“The Emperor of All Maladies—A Biography of Cancer” by Siddhartha Mukherjee - Solid A

Every once in a while, I read a book which I describe as, from beginning to end, one of the best books I have read in a while.  Sometimes, a book starts off strong (see “The Instructions”), I get excited and then my hopes and dreams are dashed as the book either fizzles altogether or stretches out too long.  Sometimes, I have a difficult time initially with a book.  I may put it down for a while or forever.  I may struggle through it.  I may experience a breakthrough making the book no longer difficult.  And then there are the books that are just ok.

“The Emperor of All Maladies—A Biography of Cancer” is one of the best books that I’ve read in a while.  I was skeptical about whether I would enjoy this book.  It was written by Siddhartha Mukherjee, an oncologist and assistant professor of medicine at Columbia, and my skepticism was two-fold.  First, I could not imagine how a non-fiction book about a disease could hold my attention.  Second, I was concerned that the science would be overly technical.

I was incorrect on both counts.

“Biography” is the right description for the book.  Dr. Mukherjee tells the history of cancer discussing everything from factors involving causation to diagnostic techniques to the evolution of treatment.

Dr. Mukherjee clearly recognized that a purely chronological history would have been a nonsensical approach because discoveries relevant, for example, to isolating the cells responsible for producing cancer cells in the body occurred over many time periods.  Also, parsing the subject purely by topic (causation, treatment, etc.) would have required significant temporal overlap and would not have created a cohesive narrative.

Therefore, Dr. Mukherjee’s approach is generally period-based where early approaches to treatment and diagnosis transition to the next evolution in thought and innovation.  In other words, he has chapters on forms of chemotherapy and approaches to surgical treatment in the early 1900s and then often reviews those topics when new discoveries lead to innovations in future periods.  He talks about environmental and behavioral causation generally when discussing the mid-20^th Century after virtually no discussion preceding the period since the link between smoking and lung cancer, for example, was not considered until the later period.  In this way, the reader clearly understands the evolution regarding causation, diagnosis and treatment of cancer.  Also, Dr. Mukherjee backtracks where necessary to earlier periods and reviews material for the reader to assist in context for later periods.

Dr. Mukherjee also interweaves vignettes from his own experience in treating cancer.  We meet some of his patients, and we meet some of the physicians with whom he has worked.

The book has a “mystery” feel to it.  For instance, some early research often focused on leukemia because at that time, unlike cancer of an organ, cancer in blood could be measured.  The problem (leukemia) is presented, the players (researchers, physicians) are introduced or reintroduced, the process (investigation, research, trials) is discussed, and then there is a conclusion.  In some cases, the conclusion is a huge disappointment—more so for the researchers and physicians than for you as reader.  In any event, tension builds as the reader invests in the history.

Back to the science.  Yes, there are a number of techno-babble terms in the book.  Dr. Mukherjee does an excellent job of defining them.  I found it more impressive, however, that Dr. Mukherjee could explain difficult concepts by comparing them to everyday situations that anyone can understand.  While I am certain that Dr. Mukherjee was being somewhat simplistic, he knew the depth of the topic that he needed to explain in order for his lay reader to understand the concept.  Some of the science was more than my brain could handle, but I expect that readers will not find, and have not found, the science to be an obstacle to reading and enjoying the book.

Even with all of these positives, the book could not succeed on such a high level without Dr. Mukherjee emotional connection to the disease and the patients.  He takes the reader with him to visit his patients.  He effortlessly describes the patient’s state of mind, the states of mind of the patient’s family members, his own state of mind.  He cares a great deal about his patients, really about all cancer patients and the families of cancer patients.  Dr. Mukherjee’s emotional investment draws the reader in to the subject matter.  He is clearly a post-cancer William Hurt from the film, The Doctor.

My family has had its health issues, but we have fortunately not been hit hard by cancer.  I am curious whether those with family or close friends who have suffered from cancer will want to read this book and, if so, how they will feel about it.  I wonder the same about cancer survivors.  My suspicion is that because of the tone and approach of Dr. Mukherjee, they, too, will be sucked into the book.

Dr. Mukherjee is a phenomenal author.  He effortlessly explains his subject matter, and his language is impeccable.  At every turn, he selects exactly the right wording to convey his message.

