Category: History (Non-Fiction) (Page 2 of 4)

WOMB by Leah Hazard

March 7, 2023 / Kyle Wendy Skultety / 0 Comments

A groundbreaking, triumphant investigation of the uterus—from birth to death, in sickness and in health, throughout history and into our possible future—from midwife and acclaimed writer Leah Hazard

The size of a clenched fist and the shape of a light bulb—with no less power and potential. Every person on Earth began inside a uterus, but how much do we really understand about the womb? Bringing together medical history, scientific discoveries, and journalistic exploration, Leah Hazard embarks on a journey in search of answers about the body’s most miraculous and contentious organ. We meet the people who have shaped our relationship with the uterus: doctors and doulas, yoni steamers and fibroid-tea hawkers, legislators who would regulate the organ’s very existence, and boundary-breaking researchers on the frontiers of the field. With a midwife’s warmth and humor, Hazard tackles pressing questions: Is the womb connected to the brain? Can cervical crypts store sperm? Do hysterectomies affect sexual pleasure? How can smart tampons help health care? Why does endometriosis take so long to be diagnosed? Will external gestation be possible in our lifetime? A clear-eyed examination of the cultural prejudices and assumptions that have made the uterus so poorly understood for centuries, Womb takes a fresh look at an organ that brings us pain and pleasure—a small part of our bodies that has a larger impact than we ever thought possible.

Thanks to NetGalley and Ecco for this review copy!

Every woman has one, but do they understand what the womb really does? Once you read this informative book you will be so happy the author wrote it.

When I saw that a midwife authored this book, I knew that it would be relevant, detailed, and female friendly. The womb is regulated by the government, dismissed by some physicians, and disparaged by men. It is also a misunderstood organ, considered to be simply the place where the fetus lives. That could not be farther from the truth! The uterus has far -reaching effects upon a woman, more than just the cause of mood swings each month during menstruation.

Each chapter discusses a different subject, such as endometriosis, hysterectomies, transplants (yes, you can put a uterus into a woman just like a heart transplant) hormones, and the various stages of the womb from first menses to menopause. The final chapters are reminiscent of BRAVE NEW WORLD, as the author discusses the possibility of an external uterus (called a biobag) and ways that a woman could be pregnant even without a womb.

There are stories in each chapter that make you realize just how much this organ is ignored and how men have used and abused it, from Josef Mengele’s experiments to the eugenics movement in the United States. Some of the details are cringeworthy, such as the woman who tried to remove her own uterus, or the story of the doctor at the Irwin County Detention Center whom they called the “uterus collector”.

Since Roe v. Wade has been overturned, women’s reproductive rights have been at the forefront of a great deal of news cycles. It seems unreal how the government, especially male politicians, have the final say on whether a woman can end her pregnancy or not. Regardless of your convictions (pro-choice or pro-life), it is unfathomable that a woman has no control over her own organs.

This book should be required reading for anyone that has a uterus. There are so many amazing facts and thought-provoking ideas – it’s almost guaranteed that you will learn something as you read WOMB. The author’s writing style is easy to understand, as she explains the science and history of this wonderful organ in a way that will make you want to keep reading.

Want your own copy? You can pick it up here.

TRAIN by Tom Zoellner

December 13, 2022 / Kyle Wendy Skultety / 0 Comments

An epic and revelatory narrative of the most important transportation technology of the modern world.

In his wide-ranging and entertaining new book, Tom Zoellner—coauthor of the New York Times–bestselling An Ordinary Man—travels the globe to tell the story of the sociological and economic impact of the railway technology that transformed the world—and could very well change it again. From the frigid trans-Siberian railroad to the antiquated Indian Railways to the Japanese-style bullet trains, Zoellner offers a stirring story of this most indispensable form of travel. A masterful narrative history, Train also explores the sleek elegance of railroads and their hypnotizing rhythms, and explains how locomotives became living symbols of sex, death, power, and romance.

I picked up this book while on vacation in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, during a visit to the Railroad Museum of PA. My father was a freight conductor for Penn Central/Conrail for 40 years, and I always loved spending time with him as we visited Waverly Yard in Newark, NJ where he worked. I took unsanctioned rides with him in the engine many times, and we were always given the best treatment when we visited other railroad yards or took touristy train trips out of state. All he had to do was show his union card and we were instant VIPs!

