fairywhispers's "Books I Recommend"

With less than 5 percent of the world’s population, the US comprises almost 50% of the global prescription drug market, and a whopping 80% of the global market of prescription stimulants like Ritalin. These are alarming figures. Are Americans truly more ill than the rest of the world, or are they simply more easily influenced by the marketing machine?

Before reading this book, I already knew that drug companies had an unhealthy influence on prescription practices. After all, many medical centre’s are owned by drug companies. However, I had no idea of the true extent of the problem. It seems as though just about everyone has their fingers in this very big pie. Drug company money supports nearly everyone in the world of medicine, from doctors and interns, to thought-leaders, decision makers, medical journals (who rely on their advertising revenue) and government watchdogs. Even patient advocacy groups,who are supposed to be looking after our interests, are largely funded by drug company ‘largesse’.

Fortunately, there are still some people, including doctors, med students and scientists who are willing to stand up for what they feel is right. These people want to move away from the ‘ill for every pill’ culture the drug companies are aiming for, back to a healthier, more holistic medical approach. Selling Sickness is an informative and frightening glimpse of the insidious methods used by drug companies to make us all believe we need their products. It is compulsory reading for every discerning adult.

If you enjoy laughing at the stupidity of other people, then this book is for you. Some of these stories are hilarious. Others will have you shaking your head. All of them will leave you feeling glad you aren’t related. The Darwin Awards contains over 180 stories in the following categories:
* Darwin Awards: nominees lost their reproductive capacity by killing or sterilizing themselves, thereby removing themselves from the gene pool.
* Honorable Mentions: survived their escapade but still illustrate the innovative spirit of Darwin Award candidates.
* Urban Legends: these are cautionary fables with various versions circling the internet, but any resemblance to actual events is purely coincidental.
* Personal Accounts: these were submitted by loyal readers and are plausible but generally unverified.

Darwin Awards and Honorable Mentions are further divided into:
* Confirmed by Darwin: indicates that a story was backed up by multiple submissions and more than one reputable media source.
* Unconfirmed by Darwin: indicates fewer submissions and the unavailability of direct confirmation of media sources.

This is a seriously funny book and I highly recommend it.

This is the Way the World Ends is a satire about the end of the world through nuclear war. We are not present at these events. Rather, we see them as they are being related to a young Jewish boy who has found his way into the study of Nostrodamus. This story has a surreal, dream-like quality that leaves the reader feeling slightly uneasy, without quite knowing why. However, there are some valid points made by the author and this is a book that truly makes one think. Is mutual assured destruction really a deterrent? Can accidents truly not happen? And to what extent are we, as passive citizens, responsible for world events? In my opinion, This is the Way the World Ends is one of the better post-apocalyptic novels I have read.

Originally two separate books (Maus I: A Survivor’s Tale My Father Bleeds History, Maus II: And Here My Troubles Began), The Complete Maus contains both books in one volume. I don’t normally read graphic novels, and I probably wouldn’t have had hubby borrow this if I’d known that’s what it was. Since it was in the house, however, I decided to give it a go – and I wasn’t disappointed. Having grown up on stories of the Holocaust, I am somewhat jaded and de-sensitised, but even I found this account of a father relaying his experiences to his son moving. In fact, I was unable to put it down, and wound up reading the entire book in one sitting. Easier to read than most comics (there is no trouble knowing which bit to read next) and with a subject matter that holds your attention, I highly recommend this book.

Before reading this book, I had no idea my favourite sweet was ultimately produced using child slavery. I knew about people smuggling, of course, and the enslavement of children for use as whores and soldiers. I knew also that slaves were used in the production of most resources way back when. But modern slaves producing my chocolate? I’d never heard of such a thing. Surely the UN, useless though it is, would be outraged by such a practice? Surely international child welfare groups would be jumping up and down? I knew Big Business wouldn’t give a toss, but what is the point of all these committees and organisations if such issues are not made a part of general public awareness, let alone acted upon?

