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kevin_shepherd's reviews
563 reviews
Ancestors in Our Genome: The New Science of Human Evolution by Eugene E. Harris
challenging
informative
slow-paced
3.5
If you’re looking for a dense primer on population genetics this is your book, otherwise pass on this one. The latter chapters, when Harris delves into Neanderthals and Denisovans, are the most interesting—but even those are a bit dry and dated. Overall, I liked it but I didn’t love it.
On the Backs of Tortoises: Darwin, the Galapagos, and the Fate of an Evolutionary Eden by Elizabeth Hennessy
inspiring
medium-paced
4.5
The natural (and unnatural) history of the Galapagos Archipelago recounted through a timeline of giant tortoise mistreatment, exploitation, and (eventual) husbandry. Elizabeth Hennessy shatters the image of the “pristine islands,” as portrayed in some nature documentaries and travel brochures, and writes frankly, and often upsettingly, about the past, present, and possible future of the archipelago. Galapagos is far from the <i>Evolutionary Eden</i> many of us imagine it to be but it may be the closest thing to it left on earth.
On a personal note, my volunteerism in wildlife rehabilitation sometimes brings me in contact with “exotic” animals seized by law enforcement officials in the course of their duties. You’d be surprised how often a raid on a meth lab turns up a surprise alligator in the bathtub! In the summer of 2021 a case of “animal hoarding” near Norman, Oklahoma resulted in the seizure and relocation of over 360 exotic animals (camels, kangaroos, fruit bats, ostriches, fennec foxes, etc.). As a result I had the pleasurable opportunity of spending several months caring for five enormous Aldabra tortoises. Theses gentle giants (each weighing between 300 and 500 lbs) grazed the grasses of our multi-acre facility under the watchful eyes of our veterinary staff while we monitored their health and awaited their eventual relocation to reputable zoos and sanctuaries. For weeks I bought collard greens and mustard greens and turnip greens so I could spend time offering healthy treats to these lovable behemoths. My time with these guys was almost spiritual. They ate from my hands (I was careful to watch my fingers) while I sat on the grass surrounded by awesome tortoise-ness. I reflected heavily on this experience as I read this book. Every time Hennessy recounted a particular instance of cruelty to a tortoise it pained me, occasionally to tears. For those of you who, like me, have a place in your heart reserved for animals this is going to be a tough read. But, I think it’s also an important read—one that increases awareness, ends with optimistic possibilities, and (hopefully) inspires us all to activism.
On a personal note, my volunteerism in wildlife rehabilitation sometimes brings me in contact with “exotic” animals seized by law enforcement officials in the course of their duties. You’d be surprised how often a raid on a meth lab turns up a surprise alligator in the bathtub! In the summer of 2021 a case of “animal hoarding” near Norman, Oklahoma resulted in the seizure and relocation of over 360 exotic animals (camels, kangaroos, fruit bats, ostriches, fennec foxes, etc.). As a result I had the pleasurable opportunity of spending several months caring for five enormous Aldabra tortoises. Theses gentle giants (each weighing between 300 and 500 lbs) grazed the grasses of our multi-acre facility under the watchful eyes of our veterinary staff while we monitored their health and awaited their eventual relocation to reputable zoos and sanctuaries. For weeks I bought collard greens and mustard greens and turnip greens so I could spend time offering healthy treats to these lovable behemoths. My time with these guys was almost spiritual. They ate from my hands (I was careful to watch my fingers) while I sat on the grass surrounded by awesome tortoise-ness. I reflected heavily on this experience as I read this book. Every time Hennessy recounted a particular instance of cruelty to a tortoise it pained me, occasionally to tears. For those of you who, like me, have a place in your heart reserved for animals this is going to be a tough read. But, I think it’s also an important read—one that increases awareness, ends with optimistic possibilities, and (hopefully) inspires us all to activism.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty
The Road by Cormac McCarthy
4.0
A masterpiece of bleak, dystopian hell-on-earth. McCarthy paints an overtly pessimistic landscape populated with evil and dread and one man trying to save his little boy. I was completely drawn in, waiting to see what new horror awaited them over the next hill.
The Lovecraft Compendium by H.P. Lovecraft
5.0
Dagon, The Call of Cthulhu, The Dunwich Horror, The Whisperer in Darkness*, and The Haunter of the Dark. Five representative tales, written between 1917 and 1935. Even a century later they're still ghoulishly unsettling and clever. Lovecraft linked each story with subtle and not-so-subtle references, building a mythos that has withstood the test of time. Even with all the hype and high expectations, I was not disappointed.
*Cthulhu gets all the press but I was most taken with The Whisperer in Darkness. Crab Aliens and brain buckets... Wow.
*Cthulhu gets all the press but I was most taken with The Whisperer in Darkness. Crab Aliens and brain buckets... Wow.
