About Buttons

We're just wild about About Buttons's buttons!! Ok, I'm a dork, but it's kinda required for this nugget from Peggy Ann Osborne.

308 pages and 4644 buttons (yes, I counted them) later, I can understand why the Amish don't use buttons. For some reason, my buttons just don't seem adequate anymore. This book serves its purpose for button collectors, and it wouldn't look bad on a coffee table.

I give it a 2

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Giving up

I couldn't do it. I gave up. The topic really interests me, but I know I’d have to reread it or take a class for someone to explain everything to me for me to really grasp it all.

There is a suggestion that the reason we are unable to remember what happened when we were infants is because we were unable to describe it at the time.

Oh well. I guess it's a 0

About Behaviorism

I've just started reading About Behaviorism by B.F. Skinner (the first two initials indicating his expertise). I find this topic very interesting so far whether I adhere to the ideas presented or not. I probably won't be blogging on this one AS I read it cuz I don't wanna prove my own ignorance in understanding it all.

About a Movie

I saw the film version of About a Boy and I have to say I was quite impressed. Sometimes you read a book and think "how could this ever be a movie?" but it was exactly as I imagined it and I recommend it to anyone interested in quirkiness.

About Alice

I recommend this book for anyone who has been in love or wished to be in love. It is short, it is charming, and best of all, it is true. Calvin Trillin is (or was in 2006) a writer for The New Yorker. His wife Alice was an inspiration for most, if not all of his writings. This is her biography.

I only have one regret regarding this book, and that is that I came at it from a purely fresh perspective and not as a person who already has seen how her husband portrayed her in his other writings. There’s a familiarity in the writing style that made me feel I was part of the “in crowd” without having earned it. As a result I feel like I only just met her…and now she’s gone.

This book is a strong 3.

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"A" is for About

Well it seems the next 20 books or so will have titles beginning with "About." Today I read Nick Hornby's best selling novel, About a Boy. If you haven't read it before, you may have seen the film starring Hugh Grant. I had done neither till this week. Now the book's complete and I definitely have to see the film.

This book was quite well written and enjoyable. Like many of the books I've read recently, the ending was a bit of a disappointment as we're left to believe that 12 yr old boys really have it all figured out, and it puts a dull light on the concept of marriage and family, a socio-economic structure I happen to be rather fond of.

All in all I give this book a 4, and although I'm not rushing to the bookstore to buy it, this is a book I would not be ashamed to have in my personal library.

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"A" is for Aboltion

Usually, if I go to the library and a book has been checked out already, I just move on, but this time I had to wait for it to come back because this author cannot be skipped.

This book would be particularly interesting for educators. Like many of his “books”, The Abolition of Man is a collection of C.S. Lewis’ lectures, here addressing the issue of education and the way in which modern teaching styles remove from their pupils certain universal values, thereby creating a society of people who have been stripped of virtue and still expected to function honorably and creatively.

Though a short read, this is not a light read or what many call a "pleasure read." I give it a 3, but only for those who already have an interest in Lewis' oral style.

It seems I can't get away from the topic of contraceptives yet, so here's a quote from the book: “And as regards contraceptives, there is a paradoxical, negative sense in which all possible future generations are the patients or subjects of a power wielded by those already alive. By contraception simply, they are denied existence; by contraception used as a means of selective breeding, they are, without their concurring voice, made to be what one generation, for its own reasons, may choose to prefer. From this point of view, what we call Man’s power over Nature turns out to be a power exercised by some men over other men with Nature as its instrument.”

Right on, man.

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"A" is for Abortion

Now now, don't get worried. This is a novel. Abortion by Richard Brautigan was a quick read despite it's 200 some pages. It's a bit confusing because on one hand, it's a short story, but it contains 6 books, each of which have their own chapters.

It's obvious from reading this that Richard Brautigan is a poet. This story, set in first person, was written in 1971 and centers around (you guessed it) an abortion. The plot, though made interesting by the writing style, was somewhat empty, and once again we have a book where everything is conveniently wrapped up in the last few pages.

Best quote from the book: “He looked as if he had been beaten to death with a wine bottle, but by doing it with the contents of the bottle.”

I give this book a 2. It's back to the library for me.

