Books
Ahh…summer. How you fly by.
Aug 22nd
Since my last update Serina and I have been running on the days we said we would. We are extending week 1 of the workout for a few days, though, because we didn’t feel up to the next level yet. Of course over the weekend my knee was hurting a little, and at work and then especially on our run today it was really hurting. So we cut the run a little short and walked home past a running store (there happens to be one right on the way, basically). They took a video of my feet while I ran, and showed me how my feet are rolling inward as I run, due to not having enough support at the insoles of my shoes. I need to get some new shoes for running, is the upshot. And tonight, because I pushed myself, my left knee especially is really bothering me. I’ve been sitting with an ice pack on it all night. I need to do a little research to find out if I should keep walking on the days we are supposed to run until it feels better, or take a break altogether, or what. And of course I need to get different shoes.
Hmmm…other news. Not much to report. I just watched Precious tonight. I had wanted to see it, but it wasn’t something Ryan was really interested in. He had to go to work for a while, so I put it on. It was horrifying, but I’m glad I watched it. If you haven’t seen it, I would recommend it. But know going in that it’s a very sad story.
I’ve been reading a lot lately. I just finished The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, which I thought was great non-fiction. It’s about a black woman who had cancer in the 50s, and scientists took some of her cancer cells and have used them in millions of types of research since then. They were the first human cells that could be grown in culture (all others would die after a few days away from the person who they came from). It was horrible in some ways; reading about the things scientists and doctors did to patients back then because it was just standard practice, and thinking about how sad it is that this woman contributed so much to society, but her kids and grandkids can’t afford health care. I would highly recommend it.
I also tried reading some HP Lovecraft, because I LOVE Stephen King, and HP Lovecraft is supposed to be like the grandfather of horror stories. I liked the short stories in the book I had, but I had so many other things going on, and because it was older it was a little harder to read, so I didn’t finish it before it had to go back to the library. Maybe another time.
The 3rd book I just finished reading was The Psychopath Test, by Jon Ronson. It is also a non-fiction book, and centers around the Psychopath Test as developed by Bob Hare. It’s a really fascinating book about mental illness and our perceptions of other people’s mental illnesses. Also, it confirms what we all “know;” psychopaths are freaking creepy! They don’t experience fear. They are reoffenders. And they are charming.
The book for September’s book club is A Visit From The Goon Squad, which I’ve heard mixed reviews about, but should be interesting. I can’t make it next month (family wedding shower), but I’ll still read the book. What else am I reading/do I want to read? Hmm…I have a Stephen King book that just hasn’t made it to the top of my pile, due to book club and stuff I had on hold at the library. That might be my next project.
What are you reading? Anything you would recommend?
The Handmaid’s Tale: Review
Oct 24th
This story makes me think that as absurd as some of the things in this book sound, it is the little steps that get us there. Punishing children for things they do at home and spying on them using computers issued to them without telling them or their parents about it…yikes. Read the article. It’s interesting and disturbing.
So, the premise: at some point in the future, a group takes over the US government, and removes all property rights from women (can’t have their own money or jobs). Women are then divided up into new “jobs” of sorts: Wives (actual wives of the Commanders (aka “higher-ups”) in the new regime); Martha’s (older women who do housework in the households of the commanders); Handmaids (women who are expected to bear children for whatever household they are assigned); Aunts (teachers of the Handmaids); Econowives (women who are poor and do the job of Wife/Martha/Handmaid in their household). The handmaids lose their real names and are known by the name of their commander. The main character, for instance is “Offred” (Of Fred). It is the story of her experience as a handmaid, but as one who remembers what it was like before all of this.
I really like this book. I like anything in the post-apocalyptic genre, and while this isn’t typical of that it fits in quite well, I think. Wikipedia has a better, more in depth description. There were some things I didn’t quite understand, so I would probably read it again to see if I figured them out. But in general I thought it was a good read. Very disturbing, and made me a little angry toward patriarchy in general, but I think that’s the point.
