Death Be Not Proud, by John Gunther. Something reminded me of this book not too long ago, and it just so happened that the Book Rack had a copy in good condition. I started this book when I was in high school. I was drawn to it then b/c it recounts the final months of a 17 year old boy, diagnosed with a brain tumor. While I identified with the Johnny Gunther because of his age, I simply was not ready, i.e. mature enough to read the book, so I didn't finish it.
Some 30 years later, I finished it. Now I identify with it as a parent. The horror, the tragedy of a life prematurely ended was heart-wrenching.
Reading about the medical aspects was a reminder of how far medical science has come. Johnny died in 1947. There were no CT scans or MRIs. Locating the tumor prior to an attempt to remove it was done solely with the use of x-ray. Non-experimental treatment consisted of removal of what could be removed and radiation. There was no chemotherapy. Mustard (as in mustard gas) seems to have been an early form of chemotherapy, but was still very much in the experimental stage. Various other treatments were tried in an attempt to save Johnny's life--a very severed diet that limited the fats and proteins a patient could eat may have played some role in staving off deaath for a time, but ultmately, there was so little knowledge.
Yet, in the past 60 years, despite all of the technological and scientific advances, glioblastoma multiformae is still an almost certain death sentence. Senator Kennedy was diagnosed with a glioma about a month ago, and although no one will say it explicitly, his obituary has essentially already been written. My former student Marina died of this affliction less than a year after she was diagnosed. Gliomas are still essentially incurable.
So, Johnny's father describes the grace and courage with which Johnnny faced his illness. I can't say death, because Johnny's parent never told him explicitly that he was dying--it was never clear if he knew. And that highlights another difference between now and then. Now, the conventional wisdom is to tell adults that they are dying and to not hide it from children. Johnny was close enough to legal adulthood that no doubt today, he would have been told of his impending death so that he could prepare in his own way.
Nonetheless, it is powerful book. Life is precious, and one should seek to live a life well, even if the alloted time is short. I understand why it has never been taken out of publication since its publication in 1949.
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Another one remembered
I guess I haven't been a total slacker about reading--just about recording.
Red Letter Christians by TonyCampolo. This came as a result of attending the New Baptist Celebration in Atlanta in February. Campolo spoke and of course, his book was available. I bit, I mean bought, and got him to autograph my book. The title comes from trying to live the Christian life and respond to the issues of the day based on the actual words of Jesus Christ, as often printed in red. It was a good reminder that the so-called Christian right has cornered the market on the Christian response to such issues. Sometimes Campolo's suggestions were simplistic or unrealistic, but it was thought provoking and provided another perspective on poverty, the Iraq war, and many other issues of the day.
Red Letter Christians by TonyCampolo. This came as a result of attending the New Baptist Celebration in Atlanta in February. Campolo spoke and of course, his book was available. I bit, I mean bought, and got him to autograph my book. The title comes from trying to live the Christian life and respond to the issues of the day based on the actual words of Jesus Christ, as often printed in red. It was a good reminder that the so-called Christian right has cornered the market on the Christian response to such issues. Sometimes Campolo's suggestions were simplistic or unrealistic, but it was thought provoking and provided another perspective on poverty, the Iraq war, and many other issues of the day.
Sunday, June 22, 2008
One forgotten; two finished
The forgotten book:
A Separate Peace, by John Knowles. Haunting. One moment of jealousy that can affect one the rest ofhis life. The will to live--or not--is force not measurable by the experts. (Read)
The finished books:
Better by Atul Gwande. Very good. A different perspective on the medical system, what's good and what's unbelievable in this world and in this country. Some things--like the Apgar score--so simple but yet something that made such a difference. The chapter on the bell curve, and the fact that most hospitals are just average, was eye-opening. I liked the tips at the end for being better:
1) Ask an unscripted question, to personalize the patient.
2) Don't complain.
3) Count something.
4) Write something for some audience.
5) Seek change; be an early adopter.
Very good book to read.
The Life of Pi, by Yann Martel. I finished listening to the book. What a book that ultimately forces one to consider human nature, and the human coping mechanism. A fantastic story that questions the true nature of humans in stressful situations. We're used to cute animals with humanistic characteristics. Human characters that act more like animals--well that's another story. Good book.
