My 2019 in Books – Part I

I’ll attempt to do this more frequently from now on, but for my first #Bookworm entry, I’ll do some reviews of my non-academic-related books of 2019. Let’s get to it!

“Utopia for Realists: and how we can get there” by Rutger Bregman

2018 was a very weird year for me. My mental health became a very evident obstacle, and although I was never really alone, I often felt lonely and like anything I could do in life would just be pointless. I won’t get in-depth on this now, but somehow by the end of 2018 I didn’t really know how to even be myself anymore, and I didn’t find the motivation I usually had for everything I had been working my whole life for. Starting 2019 with this book was the right thing to do. It was not planned or anything, it was just in my pile of “books I bought that haven’t got the time to read yet”. Its turn came in January 2019.

Economic inequality – inequality of opportunities – is reflected in every aspect of society: from health and education to bullying, climate, and the quality of our relationships. Could one solution apply everywhere? Bregman proposes three main Utopic ideas that he exemplifies throughout the book (as a matter of fact, some of them have already kind of happened). Whether you agree with them or not, this book will awaken important discussions at a time where we need to start steering the wheel more abruptly.

It’s a very easy read with plenty of insightful case studies and examples of how we are actually living in the Utopia people dreamed about centuries ago. What’s Utopia for us now simply has to happen. Of course, things are not so easy, there is no “one universal” Utopia, and there might be many things in this book that you might not agree with (is it too liberal? Too communist? Sometimes perhaps too capitalist?). Well, we don’t have to agree with everything we read, but Bregman definitely makes us ponder.

Granted, the author is Dutch and some of the Utopic ideas he discusses are closer to reality in the Netherlands. Having lived 3 years in Austria myself, some things also feel a bit more relatable for me here and now. Take the value of free time and the concept of life quality that is so important and often discussed here.  Those are two things that back home are practically nonexistent. But there’s a lot more complexity in this and this book definitely has a very Eurocentric tone, so we have that to bear with.

Nevertheless, this “book for realists” left me feeling like such an optimist about this world and my potential role(s) in it. In the current era of climate anxiety that afflicts a lot of us on a daily basis, I think this book is good food for thought.

“Moonwalking with Einstein” by Joshua Foer

You can ask my boyfriend (and probably many other friends) how annoying it is that most times I remember the tiniest details of a conversation or event. But of course, in some situations, it comes in very handy. And yes, I also forget things – it is not that good. Little had I realized how much my upbringing and school’s education method made this “good memory” a now-inherent characteristic of me and how attentive I am to my surroundings day-to-day (my overall anxiety might have something to do with this too though – but moving on). You see, the ability to remember anything (or everything) is not something we’re necessarily born with.

That’s what Joshua Foer demonstrates through this book as he tells us the story of how he ended up participating in the U.S. Memory Championship (yes, that’s a thing). A still-unpopular history lesson, intriguing humans, and an often funny style. Along with his personal journey, the author gives us some tips and tricks to train our brains and improve our memory. It’s light, fun to read, and helpful. Say goodbye to writing down your grocery lists!

“The Epigenetics Revolution” by Nessa Carey

Ahh, epigenetics. Truly one of the topics that most blew my mind when I took my first genetics course in my undergrad studies. Nessa Carey takes very visual analogies to make the basics of epigenetics easy to grasp. Besides this, this book provides a comprehensive historical summary of the development of the current scientific knowledge on this broad topic.

Although it is definitely rich and valuable in content, I would not say it is an “easy read” if you don’t have some background. Sure, things are explained in detail as you go by, the author makes great analogies, and there’s a glossary at the back. But this can make it slowly become less of a pleasure-read. Even I, as a biologist, found it sometimes too dense and closer to academic texts (not necessarily a bad thing, but wouldn’t take it again as a train-ride book). If you’re serious about learning more about epigenetics, totally go for it!  But know it can be demanding.

“The Science of Everyday Life” by Marty Jopson

As scientists, we easily grow arrogant with time when we spend too much time within the academic bubble (particularly young scientists). I know many, and I have been one. Sorry. Anyway, Little Miss Arrogant thought: “I probably already know everything in this book”. Of course, that was not true. That will never be true.

This book is really easy to read, with sufficient detail and simplicity, it does not over-simplify things nor does it patronize, and it answers questions you didn’t even know you had. A great science communicator I would say! Did you had a long tiring day and want to relax with some light reading? This is the book – it’ll even leave you feeling smarter. Cutting an onion will never be the same again. You can kick this one in an hour or two.

“Ever Since Darwin” by Stephen Jay Gould

My Invertebrate Zoology professor back in 2011 talked to us about Gould several times, and since 2011 I had it in the back of my head as a must-read author for biologists. Yet, for whatever reason, I kept postponing. (And by the way, not just for biologists).

Well, this year I decided to start reading Gould with this book, which is the collection of the essays he published on his monthly column “This View of Life” in Natural History Magazine (NY) from 1974-1977.

Gould doesn’t just discuss science as an isolated discipline, he keeps revolving around the political and social contexts of the time period he wrote about or that he lived in (as he often wrote about the Darwin times as well). If you’re still struggling with understanding how evolution happens, Gould’s essays are an entertaining way of getting into it.

This book is also a reminder, as it keeps happening, of how science does not support political views and also a reminder of how science cannot always escape these biases. Gould is one of history’s greatest science communicators, I believe – and for getting this you also have to get into the historical context and who the readers of Natural History Magazine were. But he is entertaining anyone for sure!

Continues in Part II