Monday, September 23, 2019
Dignity
by Chris Arnade
This is a first for me--a thought provoking coffee table book. Chris Arnade is a writer, photographer, and former Wall Street trader. He lives in what he calls the "front row" of America. Years back he started walking in an "unsafe" neighborhood where he began to meet and speak with folks from the "back row" of America. It was a different world than his, and the experience made him see the front row in a new light. This led him to see out back row communities in other parts of the country and, eventually, led to this collection of photographs, anecdotes, and musings on the social divide in our country. There are a lot of opinions about the divisions in our society and what to do about them. The problem is when one voices opinions about other people without really knowing them. The best solution to that, of course, is to go talk to them. Second best would be to hear their stories. Dr. Arnade shares a taste of that and gave me a chance to examine my own world and opinions. (and, let's be honest, prejudices) It's a book definitely worth checking out, except maybe for those readers who only want the other side to go away.
LibraryThing link
This is a first for me--a thought provoking coffee table book. Chris Arnade is a writer, photographer, and former Wall Street trader. He lives in what he calls the "front row" of America. Years back he started walking in an "unsafe" neighborhood where he began to meet and speak with folks from the "back row" of America. It was a different world than his, and the experience made him see the front row in a new light. This led him to see out back row communities in other parts of the country and, eventually, led to this collection of photographs, anecdotes, and musings on the social divide in our country. There are a lot of opinions about the divisions in our society and what to do about them. The problem is when one voices opinions about other people without really knowing them. The best solution to that, of course, is to go talk to them. Second best would be to hear their stories. Dr. Arnade shares a taste of that and gave me a chance to examine my own world and opinions. (and, let's be honest, prejudices) It's a book definitely worth checking out, except maybe for those readers who only want the other side to go away.
LibraryThing link
Labels: CheckItOut
Monday, September 16, 2019
Sons of the Profits
by William C. Speidel
This one's a snarky history of the beginnings of Seattle, written by the founder of the Underground Tour. Mr. Speidel has an entertaining mix of irreverence and respect for Seattle's founders. It's a book well worth checking out.
LibraryThing link
This one's a snarky history of the beginnings of Seattle, written by the founder of the Underground Tour. Mr. Speidel has an entertaining mix of irreverence and respect for Seattle's founders. It's a book well worth checking out.
LibraryThing link
Labels: CheckItOut, WilliamSpeidel
Friday, September 13, 2019
The Jungle
by Upton Sinclair
A depressing classic about working class immigrants around the turn of the 20th Century, exploring the deplorable working and living conditions in the Stockyards section of Chicago. It's a bit over the top, as one would expect from a work from an activist. (It also reminded me of the melodrama of 19th Century novels I've read.) But any single episode recounted in the book should be enough to make one feel outrage. Even if it's not an enjoyable book, it's definitely worth reading for its historical value.
Check it out.
LibraryThing link
A depressing classic about working class immigrants around the turn of the 20th Century, exploring the deplorable working and living conditions in the Stockyards section of Chicago. It's a bit over the top, as one would expect from a work from an activist. (It also reminded me of the melodrama of 19th Century novels I've read.) But any single episode recounted in the book should be enough to make one feel outrage. Even if it's not an enjoyable book, it's definitely worth reading for its historical value.
Check it out.
LibraryThing link
Labels: CheckItOut
Saturday, September 07, 2019
Jack Kennedy: Elusive Hero
by Chris Matthews
In my reading of Presidential biographies, I tend to gravitate towards the larger tomes. I want to get a broad picture of the zeitgeist of the day, and I figure that in a smaller biography, those details would be the first to be edited out. This time, however, I broke pattern and went with a book that was barely over 400 pages. Mr. Matthews didn't fail me. He paints a full picture of John Kennedy and the times he lived in. Based mostly on interviews with Kennedy's friends and co-workers, Mr. Matthews tells the story of the rich boy who struggled with ill health and grew up in the shadow of his older brother. Service in World War II helped shape him, and after the war he turned his attention to politics, creating his own style of campaigning. As I read the book, I got a better understanding of Kennedy's charisma and appeal. Growing up in the wake of the Kennedy assassination, I sometimes wondered if his legacy in our culture was simply the response to his untimely death. This book shows that John Kennedy did indeed help shape American culture, even as he wrestled with the events of the day.
I think I'll even keep this one on my shelf.
LibraryThing link
In my reading of Presidential biographies, I tend to gravitate towards the larger tomes. I want to get a broad picture of the zeitgeist of the day, and I figure that in a smaller biography, those details would be the first to be edited out. This time, however, I broke pattern and went with a book that was barely over 400 pages. Mr. Matthews didn't fail me. He paints a full picture of John Kennedy and the times he lived in. Based mostly on interviews with Kennedy's friends and co-workers, Mr. Matthews tells the story of the rich boy who struggled with ill health and grew up in the shadow of his older brother. Service in World War II helped shape him, and after the war he turned his attention to politics, creating his own style of campaigning. As I read the book, I got a better understanding of Kennedy's charisma and appeal. Growing up in the wake of the Kennedy assassination, I sometimes wondered if his legacy in our culture was simply the response to his untimely death. This book shows that John Kennedy did indeed help shape American culture, even as he wrestled with the events of the day.
I think I'll even keep this one on my shelf.
LibraryThing link
Labels: OnMyShelf, PresidentialBioReadingList
Monday, September 02, 2019
The Silmarillion
by J.R.R. Tolkien
This one was one of those classics that I felt obliged to read... one of these days. It gives the back story--the epic--back story of Middle Earth. One might call it a prequel to The Lord of the Rings. (With apologies to Professor Tolkien, whom, I read, considered The Silmarillion to be his magnum opus.) The book has interesting moments, but it failed to grab me and keep me turning pages.
It's a bit too dense to call it good waiting room material.
LibraryThing link
This one was one of those classics that I felt obliged to read... one of these days. It gives the back story--the epic--back story of Middle Earth. One might call it a prequel to The Lord of the Rings. (With apologies to Professor Tolkien, whom, I read, considered The Silmarillion to be his magnum opus.) The book has interesting moments, but it failed to grab me and keep me turning pages.
It's a bit too dense to call it good waiting room material.
LibraryThing link
Labels: J.R.R.Tolkien, WaitingRoomMaterial
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