Read: Jean M. Auel - The Shelters of Stone

Why did I re-read this book? I got sucked in while visiting my friend Jenn, since it was conveniently located on her iPad that I'd borrowed for the day. But still, this book is really not worth re-reading. I love the concept of a stone age woman growing up adopted by Neanderthals, then going out on her own to fend for herself in the world as a hunter gatherer. And the earlier books in the series actually had exciting inventions and discoveries. But the latest book in the series is just a re-telling of all the events of the previous books as she finally settles down with others of her own species - same stories repeated more than once, and an endless emphasis of all the one-dimensional characters, as if the author believes that all the readers are blithering idiots. It would be laughable if it didn't go on for so long. One can only hope that the upcoming final book in the series will redeem this one, since it only serves as the set-up for the final conflict between humans and Neanderthals.

Want to Read: Doug Saunders - Arrival City, the Final Migration and Our Next World

I knew Doug Saunders (who is, by the way, no relation to me) had a new book out, but I didn't know anything about it. But this morning I read an excerpt, and I'm very excited to read the book now - all about urbanization and how it's changing the world for the better. I should have known it would be great - I've always enjoyed his columns for the Globe.

Want to Read: Jeremy Rifkin - The Empathic Civilization, The Race to Global Consciousness in a World in Crisis

Jeremy Rifkin is giving a talk tomorrow at the Green Building Festival. I don't think I'd heard about his book before, but what I'm reading now is very interesting - a positive view on how our world could be changing for the better.

Want to Read: Oliver Sacks - The Mind's Eye

Oliver Sacks is always great reading. This one is about how our minds cope with the loss of sight. I haven't read anything by him in a while, so I'm looking forward to this book.

Update: I just read another review of this book. It's about Oliver Sacks' own progressive loss of sight, due to cancer. Suddenly it seems so much more poignant. I first read his early autobiography, "Memoirs of a Chemical Boyhood" in the hospital while my father was dying of cancer.

Read: Mary Roach - Packing for Mars

I finished off Mary Roach's "Packing for Mars: the curious science of life in the void" this past weekend while visiting my friend Jenn. As expected it was full of obscure, entertaining facts about space travel, and further funny footnotes. Sometimes her jokes are a little hokey, but I'm willing to overlook it since she puts such an all-out effort into getting to the bottom of stories, asking the tough, sometimes humiliating questions that the rest of us wouldn't dare.

Want to Read: Bill Bryson - At Home, A Short History of Private Life

Sounds like similar subject matter as Witold Rybczynski's "Home, A Short History of an Idea", and yet I'm sure Bill Bryson will have a fresh, funny perspective on it.

Want to Read: Suzanne Collins - Hunger Games trilogy

The latest book in the trilogy just came out, which led to my hearing about it for the first time. In a ruined future North America teenagers are chosen by lottery to compete in televised games akin to that of the ancient gladiators. Could be great - I'm hoping for an Orson Scott Card "Ender" type of story.