Books I am Glad I read in 2011

I read a lot, some people would say too much, but I would say not enough.  The books I am listing were discovered by reading other people's lists, hearing about it on radio or tv. or reading in a newspaper or magazine, a personal recommendation or sometimes even just wandering around the library.  If any reader discovers something they end up reading (and enjoying) I feel the whole effort worthwhile.  At least I took someone away from some tv. fluff.  If not, I hope you move onto some other more inspiring list.

I mix up fiction and non fiction. I read non fiction as a sort of self improvement effort. Good fiction is very distracting for me. Many of the books listed have been a blog or a newsletter post.

In my zeal to improve myself I extracted some good stuff from "The Go-Giver" (as opposed to the Go getter);

"Willpower" hit a nerve. Read more:  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2011/10/willpower-and-two-of-my-all-time.html

the combination of "Mindless Eating" and "Mindful Eating" which complemented each other.   Read more:  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2011/09/mindless-eating-cf-mindful-eating.html

"Tell to Win" had some good models for anyone trying to sell anything (very much including ideas).  Read more:  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2011/06/tell-to-win-offers-winning-formula.html

My son came home for the holidays and loaned me a book to read before his flight left.  "23 Things They Usually don't Tell you about capitalism."  A real mind opener.  Read more:  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2011/06/tell-to-win-offers-winning-formula.html

In my determination to understand the world a little better I would recommend: "The Great Disruption" (a realistic way in which we will be forced to change our ways);   more here;  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2011/07/great-disruption-is-it-really-on.html

"Why the West Rules for now" analyzes cultural rivalries and predicts some possible future scenarios.  Read more; http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2011/05/why-west-rules-for-now.html

I only read two biographies this year, which is something I hope to boost in 2012. Both were very good. One was "Team of Rivals" about Lincoln and his challenges getting elected and dealing with slavery and the American Civil War. Really excellent in covering how he dealt with his "rivals" in a very constructive manner.http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2011/11/team-of-rivals-has-lessons-for-today.html

 Roger Ebert, the film critic who I admire beyond his usually excellent reviews wrote "Life Itself".

The most distracting novels included "2030" and "Bliss". Bliss is a book from Turkey and was made into a movie that struck me. Both versions of "Bliss" are very interesting, but with different endings. The author is most amazing. Read more about "2030" here:  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2011/09/2030-not-that-far-away.html   Read more about "Bliss" here:  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2011/05/turkish-delight-in-book-and-movie-form.html

Science Fiction is a category onto its own, although I acknowledge the best is as satisfying as any regular novel. Come to think of it "2030" qualifies as a vision of the future that we might not like, although it has many good things about it. Under the influence of Barry Finn I got interested in the WWW triology by Robert Sawyer and it captivated me as much as anything all year.  Read more at http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2011/09/conversion-can-sneak-up-on-you-too.html

One book made me laugh a lot--"one night at the call center." I not only found lots of laughs in the main body of the book, but also how it was framed and the acknowledgements. I will be looking for more laughs in 2012.  Read more:  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2011/10/chetan-bhgat-new-discovery-for-me.html

Often sophisticated consumer websites will tell you if you like this you'll probably like that. It is a good idea, but I also like to do it with real people. I am interested in your lists.

A Conversion can sneak up on you too.

As a young boy I loved science fiction, but as I got older I lost my fascination for fantasies. I took learning about the "real" world seriously. I had an interest in sports, history, self improvement, psychology, philosophy, biographies of successful people.  I enjoyed fiction, but avoided anything that seemed too unrealistic.

I have known Barry Finn, mostly as my employer at The Rider and Orange aPEEL for over fifteen years.  He always struck me as an intelligent and very reasonable person, but had one fault. He was obsessed with science fiction and fantasy.  Everyone is entitled to a fault.  However as I developed interests in different directions I knew where I could turn if there was a science fiction angle and from time to time it would enter our conversations.  I came to think of it as science speculation and a whimsical extension of philosophy.

Through Barry I stumbled on Robert J Sawyer, a Canadian science fiction writer. One of the first books I read was "Calculating God" which interested me having heard about it on the radio and taking an interest in the philosophical perspective.  It had Canadian locations that I was familiar with and so my identification was reinforced.

Later following radio references to Neanderthals I picked up on a Robert J Sawyer trilogy, the Neanderthal Parallax. This time I found the narrative very compelling and again an identification of some of the scenes. The author gave me a different perspective on humanity. We humans are very vain and can't help thinking we are the centre of the universe, and of all meaning. Sawyer pictured an alternative universe with many features that seemed very logical. It seems obvious Sawyer is using science fiction as a vehicle to make philosophical points and different models for living.  As someone once said a fish is not conscious it is living in water, just as we are not conscious that we live in the air and have a worldview that seems natural to us.