A Separate Peace, by John Knowles. Haunting. One moment of jealousy that can affect one the rest ofhis life. The will to live--or not--is force not measurable by the experts. (Read)
The finished books:
Better by Atul Gwande. Very good. A different perspective on the medical system, what's good and what's unbelievable in this world and in this country. Some things--like the Apgar score--so simple but yet something that made such a difference. The chapter on the bell curve, and the fact that most hospitals are just average, was eye-opening. I liked the tips at the end for being better:
1) Ask an unscripted question, to personalize the patient.
2) Don't complain.
3) Count something.
4) Write something for some audience.
5) Seek change; be an early adopter.
Very good book to read.
The Life of Pi, by Yann Martel. I finished listening to the book. What a book that ultimately forces one to consider human nature, and the human coping mechanism. A fantastic story that questions the true nature of humans in stressful situations. We're used to cute animals with humanistic characteristics. Human characters that act more like animals--well that's another story. Good book.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Can't believe how long it's been!
Books read:
Portrait of a Lady, by Henry James. I finally finished it. It was good, but hard b/c of long paragraphs and complex sentences. Disappointing in that Isabel decided to stay in a mistake of a marriage after passing on several that truly loved her.
Candide, Voltaire. I felt like such a philsophy-type person. I need to go back and read it and rethink some of the points made about human nature and the world, but I enjoyed it.
Moll Flanders, by Daniel Defoe. Sin and then repentance. That's the story in a nutshell of a woman who sleeps with one brother, marries another, passively tricks another man into marrying her, only to find out he's her half-brother, carries on with a married man, tricks another man into marrying her, engages in a life of thievery, earning the infamy of being one of the best in town, and eventually is caught and threatened with hanging. She repents, so that's good. But ultimately, after living a depraved life and facing hanging, repentance becomes easy. Plus, old age is sobering. She was 60 when she was finally caught. How voluntary is it when your starting to hear St. Pete beckoning.
My Stroke of Insight, by some brain specialist. She writes of her stroke, which she could understand as it was happening (she's a brain specialist), and of her recovery, and what she learned from it all. The first part, that described the operation of the brain, and the second part that described the stroke and the 8 year recovery were intriguing, particularly her descriptions of how she perceived the world (the lack of understanding color or boundaries) when limited to only her right brain. Towards the end, it got a little New Age-ish, and that was kind of a turn-off. The message is good: you can choose which part of your brain will dominate. She chose not be as sarcastic or to get as angry, but it was the presentation of the material that detracted from the quality of the end materials.
Books listened to:
The Nine by Jeffrey Toobin. Insight to the workings of the court, the personalities of the justices, and the influences on them. Who knew that Thomas is still bitter after all these years, but that yet one of his favorite clerks (not his own) is a lesbian. The insider's view of Casey v. Planned Parenthood was fascinating. Well worth the time.
Summer by Edith Wharton. It's Edith Wharton--I knew this couldn't end well. I didn't expect it to be disturbing. Llike a million other stories, young innocent girl is seduced by the worldly new guy in town, only to discover that he's become engaged to someone else. You know the drill: wine, dine, screw, knock up, leave. So what's disturbing? Upon finding that she's pregnant, Summer first returns to the mountains where she was born, but quickly learns that she can't really return to that home. Back to her caretaker, whom she ultimately marries. Yep, as in her adoptive father. A little incestuous? Not clear. He never consummates the marriage (at least not before the book ends), so maybe he just wanted to give her child a name and save her from the fate she would have suffered otherwise. Hmmm.
The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett. I was reluctant to select this book. A book about cathedral building? Come on. What a pleasant surprise! One part architecture, five parts soap opera. I could have done without the rape scenes, but it held my attention through all 40-some hours of audio.
World Without End by Ken Follett. Pillars was so good, I had to go with this sequel. There were some similarities, but enough differences that it was worth the time as well. The Black Death; life in the nunnery, star-crossed lovers, and so on.
The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan. An allegory about the life of Christian and his struggle to stay on the straight and narrow to make it to the Celestial City. After Christian abandons his wife, he suffers many trials and tribulations, but eventually makes it, inspiring her to set on one her own pilgrimage with her sons. In addition to the story, it's like a book-long Bible drill, challenging the reader or listener to remember the Bible verses from which Bunyan drew the story.
