Some Good Books

Grad school is great but it sort of sucks up most of your free time and some times it makes your brain hurt or your ears bleed. I haven't had the bleeding ear thing, but know people who know people who've had it. Anyways, one thing grad school allows you to do is read lots of stuff and I like reading so that's a good thing. In light of all this reading I thought I'd pass along a few books that I've read over the last little bit. I'd love to get some good recommendations from the rest of the Provonian crew cause I'm always looking for some good reads.

Last Child in the Woods, Richard Louv

This is a real interesting treatment of the relationship between kids and the outdoors. The author draws on a lot of current research that suggests that kids are spending less time in the outdoors and that they're suffering physically, emotionally and mentally because of it. All you parents out there should check this out. Contact with nature is being linked to increased self-confidence, improved performance among kids with ADD and ADHD, and a host of other benefits. Louv does a good job presenting current research info but the book's a little light on practical suggestions about how to fix the problem. I guess that's up to us.




The Culprit and the Cure, Stephen Aldana

Now I know health/exercise books aren't always the greatest page turners but this is a worthwhile book to read. The author, a prof at BYU, has condensed all the "health" research into this very accessible book. He deals with the current state of health in the US and then talks about what can be done to fix the problems. It's pretty shocking stuff at times, such as almost all chronic disease (e.g., cancer, heart disease, diabetes, etc.) is due to diet and lifestyle. Since we're all becoming fossils this is important stuff to think about, luckily the solutions are pretty straight forward. Exercise 30 min. a day and eat 5 fruits and vegetables for starters. Anways, check it out and if you do what he suggests you're guaranteed to get ripped, chiseled, buff and if you're bald your hair will grow back and you'll be able to fly (at least I think I remember reading that...or maybe it was dream).


Team of Rivals, Doris Kearns Goodwin

I love good biographies and this is a great one. It's actually multiple biographies rolled into one. It focuses on both Lincoln and the men who served in his cabinet. What's amazing is that Lincoln chose men who were the best qualified to serve the nation regardless of whether or not they agreed with or even liked him. Most of the men were or had been at odds with Lincoln at some point and a number of them had treated Lincoln in ways that most people would never have forgiven. Luckily, Lincoln was able to put aside his personal ego and focus on how to best meet the needs of the country. Even more impressive is that each of these men, some of whom initially considered Lincoln little more than a country fool, came to respect and admire him.

So, there you have it, three books I wanted to pass along to y'all. Let me know what you think and let's hear what everyone else is reading.