Brave New World – Aldous Huxley

book cover aldous huxley brave new world

A dystopian novel about an “ideal” society gone wrong

Dystopian books and movies are very common now, but that wasn’t the case when Aldous Huxley published Brave New World in 1932. The author imagines what a futuristic society could be like where science has taken a strange turn and humans are genetically modified and conditioned to fit into pre-determined roles in society. It is a profound book considering the time it was written, prior to WWII, with fascism, communism, and other authoritarian governments on the rise. This book pokes at those governments and also people with utopian beliefs about capitalism, consumption, and materialism.

I found the following G.K. Chesterton quote interesting. It is from his review of the book.

After the Age of Utopias came what we may call the American Age, lasting as long as the Boom. Men like Ford or Mond seemed to many to have solved the social riddle and made capitalism the common good. But it was not native to us; it went with a buoyant, not to say blatant optimism, which is not our negligent or negative optimism. Much more than Victorian righteousness, or even Victorian self-righteousness, that optimism has driven people into pessimism. For the Slump brought even more disillusionment than the War. A new bitterness, and a new bewilderment, ran through all social life, and was reflected in all literature and art. It was contemptuous, not only of the old Capitalism, but of the old Socialism. Brave New World is more of a revolution against Utopia than against Victoria.
G.K. Chesterton, The Illustrated London News, 4 May 1935

Science fiction and fantasy genres can take a big gamble when trying to predict future technological advances. While some parts of the book aren’t possible based on what we know now about science, other parts are chilling at how accurate Huxley was in his predictions. He also had a clear grasp of how propaganda can be used to control the population. It’s the same basic blueprint that all dictators use.

Themes

Nature vs Nurture – while the science isn’t 100% accurate in this book, the author does do a good job of highlighting the different ways that our genetics and environment affect how we develop and interact in society.

Freedom vs Security – what is the most important thing in society? In the “Community, Identity, Stability” slogan of the futuristic world government, security and stability come at the cost of a loss of freedom. In a technical sense, people are still able to make choices, but most of their lives have been decided for them.

Hedonism – is true happiness found in the pursuit of the maximum amount of pleasure? Is the goal of life to be constantly stimulated in every way, without time to think, reflect, or re-evaluate what we’re doing or why we’re doing it? This book is at least partly a satirical take on the promise of utopia through materialism and capitalism.

Recommendation

I liked this book more than I thought I would. It’s an easy read. The main suggestion I have is that it’s best to read this book in a more lighthearted manner. It is poking fun at a few things that people at that time were claiming to be the next savior of humanity – socialism, capitalism, hedonism and even science. But it also rings true in our era as we are still grappling with these questions and issues.

On the negative side, there are some plot holes and lack of character development that may annoy some readers. My biggest complaint is the ending. I was disappointed that he chose to end the book the way he did.

Overall, I think this is an interesting book and definitely recommend it.

Find the book on Amazon here.

The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma – Bessel van der Kolk

Exploring the neuroscience of the brain-body connection in mental health

In “The Body Keeps the Score”, Dr Bessel van der Kolk shares what he’s learned as a researcher and mental health professional in caring for patients who have experienced trauma. The author covers the medical history of how we have treated those dealing with mental health conditions, what we’ve learned along the way, and he shares many patient stories that help to illustrate the topic.

“Being able to feel safe with other people is probably
the single most important aspect of mental health;
safe connections are fundamental to
meaningful and satisfying lives.”

“Neuroscience research shows that
the only way we can change the way we feel
is by becoming aware of our inner experience
and learning to befriend what is going on inside ourselves.”
Bessel van der Kolk, M.D. https://besselvanderkolk.net/index.html

Trigger warning: this book doesn’t go into graphic detail, but it does cover topics that may be disturbing to some readers who have experienced trauma. For example, physical, sexual, and emotional abuse are discussed, as is addiction and self-harm.

Topics Discussed

Adverse Childhood Experiences – also known as ACEs and discussed in a previously reviewed book Supernormal – are traumatic events or lived experience of abuse and neglect throughout childhood. The higher your ACE score, the more likely you are to develop chronic conditions (mental and physical) later in life. Dr van der Kolk pays special attention to how this relates to psychiatric diseases like PTSD, anxiety, and depression.

