Soul of an Octopus: Book Review

Soul of an Octopus

By Sy Montgomery

( my copy)

I never thought I would be interested in learning about an Octopus. After reading, Remarkable Bright Creatures I definitely changed my mind. I've become more curious. I have watched, The Octopus Teacher on Netflix and National Geographic documentary on Hulu. I didn't know the amazing things Octopuses are able to do. They have no spine so they slither in and out of places, change colors, they can give you love bites up and down your arms with their suckers. They have three hearts, 2000 suckers, and much, much more.

After reading Remarkable Bright Creatures recommended by my cyberfriend Cynthia Timko I can say it was a well worth read. The memoir is about her time in the New England Aquarium in Boston, and her friendship, relationship, and bonding and experiences with the Octopus, Kali, and Octavia. From beginning of life till their timely death(they only live 3-5 years.

In between the sentences are slivers of scientific facts. I wish the author explained more about the anatomy of the Octopus and the many interesting facts. But I assume this wasn't the author's goal. It was more about the relationship they had.

The author wanted to tell her story about the bond between her and her love of her Octopuses (Octopus whisperer). The life cycle of the beginning of the young octopus to their death. Octopus don't live long. Both Female and Male die after having sex and fertilizing the eggs. The author also shared her experiences diving in the ocean exploring for Octopuses in the big wide ocean.

The interesting part was sharing her experience for the first time putting on and taking off her wet suit. What an experience. I didn't realize how hard it is getting used to, using the regulator. I assume we all know about the "Bends", what an experience she had.

I enjoyed reading about the life and experience and love the author had with her friends, Kali and Octavia, the octopuses. I am going to miss her stories. I would like to recommend to anyone who loves, animals, oceans, octopuses and nature. But, especially if you plan on reading, Remarkable Bright Creatures, The Soul of the Octopus compliments each other. BTW, if you haven't read Remarkable Bright Creatures you should.

Medgar and Myrlie: Book Review

 

Medgar & Myrlie

By Joy -Anne Reid

If the only name you know is MLK Jr, There is so much else to read about in Medgar and Myrlie. There is one name you most likely don't know about is Medgar Evers and Myrlie. This book is not only about the civil rights movement. Its about the love story of Medgar and Myrlie. How she loved, supported him all his life unfortunately till his death. Even after his death she continued on. 

He was more instrumental and did more for the movement than most people are aware of in the white and black community. Possible because he was doing his work in the south as the central cause not as a federal issue like MLK. 

If you think being Afro-American is dangerous now. You should go back before the 1960's. Black people couldn't go to the same schools, bathrooms, water fountains, restaurants, etc. Killing, lynching, disappearances, suspicious killing( lynching, suspicious disappearances and killings were rampant in the south. Court cases were unjust. 

How would you feel serving your country during WW2 and return to the country you sacrificed your years of service to and wasn't acknowledged by  certain people mostly in the south. You still would have been beaten, lynched and been treated with disrespect. This was exactly what happened to Medgar and others that served. When Medgar returned he met Myrlie and married and then moved to Mississippi.  He became an insurance agent and talked to his customers about the inequality in our country. He started holding meeting in churches, civic centers. Which was dangerous and many times had to meet in secret. He was then hired by NAACP who had a different agenda. Where he was looking for a movement in the cities, and towns throughout Mississippi. Through sit-ins, protest, but the NAACP wanted to fight in the courts which was too slow. They felt it was too expensive to bail the protestors out of jails, or security to keep them safe. 

He was instrumental in the movement with other names, MLK, John Lewis, Malcolm X. He is less known because his fight was in his state Mississippi, Where he's life and family was always in danger, including his neighbors who some didn't want no part of  Medgar because of the danger if they were associated with him. One night ended it all for Medgar, Myrlie and his family, Mississippi and the nation. Myrlie after his death kept his memory alive by continuing his work. Now Myrlie is still in love after his death of many years and continues his work even now.  Yes, I would recommend the book if you are unaware of the the civil rights movement. 

Gator Country: Book Review

 

Gator Country

by Rebecca Renner

I decided to read Gator Country, when I saw the title of the book. I lived in Miami, and Miami Beach, Coral Gables, and Broward County. I reminisced about Alligator Alley, and Alligator tourist stops. Most people don't come for the Everglades, and the alligators. They come for the tourist stop of the beautiful beaches, and palm trees. 

I didn't know the difference or care about the difference of an alligator and a crocodile. Do you know? I'll tell you. Alligator is more subdued and less aggressive than a crocodile. They also have rounded U -shaped snouts vs, Crocodiles have long and pointed, V-shaped snouts.

