2022 #40 The Heartbeat of Trees (Wohlleben)

The Heartbeat of Trees by Peter Wohlleben
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I don't typically like the word "accessible" (at least in this context) because I think it comes loaded with bias and subtexts that don't really serve anyone, but this book does a remarkable job of blending solid research (yay! there are endnotes!), personal anecdotes, and let's say inspirational sensibility, if such a thing exists. Particularly wonderful is the way that Wohlleben tests his own cynic at times. I was prepared for a diatribe against some of the more touchy-feely assertions made by the tree-loving community, but Wohlleben's success lies in his willingness to explore all facets of an issue. He patiently explains how voltage works when it comes to touching trees, but also how our touch can impact plants through thigmomorphogenesis. Somehow the author manages to introduce a term like thigmomorphogenesis without losing his inviting tone. Part of this is because it is a story of Wholleben's learning instead of a simple narrative of what he has learned. There are a few awkward bits of English translation, particularly for English speakers in the US, but they shouldn't disrupt one's ability to appreciate this book.
Most valuable is how Wohlleben disrupts conventional/popular notions: e.g. using wood is NOT carbon-neutral. He seems to believe we all have a part to play -- forest-bathers, foresters, lumber companies alike-- and he often offers an idea of a solution (though we lack the blueprint for said solutions). A good read, and perhaps mildly frustrating as there were many times I wanted to put it down to go walk in the forest. :-)

View all my reviews

2022 #39 We Travel the Spaceways (Black Stars #6) - LaValle

 

We Travel the Spaceways by Victor LaValle
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Of the Black Stars series, this might have been my favorite. More magical realism than sci-fi given the proportions of the story, it is easy to fall in love with "Grimace", the protagonist. There's a pretty essential "plot twist" that moves the story into a new world, and the only real regret is that we never get to see it play out. This is one story that could benefit from being the length of a novel. We don't have enough time to recover from the reveal to invest in its meaning. But that's a small criticism. This is a worthy listen, tinged with humor (both sardonic and not), and a story that will stay with me for awhile.

View all my reviews

2022 #38: Say What you Mean: A Mindful Approach to Nonviolent Communication (Sofer)

 

Say What You Mean: A Mindful Approach to Nonviolent Communication by Oren Jay Sofer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is one of those books that I listened to as an audiobook but will probably get in print as it is full of useful and practical advice that I'll need to revisit (no doubt). Oren Jay Sofer grounds his work in the principles of Nonviolent Communication developed by Marshall Rosenberg. What I really appreciate about this book is how cleanly it intertwines philosophy and practice and maintains a realistic tone.

I found Chapter 4, in particular, really useful in terms of how he frames and discusses underlying beliefs and how those translate into exhibited behaviors. In Chapter 6, the discussion of empathy vs. sympathy was really eye-opening in the clear way that Sofer explains that empathy asks something of us, whereas sympathy is disconnecting from someone's pain, or could even be pity. I think a lot of people (myself included) can easily confuse the two, and empathy, frankly, requires some work. It is "three-dimensional": cognitive, affective, and somatic. He touches upon a similar topic in Chapter 13 where he focuses on sympathetic activation and what that looks (and feels like).

Sofer does understand that these techniques need to be paired with some sort of intuition. He pulls out anecdotes from his own life -- in this case a story about his grandfather and how his methodical application of questions to his grandfather got a bit lost in translation and his grandfather actually felt patronized. Sofer seems realistic that these things take practice and the ultimate goal is for organic communication. He offers exercises that can be practiced in a variety of situations, and a ton of added resources are available on his website.

There are a few extreme examples that didn't resonate as much. The story of the woman who "disarmed" an intruder using nonviolent communication principles irritated the cynic in me. Yes, certainly, I think it is always the right choice to try to communicate, if possible. But that's not always possible, and the intruder's response had a VERY high chance of being different, so I just don't find it that useful to use extreme examples as "evidence" for anything, ultimately.

Personally, the book helped me realize how often I have been a passive-aggressive communicator, and this is through the stories of everyday communication that Sofer shares. For Sofer, speaking, listening, and being in presence -- principles that Sofer outlines in the first chapter and then returns to in Chapter 12--are the key elements of the dance that is communication. I found it a helpful analogy to think of communication as a dance, and Sofer is fairly nuanced in considering contexts for those dances. Reaching mutual understanding first before heading into the problem solving phase of a conversation is one of the most potent aspects of what Sofer espouses. Sometimes we don't have the luxury of doing that, it is true, but to really let it inform a core understanding of communication might be a game-changer for some.

View all my reviews

2022 #37: Valley of the Shadow (Tremayne) - Sister Fidelma #6

 

Valley of the Shadow by Peter Tremayne
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

There is much improved character development for both Fidelma and Eadulf here (in contrast to The Subtle Serpent (Book #4)). Still, there are some issues of editing. The same EXACT sentence is used to describe a woman on two occasions: “face was slightly rounded, almost heart-shaped and not unattractive.” (P.4, then again on 33-34). If not for the big reveal at the end, this might be dismissed as just poor editing, but in light of the conclusion, it is even more aggravating.

Also tiresome is Eadulf’s hangover. The less said about that the better.

