1. The Aztec World, by Elizabeth Brumfiel and Gary Feinman. Long-time MR readers will know Aztec history is a special interest of mine. This book, a companion volume to the Aztec exhibit from Chicago’s Field Museum, is perhaps the best introduction to the Aztecs to date.
2. The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher: A Shocking Murder and the Undoing of a Great Victorian Detective. This achieved (justified) rave reviews in the UK but it has hardly made a dent in the U.S. market. It is non-fiction but written in a hybrid form and often feels more like a novel.
3. The Overflowing Brain: Information Overload and the Limits of Working Memory, by Torkel Klingberg. When push comes to shove, the author fails to establish his major thesis. Still, this book is way above average for how seriously it treats the actual science behind its argument. I learned a great deal from it.
4. Somewhere Towards the End, by Diana Athill. A scary and effective memoir about how Athill, a famous editor, dealt with aging and the end of her sex life.
5. Not John Steinbeck.
Here are predicted hot reads for 2009.
was there a dearth of end of year best lists this year, or is it just my imagination?
Those who have been parsing Tyler for longer than I have: Does #5 mean that he tried to read East of Eden, but couldn’t finish it?
The attitude Athill displays in her book is sad and self-hating. The bravado she fronts is tragic – her issues are treatable. It’s a pity how she’s descended into pessimism and unattractive melancholy – it isn’t actually “realism,” it’s plain old defeatism.
She describes how in her 50s she lost her taste for sex; nowadays a decent doctor would give her a hormone patch. She discusses “tottering” – exercise, even if she had begun it in her late 60s, would have helped her and would continue to help her now. A better diet could give her more energy too.
Concerned about her appearance, she could use Retin-A or even just have an eye-tuck. No, she’s not going to be 20 again or even 60 (the new 60 is pretty effing hot, making 60 the new 30) but she’s just not being rational.
As for her other issues, you know what I’m going to say. My impression is that she’s just throwing a tantrum.
(the new 60 is pretty effing hot, making 60 the new 30)
Based upon what I saw of Jennifer Anniston on GQ, the new 40 is pretty effing hot, making 60
the new 30
Extrapolating from my personal experience, I’d say 60 is the new 40, and 63 is the new 58.
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