The Science of Trauma – Dr. van der Kolk goes over the history of how our understanding of trauma has changed over the years, including the neuroscience of how the brain processes threats, danger, abuse, and trauma. The development of advanced imaging techniques (fMRI and PET scans) has allowed scientists to see which parts of the brain are over or underactive during various mental states.

Treatment Options For Psychiatric Disorders

Talk Therapy – the ability to talk about our experiences and problems has been shown to help many people. Perhaps the more studied of these is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, but there are many others that are covered in the book.

Yoga – connecting with your bodily senses in a meaningful way is what yoga is all about. This is a way to integrate physical activity into healing the mind.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing – this type of therapy uses eye movement while processing negative events from your life (trauma) and the feelings and emotions connected to it.

Internal Family Systems – also known as Self Leadership, is a system of therapy that helps you to look at how your conscious mind is a collection of sub-personalities. IFS can be used to evaluate each perspective/personality in the system and address negative, harmful, overly critical, or violent ones. (I didn’t do a very good job of explaining it here, which is why you should read the chapter about it!)

Neurofeedback – this type of treatment uses electrodes on your head to detect the electrical signals happening in your brain. With these on, the patient then goes through guided imagery to learn how to engage parts of the brain that are helpful for focusing attention, calming anxiety, and processing emotions.

Recommendation

This is a really, really important book that I highly recommend. I appreciate how the author explains the science and research while mixing in patient stories to help illustrate the concepts and topics. Some of the patient stories were too painful for me to read and I’m guessing that anyone with a history of trauma or abuse may have a similar experience. I especially recommend this book to anyone who works in healthcare and for those who have friends or family that have experienced trauma.

You can find the book on Amazon here. Click this link to go to the author’s website.

The Road Back to You: An Enneagram Journey to Self-Discovery – Ian Cron

This isn’t your typical self-help psychology book

The Road Back To You – by Ian Cron and Suzanne Stabile, is a really helpful and informative book. The concept of the Enneagram is complex and intricate but the authors present the information in a very practical and relatable manner. Their goal isn’t to teach you some new ideas, but to help you identify parts of your personality that you maybe have never considered. They don’t leave it at that though. They also show you things that you can do to “do the work” of soul searching and making improvements in those difficult areas of your life. Continue reading “The Road Back to You: An Enneagram Journey to Self-Discovery – Ian Cron” →

The Revenant – Michael Punke

A page-turning story of adventure and revenge

The Revenant is an against-all-odds story based on actual events. I will start this post by saying that I haven’t seen the film adaptation of this book, so I can’t speak to how faithful it is to the book, characters, or plot. This review is only for the book. I’m one of those weirdos that generally prefer books instead of the movie versions.

The setting is the early 1800’s in the American great plains and the protagonist is Hugh Glass, a complicated character with a wild past. It’s important to note that this is a work of historical fiction. Some things are known about the real-life Hugh, but this is a novel, not a historical biography.

What is a revenant?

In folklore, a revenant is a visible ghost or animated corpse that is believed to have revived from death to haunt the living.
Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revenant

Themes

Frontier life – Living on the American frontier was incredibly dangerous. It could be hard to find work, make a living, and stay alive in that part of the wild west. You have to make do with what you have and stay safe from warring tribes and wild animals.

The limits of the human spirit – The author states that this is a novel about revenge, but it is more than that. It’s a story about the almost impossible things people can endure to stay alive. What drives you? What makes you tick? What does justice look like to you and what are you willing to do to get it?

Adventure and discovery – The thrill of exploring new places, finding treasures, taming the wild, surviving encounters with bears, the suspense of will-he-make-it-or-not, it’s all in here.

Recommendation

I usually stay away from the historical fiction genre. I find the genre often isn’t as compelling from a story perspective compared to novels and it lacks authenticity compared with (nonfiction) history books. But this was a nice change of pace book that I couldn’t put down. It flows well and brought up some deeper questions for me to consider.

