Dragon Hoops by Gene Leun Yang

Dragon Hoops by Gene Leun Yang

446 pages

⭐⭐⭐⭐.5/5

Synopsis (from Goodreads)

Gene understands stories—comic book stories, in particular. Big action. Bigger thrills. And the hero always wins.

But Gene doesn’t get sports. As a kid, his friends called him “Stick” and every basketball game he played ended in pain. He lost interest in basketball long ago, but at the high school where he now teaches, it's all anyone can talk about. The men’s varsity team, the Dragons, is having a phenomenal season that’s been decades in the making. Each victory brings them closer to their ultimate goal: the California State Championships.

Once Gene gets to know these young all-stars, he realizes that their story is just as thrilling as anything he’s seen on a comic book page. He knows he has to follow this epic to its end. What he doesn’t know yet is that this season is not only going to change the Dragons’s lives, but his own life as well.

Satchel Paige: Striking Out Jim Crow by James Sturm

Satchel Paige: Striking Out Jim Crow by James Sturm

96 pages

⭐⭐⭐/5

Synopsis (from Goodreads)

Baseball Hall of Famer Leroy "Satchel" Paige (1905? – 1982) changed the face of the game in a career that spanned five decades. Much has been written about this larger-than-life pitcher, but when it comes to Paige, fact does not easily separate from fiction. He made a point of writing his own history…and then re-writing it. A tall, lanky fireballer, he was arguably the Negro League’s hardest thrower, most entertaining storyteller and greatest gate attraction. Now the Center for Cartoon Studies turns a graphic novelist’s eye to Paige’s story. Told from the point of view of a sharecropper, this compelling narrative follows Paige from game to game as he travels throughout the segregated South.

Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer

 Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer-215 pages

⭐⭐⭐

Goodreads Synopsis: In April 1992 a young man from a well-to-do family hitchhiked to Alaska and walked alone into the wilderness north of Mt. McKinley. His name was Christopher Johnson McCandless. He had given $25,000 in savings to charity, abandoned his car and most of his possessions, burned all the cash in his wallet, and invented a new life for himself. Four months later, his decomposed body was found by a moose hunter. How McCandless came to die is the unforgettable story of Into the Wild.

Immediately after graduating from college in 1991, McCandless had roamed through the West and Southwest on a vision quest like those made by his heroes Jack London and John Muir. In the Mojave Desert he abandoned his car, stripped it of its license plates, and burned all of his cash. He would give himself a new name, Alexander Supertramp, and , unencumbered by money and belongings, he would be free to wallow in the raw, unfiltered experiences that nature presented. Craving a blank spot on the map, McCandless simply threw the maps away. Leaving behind his desperate parents and sister, he vanished into the wild.

Thoughts: This was our latest read for the Anything Goes Book Club. It's pretty good and presents a compelling story about McCandless and his escapades. However, much of the Alaskan wilderness part of the story is Krakauer's speculation based on limited evidence and information. McCandless' journal of his time in interior Alaska is only 430 words, so there's very little for Krakauer (or any reader) to glean based on it, but Krakauer tries. There are some of the opinion that this book should be categorized as fiction because of the rampant speculation. I wouldn't go that far, but it is a lot of speculation. Overall, it's a decent read, but it doesn't get full marks. 

Beautiful Crescent: A History of New Orleans Ninth Edition

 Beautiful Crescent: A History of New Orleans Ninth Edition by Joan B. Garvey and Mary Lou Widmer-336 pages

⭐⭐⭐

Synopsis: Originally written by Joan B. Garvey and Mary Lou Widmer, this book is widely regarded as the definitive text for tourists, locals, teachers, and students. Complete with a new forward by Barbara Robichaux, a professional French Quarter tour guide, this concise history directs the reader through the diverse traditions and cultures of New Orleans. The updates in this tricentennial edition celebrate the 300-year history of New Orleans, with chapters including details of the city's founding, changing European rule, slavery, and much more. With lists of notable figures and events, this reference volume is a must for historians, tour guides, and lovers of the Big Easy.