I didn’t intend to enjoy “The Emperor of All Maladies:  A Biography of Cancer” as much as I did.  I actually expected that I would put the book down when I got the gist of the message.  This book was never a chore for me.  I was shocked at how much of a page-turner it was.

Live long, read and prosper.  We’ll leave the lights on for you. 

Buy One Get One Free! The Dogs of Riga and The Redbreast - B+

The Dogs of Riga by Henning Mankell

The Redbreast by Jo Nesbo

I’ve completed two books in the last couple of days but didn’t have the opportunity to blog in between.  So, instead of splitting these up into two entries, and because the books are both from the same genre, I decided to combine both books into one post.

Isn’t this exciting?  I’ve never done that before!  I don’t know about you, but my feet are tingling!

Both novels are Nordic crime novels.  First up is the second in Henning Mankell’s Kurt Wallander series, “The Dogs of Riga.”  The novel takes place shortly after the fall of the Berlin wall when power was up-for-grabs in areas of Eastern Europe and criminal elements tested the limits of, and in many cases conspired with, government.  Wallander, a Swedish detective, is called in when two well-dressed, bullet-ridden corpses wash ashore in a life raft.  His investigation into government-sponsored corruption takes him to Riga, Latvia following the murder of a friend.

I like a number of aspects of Nordic novels such as this one.  The novel takes place in a stark setting where most of the characters do not enjoy Western creature comforts.  The protagonists, like Wallander, are flawed as opposed to supermen.  The detectives actually do “detective work,” often without the aid of modern, quick turnaround, CSI-like science.

I’m geeky when it comes to series like this.  I generally start with the first in a series and read the books in order.  I had read “Faceless Killers,” the first Wallander novel, last year.  This is a great series where you can pick up a novel periodically when you’re in the mood.

Next up  is “The Redbreast” by Jo Nesbo.   “The Redbreast” was recommended to me after it had already inexplicably shown up on my Amazon Wish List. 

While not the first novel by Nesbo to feature his protagonist, Harry Hole, “The Redbreast” is the first Hole novel that is available in English.  Listen, I have my “stuff,” like reading a series from Book 1 forward, but I’m not going to go to extraordinary lengths like by learning another language in order to do so.

The novel takes place in Oslo, Norway.  The action shifts back and forth between present day and World War II.  Hole is a recovering alcoholic who, after an unfortunate incident, is reassigned from the crime division to the Norwegian secret service.  While there, he begins investigating a mysterious arms purchase through which he confronts Neo-Nazis and researches the past before the two storylines intersect.

Like Wallander, Hole is flawed.  Like Mankell, Nesbo’s novel has a similar stark Nordic setting.

Which would I recommend over the other?  Well, I’m giving them both B+’s.  If you enjoy the Stieg Larsson “Dragon Tattoo” novels, you will likely enjoy either or both.  Both novels are also less violent than the "Dragon Tattoo" novels.

Live long, read and prosper.  We'll leave the lights on for you.

Random Musings Numero Uno de 2011

My daughter asked me the other day how much Spanish I remember from high school and college.  The answer is muy poco (And I needed Google's English-Spanish translator to come up with "poco," which, by the way, I believe is incorrect.  But I digress, which is what I do when my musings are random).

I am currently in the middle of the 2010 Man Booker Prize Winner (bonus link to the Man Booker Prize website), The Finkler Question.  Let's just say that I was in the mood for an uplifting read, and I am 41% of the way in to the novel (according to my Kindle, don'tcha know).  Well written?  Yes.  Uplifting?  Not so much.  I must complete the novel by Monday, for reasons too convoluted to explain, or put it down to finish at a later date.  My next novel will be a fast-paced adventure or suspense novel.  Possibly a Lee Child.  Possibly a Brad Thor.  Possibly a Nordic crime novel.  I'm weighing my options.

As I've told some who may or may not read this blog, I'm taking one off my bucket list in 2011.  I'm reading War and Peace.  Not the Cliff's Notes version (more on that later).  I have earlier blogged about another book blog (and podcast) that I follow, Books on the Nightstand.  BOTN is trying to get some people to read, and perhaps chat about, War and Peace during 2011.  The thinking is that all of the War and Peace readers will support one another through the arduous adventure.  The "official" website of the read along is here, and as you can see, the pace is meant to be leisurely, and it is definitely contemplated that you will read other books at the same time.  The Kindle price for the recommended version, by the way, is $7.09.

