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HAF Book Club: March poll and discussion

Started by Sandra Craft, February 17, 2021, 08:05:15 PM

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Sandra Craft

Black Hole Survival Guide, by Janna Levin. From the acclaimed author of Black Hole Blues and Other Songs from Outer Space--an authoritative and accessible guide to the most alluring and challenging phenomena of contemporary science. (160 pages)

Laughing Without an Accent: Adventures of an Iranian American at Home and Abroad, by Firoozeh Dumas. A collection of humorous vignettes by the author of Funny in Farsi, primarily centered on the misadventures of her Iranian immigrant family.  (256 pages)

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, by Annie Dillard.  Dillard's personal narrative highlights one year's exploration on foot in the Virginia region through which Tinker Creek runs. The result is an exhilarating tale of nature and its seasons.  (288 pages)

The Sky's the Limit, by Anna Magnusson.  In 2004, Vicky Jack completed the Seven Summits - the highest mountains in each of the seven continents. Whilst pursuing her climbing dream, she also carried on a high-flying career. This book tells her story.  (212 pages)

What I Talk About When I Talk About Running: a memoir, by Haruki Murakami.  Based on Murakami's journal about training for the NYC marathon, it's about writing, running and how they intersect.   (188 pages)

Who We Are and How We Got Here: Ancient DNA and the New Science of the Human Past, by David Reich. Massive technological innovations now allow scientists to extract and analyze ancient DNA as never before, and it has become clear--in part from David Reich's own contributions to the field--that genomics is as important a means of understanding the human past as archeology, linguistics, and the written word. (335 pages)
Sandy

  

"Life is short, and it is up to you to make it sweet."  Sarah Louise Delany

Sandra Craft

OK, we have a big tie between Black Hole Survival Guide and Who We Are -- everyone who voted chose both of them.  I can't break the tie because I badly want to read both and can't decide which one first.

So next person who posts gets to break the tie.  Let 'er rip.
Sandy

  

"Life is short, and it is up to you to make it sweet."  Sarah Louise Delany

Icarus

I am a day behind the curve.  Had I been on time I would have chosen:Who We Are.  I do not know who the hell we are and I reckon some other perspectives would be at least interesting if not informative.

Sandra Craft

Perfect.  Who We Are is our book for March.
Sandy

  

"Life is short, and it is up to you to make it sweet."  Sarah Louise Delany

Sandra Craft

Well, I have to admit.  Who We Are is the second book that was way too far over my head for me to finish.  Feeling very sad.
Sandy

  

"Life is short, and it is up to you to make it sweet."  Sarah Louise Delany

Davin

I wrote some notes, not that many, but I'll writing up something soon. So busy right now.
Always question all authorities because the authority you don't question is the most dangerous... except me, never question me.

Davin

I lost my notes on this book. And I'm a bit behind on my reviews.

Who We Are and How We Got Here: Ancient DNA and the New Science of the Human Past, by David Reich

The book details a lot of genetics of how we modern humans have inherited genes from our ancestors and how we know what we know about all of that. Along with detailing the biggest known gaps in our knowledge and why we haven't yet been able to fill those gaps despite many researchers and scientists that are very eager to do so.

There is a lot of information in this book and immediately after I had forgotten almost all of it. It had helped to correct some of my limited knowledge on things like how we know where modern Hawaiians come from genetically. How some past links, like the "Hobbits" fit into everything.

Very interesting read, at least from what I remember.
Always question all authorities because the authority you don't question is the most dangerous... except me, never question me.