Category: Non Fiction (Page 2 of 10)

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.

BEYOND HONEY by Tierney Monahan

January 10, 2023 / Kyle Wendy Skultety / 0 Comments

According to the United Nations, nearly 90% of the world’s wild flowering plant species and 75% of the world’s food crops depend on animal pollination. Without bees, planet Earth would be a more barren, withering landscape. Beyond Honey is a book about honeybees and their importance, including stories about bees’ economic, entrepreneurial, and environmental impact on our society. These stories showcase how these tiny creatures influence our lives for the good. Tierney Monahan also shares about the benefits and challenges of our interconnected world, specifically the relationship between humans and the environment. Whether you’ve been a long-time honeybee ally or a curious admirer, this book will engage you with stories such as: why bees are essential to our world; how can these tiny creatures have such a monumental impact; and who are the diverse beekeepers across the globe . This book is guaranteed to sweeten your life!

Thanks to the author for this signed review copy! BEYOND HONEY is a wonderful little read full of heartwarming stories mingled with honeybee trivia (such as a queen bee can lay 1000-2000 eggs per day in the spring when the bees emerge from the hive).

As a beekeeper, Monahan is intimately involved with the husbandry of her hive. She takes pride in her work, achieving a Zenlike peace as she listens to the gentle buzzing of her bees at work. She notes “working with the bees encourages people to stay present in the moment. It can often be relaxing to sit and watch the bees fly in and out of the hive”. This tranquility is the reason that beekeeping is offered to veterans with PTSD, former miners, and first responders. In fact, beekeeping has been suggested as a vocation for veterans since the end of World War I. Honeybees are a communal insect, and everything they do is for the benefit of the hive. They have a work ethic and a sense of greater good – something that may be lacking in the workforce today.

Monahan writes about beekeeping in other countries, how caring for these tiny creatures can help decrease recidivism rates for incarcerated people and describes how a small business called Detroit Hives has helped immensely in revitalizing the beleaguered Michigan city (in 2013 the City filed for bankruptcy, exiting December 10, 2014).

The author’s love for bees shines through in her writing style, which is easy to read and generates a calm feeling as you glide through the book. Each chapter covers the unusual ways honeybees are essential to our existence. All the parts of a honeybee colony are explained, as well as hive products (honey, propolis, etc.) and bee diseases. I learned so much from this information packed, yet short (153 pages) book!

I will admit that I have a fear of bees, as I’ve been stung a few times. Honeybees are peaceful creatures and are not interested in stinging, which makes me want to visit a hive to see these amazing creatures at work. We can learn a lot about ourselves if we study these busy bees and understand that they are essential to our survival. As they fly around, visiting various flowers and trees to forage for nutrients, they are also pollinating and fertilizing each plant they land on.

BEYOND HONEY is the perfect name for this wonderful read, as it truly goes beyond the sweet treat that we all use in our tea or to combat allergies. Be prepared to learn and be fascinated with all the trivia.

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.

DEATH INTERRUPTED by Blair Bigham, MD

October 18, 2022 / Kyle Wendy Skultety / 0 Comments

In Death Interrupted, ICU doctor Blair Bigham shares his first-hand experiences of how medicine has complicated the way we die and offers a road map for dying in the modern era. Doctors today can call on previously unimaginable technologies to help keep our bodies alive. In this new era, most organs can be kept from dying almost indefinitely by machines. But this unprecedented shift in end-of-life care has created a major crisis. In the widening grey zone between life and death, doctors fight with doctors, families feel pressured to make tough decisions about their loved ones, and lawyers are left to argue life-and-death cases in the courts. Meanwhile, intensive care patients are caught in purgatory, attached to machines and unable to speak for themselves. In Death Interrupted, Dr. Blair Bigham seeks to help readers understand the options facing them at the end of their lives. Through conversations with end-of-life professionals — including ethicists, social workers, and nurses and doctors who practice palliative care — and observations from his own time working in ambulances, emergency rooms, and the ICU, Bigham exposes the tensions inherent in this new era of dying and answers the tough questions facing us all. Because now, for the first time in human history, we may be able to choose how our own story ends.

Many thanks to NetGalley and House of Anansi Press for this review copy!

This book will make you think long and hard about your final wishes. The author explains why death and dying is such a taboo subject, how technology is making us think that we should live forever, and continually reminds us that “mors vincit omnia” (which means death conquers all in Latin). Bigham shows his compassion in every chapter, as he explores the new frontiers of end-of-life care and human euthanasia.

Years ago, our life expectancy was a lot shorter than it is now. Families were used to each other dying at home in their own beds. As they were forced to confront their mortality in a very tangible way, there were no taboos surrounding death. It was, quite literally, a major part of their lives. Since our life expectancy has increased, and there is so much innovative technology such as ventilators and ECMO machines that can prolong life, we are determined to avoid death for as long as we can. Every medical show on TV shows doctors snatching patients out of the jaws of death via “code blue” situations and miracles. The author describes this equation: technology X (resuscitation glorification + death denialism) = FALSE HOPE. We come to a hospital armed with the belief that recovery is imminent, therefore there is no reason to consider end-of-life planning or care.