An example of a Penn Central freight train

TRAIN is full of tiny bits of information that will make you stop and think. The creation of multiple railways was key to the growth of the United States. Fresh fruit, meat, equipment, and of course, passengers, were able to move effortlessly from one side of the country to another. People were frightened of trains initially, as they were behemoths, making otherworldly sights and sounds as the steam puffed out of their smokestacks, the boilers devoured their coal, and giant pistons pumped up and down, turning the wheels around and around.

When crowds gathered in 1825 to watch the debut of the world’s first real railroad – the Stockton & Darlington of northern Britain – the correspondent from the Morning Herald reported that multiple spectators “fled in affright” from the locomotive and others looked at the train with a “vacant stare” as if in a trance.

I loved this book for all its bits of trivia and history. One of my favorite snippets was the section in the chapter Bound for Glory that noted the multiple songs that have been written either with a train mentioned in the lyrics or having a beat that mimics the hypnotic “click-clack” one hears while on board. Artists such as Kenny Rogers, Berlin, Gladys Knight, Sheena Easton, and Soul Asylum all reference trains in their lyrics. And who can forget the Doobie Brothers classic “Long Train Running”?

Zoellner also goes into detail about how railroads have been running at a deficit for years, what happens when someone commits suicide by train, how Disneyland was created out of the animator’s obsession with trains, and the excruciating monotony during the ride on the Trans-Siberian railway.

The Trans-Siberian is 5,772 miles long and spans eight time zones. As you will find out, it is not the romantic journey that the name invokes. History and literature are cited in the chapter Blood on the Tracks, and it is quite a dark chapter.

The author’s writing style is both simple and grandiose at times, as rarely used words (such as echt or obsequious) pop up where a simpler synonym could be used. This is not a terrible thing. I absolutely love reading books that force me to look up definitions, thus expanding my vocabulary. It is a rare book that does this, as my vocabulary is quite comprehensive, and I thoroughly love adding words to my collection.

Zoellner’s love for trains shines through in every sentence and it’s quite heartwarming for a train lover like me. I’m so glad I stumbled upon this wonderful book during my vacation. The feelings invoked within me were poignant, as my father is no longer with me, and I miss him. TRAIN gave me the opportunity to revisit memories while learning new things about these magnificent machines that we both held very dear.

Want your own copy? You can pick it up here.

MEN OF 18 IN 1918 by Frederick James Hodges

November 1, 2022 / Kyle Wendy Skultety / 0 Comments

In the spring of 1918 German forces broke through Allied lines in a last-ditch attempt to overcome their enemies. To hold back this tide young, inexperienced men from France, Britain, the United States, Australia and Canada were sent into war against battle-hardened and desperate German soldiers. What was it like to be an eighteen-year-old and sent to the frontlines in the First World War? Frederick James Hodges was one of these young men and his book, Men of 18 in 1918, provides insight into the ordeals of an ordinary soldier who left Britain as a teenager but returned as a man having witnessed the full horrors of war. Hodges charts his progress through the conflict from his short period of training to being thrown into defending Allied lines against the onslaught before being ordered, as part of Britain’s prime assault troops, into a ninety-five-day non-stop attack which only ended with the armistice of November 1918.

Thanks to NetGalley and Sapere Books for this review copy!

The author tells a terrifying and true story of his experience in one of the most brutal wars known to man.

His memories of names, places, and battles is amazing – a good part of the book is recollections of the men he knew and their fate. At times I did find it tedious to read name after name, but I understand that the author wanted to ensure that they weren’t forgotten over time. The descriptions of life in the trenches are full of detail and heartbreaking to read. Boys that turned eighteen were eligible to enlist for battle, and by the time they turned nineteen they were hardened men, inured to death and destruction.

The story follows Hodges as he enlists, trains, and eventually is called up to the Western Front. Even though he is only involved in the war for a brief time, he experiences an immense amount of physical and mental struggles. Despite these hardships, Hodges continually writes that his experience in the war is exhilarating and fascinating. He and his fellow soldiers try to make the best of their days as they bond and support each other.

One thing I enjoyed about this book is how the author described his surroundings as a juxtaposition to the horrors around him. He mentions singing birds, fields of poppies, and bright blue skies, and makes sure to note that he is able to appreciate the world around him as nature continues to thrive despite the horrors of war and the bloody casualties.