This expose is extremely well written. It is a chronological history of cocoa production from the time of the Olmec Empire to today’s Big Chocolate that will have you shaking with outrage by the time you finish. That such practices could go unremarked in today’s society is an indictment on us all and I am disgusted and ashamed that I could have received pleasure from the blood, sweat and tears of these children.

For those who, like me, cannot knowingly buy a product produced by child-slaves, there is hope at hand. There are some companies committed to producing ethical chocolate. Stop Chocolate Slavery (http://vision.ucsd.edu/~kbranson/stopchocolateslavery/main.html) is a website that contains information about Fair Trade chocolate, organic chocolate, or chocolate otherwise believed to be slavery-free. The higher shelf price on these chocolates is a small price to pay to ensure that farmers are treated fairly and slaves are not used in the production of what is, ultimately, a luxury item.

I have always been interested in science, but usually find science books difficult to understand. This book is different. A Short History of Nearly Everything is science for the non-scientist, and it is absolutely fascinating. Peppered with Bryson’s characteristic humour and, for the most part, perfectly understandable, this book is a perfect way for the average person to learn about the world around them and the history of, well, us. From just before the big bang to life as we know it today – and everything in between – Bryson outlines the most current scientific theories, and all the steps it took to get there.

While I do recommend reading the entire book, those determined to browse will be happy to note that the book is divided into easy-to-navigate chapters with clear titles, such as Welcome to the Solar System, Einstein’s Universe and The Mighty Atom, making it easy to skip directly to topics of interest.

While there is a non-illustrated version of this book, I highly recommend getting the illustrated version if you are able. It is a little bulkier and heavier to carry around, but the beautiful photographs are absolutely worth it. As well as stunning photos and sketches of the universe and the Earth in its various stages, there are microscopic shots of various bacteria and viruses, and photographs of scientists, allowing us to put a face to the name. There is also an occasional amusing cartoon, to lighten the heavier topics.

A Short History of Nearly Everything (Illustrated Edition) is definitely a book I would love to have in my permanent collection.

What an absolutely wonderful book! The author has captured the essence of food and the importance it plays in many cultures, while gracing us with a hugely sensual and romantic novel. Like Water for Chocolate is a feast for the eyes, the mind and the palate, using the unique format of a cookbook to demonstrate the daily life and frustrations for women in civil war era Mexico. I would love to try out some of the recipes, if I could figure out what many of the ingredients are! I highly recommend this book.

If you read any book this holidays, make it The Road. Set in a future America, after some unknown apocalypse, it is the story of a father and son – ‘each other’s world entire’ – trying to move south to warmer climes. Starving, exhausted and constantly alert for roaming cannibalistic brigands, it sometimes seems as though they are sustained by love alone.

The language in this novel is beautifully evocative and the complete absence of quotation marks adds to the haunted quality that permeates the book. The characters inherently believable – who among us could not empathise with a father trying to shield his son from the horrors of a world gone mad?

Sad, depressing, despairing and all too believable, The Road nevertheless manages to end on a hopeful note. This is a definite must-read!

Stephen King never fails to creep me out and this book is no exception. Told in a combination of present day and flashback, it takes a little while to figure out what’s going on, but this simply adds to the ominous quality of the story. I found it difficult to put this book down and there were several places where I actually jumped. Duma Key is technically well written, in King’s characteristic style and the characters are truly alive. This is a wonderful, frightening novel and readers will not be disappointed.

If you can accept or ignore the premise at the end, The Taking is an excellent book. A very clever take on what armageddon could be like, it starts out with a creepy, eerie quality that leaves us a little uncomfortable. After a while, the truly weird terrors begin. In an era where we have been fed a steady diet of alien invasion movies, this book seems all too feasible, making it all the more terrifying. In my opinion, this one of Koontz’s best works. Not a book to be read at night or during a thunderstorm, The Taking should, nevertheless, be on everyone’s reading list.