Smithsonian Intimate Guide to Human Origins by Carl Zimmer
5.0
Carl Zimmer's writing is scholarly without being pretentious. You won't need a PhD to grasp his concepts and his enthusiasm for the subject matter is contagious. This book doesn't just describe the science of human evolution, it celebrates it!
Dear Fang, With Love by Rufi Thorpe
5.0
"I knew what bipolar was in a vague, strictly literary way, but I didn't know the differences between I and II, didn't know the treatment protocols. I didn't know that they were telling me my daughter would never live a completely functional adult life, that she would always be on medication, that the medication would affect her health, that she might not be able to hold a job, that she might not be able to graduate college, that she might not be able to sustain long-term relationships, like a marriage or even close friendships, that she should not have children. I thought they were telling me my daughter was being rebellious and emotional, things I already knew."
Rufi Thorpe's characters are nuanced in ways that make them spring to life. They're people we know: friends, family, beings we believe in and (often) empathize with. Everything about this fictional story rings true. From its presentation of a dysfunctional family to the challenges of living with bipolar disorder and depression. Yet, all that is secondary to the real heart of the narrative ~ the dynamic of an estranged father trying to connect with a daughter he desperately loves.
This is fantastic story telling that I found hard to put down.
Rufi Thorpe's characters are nuanced in ways that make them spring to life. They're people we know: friends, family, beings we believe in and (often) empathize with. Everything about this fictional story rings true. From its presentation of a dysfunctional family to the challenges of living with bipolar disorder and depression. Yet, all that is secondary to the real heart of the narrative ~ the dynamic of an estranged father trying to connect with a daughter he desperately loves.
This is fantastic story telling that I found hard to put down.
All the Lives We Never Lived by Anuradha Roy
4.0
"I need nobody else. I am contented and complete with my animals in a way I never have been with human beings. People think of my solitude as an eccentricity or a symptom of failure, as if I am closer to animals and trees because human beings betrayed me or because I found nobody to love. It is hard to explain to them that the shade of a tree I planted years ago or the feverish intensity of a dog fruitlessly chasing a butterfly provides what no human companionship can."
This isn't a particularly happy story. Myshkin Rozario is a boy growing up in a world where his father is emotionally detached, his mother is physically distant, and his homeland of India is on the precipice of World War II. This could have potentially been an immensely depressing read, but it wasn't. Anuradha Roy's prose really brings the natural beauty of India (and later Bali) to life, and her style fleshes-out her characters in such a way that you can't help but feel varying levels of understanding and empathy.
If you feel you're living in a dangerous era and you're seeking a respite through fanciful fiction, this is not your book. But if you think you're up for a gritty Indian excursion laced with hope and history and heartbreak, I highly recommend giving it a go.
This isn't a particularly happy story. Myshkin Rozario is a boy growing up in a world where his father is emotionally detached, his mother is physically distant, and his homeland of India is on the precipice of World War II. This could have potentially been an immensely depressing read, but it wasn't. Anuradha Roy's prose really brings the natural beauty of India (and later Bali) to life, and her style fleshes-out her characters in such a way that you can't help but feel varying levels of understanding and empathy.
If you feel you're living in a dangerous era and you're seeking a respite through fanciful fiction, this is not your book. But if you think you're up for a gritty Indian excursion laced with hope and history and heartbreak, I highly recommend giving it a go.
Funny in Farsi by Firoozeh Dumas
5.0
"Ever since we had arrived in the United States, my classmates kept asking me about magic carpets. 'They don't exist,' I always said. I was wrong. Magic carpets do exist, but they are called library cards."
At the tender age of seven, Firoozeh and her family moved from Abadan, Iran to Southern California, and we, her readers, will never be quite the same. There is an abundance of humor and love and warmth here. This is a treasure worthy of more stars than Goodreads will allow.
At the tender age of seven, Firoozeh and her family moved from Abadan, Iran to Southern California, and we, her readers, will never be quite the same. There is an abundance of humor and love and warmth here. This is a treasure worthy of more stars than Goodreads will allow.
The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami
5.0
If you're looking for a novel that takes you by the hand and leads you through a predicable arc from point A to point B, this is not your book. Murakami's style is more river than highway. A masterful meandering that had me excited about where the story was going, and in quiet awe of where it had been.
The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner
5.0
The review began. The first words written, measured and tranquil, serenely peremptory, lines of text spooling out, making way for the next. I toiled in unhurried silence as if people on Goodreads were waiting. Waiting. My words merging like a flame swirling up for an instant then blown away, scrolling into cool eternal dark. There are no smells here, but if there were they would be of sad honeysuckle and dead perfume, the perfume that Benjy hated so, in this William Faulkner novel that smelled like trees.