Geek vs Life

The media hot librarian is back! I’ve brought a
pre-Halloween spooky treat. Most geeks will tell you
that ghosts and the after-life are fictitious. In the
same breath they’ll tell you they’re a Jedi. Go
figure. This is the ultimate book for those geeks that
do believe. Spook by Mary Roach, is a funny and
informative.

Spook covers all possibilities for the after-life from
reincarnation to ghosts. It also dives right into the
subjects of mediums and EVP. What makes this book so
interesting is it’s not written by a believer. Quite
the opposite, Mary Roach is interested in finding
proof but not so interested she accepts anything and
everything at face value.

Ms. Roach goes so far as to attend medium school in
England to see what that was like. It’s interesting
to see how that

actually plays out. (You to can be a
medium or Sherlock Holmes, which ever comes first!)

This book also shows its reader how legitimate science
has been trying for years to find proof of an
after-life. So, contrary to popular belief, it’s not
just some crackpot idea held by new age-y crystal
wavers.

I give this book four and a half bats and very much
recommend this to anyone who seeks the truth about ghosts.

It is hard to find funny books anymore. I mean books that make you make you laugh out loud. Maybe you know some authors or books. King Dork comes immediately to mind. It was a book that I would just laugh and laugh. People would stare at me like I was a maniac. (I am, but the humor in the book proves this or disproves this.) Other examples for me would be Douglas Adams, or Chuck Klosterman. The point to this? I Love You, Beth Cooper by Larry Doyle is a funny book. I mean laughing out loud being stared at by strangers.

It is a coming of age novel. I know insert groans here. To be honest, I think the subject has been killed, but I also know that each generation needs it’s own spin on the genre. Their take of this mostly humiliating Western world experience. Why it is almost written by someone so far beyond their high school years, is beyond me.

Larry Doyle was a Simpson writer, during the time, when the show was funny. So good pedigree so far, even with the high school yearnings.

Yes, this book is about yearnings. The main character, a valedictorian named Denis, proclaims his love of Beth Cooper on the eve of high school graduation. The head cheerleader doesn’t even know of Denis’ existence. What follows is a last night of fun and loathing following their last night of high school.

Yes, it is a funny book, but it has pathos. It probably has one of the most three dimensional female characters in this type of fiction. (The titular female of Denis’ affection becomes a complex individual, and worthy of anyone’s love.) Denis, himself, is smart…maybe a genius, but so social awkward it hurts. You will never believe Denis has a chance with Beth, in fact even Beth believe in this tidbit, but Denis knows this much to be true: his love is pure.

The night has many adventures, and humorous situations. It also has a clique of Beth’s friends. (Again the women end up being the most fascinating in the novel. They become much more interesting then their male counterparts.) Denis’ slightly less social awkward best friend, who is sexual ambiguous. And of course Beth’s psychotic boyfriend, Kevin.

As the book progresses we see how it literally affects Denis. There are illustrations before the chapter showing the bumps and bruises the night inflicting on our protagonist. Under each picture, there is a quote from a coming of age movie or book. It is fun to spot the pop culture references. Again this is a fun read, but it won’t change the world. (I don’t think is this generation’s movement book.) It will make you laugh occasional, and smile quite a bit. It recaptures our braver moments in high school, while reminding us of our existential woes of high school. It also has the courage to tell us that for most of us, life will get better after high school, while for others it was the best part of their lives.

Wanting to read some science fiction? Want something a little different? You should read “The Plot to Save Socrates” by Paul Levinson. It is science fiction, but it’s also historical fiction. It is ostensibly about a woman name Sierra, with her boyfriend Max, trying to locate her mentor, Thomas O’Leery. Thomas has disappeared after revealing to Sierra a new Platonic dialogue. In this particular one, Socrates is arguing with a figure named, Andros. Andros wants Socrates to escape. In order to do so, he suggest cloning and other scientific advancements. Of course, time travel is involved.

This is a wonderful fun novel. Prior knowledge of ancient Grecian life and history may be helpful, but not needed. The novel has twists you don’t expect, and some of the most dimensional characters created. For example, take the would be the villain Heron, and the missing mentor Thomas O’Leery. The only character that wasn’t as believable seemed to be Sierra, but the plot more than makes up up for it.

The sentences are brisk when describing action, but in the style of Plato’s dialogues when needed to be. The meat of the plots and sentences is describing time travel, especially when avoiding paradoxes. I wish there were more descriptions of characters. The historical counterparts this are woefully so. But the best part really is the plot.

The plot deals with problems of time travel, and skips around. It isn’t a linear type of novel. Why should it be? It is dealing with time travel. My favorite part is going back through the chapters and rearranging them to fit in different ways. (There is temporal lineally. There are individual’s lineally. There is the plot’s lineally. All very fascinating stuff.) The book doesn’t spoon feed you. As a reader, you have to connect the pieces. Each chapter deals with the point of view of a character, usually in one period of time. The jumbled passages fits with the characters who are disoriented with time travel, and when meeting people because of the nature of time.

This is semi-challenging book dealing with time, but also a quick fun read. I would have to say check it out, especially when factoring in a reader’s love of themes dealing with time, philosophy, and/or science fiction.

Robert Jordan died yesterday. He was the author of the “Wheel of Time” series. Robert Jordan is a pen name. His real name is James Rigney Jr. This was announced on his website www.dragonmount.com. The site is down right now because of too many hits right now. I never read his series, but I respect his accomplishments in the Fantasy genre. All condolences to his family, friends, and fans.

The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins is a profound book answering a question posed by John Lennon. You know the question. Imagine a world with no religion? (I hear in some covers, the song changed to “Imagine a world with one religion?”) In that scenario there would be no 9/11, crusades, Holocaust, or Taliban. The list goes on and on. No problems in Ireland, Israel, or Indonesia, just to name a few countries.

Dawkins wants the destruction of a supernatural God. The idea of a supreme creator, one who interferes in our daily life is absurd to Dawkins. Dawkins also wants to obliterate the phrase of Christian child or Muslim child. He feels that the concept of religion is that a child wouldn’t truly understand, like a concept of politics or economics. The child is most likely a product of childhood indoctrination. His geological position most likely informs his religious position. The final concept Dawkins wants to instill is Atheist pride.

This is a well organized book presented with scientific acumen. The first chapter is an introduction, while chapters two through four are a dismantling of the God delusion. Chapter five deals with why Humans create religions, while chapters six through eight prove how religions are an unnecessary evil. Chapter nine deals with child indoctrination and the farcical nature of a child who understands the concepts of a particular religion. Especially with what that entails. Chapter ten is a summary of the previous chapters, and how the true nature and it’s physically workings is sublimation enough. A role traditionally played by organized religion.

The prose is engaging, and never boring. Again it is a systematic attack on god and religion using scientific methods. It has plenty of anecdotes and statistics. This a reasonable book on an unreasonable lifestyle. It may just change your life. You may come out of the closet so to speak. You may shout to the world, “I am an Atheist!” It also may provide ammunition at parties, functions, and/or debates with a discussion of religion enters the room. It at least presents the choice of atheism as a viable moral choice. And yes you do have a choice.