anxiety-ridden or frustrating or exhausting the process may be at times, is its own reward. Sure, it may never be published and nobody but your family may ever read it, but you still can change lives. Maybe even your own.
Also posted on BookCrossing.