1. OUTLAW TALES OF COLORADO – True Stories of Colorado’s Notorious Robbers, Rustlers, and Bandits by Jan Murphy.
I was meaning to finish this book and get on to others last year. I was meaning to do a lot of things! The book is short and easy to read I’m just having a tough time over the holidays, etc. The other week I had off from work with the flu. Great – time to read, right? Wrong. Time to sleep and feel miserable!  ( I did get to finish – otherwise it wouldn’t be listed here – just a note to authors…)  I enjoyed the stories and characters of young Colorado – a place thought too mountainy and dry till gold was found there in the 1850’s. I may be prejudiced (Jan is my cousin), but she has a nice style and way of turning a phrase. From the Introduction, page x:
“Across from it, on the other bank, another town called Auraria began. Suddenly, as more gold and silver was found in “them thar hills,” the population swelled.”                 There, she takes a cliche, and makes the romance of the era come to life. (perhaps you need more of the context, I don’t know, but I found it engaging)
2. CAR LIVING YOUR WAY – Stories and Practical Tips From Those Who Have Been Down the Road by AJ Heim        Really, that pretty much says it. It runs the gamut on what one can expect to experience.   I thought the chapter on Feng Shui was going to be goofy but it ended up being one of my favorites. Some of the stories are amazing.            My company is talking about transferring me anywhere within a one hundred mile radius (that’s as clear as where I may go has gotten) and just receiving this book in the mail lifted my spirits. Having finished the book I’ll say you’ll enjoy it too if you share my curiosity.
3. ACTING IN THE MILLION DOLLAR MINUTE The Art of Acting in Television Commercials by Tom Logan. This guy has done it all and knows how to get it across with much encouragement and laughter. They say reading should be fun and in the case of this book – mission accomplished!
4. THE WINDS OF CHANGE – Climate, Weather, and the Destruction of Civilization by Eugene Linden                  There are those, when you mention “global warming,” they will roll their eyes. This book will open your eyes.            page 234: “At present, no one knows whether we should be blase or scared witless.”                                                This book gives you a better idea than government propaganda.                                                                 For some reason – we lose power a lot around here. (maybe it had something to do with the thunderstorm) I finished reading this book by my mini maglight. I love maglights. I used two as “candles.” The bulbs are like a yellow candle. I read by the white light of my newly converted mini mag. You can get a converter kit for under ten dollars. Look for the Nite Ize set. You can’t widen or concentrate the beam – but you won’t need to!
5. THE END OF FAITH Religion, Terror, and the Future of Reason by Sam Harris Read it. A book that should have been written earlier – but it appears he’s the first one to articulate what we’ve known all along but we didn’t know that we knew it. Read it.
6. BETWEEN THE BRIDGE AND THE RIVER by “TV’s” Craig Ferguson Not so easy to describe. If you’ve watched his monologues, that will give you a taste. This book grew on me. It got better as it went along till I felt like I was reading Dostoyevsky. I’m not saying this because I like Craig, if it wasn’t good I’d tell him to keep his night job; he does it well. He also writes well. I’ll be getting the next one (he says he’s writing a trilogy).
7. OFF CENTER The Republican Revolution & the Erosion of American Democracy by Hacker & Pierson – I started reading a few political books that were anti Bush but I couldn’t finish them. This list is books I’ve read from front to back. This book, OFF CENTER, looks at the present situation objectively, simply presenting the facts without the vitriol. And most importantly, pointing to the hope. – The question is, I guess, would a Bush supporter find the book as objective as I did? I don’t know. But I could read this entire book whereas the others I could not. (I am not against Bush bashing – I think it’s quite appropriate – it’s just that over and over it gets depressing).
8. ANIMALS IN TRANSLATION by Temple Grandin – Nearing the end of this book I thought Terry Gross should interview this author. I did a search – she did in July of 2005. How do you describe this book? I’m hard pressed to say my favorite book of the year now. The stuff in this book is revelations. Temple is autistic and knows about brain wiring inside out. I have always wondered about wiring – and she directly uses this language in talking about humans and animals. Because autistic people view the world differently, they have insights “normal” people don’t have. Just as animals seem to possess abilities to see things we can’t see either. And on it goes – I mean, virtually every page is filled with yet another fascinating story – and she connects a lot of the dots.  If you want to learn more about the world than you know now – this book will deeply satisfy.
