Two Books Read!

Howdy all,

I'm happy to announce that I recently finished two books this past week.
One fiction, one nonfiction.

I actually got the large print edition from the library ;)

The fiction title was "World War Z" by Max Brooks.
Just in time for the film coming out tomorrow!!
Kathy originally read this back in early spring, and told me lots about it, but I had to read it myself before I got watch the movie.
I really enjoyed this book, because it was formatted as though there had been a war against zombies and the author was holding interviews with survivors of the experience -- so I didn't have to worry about beloved characters dying or anything. They're all alive to tell the story!
The way that the book is a compilation of at least a dozen or so interviews with people from all walks of life and all regions of the world makes me wonder how they are going to do a film adaptation of it... I've seen exactly one trailer for it that featured Brad Pitt so I guess they're going to turn him into some kind of central main character~? We'll see...
The book was a fascinating account of how the world might react to any major crisis, not just the unlikely zombie scenario. Like how, when it comes to rebuilding society from the ground up, it's not "creative directors" and "stock analysts" we'll need, but masons and farmers -- people with the old skillz who can create what we honestly need to survive (shelter, food, etc).
All in all, a great read~!!

The other title was "Affluenza" by John de Graaf, David Wann, and Thomas H Naylor.
I actually started this book back in, what, April? So it's taken me a while to get through it, but very much worth it!
It's based on this PBS special, so that's kind of interesting that it's a book that came after a film. But anyway, it basically breaks down the aspects of the US lifestyle that are bad for our wallets, our health, and our planet. The lifestyle being namely the obsessive quest for material gain. The book treats these aspects as symptoms of a disease (affluenza) and covers the root(s) to it, the current problems it's causing, and then "remedies" for it.
It's a lot of information -- some depressing, some hopeful -- and all-in-all a reminder of why I am choosing the kind of life I have: my aspirations to be even less car-dependent, working less to make family and community more of a priority, and hoping to raise my children in a way that does not lead to them having affluenza either.
I know I'm doing a crummy job describing this book, but do yourself a favor and either watch the documentary (also available at the Corvallis library!) or read the book.
And then talk to me about it -- I'd love to discuss it! :)

That's all for now.
I now just started a book on parenting/commercialism -- right in line with those other socioeconomic books I read earlier this spring ("Radical Homemakers", and "Your Money Or Your Life"), right? ;)

Til then, take care and Happy Books Read!!