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"A" is for Aboriginal

Well I did it again. I got a juvenile literature book without realizing it. Today's book is Aboriginal Art of Australia: Exploring Cultural Tradition by Carol Finley. I really didn't mind the fact that it was aimed at younger readers. I still came away learning something.

This book explored the subject matter and mediums used in aboriginal art and included some glimpses into the traditions of the aborigines. Although this style of art doesn't particularly speak to me, I give the book a 3 for being well-written, informative, and approachable.

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This book is an abomination

Imagine Se7en, Silence of the Lambs and Random Harvest all mixed together. That was this book.

The plot is interesting enough to make up for the lack of ability in writing the story, not to mention the typos, but maybe I’m the only one who notices things like that. Most of the loose ends were tied up way too quickly to create enough suspense. It was an enjoyable book, but not a great piece of literature. I would have given it a three if it weren't for the fact that everything wrapped up so nicely in the last page. Dozens of people died, but don't worry, we'll all live happily ever after because all these other things fell into place. Abomination gets a 2.

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"A" is for Abomination

You may have noticed that all these strong negative words begin with "abo": abolition, abomination, abortion (yeah, that's next).

Abomination is a novel by Colleen Coble about a serial killer and one of his attempted victims. I got a few chapters in before I saw the back of the binding and noticed it's supposed to be a Christian novel. I'm halfway through now, and apart from a few vague references to prayer and the fact that the killer is an obsessed cult leader, I'm not getting how this is supposed to be Christian...yet. It does have some handy "Reading Group Guide Questions" at the end, but I've avoided reading them before I finish the book.

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Hidden Treasure

One of the joys of the library is that sometimes you find bookmarks that others have left behind. I've found normal bookmarks, grocery lists, etc., but this last trip to the library was the kingpin of all finds.

Someone left an x-ray in the book! Not being a radiologist, I didn't have a clue what it was or if it was even human, but I took it to our sonographer at work today and the consensus is that it must be a gallbladder procedure. Talk about TMI!

Here's to the library.

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"A" is for "Abominable"

Abominable Dr. Faust by Hiroyuki Takei is a manga novel in the Shaman King series. This wasn't my first experience with manga, but it was the first time I was forced to read in English from right to left. I totally get it though. Why reprint the whole thing backwards just for a translation.

The storyline was typical: our hero is facing a series of challengers to become shaman king and is using varies spirits to help him. I give this book a 4, for three simple words: "To be continued"

ARE YOU SERIOUS??!! So maybe my rating is a little high, but they ended the book in the middle of the climax. Clever little Japanese tactics.

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"A" is for "The Abolition of Slavery"

The Abolition of Slavery: Fighting for a Free America by Suzanne Cloud Tapper, apart from being written by someone with a great name, is a moderately useful tool when brushing up on American slavery history. The small size and the colorful cover give the indication that this might be a jr. high or high school textbook, but within the first paragraph I was immediately plunged into the gruesome details of a lynching.

Welcome to 19th century America. This book is good for people who want a basic overview of the people and events leading up to freedom for the slaves, without committing to hours of overly detailed dates and facts. I give it a 2.

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"A" is for The Able Gardener

I can only guess that The Able Gardener: Overcoming Barriers of Age & Physical Limitations by Kathleen Yeomans, R.N. is a useful book. Although I don't have particular physical limitations, this book still put me in the mood to garden. Perhaps I had difficulties with it because I have a hard time enjoying a conversation in which I'm not involved. It lost my attention simply because it didn't apply to me.

This book was written in 1992, so some of the creative approaches put forth in it are outdated and have been made obsolete by modern convention. One would get the best use out of the book by having it nearby and referring to it throughout the entire gardening experience. I give it 2 green thumbs.

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Rating

I've decided to implement a new rating system as I read. Here goes.

0 = Couldn't finish it
1 = Barely finished and am lamenting the moments I can never get back.
2 = Hmmm....ok
3 = Enjoyed it and would recommend it to someone else
4 = Enjoyed it enough to want to read it again
5 = MUST BUY THIS BOOK!!

I'll use this system from now on when I finish each book. That said...

I've finished The Abolition of Britain and give it a 3. It's a bit lengthy, but kept my attention regardless. The author's cynical attitude made even the offensive parts worth reading in my opinion.

