Influenza, World Peace, and Literature

America's Forgotten Pandemic: The Influenza of 1918
by Alfred W. Crosby

I'm sure you remember what a fan I am of the history of science (or, as Josh would say, my unhealthy obsession with diseases). I've just read this book for the first time and found it a wonderful example of research and presentation. Of course, it has all the mortality and morbidity numbers, but it also has stories from people's lives. I also found it timely with reports in the newspaper of the flu vaccine being less effective than previously believed and a scary avian flu cropping up in Asian. Seriously, if today's equivalent of the 1918 influenza hit the States, we'd be in big trouble. We've all see the disaster response in this country and that's when it's just hitting part of the country. (I don't mean to attack just the government agencies. There's not much they can do if taxpayers don't want to pay for the services in case of emergency. It's all about priorities.)

Two points in particular caught my interest as I was reading this book. The first concerns the end of World War I. Crosby suggests influenza might have seriously hampered President Wilson as he was trying to battle for his 14 points and more forgiveness for Germany at the Paris Peace conference. While there's no doubt Wilson faced some serious challenges, which he might not have overcome even in the best circumstances, it was interesting to think about how his illness (and illnesses in other important dignitaries) might have had repercussions. (On a side note, I pulled out The First World War by John Keegan to check out some of Crosby's suggestions. Keegan actually ends his book before the Paris Peace Conference, so I still don't know what he thinks. But I was reminded of how much I liked his book as well - and recommend it to anyone interested in European history.)

The other aspect of Crosby's book that impressed me was his ability to draw in experiences from literature (or a lack of experiences depicted in literature). In particular, I'm going to be adding some Katherine Anne Porter to my wish list. (For those with less time, just read Chapter 15 (the Afterword) called "An Inquiry into the Peculiarities of Human Memory.")

For anyone who's interested in other influenza books, I highly recommend Gina Kolata's Flu: The Story of the Great Influenza Pandemic of 1918 and the Search for the Virus that Caused It. It was written in 1999 and has some more recent information than you'll find in Crosby's book (originally written in 1976, though the newest edition is from 2003).

European Literature in Iran

Reading Lolita in Tehran: A Memoir in Books
by Azar Nafisi

Everyone should read this book. Ms. Nafisi bravely shows her thoughts and experiences, and those of her students, through discussions and reflections on great works of literature. Besides being grateful for the insights into Iranian life, I have greatly expanded my "virtual library" (otherwise known as my Amazon wish list). So far, the only book I have read (that I hadn't already read) is Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert, but that's my own fault.

Anyone who cares about literature should read this book.

Imagining India

The Twentieth Wife
By Indu Sundaresan

I'd forgotten how much fun historical fiction can be. I found this book completely by accident when I told myself I had to choose a library book from one particular shelf chosen at random (though I did place myself in the fiction section first). It's a magnificent portrayal of the Mughal empire in 17th century (present-day) India and Persia. Mehrunnisa is a nobleman's daughter, raised by Persian parents near the Mughal court. The novel traces her life, and the lives of her family members, until she finally becomes the emperor's wife (his twentieth wife, of course). Ms. Sundaresan has a lovely style and writes with ease of an exotic time and culture (well, exotic to me). I highly recommend it, and suggest you prepare to crave Indian meals.

A World of Magic for Adults

Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell
by Susanna Clarke

I hope you've already heard about this book. In it, Ms. Clarke describes events in a world where magic is real and two English magicians are struggling to teach themselves its lost arts. They want to use it to fight a war, but the real evil lies in the world of magic, not in England's European enemies. In the end, Ms. Clarke brings all the characters and events together very nicely. I don't want to give anything away, but the ending shows how Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell both succeed and fail. I thought that rather good.

In case you're wondering, it's more like Lord of the Rings than Harry Potter (and I'm sure she was thrilled to have it published during all the Lord of the Rings uproar because it could only have improved sales).

It's a bit of a tome, but is witty, entertaining, and well written - no struggles here to get through clumsy sentences or poor punctuation. (Be aware, though, she is an English author.) I stayed up until 4:00 am to read the last 100 pages. I just couldn't bear to wait until the next day (especially since I don't get to read too much during the day between work and Caleb).

We'll definitely see the movie when it comes out. New Line Cinema has bought the rights. Who else?

So Much Makes Sense Now

What's Going on in There?
by Lise Eliot

This tremendous book describes in detail the development of the brain from conception through preschool, and even includes some insights into later years. The first section concentrates on prenatal development. Then Dr. Eliot explains the development of touch, balance and motion, smell, taste, vision, hearing, motor development, social-emotional growth, memory, language, and intelligence (a chapter devoted to each). Two more chapters at the end look at differences in gender (and nature / nurture) and a summary of the book and how it impacts parenting in the final chapter.

I loved the balanced view presented by the author. She explains the known research (and what's still unknown) on the effects of mother's actions, including what she eats and drinks, on the developing baby. I've read pregnancy books (and magazines) that seemed to tell pregnant women every thought in their head and every calorie in their diet should be focused entirely on the baby - which always seemed a little extreme to me. In later chapters, she also supports a balanced view of how parents can use the facts of development presented in the book to raise their children in the best way possible. Her tone in the following excerpt from the last chapter is echoed throughout the book, especially in the little insights we receive about her own children.

There may actually be one or two parents in the world like this [perfect] ... Then again, you have to wonder what children learn from parents whose only focus in life is their offspring. The fact is that children pick up much more than mere cognitive skills from their parents and other caregivers. They also learn how to work, share, love, nurture, juggle, and enjoy life.

The book references studies and articles from peer-reviewed journals like JAMA, New England Journal of Medicine, Child Development, and Science, to name a few. The bibliography is extensive and it was easy to find the reference I wanted whenever I checked the endnotes. The index also seemed in-depth, but I didn't get to check it out too much because the book completely fell apart. Yes, you read that correctly; the book fell into pieces. I'd recommend buying it in hardcover or at least getting it from the library in hardcover. (I did call the publisher to complain and they were kind enough to send another copy, but I'm afraid to read it because then it will fall apart as well.)

If you're a parent, a grandparent, an aunt, an uncle, a godparent, a caregiver, or anyone who ever sees or speaks to a child, you should read this book. It's presented in a clear and approachable way for those interested in the details of nerves, axons and neurotransmitters, and for those who are just interested in what to expect of children as they grow.