While I realize there is an attempt to make each book readable without the series chronology, there are far too many mentions of Fidelma’s status as a dálaigh qualified to the level of anruth, and all that entails. It becomes tiresome over the course of a single book.

Still, the mystery here is bold and complex. The twists and turns wind their way to the edge of our frustration, yet we continue to turn the page in the hopes that it will all make sense when our sleuth unravels the Celtic knot. There is a worthwhile subtext as well, regarding religion, that is as relevant to our current times as it was in 7th-century Ireland. Fans of Fidelma will enjoy the deep shadows and dark secrets, and can swiftly move past the bits of repetition.

View all my reviews

2022 #36: Parable of the Talents (Butler) - Earthseed #2

 

Parable of the Talents by Octavia E. Butler
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

While there were aspects of this book that I did not enjoy as much as Parable of the Sower, in some ways this sequel is absolutely necessary. In it we discover the true costs paid by Lauren Olamina, and see multiple perspectives. As with Sower, it is a tough read and Butler does not sugar coat the violence and destruction. I found the voicing of Larkin on the audiobook left me rather unsympathetic to her character, although as Larkin's narrative becomes more balanced and experienced, this changed a bit. As with the first book, this one is frighteningly prescient--so much so that I double-checked to make sure the book was completed by Butler herself, not someone ghostwriting after 2016 (Butler died in 2006, and the book is from 1998). The character of Andrew Jarret will be familiar to many modern readers in the U.S--although again, this book was published in 1998.
Butler leans in to her descriptions of enslavement, and a lot of the hope of Earthseed seems replaced by a battle for survival. This is not altogether a bad thing and drives home a larger point about how hope can easily morph into something else. Butler isn't doing it for shock value, but instead to throw into high relief the tension between humanity and humanness. Everyone manipulates, and we as the readers are left to try to fathom the many reasons behind those manipulations.


View all my reviews

2022 #35 The Subtle Serpent (Tremayne) - Sister Fidelma #4

 

The Subtle Serpent by Peter Tremayne
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Still early in the series, Peter Tremayne's The Subtle Serpent gives us a not-yet-fully developed Sister Fidelma, and a strange intermingling of Brother Eadulf. Something is definitely amiss at the Abbey of the Salmon of the Three Wells, one of which has recently hosted a beheaded corpse! The whodunit aspects stretch out a bit longer than necessary, and the twists and turns feel a bit more like loose threads, but it is a solid installment in the series. Most enjoyable is Sister Fidelma's facing off with the cantankerous (that's generous) Abbess Draigen. There are rather a lot of sisters to keep track of, and so empathy for some of the characters doesn't really have a chance to develop. As always, however, Tremayne weaves in medieval Irish history of both pagan and early Christian origins and it is well worth allowing yourself to be lured in to a land of yesteryear wherein the contexts may be old, but the motives are just as relevant today.

View all my reviews

2022 #34 The Searcher (French)

 

The Searcher by Tana French
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Honestly a near "4 stars" but there were several aspects that didn't sit well with me.

Cal Hooper, an ex-cop from Chicago tries to "escape" to a major fixer-upper in a remote Irish village. This is not a page-turner---the pace is very slow. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but you've got to be in it for the long haul. Roger Clark's slow drawl (most noticeable as the narrator and Cal Hooper) lulls one not to sleep, but you might need to adjust to the pace. There are some clichés -- he's divorced and has an awkward relationship with his adult daughter. That is actually important to the story, and I applaud French for not spelling it out at the end. The relationship changes and evolves and we understand why, but she doesn't hit us over the head with it.

There are various other characters who fill out the village, most importantly 13 year-old Trey, who approaches Cal (that's actually one of the slowest parts of the narrative) with a mystery to solve. Turns out that Trey too is a bit of a mystery. As is almost everyone in the village, including the effervescent neighbor Mart, who embodies the stereotypical happy-go-lucky-spend-every-night-at-the-pub Irishman. Beware false senses of security, however. French's gambit is very much "things are not what they seem" in this book.

The biggest negative for me was the actual "mystery." I found the outcome disappointing as well as the dispassionate treatment of the main event by those involved. Cal's behavior doesn't really make sense at the end, especially since there are many words given over to telling us about his "code" (including a particularly irritating bit when he talks about "morals vs. etiquette" in a way that's quite affirming of white privilege). That said, the relationship with Trey is what kept me in it. Cal does grow, and so does Trey...and French is careful never to get too maudlin. I could have used a bit more outrage on the part of Cal, however, when it comes to what befalls Trey. There's a subtext about poverty and manipulation here that didn't really resonate.

There are beautiful scenic descriptions in the book. This is my first Tana French work, and from what I've read, this is something she is known for. The book definitely does NOT disappoint on this front. From the fauna (rooks, rabbits, sheep) to the flora and everything in between, French paints with her words, and unlike some other recent reads, it never feels gratuitous. Perhaps there's a bit too much time spent in the pub (I'm just not that interested in hearing about people getting drunk), but French tucks in little details that are important, so stick with it.

The pace does make it seem more of a novel than a mystery. Not that they are mutually exclusive categories, but if you are hoping for a whodunnit-crime mystery, this book probably isn't what you want--that aspect almost recedes into the background. But definitely worth it for the scenery and character development

View all my reviews