For years indigenous people and Afro-Americans lived in Florida. It wasn't till the turn of the 20th Century. The wealthy tried and did attempt to change and develop the land. Which is where we are today. The wealthy were in competition with the swamp people who lived here.  After 1920's land started to develop and change to become like towns and cities outside of Florida. They became resort towns, like Miami Beach.

 

Look up the names of towns in Florida, like Dade, Tamiami, developer named Flagler. the development has a rich history of Florida. 

 

The story of Gator Country that the large piece of the deep south stretching across Florida bay at the outflow of the Everglades, up the entire state of Florida, along the low country wetlands of Georgia to the Carolinas to touch Virginia, and to the west. From the Florida panhandle across Alabama, Mississippi, and its river delta, Louisiana, and the Gulf Coast of Texas down to the Mexican lagoons. The biodiversity hotspot that is the North America Coastal Plain and a nearby perfect overlay of the impoverished deep south. This is the kingdom of the American Alligator, where marshes swamps, and bayou harbor hundreds of endemic species of flora, and fauna where don't develop anywhere else in the world. Over the centuries, gator country has drawn the roughest of settlers. Before the invention of the air-conditioner only the hardiest survived there and the more stubborn bothered. Before the RR came, each small town was like an island in a sea of wilderness. Venture past the tree line and quite literally you were on your own. Since then, more and more people came to live against the land instead of with it creating and adversary of gator country itself. 

 

I am not a nature gal exploring the Everglades. But I remember alligator wrestling, and swamps. But never did go so far. as walking the many miles of swamps. The nature reservists can do that for me.  So, reading the book about the swamps and the muck in a book was better than personally experiencing it in real time. I was hoping the book wasn't just about the poaching, but also about the ecosystem, and climate change that is happening globally.  Gator Country does prove what is happening by poaching alligators will cause the imbalance of the ecosystem in Florida. Which causes problems in the swamps by the way, which is necessary, the mangroves, etc. It is already affecting the ecosystem in the Everglades(swamps). 

Gator Country, the author, Rebecca Renner and her travels into the Everglades, journey and investigating one sting of gator poaching.,

 Jeff Babauta ( he's real name). He has been a wildlife office. Where the story picks up is Jeff one last special job. He is almost ready to retire after almost 30 years. He changes his name, and his identity to catch a group of gator poachers by disguising himself as a dead-beat poacher. What he has to go through and hide his identity for that last Harrah. What is at stake to protect the wildlife. Each chapter is either Rebecca and Jeff's story.  

For Jeff to set up a trap, and a sting. He has to set up a alligator farm. He starts slow and starts calling contacts to purchase eggs, and alligators. He then is tutored by one of the poachers to catch alligators and how to incubate the eggs. Which was interesting in an amateurish way. 

What is interesting Jeff starts to befriend and care for the baby alligators once they hatch. Me who doesn't care or never thought of wildlife start to care about these alligators! 🤣l! 

Why, I never did, I have no idea. The author brought them up close and personal for you to care about them. Ok, they are not fuzzy, fluffy and cute. But they are part of our world. We should care about them. Not to steal eggs and make alligator trophies of keyrings. The alligators used to be close to extinction because of the excess killing of them. But, since the 1960's the number has grown back since the 1980's because of protection laws. Just because we have a large number now doesn't mean their numbers will stay consistent. 

What bothered me all the money put in to capturing the poachers for a small amount of alligator eggs. Didn't seem like it was worth the time, and money. There didn't seem to be any accountability. The book didn't make me feel satisfied that the stings were making a difference. Instead, Jeff wanted to give them leniency.  The poachers' children what happens to them? They should have thought about that before they did the crime. The poachers are going to continue, and other people will get in on the act. Because the punishment is a joke. 

In Florida you must carry a license to poach a certain number of eggs, and alligators. Sunshine Alligator Farm where Jeff was staking out produced 13,000 eggs from the swamp each year. 

 So many poachers cross state lines to sell alligators, and their eggs. For a small number of criminals. Which the author doesn't see as criminals. She feels sorry for them. I have a different perspective. Most likely because I don't live in the swamp land. What can I say I'm a bleeding heart. I now have a different perspective of even alligators. It seems Rebecca feels sorry for the poachers. They have no other way to survive. This is their livelihood. I don't know the answer, But the punishment is a joke.

