Book Reviews

Masks of God, Joseph Campbell

This is a four-volume set comprised of the following books:

The Masks of God
Occidental Mythology
Oriental Mythology
Creative Mythology

This series I would count as required reading for anyone. However, my personal opinion is that you can skip the last book (Creative Mythology).



Failed Crusade: America and the Tragedy of Post-Communist Russia, Stephen F. Cohen



The Raw Deal, Ellen Frank



A Small Corner of Hell : Dispatches from Chechnya, Anna Politkovskaya



The Good Fight, Ralph Nader

Here Ralph Nader points out every reason why one should vote for Anyone But the Two Parties! A great eye opener to the hypocricy of our democracy while showing the way forward to establishing a more democractic, egalitarian and just society.



Oryx and Crake, Margaret Atwood

Another vision from Atwood of an apocalyptic future. In this future, however, the combination of global warming and out-of-control genetic engineering has led to the virtual extinction of the human species, the remaining few of which must seek continual shelter against Nature that is extremely hostile and compete to survive against creatures created by humans.



Fast Food Nation, Eric Schlosser

This book should come with a warning label: Reading this book may result in a complete re-evaluation of society and life. It should also be made required reading in all schools and for all adults, particularly parents.
Although I had considered purchasing this book many times on visits to the bookstore, I never did as I thought it would be mostly about McDonalds, etc. and the ingredients in fast food. That is, I thought it would be rather dry and boring. To the contrary, although this book does contain a lot of dry facts, it's very interesting and important reading.
This book covers the history of the fast food industry and its current status, the production of most everything edible - from the farm to your mouth, the advertising industry, and the methods of production and the conditions there, ad nauseum (literally!). The last section of the book deals with positive changes that have occurred and how the industry might be pushed to introduce more positive changes.
If you read Fast Food Nation, you will definitely rethink ever going to out to eat again and begin shopping for only organic foods. These are some personal positive steps people can take now.



Nickel and Dimed, Barbara Ehrenreich

Wow! What an endeavor!
Barabara Ehrenreich - aka Key West waitress, maid in Maine, Minnesota Wal-Martian, but, in fact, a reknown journalist goes underground to uncover how women on the edge of poverty make by.
Any book that has quotes like the following is worth reading:
"...it was often hard to see what the function of management was, other than to exact obeisance."
"Most civilized nations compensate for the inadequacy of wages by providing relatively generous public services such as health insurance, free or subsidized child care, subsidized housing, and effective public transportation. But the United States, for all its wealth, leaves its citizens to fend for themselves...."
"When someone works for less pay than she can live on--when, for example, she goes hungry so that you can eat more cheaply and conveniently--then she has made a great sacrifice for you, she has made you a gift of some part of her abilities, her health, and her life. The "working poor," as they are approvingly termed, are in fact the major philanthropists of our society. They neglect their own children so that the children of others will be cared for; they live in substandard housing so that other homes will be shiny and perfect; they endure privation so that inflation will be low and stock prices high. To be a member of the working poor is to be an anonymous donor, a nameless benefactor, to everyone else."



The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists, Robert Tressell

A fun fictional read for any labor activist.



Solidarity Forever

Wobbly history from the mouth of wobblies. A must read for any labor activist.



Upside Down, Eduardo Galeano

Galeano has given this book the title of being a primer. So it is! This is required reading for all world citizens. But be prepared. Albeit anecdotal in presentation, the stories are true and this is what makes it shocking and relevant. Don't buy just one, buy two and give one to a conservative friend. Maybe they'll wake up and stop living in their looking-glass world.



The Wind Done Gone, Alice Randall

Many readers have failed to understand what, I think, was Randall's goal in writing this book. Having grown up in the South (although this should not be a criteria), I was always incensed by those who liked GWTW - the movie (I have not read the book - sorry). As far as I'm concerned it was a Hollywood (white man's) production of a white woman's (Mitchell's) presentation of those "poor," white plantation owners (BTW, I'm Caucasian, should that matter). It was about as repulsive as a minstrel show. So, I welcome Randall's step toward setting the record straight.
Although Randall calls the book a parody, it is not. It is for this reason that I have referred to it as a critical parody. This book is written as if it was the diary of our main heroine. Unfortunately, her style of writing is not consistent, making the character less believable. In reply to some other criticisms, however, whereas this is presented in 'diary' format, we could hardly expect Randall to develop the characters.
Some of the lines in this work are brilliant! Those who don't like it, go back and read it again. It's an EASY read and enjoyable. I would agree with some that if you're looking more for a critique and understanding of African-American life in the South, this is not the book to read. It does lend some light, however.
My recommendation - read it. Especially if you liked GWTW. Then, think about it....