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Wednesday, April 28, 2021

Medical Fiction


I used to live for ER, the anticipation of Thursday nights got me through the week. The cast, the drama, the storylines, the humor, the medical emergencies galore, and well Noah Wyle. I've watched most of Grey's Anatomy, I was late to that one, being an ER loyalist and well frankly, everyone I like seems to have left that show behind. Currently, I'm binging on 911, Chicago Fire, and Chicago Med. My husband prefers police dramas, (I tend to only like Criminal Minds and Midsommer Murders), he will watch the medical dramas and gets squeamish at the more graphic of medical maladies. I however am fascinated, because I'm a bit of a medical menagerie myself, and getting a plot point is a bonus. Reality medical shows, I tend to leave for my mom, who has a professional interest, being a retired nurse. I like my medical emergencies to involve storylines and the bit of relief in knowing the losses are fictional.

So, here I am getting involved in Chicago med, a little late yes, but here I am, and I'm wondering why haven't I considered reading medical fiction before.



"A debut novel that pulses with humor and empathy and explores the heart's capacity for forgiveness ... Zadie Anson and Emma Colley have been best friends since their early twenties when they first began navigating serious romantic relationships amid the intensity of medical school. Now they're happily married wives and mothers with successful careers--Zadie as a pediatric cardiologist and Emma as a trauma surgeon. Their lives in Charlotte, North Carolina are chaotic but fulfilling until the return of a former colleague unearths a secret one of them has been harboring for years. As chief resident, Nick Xenokostas was the center of Zadie's life--both professionally and personally--during a tragic chain of events during her third year of medical school that she has long since put behind her. Nick's unexpected reappearance during a time of new professional crisis shocks both women into a deeper look at the difficult choices they made at the beginning of their careers. As it becomes evident that Emma must have known more than she revealed about circumstances that nearly derailed both their lives, Zadie begins to question everything she thought she knew about her closest friend"-- Provided by publisher.



A New York Times Bestselling Author -- The basis for the TNT medical drama pilot Chelsea General Every time surgeons operate, they're betting on their skills. Sometimes, they lose. At Chelsea General, surgeons answer for bad outcomes at the Morbidity and Mortality conference, known as M & M. Monday Mornings follows the lives of five surgeons as they push the limits of their abilities and confront their failings, often in front of their peers at M & M., Monday Mornings is a unique look at the method by which surgeons often learn -- through their mistakes.



When the body of twenty-eight-year-old social worker Kera Jacobsen shows up on Chief New York City Medical Examiner Laurie Montgomery's autopsy table, at first it appears she was the victim of a tragic yet routine drug overdose. But for Laurie and her new pathology resident, the brilliant but enigmatic Dr. Aria Nichols, little things aren't adding up. Kera's family and friends swear she never touched drugs. Administrators from the hospital where Kera worked are insisting the case be shrouded in silence. And although Kera was ten weeks pregnant, nobody seems to know who the father was--or whether he holds the key to Kera's final moments alive.

As a medical emergency temporarily sidelines Laurie, impulsive Aria turns to a controversial new technique: using genealogic DNA databases to track down those who don't want to be found. Working with experts at a start-up ancestry website, she plans to trace the fetus's DNA back to likely male relatives in the hopes of identifying the mystery father. But when Kera's closest friend and fellow social worker is murdered, the need for answers becomes even more urgent. Because someone out there clearly doesn't want Kera's secrets to come to light . . . and if Aria gets any closer to the truth, she and Laurie might find themselves a killer's next targets.



Dr. Charlotte Reese works in the intensive care unit of Seattle's Beacon Hospital, tending to patients with the most life-threatening illnesses and injuries. Her job is to battle death -- to monitor erratic heartbeats, worry over low oxygen levels, defend against infection and demise.



Claire Boehning must dust off her long-unused medical expertise and make a living for her family in rural Washington when her husband's biotech venture crashes--taking everything they owned with it.



Dr. David Spier, head of the ER at the UCLA Medical Center, is caught in a media frenzy when the man who assaulted two of Spier's colleagues becomes a patient.




In Ballybucklebo, Ireland, young doctor Barry, eagerly awaiting the arrival of his first child, and his fellow physicians, including a fledgling doctor, deal with a range of medical issues while still finding time to share the comforting joys and pleasures of this very special place.



