'The Dirty Life' by Kristin Kimball

The more I think about it, the more I like the idea of self-sustaining, organic farming. I like the idea of safe, natural, healthy foods. I like the idea of thinking locally. I like the idea of food being a product of family. And, strange as it may sound, I really like the idea of hard physical labor. These are all things that are covered by Kimball’s The Dirty Life.

Kristin Kimball is a single, 30-something travel writer living in New York City when she meets the farmer who eventually becomes her husband. The two of them find land in upstate New York and begin a farm with a seemingly simple mission – to create a community supported farm that will provide members with all of the foods needed to feed a family year-round. This means farming grains, vegetables, fruits, poultry, beef and dairy products. Kimball’s journey is fantastically interesting – the reader learns about many different aspects of farm life that city-folk (like me) may not appreciate. The intricacies of creating, equipping and maintaining the farm are mind-boggling, but Kimball describes it in a way that is accessible to people who don’t have a background in agriculture and require explanations.

The fact that Kimball and her husband were able to establish themselves is a wonderful thing to hear – there’s hope for those of us who would like for our lives to be less commercial and more local.

‘Postmortem’ by Patricia Cornwell

Patricia Cornwell is one of the best known crime/suspense writers and the Kay Scarpetta series is her best known work. Postmortem introduces Kay Scarpetta as the Chief Medical Examiner in Virginia. Scarpetta is investigating a series of deaths that are the work of a brutal serial killer. Women from a variety of different backgrounds are being killed and Scarpetta must overcome leaks to the press, accusations and personal battles to catch the murderer.

Whenever I read a suspense novel, my inclination is to try to figure out which of the characters is the killer (I think most people do this). Cornwell’s killer did not end up being the person that I expected – but of course I won’t spoil the surprise.

It is also interesting to note that this book was originally written in 1990. This means that many of the techniques for collecting and analyzing evidence that we take for granted aren’t available to these investigators. Even though they have the ability to collect and analyze DNA evidence, it doesn’t play a big role – one character says that he doubts a jury will convict someone based on DNA evidence. In my opinion, this just adds to the fun – Cornwell’s not-too-distant past is engaging to the very end.

Weird History

Did you know that the Borgia family's poison of choice was made with a dead pig or bear? Or that Frederick the Great hired giants for his army because he thought they would see the enemy better than regular-sized soldiers?

I found my ragged copy of The Decline and Fall of Practically Everybody (Will Cuppy, PN6161 .C787 1992)about 40 years ago in an obscure part of my grandparents' attic, so I've gone through life thinking it was an obscure book that only a few people knew about.

In fact, it's been beloved by many since its publication in 1949. The author spent 16 years reading up on his subjects and writing down facts on index cards. The result is this collection of 26 mini-biographies about historical figures from Attila the Hun (who like other Huns scarred his face on purpose so he wouldn't have to shave) to Lady Godiva to Montezuma to Miles Standish.

You wouldn't want this to be your only source for an essay on a historical figure, but as a secondary source, The Decline and Fall of Practically Everybody is guaranteed to get your paper noticed. It's also often hilarious. The many cartoon-like illustrations are also charming: the one on this page is Lucretia Borgia (who really probably didn't kill anyone).

‘The Catcher in the Rye’ by J.D. Salinger

Students at Lincoln College of Technology’s Dayton campus will recognize ‘The Catcher in the Rye’ as one of the possible book choices from Mr. Strickland’s book list for American Literature. Others will know it as one of the most respected American novels of the 20th century. Challenged in some communities for being vulgar or inappropriate, ‘The Catcher in the Rye’ is just as relevant to modern readers as it was to readers 60 years ago.

‘The Catcher in the Rye’ follows sixteen year old Holden Caulfield during two days of his life shortly after he is expelled from boarding school. Holden leaves school and returns to New York City but does not immediately go home. Rather, he checks into a hotel and spends his time reflecting on his past and making plans for the future that he hopes to achieve. This book will ring true for any person who has experienced the disillusionment of growing up.

'Sweet Valley Confidential: Ten Years Later'

I’ve been looking forward to this release for several months, so I was understandably eager to get a copy as soon as it was released. Sweet Valley Confidential: Ten Years Later begins with the Wakefield twins separated – Elizabeth in New York and Jessica back home in Sweet Valley. We find out that Elizabeth has been victim of some unforgivable betrayal, and Jessica is desperate to contact her. The betrayal? Jessica has stolen Elizabeth’s longtime boyfriend Todd Wilkins!

Francine Pascal and St. Martin’s Press released the first chapter online months prior to the release of the book, and I have to say, this betrayal of Jessica’s is probably the most obvious twist imaginable. Many of us fell in love with the Sweet Valley that included kidnappings, murder, evil twins and vampires, so this new book is relatively mild in comparison.

Even thou there are many new characters, Pascal features many characters from the original series and updates us on what other folks have been doing. Some fans of the original Sweet Valley High series may be disappointed that some of the old characters are peripheral characters rather than major players in the action, but I think that may be one of the more realistic things about the book. How many of us are still close friends with exactly the same group of people that we knew in high school? Things change, even in Sweet Valley.

'How We Decide' by Jonah Lehrer

Jonah Lehrer’s How we decide initially appealed to me because I have a sibling who is infamously indecisive. But it sat on my Amazon wish list for months until a friend mentioned it and said it was really good. Finally, I picked up the book. Happily, my friend was right; ‘How we decide’ is a fantastic book that discusses the different aspects of decision-making. Lehrer talks about the way the brain works using language that is accessible to people who aren’t experts in psychology; his use of stories and descriptions of studies makes the topic engaging and fun.

I know many people who pride themselves in their ability to make decisions rationally and logically. Although the ability to reason is undeniably important, Lehrer argues that rationality is actually counterproductive when making choices. Rather, Lehrer advocates the use of emotions and intuition when making decisions. Even if a person doesn’t choose to alter his behaviors based on Lehrer’s recommendations, it is still an enjoyable and interesting book.

And regardless of how you feel about football’s Tom Brady, I challenge you to read Lehrer’s anecdote without having him rise in your opinion.

"Pride and Prejudice" Forever. And Ever.

Will the world ever get tired of rewriting Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice? Probably not; this is unfortunate, because it’s already been done about a million times. For those of you who don’t know, Pride and Prejudice is a classic novel about the proud Mr. Darcy who is destined to fall in love with the lively (and prejudiced) Elizabeth Bennet.

Because most of the rewrites of Pride and Prejudice are modern, they are also quite a bit racier. Some stories put Elizabeth and Darcy in modern settings while others are sequels that speculate about the subsequent lives of the characters. All offer dramatically different portrayals of the lives of two of the best known literary figures.

Luckily, Southwestern College’s Library has a variety of different versions to choose from:
The classic: Pride and Prejudice
Sequels: Mr. Darcy Takes a Wife and Darcy & Elizabeth
A Modernization: The Trials of the Honorable F. Darcy

Check with your Librarian if you’re interested in a book from a different location.