So back to Cliff's Notes.  I wasn't as much of an avid reader in high school and college.  I don't suppose that I like being told what to read.  While I studied Moby Dick at least twice (in high school and in my American Literature class in college), I have never read the damn novel.  There are other classics that I know I've studied but never read.  The Scarlet Letter.  Wuthering Heights.  I read MOST of Grapes of Wrath before I started actually feeling the dust in my own throat.  I never would have graduated high school without my friend, Cliff, and his notes.  I'm stating it now:  Bucket List Item of 2012 is Moby Dick.


Live long, read and prosper.  We'll leave the lights on for you.

Faithful Place by Tana French - C+

I read Tana French’s first novel, In the Woods.  It had come highly recommended to me.  I came away very disappointed that I didn’t love the novel.  I enjoyed it, I finished it, but when her second novel, The Likeness came out, I purposely chose not to read it.  Last year, Faithful Place was released.  Like The Likeness, I determined to avoid it.  Then, Faithful Place started showing up on a bunch of year-end best lists.  That, coupled with my mood for a fast-paced mystery, got me excited about reading Faithful Place.

I wanted to love this novel.  I really did.  I psyched myself up to love it.  I breezed through the first quarter of the book.  Flew through it.  Kept telling myself how much I loved it, how great the novel was.  Through about half of it, I had convinced myself that it was terrific.  I was going to recommend this novel to ALL OF MY FRIENDS.

Then, the adrenaline wore off.  Finishing off the novel (which I still read in four days) became a chore.

The story takes place in Dublin and opens with the protagonist, late-teen Francis Mackey, readying to run away from home with his sweetheart, Rosie Daly.  Something happens that night to disturb their plans.  Then, the story fast forwards 22 years as the full extent of the mystery unfolds.  22 years later, Francis is a cop, and he is forced to revisit that fateful night when he was to run away with Rosie as well as other aspects of his childhood and his family.

Listen, this is not a horrible novel by any stretch.  The characters are fine, the story is taut.  I think that I like my mysteries darker.  I also enjoy a good noir (if, for no other reason, for the ability to say or write, “good noir”).

I will also say that many people love Tana French and loved Faithful Place.  I think that my C+ is more a matter of taste as opposed to an indictment of French’s storytelling or writing skills.  And her writing is a huge step up from James Patterson or Harlan Cobain, even if Patterson and Cobain can tell darker stories with more mystery.  [Brief aside:  I no longer read Patterson or Cobain.  They tell great stories, but I find them to be short on the art of writing.  Because reading time is limited and valuable, I prefer reading authors who bring more heft to their writing as opposed to those who tell a great story but offer little else in the way of great language.  I did mark some great passages in Faithful Place where I felt that the writing was particularly skillful.]

I read one noir and two “darker” mysteries (here and here) last year.  I enjoyed each of them more than Faithful Place.  You, however, may love Faithful Place and question my taste in this regard.  That’s your prerogative, especially since, as I said, this is just a matter of taste.

Live long, read and prosper.  We’ll leave the lights on for you.

Five Plus Three Shoulda' Coulda' Woulda'

I guess you could say that the books outlined below are at the top of my list. In fact, each has been high on my list for some time. Had my reading appetite been better throughout 2010, many of these books may have been completed.

First, I will highlight five books that I did not get to in 2010 but hope to read during the first quarter of 2011.

Then, I will list three books that I started in 2010 and liked but put down for one reason or another. In the case of all three books I have a major issue: I own the books in hardcopy but refuse to read them on anything other than the Kindle. I am having difficulty motivating myself to buy the books a second time. It’s kind of an internal war.

