The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skoot

Skoots dedication to examining all the facets of this single life is profound.  The science behind this story is both fascinating and confounding.  I initially wondered what the big deal was.  If I discovered that some of my random cells were used for so many important medical discoveries, I doubted that it would lead to such negative feelings.   But the issues of race and research politics Skoot explores provide insight into an entirely different prospective.  A truly unique tale with a somewhat unfortunate ending.

Geography of Bliss by Eric Weiner

This is a witty record of "One grump's (that would be NPR journalist Weiner) search for the Happiest Places in the World". Working from the "world database of happiness" (http://worlddatabaseofhappiness.eur.nl/) created by a researcher in the Netherlands (lots of drugs and sex - they are happy), he visits the happiest and saddest places identified. Some of the things he learns seem obvious - after a point, money doesn't make you happier; our connections with other folks do make us happy. Others are surprising but all made for great book grup discussion. Iceland, Switzerland, Qatar and Bhutan (which has an official happiness policy) are among the happy places - Moldova one of the unhappiest. I am happy that I now know where Moldova is - so I can avoid visiting.

Every Last One by Anna Quindlen

Imagine that you are living your regular life. You with your own business, a successful husband, surly but high achieving teen-age daughter, twin 13 year old boys - one an outstanding athlete, the other a sullen drummer. Then imagine the most horrific thing possible happening - it doesn't matter that it be the one in this story. Now imagine that somehow you need to find a way to carry on. The sense of impending doom is clear from the beginning but I was so not prepared for what happens.

The Thunderbolt Kid by Bill Bryson

Hilarious!!! For anybody whose childhood was spent in the fifties, you only wish you could tell your story like this. Full of delightful details and oh so funny stories about characters just like the ones that sat behind you in school or shared forbidden sweet sugary treats on warm summer nights - even if you grew up somewhere other than Des Moines, Iowa. Equally fascinating is the way he weaves political observations, social phenomena, and economic insight into his families adventures and misadventures. And did I mention it is laugh out loud funny.

State of Wonder by Ann Patchett

You know how there are some books that you just can't let go of. You need to know what happens after you turn the last page - even when you hear your rational brain saying, "It's fiction. These people don't really exist." By the time I joined Dr. Marina Singh on her journey into the Amazon rain forest in search of her research partner, Anders Eckman who is presumed dead, I was already suspicious of the work being done there by the brilliant but reclusive Dr. Swenson. I guessed things were not as they seemed but this is the Patchett of Bel Canto and as the dense and dangerous jungle buzzed and broiled around me, there were surprises I never imagined. There better be a sequel.

Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann

I over thought this book in the beginning - wanting a direct connection between the lives of each of the individuals whose stories are shared and Petit's walk between the twin towers. Instead each of these very different lives are connected to each other in a very six degrees of separation way. We know only a small part of each individuals story - an Irish priest, street walkers from the lower east side, women mourning the loss of their sons in battle, and many others. Some saw the wire walker - some did not. But all are a part of the much bigger story of life on the streets below Petit's defiant act - all walking tightropes of their own making. Each story shared, a defining moment in a life - much like Petit's walk in his own life. No need to make a connection in the end but it is interesting to think that this is how we would tell the tale of our lives - defining moments - connected by years of trying not to fall off the rope.

When She Flew by Jennie Shortridge

This book is based on the same real events as Peter Rock's My Abandonment but this is told in two alternating voices. The first is the young girl, Lindy, surviving in the woods around Portland with her father. The second is the police officer, Jessica, who discovers the two of them. Jessica is estranged from her own daughter and it is that sense of loss that motivates her decision making regarding Lindy and her father. Her story also seems to be most dominant. My sense is that the writing was more engaging in Rock's book but the events in this book are truer to the actual incident. Both books borrow different details from the real story and it is interesting to think about what each writer chose - particularly when you consider the fact that one author is male and one is female.

How We Decide by Jonah Lehrer

Great combination of neuroscience and real life examples. It wasn't until our book group discussion that we realized the his examples were predominately male and we all know that the male and female brain are sooooooo different. That aside, it was nice to know that it was my overloaded prefrontal cortex that was causing me to show no resistance whatsoever to the boxes of thin mint Girl Scout cookies in our pantry. The information relevant to education was most enlightening. Almost anyone would find a connection to the ideas Lehrer explores and it was a wonderful discussion starter for the book group.

My Abandonment by Peter Rock

This eerie story of a young girl and her father living at the margins of society in a nature preserve just outside of Portland is based on real events. The narrator is the young girl, Caroline, who clearly adores her father. Although there are few details about how they ended up living like this, it appears that the father's post traumatic stress issues are clearly a part of this. The writing is almost poetic at times but the ending is both shocking and highly unlikely. Generally the book is as fascinating as the fact that it could really happen.

The Ghost Map by Steven Johnson

In 1854, London found itself in the grip of a cholera epidemic. The prevailing "scientific" theory was that the pestilence was carried by the foul air arising from the open sewers running through Victorian London - a miasma. Two people, John Snow, a doctor obsessed with sanitary reform, and Rev. Henry Whitehead, a local minister, are more responsible than any others for identifying the water source carrying the disease. Johnson makes the argument that, in addition, they also set the stage for proper understanding of epidemiology and made possible the conditions that allowed for urban development. Although a bit of a stretch, his argument is well researched and convincing.

The Lacuna by Barbara Kingslover

The is my new answer to "What is your favorite book?" If I were a person in power, it could be policy shifting. To folks mired in selfishness and fear, it could be life changing. We are a people without logic, unable to keep from making the same mistakes over and over. America from the 20's to the 50's; Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo; McCarthyism and a narrater voice that is Kingsolver finding just the most beautifully perfect word or phrase. It makes me want to buy enough copies to loan to everyone I know.