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Hope in the Dark: Untold Histories, Wild Possibilities, by Rebecca Solnit

As always, I have issues with this author, whose history of walking left me unsatisfied. That said, she is a Rebecca, and this is a lovely extended essay or collection of essays on a topic dear to my heart: yes, virginia, we actually are making a difference in the world. Far better than Easterbrook's recent book in approach (essays rather than an attempt to convince with facts, which falters whenever I can detect he has screwed up horribly) and execution (I may not like her ramblings about Coyote, but she's consistent and coherent). And buried in the rambling anecdotes were several pieces of very encouraging news for me personally about what I missed last September in Cancun. Wow. They so did not need me there. We live in a beautiful world, and some day, the "developed" nations collective ass will be saved by the so-called developing nations (at least they're still learning). Maybe that day is already here.

The Spy Who Lives Me, by Julie Kenner

Lovely piece of foolishness with a cross between female-James-Bond and La Femme Nikita playing romantic lead against an almost has-been bored jack-of-all-trades who wishes he could have been a SuperSpy. Very silly, very funny. Entertainingly.

Blind Side, by Catherine Coulter

I quit reading these (missed the one before this one) for some reason stored in my brain as bigotry, but the details of which now elude me. This one was vastly amusing, altho the revelation about who was whipping who was telegraphed from, well, real early on. I sure wouldn't want to live in the FBI Thriller world, but it's entertaining to read about how the women and men of that world competently deal with the baddies, but routinely have trouble with unwanted attention, say, at the gym. Makes me wonder a bit about both the author and the intended audience. Oh well.

Introducing Cultural Studies, by Ziauddin Sardar and Borin Van Loon

Picked up remaindered at the National Gallery bookstore, and read mostly at the concourse cafe because I am burned out on museums and my feet hurt. I also picked up the Media Studies entry in this series. Nice overview, cartoons, etc. (what was with the Bam Bam cartoon woman who was almost spherical? Is this some wacko mother earth thing or did I just not get a crucial reference?) to explain and well-nigh inexplicable. I had the advantage of having read several of the major players in the field (didn't realize they were, which was a little unhelpful), so a lot of previous knowledge clicked into place. Dunno if it would me anything to someone who hadn't done relevant reading. But I intend to use it as a source of additional reading, so that could help nearly anyone.

Death on the Dance Floor, by Heather Graham

Another murder mystery/romance novel, this one does such a good job depicting people hashing and rehashing the weird events in their normally dull lives that it's almost as boring as when that happens IRL. Interesting and cool. Not a great mystery. Not a great romance. Somewhat incoherent ending. No condoms used and no comment about STD risk or pregnancy. It's like it was written in a world other than our own. I probably won't read more by her. Got it at the library. Interesting look at the World of Ballroom Dance. The rampant, rule-breaking sleeping around seems to be more typical than not.

A Book of Coupons, by Susie Morgenstern

I was pulling the shelf card for this one day at the library, and it was too tempting, so I left the card and checked it out. Great book about a school (and its principal) which crushes the spirit of its pupils, the new/old teacher who successfully fights the trend, but loses his career in the course of doing so, and, most of all, the process of change which is celebrated by everyone (except possibly the principal, who there may be hope for, but that is, refreshingly, left unresolved). Translated from the French. Really great stuff.

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Created: July 20, 2004 
Modified: July 25, 2004