SAM

A memoir on one woman’s relationship with death

Revisado: 05-17-21

Professor Dame Sue Black and others like her (Dr. Emily Craig, Dr. Kathy Reichs) are incredible role models for young women. Forensic Anthropology was virtually unknown when I was growing up in the rural southern US, and it’s a field of study I would have found endlessly fascinating had I known more about it as a young adult. Today, these ladies are leading role models in their field, and books such as this one, as well as associated TV shows, have successfully shown a spotlight on this unusual and important field of science and research. This success has been due in no small part to their work.

“All that Remains” is as much a memoir as it is a look into the career of a Forensic Anthropologist. Parts of the book are, as you might well expect, cringeworthy in description. However, Black’s unique perspective about her work humanises the content and creates a full picture of the personal and impersonal nature of case investigation. While she does write about some of her more well known cases (such as those from the TV series “History Cold Case.” and her work in Kosovo, and Thailand), she concentrates a great deal of energy writing about her time as a student, as well as the challenge of implementing better preservation methods for human anatomical studies. What I enjoyed most were her touching stories concerning those wishing to donate their bodies to science and research following death. The stories speak to the respect she has for those people both in life, and in death, touching on a taboo subject in a very human way.

My only critique of this audiobook is that the narrator really should have been Scottish. However, I am also a fan of Angela Dawe and felt like she did a great job of bringing a voice to this story.

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Pronunciation / continuity problems

Revisado: 04-06-21

I’m a fan of Steven Saylor’s Gordianus the Finder series. I really wanted to love this one too, but I just could not get past the narrator. I admit that for me there really is only one Gordianus, and that’s Ralph Cosham. I was prepared to be open minded about this narrator, but Mr. Curless really mispronounces the names of the main characters Davus and Gordianus. I suppose you could make an argument for “creative interpretation” but it really does nothing for continuity of the overall series. I made it to chapter 3 before I stopped and returned the book. Unfortunately, I will have to buy this one and read it for myself.

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Kano the bear is on the loose!

Revisado: 05-04-17

Is there anything you would change about this book?

Less is more. Some descriptive, reflective aspects of the writing in this book could have been left out and it would have improved the overall experience. I know Karla's eyes are green, I don't need a description of them each time Lin gazes into her pupils.

GD Roberts does a good job of description, but he waxes poetic throughout the book. He really goes into overdrive near the end "For this is what we do, put one foot forward and then the other... lift our eyes to the snarl and smile of the world once more..." you get the idea.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

I love that we leave off having met Prabaker's child. In my opinion this one aspect of the story speaks volumes more than any of the above mentioned prose.

What does Humphrey Bower bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

The narrator is everything in this production and Humphrey Bower makes great effort with accents, and breathing life into each of the characters to highlight their personalities.

Could you see Shantaram being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

Yes. Despite the overly descriptive elements of the writing in the book, the story is engaging and certainly has a lot of good to offer.

Any additional comments?

I love the back story of Shantaram, so much so that I lingered on with the book when it became cumbersome and overly philosophical. I admire the author's efforts, given all he went through to write and publish the book. Sometimes though, a point is best made by letting a scene stand alone without interpretation and comment from the author. I also loved that the author included cameos from Kano the dancing bear throughout the book. The bear's random appearance in the oddest places makes for fun reading.

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expected more

Revisado: 02-19-16

What disappointed you about The Chemistry of Death?

This book is not terrifying despite its claims that its content will induce nightmares. I did not buy this book to be terrified though, I bought it to be informed and it really does neither well. Moreover, I found the author's sense of humor somewhat ill placed. Much of the content is not very surprising; asbestos causes mesothelioma - and yes, its effects are terrible and there is no cure; mercury is bad, leave it alone, arsenic and radioactive substances also. The author does include some clinical narrative of how these toxins interact within the body's cells, while splicing in some historical narrative, but I was hoping this book would be more clinical and broad, including lesser known toxins in the environment to steer clear of. It does not.

What do you think the narrator could have done better?

Aleksandr Litvinenko's name is mispronounced. This was a pretty high profile case, and I was surprised by the mistake.

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Narrator mismatch doesn't detract from story

Revisado: 12-30-15

What aspect of Kate Harper’s performance would you have changed?

Kate Harper is an expressive narrator, but I'm not sure she was cast well in the role of Tempe Brennan. I admit my opinion may be a bit tinged because of my familiarity with the TV series, Bones, which has foundations in Kathy Reich's books; however, Harper's attempts to project emotion come across overdone compared to other narrators, and in some cases can be a little uncomfortable to listen too. Everyone's a critic though, and certainly I don't want to take too many points away because of the narrator- it's just a different Brennan than I am used too, or than I envisioned.

