What I Read (2009)

In reverse order

(Grade A-F, no E's) Title-Author Additional thoughts

B- The Last Continent by Terry Pratchett My least favorite Pratchett to date, but still quite good. Making fun of academicians and evolution all in one fell swoop.

F Lost City of the Jedi by Paul Davids and Hollace Davids Weak, but the boy loves Star Wars

D Star Wars: the Phantom Menace by Henry Gilroy, Rodolfo Damaggio, Al Williamson

B- Under the Dome by Stephen King Pretty compelling story, end was a bit weak, but these kinds of stories are basically impossible to end well IMHO.

F Young Jedi Knights by Kevin J. Anderson and Rebecca Moesta Ugh, Part II

C+ 1421 The Year China Discovered America by Gavin Menzies Thought provoking book, although I think Menzies overstates the case a bit.

D The Mark on the Door by Franklin W. Dixon

B+ Mort by Terry Pratchett :)

C Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rawling A reread for the boy

C+ Law of Nines by Terry Goodkind Love me some Goodkind, took quite awhile before I the tie in with the Sword of Truth series

B- Devices and Desires by K.J. Parker

A Your Inner Fish by Neil Shubin Must read science book, ties in the actual doing of science with the knowledge generated

D The Emerald City of Oz by Frank Baum

A- Reaper Man by Terry Pratchett :)x2

A+ God's Problem by Bart D. Ehrman Favorite book of the year!!!

C+ Human Natures by Paul R. Ehrlich

D Footprints Under the Window by Franklin W. Dixon

A Small Gods by Terry Pratchett Funniest Pratchett book to date!!

B The Subtle Knife by Philip Pullman

B Scarlet by Stephen Lawhead

B- Junk Science by Dan Agin

B+ Hood by Stephen Lawhead A good reworking of Robin Hood.

D While the Clock Ticked by Franklin W. Dixon

B Making Money by Terry Pratchett My first Pratchett....only 3x more to go

C Marlfox by Brian Jacques

Blogging the Origin

Alright a couple of points before we even get started. Before the actual book is a historical perspective and introduction written by Darwin. Take home message, ideas and thoughts about the origin of species had a long and noble life before Darwin. The decades leading up to 1859 had a fair number of ideas related to species the environment and diversity. (Actually it is harder to believe this wouldn't have been the case, many people had many animals and plants and exposure to many more animals and plants. You just can't miss the diversity out there, the effect of the environments on organisms, and the intrinsic problem with trying to organizing life into understandable units.)

The introduction is essentially an extended abstract of the book. Darwin briefly explains the point of each chapter so you know what's coming.

OK, once I complete chapter 1 Ill be back with a few notes on thoughts from said chapter "Variation Under Domestication"

Origin of Species - a bookclub

Happy 150th anniversary of the publication of On the Origin of Species by Charles Darwin. I started this book several years ago but quickly got bogged down with other things. I thought I would (re)read it and try to toss out a few post on my thoughts as I go. Maybe a post a chapter, we''ll see. I thought about getting Bananaman's version of the book but I wasn't sure what I would do with all the vomit.

Anyway, I recommend you all pick up a copy from the library, dust off the copy on your shelf, or even shell out a few bucks to a bookstore and read it with me. (although to be completely honest Im not going to burn through it so you'll probably finish it before me)

What I Read (2008)

In reverse order

(Grade A-F, no E's) Title-Author Additional thoughts

B Inside Straight by George R.R. Martin Superhero reality show, go figure
C Spook Country by William Gibson I admit it, I didnt quite get it.
B Genesis of Shannara: The Gypsy Morph by Terry Brooks
A Endless Forms Most Beautiful by Sean B. Carroll
C What Happened at Midnight by Franklin W. Wilson
B The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman
A-C Wastelands: Stories of the apocalypse edited by John J. Adams
B Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
D Survival of the Sickest by Sharon Moalem Interesting idea, but that's it.
A Evolution The Triumph of an Idea By Carl Zimmer Read it NOW
C the Mysterious Flame of Queen Loana by Umberto Eco Will always read the author of The Name of the Rose.
B The Great Book of Amber by Robert Zelany
C The Great Airport Mystery by Franklin W. Dixon
C A Wonderful Welcome to Oz (2/3 my boy wanted some Hardy Boys)
A Darwin's Dangerous Idea by Daniel Dennet Well written, thought provoking
B America the Book : A Citizen's Guide to Democracy Inaction by John Stewart
A+ I Am America (and So Can You) by Stephen Colbert Scored high in hopes of getting on the show
A The Assault on Reason by Al Gore
A The Figure in the Shadows by John Bellairs Childhood good memories pushed this up
B Misquoting Jesus : The Story Behind Who Changed the Bible and Why by Bart D. Ehrman
D Mister B. Gone by Clive Barker The idea was good, but only good enough for a short story.

