Reported by Jeanne
This week’s Nevermore opened with an enthusiastic
recommendation for a TV miniseries: the latest version of War and Peace which is running on several cable channels. This BBC production features Downton Abbey’s Lily James as Natasha,
James Norton as Andrei, and Paul Dano as Pierre. It’s not yet available on DVD
in the U.S.
The Brain’s Way of Healing by Norman Doidge was being read by another
Nevermore member because of the praise heaped on it by last week’s reader. The book examines cases of people suffering
from brain injury or disease who have essentially been able to retrain their
brains in order to regain function. There
are a variety of techniques, including ones involving sound, movement, or
light. The most effective technique
seems to depend on both the individual and the condition. Our reviewer was very impressed with the
book, finding it both informative and inspirational.
Science fiction author Kim Stanley Robinson may be best
known for his Mars series, but his
other novels are just as innovative and thought-provoking. Our reader was taken with Aurora, which is set aboard a colony ship bound for a
new planet. After 160 years of space
travel, the inhabitants are about to reach their destination though some have
very mixed emotions; after all, the ship is really all they’ve ever known. But systems are beginning to break down and
simply remaining on board is not an option.
Robinson does a wonderful job of depicting a ship designed with a number
of ecosystems including tundra and forest with diverse populations. One section of writing was particularly
beautiful, and our reader felt it should be required reading in all colleges.
At the other end of the spectrum are those who are near
hopeless when it comes to technology.
There’s a book for that. Is
This Thing On? by Abigail Stokes is written for those of us who didn’t grow
up with a smart phone, personal computer, or e-reader. Our reviewer said that while some of the
material was too basic for his needs, other parts were very helpful. Stokes even offers a website, www.abbyandme.com, with video tutorials and
handy printable sheets of instructions on topics from texting to how to use
Dropbox.
Eyewitness to Discovery: First-Person Accounts of More
than Fifty of the World’s Greatest Archaeological Discoveries was praised by our reviewer as a fascinating compilation
of accounts of incredible finds. The
accounts include Howard Carter’s on the opening of King Tutankhamen’s tomb, the
discoveries of the Palace of Knossos, Otzi the Iceman, and Macchu Picchu. It’s
a history and archaeology lover’s delight and allows the reader to enjoy the
excitement of a major find as described by the discoverers themselves.
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