The Emperor of All Maladies

The Emperor of All Maladies (2010) by Siddhartha Mukherjee. The subtitle of this book is "A Biography of Cancer," and that is what Mukherjee has attempted. Sometimes in exhaustive detail, he traces the history of cancer in human affairs, back to the earliest known cases and forward to the latest in treatment protocols. It can't be said that this book is a joy to read; at times it is a chore. The author goes into in-depth descriptions of many of the eddies and blind alleys that doctors have pursued in their attempts to fight the dread disease. He is careful, however, to keep his discussions always within range of the intelligent layman's understanding. For this he deserves credit. When I finished this book, I felt like I had accomplished something. If I ever get cancer, I'll feel better informed than I would have otherwise. It is not, however, a fun book. Grade: B+

True Grit

True Grit (1968) by Charles Portis. This tale of revenge, set in the Old West of 1870s Arkansas and Oklahoma, features the distinctive voice of Mattie Ross, a 14-year-old girl whose father was ruthlessly murdered by "a coward going by the name of Tom Chaney." Mattie sets out to gain vengeance, and hires the marshall Rooster Cogburn to help her in her pursuit. She is looking for a man with "true grit," and she finds him in Rooster. But by the end of the book you realize that the one who really has grit is Mattie herself. It is one of the most enjoyable books I've read for some time, virtually perfect in capturing the voices of the various characters and of the times. It is also relatively short and a quick read. Grade: A

Travels in Siberia

Travels in Siberia (2010) by Ian Frazier. In this book Frazier, smitten by "Russia-love," tells of his several visits to Russia and to Siberia in particular. Along the way, he fills us in on history, geography, industry, global economics, art and many related topics. His optimism and confidence are contagious, but they did not fill me with a desire to go to Siberia. What the book did do was to remind me of how lucky I am to live in America, and what a beautiful country we have. Although the book at times feels overlong, I finished it with a feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment. It's a fascinating glimpse into another culture. Grade: A

Father of the Rain

Father of the Rain (2010) by Lily King. The book is divided into three parts. In Part I, Daley Amory is 11 years old, and thus can't fully understand when her parents split apart and get a divorce. Constantly tugged at by her mother and her father, the little girl is unable to choose, because she has no favorite. This seminal event in her life colors all that follows, as she attempts, on and off through the years, to reconcile with her drunk, spiteful, impossible father after her mother's death. Told in the first person, this is a fine, compulsively readable novel about divorce and its effects on one woman's life. I'm glad I read it. Grade: A-

The Gun

The Gun (2010) by C.J. Chivers. The Gun leaves the reader with curiously mixed feelings. There is a feeling of triumph at having finished a really good book, thoroughly researched on a fascinating subject; and there is a feeling of queasiness brought on by the subject matter of the book. In this case, the subject is the AK-47 assault rifle, developed in the Soviet Union after World War II and now ubiquitous in conflicts all over the world. The AK-47, also known as the Kalashnikov, was carefully designed to be simple, reliable and lethal, and has been a resounding success as a killing machine. It was used in Vietnam by the enemy to defeat Americans carrying the inferior M-16. It is used in Afghanistan and Iraq, and in conflicts all over Africa. This book traces in nearly exhaustive detail the origins and development and spread of the Kalashnikov, and also has an entire chapter about the U.S. military's misadventure with the M-16, meant to be America's answer to the AK-47. It's an endlessly interesting book, although at times it seems that the author makes unnecessary digressions that could have been left out. Grade: A-

Plastic

Plastic: A Toxic Love Story (2011) by Susan Freinkel. The title pretty much says it all in this well-researched, fascinating book. Freinkel covers every type of plastic, from acrylic to polyethylene, and traces them back to the sources. What are plastics made from? How are they manufactured, processed and distributed? What happens to them after they are discarded? These and many other questions are addressed in this book, which is thorough without ever being boring. Freinkel takes a balanced approach, neither overly praising nor totally condemning the ubiquity of plastics in modern life. Plastics are just a fact of life, which it would behoove us to pay attention to before it's too late. She describes the many beneficial uses of plastic, as well as plastics' awful effects on the environment and wildlife. As Freinkel puts it, will we eventually end up buried and destroyed by plastic waste, or will we learn to use plastic wisely as the useful material it can be? The book gives the thoughtful reader a lot to think about. Grade: A

Booky Wook 2

Booky Wook 2: This Time it's Personal (2010) by Russell Brand. Brand is the British guy who has recently become famous in America with roles in such movies as Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Get Him to the Greek, and Arthur. His first book, My Booky Wook, told of his origins as an addict and aspiring comedian in England. This, his second book, tells of his achieving success and his rise to fame. For such a skanky-looking person, he has and amazing vocabulary and a poetic sensibility that makes his book a wonder to read. A standout feature is his incredible descriptions of his conquests among the female sex, of which he seems quite fond. More than anything, though, this book is just funny. Brand has an ability to honestly criticize himself which is disarming and sparks a tendency to forgive his most egregious offenses -- most of which are self-harming anyway. This book was an enjoyable read. Grade: B+