Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac by Gabrielle Zevin

3 Stars (-2 for language and sex)

"If Naomi had picked tails, ... she wouldn't have had to go back for the yearbook camera, and she wouldn't have hit her head on the steps. She wouldn't have woken up in an ambulance with amnesia. She certainly would have remembered her boyfriend, Ace. She might even have remembered why she fell in love with him in the first place. ... She'd know about her mom's new family. She'd know about her dad's fiancée. She never would have met James ... and she'd understand why her best friend, Will, keeps calling her 'Chief'. But Naomi picked heads."

Yeah. This could have been a fascinating read about a girl with no memory of her immediate past, who gets a second chance to redefine herself and be who she wants to be; who has better relationships with those around her, and comes to understand and appreciate all the good in her life. I know, it SOUNDS like an interesting book, right? Sadly, wrong. It was NOT interesting. It was driveling. There were a very few bright points in Zevin's writing (she obviously has some talent--wish she'd kept at it until the rest of it came up to par!), and it was a predictably sappy teen novella. Boo. Don't bother. And based on this book, I would be hesitant to pick up anything else by this author, as well.

In Defense of Elitism by: William A. Henry III

3 Stars

I picked up In Defense of Elitism because it sounded like an interesting philosophical read. The basic premise is this: Those people who are more valuable to society deserve greater privileges and respect. In the past such value was measured by blood and lineage, but in modern America this can simply be those who contribute the most to society. The author does a good job of outlining this premise. I was hoping that he would offer multiple arguments to support this premise, as well as discuss multiple arguments against it, ideally offering counters to such arguments.

Instead, the author focuses on only one argument in favor of this premise: elitism works better than egalitarianism. To support this argument, Henry examines the state of the work force, school systems, culture, and other things. He paints the failings of all of these areas due to a leaning towards egalitarianism and away from elitism, and suggests that by focusing on more elite systems the failings would disappear.

Though it was not the book I had hoped to read, I have a different, rather larger problem with the book. All information and research contrary to his argument he assaults with a hefty sledgehammer of skepticism. He attacks any and every possible weakness, at times dismissing strong reasonable pieces of research. After he does this, he presents his own information, but does very little to support or defend it. He merely asserts his claims and assumes that we should accept it. As a result, I felt that he was being unfair to the opposition and overly generous to his own claims.

In addition to this, I felt that he was arguing for some unsavory things that didn't necessarily have all that much to do with the arguments concerning elitism and egalitarianism. I won't go into detail, but at times it felt more like a personal rant than anything else. As a result, I found the book quite disappointing, and I would not recommend it to anyone.

The Tao Speaks Adapted & Illustrated By Tsai Chih Chung

Expert Rating: 6 stars

Newcomer Rating: 3 stars

Before I review this book, I’d like to take a step back so everybody is on the same page. Taoism is a Chinese philosophical and religious school of thought founded by the legendary (and possibly fictitious!) figure Lao Tzu. Lao Tzu wrote a book called the Tao Te Ching. The Tao Te Ching argues for a certain way of living, which includes following the Tao, refraining from wealth or honor, and living a simple life.

That said, The Tao Speaks is a book that describes and explains the principles contained within the Tao Te Ching. It is not really intended as an introduction to Taoism, but instead a further explanation for those who have already read the Tao Te Ching. Therefore, I wouldn't recommend it to newcomers. For those interested, I do have a couple of books that would do a fine job of introducing you to Taoist philosophy.

For those of you who know a little about Taoism, let me say a few things more about this book. The Tao Speaks does offer a pleasant romp through Taoist thought. Both the illustrations and the text are simple, minimal, and beautiful. The text will not be hard to understand, but so much meaning is packed into so few words it might be hard to comprehend. (Did that make sense?) While enjoyable, I felt that The Tao Speaks only offers explanation on the most traditional understanding of Tao Te Ching, rather than a new or unique interpretation. Therefore, you won't learn a whole lot of information. Truth be told, most everything from The Tao Speaks could be gleaned from other sources, if you knew where to look. Therefore, I would say that the The Tao Speaks is a unique artist experience, but as academically edifying as other texts.

In conclusion, The Tao Speaks isn't for newcomers, but is a fair book for those who already know a thing or two about Taoism.