Behave - The Biology of Humans at Our Best and Worst by Robert Sapolsky

Sapolsky is professor of neurology at Stanford University and a giant within his field. This is sort of a condensed version of his life’s work and it is glorious. The first couple of chapters are a bit of a slow read, laying out all the science stuff, requiring your full attention, but he is that rare thing: a science guy who is also a funny writer.

Reading it, you realize how much of the science reporting in newspapers, you know, the “breaking news” stuff”, skip the small print (for example, everyone was busy raving about oxycontin as the love hormone but turns out that it comes with some caveats, a crucial one being that it may very well strengthen love (whatever that is) between friends (or the in-group) but it actually also diminishes any good will towards those we don’t “love” (the out-group)). Likewise, testosterone does not cause aggression per se - it merely enhances already existing tendencies, so administer a shot of testosterone to someone who isn’t by nature aggressive and nothing happens but administer it to someone who is already a hot head and kaboom!

Seriously, started out by singing the praise of non-fiction- this is one of those books that justifies that particular song, it is like having lessons with a fantastic professor who blows your mind and makes you laugh while he does so!!!! 

Reviewed by Pia Eisenhardt

Happy reading! 

RESERVE YOUR COPY OF Behave by Robert Sapolsky

Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid

Remember how you fell in love with the writing of Sally Rooney in 2018? Yes? – now I promise you that you will fall in love with Kiley Reid and ‘Such A Fun Age'. 

The characters are lovable, annoying, delusional, strong, an so much more, and you really want them their way in life. Just like the characters in ‘Normal People’.

Emira is African American, 25 and lost in her life. Her friends are all well on their way with jobs and health insurance, while Emira is painfully aware of her dependence on her parents’ insurance. Emira babysits for Alix Camberlain two-three days a week to pay the bills and Briar, the young boy, is actually very cute and they have fun. 

Alix Chamberlain is white, and runs ‘Let her Speak’ a business all about image (imagine a version of Sheryl Sandberg’s ‘Lean In’), and Alix is very much about ‘keeping herself relevant’. 

The book opens with a scene at Market Depot, a fancy grocery store in the white neighborhood of the Chamberlain household. It is 11pm and Emira has been asked to take Briar to the store. Emira is blocked by a security guard, who suspects that Emira has kidnapped Briar, and the scene becomes a question of black/white issues and the biases that society has of a black babysitter and white child. 

The incident at Market Depot is filmed by a (white) customer, Kelley Copeland, who gets deeper and deeper involved as the story progresses, which is absolutely brilliant as Kelley has his own ‘issues’ with skin color as he seriously tries to identify with black people by having only black friends, black girlfriends, listening to black rappers. Kelley also happens to have a history with Alix Chamberlain - a history that takes the story to another level which adds other perspectives and issues than the racial.

Kiley Reid has called the book a “comedy of good intentions”,  and that it certainly is. ‘Such a Fun Age’ is a modern novel with a nuanced view of race, age, education, wealth, and relationships. Reid has a sharp eye for the dynamics of how a relationship moves in highs and lows. I can’t wait to read more from her. 

Pick it up if you liked…Normal People by Sally Rooney or Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng

Happy reading!

RESERVE YOUR COPY OF Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid

Hatchet by Gary Paulsen

Hatchet is a moderately short novel which I greatly enjoyed, the marvellous style of the author, with some flashbacks and a great idea for the book.

Brian is flying towards his father in a desolated part of Canada, besides the pilot he is the only passenger whatsoever. All is going well until disaster strikes; the pilot has a heart attack and dies instantly, so Brian has to fly the plain himself the problem is he has no knowledge of flying planes, only the shows he has seen on TV. However, he must try to save himself and fly to safety.

After hours of travelling without a destination, the plane starts to descend to the ground, Brian tries desperately to land in a lake, but the chances are not high. When the plain finally crashes, luck is on Brians side so the plane splashes into a lake. When Brian finally emerges he is alone in the Canadian wilderness, with no food, no shelter and no heat.  Brian must try to survive using his skills, intelligence and cunning to stay alive, and who knows maybe he will…

At first, I thought it was going to be a normal, basic book for kids, so my expectations were quite low. However, while reading it I realized that it was well written and had a good storyline, with one protagonist; Brian. Gary Paulsen used this to sew together a wonderful story from it. My favourite character is without doubt Brian because he is one of the only characters in the story, but also because of his wit and courage in surviving in the wild.

Gary Paulsen has written a couple of sequels to Hatchet, one of those Brians Winter which is also said to be a good book. Hatchet is a great novel to read for fans of adventure novels and short novels.

Reviewed by Lahiri Paolella (Aged 12)

RESERVE YOUR COPY OF Hatchet by Gary Paulsen  

Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane

The book starts in 1973 and stretches over four decades. We meet Peter and Kate, born 4 months apart with dads, Brian and Francis, both policemen and colleagues. The “twin families” start off being connected through the dads, but soon the two main narrators take over. 

Peter and Kate grow in sleepy Gillam next door to each other and are forever bound together by a tragedy of profound consequences - impossible to forget, and hard to forgive. 

The tragedy happens early on in the book setting the tone and underlying layer of the story. However – there are layers upon layers in this book, and to some readers it might seem slow, but to most (also based on this book’s popularity) it defines the characters, describes some really tough subjects like mental illness, alcoholism, violence and marital problems. The novel takes the time (and pages) to get under the skin of the families and their issues. Nothing is perfect. 

Peter grows up affected by his mother’s mental illness, which also makes him resilient and determined. But you still feel sorry for him as he struggles to find his own way in life and watch most of the adults abandoning. Kate grows up wondering where her place in the story is and why she is so affected by things that have happened to others. She is extremely mature and expresses some very interesting thinking in the book. I felt challenged by her. 

And at the end of the book, you must ask yourself what choice you would make in the same situation and where you would find the strength to move past a tragedy.  

It is an amazingly well written drama with a story and characters and I find it among the best books published in 2019. Enjoy this mature and solid book, and I promise that it will end exactly where it is supposed to end. 

Also, pick it up if you liked ‘On Earth We Are Briefly Gorgeous’ by Ocean Vuong or ‘The Dutch House’ by Ann Patchett.

Happy reading!

RESERVE YOUR COPY OF Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane