Nevermore: Zealot, Crime of Privilege, Alzheimer's Prevention

 Zealot:  The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth by Reza Aslan has been a much anticipated book with Nevermore readers. Aslan has said that his intention was to place Jesus in the context of the times in which he lived in an effort to understand how he was viewed at the time rather than relying on later texts, written long after the Crucifixion. The book is about historical facts and records, not about faith. Since historical records about Jesus are relatively sparse outside of the Gospels, much of the book is about the region and cultures of the time with an emphasis on the political situation.  The area was under Roman rule at the time with Herod as King of Judea.  There were a number of “messiahs” whose mission was to deliver the country from Rome and Roman influence.  According to Aslan, the term “messiah” at the time had much more of a political connotation instead of a religious one; a “zealot” was both nationalistic in wanting a Jewish state without foreign influences and religious in promoting the belief in one God who rules over all. Some of these zealots used violence against the Roman and Jewish establishments in an effort to further their goals. Our reader said that the book wasn’t an easy read, especially for the devout, but did find it to be interesting and informative. 

The novel Crime of Privilege by Walter Walker is about a young lawyer, George Beckett, who is contacted by the father of a murder victim.  The case was never solved. Beckett agrees to look into the case, only to find there are hints that there may be a connection to the powerful and wealthy Gregory family who controls much of Cape Cod.  There are personal considerations as well:  Beckett owes his job to the Gregory family. Our reader was underwhelmed with the book, saying it was too predictable.

Alzheimer’s Prevention Program by Gary Small and Gigi Vorgan uses the latest scientific research to design a program to help prevent or at least delay symptoms.  While genetics are responsible for some cases, Small and Vorgan argue that diet, exercise, stress relief, proper rest, and mental stimulation can help boost the brain. Timing is crucial; one shouldn’t wait until symptoms manifest to start their program.  Our reviewer found the book interesting, informative, and very accessible.  The degree of anxiety people have about dementia can be gauged by how many people were taking notes!