You can find the book on Amazon here. Here’s a link to an article that compares the movie version to what we know about the real Hugh Glass and the events in his life.

The Catcher in the Rye – J.D. Salinger

The teenage angst coming of age anthem

Did you have a period in your life, perhaps during your teenage years, where you rebelled against the superficiality of society and the hypocrites who are often in positions of authority? If so, you’ll likely strongly relate to Holden Caulfield, the angst-filled protagonist in “The Catcher in the Rye.” This classic book by J.D. Salinger, set in the late 1940s, is often listed as one of the most important English novels. It is also one of the most challenged and censored books of all time.

Themes

Teenage angst – Holden is a conflicted teenager, filled with angst at the world, its institutions, and those in authority. He has a rebellious streak that often gets him in trouble and he struggles with trying to keep it all together.

Loss of innocence – In some ways, this is a coming-of-age story where Holden is mourning the loss of innocence during his transition to adulthood. It is a source of anger and frustration.

Identity – Tied in with the above, Holden is struggling to find his own identity. He struggles with authority figures, he struggles to fit in with his peers, he struggles with being isolated.

Recommendation

I never read this book as a teenager. It’s a shame because I know I would have loved it. I can see why so many people list it as one of their favorite books of all time. Holden Caulfield is the poster child for teenage rebellion and angst. He is deeply flawed and conflicted. You can feel it in this book. It is raw and obscene. That’s largely why so many people have tried to get it banned. It makes some people very uncomfortable.

I think it is an important book and I do recommend it. Be warned that there is a good amount of profanity in this book, in case that’s a deal breaker for you. It might take you a bit to catch up with the slang terms that Holden uses. If you are unfamiliar with it, Wikipedia has a list of common phrases in the book and what they mean.

Here’s a link to the book on Amazon.

Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain – Oliver Sacks

Science meets art, neurology meets music in this fun book

Are you the type of person to carry a tune around in their head wherever you go? Some people are good at visual imagery, I have a very vivid auditory/musical mind. Dr Sacks is the author of some great books, but this one is my favorite from him because I am also a lover of music. Music is almost magical to me. It has the power to move us in a deep way that is beyond words. It even has healing power. The author explores this and much more in Musicophilia.

Music can move us to the heights or depths of emotion. It can persuade us to buy something, or remind us of our first date. It can lift us out of depression when nothing else can. It can get us dancing to its beat. But the power of music goes much, much further. Indeed, music occupies more areas of our brain than language does–humans are a musical species.
From Dr Sack’s official website – https://www.oliversacks.com/books-by-oliver-sacks/musicophilia/

Topics

Case Studies – The author covers cases studies of musical savants as well as things he has learned from many of his own patients over the years. He shares stories of how music is used as a tool for therapy and healing and stories of the blessings and curses of expert musical ability. He was there during the beginnings of music therapy and speaks to how it can help patients with a variety of conditions.

Humans are a musical species – Dr Sacks explains some of the theories out there about the origin of language and makes a case that music came before language, not the other way around. Why does music play such a major role in almost every documented culture? What is it in us that is drawn to music, rhythm, and how it draws people together.

Musical hallucinations – I never had heard of this, but it is very much a real phenomenon and it is underreported. People who once were able to hear but have since become deaf often develop musical hallucinations. The same is true for blind people experiencing visual hallucinations. The neuroscience behind it is interesting, though it does make some folks question their sanity, even though there’s a perfectly good explanation for it.

Pathology – Dr Sacks also covers more rare disorders like amusica. Some people are unable to differentiate between tones, rhythms, melodies. This can be congenital or acquired (stroke, head injury, illness). Absolute pitch is much more common in populations that have a tonal language (like Mandarin) and for people who are blind.

Recommendation

If you are a music lover who is interested in learning more about the science behind it and how it can go right (and wrong), you should check this out. While reading this book, I went on a deep rabbit trail in checking out the musical savants listed in this book. It’s so fascinating to me. Dr Sacks has a unique writing style and can tend to ramble on a bit in some of his books (not to mention excessive footnotes!), but I really enjoyed all of that in Musicophilia.