I did not so much “compile” this list as cull through the 70+ books on my Amazon wish list, eliminating books not yet released and those that I would like to read but can’t get too excited about. I was shocked that all five are non-fiction books, and I urge those of you “fiction-only” readers out there to consider one or more of these. Each of them is somewhat different in some way—not, for instance, some history book or random biography. Each of the three other books is fiction. I present them in alphabetical order:

Decoded by Jay-Z – Yes, you read that right. A couple of early disclaimers. First, I understand that Oprah gave this book to her audience last month. Strike one for me. Second, I know zero about rap music. Strike two for me. Third, I could not pick Jay-Z out of a crowd and have never knowingly listened to (or heard) one of his songs. Strikes three and four for me. However, I have listened to people speak about this book, many of whom, like me, know nothing about the subject. I understand that the story is part memoir, part primer on the history and meaning of rap music. In addition to telling his own story, I understand that Jay-Z “decodes” some rap lyrics which even the non-rap enthusiast finds interesting. The physical book is apparently visually phenomenal with pictures and art. I will Kindle this book, but if you’re not a Kindle person, you will likely not be disappointed with the book’s appearance.

The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer by Siddhartha Mukherjee - A history of CANCER? Yes, a history of cancer. Call me morbid (“YOU’RE MORBID!”), but I find this a fascinating topic. I’d go into more depth, but seeing as I know little about the history of cancer, it’s tough for me to do. I suppose that I will learn about the evolution of theories regarding the causes of cancer and evolution of therapies. I will probably learn about the key figures in the search for cancer cures. Likely, I’ll discover the current state-of-play on cancer treatments.

How I Killed Pluto and Why It Had It Coming by Mike Brown (not the Bengals’ owner) – I have no idea why Pluto is or isn’t a planet. I know that kids used to consider Pluto their favorite planet because (1) it was small, like them and (2) it shared a name with a Disney dog. At some point, amid significant outrage, Mike Brown proved that Pluto was not a planet and “removed” it. (I don’t think anything was actually physically done with the dwarf planet formerly known as Pluto). Mike Brown got hate email and hate mail about this. When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade. If the title of this book is any indication, Mike Brown doesn’t take himself too seriously. He’s also likely intellectually accessible while you’d think I guy who did the science to demote a planet to a dwarf planet would be, well, a humorless nerd. If I’m wrong, I’ll hate this book and will not finish it.

Life by Keith Richards – Come on. Part of each of you wants to read this book. The music. The era. The cast of characters. The drugs. The girls. I listened to one of Richards’ interviews regarding the book, and this book is apparently a no-holds-barred, readable account of the 60s from someone who really was there and lived it to its fullest.

Play Their Hearts Out: A Coach, His Star Recruit, and the Youth Basketball Machine by George Dohrmann – I could have put other sports books here, but I did not. I do not expect this to be as much about sports as it is about young student athletes. We all know that there is corruption in high school and college sports.  I do not mean to imply that there is institutional corruption at any school, but agents, alumni, rogue coaches—they exist. Look just at basketball. Exactly 30 players (many of whom are from foreign leagues) get drafted in the NBA first round every year. To get a guaranteed contract in the NBA, you have to be selected in the first round. How many junior and senior high school kids are being “advised” right now that they are slam-dunk first rounders? Hangers on see these kids as a bridge to becoming an agent, a coach, whatever. I have read an excerpt from this book, and while I would not recommend it to someone with little or no interest in the subject matter (while I suggest the Jay-Z book regardless), consider it, particularly, if you are a high school and college sports fan.

The other three. Again, alphabetically.

The Long Ships by Frans G. Bengtsson – Initially published 55 years ago, this novel recently resurfaced. Courtesy of Amazon, 78 reviews. 72 gave five stars. 6 gave four. While I am by no means a sucker for Amazon reviews, a large and strong set of reviews is at least an indicator. What is it? It’s a book about Vikings. Not the Minnesota Vikings, the real Vikings. It’s an adventure romp.
Room by Emma Donaghue – This novel is written from the perspective of a five year old who, with his mother, has spent his entire life in one room. You have to get used to the writing style which is expectedly choppy at first. My favorite wife (the one to whom I am married) read and loved this book.
Skippy Dies by Paul Murray – Skippy dies very early in this novel. The rest of the novel, I understand, provides what led up to Skippy’s death. Along with Room, this novel is rated on many Best of 2010 lists.

Well, there you have it.  I suppose these are essentially recommendations of books that I have not read.  Whatever.

Live long, read and prosper.  We'll leave the lights on for you.