Thoughts: I picked this up from William Faulkner Books in New Orleans while there. This bookstore is in the house where Faulkner wrote his first novel, thus the name. It is a good overview of New Orleans history. However, not all of the facts presented are 100% accurate (i.e. the authors say that at the Battle of New Orleans in 1815 2,000 British were killed and only 7 Americans were killed. However, there were approx. 2,034 British casualties which included killed, wounded, and missing or captured. Only 291 were killed. 13 Americans were killed among 71 casualties). I did a quick Google search and found the 2 corroborating sources with the same statistics. Also, the writing style isn't very academic like one might expect from a book on history. It's more vernacular and everyday language instead of more academic. A few words are outdated and one in particular is considered offensive today (this book was published in 2017). Overall, it's a good overview of the history of New Orleans, as I said, but with a few drawbacks. 

Sapiens: A Graphic History, Volume 3: Masters of History by Yuval Noah Harari

 

Sapiens: A Graphic History, Volume 3: Masters of History

2024 | 288 Pages

Summary: This third volume of the illustrated adaptation of the internationally bestselling phenomenon, Sapiens: A Graphic History—The Masters of History, tackles the question of the driving force of humanity’s fate: is it empire, money, religion—or something else entirely—that unites us?

Sometimes history seems like a laundry list of malevolent monarchs, pompous presidents and dastardly dictators. But are they really the ones in the driving seat? Sapiens: A Graphic History—The Masters of History takes us on an immersive and hilarious ride through the human past to discover the forces that change our world, bring us together, and just as often... tear us apart.

Grab a front-row seat to the greatest show on earth, and explore the rise of money, religion and empire. Join our fabulous host Heroda Tush, as she wonders: Which historical superhero will display the power to make civilizations rise and fall? Will Mr. Random prove that luck and circumstance prevail? Will Lady Empire convince us of the irrefutable shaping force of conquerors? Or will Clashwoman beat them all to greatness by reminding us of the endless confrontations that seem to forever plague our species?

In this next volume of the bestselling graphic series, Yuval Noah Harari, David Vandermeulen and Daniel Casanave continue to present the complicated story of humankind with wit, empathy and originality. Alongside the unlikely cast of new characters, we are rejoined by the familiar faces of Yuval, Zoe, Professor Saraswati, Bill and Cindy (now Romans), Skyman and Captain Dollar. As they travel through time, space and human drama in search of truth, it's impossible not to wonder: why can’t we all just get along?

This third installment in the Sapiens: A Graphic History series is an engaging, insightful, and colorful retelling of the story of humankind for curious minds of all ages, and can be browsed through on its own or read in sequence with Volumes One and Two.

Review: Even though I did read all of the volumes, I can definitely see how they could be read as standalones as well which is such a nice perk if your historical interests are centered on certain subjects. My own interests had me more fascinated in volume one and three than in two even if all were highly enjoyable reads and I've learned a lot from them all. Volume three does a fantastic job in getting the reader thinking differently about some of the topics we learned about in history class in a much more entertaining and endearing way than an old textbook could. I highly recommend the whole series of these graphic novels for any history enjoyers out there! Its got so much to say.

Sapiens: A Graphic History, Volume 2: The Pillars of Civilization by Yuval Noah Harari

 

Sapiens: A Graphic History, Volume 2: The Pillars of Civilization

256 Pages | 2021

Summary: This second volume of Sapiens: A Graphic History, the full-color graphic adaptation of Yuval Noah Harari’s #1 New York Times bestseller, focuses on the Agricultural Revolution—when humans fell into a trap we’ve yet to escape: working harder and harder with diminishing returns.

What if humanity’s major woes—war, plague, famine and inequality—originated 12,000 years ago, when Homo sapiens converted from nomads to settlers, in pursuit of the fantasy of productivity and efficiency? What if by seeking to control plants and animals, humans ended up being controlled by kings, priests, and Kafkaesque bureaucracy? Volume 2 of Sapiens: A Graphic History–The Pillars of Civilization explores a crucial chapter in human development: the Agricultural Revolution. This is the story of how wheat took over the world; how an unlikely marriage between a god and a bureaucrat created the first empires; and how war, plague, famine, and inequality became an intractable feature of the human condition.