9. MIND WIDE OPEN by Steven Johnson. When I was almost finished this book Jon Stewart had Mr. Johnson on his program. I guess his book EVERYTHING BAD IS GOOD FOR YOU was coming out in paperback. MIND WIDE OPEN is informative and engaging. Amongst the stories and facts – it’s mostly his own personal experience with brain machines, an MRI, his window and the wind – and an experience I’ll only hint at not to spoil the shock I got – the birth of his son. For me, this book took up where ANIMALS IN TRANSLATION took off. Very easy reading for a clinical subject.
10. MAGICAL THINKING True Stories by Augusten Burroughs. What attracted me to this book was the title and the picture on the cover. Then it said “New York Time’s Bestseller.” Okay, I gotta read this. ** This guy can write. After a while though, I thought maybe I’m a closet homophobe. He gets to the chapter that’s the title of the book,  then ends the book the way good writers do. I appreciate that. He is talking about things I’ve been thinking about, or at least along those lines. How life happens and how you think about things. I once started to amass the coincidences in my life. It is true - truth is stranger than fiction. Or as the other saying goes: “You can’t make stuff like this up!”
11. THE NATURAL DEPRAVITY OF MANKIND What’s Wrong With Us? Observations on the Human Condition by Ferdinand Lundberg A fairly quick read – a long essay, really. He’s taken his personal wisdom and boiled it down for consumption. The title of his book is from David Hume whom he recommends reading in his entirety (you got the time?!). Although the title is about “mankind,” the book is largely about The United States. But vis a vis the rest of the world, okay, humanity. (I’m not sure if I used that term correctly; he employs it twice in his “essay,” and Bill Mahr says it every couple weeks too – when his show is in season…) I thought it quite compelling, this book written in 1994 says some pertinent things that could relate to post 9/11 America. He comes out and speaks at length as to what is, and what is not, a “patriot.” On page two, I realize I’m reading my own thoughts into this, but consider this: “In no case has any nation ever gone to war after a national plebiscite.” I think the 2004 Presidential election has been the closest thing to just that. Page 23 “…the fallacy of Woodrow Wilson’s ‘war to save the world for democracy’ became glaringly apparent.” I remind you, this book was written in 1994, so it’s not like The Art of Seduction – framing things to sound like, you know…(page 446). For the rest of the little treasures in Lundberg’s book – I leave it for you to find them.Â
12. THE DANCE OF TIME – THE ORIGINS OF THE CALENDAR – A MISCELLANY OF HISTORY AND MYTH, RELIGION AND ASTRONOMY, FESTIVALS AND FEAST DAYS. My, it’s certainly appropriate that this is the twelth book I’ve read this year. To pique your interest – September to December means months 7 through 10. Yet, they are months 9 through 12. Hmmmm…..
13. POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS by Augusten Burroughs. Once again, the cover. I remember seeing this cover in the book stores – reminded me of Craig’s cover – it’s a hand - the fingers splayed. It wasn’t till later I thought about counting them… If you’ll notice, book #10 on this list is also by Augusten. So do I have to go on about how downright enjoyable he is to read? Not only do you realize there’s someone out there as nutty as you – he ties these stories up in heartfelt ways. Nuggets. Reminds me how comedy is often about tragedy. He can take a sad story and make it a celebration. Brutal honesty.