The author includes many anecdotes about how the soldiers pass the time by talking about life back home and making lighthearted jokes. Each soldier is doing his best to fight the Germans (known as “Jerry” among the men) and maintain their hold on the Western Front. There are also stories about the tedious tasks that must be done: polishing their weapons, digging out trenches, and repairing the miles of barbed wire that provided a barrier to No Mans Land.

This story is poignant and gripping at the same time. I enjoyed the author’s insights on his harrowing experience as well as the opinions he shared about the war. His writing style is easy to read, and you will learn about life in the trenches firsthand. The more I read about WW1, the more I respect the men that gave their lives for this pointless conflict. I highly recommend this book.

You can pick up your copy here.

THE FACEMAKER by Lindsey Fitzharris

September 27, 2022 / Kyle Wendy Skultety / 0 Comments

The poignant story of the visionary surgeon who rebuilt the faces of the First World War’s injured heroes, and in the process ushered in the modern era of plastic surgery.
From the moment the first machine gun rang out over the Western Front, one thing was clear: mankind’s military technology had wildly surpassed its medical capabilities. The war’s new weaponry, from tanks to shrapnel, enabled slaughter on an industrial scale, and given the nature of trench warfare, thousands of soldiers sustained facial injuries. Medical advances meant that more survived their wounds than ever before, yet disfigured soldiers did not receive the hero’s welcome they deserved.

In The Facemaker, award-winning historian Lindsey Fitzharris tells the astonishing story of the pioneering plastic surgeon Harold Gillies, who dedicated himself to restoring the faces – and the identities – of a brutalized generation. Gillies, a Cambridge-educated New Zealander, became interested in the nascent field of plastic surgery after encountering the human wreckage on the front. Returning to Britain, he established one of the world’s first hospitals dedicated entirely to facial reconstruction in Sidcup, south-east England. There, Gillies assembled a unique group of doctors, nurses, and artists whose task was to recreate what had been torn apart. At a time when losing a limb made a soldier a hero, but losing a face made him a monster to a society largely intolerant of disfigurement, Gillies restored not just the faces of the wounded but also their spirits. Meticulously researched and grippingly told, The Facemaker places Gillies’s ingenious surgical innovations alongside the poignant stories of soldiers whose lives were wrecked and repaired. The result is a vivid account of how medicine and art can merge, and of what courage and imagination can accomplish in the presence of relentless horror.

Thanks to NetGalley and Farrar, Straus and Giroux for this review copy!

THE FACEMAKER is an impressive, intense, and fact-packed book, not only about the development of plastic surgery, but also an insight into World War One and its devastating effects. I admit my understanding of the war was negligible prior to reading this, but now I have learned enough to have my interest piqued and I want to learn more. I have just requested a review copy of MEN OF 18 IN 1918 by Frederick James Hodges, a book that I would have certainly passed over if I had not read THE FACEMAKER.

Dr Harold Gillies is the titular surgeon who is constantly creating new ways to help disfigured soldiers (warning! Link leads to extremely graphic photos that may be disturbing) live normal lives. It is noted that those who had lost limbs were celebrated as heroes fighting for their country, while those who sustained facial injuries were shunned and considered freaks. The reasoning behind this is: faces and their ability to create expressions are what makes us “human”, and any deviation of what is considered “normal” creates discomfort. A face without a nose, or with a shattered jaw is difficult to look at, and so those poor soldiers were hidden away from the general public. The wards where those men were kept contained no mirrors, lest they catch a glimpse of themselves and lose the will to live.

Gillies is not the only doctor mentioned in this book; many other courageous surgeons contributed to the effort to repair these poor soldiers. The book is interspersed with descriptions of action on the Western Front, excerpts from diary entries from the soldiers that were lucky enough to have their journals survive (even if they didn’t), and accounts of how collaboration among the doctors furthered their knowledge and experience.

What fascinated me the most was hearing about the soldier’s activity on the battlefield, how he came to be injured, then his ordeal with Dr Gillies, enduring multiple operations while new techniques were tried time and time again. The book does contain a lot of graphic detail, so if you are squeamish, be aware.

I learned about artwork bringing attention to the soldier’s plight – one of the more poignant ones is the painting by John Singer Sargent entitled Gassed. The human cost of war is depicted in this 21-foot-long epic work. Other paintings and drawings are noted throughout the book, explaining how these methods helped the physicians rebuild faces. Sculpture was also used; multiple casts were made as the recreation and correction of each visage progressed.