But it’s not all doom and gloom with this book’s cast of entertaining characters and colorful humorous scenes. Yuval, Zoe, Prof. Saraswati, Cindy and Bill (now farmers), Detective Lopez, and Dr. Fiction, all introduced in Volume 1, once again travel the length and breadth of human history, this time investigating the impact the Agricultural Revolution has had on our species. The cunning Mephisto shows them how to ensnare humans, King Hammurabi lays down the law, and Confucius explains harmonious society. The origins of modern farming are introduced through Elizabethan tragedy; the changing fortunes of domesticated plants and animals are tracked in the columns of the Daily Business News; the story of urbanization is portrayed as a travel brochure, offering discount journeys to ancient Babylon and China; and the history of inequality unfolds in a superhero detective story; with guest appearances by historical and cultural personalities throughout such as Thomas Jefferson, Scarlett O'Hara, Margaret Thatcher, and John Lennon. (Courtesy of Amazon)

Review: Just like volume 1, volume 2 was a very mind opening take of early human history as we learned to build civilizations and move away from the hunter-gatherer phase of our existence. The author makes you consider both the advantages and disadvantages to human kind moving forward in this way with the knowledge of how we live today naturally on your mind. If you want a different take to history as it is (and a more fun one), this book is the one for you!

The Northwomen by Heather Pringle

 The Northwomen by Heather Pringle-336 pages

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Many books have been published about the Vikings, but few have focused on the women. This is a good look at the various roles Northwomen played in Viking society. At least a few bucked the norms and were warriors, voyagers, and traders. Archaeological evidence has been discovered of a potentially prominent Viking warrior woman buried in Birka. It was originally assumed to be a male, but more thorough research revealed it to be a female. I found this book to be very informative and enjoyed reading it. 

Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly

 Hidden Figures by Margo Lee Shetterly - 349 pages, 10 hour 47 minute Audiobook

⭐⭐⭐✰✰

Set amid the civil rights movement, the never-before-told true story of NASA’s African-American female mathematicians who played a crucial role in America’s space program. Before Neil Armstrong walked on the moon, a group of professionals worked as ‘Human Computers’ calculating the flight paths that would enable space travel. A group of talented ‘colored computers’ who were segregated from their white counterparts, used pencil and paper to write the equations that would launch rockets and astronauts into space. This true story moves from World War II, when an executive order signed by Franklin D. Roosevelt made it possible for women and African-Americans to work in professional positions in government workplaces, through NASA’s golden age, touching on the civil rights era, the Space Race, the Cold War and the women’s rights movement. This book tells the story of courageous women whose work forever changed the world.

At times, it was difficult to keep track of all the names, events and dates in this book as she tended to throw out one fact after another. I feel like I learned facts about some people's lives, but I didn't get to know Dorothy Vaughan or Katherine Johnson on a personal level. I did find all the information about the discrimination and segregation African-Americans, especially those in Viriginia during the 1940's through 1960's, faced on a daily basis. I enjoyed the movie "Hidden Figures" much more than the book even though the screen adaptation portrayed NASA as a segregated workplace in 1961 even though they ended the practice when NACA became NASA in 1958. The movie told the story of the three main characters, instead of mostly stating facts about them, and helped you get to know them on a much more personal level.

CHEAP LAND COLORADO: Off-Gridders at America's Edge by TED CONOVER

 CHEAP LAND COLORADO: Off-Gridders at America's Edge by TED CONOVER   304 PGS

In May 2017, Ted Conover went to Colorado to explore firsthand a rural way of life that is about living cheaply, on your own land—and keeping clear of the mainstream. The failed subdivisions of the enormous San Luis Valley make this possible. Five-acre lots on the high prairie can be had for five thousand dollars, sometimes less. 

Conover volunteered for a local group trying to prevent homelessness during the bitter winters. He encountered an unexpected diversity: veterans with PTSD, families homeschooling, addicts young and old, gay people, people of color, lovers of guns and marijuana, people with social anxiety—most of them spurning charity and aiming, and sometimes failing, to be self-sufficient. And more than a few predicting they’ll be the last ones standing when society collapses.

Conover bought his own five acres and immersed himself for parts of four years in the often contentious culture of the far margins. He found many who dislike the government but depend on its subsidies; who love their space but nevertheless find themselves in each other’s business; who are generous but wary of thieves; who endure squalor but appreciate beauty. In their struggles to survive and get along, they tell us about an America riven by difference where the edges speak more and more loudly to the mainstream.

YOU'RE LEAVING WHEN? ADVENTURES IN DOWNWARD MOBILITY by ANNABELLE GURWITCH

 YOU'RE LEAVING WHEN? ADVENTURES IN DOWNWARD MOBILITY  by ANNABELLE GURWITCH  pgs 213

With signature "sharp wit" (NPR), Annabelle Gurwitch gives irreverent and empathetic voice to a generation hurtling into their next chapter with no safety net and proves that our no-frills new normal doesn't mean a deficit of humor.