14. THE MIDDLE MIND – WHY AMERICANS DON’T THINK FOR THEMSELVES by Curtis White. Well, I could say just turn to the inside of the back jacket and look at his picture – that expression describes exactly what’s inside the book! He’s a college professor – so he’s more well read and a little over my head. But you can grasp what he’s saying from time to time, and, having read a lot himself, he has his own clever ways of turning a phrase and bringing things to a point. What I don’t like is him attacking people I like. He doesn’t like David Letterman. Dave would be the first to tell you, and he used to repeat it: “If you’ve learned anything from this show, then we’ve failed.” He’s being facetious, of course. He was the first show to seriously come on television after 9/11. One of those shows WAS Dan Rather, and perhaps this is what THE MIDDLE MIND is attacking – information that isn’t. Or stagnant “information.” But what I REALLY have a problem with is him calling Terry Gross a mere “purveyor” - and later “pornographic.” (Those are his words, ladies and gentlemen!)  For the record, I don’t like “Mr. Spinmeister” himself O’Reilly. I therefore DO NOT watch him. I do see him from time to time if I’m talking with my dad and he has him on. It is then I can truly appreciate Steven Colbert’s satiric genius. But for someone who doesn’t like Terry Gross as much as Curtis White does not, he sure knows a lot about her programming and the content of her interviews. My point is, in case it isn’t clear – I DON’T like Spin guy – I DON’T watch. He doesn’t like Terry – he knows her inside out. There’s some sort of disconnect here, unless he simply gritted out the time to build his case. But it’s hard for me to comprehend that. (maybe he’s in the closet and should come out and say that really, deep down, he does like her!) When I don’t like something, I vote with my remote. Also, before I get off this subject, personally, I am hard pressed to name an interviewer I’d rather hear than Terry Gross. But enough about that, and oh, I should mention he goes on for a few pages about Saving Private Ryan and I found that quite interesting. (I have my own insights from that movie.) The book brings to light issues society doesn’t want to face or even acknowledge because the awareness simply is not there – perhaps BEYOND apathy – even fear, perhaps. So, even though this guy is opinionated with a few bugs up his ass – he’s well worth the read and, dare I say it, a breath of Fresh Air……
15. THE FUTURE OF LIFE by Edward O. Wilson. Around 1981 I made a video after work – me walking in front of the camera in my baker’s whites before Alicia played a few of her songs. Destined to be valuable in the future, as Alicia was to be an icon. (she is to the guitar what Scott Joplin was to the piano – think Blind Blake…)  In 1985, my girlfriend Rita recorded an awards show over it. I was livid. My point here - once something is gone; it’s gone. There’s no replacing it. In THE FUTURE OF LIFE, Mr. Wilson gives some history of continents and islands and what used to be there – usually before man came along. (The ecosystem in Africa and Asia were unaffected because man was PART of it). This man is an expert, of not only the facts, but in presenting them. Most importantly, he clearly maps out the solution – and what’s been done already in that direction. Just one other thing I’ll mention – he gets into politics – devoting a page to “each side’s” rhetoric. He then concludes: ” The suspicion and anger they express paralyze further discussion. Worse, in an era when journalism feeds on controversy, its widely used gladitorial approach divides people and pushes them away from the center toward opposite extremes.” (p 154) A very hopeful and helpful book.
16. WAR IS A FORCE THAT GIVES US MEANING by Chris Hedges. Like the previous book, I’ve had them for a few years, started reading, and put down. This one I re-read from the very beginning. I was originally interested because I heard Chris interviewed and related to his experience of being in wartime It sounded just like being in Cobu. If you’ve got the time, read Klaus Theweleit’s Male Fantasies I and II. Otherwise, I’d say a quicker and better look at war is Chris Hedge’s book.
17. LIES DECEPTION AND TRUTH (no commas on the cover)by Ann E Weiss. It’s not TELLING LIES (Ekman) or THE ART OF DECEPTION (Capaldi) but it is a nice essay. (135 pps) A good discussion about ethics. Are there “good” lies or “bad” lies? Like, during WWII the metal drive for US Citizens was a big lie – done simply to busy the people in a task that made them feel a part of the war effort. Thing is, when people were told – they said they didn’t mind being lied to if it made them feel better! The book talks about other subjects too, and even though some of the topics are old (published 1988), it still holds up – especially when addressing ethics, truth and honesty. (inside the flap there’s a comma after Lies(,) – ya think that’s part of the message?)…