To Learn More

You can find the book on Amazon here. You can find out more about Dr Oliver Sacks on his website. You can learn more about the NOVA production that features a few of the case studies in this book here.

Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teaching of Plants – Robin Wall Kimmerer

robin wall kimmerer braiding sweetgrass book

Equal parts memoir, science book, and essays about Native American wisdom

Braiding Sweetgrass is a really unique book. Robin Wall Kimmerer, the author, weaves together the knowledge and wisdom she’s gained as a scientist, professor, mother, and member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation. It might help to view this book as a series of essays on different topics. There are certain themes that tie everything together, but each chapter has its own narrative, structure, and topics. This is a fascinating book that is very informative and calls you to join in instead of lecturing you about topics.

Themes

Indigenous culture – Dr Kimmerer speaks from a place of identity with her dual citizenship, American and Potawatomi worlds as they collide and intersect. She shares the deep wisdom traditions of many tribes who are native to the Americas, long before the conquistadors and colonizers showed up.

Persecution and genocide – She takes a deep look at what really happened in our history as a country and the treatment of the Indigenous people as the United States expanded and grew.

Nature – Dr Kimmerer explains in several areas just how much we can learn from nature if we would just slow down and listen. She shares scientific insights about the biology of plants and how we can take these scientific principles and apply them to our daily life.

Mindfulness – Our busy American culture is often so preoccupied with jumping from task to task that we rarely have the chance to slow down and think about what we’re doing and why. Part of the wisdom from Indigenous people is being more mindful about how we interact with the earth and each other. Are we caught up in consumer culture? Do we realize the impact this has on our environment, our bodies, and our minds? Can we slow down and practice gratitude and thankfulness? What do we do with the tension between honoring life and consuming it for our benefit?

Recommendation

If you are interested in botany, biology, gardening, and connecting with nature, I think you’ll be delighted with this book. The science nerd part of me loved those chapters. If you would like to learn more about the true history of how Native Americans were treated in the US, you will find this book informative and also heartbreaking. If you enjoy memoirs and storytelling, Braiding Sweetgrass will full your cup with her stories of growing up, balancing between 2 cultures, raising a family, and pursuing a career while discovering her identity all over again.

This is a powerful book. It has the power to change your perspective. I know it helped to change mine. Check it out and let me know what you think.

You can find the book on Amazon here.

Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era – James McPherson

The best book about the American Civil War

If you’re ready to take the plunge and get the fullest account of the events leading up to, during, and after the Civil War, then this is the best book there is. James McPherson won the Pulitzer Prize for History in 1988 with “Battle Cry of Freedom” and it has been updated with illustrations in subsequent editions since then. What were the causes of the war? Who were the leading figures? What were things like in politics at that time? If you’ve ever wondered on these things and felt that history class in high school skipped over some parts, you’ll find the answers here.

Think that’s a little heavy on the acclaim? Here’s a quote from one reviewer:

It is the best one-volume treatment of its subject I have ever come across. It may actually be the best ever published. It is comprehensive yet succinct, scholarly without being pedantic, eloquent but unrhetorical. It is compellingly readable. I was swept away, feeling as if I had never heard the saga before. It is most welcome.
Hugh Brogan, NYTimes review – https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/books/98/12/06/specials/mcpherson-freedom.html

Topics Covered

Notable people – Quotes, sections from journals, and in-depth information on all the main political and military figures, as well as detailed background info on people who are often overlooked. Lincoln, Generals Grant, Sherman, and McClellan on the Union side and Generals Lee, Jackson, and Forrest on the Confederacy all have center stage at various times.

Important events leading up to the war – How the Mexican American war brought about events to come. The passage of the Fugitive Slave law and other polarizing legislation on the topics of slavery and “freedoms.” The creation of the new Republican party. Threats of secession in the face of legislation that would limit slavery. Reluctant abolitionists and conflicted slaveholders, it’s all in there.