I personally didn't feel satisfied about reading the book. There were no solutions brought up.  If there was perhaps, I would feel differently about the book. Though the book felt like I was reading a novel. 

The Best Minds: Book Review

The Best Minds

By Jonathan Rosen

I decided to read The Best Minds because it was on the Atlantic Monthly best books of the year. And because I read one of his novels. 

It is a difficult book to get through. You can't read it quickly but only in small baby steps (50 pages/day). I didn't understand the organization of the book till I watched the author discuss his book. I also couldn't get his point of writing the book. I was ready to give up. It seemed the book was all over the place. This is the second book this year after watching the author talk about his book. I understood it. I will say, if you don't understand mental illness, the culture, and society, and the psychiatric profession. If you want to understand it a little better. Read The Best Minds.  

The book is based on true events the author, and his best friend some twenty-five years ago(tragedy). I'm giving you spoilers and letting you know in advance. Beside the book giving you background understanding of culture and society. In the beginning of the book there are plenty of Jewish references. I wasn't expecting that. Not that I mind, it made the book more pleasant to read. 

Jonathan Rosen and his family move from Massachusetts to New Rochelle NY. H befriends a boy next door, Michael Landor. They were friends but also competitive in many ways. Michael was very intelligent beyond his years. Where Jonathan was dyslexic and felt not as smart. Jonathan's family were all literary geniuses, and subdued compared to Michael's family were a wild bunch. Michael's grandmother was diagnosed with schizophrenia. Jonathan questions and wonders through the book why he didn't come down with the fatal disorder, but he's friend does. What made him so special? Anyone could have gotten it, the boy next door. You don't know what goes on.  Both of their teachers realize their strengths. Even though Jonathan is dyslexic it doesn't stop him competitively, and their intelligence. 

One day an incident happens. A gang approaches them. They don't bother Michael as much as they do Jonathan. The incident haunts him throughout the book. He never forgave Michael. 

They eventually after high school Michael became more reclusive and his behavior had changed to odd behavior. The friends became distant and didn't stay close after high school. Even though they went to the same university. Michael graduated the university in three years and was hired in a high-powered stressful job which didn't last long. Jonathan ended up transferring to Berkeley in California. 

They lost touch with each other. They were never close again. While Jonathan's mother stayed in the know with Michael. Michael ended up in a community of psychiatric professionals. Helping Michael and supporting him. His behavior, and outside appearance changed, but intellectual he was above and beyond. 

He had his first psychotic break and was placed involuntary in the psychiatric hospital for some months. Michael's father was he's rock, and best supporter. Michael did not want to work as a cashier at Macy's. He thought he was better than that intellectual. Which is true. Many patients put in this situation believe they are better than that. Eventually Michael's father has connections. He influences Yale Law School to take him. 

The Professors are impressed with his intelligence. When Michael can't do the work. They give him slack, and some of his friends, and classmates help him out. He isn't able to find a job once he graduates. He gets into a relationship as well, which becomes a live in situation(GF).  Then the NYT finds out about Michael and its in the paper.

 He becomes famous. Ron Howard the producer wants the movie rights to make a movie. In the meantime, Michael writes the book which supports him financially.

There is so much about this book. I didn't discuss and I don't want to ruin it.  I think the author was attempting to do too much in the book. He first wanted to write a memoir about him and he's friend. Then doing research turned into more. I didn't realize the organization of the book. Childhood, second part society/culture/ psychiatric profession, government, the science and behavior of mental illness. The third part is how he handles the illness. The fourth part the dream. 

The first part is easy to read it's basically a memoir. Growing up immersed in his family and Jewish culture all around him. The second part is society and government, and psychiatric culture. How World War 2 (holocaust) was taken and reminisced by the psychiatric establishment. Conditions and institutions were seen like the Jewish people during the holocaust. How they were seen or unseen.

 President Kennedy made the problem worse when he released the patients into society. There was no plan. The government was in a cloud thinking communities would just embrace them in open arms. Really! People just didn't want to pay for their care. Now, its easier not to look at people who are disheveled and look the other way. Homelessness, medical care, just throw them away. 

The second part is technical and textbook like which most people aren't interested in. Most people don't like to be lectured to in a book and scholarly. Which makes a book not readable. I will say the book is aimed not at the general public. Which is where the books audience should be. That is why during this section I was wondering who the author was trying to capture. What was he trying to say? I'm still not sure. 