18. CONSERVATIVES WITHOUT CONSCIENCE by John Dean. This is the most important political book of this decade.
19. HOW TO CHANGE ANYBODY by David Lieberman. This guy has quite a resume. Easy to read and great as self-help books go. The neat thing about this book is that it’s not for making someone do your whims. As his Note to the Reader in the beginning says: “These psychological strategies work only to change someone for the better.” (italics his)
20. 6 QUESTIONS THAT CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE by Joseph Nowinski. No, I haven’t done the exercises yet, but this is one exercise that I know when benefit me when I get to it. All I’ve done so far is read the book, and it is realistic. For example: (from page 199) “The six questions are indeed a guide to quantum change, but assuming that just reading this book will cause a vision to come immmediately is more than a little unrealistic.” But I have high hopes and feel like his comment on page 195; “It is like being lost in the woods and suddenly coming across a map that shows you the way home.” I heard a story about a map once…. I like this one much better.
21. WRITING ABOUT YOUR LIFE by William Zinsser. He has some very good pointers that he illustrates beforehand. The rest is him setting an example and writing the most wonderful memories I have had the privilege to read.
22. YOU HAVE 3 MINUTES! – Learn the Secret of the Pitch from Trump’s Original Apprentice by Ricardo Bellino. Well, he touches on this and that; occasionally it’s painfully obvious, but on the other hand – what are successful people thinking? – here’s a look into this one’s mind. You wish all people were like this fellow. A quick read; you’re going to find stuff here you probably won’t find anywhere else. (of course you’ll find the stuff other places; where do you think he found it?! It’s just my way of saying that he touches on some interesting stuff, only, sometimes I thought he was getting longwinded on the minutiae, but then he moves on…)
23. SECRET MESSAGES — Concealment, Codes, & OTHER TYPES OF Ingenious Communication by Butler & Kenney. Well, doesn’t the title say it all? A quick, interesting, and fun read. I really liked how people communicate right in front of you without being detected – like Bridge players and “mind readers.” A Houdini story, to boot. I thought we finally had the answer… I guess we do! (now why would I give it away here?!)
24. THE TRUTH ABOUT CINDERELLA – A Darwinian View of Parental Love by Daly and Wilson. This is virtually, at 66 pages, a pamphlet. Coupled with much viewing of PBS and the animal kingdom, encorporating Cinderella and the rest of what we can know (they talk about how information gathering has proven to be a bit problematic…) they present the possibilities and show the logical conclusions. (Also, besides what PBS shows about how different species treat their young, one program showed how a certain type of baboon adopts dogs as part of their herd. This protects the herd – as ANIMALS IN TRANSLATION pointed out – human’s relationship with dogs helped preserve us). To use the word again, “problematic,” that’s what step-parenthood IS, and the nay-sayers just don’t want a stigma attached to the institution. Well, we don’t want to walk around with our heads in the sand either, do we? Also, step families back “in Cinderella’s day” were a lot different - page 61: “Until this century, stepfamilies in Europe and America were more likely to be formed in the aftermath of a death than a divorce, and the mothers of young children incurred substantial mortality in childbirth and from other causes.” They didn’t go into it, but I was thinking the next thought would be the family structure from two centuries ago to now. Wasn’t the mother more at home and in charge and now – pretty much no one is? Anyway, I read this as a precursor to what I’ll read later…
25. THE LUCK FACTOR * THE FOUR ESSENTIAL PRINCIPLES * HOW TO INCREASE LUCK IN YOUR LIFE by Dr. Richard Wiseman. Very interesting. “Lucky and unlucky people seem to be living in different worlds.” “Your expectations became a self-fulfilling prophecy.” Excellent studies and examples that are revealing and easy to put into use. I’m lucky to have found this book!
26. WHY SMART PEOPLE CAN BE SO DUMB Edited by Robert Sternberg. This book is chapters written by different authors on this subject. They each have their own take on the situation. For instance, one chapter they define “smart” as being wise and “stupid” as being foolish. And many much more. As I said, each chapter is by a different author and some of these guys are, for me, impossible to understand. That being said, there is much to be gleaned from this book and I highly recommend it. A high IQ does not make somebody street smart and visa viser. Some authors care enough to relate to the layman.
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