Law of the Jungle

This is an interesting story, but a hard one to tell. At times “Law of the Jungle” reads like a novel (but nonfiction), other times like a radio story, but other times it feels a little disjointed. The author clearly did his research, and while he knows the story inside and out, I had a hard time putting the stand-alone sentences into order. At times, too, I had to wonder about the author’s potential bias. He paints the big oil companies like “bad guys,” which in many ways they could be, but he doesn’t really try to tell their side objectively. The book just seems to show both oil companies and lawyers at their worst. Really, I’m more interested in environmental issues, and human rights in general, than lawyers showing off.

Letters to Yeyito

I recently had the great privilege to see Chucho Valdés and the Afro-Cuban Messengers in concert, presenting a tribute to Irakere, the legendary group of which Paquito D’Rivera was also a founding member. In a chapter (letter) dedicated to Chucho’s father Bebo, D’Rivera describes the pianist as "one of my closest friends and collaborators as well as one of the most positive influences on my career.” Even without this connection, I was excited to read this great musician’s own words. I didn’t know this, but “Letters to Yeyito” is not the saxophonist and clarinetist’s first book: he has also written “My Sax Life” and a novel, “Oh, La Habana!” These letters to a lost fan more than stand alone; this is a fully realized book where Paquito shares almost encyclopedic knowledge of the music world. He gives us a history of jazz and especially Latin jazz, including the contributions from Latin America and other parts of the world that are often forgotten in other chronicles. Indeed, one of his goals with this book was just that, and the result is, in my opinion, one of the best music memoirs yet.

What Color Is Your Parachute? 2016

There is a reason this book is so popular, and had been in print and updated since it came out. How can something be so universal, so applicable to all job seekers? That's a big question, but trust me, if you are trying to find a new job, this book will have something that can help you. One example is that job hunters and employers are looking for different things, but their roles are unchanged by time. Knowing and being aware of these things will make a difference in how you can job hunt better. I myself am starting my career right now, and I can see that what he's saying is true and well-analyzed. The author cites quantified success rates of different strategies to help make his point.

Atmosphere of Hope

Climate change must be the biggest challenge facing us now, and will continue to be for at least one hundred more years. I do not know nearly enough about this problem, but I do know we need to take action, and that the best place any of us can start is to learn more. “Atmosphere of Hope” by Tim Flannery is an excellent introduction to many climate issues, and has enough coverage for those already in the know who may want a fuller picture.

Slade House

Now with “Slade House” I am all caught up on David Mitchell’s novels. “The Bone Clocks” blew open my view of the Mitchell-verse, changing my interpretation of his literary world. “Slade House” is most directly related to its predecessor, as it continues the more paranormal/supernatural/science fiction – whatever you want to call it – and is a good follow-up (or maybe even a prequel) as well. The other books, even with all their connections to each other, are more literary fiction, though each is so different in structure and in style. Even within the books there are dramatic changes in voice, setting, and perception.

2 A.M. at The Cat’s Pajamas – revisited

I liked this book so much I wanted to re-read it – this time on paper. "2 A.M. at The Cat's Pajamas" is one of my favorite fictions, one of the best I have read. What did I like so much about this book? It’s about jazz: my favorite music; this is a jazz book, with music noodling throughout. It’s, in a way, cozy: you feel like you’re hanging out with friends at a house party, in a music club, at a restaurant, walking down the street. Its style, the time frame, shows normal people on a normal day intersecting in a way much more interesting than normal, funny and sad at the same time, and everything in between. The paperback edition has extra features, including Q&A with the author, and a playlist that will be the perfect accompaniment to this fun and delightful read.

Owls

Following my review of Scott Rashid's “The Great Horned Owl”, another book about these awesome birds. The species I know are here: Barn, Barred, and Great Horned (with a different sentiment than in the previous book), yet no Screech Owls. With all the biodiversity, even a sampling of 50 species can only cover so much. I am mostly familiar with birds of North America, so I get excited to learn of different species from other continents. Unlike most other guides, the birds in this little book are organized by habitat (woodland, tropical, wilderness, desert), not taxonomically or geographically.

The Great Horned Owl

As is said in the eloquent introduction to this book, the author’s hours and hours spent observing and rehabilitating these animals, combined with the presentation of his artwork, gives the reader an “in-depth” feel for what these birds are like. You can catch his excitement and sense of wonder. I too am amazed at how the owls camouflage with their surroundings, for example. I couldn’t really grasp the huge size of these birds until I saw the picture of a house finch next to a Great Horned Owl, who didn’t look like it cared at all that the other, smaller bird was there. As it turns out, they will eat pretty much anything their size or smaller. “The Great Horned Owl” by Scott Rashid is a great natural history of a fascinating and beautiful bird species.

The Underground Girls of Kabul

I had wanted to read this book for a while, and I am so glad I finally did. “The Underground Girls of Kabul” is so much more than what I expected – maybe I didn’t even know what to expect. Two of my biggest impressions, overall are 1) this is excellent journalism, and very nice and refreshing to read something so unbiased, yet personal  at the same time, and 2) this is a really interesting, mind-opening story.

Voices of the Wild

“Voices of the Wild” is a short book by Bernie Krause, an interesting person who is clearly an expert in this specialized field of recording natural soundscapes. However, this particular book didn’t do much for me. I found the writing to be a little dense, in the sense that too many “big words” made it sound more like a rhetorical speech, when really there is something interesting underneath. He does use some helpful analogies, though, and directs the reader to other resources, including an accompanying website with audio clips, moved to: http://yalebooks.com/yupbooks/book.asp?isbn=9780300206319