Portrait of a Lady, by Henry James. I finally finished it. It was good, but hard b/c of long paragraphs and complex sentences. Disappointing in that Isabel decided to stay in a mistake of a marriage after passing on several that truly loved her.
Candide, Voltaire. I felt like such a philsophy-type person. I need to go back and read it and rethink some of the points made about human nature and the world, but I enjoyed it.
Moll Flanders, by Daniel Defoe. Sin and then repentance. That's the story in a nutshell of a woman who sleeps with one brother, marries another, passively tricks another man into marrying her, only to find out he's her half-brother, carries on with a married man, tricks another man into marrying her, engages in a life of thievery, earning the infamy of being one of the best in town, and eventually is caught and threatened with hanging. She repents, so that's good. But ultimately, after living a depraved life and facing hanging, repentance becomes easy. Plus, old age is sobering. She was 60 when she was finally caught. How voluntary is it when your starting to hear St. Pete beckoning.
My Stroke of Insight, by some brain specialist. She writes of her stroke, which she could understand as it was happening (she's a brain specialist), and of her recovery, and what she learned from it all. The first part, that described the operation of the brain, and the second part that described the stroke and the 8 year recovery were intriguing, particularly her descriptions of how she perceived the world (the lack of understanding color or boundaries) when limited to only her right brain. Towards the end, it got a little New Age-ish, and that was kind of a turn-off. The message is good: you can choose which part of your brain will dominate. She chose not be as sarcastic or to get as angry, but it was the presentation of the material that detracted from the quality of the end materials.
Books listened to:
The Nine by Jeffrey Toobin. Insight to the workings of the court, the personalities of the justices, and the influences on them. Who knew that Thomas is still bitter after all these years, but that yet one of his favorite clerks (not his own) is a lesbian. The insider's view of Casey v. Planned Parenthood was fascinating. Well worth the time.
Summer by Edith Wharton. It's Edith Wharton--I knew this couldn't end well. I didn't expect it to be disturbing. Llike a million other stories, young innocent girl is seduced by the worldly new guy in town, only to discover that he's become engaged to someone else. You know the drill: wine, dine, screw, knock up, leave. So what's disturbing? Upon finding that she's pregnant, Summer first returns to the mountains where she was born, but quickly learns that she can't really return to that home. Back to her caretaker, whom she ultimately marries. Yep, as in her adoptive father. A little incestuous? Not clear. He never consummates the marriage (at least not before the book ends), so maybe he just wanted to give her child a name and save her from the fate she would have suffered otherwise. Hmmm.
The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett. I was reluctant to select this book. A book about cathedral building? Come on. What a pleasant surprise! One part architecture, five parts soap opera. I could have done without the rape scenes, but it held my attention through all 40-some hours of audio.
World Without End by Ken Follett. Pillars was so good, I had to go with this sequel. There were some similarities, but enough differences that it was worth the time as well. The Black Death; life in the nunnery, star-crossed lovers, and so on.
The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan. An allegory about the life of Christian and his struggle to stay on the straight and narrow to make it to the Celestial City. After Christian abandons his wife, he suffers many trials and tribulations, but eventually makes it, inspiring her to set on one her own pilgrimage with her sons. In addition to the story, it's like a book-long Bible drill, challenging the reader or listener to remember the Bible verses from which Bunyan drew the story.
Current reads/listens:
Reading: Better, by Atul Gwande. He wrote Complications, which I read last year about this time, chronicling his surgical residency and his thoughts about the medical system. This book addresses three themes so it seems. I've finished the section on diligence the looked at the effort to totally eradicate polio from the world and the response of WHO and UNICEF when there're reports of polio as well as the efforts that have reduced the combat deaths in the Iraq war. I'm now in the section that addresses "doing right". It started with a discussion of what is appropriate when doctors physically examine patients--to chaperone or not. I'm currently in the chapter that looks at med malpractice.
Listening: The Life of Pi, by Yan Martel. Some interesting concepts about the life of animals, the moral issues of zoos, and the different religions, from the perspective of a 16 year old boy. All bilding up to the ship in which he and his family and a few zoo animals are traveling sinking. Pi, the protagonist, and a Bengal tiger, Richard Parker, appear to be the only survivors, having made their way to a life boat. I'll see what happens.
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