In these essays, Gurwitch embraces homesharing, welcoming a housing-insecure young couple and a bunny rabbit into her home. The mother of a college student in recovery who sheds the gender binary, she relearns to parent, one pronoun at a time. She wades into the dating pool in a Miss Havisham-inspired line of lingerie and flunks the magic of tidying up.

You're Leaving When? is for anybody who thought they had a semblance of security but wound up with a fragile economy and a blankie. Gurwitch offers stories of resilience, adaptability, low-rent redemption, and the kindness of strangers. Even in a muted Zoom.

DIVIDED WE FALL: AMERICA'S SECESSION THREAT AND HOW TO RESTORE OUR NATION by DAVID FRENCH

 DIVIDED WE FALL: AMERICA'S SECESSION THREAT AND HOW TO RESTORE OUR NATION

by  DAVID FRENCH   288 PGS

Two decades into the 21st Century, the U.S. is less united than at any time in our history since the Civil War. We are more diverse in our beliefs and culture than ever before. But red and blue states, secular and religious groups, liberal and conservative idealists, and Republican and Democratic representatives all have one thing in common: each believes their distinct cultures and liberties are being threatened by an escalating violent opposition. This polarized tribalism, espoused by the loudest, angriest fringe extremists on both the left and the right, dismisses dialogue as appeasement; if left unchecked, it could very well lead to secession.

An engaging mix of cutting edge research and fair-minded analysis, Divided We Fall is an unblinking look at the true dimensions and dangers of this widening ideological gap, and what could happen if we don't take steps toward bridging it. French reveals chilling, plausible scenarios of how the United States could fracture into regions that will not only weaken the country but destabilize the world.

But our future is not written in stone. By implementing James Madison’s vision of pluralism―that all people have the right to form communities representing their personal values―we can prevent oppressive factions from seizing absolute power and instead maintain everyone’s beliefs and identities across all fifty states.

Reestablishing national unity will require the bravery to commit ourselves to embracing qualities of kindness, decency, and grace towards those we disagree with ideologically. French calls on all of us to demonstrate true tolerance so we can heal the American divide. If we want to remain united, we must learn to stand together again.

THE CULT OF SMART: HOW OUR BROKEN EDUCATION SYSTEM PERPETUATES SOCIAL INJUSTICE by FREDRIK deBOER

 THE CULT OF SMART: HOW OUR BROKEN EDUCATION SYSTEM PERPETUATES SOCIAL INJUSTICE by FREDRIK deBOER  pgs 276

Everyone agrees that education is the key to creating a more just and equal world, and that our schools are broken and failing. Proposed reforms variously target incompetent teachers, corrupt union practices, or outdated curricula, but no one acknowledges a scientifically-proven fact that we all understand intuitively: Academic potential varies between individuals, and cannot be dramatically improved. In The Cult of Smart, educator and outspoken leftist Fredrik deBoer exposes this omission as the central flaw of our entire society, which has created and perpetuated an unjust class structure based on intellectual ability.

Since cognitive talent varies from person to person, our education system can never create equal opportunity for all. Instead, it teaches our children that hierarchy and competition are natural, and that human value should be based on intelligence. These ideas are counter to everything that the left believes, but until they acknowledge the existence of individual cognitive differences, progressives remain complicit in keeping the status quo in place.

This passionate, voice-driven manifesto demands that we embrace a new goal for education: equality of outcomes. We must create a world that has a place for everyone, not just the academically talented. But we’ll never achieve this dream until the Cult of Smart is destroyed.

TALES OF TWO PLANETS: Stories of Climate Change and Inequality in a Divided World JOHN FREEMAN (ed)

 TALES OF TWO PLANETS: Stories of Climate Change and Inequality in a Divided World  JOHN FREEMAN (ed)  290 pgs

In the past five years, John Freeman, previously editor of Granta, has launched a celebrated international literary magazine, Freeman's, and compiled two acclaimed anthologies that deal with income inequality as it is experienced. In the course of this work, one major theme came up repeatedly: Climate change is making already dire inequalities much worse, devastating further the already devastated. But the problems of climate change are not restricted to those from the less developed world.

