Diamond has created an ambitious survey of cultures throughout the world, in comparison to western civilization. Anecdotes abound as he learns, sometimes in extreme situations, how traditional societies function. (At one point his boat sinks and it's hours before he and his crew is rescued.) Topics include raising children, settling disputes in families and communities, elder care (in most cases, the lack of care, with migratory tribes leaving the elderly who would otherwise be a burden to the rest of the community) educating and disciplining the young, and food collection and distribution. Tribes in Borneo and other third world, undeveloped areas, have left to fend for themselves with no involvement of the state. Decisions are made by consensus, in most cases, among the tribal leaders. There is much to learn from this book, but how any of it can be applied to the western civilization is an unanswered question.
Seraphina is one of the most creative books of fantasy and dragons since Harry Potter. In this tale, Seraphina is an extremely talented court musician who lives at a time when there is a threat of war with the dragons. To meet the humans, dragons are able to fold themselves into a human shape and talk with the city’s rulers. Other dragons are teachers of great wisdom. Seraphina is part dragon, with scales on one arm. This is an amazing story with memorable characters.
Casual Vacancy
Rowling draws on her life experiences to create a moving story about the personal and political maneuverings in the fictional town of Pagford, England. The difficult situations some of the characters experience were inspired by Rowling’s life of poverty (before her Potter series), career as a teacher, and her innate understanding of how people think.