Katie LeClair has finally settled down as the new doctor in Baxter, Michigan. After years of moving, schooling, and training, she wants nothing more than to find a place she can call home, and a small town outside of Ann Arbor seems perfect. But that idyllic dream is immediately shattered when one of her patients is found dead.



"After her brother dies in a trauma room, nurse Claire Avery can no longer face the ER. She's determined to make a fresh start--new hospital, a new career in nursing education--move forward, no turning back. But her plans fall apart when she's called to offer stress counseling for medical staff after a heartbreaking daycare center explosion. Worse, she's forced back to the ER, where she clashes with Logan Caldwell, a doctor who believes touchy-feely counseling is a waste of time. He demands his staff be as tough as he is. Yet he finds himself drawn to this nurse educator -- who just might teach him the true meaning of healing"--Page 4 of cover.



"In this novel, a doctor is faced with an ethical dilemma when her friend's child lands in the emergency room"-- Provided by publisher.



Monday, April 26, 2021

Superhero Day


In 1995, Marvel employees decided that Superheroes deserved a day all their own. So, April 28th is now Superhero Day. The history of superheroes stretches all the way back to 1936, with the creation of The Phantom,[wikipedia.org/wiki/Phantom_(comics)]. According to the Superhero Database, there are now 14,993 superheroes and villains. The world of Superheroes has grown by leaps and bounds, encompassing a myriad of powers, backgrounds, and in the words of Jack Nicholson's Joker, "wonderful toys".





Two superpowered individuals who have lost all memory of their real identities use their respective powers to commit or fight crime before teaming up together to stop the mad scientist behind a devastating medical conspiracy.



A novel of love, betrayal, revenge, and redemption follows a young woman as she discovers that the greatest superpower--for good or evil--is a properly executed spreadsheet.



Told from separate viewpoints, teens Scam, Crash, Flicker, Anonymous, Bellwether, and Kelsie, all born in the year 2000 and living in Cambria, California, have superhuman abilities that give them interesting but not heroic lives until they must work as a community to respond to a high stakes crisis.



Robert Graham's power of persuasion is a legitimate power: no one can refuse him, regardless of their own will. Being powered is as much a curse as it is a blessing, and Graham is alone until he meets an organized group calling themselves "The Unusuals" -- who welcome him as long as he can keep his power under control, and he isn't sure it's worth the price of admission.





Graphic memoir about the career of Stan Lee, the American comic book writer, editor, publisher, and former president and chairman of Marvel Comics.













"This is going to hurt! In a world where costumed heroes soar through the sky and masked vigilantes prowl the night, someone's got to make sure the 'supes' don't get out of line. And someone will! Billy Butcher, Wee Hughie, Mother's Milk, The Frenchman, and The Female are The Boys: A CIA-backed team of very dangerous people, each one dedicated to the struggle against the most dangerous force on Earth - superpower! Some superheroes have to be watched. Some have to be controlled. And some of them - sometimes - need to be taken out of the picture. That's when you call in The Boys!"--Provided by publisher



The Renegades are a syndicate of prodigies--humans with extraordinary abilities--who emerged from the ruins of a crumbled society and established peace and order where chaos reigned. As champions of justice, they remain a symbol of hope and courage to everyone...except the villains they once overthrew.



When she's not hanging out with her two best friends, Matt and Ches, Faith Herbert is volunteering at the local animal shelter or obsessing over the long-running teen drama The Grove. So far, her senior year has been spent trying to sort out her feelings for her maybe-crush Johnny and making plans to stay close to Grandma Lou after graduation. And there's the small matter of recently discovering she can fly. Then the fictional world of The Grove relocates to her town, and TV heroine Dakota Ash takes a romantic interest in Faith. But when animals, then people, begin to vanish, only Faith seems able to connect the dots to a new designer drug infiltrating her high school. -- adapted from jacket



"For centuries, science has ruled the world, while old magics have withered and died. Now magic is returning--finding a home in an unlikely hero: Billy Batson, the 15-year-old scourge of the foster-care system. Too obnoxious and arrogant for any home to hold for too long, Billy Batson is definitely trouble. Yet he has been selected to wield ancient power. But there is another, recently awakened, who seeks this same power: Black Adam. Ancient, brutal, and evil, he will tear civilization apart after he destroys Billy Batson. If the world is to survive the plague of horror on the horizon, Billy Batson must embrace his greatest wish--and learn his greatest lesson. The kid with the chip on his shoulder must become magic's purest champion. Billy Batson must become ... Shazam!"--Back cover.