Five Best Books Read in 2010

2010 was not what I would call a banner reading year for me.  Only 25 books.  I know, I know, if any of you actually go back through my 2010 posts, you will find posts on 24, not 25, books.  I also finished “Hunger Games,” the first in the trilogy, late in the year but determined not to blog on the novel until I had completed all three.  I am expecting that to occur in the first half of 2010.

Here is the only rule:  I must have completed a book in 2010 to be eligible for consideration.

Last year, I did get some “best five” emails and comments from blog followers.  I would LOVE to be able to post additional “best five” lists—bring ‘em on.

I was also going to add a bonus to this post, but I decided to split the bonus into a future post.  The “Top Five Books I Meant to Read in 2010.”  My Amazon wish list (which has become my Night Table o’ Books) currently lists 71 books.  I look through the list periodically—in connection with book selection or just for fun.  I have zero idea how some of these books ended up on the wish list.  There are a number of books, however, that I REALLY REALLY want to read, and I am going to select the five that I most want to read, list them and tell you why.

I actually thought that picking five books would be difficult because I don’t think that the overall quality of the books I read in 2010 was as good as the books I read in 2009.  When I went back through the books, though, I came up with seven “finalists” and about 2-3 others which would have gotten an “honorable mention” if I really wanted to stretch the list.

My Best Five Books Read in 2010 are listed below in alphabetical order.  I cannot rank them 1-5, though as you’ll see below, I could give you my No. 1.  Links are to my earlier blog posts (which, in turn, link to the books).

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks – This book rightfully showed up on a number of year-end best lists.  The story of the woman responsible for the HeLa cell line and her family, interwoven with scientific information accessible to non-doctors, was a riveting, interesting and fun read.

The Imperfectionists – I appreciate this book more as I reflect on it.  My main criticism of the book when I first read it was that I do not generally love short stories, and the fact that The Imperfectionists presents a unified construction comprised of related, but not integrated, character stories was problematic for me.  However, I read this book in early 2010, and a number of the characters and their stories stuck with me while there were other books I read in 2010 that I honestly barely remembered.

The Instructions – As I initially posted, this 1,080 page behemoth (not available on Kindle) is not for every reader.  Plus, I didn’t love the ending.  Any author of a 1,000+ page novel can be accused of being “self-indulgent,” and perhaps Adam Levin is guilty.  However, the protagonist is unforgettable, and the language and style are layered with levels of meaning.  Part of me wanted to start the behemoth all over again when I finished.

Matterhorn– If I had to pick a No. 1, Matterhorn would be it. Karl Marlantes' incredible story of Lieutenant Mellas and his company during a portion of the Vietnam War was an extremely emotional read.  Great story, great writing.  Many parts grab a reader.  Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys war fiction.

The Passage – Justin Cronin’s post-apocalyptic novel about a science experiment that went horribly wrong rounds out my Best Five for 2010.  I am certain that some of you are “done” with post-apocalyptic fiction.  And this is sort of a vampire novel, too (though the “vampires” are called “virals” in Cronin’s book)—vampires, we can all agree, have been overdone.  But this is one fun read, and I anxiously await Book 2 (due 2012) and Book 3 (due 2014) which are expected to complete the trilogy.

So that's it.  Again, not a great year for me.  Shooting for 35 books in 2011.

Live long, read and prosper.  We'll leave the lights on for you.

Last Book of 2010 - Appropriately "The Last Boy" by Jane Leavy - A-

I know I know, you guys just can't wait for my second annual "Top 5 Books Read in 2010" entry.  I know you've been checking back daily, anxiously awaiting the post.  It is coming this week.  Truth is, I haven't picked all five, yet.  I know one for certain, and 2010 was generally a light year for me so culling through and picking five shouldn't be a chore.

Before we get there, however, let's review the last book I read in 2010.  I cheated just a bit.  I finished The Last Boy by Jane Leavy on 1/1/11, but I'm counting it as a 2010 book because I read 95% of it in 2010.  Since I make the rules, the ruling stands.

I greatly enjoyed Leavy's book from 2002, "Sandy Koufax: A Lefty's Legacy."  I didn't initially make the connection that she had written both books (it was EIGHT years ago) and didn't pick up "The Last Boy" because of Leavy but rather because of her subject.

Mickey Mantle's career spanned the generation that immediately precedes my generation.  His career ended just as my hometown "Big Red Machine" started revving up.  I never saw Mantle play, but he is one of the more revered players in baseball history, a veritable Greek god of baseball.

