What to Expect When You're Dead: An Ancient Tour of Death and the Afterlife (Robert Garland)

In What to Expect When You’re Dead: An Ancient Tour of Death and the Afterlife, author Robert Garland offers an engaging exploration of the afterlife, effortlessly combining humor, religion, and philosophy. Garland delves into the various cultural, historical, and religious perspectives on death, offering readers a broad view of how it has been conceptualized across time. The book doesn’t claim to provide definitive answers on the afterlife (if one even exists) – it merely encourages readers to consider a multitude of possibilities while emphasizing that the mystery of death is both universal and uniquely personal.

One of the key arguments Garland makes is that the concept of an afterlife has been shaped by human imagination and fear. He examines various traditions, such as the Christian view of Heaven and Hell as well as the ancient Egyptian beliefs in the afterlife, and even the modern scientific perspective on death. He suggests that these views often reflect societal values and the need for reassurance in the face of mortality.

Garland also critiques the way death is often sanitized in modern society, where it is largely removed from daily life. He points out that death is a part of human existence that many people are uncomfortable facing. As a result, there is a tendency to avoid or even deny the inevitability of our mortality. This denial leads to a superficial understanding of death, which Garland argues diminishes the richness of life and the potential for a more profound approach to living. Garland discusses how death is often framed as something to be feared, but in many cultures, it is viewed as a transition, not an end. 

Garland concludes by suggesting that while the afterlife remains an unsolvable mystery, how we approach death can shape how we live, encouraging readers to contemplate their own beliefs about mortality. What to Expect When You’re Dead is an enjoyable exploration of the hereafter, both as it is viewed now as well as in historical context.

MY RATING: 4.5

Walking Europe's Last Wilderness (Nick Thorpe)

In Walking Europe’s Last Wilderness: A Journey Through the Carpathian Mountains, author Nick Thorpe explores Eastern Europe's often-overlooked landscapes, framed through an ambitious journey through the Carpathian Mountains. The book blends natural terrain, human geography, and cultural history into a captivating series of stories of people and place. Thorpe’s journey takes him through several countries that the Carpathians cut through, including Romania, Poland, and Hungary. These countries have at one time or another dominated their neighbors or have been dominated by other powers such as Russia.

One of the book’s greatest strengths lies in its detailed portrayal of the diverse geography and humanity that the Carpathians comprises. His descriptions are grounded in personal encounters and historical context, providing insight into how the land has shaped and been shaped by the people who live in it. Besides the Carpathian Mountains, the Danube and several other rivers traverse through this landscape as well, which provide their own sets of history to the region; the Romans at one time used the Danube as a quasi-frontier for its empire. 

The book shines when it delves into the environmental challenges facing these landscapes. Thorpe is attentive to ecological tensions and the impact of modern development on what he describes as “Europe’s last wilderness.” The Danube Delta, in particular, is rendered as a fragile, biodiverse ecosystem at the mercy of both geopolitical and environmental forces.

Geography here is not just background but actually integral to the narrative. From shifting borders to cultural enclaves isolated by terrain, Thorpe reveals how geography and history are inseparable. He encourages readers to consider not just where places are, but what they mean in a broader European context. For those interested in physical landscapes and the cultural forces that define them, Walking Europe’s Last Wilderness is a rewarding and enlightening read.

MY RATING: 4.5

The Measure of Progress: Counting What Really Matters (Diane Coyle)

In The Measure of Progress: Counting What Really Matters, Diane Coyle critiques our reliance on outdated economic statistics, particularly Gross Domestic Product (GDP), as the primary indicator of societal and economic well-being. Her central argument is that these metrics, developed in the mid-20th century to address vastly different economic challenges, are increasingly inadequate for understanding and navigating the complexities of today's digital and interconnected world.

Coyle argues how GDP, focused on measuring market transactions, fails to capture crucial aspects of modern economies. The rise of intangible assets like knowledge, data, and digital services are poorly reflected, leading to a skewed perception of productivity and innovation. Furthermore, she highlights the exclusion of vital elements such as environmental degradation and social inequalities, which she views as critical for a holistic assessment of progress. Environmental impacts would likely drive fierce debate within the economics landscape.

The Measure of Progress is at times a rather complex read and isn’t geared for casual weekend reading on your back porch. If you aren’t versed in advanced math or economic concepts, some parts of Coyle’s book might be difficult to understand. Also, the debate within economic circles about environmental impact is one that certainly is up for debate and much discussion. However, the argument that GDP is dated and stale is certainly a valid one, and Coyle is arguably correct in asserting that a new mousetrap of some sort should be created to measure economic growth.

MY RATING: 4

Shift: Managing Your Emotions--So They Don't Manage You (Ethan Kross)

In Shift: Managing Your Emotions–So They Don’t Manage You, author Ethan Kross delves into the intricacies of how we can shift our emotional states, moving away from being controlled by our emotions to taking control of them.

