Beyond Civilization

The question immediately arises:  what could be better than civilization?  First of all, it is important to understand what Quinn means by the term.  He’s not talking about art, music, indoor plumbing, or polite manners; he does not think we need to leave such things behind.  By civilization, he means the hierarchical structure where those on top control the ones below them, or at least make life very uncomfortable for them if they do not obey.  This “civilized” structure of society is responsible for much of human misery, not to mention the destruction of the earth as a functioning human habitat.

If we agree with Quinn that the hierarchy of civilization causes these problems, then we still have to ask:  what’s the alternative?  Quinn’s answer is a return to a form of human organization that worked well for humankind for millennia:  small cooperative groups called tribes.

Before we get out our spears and put on our animal skins, we should be aware that Quinn is not talking about going “back” to anything, but rather moving forward to forms of modern tribalism that can work for us now.

He does not prescribe particular details, but rather encourages us to use our creativity to figure out how we can work together in small groups, each member using their talents so that the group can make a living together.  He does give some examples of modern tribalism at work, but most of this accessible little book is about changing our perspective on how human beings might live together successfully.

Rather than dismissing all this as hopelessly idealistic, we should recognize that Quinn is not preaching altruism, however laudable such a thing may be.  On the contrary, he repeatedly shows us that this way of living is mutually beneficial, as well as satisfying.  He’s also not suggesting we preach these ideas and try to get everybody to do it as once.  We don’t have to wait for the whole world to get on board; anyone who wants to implement these ideas can start now.  I see his point.  Many of my life’s experiences so far confirm the truth of Quinn’s book, and through his words I find an even greater rationale to live cooperatively and sustainably.

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The book starts out in 7150 B.C.E., before the British Isles were islands. The would-be Great Britain was connected to what today is continental Europe, and humans and animals crossed to and fro. Eventually, Celtic tribes settled in the area and “Britannia” has its root in pretani, the Celtic word for “painted people,” for when going into battle the islanders “stripped down to their coarse woven undershorts and painted themselves.” The Romans learned that the Celts were friendly and always happy to do business, and as Tacitus later put it, the land of these painted people could be pretium victoriae – or “well worth the conquering.” And then the land became part of the Roman Empire.

Other invasions would follow. Within a century and a half of the Romans’ departure, the south-east corner of the island had become the Saxon Shore. In time, the Anglo-Saxon pushed the Celts inland, to present day Wales, and when the Welsh talk of England today, “they use a word that means ‘the lost lands.’”

But this is merely an overture of things to come: here is the once and future king, Arthur – the legend, and what can actually be said to be known about him – here is king Canute’s attempt to turn back the waves, and here is Robin Hood who in 1589 – more than 300 years after his legendary career – became known as the man who “tooke from the rich to give to the poore.” Here is even Jesus Christ who, according to folktales, in person visited the island between the Celtic Sea and the North Sea. Which, of course, he didn’t. But as Lacey points out, “over the centuries the story would play part in inspiring history.” A story may not be true, but there is truth to be found in every story. And this is a theme that Robert Lacey returns to over and over again, in his inspired little book on English history.

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American Dervish

American Dervish is an engrossing novel with a sympathetic narrator in Hayat.  The other characters are vivid, even the secondary ones.  I thought Akhtar did a wonderful job of giving the reader just the kind of details about a character that makes them spring to life on the page.  There are big themes in this book, but they are not forced upon the story, rather the action illuminates the issues.

As I read a book I often ask myself who I would recommend it to.  This book brought to mind readers of The Kite Runner.  Both books revolve around a boy who doesn’t fully understand the political undercurrents in his community and because of this he makes a choice he is haunted by for the rest of his life.

Unlike The Kite Runner, this novel doesn’t take place in a faraway land but in this country.  Yet, like that novel, the culture it portrays was fascinating to me because it’s one with which I am unfamiliar.

Ayad Akhtar is an American of Pakistani heritage, raised in Milwaukee.  He has written several screenplays, and was nominated for an Independent Spirit award for co-writing the screenplay for The War Within.  American Dervish is his first novel.  I suspect it won’t be his last.

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Here’s the deal — Adam is going to be given a resume and short term training in espionage. In exchange for this he will attempt to get a job at Trion Systems. If successful, he is supposed to find out as much as he can about a secret project named ‘Aurora’ . Wyatt knows that whatever this project is, it has the potential of knocking Wyatt Communications out of the high tech field… or at least causing severe damage.

Cassidy realizes he has no choice and he follows instructions. He lands the job and he begins his indoctrination with Trion. He must now do his assigned job at Trion while figuring out how to secure the information for Wyatt. Adam is not stupid, he just has never really been asked to apply himself. He has always enjoyed the role of ‘slacker’ . Even if he successful he could face prison as a spy for Wyatt or as an embezzler against Wyatt.  It’s not quite a ‘win-win’ situation.

Finder never lets you catch your breath. The pace is frantic and you will enjoy all the twists and turns in this great read.

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While I’ve not enjoyed Kate Morton’s sophomore and junior efforts as much, her debut novel struck a chord with me and generated the same feelings I had when watching (not reading) Remains of the Day and Gosford Park — that behind-the-scenes look into the country homes of early 19th century England, that angle you can only get from the staff’s point of view.  For me, the appeal of books set from this perspective is that, even in a novel, you get the unvarnished truth of the story, not the façade that the people who live in these grand homes present to the world.  In The House at Riverton, the story begins in the present, with the now 98-year-old Grace being asked by a film director to recall her experiences working as a maid in the 1920s, specifically about the suicide of a young poet that occurred in the very house that Grace worked in from the age of 14.

