Finally, a science book I can understand without having to refer to wikipedia or the planned parenthood website.

My aunt is now 2 for 3 (for those of you keeping score). I had high hopes for this book and I was not let down. What we have here is a retrospective look at 10 psychological experiments of the twentieth century which have changed the field of psychology and created rifts within the medical community. Lobotomies tend to do that.

One of the more surprising things about this book is that it did not include the Stanford Prison Experiment. I’m not complaining, and I’m kind of grateful seeing as its been somewhat overplayed (yet still incredibly interesting). Slater’s chosen experiments range from behavior and obedience to, in essence, our current day obsession with pills.

I could talk about each one but to spare you the reading and me the writing I think I’ll only choose one to write about briefly. There once was/is a lady named Elizabeth Loftus and… she did what? keep reading…

Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris

This is not the first Sedaris book I’ve read. Previously I tackled his newest “When You Engulf Yourself in Flames” and found it interesting and good but missing something (if only I knew what). A friend recommended that I read this particular Sedaris book as she thought it would make me laugh after reading some lackluster and depressing books of late.

I’m not quite sure how to approach a review of a book which is in essence a series of independent short stories so this review may be a bit longer than most. I think I will start by picking my favorites and going from there. Go on, find out which stories I liked…

Ship of Gold in the Deep Blue Sea by Gary Kinder

Gold, I want some. No, I want a lot. I bet you do too. More specifically I want an armored car full of it, better yet how about a boat full of it. Preferably one that sunk over 100 years ago, 8,000 feet under the surface of the ocean, at least 200 hundred miles out to sea. In order to get it I’ll go to a federal judge, request jurisdiction over the area, be granted it and then order anyone who enters “my” territory in contempt of court. All right, I’ll admit it, it will take a lot more than that. Damn.

Gary Kinder has written a book about a true Indiana Jones. Of course there are no whips or Nazi’s involved, nor aliens, guns (well maybe one or two), dead knights or crazy booby traps (unless you consider the ocean itself to be one). I had an incredibly hard time putting this book down.

What we have here is a vivid description of characters from two separate centuries and the incredible history and factual background (assumed to be correct) that brought them together. You can tell me all about the Titanic but I’m guessing you couldn’t tell me squat about the SS Central America. Forget the Titanic… Seriously, forget it and keep reading…