The epilogue of THE FACEMAKER notes how plastic surgery evolved from a necessity to a luxury; rhinoplasty, facelifts, and the like were performed by Gillies long after the war was over. He continued to help others feel better about themselves until he died in 1960. He was a true visionary whose work ethic and kindness made the world a better place for many, many others.

Want your own copy? You can pick it up here.

CABIN FEVER by Michael Smith & Jonathan Franklin

June 21, 2022 / Kyle Wendy Skultety / 0 Comments

The true story of the Holland America cruise ship Zaandam, which set sail with a deadly and little-understood stowaway—COVID-19—days before the world shut down in March 2020. This riveting narrative thriller takes readers behind the scenes with passengers and crew who were caught unprepared for the deadly ordeal that lay ahead.

In early 2020, the world was on edge. An ominous virus was spreading on different continents, and no one knew what the coming weeks would bring. Far from the hot spots, the cruise ship Zaandam, owned by Holland America, was preparing to sail from Buenos Aires, Argentina, loaded with 1,200 passengers—Americans, Europeans and South Americans, plus 600 crew.

Most passengers were over the age of sixty-five. There was concern about the virus on the news, and it had already killed and sickened passengers on other Holland America ships. But that was oceans away and escaping to sea at the ends of the earth for a few weeks seemed like it might be a good option. The cruise line had said the voyage (three weeks around the South American coastline to see some of the world’s most stunning natural wonders and ancient ruins) would carry on as scheduled, with no refunds. And it would be safe.
Among the travelers there is a retired American school superintendent on a dream vacation with his wife of fifty-six years, on a personal quest to see Machu Picchu. There is an Argentine psychologist taking this trip to celebrate her sixty-fourth birthday with her husband, though she finds herself fretting in her cabin on day one, trying to dismiss her fears of what she’s hearing on the news. There is an Indonesian laundry manager who’s been toiling on Holland America cruise ships for thirty years, sending his monthly paycheck to his family back home.

Within days, people aboard Zaandam begin to fall sick. The world’s ports shut down. Zaandam becomes a top story on the news and is denied safe harbor everywhere. With only two doctors aboard and few medical supplies to test for or treat COVID-19, and with dwindling food and water, the ship wanders the oceans on an unthinkable journey.

Thanks to NetGalley and Doubleday Books for this review copy!

CABIN FEVER is an amazing, scary, well-written book about the pariah cruise ship Zaandam, one of the last ships to depart before the Covid-19 pandemic forced a worldwide lockdown. The book follows a few passengers’ stories as well as some of the crew’s; these are told with humanity and a lot of detail. Reading about the passengers’ confinement to their cabins made me feel as claustrophobic as they must have been.

I have never been on a cruise ship, so I found the descriptions of the inner workings of one fascinating. There was a portion of the book noting how much food and beverages are needed on a cruise; over 40,000 eggs, pallets of bottled water, etc. The sheer size of the ship amazed me; I marveled at all the activities that were a regular part of a cruise. Some of you might find the detail gratuitous, but I was enthralled. (I will say that after reading CABIN FEVER I will never go on a cruise; one of my nightmares is being stuck out at sea like the Zaandam was.)

Authors Smith and Franklin did a wonderful job of moving between passengers and crew as their stories were told. It was easy to feel sorry for them as they were shuttled back and forth from port to port, looking for a friendly place to dock. The tension ratchets up as the book goes on, people are getting sick(er) and the Zaandam turns into an exiled Covid vessel.

Even if you had followed the story on the news and know how everything turned out, the authors create a layer of human interest that makes you hang on every word – will your favorite characters get sick, or die? The behind-the-scenes inclusion of the diplomatic struggles are epic, strings are pulled, favors are called in, yet everything continues to be a struggle for the beleaguered ship.

Also emphasized is the abject fear of Covid – these events take place as the virus rapidly spreads around the world; humanity closes ranks and eyes others (especially foreigners) as personae non gratae – virus vectors. The fear is palpable as more people get sick, both on and off the ship. As I kept reading, my own fears came flooding back as I remembered the onset of this emerging disease. We have come so far from those days; a lot of people have taken their masks off due to “Covid fatigue” while others are super cautious and may still be wearing double masks and stocking up on supplies in case of another lockdown.