Wednesday, April 21, 2021

Earth Day and Arbor Day


This year Earth Day (April 22) is celebrating its 51st anniversary while Arbor Day (April 30th) can trace its roots all the way back to 1872. Julius Sterling Morton came up with the idea for Arbor day as a way to repopulate his home state of Nebraska with trees and by 1888 it was a national celebration. Earth day began in Wisconsin, with Senator Gaylord Nelson and a group of volunteers working to raise awareness about pollution and other environmental issues.

When I lived in Bolingbrook, Arbor Day, meant a trip to Home Depot for a celebration that involved free lunch, raffles, and free trees. There are many ways to celebrate Earth Day and Arbor Day; you can simply take a walk to appreciate nature, plant some seeds or check out some of the many online events.










"Hope Jahren is an award-winning geobiologist, a brilliant writer, and one of the seven billion people with whom we share this earth. The Story of More is her impassioned open letter to humanity as we stand at the crossroads of survival and extinction. Jahren celebrates the long history of our enterprising spirit--which has tamed wild crops, cured diseases, and sent us to the moon--but also shows how that spirit has created excesses that are quickly warming our planet to dangerous levels. In short, highly readable chapters, she takes us through the science behind the key inventions--from electric power to large-scale farming and automobiles--that, even as they help us, release untenable amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. She explains the current and projected consequences of greenhouse gases--from superstorms to rising sea levels--and shares the science-based tools that could help us fight back. At once an explainer on the mechanisms of warming and a capsule history of human development, The Story of More illuminates the link between our consumption habits and our endangered earth. It is the essential pocket primer on climate change that will leave an indelible impact on everyone who reads it."-- Provided by publisher.



"A radically practical guide to making food choices that are good for you, others, and the planet. Is organic really worth it? Are eggs ok to eat? If so, which ones are best for you, and for the chicken--Cage-Free, Free-Range, Pasture-Raised? What about farmed salmon, soy milk, sugar, gluten, fermented foods, coconut oil, almonds? Thumbs-up, thumbs-down, or somewhere in between? Using three criteria--Is it good for me? Is it good for others? Is it good for the planet?--Sophie Egan helps us navigate the bewildering world of food so that we can all become conscious eaters. To eat consciously is not about diets, fads, or hard-and-fast rules. It's about having straightforward, accurate information to make smart, thoughtful choices amid the chaos of conflicting news and marketing hype. An expert on food's impact on human and environmental health, Egan organizes the book into four categories--stuff that comes from the ground, stuff that comes from animals, stuff that comes from factories, and stuff that's made in restaurant kitchens. This guide offers bottom-line answers to your most top-of-mind questions about what to eat."--Author's website.



"An intimate memoir on the work and wonder of ranch life, critiquing the inhumane and environmentally destructive factory farm system and offering sustainable alternatives for ethical omnivores. Although there are nearly 100 million cattle in the United States, these animals are often ignored or dismissed. In Meditations with Cows, Shreve Stockton inspires a more reverential attitude toward these affectionate and intelligent creatures as she shares captivating stories and photos of ranch life. At the center of the narrative is Daisy, the matriarch of the herd. Through the daily ritual of milking, Stockton forges a relationship with Daisy that deepens with each passing season: "When you have a milk cow, you are together every day, no matter the weather, no matter either of your moods. The hind leg of this twelve-hundred-pound animal towers over you as you crouch beside her... both of you aware of the fact that one well-aimed kick could kill you if she wished. Yet you are allowed to rest your cheek and forehead against her warm belly as you milk... her trust in you entwined with your trust in her, you become family." For anyone who loves animals or cares about the environmental impact of their food, Stockton explores conservation and the important role of cattle in local ecosystems, models the humane treatment of animals, and shows how pastured cattle can be our allies in averting climate crisis. Blending together narrative, science, and thoughtful reflection, Meditations with Cows offers a moving portrait of the rhythms of work, life, and hardship on the ranch."--Dust jacket.