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Hitchens on Family

Family and Government:
“There are many explanations for authority’s mistrust of the family. The main one must be that it cannot control what goes on there, what ideas are taught, what wealth stored up, what loyalties fostered.”

Lambeth conference of Anglican bishops:
“We earnestly implore those whose marriages are unhappy to remain steadfastly faithful to their marriage vows, relying on the unfailing resources of God’s grace.”

Regarding the pill and abortion:
“Some experts believe that contraception actually increases the demand for abortion, because it raises the expectation that sex will not result in birth, and so persuades disappointed users of failed contraceptives to choose abortion without much further thought. They have already accepted that sexual intercourse does not and should not lead to a baby. The idea that they are going to have one therefore seems unjust, even outrageous.”

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Hitchens on Parenting

All parents need to read this and think.

In the affluent 1980’s, as millions of children acquired their own televisions and computer games, the house became a self-contained unit with almost no outside needs. Parents, scared either of dangerous traffic or of sexual predators, were afraid to let their children wander physically, so they allowed them to wander mentally instead. They swapped the old dispensation—moral authority, power over ideas and the development of the imagination—for the merely physical power to limit movement. The liberation of children’s minds was, in part at least, the price for their loss of physical freedom.

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Tell us how you really feel, Mr. Hitchens

“To leave a child unsupervised in front of a television set is no less dangerous than giving it neat gin, or putting it within reach of narcotics.”

Chris Brain meets the Anglican church

from The Rise and Fall of the Nine o'Clock Service describing how Chris Brain ran services in the early 1990's. Quoted from The Abolition of Britain chapter 5: "Hell Freezes Over"

'Druidic white-robed figures around an alter resembling a crescent moon...hundreds of black-clad figures peer out of the darkness, swaying to swirling, strangely ethereal breaths of ambient techno.'

This, remember, is taking place in an Anglican church, heir to the monastic tradition and the poetry of Thomas Cranmer. But instead of the timeless comfort of beauty and order, the worshipper hears, 'The Lord is here...his spirit is with us', and then listens to the 'first song, led by the band', followed by 'body prayer, a sort of Christianised yoga', and then a multi-decibel confession: 'Creator God, the source of all life, we confess our sin to you...we confess that as we've wanted more and more we have dominated and exploited your creation...we admit...that we are complicit in destroying you by polluting the air and sea, by destroying the forest, by starving the people of the Third World.'

Then 'a rapper comes over the top, giving it all he's got, and gradually fades into a sample of an Eastern voice wailing.' Then Chris (Brain) says: 'God who knows the equality of all people, and the trap of false dreams, release and deliver you, Amen.' He then 'fades into the sound of running water and birdsong and then it is time for the sacrament'.

Re: Corporal Punishment in Schools

"The conservative society accepts that rebellion and bad behaviour are natural and must be curbed. The liberal society requires all its citizens to be perfectly balanced, conforming to its ideals and aims with a happy heart and a willing mind..."

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"A" is for The Aboltion of Britain

Sometimes I read multiple books at once, and when one is longer than another, I start with that. That means that this week, I'm reading slightly out of alphabetical order. So sue me.

My trip to the library this time brought me, among other things, The Abolition of Britain: From Winston Churchill to Princess Diana by Peter Hitchens. Mr. Hitchens is a controversial journalist from England, and in his book he is attempting to explain how Britain has been destroying itself since the age of Churchill. He is VERY much conservative and doesn't hide the fact that he attributes all of Britain's faults to the liberals, but it's quite informative nonetheless. Since I do maintain fairly conservative views, I would be interested to see how a liberal person would take the book. We'll see...

"A" is for Abingdon

Abingdon Marriage Manual by Perry H. Biddle, Jr. is more a reference book than something meant to be read straight through, but this little book from 1932 and republished in 1974 is still an enjoyment. It's meant for the pastor performing marriage ceremonies, complete with scripts, music suggestions, various premarital counseling practices, etc.

I'm back to the library tonight for my next round. The novel I wanted to check out isn't back yet, but someday...someday.

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No More Abigail

Well it's happened, folks. I've read a biography that I actually quite liked. I think the fact that the author had all the family letters as a resource, helped make it more personal and less just a series of historical facts and data. As educational as the Abe Lincoln book was, it definitely was not for casual readers, whereas this was. The whole time I read it I could imagine it as a major motion picture...a really long one.

