What I've Been Reading

I've been on a book binge lately, trying to shorten my gargantuan list of books to read. Here are the other books I've checked out over the last couple weeks:

1. My Brain is Open: The Mathematical Journeys of Paul Erdös, by Bruce Schecter: This biography of Paul Erdös paints a vivid picture of modern mathematics' most eccentric personality, a fascinating depiction even for those who are not mathematically inclined. Erdös famously had many oddball quirks, from his peripatetic living habits (he did not have a formal address, but constantly moved from one co-author's couch to the next), to his invented vocabulary (children were called "episilons," women were "bosses," and people who had stopped doing math had "died"). With over 450 co-authors and 1,500 papers to his credit, it is a popular game amongst mathematicians to trace yourself back to Erdös via degrees of collaboration (akin to the Kevin Bacon game). Though much of his work is beyond the comprehension of general readers, this book provides an accessible introduction to one of the 20th century's greatest thinkers.
   
2. Adverbs, by David Handler: From the book jacket, "Adverbs is a novel about love--a bunch of different people, in and out of different kinds of love...This novel is about people trying to find love in the ways it is done before the volcano erupts and the miracle ends. Yes, there's a volcano in this novel. In my opinion a volcano automatically makes a story more interesting." With a different adverb to title each chapter and an endorsement from Dave Eggers on the back, Adverbs is a quirky, SWPL read from the same author of the Lemony Snicket series.
   
3. Fruitless Fall: The Collapse of the Honey Bee and the Coming Agricultural Crisis, by Rowan Jacobsen: Over the last couple years, the North American honey bee population has been decimated by unknown causes. Billed as this generation's Silent Spring, Fruitless Fall discusses the importance of bees to agricultural production, and how their disappearance forebodes an agricultural crisis that will necessitate a revolution in the way we produce our food. Jacobsen illustrates the lifestyle of the bee and the intelligence of the hive, and how that way of life is under unprecedented strain. Suffice it to say that the next time I need to buy honey, I will be running to my local organic farmer.
   
4. Self-Made Man: One Woman's Year Disguised as a Man, by Norah Vincent: After taking Desire, I am pretty much a sucker for anything involving gender identity, so the appeal of this book is self-explanatory. The author goes to great lengths to explore the male lens, changing her attitude and appearance to infiltrate a men's bowling league, strip clubs, and a monastery. She even attends a Robert Bly-style men's retreat. If you've ever rued your own gender, this book provides some thought-provoking insight on what it's like to play another sex role.
   
5. Insatiable: Tales from a Life of Delicious Excess, by Gael Greene: From the pulpit of New York magazine food critic, Greene unabashedly brings us a steamy blend of power, sex and food as she details her travels and dalliances with everyone from Julia Child to Elvis.