Good Books Gone Bad

I have been meaning to comment on Sharon Moalem's Survival of the Sickest for a while now, but I have been stymied by the real world. In short, I think this book is based on a truly interesting premise, but in presentation does a tremendous disservice to said premise. The idea behind this book is that many of the mutations that cause or predispose people to disease are actually beneficial mutations that were selected for in the distant past. One thing I took away from this book is that while I am a definite adaptionist, Dr. Moalem makes me look like a structuralist.

Now the idea that harmful mutations are really beneficial mutations in a different light is not new nor wrong. In fact the hallmark example for this is likely known to everyone reading this. It is sickle cell anemia. Sickle cell anemia is a blood disorder in which the classic concave red blood cell (the cell that transports oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the cells of our bodies) as shown to the left and taken from here, has a sickle shape to the right. Now this shape in and of itself, is not a bad thing. The problem lies in the fact that these oddly shaped cells cannot move through blood vessels effectively, thus depriving tissues of much need oxygen. This causes lots of problems, not the least of which can be demonstrated as a 30 year decline in life expectancy. In case you were wondering, or need a refresher, sickle cell anemia is cause by a point mutation in the DNA (a single nucleotide change) that leads to a single amino acid substitution in the protein sequence of hemoglobin (by the way, most of a red blood cell is composed of hemoglobin). This mutation, causes hemoglobin sub-units to polymerize into fibers, which distorts the red blood cell, leading to its sickle cell shape.

Holy crap Batman! This sounds bad and should be selected against.

Indeed Robin, however, let's look at where this mutation is most often found. Yes boy wonder, Sub-Saharan Africa. Notice that malaria is prevalent in that area as well. What? You're wondering if there is a link? Damn Boy Wonder is you aren't just the cats meow (and by that I mean smart, yet pathetic). Indeed there is a link! You see, human beings who carry the sickle cell mutation (in other words have a normal copy and a mutant copy) or are homozygous for sickle cell (have 2 mutant copies and 0 normal copies) are more resistant to malaria.

Holy defecation Batman, that rocks! But if sickle cell anemia is bad, what the fuck? I mean that doesn't make sense.

Indeed it does Boy Blunder, I mean Wonder (wonder I don't kick his ass out of the Justice League). However, think about this. Malaria will sicken everyone, but kills children in the less than 5 year old range. Whereas, sickle cell anemia, while debilitating tends to kill 40+ year olds. So, if you live in a malarial invested area, its better for you to have the sickle cell mutation survive childhood, be hawt and reproduce, and die at 40 rather than not having the sickle cell mutation and dying in childhood.

Now while the evidence linking malaria/sickle cell anemia is well established, the scenarios described by Dr. Moalem are weaker. There is the  pubonic plague vs. iron overloading, diabetes and ice age (recent ice age not ancient), high cholesterol (which your blogmaster is dealing with) vs. vitamin D, and the list continues. Now I will not dispute any of the potential claims made by Dr. Moalem, but I will remain highly skeptical primarily because Dr. Moalem does a fantastic job writing to the lay public and an atrocious job writing to a scientist. Phrasology (if I can make up a word) such as "in the prestigous journal..." or the fact that nothing in science is understood until some asshat working on a mouse recapitulates what's been known in yeast and plants for decades (epigenetics).  Pounding the Barbara McClintock was relegated to the back burner mythology because MDs couldn't understand the importance of her work, although she worked alongside other seminal molecular biologists such as Salvador Luria and Max Delbruck, not to mention the fact that Dr. McClintock was elected to the National Academy of Sciences in 1944. Nope. The value of Dr. McClintock's work was not appreciated until mouse geneticists realized she was right.

Suffice it to say the idea behind the book is outstanding and deserves more intellectual consideration. However, the delivery of the book, after the first 1-2 chapters, reads more like any general woo-meister cook book rather than a scientific analysis. Worth it from the Barnes and Noble bargain bin, but only if you get the 10% member discount.