Great quote regarding parenting from Abigail to her husband: "You will not teach them what to think, but how to think, and they will then know how to act." I think a lot of parents should read and re-read that statement.

Now I KNOW I promised you a novel next, but after getting to chapter 11 I realized that it actually WAS a smutty novel much like the cover depicted. I closed it. Moving on.

John Adams concerning his daughter's possible marriage

During John's absence overseas, his daughter fell in love with a man of questionable reputation. John was forced to respond with a letter.

"It is by the female world...that the greatest and best characters among men are formed...when I hear of an extraordinary man...I naturally inquire who was his mother? There can be nothing in life more honourable for a woman, than to contribute by her virtue, her advice, her example...to the formation of an husband, a brother, or a son, to be useful to the world."

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Johnny's letter to Pappa

Sir:
I have been trying ever since you went away to learn to write you a Letter. I shall make poor work of it, but Sir Mamma says you will accept my endeavors, and that my Duty to you may be expressed in poor writing as well as good.

I hope I grow a better Boy and that you will have no occasion to be ashamed of me when you return. Mr. Thaxter says I learn my Books well--he is a very good Master. I read my Books to Mamma. We all long to see you; I am Sir your Dutiful Son, John Quincy Adams.

"A" is for Abigail Adams

I promised you some novels, but first another biography. This time it's Abigail Adams: Witness To a Revolution by Natalie S. Bober.

Yet again a book where religion already plays an important role. It's been interesting to see the various connections among the books I've read here. Abigail's youth saw the beginning of the French and Indian War (reference to Abenaki book). Much of this work is pieced together based on letters she wrote, many of them to her husband, John (Abelard and Heloise). She married one president and gave birth to another (Abe Lincoln connection).

I already quite like her. She’s described as always yearning for new books to read, memorizing poetry and reciting it to herself in times of trial, quick-witted and direct, often speaking her mind. She cranks out the babies as her familial duty requires.

But so far, my fave part of her life is her witty relationship with her husband (then suitor) John. He composed a letter to her called "Catalogue of your Faults." I can't help but quote the book.

In this letter John cautioned Abigail not to be "vexed, or fretted, or thrown into a Passion," but to "resolve upon a Reformation--for this is my sincere Aim." Having said this, he proceeded to list her faults: "In the first Place...you have been extreamly negligent, in attending so little to Cards." He hoped she would make a "better Figure in this elegant and necessary Accomplishment."
Second was "a certain Modesty, sensibility, Bashfulness...that enkindles Blushes...at every Violation of Decency in Company."

In the third place, she had never learned to sing. And fourth, "you very often hang your Head like a Bulrush. You do not sit erect as you ought," so "you appear too short for a Beauty, and the Company loses the sweet smiles of that Countenance and the bright sparkles of those Eyes. This Fault is the Effect and Consequence of another, still more inexcusable in a Lady. I mean an Habit of Reading, Writing and Thinking."

Yet another fault was that of sitting with legs crossed. This, he felt, "ruins the figure," and "injures the Health." This was the result, also, he added, of thinking too much.

He ended by telling her that for three weeks he had searched for more faults, "but more are not to be discovered. All the rest is bright and luminous."

Her response? That she's proud to continue in all her faults and that "a gentleman has no business to concern himself about the Leggs of a Lady."


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Morocco - Sloughi...and conclusion

Of all the dogs in the Muslim nation of Morocco, only the sloughi are regarded with affection and respect. Hunting with the sloughis has been illegal for quite some time, but they still have a big festival for the dogs every year, part of which includes a hunt.

This is Labor Day weekend and here I am ready for another trip to the library. I can't let you in on which book is next, cuz I have to read the jackets first to decide if I'm checking them out or not. I CAN tell you that there are a few novels coming up, so it'll be nice to get some fiction in here! Happy reading everyone. See you in a few days.


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Nepal - Do Khyi

In Tibet, the mastiff like dogs are called do khyi. As a rule, they are mistrustful of humans to the point where the authors were instructed “to always have a companion wearing local attire with us who would get along with the animals and they with him; to walk slowly and carry a stick, since in the case of an attack the dogs would first bite the stick; to never hit the dogs, since the noise of the wounded would call up all other dogs; and, if possible, to throw food to a threatening dog so that it would be occupied until we could reach safety.”