Any additional comments?

Forensic Anthropologist Temperance Brennan is baffled by human remains found at a plane crash site that don't match up to any of the passengers. In her attempt to solve the mystery, she stumbles upon a macabre set of seemingly unrelated deaths that imply something sinister is at work just beneath the surface.

I love some of Reich's books more than others, and this one is a favorite. The author manages to weave folklore, science and history into an interesting web that entangles a reader. At some points the story did get a little tedious... but the author kept the story going with interesting twists and red herrings, tying up all the strings in a neat package at the end.

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I will miss Ayla

Revisado: 09-24-15

Would you try another book from Jean M. Auel and/or Sandra Burr?

of course

Would you recommend The Land of Painted Caves to your friends? Why or why not?

The book is repetitive, but this series deserves to be followed through to the end.

Any additional comments?

Unlike many, I was not particularly bothered by the portrayal of Ayla's accent. I admit, in book five, when the reader abruptly began to read Ayla with the accent I had my doubts but got over them quickly (I was too put off by the minutia of Ayla and Jondalar's intimate scenes, which detracted from the overall story, I thought). I do not want to come across as overly critical though, what Mrs. Auel accomplished in her six books about Ayla was to create a vivid backdrop for a very dimly lit corner of human history. What I did enjoy about all of the books was that they re-ignited my long abandoned interest in ice-age man, and inspired me to read related non-fictionalized accounts of the Lascaux Caves, Neanderthals, and the giant megafauna that once populated the world.

I often listen to these audio books while running, and have enjoyed tromping through stone age Europe. I admit this last book became a bit repetitive with the "Mother's Song" and there were, in my opinion, many directions the author could've taken certain characters in the book that may have added depth, but chose not too. Meanwhile, there was a great deal of explication on certain characteristics of Ayla that were already well known, and the great detail concerning Ayla's tour of sacred painted caves was fascinating for the first few caves but afterwards became also a little repetitive.

I cannot say that I enjoyed the last book as much as the first few, but felt compelled to follow Ayla's journey to it's end. If it has been a while since you read the first few books don't worry about it, in "Land of the Painted Caves" Auel presents a great deal of backstory and even a first time reader will not be lost.

Ayla as a character, I believe, was supposed to be a ground breaker, from her time growing up with Neanderthals to being the first to begin domesticating horses and dogs. She and Jondalar both represent a paradigm in human innovation.

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Heartbreakingly beautiful story.

Revisado: 05-21-15

This story of a little Jewish girl and her ordeal as a prisoner of the Vel d' Hiv Roundup in 1942 France was a compelling, heart rending tale of loss and discovery. The twist of a key unlocks more than a cupboard in this story -- providing both an important turning point in the tale, and an opening between two different worlds. The resulting impact of which, would be felt for years to come for those involved.

Couldn't put it down.

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Great Storytelling/ Story

Revisado: 09-09-14

What does David Doersch bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

As a narrator, David Doersch makes great effort to bring this book to life. Especially noteworthy in this performance are his attempts to articulate accents, and onomatopoeia.

Any additional comments?

"Buried in the Sky" examines the business of high altitude climbing from a vastly different perspective than many accounts penned by other authors on the topic. From the Rowaling Valley in Nepal (altitude 12,000 feet above sea level) up the soaring slopes of the world's tallest peaks, the authors follow key points in the life of Chhiring Dorje Sherpa and his own personal journey out of poverty and up the mountains, first as a porter, and then as a mountaineer. The story finds it's apex on K2 in 2008 when 11 climbers perished on the slopes. The book is well written and trimmed with rich cultural detail, bridging a crevasse sometimes left untraversed by other authors on the subject. Noteworthy about the book is the authors' attention to rich folklore, adding a new dimension to those 8,000 meter giants.

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Fun way to become acquainted with Irish history

Revisado: 03-08-13

What made the experience of listening to Princes of Ireland the most enjoyable?

I have been meaning to read this book for a while but never seemed to have the time to sit down and do so. With the unabridged audio version it was as easy as plugging in my headphones during my morning run... and the miles turned into years! Rutherfurd traverses Irish history through the twining branches of several fictitious families beginning in the mists of pre-Christian Ireland to the sixteenth century, weaving in key historical figures and developments that shaped the country. Historical figures include, St. Patrick, Strongbow, and Brian Boru among others, with cameos from several family septs. Within the enormous swath of time Rutherfurd chooses to frame this book you will meet Druids, warriors, Vikings, monks, knights, chieftains, nobles, merchants, kings... and perhaps a few characters your own ancestors might have identified with.

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