As America and the world grapple with the consequences of global environmental change, writer and activist Bill McKibben offers this unprecedented, provocative, and timely anthology, gathering the best and most significant American environmental writing from the last two centuries.


"As we become a more digital society, the gains that have been made for the environment by moving toward a paperless world with more and more efficient devices will soon be or already have been offset by the number of devices in our lives that are always using energy. But many don't think about the impact on the environment of the "Internet of things." Whether it's a microwave connected to the internet, use of Netflix, or online shopping, these technological advances have created new impacts that the people who are most well-versed in these issues haven't considered. In Inconspicuous Consumption, Tatiana Schlossberg reveals the complicated, confounding and even infuriating ways that we all participate in a greenhouse gas-intensive economy and society, and how some of the biggest and most consequential areas of unintended emissions and environmental impacts are unknowingly part of our daily activities. She will empower people to make the best choices that they can while allowing them to draw their own conclusions"-- Provided by publisher.





"Before Rachel Carson, there was George Bird Grinnell -- the man whose prophetic vision did nothing less than launch American conservation. George Bird Grinnell, the son of a New York merchant, saw a different future for a nation in the thrall of the Industrial Age. With railroads scarring virgin lands and the formerly vast buffalo herds decimated, the country faced a crossroads: Could it pursue Manifest Destiny without destroying its natural bounty and beauty? The alarm that Grinnell sounded would spark America's conservation movement. Yet today his name has been forgotten -- an omission that John Taliaferro's commanding biography now sets right with historical care and narrative flair." -- Provided by publisher.



Using a bold, graphic-led approach, The Ecology Book explores and explains over 85 of the key ideas, movements, and acts that have defined ecology and ecological thought. The book has a simple chronological structure, with early chapters ranging from the ideas of classical thinkers to attempts by Enlightenment thinkers to systematically order the natural world. Later chapters trace the evolution of modern thinking, from the ideas of Thomas Malthus, Henry Thoreau, and others, all the way through to the political and scientific developments of the modern era, including the birth of the environmental movement and the Paris Agreement. The ideal introduction to one of the most important subjects of our time.



A sweeping new history of how climate change and disease helped bring down the Roman Empire Here is the monumental retelling of one of the most consequential chapters of human history: the fall of the Roman Empire. The Fate of Rome is the first book to examine the catastrophic role that climate change and infectious diseases played in the collapse of Rome's power--a story of nature's triumph over human ambition. Interweaving a grand historical narrative with cutting-edge climate science and genetic discoveries, Kyle Harper traces how the fate of Rome was decided not just by emperors, soldiers, and barbarians but also by volcanic eruptions, solar cycles, climate instability, and devastating viruses and bacteria. He takes readers from Rome's pinnacle in the second century, when the empire seemed an invincible superpower, to its unraveling by the seventh century, when Rome was politically fragmented and materially depleted. Harper describes how the Romans were resilient in the face of enormous environmental stress until the besieged empire could no longer withstand the combined challenges of a "little ice age" and recurrent outbreaks of bubonic plague. A poignant reflection on humanity's intimate relationship with the environment, The Fate of Rome provides a sweeping account of how one of history's greatest civilizations encountered, endured, yet ultimately succumbed to the cumulative burden of nature's violence. The example of Rome is a timely reminder that climate change and germ evolution have shaped the world we inhabit--in ways that are surprising and profound.



"The groundbreaking speeches of Greta Thunberg, the young climate activist who has become the voice of a generation, including her historic address to the United Nations"-- Provided by publisher.



A visually stunning journey into the diversity and wonders of forests. In his international bestseller The Hidden Life of Trees, Peter Wohlleben opened readers' eyes to the amazing processes at work in forests every day. Now this new, breathtakingly illustrated edition brings those wonders to life like never before. With compelling selections from the original book and stunning, large-format photographs of trees from around the world, this gorgeous volume distills the essence of Wohlleben's message to show trees in all their glory and diversity. Through rich language highlighting the interconnectedness of forest ecosystems, the book offers fascinating insights about the fungal communication highway known as the "wood wide web," the difficult life lessons learned in tree school, the hard-working natural cleanup crews that recycle dying trees, and much more. Beautiful images provide the perfect complement to Wohlleben's words, with striking close-ups of bark and seeds, panoramas of vast expanses of green, and a unique look at what is believed to be the oldest tree on the planet.--Provided by Publisher.