Namibia

The pariah dogs of the Himba people of Namibia have been the subject of heated debate over the past century. Negative descriptions of the dogs by cynologists were actually biased representations of the views they had toward their owners. The dogs are never assigned a duty, they come to their tasks on their own, and they are varied whether it be tending the cattle, finding worms with the children, or defending the women from snakes.

WARNING: Gross out moment? Among the Turkana tribe in east Africa, dogs guard the children often tidying up after them by eating baby feces and even licking them clean. GROSS!!!

I’m showing my ignorance here, but Namibia only became independent from South Africa in 1990?! Why do I not remember this? Namibia has been a country for as long as I can remember.


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Greenland Dogs

Once again it's quite apparently that this book has been translated. But who cares! I enjoyed this chapter. In Greenland, dogs are not only beneficial, but highly necessary for travel. The authors describe how dogs are raised, the formations they make as they travel across ice and snow, etc. If you don't read this book the whole way through, I highly recommend this chapter.

I learned that the Greenland shark meat doesn’t taste good to humans and cannot be fed to dogs when it’s fresh or it has an effect rather like alcohol, sometimes being lethal. They can only eat it after it’s been dried 6 months, and even then it can cause cramping in more than tiny amounts. I also read that dogsleds are even used for firefighting, complete with water hoses and everything. Whoever happens to have most recently harnessed his team is expected to lend it to the firefighters and postpone his hunt.

And because all of these books have touched on religion to some extent, I will mention that “in contrast to other Inuit people, Greenlanders are Christian.”

In other news, here's a cute photo!


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Patagonia - Mixed Breeds

Abenteuer Hund properly translates to "Working Dog," which makes it no surprise that all the dogs mentioned in this book are exactly that. Whoever came up with "Dog's Best Friend" for the English title is...well I'll leave my opinions to myself.

Patagonia equals sheep. Well, it equals many things, but for our purposes we'll stick with sheep. The dogs, like the people of Patagonia, are mixed, but are mostly border dogs from the area which borders England and Scotland. I can't say I learned much from this portion of the book, but the pictures were lovely. Again...this makes a better TV series.

In 1999, when this book was written, kelpies were a new, exciting, Australian herding breed to arrive on the scene. Here I can at least provide you with a cute photo. :D


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Borneo - Mystery Breed

We don’t even have a name for the dogs who reside here. That makes it quite difficult to find photos to post for you, but I can tell you they look a bit like dingos. The chapter opens describing a caring and precise funeral process, later to reveal that this burial is for a dog, a dog who helped his master kill over 100 pigs. With no separation between natural and spiritual, life and afterlife, the Punan people view their dogs as companions moreso than property. Instead of trying to teach the dogs commands, the Punan speak to them in the cries and wails the dogs themselves use. Unlike the greyhounds of Burkina Faso, the Punan dogs make terrible guards as they are so accustomed to humans that they consider everyone to be friendly.

The authors take this opportunity to include a few rants about deforestation, which although a tragedy, doesn’t seem to fit with the overall theme of the book.

Speaking of legends…the Punan have their own story about where their dogs came from:
According to an ancient legend, the Punan created their dogs themselves--from the resin of a eucalyptus tree. The creature was supposed to have quick legs and a good nose, and it needed to be able to speak so it could call to the hunter. In response to their requests, a god breathed into the figure and, thereby, gave the dog life.


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Burkina Faso - Greyhounds

I can already tell this would make a much better tv show that it does a book. At least I have the luxury of photos. :-P

I have to admit, greyhounds are NOT my favorites. I like big dogs, but I've always thought they are kinda ugly. They still have really adorable puppies though.

Despite being a Muslim nation, the nomads and sedentary cattlemen (Tuareg) consider greyhouds as companions and status symbols instead of filthy impure animals. The harsh nature of their environment caused the Tuareg to only keep the strongest of the puppies for hunting purposes. Most females, all black puppies, and any surplus would have to die. This type of breeding process is responsible for the modern greyhound’s agility and strength.
Hunting, the original purpose for breeding greyhounds, has become difficult or illegal for the Tuareg. Now the dogs are assigned the duty of guarding the herds of cattle.


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