Book Log - 2008

There aren't many upsides to being sick with the flu. I'm missing the Massa's famous Super Bowl party today. I can't work out at the gym. I didn't get to see Omah this morning (She STILL hasn't seen my ring). On the other hand, I can make great use of my typing skills and the fact that I'm stuck in bed for an extended period of time. So, I'm taking this unfortunate opportunity to start a log of the books that I will be reading throughout the year - those required as part of my curriculum and those read solely for personal pleasure (or based on the encouragement of friends). Here goes...

1. Plague Maker by Tim Downs
- I'm a bit of a whore for science-related suspense novels, so when I came across this book in the bargain bin at ODU's bookstore, I had to snatch it up. I started reading this novel during a work shift at the Ted and immediately had a hard time putting it down. It plays on our recently instilled fears of terrorism and underhanded biological warfare. While the interplay between characters often comes across as shallow and silly, the overarching plot of the novel and the number of twists and turns are substantial enough to draw the reader's attention away from those relationships. I, for one, will never look at a flea in the same way. A lover of science would be a lover of this book.

2. The Joy of Laziness: Why Life is Better Slower and How to Get There by Peter Axt
- Recommended to me by my friend, Daniel, I instantly found the title laughable. You see, I am not a slow person. There aren't many things that I hate more than being lazy and feeling unproductive. My schedule has never been empty. I have never held fewer than 3 part-time jobs at a time. I rarely find joy in doing nothing (with the exception of a good vacation here and there, but I still love filling vacation time with things to occupy my time). Two chapters into this book, I found myself still laughing. Not only does the author attempt to discredit recent studies done to show that exercise benefits heart and lung health; they also attempt to validate decades old studies showing that inactivity does more for heart health than a good cardiovascular workout. Overall, this book aims to encourage individuals to create "energy stores" by sleeping longer and avoiding physical over-exertion as much as possible. My question is then posed: What happens to those energy stores once you die? Do you honestly think you can carry them into the afterlife? I much prefer using my energy to live life to the fullest rather than sit on my ass and waste my time away. I love sleeping as much as the next Joe Schmoe, but I'd rather get my butt out of bed and experience what the world has to offer.

3. The Fifth Vial by Michael Palmer
- This is the 2nd book of the year to play to my science-based thriller interest. Steve's mom read this at the end of last year and gave me a copy as a Christmas gift. It proved to be another book that I had a hard time setting down. The Fifth Vial documents several individuals and the twisting events surrounding them, all which seem completely unrelated until the last few chapters. This book plays on the urban legend of the stealing of organs, making it both believable and terribly frightening. For the most part, I really loved this book. As any good fiction writer should be able to do, Palmer gives several characters a dual identity and has you trusting in the good before reverting to the bad. It's almost eerie how well he is able to accomplish this. The downside? That famous saying "Whatever can go wrong, will go wrong" is seen in protagonist Natalie Reyes. After a while (getting the boot from med school, getting shot, having a lung removed, exposing her one healthy lung to a fire, losing a confidant to murder... the list goes on), the negative events become monotonous and boring. The action is enough to keep the reader entertained and the book will certainly leave you thinking about the ethics of stealing organs.

4. July, July by Tim O'Brien
- O'Brien is, without a doubt, one of my favorite authors. I had the privilege of hearing him speak and meeting him during my freshman year at ODU. After hearing him read an excerpt from The Things They Carried, I immediately bought a copy and read it within 24 hours of his lecture. July, July was read in about the same manner. You could never accuse O'Brien of being a happy-go-lucky writer. After all, being a veteran of the Vietnam War himself, one would (hopefully) not expect O'Brien to produce books about rainbows and butterflies. I hate war movies - ask anyone - so being intrigued with books regarding the Vietnam War is out of character for me. O'Brien makes it easy to delve into the lives of the veterans he introduces and attempt to understand their post-war thoughts, behaviors and feelings. July, July follows several Darton College alumni as they meet for their 31st reunion and as they reminisce on life's occurrences 31 years in the past. Though only 1 character is actually a vet, the war has clearly influenced each character on a different level. As a 20-something, I had a hard time placing myself in the shoes of the reunion attendees, yet still had an easy time feeling pity, guilt, remorse etc. for each individual character and their circumstances. The book is touching, even though I have no clue how the Vietnam War and 1969 could affect a person. Perhaps I'll read this one again when I'm in my 50s.

I'm currently reading Savage Inequalities by Jonathon Kozol so I'll update once that is finished.