Anthropology of an American Girl: A Novel by Hilary Thayer Hamann

Born and grew up in a very conservative country until after college when I came over for graduate school, I was curious to learn about how American girls grew up in the relatively conservative decades. Will this novel represent the rite of passages of American girls from girlhood to womanhood in the 70's? I am not sure that it does since I didn't grew up here. It would be a hard way for girls to grow up if this novel does represent the culture. I felt sorry for the heroine, Evie.

This novel is long, from Evie's first love in high school, the turns and twists of her relationships, her financial struggles while in college, and her realization of her place at the end. I wouldn't say this is a classic, only time will tell. However, it's a novel worth reading if one has the patience.

In the Grip of Bereavement, by Dr. Chaim Licht

When it comes to deal with the loss of loved one, everyone grieves differently and every culture has its own unique custom as to the proper way of mourning.

Dr. Licht's daughter didn't live to see her thirtieth birthday. In his grief, he turned to Jewish literature of the Aggada to explore the responses of the sages to similar situation. In this three-part book, he meticulously analyzed the ten aggadic stories on death and bereavement from Jewish perspective.

Initially, this book didn't hold my interest as I have had very little exposure of ancient Jewish history and literature. It took me awhile to finish reading it and I am glad that I did. I feel that I just took an ancient Jewish literature course.

While this book may not be for me and I am neutral about it, however, I believe that for Jews or those with deep knowledge of ancient Jewish history and literature, this book would be a nice addition to their book collection.

Restful Insomnia, by Sondra Kornblatt

I sleep like baby, so I was not very thrilled when LibraryThing notified me that I had won the right to review this book. However, as I was reading this book I felt very sorry for those who suffer from insomnia. Not only sleep doesn't easily come by for them, but also the complicated techniques and tips to deal with sleepless weaving throughout this book that I had hard time get it.

I am neutral about this book. Maybe someone else with chronicle sleep disorder will find it useful.

Prime-Time Health, by William Sears, MD

This is a great book that covers head-to-toe, inside-and-outside of how human body changes as we age. Based on scientific evidence, his own medical practice, and his own experience as cancer survivor, Dr. Sears, in a easy to understand and sometimes humorous way, presents a wealth of information as to what to do, what to eat, and how to do it so to live a healthy, happy life in prime-time as we age.

I couldn't put this book down when I was reading it. Though I have already maintain quite a healthy diet and exercise program for may years, I find that I can fine tune my ways based on the information that Dr. Sears shares in this book.

I highly recommend this book without any reservation.

2009 in review

2009 is about to end in a few days, it's quite an eventful year with turns and twists that keeps me extremely busy, it's also the year that marks my 30 years living in the United States.

First of all, thanks God my mother is still vibrant at the advanced age of 85. She even learned how to sit in front of computer, look into the webcam, speak into the microphone while taking my calls on Skype.

2009 is the year that brings many happy events to my extended families. Niece Michelle was blessed with a bouncing baby boy in April, nephew Barry got married to his beautiful bride Lin-wei in June when I traveled to Taiwan for, nephew Benson's wife, Ching-yen, is expecting, and niece Ya-ching was accepted into the 4-year BS program in the Department of Nursing at Chang Gung Institute of Technology.

2009 is also the years that brings devastating event to my extended families. When the deadly typhoon Morakot hit Taiwan, with it one of my younger brothers sustained a total loss of his fish farm, thus his way of living. With the support of my siblings, he will rebuild. I had a painful discovery of how blood relations can be in such a discord that I had to lobby so hard to gain the support for him.

However, the Fall of 2009 also brought two of my brothers to California. I had great time with them while they were here.

As for me personally, 2009 marks the 30th year that I have lived in the United States. When I arrived here on August 15th, 1979 as a graduate student, little did I know that I would make it here.

At work, I had the busiest year in my career as I had to step in for a consultant who was out of the country for two months when his mother was dying. I practically worked seven days a week in that period. Since I am given more responsibility at work, I don't see it will ease up anytime soon. 2010 will be a very busy year as well.

On my literary program, I finished reading five novels by Edith Wharton (1862-1937) and four novels by E. M. Forster (1879-1970). This concluded my reading of six authors out of twenty-eight in the Library of Essential Writers Series published by Barns & Noble.

In 2009, I still make it a priority to exercise five times a week with a well balanced exercise program, and I also pay more attention on nutrition. As a result, I can't be happier when my doctor gave me a clean bill of health and my weight stays the same as last year.

Last but not least worth mentioning was my visit to Taipei Hoping Church in June, where I had the chance to reconnect with some college friends and meet some new friends. I pray to God that these friendships will last.

Charity begins at home

When the deadly typhoon Morakot hit Taiwan, it's force not only took hundreds of lives but also wiped out the livelihood of hundreds of thousands, especially villagers, farmers, and fishermen.

In my wildest dream, it never occurred to me that one of my very own would completely loss his way of living; that one of my younger brothers would not be able to continue his business raising fishes in his fish farms. The damage was so severe that it's beyond repair.

I felt a pang of concern when I leaned about it. What' would happen to his college-bound daughter? Would she need to drop her inspiration of a good college education? How about his two younger children? Would they end up growing up so fast as the result of the family misfortune thus innocents lost?

How could I not help my own sibling in disaster and my own nephew and nieces while I am living in the world's richest country, having a professional job with a respectable income? I couldn't look the other way, I had to do something to help him. Fortunately, my other brothers responded to my call that we ought to help him rebuild his business, and my sister agreed with me that we ought to support our college-bound niece in her college education.

As I am anxious to see that my bother gets back on his feet as fast as he can, a slow process that tests my patience, I feel guilty to spend in this holiday season on a HDTV and a media console, a replacement of my 23-year old Sony that quited on me in August. How can I splurge thousands on entertainment while my own brother is still struggling? I can't allow myself to do so.

"Charity begins at home, but it shouldn't end there". But one ought to help one's own family before one helps other people, that's what family is for. Everyday, I pray to God that my brother can rise beyond his misfortune and stand on his ground again.

Guernica, by Dave Boling

Hiking in the Basque country is one of the hiking vacations that I want to do, so I was eager to read this book. However, it took me awhile to get into it, but I couldn't put it down when Boling started telling the devastating German bombing of Guernica, the heart of Basque country, on the eve of World War II.

In "Guernica", Boling skillfully weaves the histories of Spanish Civil War, World War II, and the creation of a mural Guernica by Picasso with the lives of fictitious characters from two families, the Ansotegui and the Navarro. He makes learning history less boring, at least for me.