Book Reviews Galore, Part 2

Virus X: Tracking the New Killer Plagues, by Frank Ryan, MD. The book details various epidemics and outbreaks, the known or proposed vectors thereof and efforts of healthcare authorities (local, federal-CDC, and worldwide-WHO) to stop the spread and treat the victims. The topic is right down my alley, but I must say, this was 2/3 of a good book. I enjoyed the epidemiological discussions & the sleuthing aspect of them. I liked the discussion of co-evolution of species – namely that of some diseases and their hosts – to explain micro-outbreaks (e.g., Ebola) in other species and why some species don’t appear to be affected. Also, explaining why some germ hasn’t wiped out our species yet. What I didn’t like was Dr. Ryan’s P.C. treatment of HIV/AIDS and his goofy descriptions of the epidemiological players (researchers, physicians, etc.) – really gaack. He could have cut down the length of the text some too – at times he just went on and on with the tracking down of a virus in nauseating detail, and I just wanted him to come the punchline. I think Dr. Ryan was trying too hard to make the subject matter accessible for the layman, and it wasn’t altogether necessary. That said, for anyone who enjoys reading virus-hunter type stuff, it’s an interesting read.

I read Prey, by Michael Crichton, right after Virus X, and oddly enough, had an interesting connection to X. I’ll get to that. Prey is essentially one of those race to the finish, running out of time to save whomever type books. It’s about a very next-level artificial intelligence experiment and how it got away from its creators. The connection to Virus X was that in discussing the development of behavior in this artificial intelligence, the book made reference to co-evolution and viruses – how cool is that? Also it discussed “emergent behavior” in a programmed entity (or entities) that might follow anticipated activities, but might just surprise the heck out of you. I found it both a good page-turner, metro-appropriate entertainment, yet I learned a few things too.

For a very different read, try The Secret Life of Bees, by Sue Monk Kidd. It’s a bittersweet story of a teenage girl in the civil rights-era South, trying to deal with the mysterious circumstances surrounding her mother’s death. It also deals with personal (as opposed to prescribed) and very interesting interpretations of religion and faith. It also involves a wonderful assortment of characters who this girl encounters on her path to understanding…stuff.

Blowing My Cover – My Life As A CIA Spy, by Lindsay Moran, was a quick, cheap ($6.50) read that we discussed at Book Club (B/C). It details Ms. Moran’s initial attraction to, training for, and ultimate disillusionment with The Company. The author comes across, I’m sorry to say, as a naïve, Peace Corps flaky (redundant?) lefty, who for some reason feels compelled to join the CIA. Well, she believes herself drawn to lying and travel, so she must be perfect for intelligence work! All that said, her observations of the dysfunctional and in various ways outdated (Cold War, anyone?) agency do ring true to someone acquainted with such bureaucracies.

In our B/C, we’ve read a bunch of books that deal with Islam in various aspects and countries. The last one we read was a novel called The Swallows of Kabul, by Yasmina Khadra (a pseudonym – the author is an Algerian army officer). Can I just mention how glad I am to be an American, especially seeing as how I’m a woman? Ok, just thought I’d bring that up. The story is set in Taliban-tormented Kabul. No one is having a good time. Khadra brings it home that life is so depressing and ghastly, so soul-sucking under this regime, that no one in his right mind would volunteer for this “life.” The book involves the lives of several characters – male and female – and how they overlap and intersect. Yes, this book is depressing, but well-written and well-paced, so that you finish it quickly, discuss it with your free compatriots & toast that freedom immediately.

Another in this genre, if you will, is Minaret, by Leila Aboulela (hope I haven’t already reviewed this book here), which we also read for Book Club. It’s about a well-off Sudanese woman who immigrates with her family to Great Britain after a change in government involves the execution of her father. This young woman is university educated, speaks fluent English and very capable, has a mom and relatives who are also educated, and very liberal by Moslem standards, but…that’s really where the story begins. I really enjoyed this book and as a B/C selection is really a stronger choice than Swallows of Kabul. In fact, this last Friday evening, the book came up at dinner with a fellow B/C member and friend – months after we discussed it at B/C – and we had a really good secondary discussion about it. Indicating to both of us, that this was a really good book because it had so many layers and elements to pick apart, if you will. Read it with your own B/C or with a friend and see if it doesn’t provoke some quality discussion and reaction to the characters.

Whew! Ok, that’s it for my book reviews today, but…I’m currently reading Italian journalist Oriana Fallaci’s The Force of Reason. Review to come! Hizzah!

Technorati topics: Book Reviews, Islam, Diseases