A key strength in Shift lies in its ability to effectively combine research with engaging storytelling, weaving together real-life anecdotes that illustrate the author’s points. This approach not only makes the book more relatable but also reinforces the practical applications of his strategies.

Shift challenges common misconceptions about emotions, such as the idea that avoidance is always negative or that "living in the moment" is always optimal. Instead, Kross advocates for a nuanced understanding of emotions, recognizing them as valuable sources of information that can guide our actions.

Kross's writing reflects on his expertise as a leading psychologist. He avoids jargon and a lot of cliches, making the book enjoyable and informative. A wise person once told me that “Shift Happens” and her perspectives on how she deals with it helped her weave a successful professional career. Shift encourages us to shift our mindset on events to take charge of our emotions instead of letting them hold charge of us.

MY RATING: 4.5

Presidents at War: How World War II Shaped a Generation of Presidents, from Eisenhower and JFK through Reagan and Bush (Steven M. Gillon)

In Presidents at War: How World War II Shaped a Generation of Presidents, from Eisenhower and JFK through Reagan and Bush, author Steven M. Gillon traces the experiences of seven presidents. While doing so, he demonstrates how their wartime service influenced their political outlook and subsequent presidencies.

Gillon effectively weaves together individual narratives with broader historical context. Instead of a series of biographical sketches, he skillfully analyzes how the shared experience of World War II forged a common understanding of patriotism, sacrifice, and America's role in the world among these men. The book goes beyond just the battles, and delves into the psychological effects the war had on each man, and how those psychological effects influenced their political views and American foreign policy for the decades following World War II.

Presidents at War is a significant contribution to books on presidential history. It offers a fresh perspective on a pivotal period in American history and sheds light on the enduring legacy of World War II.

MY RATING: 4.5

Woodrow Wilson: The Light Withdrawn (Christopher Cox)

With regard to how historians view his record, Woodrow Wilson is arguably one of the more conflicting presidents in American history. Wilson, known for pursuing a lasting peace in the wake of World War I, was also a fervent segregationist and steadily opposed a constitutional amendment to grant women the right to vote. Wilson’s legacy has arguably gone through more scrutiny in recent decades because of his past and rather light career accomplishments prior to entering politics. Woodrow Wilson: The Light Withdrawn by Christopher Cox focuses on Wilson’s career crossed with the women’s suffrage movement and race relations.

Cox’s biography of Wilson is fair - criticizing him for his racial (er, racist) policies on segregating the federal workforce after several administrations of desegregation. Cox also notes how Wilson’s presidency was very much the result of infighting within Republican circles - in 1912 with the breakaway Bull Moose campaign of Teddy Roosevelt which split Republican votes into two camps, and in 1916 in California, a state that Wilson won by just over 3,000 votes and, had the party been more unified, may have swung the balance of the election to Charles Evans Hughes. Through Wilson’s political career, Cox weaves in the story of the women’s suffrage movement and how the Democratic party fought amongst itself over giving women the right to vote. That right was granted through the 19th Amendment, ultimately ratified in 1920.

Woodrow Wilson: The Light Withdrawn also dives into Wilson’s push for the League of Nations and how his health had deteriorated as a result of his strenuous work in the Paris Peace Conference post-World War I. In Cox’s book, the reader sees Wilson as a conflicting, somewhat controlling persona who vastly changed the relationship of the Presidency and Congress but also set back the country dramatically on race relations and slow-footed the implementation of women’s voting rights.

MY RATING: 4

Tequila Wars: Jose Cuervo and the Bloody Struggle for the Spirit of Mexico (Ted Genoways)

You may recognize Jose Cuervo as the name of Mexico's iconic tequila brand. But Cuervo was also the driving force behind centralizing several tequila producers within his family's growing business empire. In Tequila Wars: Jose Cuervo and the Bloody Struggle for the Spirit of Mexico, author Ted Genoways draws from Cuervo's family records and personal diaries to argue that Cuervo was a shrewd businessman and political player who navigated the tumultuous landscape of late 19th- and early 20th-century Mexico.

The book highlights much of Cuervo's rise through the Mexican tequila business, as well as his role in Mexican politics. Cuervo's efforts to modernize tequila production, establish international trade routes, and form strategic alliances during the Mexican Revolution were pivotal in transforming tequila from a regional spirit that wanted to export more into the United States into a global commodity. A particular focus of the book is Cuervo's role during the Mexican Civil Wars of the 1910's. One story recalls his daring escape on horseback from his Guadalajara mansion in 1914, as Pancho Villa's revolutionary forces closed in.

Tequila Wars incorporates historical events with personal anecdotes from the author to provide a comprehensive view of Cuervo's impact on Mexican industry and political history during a time of profound change and revolution in the country. Genoways not only revives the legacy of Cuervo but also highlights the intertwined histories of Mexico and its most famous export.

MY RATING: 4