Loganberryblog

I have read a slew of new and upcoming books recently dealing with psychology and addiction.  Here are my favorites:

1) Quit Like A Woman by Holly Whitaker.  This book is good for anybody who questions either their relationship with alcohol or American culture’s relationship with it, as Holly goes into her theories on these topics.  Unlike many authors who write about addictive behavior, she does not believe in the term “alcoholic”, for intriguing reasons.  Holly has great, no nonsense advice on how to remove the influence of alcohol from one’s life and build a new, alcohol-free lifestyle.  She also talks in detail about how alcohol is used by dominant forces in society to suppress non-dominant people, such as women and the poor.  This was an engaging book and highly recommended.

2) Sober Curious by Ruby Warrington.  Another recent book on reducing alcohol use for one’s own good, this book talks of the benefits of a more sober lifestyle, including better health, spiritual progress, and richer connections with other people.  This book is not designed for a serious alcoholic, but rather, for somebody who is wondering just what life might be like without the typical weekend hangover.  Unlike Whitaker, she does not preach complete abstinence, but is instead a proponent of mindful drinking, rather than just drinking because it is expected of you.  If you’ve ever been curious about how life would be without the influence of alcohol, this book is for you.

3) The End of Mental Illness by Dr. Daniel Amen.  This book is written for anybody with a mental health diagnosis who is looking for ways to understand and control their illness outside of the dominant paradigm of a simple chemical imbalance that is controlled by medication(s).  Dr. Amen runs a clinic that does brain scans on those with mental conditions, and has found several compelling connections of impaired brain activity with various diagnoses.  He also points out that many DSM diagnoses are actually several different brain issues rolled into one category, which leads to incorrect treatments.  He is a proponent of working to have a healthy brain, whatever the original condition of it is.  To that end, he recommends various forms of out of the box solutions to control symptoms, everything from removing toxic mold to dietary changes to nutraceuticals and vitamins.  This book is good for anybody looking for new solutions to treat their brain illnesses.

4) The Hilarious World of Depression by John Moe.  John hosts a podcast on depression of the same name as the book, which I had never heard of prior to reading it, but am now intrigued.  In his podcast, he interviews celebrities about their experiences with depression.  In this book, he goes into his own experience with nearly lifelong depressive episodes.  He has an amusing style of writing that anybody that has experienced depression can identify with.  It is also a good primer for anybody who has not experienced depression but wants to know more about the experience of depression.  He writes about deep subjects in a way that sucks you in, because he maintains his sense of humor throughout.  Highly recommended for those looking for a different take on a, well, typically depressing subject.  (Out May 5, 2020)

Zelda, an orphan with high-functioning  fetal alcohol syndrome, has a list of rules she lives by to keep herself safe.  She lives with her brother, Gert, who has just recently broken up with his girlfriend, Annie (who’s called AK47 by everyone).  Gert is supposed to be going to college, but Zelda finds out that he’s not, and that he may be involved in something quite illegal, and for the first time in her life Zelda breaks the rules to discover what Gert is up to, and eventually involves AK47 in her hunt for the truth.  Zelda’s voice is charming and heartwarming— yet the reader can see the seriousness behind her voice and the situation.  As the plot ramps up, we root for Zelda and AK47, and hope that Gert learns how to deal with his demons.  Well written and a page turner, When We Were Vikings by Andrew David MacDonald is highly recommended.

American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins is an amazing read.  I will think about the characters in this book every time I watch the news and see immigrants trying to get into the USA.  I will think about the characters in this book every time I see someone who does not look like me.  I will think about this story, this novel, this fiction, as the truth.  I see the world differently now.  I want to thank Jeanine Cummins for writing it, and writing it so well that I believe every moment, every detail, every bit of pain and suffering it takes to flee your home and try to find a new life.

This book will come out on January 21st–and Loganberry Books has signed copies!

Hello everybody.  Hope you had a great summer!  Today’s book reviews cover the subject of poverty in America.

1.  Dignity: Seeking Respect in Back-Row America by Chris Arnade (Available now)

Much like the 1890’s classic How the Other Half Lives, Dignity seeks to expose the true deprivations and downfalls of poverty with both words and pictures – in this case, in all different environments throughout the United States, from the inner cities to impoverished rural areas.   With the liberal use of photography, Arnade humanizes those that he writes about, instead of allowing them to be cast off as “those people.”  The writing is fresh, often quoting his participants directly, and allows new perspectives on issues that are often associated with poverty, like prostitution and drug use, without any excessive moralizing.  I highly recommend this book to anybody, but particularly if you’ve never taken the time to talk to a street person.