CABIN FEVER is one of the best books I’ve reviewed this year. It reads like a fictional suspense novel, made more riveting because it’s all true. The authors’ style makes the reading easy as the story flows seamlessly by. The story held my interest as the plot moved between the crew, the passengers, and the massive ship itself. I urge you to grab this book right away. I loved it!

You can pick up a copy here.

LAST RITES by Todd Harra

May 3, 2022 / Kyle Wendy Skultety / 0 Comments

The Untold Story of American Funeral and Mourning Traditions

Why do we embalm the deceased? Why are funerals so expensive? Is there a reason coffins are shaped the way they are? When—and why—did we start viewing the deceased? Ceremonies for honoring the departed are crucial parts of our lives, but few people know where our traditional practices come from—and what they reveal about our history, culture, and beliefs about death. In Last Rites, author Todd Harra takes you on a fascinating exploration of American funeral practices—examining where they came from, what they mean, and how they are still evolving.
Our conventions around death, burial, and remembrance have undergone many great transitions—sometimes due to technology, respect for tradition, shifting sensibilities, or even to thwart grave robbers. Here you’ll explore:
• Influences for American rituals—from medieval Europe, the Roman Empire, and even ancient Egypt
• When mourning fell out of fashion—and how George Washington’s passing brought it back
• Abraham Lincoln’s landmark funeral and its widespread impact
• Flowers, liquor, mourning gifts, and caskets—the reasons behind our grieving customs
• Unknown soldiers—how warfare influenced funeral and bereavement practices … and vice versa
• How growing populations, religion, inventions, and media have changed and continue to shape our traditions
• The future of our death rites—mushroom suits, green burial, body donation, flameless cremation, home funerals, and more
The rich story of the American funeral is one of constant evolution. Whether you’re planning a funeral service or are simply intrigued by the meaning behind American burial practices, Last Rites is an informative and compelling exploration of the history—and future—of the ceremonies we use to say farewell to those who have departed this world.
The rich story of the American funeral is one of constant evolution. Whether you’re planning a funeral service or are simply intrigued by the meaning behind American burial practices, Last Rites is an informative and compelling exploration of the history—and future—of the ceremonies we use to say farewell to those who have departed this world.

Thanks to NetGalley and Sounds True publishing for giving me this ARC to review!

Todd Harra is an excellent writer and extremely knowledgeable about the funeral industry. LAST RITES is not his first book; he has written multiple books about the funeral business and (interestingly enough) some mystery books with an undertaker as the main character. I’ll be checking those out quite soon! You can find the first book on Amazon.

I have always been fascinated about death and funerals – when I was in high school, I was early accepted to the McCallister Academy of Mortuary Science. The only thing that stopped me from attending was an interaction between me and a funeral director (who was the only woman in my town to own her own business) I approached her for some information and offered to work there, like an externship. I would set up the rooms, clean, etc., and possibly watch an embalming or two just to see what the business was really like. She was quite rude and told me not to bother going to school, since I didn’t have “family in the business” I would never make it. She went on to say that no one would hire me because I was an outsider, not part of a funerary family. I was young and I took her words to heart and chose a different career path. It’s ironic that now, most funeral homes are owned by a corporate entity and employ staff with all kinds of backgrounds…family “in the business” is no longer an issue.

So, back to LAST RITES. The author takes us through the history of everything funerary, from early funeral customs during Egyptian times to the present as well as embalming, mourning customs, burial procedures (especially interesting is the “alarms” that bodies were buried with, in case the person inside the coffin was not truly dead (!), the evolution of hearses, and superstitions surrounding death and dying. There is enough substance for both serious students and curious laypeople to enjoy. There is the occasional yucky detail but not enough to make the book a struggle to read.

The author made this book very information-dense; it can be overwhelming if you choose to read it over the course of a few hours. I preferred to limit my intake to 30-45 minutes, as it helped me to really absorb the details and/or look up more information on a subject that I wanted to learn more about. There are footnotes at the end of every chapter, which helped me to gain a new level of understanding to what was written in the body of the book.

What I liked most about LAST RITES is that there were enough nuggets there to complement the knowledge I had already. The author gives a lot of detail and examples to make the book a multi-layered approach towards death customs and the like. At times it did read like a textbook, but the information needed to be written in such a way to include the level of detail I mentioned above. The author’s style makes it easy to read, which is a blessing considering the ultra-serious subject matter. The United States perpetuates the avoidance of death and dying, which is a shame considering everyone must deal with it eventually. Perhaps LAST RITES will help shed some light on the history of this long-standing profession and help people make informed end-of-life decisions.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book! You can pick up your copy here.