Despite the leaps and bounds made by new medical technology, doctors hesitate to rely on machines sometimes. Airline pilots are taught to trust their instruments completely; after all, when they can’t see out of the plane’s window, they fly using the altimeter, directional gyro, and other instruments that let them know how fast and high they are going. In the medical world, things are different. A patient on a respirator is not guaranteed to wake up and resume his normal life. Transplanted organs may be rejected. And thereby lies the “death dilemma”. When is it time to pull the plug? Who decides to sentence their loved ones to the Great Beyond? Why don’t doctors talk honestly about death and dying, or palliative care? We all want the kitchen sink thrown at our mom or brother, in hopes that they will be with us longer, having cheated death.

But that is not always possible, or even desired. Those who stipulate “no feeding tube” or choose to be a DNR are choosing control over their own death, relieving the family countless hours of arguing, or wondering what Dad would really want done in case of mortal injuries or sickness. The author discusses ethics, communication, and myths surrounding death, to enlighten us and understand the predicament our doctors are in. There is a chapter on euthanasia and on cryogenics. There are conversations with scientists and ethicists who find the death dilemma fascinating. There are stories about real patients who lived against all odds, and others who died despite hours long codes and hundreds of pints of blood pumped into their bodies. Bigham provokes the reader to truly confront their own fears about death, suffering, and not being able to go peacefully, on their own terms.

I find the death dilemma very fascinating and have read extensively on this subject (as I have mentioned multiple times in my reviews, I wanted to be a mortician when I was deciding my path through life). DEATH INTERRUPTED is one of the best books I have read on this subject. The author shows his human side through his compassion and quest to make every one of his patients have the best death possible. His writing is not too technical or difficult to understand, and he tries to show the pros and cons of prolonging life for distinct reasons. I am happy to report that I also learned some new things, such as the various “types” of death (brain-dead, suspension to keep organs alive for donation, and dead-dead) and the problems doctors face before they are able to declare one dead.

(On a similar note – this article appeared in the New York Times and I found it quite appropriate to add to this review.)

If you are wondering why you would need to make a living will or are putting off thinking about a morbid subject like your own death, please read this book. You will be shocked, saddened, scared, and motivated to consider your own end-of-life wishes. Many thanks to Blair Bigham for bringing this subject to the forefront in a new and stimulating way.

Want your own copy? You can pick it up 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.

TORNADO OF LIFE by Jay Baruch

August 30, 2022 / Kyle Wendy Skultety / 0 Comments

Stories from the ER: a doctor shows how empathy, creativity, and imagination are the cornerstones of clinical care.

To be an emergency room doctor is to be a professional listener to stories. Each patient presents a story; finding the heart of that story is the doctor’s most critical task. More technology, more tests, and more data won’t work if doctors get the story wrong. Empathy, creativity, and imagination are the cornerstones of clinical care. In Tornado of Life, ER physician Jay Baruch offers a series of short, powerful, and affecting essays that capture the stories of ER patients in all their complexity and messiness.

Patients come to the ER with lives troubled by scales of misfortune that have little to do with disease or injury. ER doctors must be problem-finders before they are problem-solvers. Cheryl, for example, whose story is a chaos narrative of “and this happened, and then that happened, and then, and then and then and then,” tells Baruch she is “stuck in a tornado of life.” What will help her, and what will help Mr. K., who seems like a textbook case of post-combat PTSD but turns out not to be? Baruch describes, among other things, the emergency of loneliness (invoking Chekhov, another doctor-writer); his own (frightening) experience as a patient; the patient who demanded a hug; and emergency medicine during COVID-19. These stories often end without closure or solutions. The patients are discharged into the world. But if they’re lucky, the doctor has listened to their stories as well as treated them.

Thanks to NetGalley and MIT Press for this review copy!

TORNADO OF LIFE is a quick read, filled with short stories about patients presenting to the emergency room and how they provoke the doctor’s thoughts and actions. For example, one of the first patients the author sees (as a brand-new doctor) is a woman, presenting with vague symptoms, but appearing well. It turns out that she may have been abused by her husband, and just needed someone to talk to, and perhaps have someone suggest a course of action for her. Baruch regrets not seeing the patient’s true needs and says that case stayed in his mind for a while. He attributes his lack of communication to his inexperience and explains to the reader why it is important to consider the whole patient, not just what they are telling you. He also says an ER doctor should not judge a patient on how they look when they show up to the ER. Sometimes the most disheveled need the least care, and vice versa.

