I finally got medical clearance again just the other day, which means that Nic and I are on the right path towards our next Peace Corps assignment. At this point, we've done all the paperwork, jumped through all of the hoops, and are waiting on an official invite. That should be coming around October or November. In the meantime, I've been working with a computer program on some simple French (les enfants courent), and waiting for Heifer. If I were waiting completely idle with absolutely no idea what I was going to be doing in the future, I might go completely crazy. However, as it stands, I've got the dominoes lined up for a decent next year or so. From late August-mid January, I will be working with Heifer international. From January-March, I'll be, if things go as planned, studying French and packing my bags. And finally, sometime in March, I'll be getting on a plane for Peace Corps adventure number 2. One day at a time, though.
In the meantime, I've been doing a lot of reading, which means time for more 38 second book reviews!
De Niro's Game by Rawi Hage. Not quite as good as Cockroach, an instant favorite of mine. A somewhat biographical and ranting work of fiction based on life in war-torn Beirut, the work tugs at heartstrings and keeps your attention. A fairly quick read. Get it from your local library.
Pieces for the Left Hand by J. Robert Lennon. This genius collection of 100 anecdotes range from sad to silly to sadistic. I laughed, I languished, I loved it. Because of the wide variety of topics addressed in this text the concise nature of each piece, everyone can find an anecdote to enjoy and remember. Each anecdote straddles the line between an epic short story and a long-lost poem. I have a copy I can lend you.
Sophie's World by Jostien Gaardner. This highly successful novel is more a history of philosophy than it is anything else. If I had never studied philosophy, I might have found this text more interesting. I often found the descriptions of each philosopher's work to be over-simplified, and were written in a way that was sometimes patronizing. I do plan to hang onto this text as a reference book in the event that I am ever without the internet and wish to quickly review a philosopher's point of view. However, I will neither be rereading this book in it's entirety, nor will I be recommending it to those that have studied philosophy in an academic setting. It should be kept in mind will reading Sophie's World that it is a work of fiction, and, albeit educational, readers should research more about the philosophers addressed in the text before reaching a conclusion about his or her works.
The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down by Anne Fadiman. A brilliant, non-fiction account of cultural misunderstandings between the Hmong living in America and the American medical system. Provides great insight into various perspectives on welfare, medicine, spirituality, and family. This text reads like two parallel stories, and without a doubt sucks the reader into the lives of both the doctors and Hmong family members involved. I found myself desperately trying to relate and have sympathy for all party members involved. Read it, and find yourself questioning what culture is.
America and the Pill by Elaine Tyler May. Another non-fiction account addressing the history of the birth control pill in the United States. This text challenges the notion that the birth control pill fueled the sexual revolution of the 1960s, and pushes for an understanding of the various controversies surrounding the pill, including its tests outside of the United States and the pill's potential role in eugenics. Interesting stuff.
That's it for now. See ya'll around!
Dear Ivy, I totally agree that Sophie's world is not a reference book for philosophy and that it is overly simplified. I first read it in Highschool, probably seventeen years old when our religious education teacher made us read it. This book is a kids book and it was just right in a time when we had nothing else in mind but drinking and partying. It's very accessible for kids and teens and certainly a good first step to reading the real deal later. Miss you, Dominik
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