The history of trees in America is no less remarkable than the history of the United States itself--from the majestic white pines of New England, coveted by the British Crown for use as masts in navy warships, to the orange groves of California, which lured settlers west. In fact, without the country's vast forests and the hundreds of tree species they contained, there would have been no ships, docks, railroads, stockyards, wagons, barrels, furniture, newspapers, rifles, or firewood. No New York City, Miami, or Chicago. No Johnny Appleseed, Paul Bunyan, or Daniel Boone. America--if indeed it existed--would be a very different place without its millions of acres of trees. As Eric Rutkow's epic account shows, trees indivisible from the country's rise as both an empire and a civilization. Never before has anyone treated our country's trees and forests as the subject of a broad historical study, and the result is an accessible, informative, and thoroughly entertaining read.--From publisher description.



Provides readers with interesting facts about trees and introduces the concept of forest ecology. Includes glossary.




A Man of Salt and Trees is the first full-length biography of Joy Morton (1855-1934), founder of The Morton Arboretum--an internationally acclaimed outdoor museum of woody plants--and Morton Salt--the brand that for over a century has been a household name in the United States. Joy Morton's story begins in pre-Civil War Nebraska Territory and concludes in the midst of the Great Depression in Chicago, the city in which he lived for over a half-century
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Monday, April 19, 2021

Creativity and Innovation


The 15th of April marks the birth of one of the world's greatest innovators and creative minds, Leonardo Da Vinci so is it any wonder that the 15th of April is the start of World Creativity and Innovation Week. This week-long celebration runs through the 21st, World Creativity and Innovation Day.





"He was history's most creative genius. What secrets can he teach us? The author of the acclaimed bestsellers Steve Jobs, Einstein, and Benjamin Franklin brings Leonardo da Vinci to life in this exciting new biography. Based on thousands of pages from Leonardo's astonishing notebooks and new discoveries about his life and work, Walter Isaacson weaves a narrative that connects his art to his science. He shows how Leonardo's genius was based on skills we can improve in ourselves, such as passionate curiosity, careful observation, and an imagination so playful that it flirted with fantasy. He produced the two most famous paintings in history, The Last Supper and the Mona Lisa. But in his own mind, he was just as much a man of science and technology. With a passion that sometimes became obsessive, he pursued innovative studies of anatomy, fossils, birds, the heart, flying machines, botany, geology, and weaponry. His ability to stand at the crossroads of the humanities and the sciences, made iconic by his drawing of Vitruvian Man, made him history's most creative genius"-- Provided by publisher.



"Leonardo da Vinci's legacy is everywhere: from bridges to helicopters, fashion to fiction, flying machines, human anatomy, not to mention some of the most compelling artworks ever created by man...Historian and philosopher Justin Smith traces the artistic drives of the quintessential Renaissance thinker, captures a glimpse into the man behind the genius"-- Publisher's description.



Discover the inspiring story of Leonardo da Vinci, the artist, inventor, and engineer of the Italian Renaissance... Leonardo was a creative genius who wanted to understand how things worked. This book traces his life, from his birth in a hilltop village near Florence, Italy, through to his work as a painter, sculptor, and engineer. Leonardo made hundreds of drawings and paintings, including the Mona Lisa - probably the most famous painting in the world. Learn how Leonardo made detailed sketches of the human body and designs of parachutes, helicopters, and armored tanks - many years before the technology existed to build them.This new kids' biography series from DK goes beyond the basic facts to tell the true-life stories of history's most interesting and inspiring people. Full-color photographs and hand-drawn illustrations complement age-appropriate narrative text to create an engaging book children will enjoy reading. Definition boxes, information sidebars, inspiring quotes, and other nonfiction text features add depth, and a handy reference section at the back makes DK Life Stories the one biography series everyone will want to collect.



The authors reveal how to execute an innovation initiative. Regardless of the type of initiative, the crux of the challenge is that business organizations are not designed for innovation; they are designed for ongoing operations. And there are deep and fundamental conflicts between the two.




