Month: August 2023

Frankenstein or The Modern Prometheus

Background

Published in 1818, “Frankenstein,” written by Mary Shelley tells the story of Victor Frankenstein, a young scientist driven by his obsession with creating life. Experimenting with galvanism and chemistry, he successfully animates a creature from lifeless body parts. However, horrified by his creation’s grotesque appearance, Victor abandons the being, setting in motion a tragic series of events. The creature, rejected by society and desperate for acceptance, becomes increasingly isolated and vengeful, ultimately leading to a confrontation between creator and creation that explores themes of scientific ethics, the consequences of unchecked ambition, and the complexities of human identity and empathy. The novel raises profound questions about the limits of human knowledge and the responsibilities that come with wielding such power.

Frankenstein or The Modern Prometheus
Frankenstein or The Modern Prometheus

My Thoughts

This is one of those books you need to spend some time reading. Not only is it over 200 years old, and the language is beginning to drift, but it is so much different than the expectations given to us by Hollywood and Halloween.

The “creature” is grotesque, inhumanly fast, and extremely articulate. Somehow it was able to acquire complex emotions, drives, and the ability to describe them in a detail a professional psychologist would envy all while keeping far distant from any human. And all it wanted was a female like himself…

Recommendation

Required reading

Lexington

Background

Published in July of 2023, “Lexington: The Extraordinary Life and Turbulent Times of America’s Legendary Racehorse” is a book by Kim Wickens who is a lawyer who became interested in Lexington when she heard so many Triple Crown winners were descended from him. Lexington, the horse, was a legendary 19th-century American Thoroughbred racehorse known for his exceptional speed and dominance on the track. Born in 1850, he quickly gained fame as a two-year-old, winning all of his races and establishing a reputation as one of the finest racehorses of his era. Renowned for his striking appearance, impressive stature, and remarkable athleticism, Lexington continued to achieve victory throughout his racing career, earning him the title of one of the greatest American racehorses of all time. His legacy extended beyond the track, as he became a highly influential sire, passing on his exceptional genetics to future generations of racehorses, shaping the sport for years to come.

Lexington
Lexington

My Thoughts

Initially, I saw the title of the book “Lexington” and the publication date of last month and thought, “Sweet! A new book on the Civil War!” Obviously, this wasn’t the case. I was very surprised the book was about an 170 year old horse. Fortunately, or unfortunately depending on the context, I’m interested in everything and this was something I had no idea about.

Horses… Of all the things I’ve been exposed to in my life, horses cause the biggest allergic reaction. I can just stand downwind from a horse and find it hard to breathe. Long story short, I’ve not enjoyed them at all. I have ridden a few over the years, while heavily medicated, and just didn’t see the attraction. I would take a motorcycle over these giant smelly animals with a mind of their own any day of the week. Still, I’m certainly able to read a book and this seemed to be a good opportunity.

Almost everything about the story was new to me. I loved the tie ins to the Civil War and how Lexington and his offspring played such an interesting role. General Grant’s horse “Cincinnati” was famous in his own right and was Lexington’s colt. In fact, so many of Lexington’s children ended up throughout the United States the author makes the claim that it would be nearly impossible to find a Thoroughbred horse without being somehow descended from Lexington. We might as well call him the Abraham of horses.

Recommendation

Good read.

Pyramids

Background

“Pyramids” is a humorous and imaginative fantasy novel written by Terry Pratchett, first published in 1989. Set in the Discworld universe, the story follows Teppic, a young prince who becomes the reluctant ruler of the ancient desert kingdom of Djelibeybi. As he grapples with the peculiarities of ruling, including dealing with pyramids that distort time and space, Teppic finds himself entangled in a series of comical and absurd situations. The novel explores themes of tradition, identity, and the clash between modernity and ancient customs, all while delivering Pratchett’s signature wit and satirical commentary.

Pyramids
Pyramids

My Thoughts

This was an interesting take on the ancient Egypian culture and a fun riff on the metaphysical notions of healing, crystals, and so on. As always, Pratchett delivers his story with witty banter and modern innuendos (for 1989). Pratchett has a somewhat Gary Larson’s “Farside” like sense of humor which I enjoy. I particularly liked that the camel (who thinks of himself as named “You Bastard”) was the the disc’s (world’s) best mathematician.

Recommendation

A fun read.

“You Just Need to Lose Weight”: And 19 Other Myths About Fat People

Background

Published in January of 2023, ““You Just Need to Lose Weight”: And 19 Other Myths About Fat People” is a book discussing the perspective of overweight people. The book talks about diets, trends, myths, and has many examples from the author’s personal life.

You Just need to Lose Weight
You Just need to Lose Weight

My Thoughts

I will say this was a very well written book. The author’s prose, vocabulary, her ability to express herself, and so on were absolutely on point. That said, this was a very angry book full of logical fallacies and nonsensical rants. It goes on the shelf of similar works of supposed oppression where there is no way the individual would be satisfied. One can’t use the term “fat” because thin people have “weaponized” it. Yet she prefers to be called fat…

The last chapter the author expands her ranting to all people or groups or whatever who have ever felt left out for any reason… Seriously, it was embarrassing.

Recommendation

Very well written garbage.

Mind Your Mindset

Background

Published in April of 2022, “Mind Your Mindset” is a self-help book that delves into the profound impact of one’s mindset on personal and professional success. Drawing from psychological research and real-life anecdotes, the author explores the power of cultivating a growth-oriented mindset over a fixed one. Through practical strategies and engaging insights, the book illuminates how individuals can shift their perspectives, embrace challenges as opportunities, and harness the potential for continuous learning and development.

Mind Your Mindset
Mind Your Mindset

My Thoughts

I thought I would really enjoy the book and honestly, it was a good read. However, it didn’t really have any special insights or any new way of thinking about the material presented. It feel on me like more white noise of the self-help world. Perhaps I wasn’t in the best space but it just wasn’t that great.

Recommendation

Nothing wrong with it but I didn’t get much out of it.