PERFUME by Megan Volpert

April 19, 2022 / Kyle Wendy Skultety / 0 Comments

Thanks to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Academic for this review copy! This book is part of the Object Lessons series, which is a series of short, beautifully designed books about the hidden lives of ordinary things.

Our sense of smell is crucial to our survival. We can smell fear, disease, food. Fragrance is also entertainment. We can smell an expensive bottle of perfume at a high-end department store. Perhaps it reminds us of our favorite aunt. A memory in a bottle is a powerful thing.
Megan Volpert’s Perfume carefully balances the artistry with the science of perfume. The science takes us into the neurology of scent receptors, how taste is mostly smell, the biology of illnesses that impact scent sense, and the chemistry of making and copying perfume. The artistry of perfume involves the five scent families and symbolism, subjectivity in perfume preference, perfume marketing strategies, iconic scents and perfumers, why the industry is so secretive, and Volpert’s own experiments with making perfume.
Object Lessons is published in partnership with an essay series in The Atlantic.

I have never read any of the Object Lessons books, and I was curious to see what PERFUME held for me. Volpert is a good writer, but she jumps around from subject to subject and it is a bit disconcerting. However, she knows her stuff and each chapter is part autobiographical, part science of smell. There are 8 chapters, with titles such as Time, Science, Technology, and Performance. I ended up ignoring the titles, since each chapter contained a multitude of information, not necessarily matching up with the name the chapter was given.

As I constantly mention, each book that spurs me to Google something I’ve read is always satisfying. I looked up vetiver, Giorgio Beverly Hills (which I subsequently bought), Germaine Cellier, Bang by Marc Jacobs, the Monell Center in Philadelphia, and the ship of Theseus. Each search entertained and educated, and I grew more satisfied with each Google.

If you are looking for a book with detailed descriptions on how to create a scent, you may not be entirely happy with this book. But you will learn a bit about creation, top and bottom notes, names of ingredients that go into a scent, and the gestalt of 80’s perfume (I felt so nostalgic as I read and recalled that decade, my favorite).

One of the scientific paragraphs that grabbed my attention was the following, taken from the chapter Time, discussing perfume formulas:

Perhaps a formula has 50 elements and the lab tech not only doles out all 50 with exactitude, but also the variations the master perfumer has requested to contemplate, such as a set of 10 options where one molecule is increased by a quarter of a percent each time and a second set of five options for each of those ten where the ratio of two other molecules is reduced proportionally alongside the quarter-percent increase of the other. And all the results may smell like garbage.

I had no idea of the depth of work required to create a fragrance, much less the tweaking that is sometimes done, such as CK One evolving into the variation of other CK perfumes. CK One was truly the scent of a generation, and the author handles this little tidbit with aplomb.

Overall, I was happy with this little book. As I read it, I absorbed its contents without knowing that I would think of this book again and again. After a few days separation I realized that I enjoyed it more than I originally thought. Once you get into the flow of the author’s quirky prose, the contents flow smoothly by until you reach the end, and are left wanting more. I do recommend PERFUME as a quick, enjoyable read. Volpert manages to bring literature, philosophy, and science together, culminating in a compact masterpiece.

You can pick up your copy here.

SPARE PARTS by Paul Craddock

April 5, 2022 / Kyle Wendy Skultety / 0 Comments

Paul Craddock’s Spare Parts offers an original look at the history of medicine itself through the rich, compelling, and delightfully macabre story of transplant surgery from ancient times to the present day.

How did an architect help pioneer blood transfusion in the 1660’s?
Why did eighteenth-century dentists buy the live teeth of poor children?
And what role did a sausage skin and an enamel bath play in making kidney transplants a reality?

We think of transplant surgery as one of the medical wonders of the modern world. But transplant surgery is as ancient as the pyramids, with a history more surprising than we might expect. Paul Craddock takes us on a journey – from sixteenth-century skin grafting to contemporary stem cell transplants – uncovering stories of operations performed by unexpected people in unexpected places. Bringing together philosophy, science and cultural history, Spare Parts explores how transplant surgery constantly tested the boundaries between human, animal, and machine, and continues to do so today.
Witty, entertaining, and illuminating, Spare Parts shows us that the history – and future – of transplant surgery is tied up with questions about not only who we are, but also what we are, and what we might become.