2. Broke: Hardship and Resilience in a City of Broken Promises by Jodie Adams Kirshner (Out November 19, 2019)

This book, written by a lawyer, combines street level stories of poverty in the city of Detroit during the bankruptcy years with accounts of state and city-level mismanagement of funds and resources that allowed people to fall so easily through the cracks.  The stories are heart-wrenching at times – I was particularly rooting for one man who got caught up in the vagaries of the legal system.  The accounts of the badly managed city, which led to bankruptcy in 2013, are concisely linked with those personal stories in a way that holds the city’s so-called leaders accountable for the suffering of the citizens.  A story of poor urban policy leading directly to poor outcomes for the community has never been so riveting. 

3.  Free Lunch by Rex Ogle (Out September 10, 2019)

This book, written for middle-schoolers but easily thought provoking for older teens and adults alike, is a true account of Rex’s life growing up in poverty in what appears to be the early 1990’s.  Rex experiences grinding hunger, faces domestic violence aimed at both himself and his mother, combats a discriminatory teacher, has his prized CD player pawned, and worst of all – for a 6th grader concerned with social standing – he is signed up for the Free Lunch program at his new middle school.  The embarrassment of having to give his name daily for his lunch, along with never having clothes that fit or a house he feels comfortable bringing friends to, would make a lesser kid depressed, but somehow Rex never loses hope that things will get better – and by the end of the book, things do improve for the family.  This book should be read by every child – poor kids can commiserate with the main character, and richer kids would get a very good sense of what it is like to live in poverty from Rex’s masterful writing.

On my ongoing quest to find excellent sociology books, I have come across some great books related to social justice, including sexual assault and racial relations.  Have a look…

1.  Good Kids, Bad City, by Kyle Swenson.  This book is an account of three
   African-American Cleveland boys who were wrongfully accused of murder and imprisoned for many years – nearly half a natural lifetime – based entirely on the testimony of a visually impaired twelve year old boy.  The details of the history of the city of Cleveland and the racist bias that led to the conviction are sad, but impeccably researched and dramatically narrated by the author.  The miscarriage of justice is dramatic, yet the three men had maintained hope all those years that the wrongs against them would be righted, and in the end they prevail.  This is a great, engaging read.
2.  Shattering Silences, by Christopher Johnston.  This book discusses the rape crisis throughout America, and solutions that might work to alleviate issues like cases not going to trial because of untested rape kits (which has been an issue in Cleveland).  Much of the book, in fact, is based in Cleveland, talking about rape from the viewpoints of victims, a nurse, a police commander, the sex crimes laboratory, the head of the Cuyahoga County Sexual Assault Kit Task Force, and a researcher seeking best practices going forward.  There are no punches pulled, all of these resources describe their problems and potential solutions in great detail.  Though it may seem overwhelming, the solutions to the crisis that are discussed seem to have been feasible in many communities around the country, and I look forward to these solutions being universally implemented.  Fantastic read.
3.  I’m Saying No!, by Beverly Engel.  This book is designed specifically for woman who have dealt with sexual harassment, sexual abuse, or rape.  It discusses how to mentally fortify oneself to be able to say no in certain situations where a man is pushing for a sexual encounter (unless it threatens a woman’s life, of course, which is also discussed).  The book deals with the feelings of shame, anger, and body dysmorphia surrounding a body violation.  There is also specific discussion of childhood sexual abuse that I found very enlightening.  If you’re a bit of a “too nice” woman, this book will help level the playing field with men who might want to take advantage of that niceness.
4. Bonus:  How To Be An Antiracist, by Ibram X. Kendi.  This one isn’t out yet, but I got to read an advance copy and I’m so glad I picked it up.  I took copious amounts of notes because I learned so much about racial relations, and I didn’t want to forget anything or forget his fantastic style of writing (much of the notes were direct quotes, that I am unfortunately not allowed to share).  It turns out that a white girl raised in a tiny Midwestern country town full of white people, sure had a lot to learn from a black guy the same age but raised in New York City and then the south.  Ibram really conveys a lot of truths in a compelling way, and made me think of things I haven’t thought about before.  For example, he talks about the ways that Black people can be racist towards each other by valuing lighter over darker skin.  He talks about how being “color blind” is a sham for maintaining racist structures.  And he talks about how racism is a construct wholly invented by elites to maintain their power.  He also mentions possible solutions, related to active anti-racism activism, that can reduce the problems that are induced by this fantasy that we all participate in.  This is one of the best books that are coming out this year, and in my opinion, everyone should read this and be prepared to learn.  (Out August 20, 2019)