"Face your fears and fuel your creative passions with New York Times bestselling author Felicia Day's workbook for getting motivated, getting inspired, and getting weird. What do I have to offer the world? What if my work doesn't meet others' standards-or my own? How do I combat that nagging fear of failure and just put myself out there? It's time to confront those negative thoughts once and for all, and let your creativity blossom! Actress and bestselling author of You're Never Weird on the Internet (Almost) Felicia Day is here to empower you to overcome what holds you back, be brave enough to be vulnerable, and allow yourself to let loose. Part guided journal, part imaginative workbook, Embrace Your Weird offers a series of exciting exercises to get your creative juices flowing, fun prompts designed to get your imagination unblocked, and plenty of space throughout to just play in the margins and get your neurons firing. Like Wreck This Journal meets You Are a Badass, Embrace Your Weird will help you get back in touch with the joy of creating and feel confident about what you have to offer to the world!"-- Provided by publisher.



"Following his blockbuster biography of Steve Jobs, The Innovators is Walter Isaacson's revealing story of the people who created the computer and the Internet. It is destined to be the standard history of the digital revolution and an indispensable guide to how innovation really happens. What were the talents that allowed certain inventors and entrepreneurs to turn their visionary ideas into disruptive realities? What led to their creative leaps? Why did some succeed and others fail? In his masterly saga, Isaacson begins with Ada Lovelace, Lord Byron's daughter, who pioneered computer programming in the 1840s. He explores the fascinating personalities that created our current digital revolution, such as Vannevar Bush, Alan Turing, John von Neumann, J.C.R. Licklider, Doug Engelbart, Robert Noyce, Bill Gates, Steve Wozniak, Steve Jobs, Tim Berners-Lee, and Larry Page. This is the story of how their minds worked and what made them so inventive. It's also a narrative of how their ability to collaborate and master the art of teamwork made them even more creative. For an era that seeks to foster innovation, creativity, and teamwork, The Innovators shows how they happen"-- Provided by publisher.



"It's time to move 'doing nothing' to the top of your to-do list. In 2015 Manoush Zomorodi, host of WNYC's popular podcast and radio show Note to Self, led tens of thousands of listeners through an experiment to help them unplug from their devices, get bored, jump-start their creativity, and change their lives. Bored and Brilliant builds on that experiment to show us how to rethink our gadget use to live better and smarter in this new digital ecosystem. Manoush explains the connection between boredom and original thinking, exploring how we can harness boredom's hidden benefits to become our most productive and creative selves without totally abandoning our gadgets in the process. Grounding the book in the neuroscience and cognitive psychology of 'mind wandering'--what our brains do when we're doing nothing at all--Manoush includes practical steps you can take to ease the nonstop busyness and enhance your ability to dream, wonder, and gain clarity in your work and life. The outcome is mind-blowing. Unplug and read on."--Dust jacket flap.



Created in partnership with Flow, the groundbreaking international magazine that celebrates creativity, beautiful illustration, a love of paper, and life's little pleasures, A Book That Takes Its Time mixes articles, inspiring quotes, and what the editors call "goodies"--bound-in cards, mini-journals, stickers, posters, blank papers for collaging, and more--giving it a distinctly handcrafted, collectible feeling.



Based on the precepts of cognitive science and drawing on a half-century of interdisciplinary studies, Smart Thinking is the first book to reveal a three-part formula that distinguishes Smart Thinking from innate intelligence and shows how memory works, how to learn effectively, and how to use knowledge when (read more)



"A Young Readers adaptation of the New York Times Bestselling book where author, Steven Johnson, walks readers through the history and impact of six inventions that influence the modern world. His fascinating account is organized into six topics: glass, cold, sound, clean, time, light. Johnson's fresh exploration of these simple, single-syllable word concepts create an endlessly absorbing story that moves from lightning strikes in the prehistoric desert to the herculean effort to literally raise up the city of Chicago to laser labs straight out of a sci-fi movie. In other words, it's the story of how we got to now!"-- Provided by publisher.





Favorite Books Read in 2024

2024 has been a reading slump for me.  I struggled to select which books to read.  I also struggled to settle myself so I could just sit and...