More recently I took up an interest in Robert Sawyer's www trilogy. The first two books were the first two books I read on Kobo and the third I decided I couldn't wait for the electronic version.  In this series I was more conscious of Sawyer's use of a science fiction platform to make political, social and more importantly philosophical views.   Because I tended to agree with his philosophy I ate them up, but they opened up more thinking.

One of his contentions was that science fiction is still literature and good science fiction should be taken as seriously as any good literature and it has relevance to our "real" life. He makes some reference to Margaret Atwood (someone I have read sporadically, but admire). Margaret was on a recent radio program, On Point where she suggested the category of science fiction could be expanded and include her.   I look forward to reading her latest, "In Other Worlds: SF and the human imagination."

The bottom line of any book is the story. Does it entertain you? Does it stretch your thinking?  For me I admit if it seems so far fetched it has nothing I can link to in my own life I lose interest.  It is not that I have to believe the science is imminent, but the human reactions have to be believable.

Robert J. Sawyer has done a great deal of research, meaning his speculation has a solid base.  I recognize science is critical for our future, yet I have only a superficial understanding. Science fiction can help a reader to better understand science, but of course you have to be able to separate what is workable today and what might be workable in the future. The fiction part is what allows the author a vehicle to offer alternative models and sometimes to make profound observations.

The www triology is a compelling story to possible scientific progress. Geo political possibilities (cf to earlier reviews of The Great Disruption and 2030). The main heroine is a girl relocated to Waterloo Ontario. She starts the story as a blind person who is offered a chance to get sight by a doctor in Japan. He accomplishes this with some unexpected side effects. The young girl has an autistic father who is very gifted scientifically and a mother who is a liberal with a feminist perspective. Along the way you encounter a variety of people in power and in the margins, that are eventually linked up as in reality we all are.

"2030" (2011) by Albert Brooks is one of the best books on the future of a generation conflict:  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2011/09/2030-not-that-far-away.html 

"The Great Disruption" (2011) by Paul Gilding is not science fiction but tries to project what will happen to our environment in the future.  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2011/07/great-disruption-is-it-really-on.html

I don't want to give away any of the stories, but feel confident if you are reasonably intelligent and reasonably open minded you will find Robert J. Sawyer hard to put down.

Barry never tried to persuade me to re-visit science fiction, just made me aware that it was one of his passions. When I expressed an interest he offered to lend me a book. I guess you could call it quiet persuasion and and I have bought into it. When you are open to different possibilities your life becomes richer.

2030 not that far away

After reading "2030" I have been verbally recommending it to friends and associates more than most books I have read, even the most enjoyable ones. The underlying topic, the war between the generations is very apt to heat up and requires a lot of thought. As a member of the baby boomers, but also the father of two children (no longer actually children) I can understand some of the forces at play and they are a bit scary.

The author Albert Brooks, fortunately is a comedian and is able to make you laugh at various stages as he points out a very possible future scenario.   It is much like satirists pointing out the injustice of bigotry so that as you laugh you see the truth a little more clearly.  So although much of it is frightening a few laughs will lessen the sting.

There are trends the author stretches to possible conclusions that we need to understand better now. One of the causes of confict is something we all hope will happen--a cure for cancer. Albert Brooks points out that that would exacerbate the generational conflict.   As it is, us baby boomers have had things our way for so long we assume it is the right way and will continue through to our deaths in the very distant unforseeable future.  As a few pundits point out we are progressing to a time when fewer people will be working and more people will be living in normal retirement years and beyond. As lives are prolonged and more people expect to enjoy retirement more stress will be created.

It is easy to predict some general trends. Human nature resists change even as everything around them is changing.  A feature of modern day government is that powerful entrenched interests have influence beyond their numbers.  An example in 2030 is that one of the most powerful entrenched interests is the AARP (short for American Association of Retired People). One thing that is accepted as general wisdom is that older people vote more than younger people and they will vote for their own narrow interests. "2030" suggests their influence will actually increase and that it will intensify conflict with younger generations.

We follow a number of characters that you wonder how they will be connected. The different characters illustrate the whole American society. You meet powerful people and those who suffer the consequences of historical decisions. Some of the people are thoughtful and good and others are either victims or exploiters.  Some are frustrated and determined to change things to what they think is more fair.

Medicare comes under fire. The author projects increasing cost pressures and that many people will not be able to afford it. At the same time others will live much longer and healthier. There will be the young who have to one way or another pay for the extra expenses of "retired" elders. One theme touched on by the author is machines to prolong life in an almost vegetative state.

Chinese creditors are likely to become even more critical in our future. Like many of us you may have wondered why they would keep on giving Western institutions low interest loans. In fact it is one way of fueling their manufacturing. The author conjectures how we might move to a different financial arrangement which does seem plausible.

A lot of "2030" is frightening and I am sure the author hopes we will take a hint and change our current ways.  Some of it is encouraging and we can hope those parts actually happen. Some of us boomers are trying to understand and be fair. All of it is thought provoking and I think needs to be talked about more.