Galvanized by his conversations with writers and activists around the world, Freeman engaged with some of today's most eloquent storytellers, many of whom hail from the places under the most acute stress--from the capital of Burundi to Bangkok, Thailand. The response has been extraordinary. Margaret Atwood conjures with a dys¬topian future in a remarkable poem. Lauren Groff whisks us to Florida; Edwidge Danticat to Haiti; Tahmima Anam to Bangladesh; Yasmine El Rashidi to Egypt, while Eka Kurniawan brings us to Indonesia, Chinelo Okparanta to Nigeria, and Anuradha Roy to the Himalayas in the wake of floods, dam building, and drought. This is a literary all-points bulletin of fiction, essays, poems, and reportage about the most important crisis of our times.

THE GROWTH DELUSION: WEALTH, POVERTY, AND THE WELL-BEING OF NATIONS

The Growth Delusion: Wealth, Poverty, and the Well-being of Nations by David Pilling   291 pages

We live in a society in which a priesthood of economists, wielding impenetrable mathematical formulas, set the framework for public debate. Ultimately, it is the perceived health of the economy which determines how much we can spend on our schools, highways, and defense; economists decide how much unemployment is acceptable and whether it is right to print money or bail out profligate banks. 

The backlash we are currently witnessing suggests that people are turning against the experts and their faulty understanding of our lives. Despite decades of steady economic growth, many citizens feel more pessimistic than ever, and are voting for candidates who voice undisguised contempt for the technocratic elite. For too long, economics has relied on a language which fails to resonate with people's actual experience, and we are now living with the consequences.

In this powerful, incisive book, David Pilling reveals the hidden biases of economic orthodoxy and explores the alternatives to GDP, from measures of wealth, equality, and sustainability to measures of subjective wellbeing. Authoritative, provocative, and eye-opening, The Growth Delusion offers witty and unexpected insights into how our society can respond to the needs of real people instead of pursuing growth at any cost.

BIRDER ON BERRY LANE: three acres, twelve months, thousands of birds

Birder on Berry Lane : three acres, twelve months, thousands of birds by Robert Tougias  216 pages

Captivating book by nature writer Robert Tougias, which covers a year in the life of birds in his own backyard. Birding isn't just about checking the different avian species off a list, but "a great feeling of peace" that the author gets from observing these creatures on a daily basis.

I greatly enjoyed this book and it brought about a greater interest on my own part to be more observant of the birds in my environment.

EMPTY PLANET: THE SHOCK OF GLOBAL POPULATION DECLINE

EMPTY PLANET: THE SHOCK OF GLOBAL POPULATION DECLINE
by DARRELL BRICKER  288 Pages

For half a century, statisticians, pundits, and politicians have warned that a burgeoning population will soon overwhelm the earth’s resources. But a growing number of experts are sounding a different alarm. Rather than continuing to increase exponentially, they argue, the global population is headed for a steep decline—and in many countries, that decline has already begun.
 
In Empty Planet, John Ibbitson and Darrell Bricker find that a smaller global population will bring with it many benefits: fewer workers will command higher wages; the environment will improve; the risk of famine will wane; and falling birthrates in the developing world will bring greater affluence and autonomy for women.
 
But enormous disruption lies ahead, too. We can already see the effects in Europe and parts of Asia, as aging populations and worker shortages weaken the economy and impose crippling demands on healthcare and social security. The United States and Canada are well-positioned to successfully navigate these coming demographic shifts–that is, unless growing isolationism leads us to close ourselves off just as openness becomes more critical to our survival than ever.
 
Rigorously researched and deeply compelling, Empty Planet offers a vision of a future that we can no longer prevent–but one that we can shape, if we choose.

As You Wish - The Inconceivable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride - by Cary Elwes

As You Wish - Inconceivable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride by Cary Elwes - 242 pages
In this book Cary has gathered behind-the-scenes stories and hopefully answered most of the questions they have received over the years from fans. Cary says, it is not an exaggeration to say that most days on set were exhilarating, from wrestling Andre the Giant, to the impossibility of playing mostly dead with Billy Crystal cracking jokes above me, to choreographing the Greatest Sword Fight in Modern Times with Mandy Patinkin, to being a part of the Kiss That Left All the Others Behind with Robin Wright.
This book goes into some good stories from all of the actors in the movie. It has a chapter on every character in the story.  They all comment on each other and share stories they remember. I enjoyed the section of the book that tells us about Andre the Giant.  Finding out he would drink an average of 100 beers in an evening was crazy to learn. The book has some great stories about him.