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vodkafan

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    Vodkafan's book list 2013

    in Past Book Logs

    Posted

    Bonk   5/6

    Mary Roach

     

    Well Mary Roach  that fearless and funny science writer has done it again.  She tackles the subjects that other science writers  fear to even look at.  Part of the fun of reading this author is the way she totally gets immersed into the subject she is researching and her long-suffering husband Bob often gets dragged into it too.  The things poor Bob had to do for the sake of science in this book had me in stitches.

     Sex researchers I found out are a completely crazy bunch of people unlike any other scientists.

    The book taught me a lot I did not know about human sexuality. I mean, I am 52, I have had 6 kids, I thought I had a pretty Ok working knowledge.

    Some of the parts were very uncomfortable reading for a male.

     

    In some passages I could literally feel my personal bits  shrinking trying to get back inside my body and as small as possible at the thought of what I was reading!

     

    Other bits about women's bodies I just found fascinating.

    This book is every bit as good as Packing For Mars.

    Thanks to Sofia for sending me this copy . 

    Vodkafan's book list 2013

    in Past Book Logs

    Posted · Edited by vodkafan

    The Blackest Streets   5/6

    Sarah Wise

     

    This was an excellent book telling the story of a notorious part of  Victorian slum London. It's origins, the shameful reasons it became so decrepit (human greed basically) and most of all about the people who had to live out their (often short and brutal) lives there .

    The death rate in the Nichol was twice that of anywhere else in poor London.

    The poor were basically seen by Victorian society as being responsible for their own misfortune and left to fend for themselves, they were often seen as a criminal class.

    The book offers evidence  that in fact only 5% of the very poor were parasitical criminals ( shockingly they preyed on the poor around them rather than on the rich) and most were hardworking  and honest though uneducated.

    There was no shortage of well meaning people , some religious, some wealthy who tried to alleviate the suffering and it is interesting to read their histories too. Some of them shortened their own life spans by moving into the Nichol and living in amongst the poor.

    There is also lots of social questions and examination of politics along the way but it is never dull and once started I just had to keep reading.  Some  Appendices  and an excellent bibliography at the end  generate further reading. 

    Bobblybear's Book List - 2013

    in Past Book Logs

    Posted

    That one is actually my least favorite of hers, and the only one I didn't really enjoy. :thud: Did you enjoy it?

     

    That's a funny smiley hadn't seen that one before. Hmm about My Lover's Lover:

     

    I thought it was going well up to the point of where she found out that the ex wasn't a ghost after all; after we found that out it made the whole plot look a bit weak and silly. But there was one strange passage in particular that I liked  (sort of uncomnnected to the plot at all ) which provoked a lot of thought and I am going to have to read again for that.

     

    The last film you saw - 2013

    in Music / TV / Films

    Posted · Edited by vodkafan

    Last film I watched was Skyfall. Really disappointed plot was ridiculous could see things coming way in advance like a steam train. Was very disappointed to see a good actress like Naomi Harris  just going all Hollywood skinny and playing nothing more than eyecandy .

     

    She supposedly went through all the training as a tough field agent just to become a secretary (Moneypenny) at the end.

     

     

     Sorry but this was drivel

    The last film you saw - 2013

    in Music / TV / Films

    Posted

    As follow up on above posts, adama, I wanted to let you know that my husband I have now viewed both Before Sunrise and Before Sunset, and loved them both.  He'd seen at least one of them years ago.  Before Sunset is particularly moving I thought.

    Thanks!

     Never heard of any of those  thanks! Will put them on my wishlist...

    Brian's 2013 Book Log

    in Past Book Logs

    Posted

    Are you really saying that Hamas the terrorist organisation and Christianity are both extreme ideologies of the same ilk? Sounds like you have some black and white views of your own ;)

     

    Hi Andrea  only just saw this. My thoughts are getting less and less black and white these days; about religion I like to stay comfortably in the grey! :smile:

    Vodkafan's book list 2013

    in Past Book Logs

    Posted

    Workhouse   2/6

    My Story series

    Pamela Oldfield

     

    I would say that this was an educational book  for young teenagers with the intent of teaching them about Victorian England by hopefully engaging them in a story with characters their own age. 

    Thought of in that way this works quite well but the story is a little weak for adult reading. So I could only give it an "OK" rating.

     I will certainly be passing this one on to my 10 year old.

    It might make her appreciate having cooked dinners and a comfy bed if she knows what a child of 1871 had to put up with!

    Vodkafan's book list 2013

    in Past Book Logs

    Posted · Edited by vodkafan

    Daily Life In Victorian London   4/6

    Lee Jackson

     

    Lee Jackson runs a most interesting website all about anything Victorian. This book is not a novel but snippets of first hand accounts of life in Victorian London . He has sifted masses of material , a lot more of which is on his website, to come up with something  informative but entertaining for the general reader.  I think he succeeded. About half the reviewers on Amazon did not seem to agree with me but maybe they expected something different . To me the fact that it was all real historical documents from primary sources was wonderful and exciting.   

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