I mention Greece because the classic tragedies had nothing on Mantle.  His biography reads like a Greek tragedy.  From a difficult upbringing to devastating injuries which sapped his strength and speed to his (losing) battle with alcoholism to his interpersonal relationships--Mantle was most definitely a tragic figure.  You can add "self fulfilling prophecies" to his tragic legacy as he assumed the bad health that plagued him (and many in his family).

The only characteristic that many shared in Greek tragedy which Mantle didn't have was hubris.  No, hubris was reserved for DiMaggio.  Leavy wisely leaves (Like that?  Leaves?  Leavy?  I got a million of 'em. . .) DiMaggio largely out of her book, only including him where necessary to advance Mantle's story (and to take some deserved cheap shots at DiMaggio).

Mantle is an all-time great.  Of course, the reader is left with the question of what otherworldly goals he may have attained had Mantle had the benefit of just "decent" (not necessarily "good") health for any large part of his career.

Leavy writes from a familiar place.  She obviously idolized Mantle in the late 1950s and 1960s.  She just turned 60.  She was born in Mantle's rookie year and was 16 when Mantle retired.  Likely, she idolized Mantle like I idolized those players from "The Big Red Machine."  It's never the same as when you were a kid.  The players were bigger than life then.  Flawless.  I don't know that we can ever recapture that innocence about our heroes in today's internet-based world.

Leavy's obvious love for Mantle, the player, makes this endeavor all the more difficult for her.  She writes about Mantle's career, yes, but she focuses on what was unspoken during his career and what followed his playing days.  The womanizing.  The alcoholism.  The horrible family relationships.  All of the flaws of her hero.

I picked up this book because I didn't "get" Mantle.  Again, his career preceded my baseball fantacism.  Leavy delivered big-time.  I "get" him and what he meant to those around him (good and bad) and to his multitude of fans.  I highly recommend this book for the baseball fan, particularly any baseball fan who grew up watching Mantle.

Live long, read and prosper.  We'll leave the lights on for you.

Fun Little Post - HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Just a fun little post on some of my favorite book blogs.

Lots of people love GoodReads.  GoodReads is a great book social network and recommendation clearinghouse.  Lots of recommendations, plus you can keep track of what you and other subscribers are reading and have on their reading lists.  Arguably the best book recommendation blogs.

Omnivoracious is Amazon's book blog.  Some great features including a compendium of weekend book reviews (from the New York Times, Washington Post, etc.), highlights on different types of newly-released books (including Graphic Novel Friday) and up-to-date reports on book award nominations and winners.

Always the equal opportunity guy, Barnes and Noble Review is also worth a look.  I particularly enjoy the weekly emails that arrive on Friday.  The site contains reviews, lists and articles regarding new and upcoming book releases.  Also, like Five Books below, B&N also has posts of five books on all types of subjects from wine to Mark Twain to skyscrapers.

I really like Books on the Nightstand.  I download the podcasts from iTunes and listen to them when I run.  Two book lovers with different tastes host 20-30 minute podcasts on different types of books.  They do a few shows at year end on holiday gift ideas.  They're not hyper-technical (take a pass on the podcast "comparing" different e-readers) or hyper-intellectual.  They are also excellent on kids' books.

A good friend steered me towards Five Books.  Each day, the site's editors interview a renowned authority who discusses his or her area of expertise and provides their choice of the best five books to read. Often, the recommended books are on a particular topic (science fiction, books about cooking, etc.).  A nice bite-sized blog.

If you like mysteries, check out Partners and Crime.  The site is for an independent bookstore in Greenwich Village and has recommendations for the "top crime novels," as well as reviews of first novels and other information for the reader and book collector.

Really love McSweeney's (link to About McSweeney's Page).  Founded by Dave Eggers (Zeitoun, A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius), McSweeney's publishes books and literary magazines.  I found McSweeney's as the publisher of The Instructions.  Not a whole lot of free content but some otherwise great information.

Modern Library has a bunch of Top 100 polls and specializes on the best fiction and non-fiction in history.  The site specializes on information about truly historical works.

I am always looking for fun blogs, so please forward any that you frequent.

Live long, read and prosper.  We'll leave the lights on for you.