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for this ARC! The subtitle of this book is: The Story of Medicine through the History of Transplant Surgery. There is minimal gore (there are a few exceptions) and a great deal of history. The first chapter starts in the 1500’s and starts out with “Skin” and ends in the 1960’s with “Organs” and “Transplant Future”. The book also includes illustrations that add another dimension to the written word.

I always love when a book piques my interest so much that I Google the subject to learn more. SPARE PARTS does just that. One of the more…interesting… items was an old YouTube video of disembodied parts living outside the body of deceased dogs. The film was made in 1940 and is found under the title of “Experiments in the Revival of Organisms”. The highlight (?) of this film is a disembodied dog head reacting to stimuli as it is kept “alive” by an artificial heart and lungs. Not for the faint of heart.

I was totally unaware of the history behind transplants, so reading this book was quite intriguing. Apparently tooth transplants were all the rage in the late 1600’s, with poor children selling their teeth to be transplanted into the mouths of the wealthy. It was poignant to think that the only items of value that those poor children had were their teeth. The book makes note that they were quite eager to sell their dentition in order to make money so they could eat. I am not sure how satisfying meals were, having to consume their food with minimal or no teeth in their mouth.

The book also discusses blood transfusions between humans and animals, and kidney/heart/organ transplants. There is a great deal of history along with the author’s thoughts on the subjects. SPARE PARTS is written well, in a way that a reader with no medical background will understand. Those with a medical background will enjoy it as well, as the history aspect may add another layer to their knowledge.

I enjoyed reading SPARE PARTS so much, as it taught me more of the historical aspect of transplants and how the practice has evolved over the years. It is always amazing to read about how physicians practiced hundred of years ago, and what they thought about the workings of the human body.

If you are interested in learning more about the unusual history of transplant surgery I definitely recommend this book. Well written and quite interesting!

You can pick up your copy here.

The Unexpected Spy by Tracy Walder

March 24, 2020 / Kyle Wendy Skultety / 0 Comments

A highly entertaining account of a young woman who went straight from her college sorority to the CIA, where she hunted terrorists and WMDs.

When Tracy Walder enrolled at the University of Southern California, she never thought that one day she would offer her pink beanbag chair in the Delta Gamma house to a CIA recruiter, or that she’d fly to the Middle East under an alias identity.

The Unexpected Spy is the riveting story of Walder’s tenure in the CIA and, later, the FBI. In high-security, steel-walled rooms in Virginia, Walder watched al-Qaeda members with drones as President Bush looked over her shoulder and CIA Director George Tenet brought her donuts. She tracked chemical terrorists and searched the world for Weapons of Mass Destruction. She created a chemical terror chart that someone in the White House altered to convey information she did not have or believe, leading to the Iraq invasion. Driven to stop terrorism, Walder debriefed terrorists—men who swore they’d never speak to a woman—until they gave her leads. She followed trails through North Africa, Europe, and the Middle East, shutting down multiple chemical attacks.

Then Walder moved to the FBI, where she worked in counterintelligence. In a single year, she helped take down one of the most notorious foreign spies ever caught on American soil. Catching the bad guys wasn’t a problem in the FBI, but rampant sexism was. Walder left the FBI to teach young women, encouraging them to find a place in the FBI, CIA, State Department or the Senate—and thus change the world.

Thanks to NetGalley and St Martins Press for this review copy!

This is the story of how a sorority girl who was bullied at school found her calling working for the CIA. At a job fair at college, the author filled out a job application on a whim…and the rest is history. She started her job immediately after she graduated.

Shortly after starting work, Walder was promoted to The Vault, under kindly Director Tenet, who made her feel like a part of the team. She was respected by the other team members and everyone worked together well, thanks to Tenet. He was always doing thoughtful things, such as bringing Thanksgiving dinner to the Vault’s hardworking members.

A few months later, she was moved to Counterterrorism to work under Graham Andersson. This continued to bolster her confidence and erase the “loser” mindset she had, because she constantly received compliments and encouragement from her superiors. Some of the missions she worked on dealt with poison and other weapons of mass destruction. Despite being an introvert, she gave apresentation on a poisoning plot she and two other coworkers discovered. Due to their hard work, the people of interest were captured, and the poisoning plot was exposed and neutralized. The book continues with more stories like this, including some that highlight intelligence operatives that don’t work on Sunday, despite the terrorists that lurk nearby.

