Reviews by Yvette (4)

A good introduction to Darwin's heavier tomes

Darwin's Garden

THis little book is a pleasant and very interesting read even if you have not been a Darwin fan. Because his work was so seminal in changing the West's perception of evolution and how the world have developed and carries on developing new forms of old species, it is something that everyone and anyone who is at all interested in nature and humanity's place in it , should try to grasp. In this quite short book Darwin's seminal research is rendered more easily understood and easier to understand. So it is a good introduction to his "Origin of species" and the "Descent of Man". He also wrote "The Portable Atheist" which I am trying to find, and altogether he wrote 84 books! I have a lot of reading to do in a too rapidly diminishing time period!

A challenging read

Underland

I found this book to eb quite different to what I was expecting! I throrogh;y enjoy the author's writing style and some of the content, however I just cannot seem to get really interested in exploring underground man-made projects such as sewers and burial vaults etc etc. In fact I think it is just that I simply cannot bear to read about crawling and wiggling through the narrow and constricting bits and the smells and gunk he encounters! If anyone has read "London" about the deep history of the city and what lies beneath it in solid building and earthworks and in human stories and suffereing or wars etc, then it may seem strange to say that I loved that, but somehow feel that this author missed the boat somewhere along the line? Maybe he is rather self-absorbed and there is too much "I" in the book? But it is worth a read and certainly different.

Another brilliant read rising above terrible trauma and sadness.

Apeirogon

Firstly this book is written in a truly innovative way, no conventional chapters but numbered sections - some a few lines long and others many pages. I found this style very easy to read and absorb the vastly disparate ideas and facts offered as it allowed for them to stand alone as fascinating snippets, but at the same time weave a wonderfully complex and meaningful whole. If morally difficult stories such as this based on so much that is bad about our world, did not manage to rise above political chicanery and dishonesty, no-one would read them. This book in particular just could touch hearts and minds within both countries, Israel and Palestine, and allow for a change in the future? It does not take sides or judge, but also does not exonerate or blame one over the other. This a powerful metaphor for the way in which intractable conflicts just might be changed by reaching those on both sides equally and sowing a seed of peace!

A lovely story about a terrible journey

American Dirt

Although the stories of migrants trying to escape from South America to USA are fraught with terrible sadness and horrific details of danger and loss, this book leaves one amazed and uplifted by the strength and charm of the main characters. I do admire this ability of some authors to paint reality without sugar-glossing it, but still allow humanity and courage to shine through. I was sad to say goodbye to these remarkable humans and wanted to know what happened to them afterwards!