Grace decides this is her opportunity to tell the truth about that suicide and the fallout it created in the aristocratic family she worked for, for so many years.  Told in a series of flashbacks, this book will keep you turning the pages as the secrets are revealed against a beautifully descriptive backdrop that stretches from the Edwardian period to post-World War I England.

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Also see: our previous blog posts about Kate Morton’s books.

Frost’s fictionalized story follows the soldiers tasked with killing Eisenhower.  The kicker here is that one of these men, Bernie Oster, was born in the U.S. to German parents and raised in Brooklyn.  His family moved back to Germany when he was fourteen. The bleak economics of the Depression in the United States forced this move.  Bernie was eventually drafted into the Nazi army.  Bernie detests the Nazis and has tried to thwart their efforts whenever he has a chance to do so without getting caught.

When Bernie is brought into “Operation Greif” he falls under the immediate command of Erich Von Leinsdorf.  Von Leinsdorf is a member of the SS.  The son of a diplomat, he was raised in London from the age of ten until the war broke out.  His English, spoken with a British accent, is flawless.  He is very smooth and friendly on the surface, but Bernie senses that beneath this facade lurks a stone-cold killer.

As the Germans begin the invasion, Von Leinsdorf reveals his true nature by shooting two of his men after they are wounded by the Americans.  With his worst fears confirmed, Bernie is on high alert.  He suspects there is more to their mission than what they have been told and repeatedly tries to get Von Leinsdorf to reveal it to him.  In the meantime, Bernie does what he can to secretly sabotage Operation Greif’s efforts without getting himself killed by Von Leinsdorf.  He leaves subtle clues as he and Von Leinsdorf become aware that two American MP’s are tracking them down.

As the war continues around them, Bernie and Von Leinsdorf proceed on to their second objective with MP’s in hot pursuit.  The story continues at a hot pace straight through with the accelerator being mashed to the floor in the last few chapters.  If World War II historical fiction or fast-paced thrillers are your style, Frost’s novel is sure to satisfy.

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Presented as a letter to his adopted son, The Bells is the story of Moses Froben – a poor, uneducated boy born to a deaf-mute mother that lived in isolation, high in the belfry of a small-town church in the Swiss Alps and how he grows into one of the most celebrated opera singers of the time, known only as Lo Svissero.

Most of the villagers believe Moses is also deaf-mute, so after he witnesses a crime and they discover that he can in fact hear and speak, he flees for his life.  He receives help from two traveling monks, who hearing his situation, take pity on him and bring him to the Abbey of St. Gall.  Growing up in a belfry, Moses has developed a gift for music and his ears soon lead him to the boys’ choir at the Abbey.  The choirmaster, Ulrich, recognizes his gift and trains him.  Ulrich can’t bear for this gift to go away as Moses ages and has Moses castrated against his will.  At that time, the Swiss Confederation had outlawed castration and so Moses is forced, once again, to flee.  He chooses to follow a young woman of the upper class that he has fallen in love with to Vienna, where she will be married.

The rest of Moses’ journey and transformation into a father and into Lo Svissero is full of all the elements that make up a good opera – love, tragedy and passion.

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This book will challenge everything you thought you knew about raising children.  This is not a book that proposes the “right way” to raise a child, but rather presents the facts about how the current school of thought on child-rearing actually works (or doesn’t).  And just as Steven Levitt accomplishes in his book Freakonomics, which challenges commonly held beliefs on economic issues, Bronson and Merryman support their assertions with reams of research and the results of studies conducted world-wide.

Who would have thought that the more you praise a child, the lower their confidence level?  Or that an extra hour of sleep may be better for your kid’s IQ than an extra hour of studying?  And if your argumentative teen makes you want to pull your hair out, don’t—the alternative is even worse.  All this, and more, is waiting for you inside the covers of this intriguing book.

The issues covered in NurtureShock concern children at all stages of development, from infancy to the teen years, so all parents are sure to find these insights interesting.  But even non-parents will be fascinated by the science behind the information—think of all the fun you’ll have advising your parenting friends and family on what they are doing wrong!  Parents love advice from their childless friends . . . Don’t they?

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Hannah Payne is the secretly rebellious daughter in a strict, Christian family.  The book opens after her sentencing for aborting her child.  For the crime of murder, her skin has been chromed to a vivid-red color.  Because she refused to name both the father of the baby and the doctor who performed the abortion, her sentence is extended.   Once released, Hannah must endure criticism and censure from strangers, friends and family members.  She also gets caught up in an underground movement that is fighting the laws against abortion.

Hilary Jordan does a masterful job of painting a believable future, allowing you to focus on Hannah and issues that result from the politics of the day and not get bogged down in the details of advancing technology.  Regardless of your politics, this book is a wonderful conversation-starter and is sure to be a winner with book clubs.  Because the story is loosely based on The Scarlet Letter, it may also make an interesting companion read for Hawthorne’s classic.

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In London, he encounters a certain Sherlock Holmes – a deduction-thumping monster – and after making sure that the two can tolerate living together, the two bachelors share apartment at 221B Baker Street. Before long, the duo also shares adventures, even though the doctor’s role mainly is that of the observer.

A man is found dead in a house in the south of London. The man turns out to be a rich American, but he has not been robbed. The police discover a word – “Rache” – written in blood on one of the walls, and they suspect that a Rachel is involved in the misadventure. But who is this Rachel? How was the man killed? And who did it? The Scotland Yard cannot find any answers, and turn to Mr. Holmes – who brings Dr. Watson with him. Their first case is deeply tragic, and includes an unexpected American detour, but Mr. Holmes is at least as fascinating as the plot and the scenery. The relationship between Dr. Watson and the consulting detective is instantly charming, and equally irresistible in the city and the era – London, 1881.

Intrigued? Read another review of A Study in Scarlet posted on this blog in 2010.

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