The third and fourth part of the book was less boring and told us what Michael was going through. Though my feeling was it wasn't personal and told from a distance what was going on with him. Since he lost touch with his friend which detracted from the story. I still not sure what the author's aim was. Was he asking how Michael became ill why? How wasn't Jonathan touched? It could be anyone. It can be a genetic disposition. It can also be environment and many other factors. 

Then came his illness. No one intervened. Because he has a high intelligence the mental illness was not a threat. Professors and family, and support systems didn't see his illness as a threat. They saw his high intellect first and ignored the illness, not the person. I was a psychiatric nurse. I'm used to seeing the signs and symptoms in the DSM 4. I know how to handle it. Most people in society will walk away and have no idea what to do.

The only way a person is cared for in a hospital in an emergency situation. Is if he is a threat to himself or others. If he doesn't want any help, he can refuse it. The hospital or police officers can just release him. I have always felt that is crazy.

 Also, a person doesn't see anything wrong. Thats he's perception of himself and the world around him. Some activists who get involved in patient rights have no idea. Why are they involved? They are not doctors, nurses. They are only looking through the eyes of a "normal Person". I can understand why this went haywire. 

The only time a person with a psychiatric disorder is put in care indefinitely is if the person commits a crime. Long time crimes with psychiatric disorders are cared for institutionalized in prison. Something is wrong with the system. But it takes funding to do something. These people who are homeless after being institutionalized or hospitalized are constantly in a revolving door. How would they get treatment if they refuse their meds? Or don't have the money to pay for them? 

Institutions are run poorly. In some states they are trying to help the homeless who have severe mental illness. Nothing is easy, there always snags. Many times things are not run as efficiently as they should. We must try to find a solution. There will always be people trying to take advantage. But our society must not keep looking away. We must have compassion.  We must help people who can't help themselves when they refuse treatment. And can't make rational decisions. Not turn a blinds eye, 

This young man was lucky he had a support system, and many people for years didn't see him as a problem. Not getting the help for an extremely sick person is not going to get better and control his illness. He will just get worse. Some people even without meds are not a threat. But some do and need involuntary hospitalization not in JAIL. Everyone has right to housing, food, medicine and safety.

Fear Is Just A Word: One of best Non-Fiction

Fear is Just A Word

By Azam Ahmed

Library Copy

Fear is Just A Word is amazing, and thrilling, at the same time a horrific non-fiction narrative. The book is difficult to stop reading.  Edge of your seat heart-thumping narrative that doesn't slow down. As a reader, it was an uncomfortable read. It's a must-read for anyone who lives in the United States and is concerned with the border in Mexico.  

The book takes place in Mexico and dives into a bit of the history of Mexico and the government, corruption in the 1930's, and the Cartel leading up to 2014, In San Fernando, Valley.

 This is where the narrative starts with Miriam Rodriquez. In her hometown people are being kidnapped, and most of the time murder is a daily occurrence. Many of them were never found. and never recovered.

The citizens of Fernando Valley fear for their lives. Are they going to be snatched? It has been reported a mass murder of 72 people were murdered. All of them were kidnapped and ransomed, and unable to pay the kidnappers, and eventually murdered.

Karen Rodriquez is snatched from her home. Her Mother, Mariam Rodriquez is fearless and doesn't quit, The police are slow in responding, and finally investigating what happened to her daughter. Marian finally decides to dig herself into the kidnapping. Since the authorities are slow. 

Instead, she goes to the police and finds sources and clues. She continues to advocate for her daughter to find the truth. Until the truth is uncovered. We find her continues to advocate even after she finds out what happened to Karen. Instead, she finds purpose in helping others. She advocates for them for those who don't have a voice because of fear of authorities, and the cartel. 

The writing of the book, Fear is Just A Word is an emotional read. The writing feels like you are observing with the author what is happening and the experiences firsthand raw emotion. Myself not know the culture, politics, and people of Mexico unfortunately. Because of politics on the "border wall". I didn't know what was truth and lies in Mexico. I am ashamed to say, it is in our own backyard. 

The book is about Maria, and the people in Mexico living in fear and corruption. What happens to the people after Maria is gone. But, changes have happened because of Maria. People organized chapters around the city to make their voices heard. There have been changes in policing, slowly. 

A few years ago, a novel, American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins was published. I was not in the camp of liking it. After reading, Fear is Just a Word, The book was so much better. The understanding of what's happening on the border. Why do thousands of people try to cross the border illegally? Fear is Just Another Word is a better narrative to explain perhaps the corruption in Mexico, the crime, Cartel, and poverty.

I think this is going to be one of the better non-fiction I have read all year. I have a few more weeks and I'll let you know.