Walder remains positive, despite being minimalized by the men in other cultures. About 60% of the way through she meets some male counterparts after a bombing in Africa, and they are less than thrilled to be working with her. She remains professional and focused on the task at hand. This strength is one of her main characteristics – it shines through on almost every page. Her writing is full of her eagerness to fight the terrorists before they get a chance to perform their insidious tasks. She also writes about her feelings of personal failure regarding the March 11, 2004 bombing in Madrid. She wondered what scrap of information she had missed and felt personally responsible for all those dead and wounded. It was this final straw that cause her to fill out an application for the FBI and send it in. They accepted her immediately, and so Walder embarked on a new career. However, for the first time in her professional career she felt bullied during her training at Quantico. She kept moving forward and never let the constant criticism get her down – another display of her incredible mental strength.

Unfortunately, the FBI’s mentality was to pair her up with a more experienced partner and marginalize her, never making her the lead when they picked up criminals. She learned that she wasn’t the only female being discriminated against, but she kept going, hoping things would change. It didn’t, and she quit the FBI after working there only 15 months. Currently she is a history teacher at an all-girls school, her mission empowering and educating girls against the bullies and terrorists of the world. Walder puts as much determination into her teaching as she did in her career, and that is refreshing. She is a role model who still cares about eliminating hatred, embracing all walks of life, and giving girls their voice. I am glad that she chose to write her story to illuminate these causes! Her voice is clear and strong, the writing style will pull you in and make you laugh at times, while other times you will be incredulous, such as when you read about the mistreatment the FBI puts forth. It is also very interesting to be “behind the scenes” at the CIA, as much as they would allow. This unforgettable book would be great for any college age girl to read, for it may spark interest in a career such as Walder’s. Her experiences are powerful and empowering. You can get your own copy here.

The Truth About Animals by Lucy Cooke

January 28, 2020 / Kyle Wendy Skultety / 0 Comments

Mary Roach meets Bill Bryson in this “surefire summer winner” (Janet Maslin, New York Times), an uproarious tour of the basest instincts and biggest mysteries of the animal world

Humans have gone to the Moon and discovered the Higgs boson, but when it comes to understanding animals, we’ve still got a long way to go. Whether we’re seeing a viral video of romping baby pandas or a picture of penguins “holding hands,” it’s hard for us not to project our own values–innocence, fidelity, temperance, hard work–onto animals. So, you’ve probably never considered if moose get drunk, penguins cheat on their mates, or worker ants lay about. They do–and that’s just for starters. In The Truth About Animals, Lucy Cooke takes us on a worldwide journey to meet everyone from a Colombian hippo castrator to a Chinese panda porn peddler, all to lay bare the secret–and often hilarious–habits of the animal kingdom. Charming and at times downright weird, this modern bestiary is perfect for anyone who has ever suspected that virtue might be unnatural.

Thanks to NetGalley for this review copy!

This book reads like it was written by the love child of Charles Darwin and Mary Roach. There is humor, pathos, and animal facts aplenty. The author’s writing style is easy to read and captured my attention immediately. The love Cooke has for these beasties is obvious from the start. Hopefully, given the facts, others will learn to appreciate these maligned characters that occupy the animal world.

Each chapter is devoted (lovingly) to a misunderstood animal, where we find myths debunked through modern science. The reader will learn about sloths, bats, and hyenas, to name a few. The author will discuss how the animals were experimented on/studied over hundreds of years (Who knew that Aristotle was a proponent of spontaneous creation?) then we get to modern times, where myths are debunked and the many reasons to love these animals are revealed.

Some of the experiments detailed can be a bit gory, such as when, in the 18^th century, the Catholic priest Lazzaro Spallanzani practiced blinding bats to find out how they managed to find their way around in darkness. (He also coated them in varnish for another experiment, but I digress). Other tales are edifying and satisfying, such as:

It may sound suspiciously like bogus medieval folk medicine, but from the 1940s through the 1960s the world’s first reliable pregnancy test was a small, bug-eyed frog. When injected with a pregnant woman’s urine, the amphibian didn’t turn blue or display stripes, but it did squirt out eggs 8-12 hours later to confirm a positive result.

Cooke’s book is full of factoids like that one. How can you not love this book? You will learn, you will laugh, and you will be full of obscure information. That sounds like a winner to me.

Yes, you want your own copy and can pick it up here.