Two Book Reviews

Crunchy Cons by Rod Dreher
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Okay, for starters, this is not about convicts as some have mistaken ;) but rather Conservatives, in the political sense. Now, I could say that I am not really a big political person. I did my best to avoid those classes in college, and though I try to be a conscientious citizen, I am not really into politics. But, alas, as I have grown and found personal passions and convictions, I have begun to look more squarely at life and admit that everything in life can boil down to politics (and money). It is a sad realization, but hopefully not overly pessimistic, though it is discouraging at times.

Okay - for the crunchy part. This is what caught my friend's eye at the bookstore over a year ago and remained in my brain so that I remembered it and found it at my public library. My friends and I that are into "natural childbirth" and everything that goes with it have often used this term "crunchy" to describe our mindset about such issues. I guess it can be said we are counter-cultural and must go back to the idea of a health food junkie and granola...

Finally ... the actual book. The author is a journalist and very much on the conservative (Republican) side of the fence, but he's discovered through his journey that there are issues and ways he wants to live his life that go against today's Republican party stereotypes. He points out these issues and suggests that his view is really the true conservatism that has been lost in the last couple decades. He covers areas such as food, family, education, religion, even where you choose to live. At the heart of many of these issues is what he calls "efficiency" and how it can be damaging to our culture. He really calls to view that all sides should meet in the middle and make life in the US better.

My response? I liked it. It hit many issues right on the nose for me and explained others more thoroughly for me to think more deeply. It made sense to me, not that I would necessarily agree on all issues 100%, but that's not the point. I do wish he had spoken on health care as I believe it needs to be looked at in much the same manner as his other topics were. I'd recommend it to anyone. Though it is about politics, it's also about life and today's American culture. Read it for yourself and let me know what you thought!

Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden
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I had heard of this novel, and happened by it in the library, and at the librarian's suggestion, took it to read on my vacation. I was a bit weary about the topic, but it turned out to be a beautiful story, told in very simple, yet descriptive language. It does not take very long to be pulled into the story of this young girl and her ensuing life experiences as a geisha in Japan pre-WWII. It is an easy read, but one that draws you in more and more with each chapter and comes to an interesting end. I thoroughly enjoyed it and would highly recommend it for some light, but poignant, reading.