Twilight of American Sanity (adult nonfiction)

     Allen Francis, MD begins his prologue to Twilight of American Sanity: A Psychiatrist Analyzes The Age of Trump with a quite fitting quote from Nietzsche: "Insanity in individuals is somewhat rare. But in groups, parties, nations, and epochs, it is the rule." His premise is simple but profound: we have to shift our thinking from what's wrong with our current president to what compelled us to elect him and how to change before it's too late.

     He starts a chapter he calls Confronting the Facts of Life with the following challenge: "Ignorance is not bliss. What you don't know most certainly can hurt you, often in the least expected and most devastating of ways. Compelling evidence indicates that our world is marching blindly into a perfect storm of irreversible catastrophes. Absent urgent corrective action, it will soon be game over for our civilization, with no do-overs allowed."

     And what are these Catastrophes? How about:

*environmental degradation;

*rampant population growth;

*depletion of the world's resources;

*gross inequality;

*unequally distributed medical care;

*too much military aggression;

*racist isolationism;

And *a whole lot more, none of which will be addressed with Trump and his cronies in power.

     The bulk of the book provides an in depth discussions of all the elements that could have played a role in our nation's poor election decision making: biological, evolutionary, psychological, and social and the myths (i.e. American exceptionalism) that could have come into play. This is pretty heavy reading...

     ...especially because Twilight of American Sanity was written during the first Trump regime and things are now so much worse...

     ...But fortunately Frances remains reasonably optimistic and fills us in on things we must do individually and collectively to turn things around before it's too late. 

     This is not an easy or comforting to perused. But for people who grasp the enormity of the crisis and are determined to be part of the solution it's a must read. 

On a purrrsonal note, these days if you're anything like me it's hard to keep up with the news. I've never experienced a more frightening time in my 74 years on this earth. But we must because if we don't, as Francis warns, game over.

A great big shout out goes out to all people who read this book and do their best to follow its advice. 

Jules Hathaway 

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☕️

And my friend Natalie really appreciated her treat.

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Coffee

Yesterday SWell had a popular coffee and energy drink event. Caffeine being taboo for me, I didn't partake. Sadness. But I had fun being paparazzi. My friend Bailey was one of the drink mixers.

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Every Day I Read (adult nonfiction)

     I was about to settle into my bedtime reading. But I was about one hundred pages into Twilight of American Sanity, a nonfiction volume that makes Stephen King's Cujo look like Lassie in contrast. No way was I going to contemplate that level of horror with darkness fallen. I'm too much a fan of nightmare free sleep. So I stuffed that book into my backpack and perused my inter library loan stash where I found the perfect bedtime book: Hwang Bo-Reum's Every Day I Read.

     "I hope to become stronger, to stand firm by my convictions, and to become a more mature person. Someone neither arrogant nor naive. Someone who can be honest about my feelings, yet not let emotions overwhelm me. I want to see the world, to better understand others." 

     That's Bo-Reum's answer to the question: what do I hope to get out of books? Have you ever stopped to ask yourself that question? If not, how about trying? You may be surprised what you discover. It would be a truly awesome ice breaker for a book club.

     Every Day I Read: 53 Ways to Get Closer To Books is a series of reflections on the experience of reading. What do I want to get out of books?/Why do I read? is one she frequently comes back to, always with a fresh insight. Some of her other topics include:

*reading beyond best sellers;

*visiting the library;

*participating in book clubs;

*choosing books instead of the internet;

*finding life-changing reads:

*reading to suit different moods;

and so many more.

     If I were to choose two adjectives to describe Every Day I Read they would be gentle and engaging. I chose gentle because of the warmth and welcome in her writing. I say engaging because there is something for everyone from the novice wanting to get into reading to the long term bibliophile wishing to think recursively on the reading experience. 

On a purrrsonal note, it's the last day before March break and the UMaine campus is rapidly emptying. There were some pretty cool activities. My favorite was a dinner Black Bear Mutual Aid Fund and Wilson (interfaith) Center put on at Wilson. Dining there is a beautiful experience for people with dietary restrictions. You can see the recipes and know what goes into the food, unlike in restaurants. They served 3 kinds of pasta (an Alfredo, a vegan with lots of colorful veggies, and a kind with peaches) and soup--all homemade!!! Absolutely delicious. 

A great big shout out goes out to my fellow Black Bear Mutual Aid Fund members and the Wilson Center crew.

Jules Hathaway 

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Oldest critters in my collection

The pajama clad bear with a baby bear comes from a mall in Virginia. My beloved Uncle Ken bought it for me in 1986. I visited him after my father died. He said I could pick anything I wanted, thinking I'd choose clothes. I picked something I'd love the rest of my life. It was the last time I saw Uncle Ken. I found the little bear in a Rockport, Massachusetts thrift shop in 1984 for $3. Later that year an antique dealer offered me $300 for him. Of course I just said no.

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The Moon Without Stars (juvenile fiction)

     In her author's note for The Moon Without Stars Chanel Miller says: "Ask any adult if they remember middle school, and you'll realize they're carrying memories that profoundly shaped their sense of self. We can recall that exciting and achy time; enduring small humiliations, strengthening our perspectives, scavenging for bits of confidence, laughing uncontrollably, hurting from rejection, and wondering if who we were becoming was enough."

     The charm of the narrative is that it embodies that time in life marked by new experiences and surroundings when small events take on oversized significance, emotions can shift so suddenly, and misunderstandings and mistakes seem impossible to come back from. It's an Are You, God? It's Me, Margaret. for the twenty-first century. 

     Luna starts middle school content to be in the background with only one friend, Scott, her long time bestie. Then a series of events gives her a chance to bond with the popular girls. She enjoys spending time with her new friends and ditches Scott. When the girls turn against her she's painfully alone. 

     And first menstruation plays a major role. 

     The Moon Without Stars is a wonderful read for girls starting or not far from starting middle school because Luna's experience will be very relatable and engaging, hopefully showing them they're not alone in awkwardness and uncertainty. 

On a purrrsonal note, before I went from elementary school to junior high my world fell apart. My sister, Harriet, became severely brain damaged from spinal meningitis. My parents' marriage became even more dysfunctional. My mom became totally invested in getting Harriet back to normal. I became invisible in my own home. A week or so before I started high school we moved to a much bigger city. I had to give up not only my home, my ocean, my community, and my friends 💔 😢, but my beloved animal companions including my ocelot. Not good transitions. 

Yesterday the weather was gorgeous. At least in the 50s with abundant sunshine. I was able to work outside in shorts and a tee shirt 👕. First time this year. I saw my first spider, a cute, tiny yellow one. And some of my last year's flowers are trying to bloom again. 

A great big shout out goes out to my readers. I'm sure many of you are as eager for spring as I am.

Jules Hathaway 

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New dress

This is the new dress I wore for an event last week. Isn't it gorgeous? I wore a sweater with it because it's still winter.

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