Egad! It's Science

On the recommendation of my son, I ordered DEATH BY BLACK HOLE by Neil deGrasse Tyson (2007) but would have been unable to retain any interest if the book had presented information about the universe in the ordinary dry scientific manner. Mr. Tyson doesn't do that. His funny comments actually had me laughing out loud. Because of that, I stayed with the book and now understand black holes (kind of). It's a great book that enables the reader to laugh while learning.

Heartbreaking, but Beautiful

I just finished The Lost Wife by Alyson Richman (2011). This is a beautiful story. It begins with the end of the story (which allows you to know that neither party died) but soon takes you back to the beginning. It tells of a newly-married couple who have the opportunity to leave Europe just before the Gestapo begins rounding up Jews to be sent to "work camps". The husband is committed to going with his family, but the bride elects to stay with her own family until they too can leave. Having lost each other, both Lenka and Josef go on living, but their love never dies. An interesting part of the presentation is that most of Lenka's story is told by her as a young woman, while most of Josef's is as the memories of an old man. I would recommend this to anyone.

I lucked out again

One of my dearest friends had a career in nursing. She had spent a part of her childhood in Chicago, and eventually had a four-year training course in three years at the Cook County School of Nursing which is affiliated with the Cook County Hospital. All this is prelude to telling you that she loaned a book to me that I never would have encountered otherwise. The book is COOKED by Carol Karels (rhymes with Charles), published in 2005. It is a memoir, but much less about her than the training of these nurses. It's an excellent book and worthy of much wider distribution.

Go on a Journey with some Great Gals

Women! We can be pains, but we're frequently magnificent. The five main characters in this book (well, actually more, if you count the deceased) are wonderful. I would be honored to call any of them "friend". The book is Annie Freeman's Fabulous Traveling Funeral by Kris Radish (2006). Prior to her death, Annie left instructions and requests to be passed to her close friends to meet -- for the first time --, travel together and leave part of Annie's ashes in places that were dear to her. And they do -- and then some.
The book is both funny and profound. Find it and enjoy.

Serious but not Sad

 I just finished The Forgetting --Alzheimer's: Portrait of an Epidemic. What an excellent book! Written by David Shenk (2001), the book documents and explains the progress of Alzheimer's disease from the early to the final stages. It leaves the reader not only comforted but also almost appreciative of this manner of death. Mr. Shenk has done a great service in making this information available. If you're concerned about the possibility of Alzheimer's in someone you care about, I strongly urge you to read this book.