Catching Up

71. 
Title: [In a Witch’s Wardrobe]
Author: Juliet Blackwell
Pages:
Genre: Paranormal Cozy Mystery
Medium: Kindle
Acquisition:
Date Completed: September 29, 2013
Rating: ***1/2

Lily once again finds herself neck-deep in an investigation - actually, more than one.  First, she is tasked by Aiden to discover just who killed one Wiccan coven member, and poisoned another (also accidentally poisoning her young daughter).  And if the threat of a murderer isn't enough, a series of vandalisms at the hands of an anti-magic hate group has disrupted the neighborhood. 

The mysteries as a plot device are less compelling to me than the personal relationships; here, Lily is forced to reconcile herself with growing attached to others, and the emotional turmoil that can come just from caring.  As always, I find the personal development very satisfying, and Blackwell's cliffhanger of a conclusion is sure to lead me to her next installment. 



63.
Title: [Gulp]
Author: Mary Roach
Pages:
Genre: Nonfiction
Medium: Hardback
Acquisition: Gifted
Date Completed: August 24, 2013
Rating: ****

Mary Roach has been between the sheets, on the edge of the afterlife, in the grave, and out in space.  In Gulp she's back to her roots - the body - as she takes a "trip down the alimentary canal."  After a bit of a disappointment from [Packing for Mars], it was good to see her there.  In Gulp Roach is once again pestering scientists and asking inappropriate questions, and along the way exposes the secrets behind foot testing, flavored pet foot, and Elvis' super colon.  While someone in the field may not learn something new, it kept this general audience member interested and giggling. 

93.
Author: Mary Roach
Title: Packing for Mars
Publication: Hardback
Pages: 321 pages
Genre: Nonfiction, science, travel writing
Acquisition: gift from hubster
Date Completed: December 13, 2010
Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

In Packing for Mars, reporter Mary Roach sets out to do what she does best: combine the genres of travel writing and popular science to produce a text that both lightens and entertains without going over the heads of the general populous. Her latest text takes readers through the history and science that might, someday, lead mankind to set foot on Mars.

Despite the suggestion of the title, the subject of a manned spacecraft traveling to Mars is more of a flourish than a meaty part of her writing. I surmise that the reason for this could simply be that Roach is working with the subject matter she knows best - people - and no one has yet set foot on the distant planet.

Roach is no scientists, but she is a wonderfully intuitive reporter who doesn't shy away from any topic - even sh*t burgers. Her gift for narration is entertaining, and is more than enough for me to overlook my quibbles about the title of the book itself.

Packing for Mars would be a great read for fans of Roach, as well as those who may have been turned off by her selection of subject in the past (but really, who doesn't love reading about cadavers and corpses, sex, and the soul?).

126. Adrian, Lara. Veil of Midnight. 368 pages. 11.6.09.



127. Roach, Mary. Spook: Science Tackles the Afterlife. 300 pages. 11.16.09.
In Spook reporter Mary Roach delves into the world of paranormal research to bring to light modern science's tenuous relationship with the afterlife. Like Stiff and Bonk, Roach's writing is peppered with anecdotes and diverting travel stories, although her own voice is far more aggressive towards her subject than her other two publications (born from Roach's own skepticism, no doubt). While Spook is both interesting and entertaining I believe Roach is at her best when she approaches more quantifiable subjects, leaving Spook at the bottom of the Roach-stack.

125. Roach, Mary. Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex. 303 pages. 10.29.09.

Mary Roach, author of Stiff and Spook, hits the monosyllables once again with her latest publication, Bonk, which journeys through the world of science to see exactly what the field is doing with de Sade's favorite subject. Bonk is a thoroughly enjoyable romp through physiological research; Roach focuses on the scientific over the pornographic, making her work comfortable for wide audiences. Her voice is frank, and she jumps into her research feet-first, even to the point of participating in some of the studies she observes. Through it all her sense of humor shines through, and the entertainment value is high.

112. Pratchett, Terry. Wyrd Sisters. 265 pages. 9.6.09.


113. Roach, Mary. Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers. 304 pages. 9.10.09.

The cultural ideas surrounding death and the disposal of bodies are far more transient than modern American funeral rites would lead people to believe. From cremation to mummification, to burial within the floors of churches or seclusion to remote cemeteries, societies are constantly trying to find the "right" answer to the question of how to dispose of their dead. Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers examines the recent history of one of those solutions - donation.

As a reporter, Mary Roach is able to offer her audiences a unique perspective on the process and outcomes of various forms of body disposal; while she very clearly supports the idea of body donation, she herself is not involved in the field (as a scientist, doctor, or mortuary professional), which allows her to give her readers a layman's view of what really happens when an individual wills their remains to science - and what could be happening in the future.

Stiff is easy to read, and Roach's lighthearted voice allows readers to chuckle at one of the most difficult emotional decisions individuals will have to make (for themselves or a loved one). While there is a narrative tendency to wander away from the immediate subject, the material presented in the numerous asides is as interesting as the initial subject at hand, and actually serves to give readers an emotional break, the lack of which may be detrimental to the objective and humorous tone that is intended. I highly recommend it.