Nevermore: Diagnosing Giants, Zealot, Seduction and The Ape House

Diagnosing Giants: Solving the Medical Mysteries of Thirteen Patients Who Changed the World by Philip A. Mackowiak is a fascinating look at the cause of death of thirteen people in history.  Each chapter takes up the case of an individual, describes the circumstances of the times, and then details the person’s condition, including medical history of family members, if known.  Dr. Mackowiak makes his diagnosis.  The twist is that the patient isn’t identified until the end of the chapter, though many readers will realize who it is long before.  The result is a fascinating examination from a unique perspective.  In some cases, the author offers some speculation as to outcome if more modern treatments had been available as well as some theories as to why events unfolded as they did.   Director Jud Barry thought the book was entertaining and fun, and it ended up going home with another Nevermore reader.

Zealot by Reza Aslan made another appearance.  The book has been discussed several times in Nevermore even before anyone had a chance to read it because of an interview with the author, who is of Iranian heritage.  The book is a biography of Jesus of Nazareth that attempts to examine the man instead of the myth.  Our reader thought the controversy was unfortunate, and that it took the focus off of the actual content of the book.

Seduction by M.J. Rose has mythologist Jac L’Etoile come to the Jersey—the island off the coast of France, that is—to investigate an artifact with possible connections to the Druids.  While there, she becomes involved with another incident from the island’s past: Victor Hugo used to hold séances there in a desperate attempt to contact his deceased daughter. Jac’s host believes that there’s a lost transcript to one of those sessions, one in which Hugo makes contact with someone from “the other side.”  Our reviewer enjoyed the book, especially the Celtic history.  Others have been more taken with the Hugo plotline.  This is the fifth book in the Reincarnationist series.

In Sara Gruen’s The Ape House, primate researcher Isabel understands her bonobos better than she understands humans.  John Thigpin, a reporter for a tabloid, visits Isabel and her charges, watching as they communicate with sign language.  When the lab is bombed, Isabel is injured and the apes escape.  From there, Gruen indulges in a bit of social satire as she explores themes such as animal rights and what it means to be human.  Our reader thought her previous book, Water for Elephants, was the superior novel though she enjoyed this one as well.  She said it was a bit slow at the start, but that Gruen is a great storyteller.

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!

Nevermore: Zealot, RIddle of the Labyrinth, Engingeers of Victory

Zealot:  The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth by Reza Aslan is one of the highly anticipated books for the members of the Nevermore Book Club.  Aslan is an Iranian-American professor with degrees in Religion and Fine Arts.  He’s written numerous articles and several books, including No God But God:  The Originis, Evolution, and Future of Islam.  In this new book, he examines the story of Jesus from an historical perspective, putting his life and those of his followers in the context of the times.  Reviews for this book are sharply divided, so we are anticipating a lively discussion in Nevermore as members have a chance to read it.

While awaiting Zealot, some readers tried another book connected to antiquity, Riddle of the Labyrinth:  The Quest to Crack an Ancient Code by Margalit Fox.  Fox tells the fascinating story of how a single woman came close to deciphering the mysterious Linear B, the earliest known form of Greek script.  Alice Kober was a classics scholar who devoted years to solving the puzzle, using scraps of paper to compile her notes during the shortages of World War II.  Kober’s sudden death in 1950 at age 43 put an end to her research, leaving others to finish the job.  Fox had access to Kober’s papers at the University of Texas, including some 180,000 note cards, and argues that Kober should receive more recognition for her efforts in translating Linear B. This book has been recommended by several Nevermore readers.

Engineers of Victory by Paul Kennedy looks not at the troops on the ground nor the great leaders, but at those who took the strategies and made them work, who overcame technological difficulties and found solutions.  Even if you’re an avid reader of WWII books, you’ll find something fresh in this one.