The Dobe Ju/'hoansi

by Richard B. Lee

I read this third edition case study to help Tyler with a paper for his Cultural Anthropology class. Initially, I was reasonable unenthusiastic as I am not overly fond of non-fiction and typically research papers made into books bore me to tears.

I was surprised by the lively, light writing of Lee and, although it seemed a little scattered because it was divided into sections by topic, rather than being a chronological record, it was extremely interesting. Often people in well-developed countries assume that those living primitively, by our standards, are unhappy, destitute and disease infested. The Ju/'hoansi (Zwe/wasi) make this assumption laughable as they are healthy, congenial and peaceful and value food, water and friends more than inanimate possessions.

This book was infused with traditions of a culture very different from mine. Perhaps the most interesting thing Lee discovered about these Kalahari- dwelling people is there way of keeping equality and humility among individuals. At first it may seem that they are harsh and impossible to satisfy, always complaining and ungrateful. However, this practice only assures that the people are not swelled up with pride and that no one is looked on as better or achieves a higher status than anyone else.

I wrote a five and a half page paper on this book and could have continued in relating facts and cultural traditions of the Ju/'hoansi for at least five and a half more. This type of book is one that I will strive to indulge in again as it was a huge eye-opener to the differences in other cultures that don't make them worse off, just different and, in many ways, better in my opinion.

This book was a very frank study of this indigenous people and that included marriage and sexuality. However, there is nothing graphic, inappropriate or crude in the conveyance of these facts.

I Didn't Plan to be a Witch: and Other Surprises of a Joyful Mother

by Linda Eyre

I happened upon this title and thought it sounded like a fun and, most likely, insightful, read. The beginning of the book lived up to that somewhat, introducing lively anecdotes featuring the mischievous exploits of the author's nine children. By the middle of the book, however, I found myself getting mad and only made it through the rest of the book by sheer desire to finish what I had started, rolling my eyes all the way.
Having nine children does not automatically make someone eligible to dish out advice like some sort of expert. The author, indisputably, has the experience under her belt, but not necessarily the perspective I wanted to read about. I was greatly annoyed as the mention of her second home in Washington D.C. and her summer cabin in Oregon became regular side notes in every chapter. That, coupled with the humanitarian trips her family took to Romania and Japan, and the years they lived in England struck me as boastful; there are ways she could have related experiences without flaunting her checkbook. This book in itself appeared to be a marketing tool for her other five or six books which, sickeningly enough, are all about child rearing techniques, which makes me want to shout my initial statements, reiterating the thought that perhaps someone with nine kids is not qualified to teach others about raising children simply because they have a large family. The breaking point was the chapter about weight and her insistence that losing ten pounds in a year was a great struggle and bane and that her metabolism was obviously extremely slow. Want to know what I think about that lady? *&%$)*&^%$#@!!

I REALLY don't ever want to read anything by Linda Eyre again. Even her writing bothered me. The number of exclamation points in this book was staggering. The writing itself was redundant and her style added to my impression that she is no expert or professional. She bugs me. The book has nothing inappropriate in it except several instances of babies falling on their heads due to this moron having more kids than she can handle.

Are You There, Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea

by Chelsea Handler

This book was not at all what I expected. I had an idea that it would be a typical autobiography chronicling at least portions of her life from childhood to adulthood. Not so. This was a somewhat sporadic, if chronological, collection of isolated events and anecdotes throughout her preteens and, mostly, her twenties. That being said, I have never laughed out loud at a book as hard as I did while reading this one. She's a comedian, so of course these stories are told in a humorous way, but her blunt and sometimes crude depiction of her personality and life sent me into multiple rounds of hysterics. My favorite chapter was titled, Dim Sum and Then Some. She relates an experience of going to a spa and receiving a very shady massage, ending with the exclamation "My body, my choice!" Her fascination with "nuggets" and vodka is also hilarious as she expresses her thoughts on these most beloved indulgences. This book is great for people that don't get offended easily as it contains very straightforward depictions and language.