jewel November 9th, 2007
I’ve finished reading Wil Wheaton’s new book, The Happiest Days of Our Lives. What a journey. It’s a collection of stories about growing up in the 70′s and 80′s.
Before I give my review, I have a confession to make. I liked Wesley Crusher. I know he was the most hated character on Star Trek, but I liked him. He was awkward and didn’t fit in with people his own age but didn’t really fit in with the adults either. I felt like that when I was growing up too, and even though he was a fictional character, I was glad to not be alone. Of course, looking back, I know I wasn’t even close to being alone in that regard. Being a teenager is awkward, I’d wager, for most people and fitting in is tough. Thankfully, I got over the not fitting in part of life and was ok with the being me part. But I digress..
I received this book yesterday. When I opened the package, I immediately sat down and started reading and I didn’t stop until there was no more to read. Wil Wheaton’s writing style is fluid and vivid. He took me back to several childhood memories of my own and he captured very well what it was like growing up in the 70′s and 80′s. Continue Reading »
jewel October 26th, 2007
Though I’m not sure she would agree, Ayaan Hirsi Ali is an amazing woman. Raised to be a good Muslim, she tried very hard to do right by Allah. But when her father arranged for her to marry someone she had never met – and refused her plea to not go through with it – she ran. It wasn’t easy for her; just the opposite. But she knew there had to be more to life than being a submissive wife and mother. She did not want to end up like her mother.
Infidel is the story of her life so far. Her story is moving and at times very tragic. This is a very powerful book, full of imagery that shocked my Western mind. Continue Reading »
jewel October 6th, 2007
I just finished reading 40 Days and 40 Nights: Darwin, Intelligent Design, God, OxyContin®, and Other Oddities on Trial in Pennsylvania by Matthew Chapman, a great great grandson of Charles Darwin.
We actually got to meet Matthew Chapman last weekend at the Atheist Alliance International conference and he is a very down to earth fellow. When I first read about who he was I thought – “Great great grandson of Charles Darwin – how cool is that?!”, but of course we cannot choose our ancestors and he is a very approachable guy, so although I do still think it would be cool to be a direct descendant of such a great historical figure, my rational side does take over and it isn’t such a big deal.
But I digress…
Anyway, I just finished his book on the Dover, PA trial “Kitzmiller v. Dover” where a school board – who were neither educators, nor schooled in science – bent on introducing the teaching of Intelligent Design (aka Creationism in a Labcoat) in their biology classrooms was given the smackdown by a George W. Bush appointee judge. Continue Reading »
jewel July 31st, 2007
I recently read The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins. He is one of my favorite authors, so reading his latest book was just natural.
Just as I have come to expect from Dr. Dawkins, The God Delusion is a well reasoned treatise. He systematically dismantles the supposed needs for belief in God and pretty much any argument one could have for retaining belief. He mainly goes after the three Abrahamic religions – Christianity, Judiasim and Islam – but his arguments apply equally well to any other religion, past or present. Continue Reading »
jewel July 27th, 2007
As much as I don’t get all the hullaboo surrounding the Harry Potter books, I read something yesterday that really set my wacky sensors all atingle.
Apparently, J.K. Rowling actually has gotten death threats from over-zealous American Christians regarding the content of her books.
On criticism of the books from Christians in Britain and the United States:
“I had one letter from a vicar in England — this is the difference — saying would I please not put Christmas trees at Hogwarts as it was clearly a pagan society. Meanwhile, I’m having death threats when I’m on tour in America.”
Wow. I think some of these folks might just want to get the dosages of their medication adjusted as they cannot seem to tell fantasy from reality.
What a wacky world this is.
I am not implying that all Christians think her book should be banned, burned or that she should die. Most people – regardless of religion, politics, etc – are sensible enough to enjoy good fiction, or to read something else if this particular thing does not suit them. I am assuming that Harry Potter is good fiction solely on the basis of it’s popularity, since I have not read the books myself, of course.
I still don’t get all the hype surrounding the books, but the death threats strike me as even more insane.
jewel July 25th, 2007
I admit I don’t get all the hype. Am I really one of the few that have no interest in reading the Harry Potter books or seeing the movies? With the young and old these books are like crack.
Harry Potter isn’t the only “all the rage” that I’ve shrugged over. I’ve never seen “ET” or “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” either. Mostly because everyone I knew when they were popular just had to see them. Eh, whatever.
I’m not saying I don’t have my obsessions, but the ones I have tend to be less popular overall. I dunno, I just never got bitten by the Harry Potter bug.