He tells the story of a patient asking for pain meds; and is unsure if he should prescribe them. He discusses the dilemma of drug-seeking patients and how pain is unmeasurable, unlike a temperature or a heart rate. Baruch says that “do no harm” is a doctor’s first tenet, but when it comes to pain, you may be damned if you do or damned if you don’t. If someone is in real pain, he is obligated to help them. But if a patient is looking for drugs to feed his habit, then prescribing them could harm them as Baruch encourages them to continue their addiction.

Each chapter holds a new patient’s story and the lesson the ER doctor learned from the case. Communication and empathy are a recurring theme, which makes sense. An ER visit is fraught with anxiety, and it can be comforting if a caring physician examines you. Often the doctor has only a few minutes to connect with the patient, which makes getting through the layers of each person’s needs exceedingly difficult. The chapters are stand-alone stories, making the book easy to read in small bites.

Baruch touches on each of those layers in depth, ruminating on how he could have helped some patients better, how some patients helped him learn more about himself, and detailing the psychic struggle that doctors experience daily. Baruch comes across as an extremely caring and empathetic person; I would appreciate his care should I ever need to visit his ER.

The only thing that frustrated me about TORNADO OF LIFE was that I never got closure on any of the patient’s ailments. The author states that in the beginning of the book – there will only be a few details about the ER visit and then the rest of the chapter will be introspection. I found myself wanting to know more about each patient, what their diagnosis was and how they were addressed before they were discharged. I learned to put my dismay aside as I got through each chapter, understanding that the point of each story was Baruch’s rumination and a lesson learned.

This is an unusual book, as the doctor’s thoughts are shared front and center. Most books written by those in the medical field will give a great deal of detail on their patients with a bit of introspection added. TORNADO OF LIFE is the opposite, and the reader needs to take time to digest the deep thoughts Baruch shares. Reading this will give you new respect for ER doctors and all that they handle on a daily basis.

Want to read this book? You can pick up your copy 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.

VIROLOGY by Joseph Osmundson

June 7, 2022 / Kyle Wendy Skultety / 0 Comments

A leading microbiologist tackles the scientific and sociopolitical impact of viruses in twelve striking essays.

Invisible in the food we eat, the people we kiss, and inside our own bodies, viruses flourish—with the power to shape not only our health, but our social, political, and economic systems. Drawing on his expertise in microbiology, Joseph Osmundson brings readers under the microscope to understand the structure and mechanics of viruses and to examine how viruses like HIV and COVID-19 have redefined daily life.
Osmundson’s buoyant prose builds on the work of the activists and thinkers at the forefront of the HIV/AIDS crisis and critical scholars like José Esteban Munoz to navigate the intricacies of risk reduction, draw parallels between queer theory and hard science, and define what it really means to “go viral.” This dazzling multidisciplinary collection offers novel insights on illness, sex, and collective responsibility. Virology is a critical warning, a necessary reflection, and a call for a better future.
About the Author:
Joseph Osmundson is a professor of microbiology at New York University. His work has been published in leading biological journals including Cell and PNAS and in the Village Voice, Gawker, the Feminist Wire, and elsewhere. He lives and works in New York City.

Thanks to NetGalley and W.W. Norton for this ARC for review. I was quite excited to read this book, and I ended up quite disappointed. This was a DNF for me, 14% in. The beginning seemed disingenuous as the author kept mentioning “queer” this and that. To me it seemed like he was pushing a gay agenda on the reader even before the book started. I am certainly not a foe of gay or trans people (one of my best friends is trans) but I was expecting a science book, not a diary of a gay man with some mentions of DNA, Covid and Ebola thrown in here and there.

There was also a mention of one of the author’s first sexual experiences in the first few pages of the book. Again, I am not a prude, but I truly don’t believe fellatio belongs in a book claiming to “tackle the scientific….impact of viruses”. The style is not “buoyant prose”, it’s a mishmash of personal stories that are vaguely connected with viruses, by the thinnest of threads.

The author also notes that viruses come out of us in our “piss and shit”. WHY?? Why is this not written using proper scientific words such as urine and feces? This attempting-to-be-glib is so heavy handed.

Yet another sentence starts out with “Even if I were straight, God forbid…” which nearly caused the DNF right there. But no, I kept on struggling along. This interweaving of sexuality and viruses continued to be harsh and disconcerting, as it read more like a diary than a science book.

The final blow to my reader’s sensibility came when the author talks about how he wanted to contract AIDS to be closer to a man he was in a relationship with, for him to acknowledge their togetherness to the public. Or something like that. I stopped reading right in the middle of that sentence and shut down my Kindle. I had wasted enough time. That is time I will never get back.

Sorry for the straight talk, but this is an honest review. Those of you who seek to learn more about viruses should pass this by and read Richard Preston or one of these five books. I include the link here for those readers who might actually find this book an enjoyable read. You can pick up your 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.