Major battles – Fort Sumter, Shiloh, Antietam, Gettysburg, Vicksburg, and Atlanta are all covered, as well as the lesser known but very important battles that shaped the outcome of the war.

Slavery – Yes, the war was about slavery. Multiple quotes from Confederate leaders clearly show that they viewed slavery as the pillar of their culture and their God-given right. White supremacy in all its ugliness is revealed time and time again in the horrific treatment of African slaves and attempts to expand slavery and even to restart the Atlantic slave trade. The Union leaders don’t get a free pass though, as they are often guilty of horrible abuses as well. It’s an ugly time in our history that we tend to gloss over.

Recommendation

I know the size of this book will turn some people away. Even the edited, abridged version has over 700 pages! But please, please, don’t let that be a deal breaker. This doesn’t read like a textbook, though it is incredibly informative. This is a remarkable book and the author has done a fantastic job in making the subject come alive. If you like history books, you’ll really enjoy this. Trust me on this one.

Here’s a link to the illustrated version on Amazon.

Dune – Frank Herbert

Considered by many the best science fiction novel of all time

If you’re new to the idea of reading fiction, specifically science fiction, you should start with Dune. Many sci-fi stories (especially movies) are big on effects, wonder, and technology but short on plot and character development. In Dune, Frank Herbert does an excellent job of telling a great story that just so happens to be taking place in a sci-fi setting. Yes, you will have to get into an open mindset to grasp the fantasy elements of the book, but the majority of the story is the human dynamics, political drama, action, and suspense that have made this book so popular.

Themes

How humanity directs technology and vice versa is considered in the book. There will always be a drive or quest for power among people. Technology is neutral in essence but can be used for good or evil. The author explores both of those ends.

Imperialism and the struggle between native populations and the ruling class is an overarching theme in the story. The main characters see what it’s like to be on both sides of the political divide.

The book also has strong messianic themes, but not in the typical religious sense. The author explores the power dynamic of a savior, our basic urge to look for supernatural relief, and how people can use and abuse this power.

“Dune was aimed at this whole idea of the infallible leader because my view of history says that mistakes made by a leader (or made in a leader’s name) are amplified by the numbers who follow without question.”
Frank Herbert, in the Introduction to “Eye“, a collection of short stories

Recommendation

I really enjoyed this one. Once I got started, it was hard to put down. Just the right balance of action, character development, pace of story, and suspense to keep it fun and entertaining. As a nice bonus, it probes some of the deeper questions about what it means to be human and how we interact with others and the world. I’m not really a science fiction fan, but I liked Dune and I think others who normally don’t read sci-fi will like it as well.

There is a whole series of follow up books written by the author and others. I haven’t read any of those, but if you’re interested you can find out more here.

Recovery – Russell Brand

The 12 Steps, a memoir, and more

Recovery and addiction are all over the news these days and it can be a controversial topic. I’ll say upfront that I’m not really a fan of Russell’s comedy, so I was a little reluctant to check this book out even though someone I greatly respect recommended it. It was way better than I expected. The book goes through each of the 12 Steps that Alcoholics Anonymous is based on. He talks a lot about addiction (obviously), but also goes deeper into the fears, hurts, and pain that lead people to self-medicate. At the end of each chapter/section/step, he includes many self reflection exercises and gives examples on how he has worked these things out in his own life.

A book for everyone, not just those with substance abuse problems

I think this book could help a lot of people, not just those who identify as addicts. He makes a good case that most, if not all, of us fall somewhere along the addiction spectrum and that we’re at epidemic levels of addiction at least in part to how isolated, disconnected, and lonely we are in modern society. We lack community and connection, both of which are crucial if you are recovering from an addiction and want to stay clean and sober. This a really helpful book. He does a good job of knowing when to insert a little joke to keep it from getting too dark, when to include a story to help illustrate a point, and when to dive into vulnerability and the dark areas. If you are offended by swear words, this isn’t the book for you. But if you’re okay with a multitude of F bombs, or able to look past it, I think you should read this book. Here’s a link to the book on Amazon. I’ve been told that he did the voice for the audiobook version, but I read this book so I can’t provide any comments on that.