My Year of Meats - Ruth L. Ozeki

If you happen to be an omnivore that is completely uninterested in knowing what happened to your steak or pork chop before it hit your table, this may not be the book for you.

From the back cover: When documentarian Jane Takagi-Little finally lands a job producing My American Wife!,  a Japanese television show sponsored by an American meat-exporting business, she discovered some unsavory truths about love, fertility, and a hormone called DES. Meanwhile, on the other side of the globe, Akiko Ueno, a beleaguered Japanese housewife, struggles to escape from her child-craving husband. When Jane's and Akiki's lives intersect, the deepest concerns of our time are illuminated: how the past informs the present and how we live and live in an ever-shrinking world.

So, whoa. Seriously, as I stated above, if you don't want to know anything about how meat gets from the farm to the table, this is not a book you should pick up. If you think eating organic is only for hippies and soft hearted liberals, well you're wrong, and this book is also not for you. It is definitely fiction for feminists, which I adore to the very core of my being. I also enjoy fiction that can be entertaining and educational without being overly obvious about it. The writing shows Ozeki did some seriously in depth research--she even includes her resources in the back of the book. I am not one to panic over much of anything, though I'm slightly paranoid about getting sick (thank you, Stephen King). We should definitely panic. There are things to panic about. And we are eating them. Willingly chewing up and swallowing un-prescribed antibiotics and hormones. We're setting ourselves up for an epidemic, which most of the population refuses to acknowledge. My parents think I am ridiculous for only consuming organic meat and dairy, but I think they are ridiculous for ignoring signs that are definitely right in front of us. This is a book about exactly that--the research is there, the science hands us the nasty truth.... We shrug, and shovel more crap into our mouths.

I could continue to get even more preachy, but I will end with saying that the novel speaks volumes both culturally and socially. Ozeki writes well, spinning a clear story that is funny and shocking. It will definitely inspire mindful eating, if you're already open to the concept.

Armada - Ernest Cline **SPOILERS**

I wanted to like Armada. I did, I swear. I like Ready Player One, regardless of the somewhat not quite poor writing. With Armada, I expected to see Cline evolve--and to a certain degree, he did. He wove a semi-decent plot twist, trite as it was, into an unbelievably huge trope of geekdom. Where RP1 was believable, Armada was not. During the entirety of the novel, I was completely unable to suspend my disbelief and enjoy the story. RP1 gave us OASIS and things within it that were completely possible because it was a video game. In essence, I am comparing Armada to Pixels. It is a video game-geek dream come to life for the main character. Wade from RP1 was a more sympathetic character because he's caught in a life of poverty and he was relatively well rounded as a three dimensional character. Zach Lightman, on the other hand... Never grew, never matured. Just continued to be amazingly awesome at video games and that was the entire book. His emotional turmoil never came to a head--he was constantly angry at either his father or the situation, which is understandable given that he thought his father was dead and the situation at hand was the end of the world.

My other big issue with Armada: the use of the manic pixie dream girl. This is by far the most ridiculous and anti-feminist fiction tool there is. I fucking hate it. Zooey Deschanel happens to play them with alarming frequency, much as I love her and her show, New Girl. But I hate that type of stock character--and no, I do not think that Jess is a MPDG. She is quirky and weird and I adore her.

Armada reads more like a conspiracy theory/science fiction nerd celebration than anything else. Not only is Zach's mom a great mom--single widow who put herself through school and raised a child on her own, but she is also gorgeous, and she plays video games. Not only is Zach a super nerd, he is also apparently a total badass, because hey, let's kick the school bully's ass so badly in grade school that it follows me all the way to my senior year in high school. On top of all of this, there is the notion that civilians could possibly fight a war waged with such advanced technology and there be a lack of mass hysteria is beyond ridiculous. Cline paints an overly optimistic view of humanity in the face of a global crisis. Katrina was a disaster, not just because it was a hurricane, but because an entire community went crazy and our government was stupid about it. So, invading aliens and a global attitude of team work? No. Just no.

Suffice to say, I hated it.

Go Set a Watchman

My thoughts on Go Set a Watchman are completely separate from the matter of whether or not Harper Lee wanted this published or not. The ability of Lee to approve the publication is important, and frankly, as someone who writes… I cannot imagine having my words published without my consent. As readers, we have no idea on this matter, though we have suspicions.

My point here is to give some thoughts on Go Set a Watchman in relation to To Kill a Mockingbird.

I somehow missed reading To Kill a Mockingbird until I was in my mid-twenties—I chalk that up to the fact that I switched to a smaller school my freshman year and ended up in honors English where we read something different. Fans of To Kill a Mockingbird are rabid in their dislike of a very racist portrayal of Atticus Finch in Go Set a Watchman. I think that the Atticus Finch in Mockingbird is the same man we see in Watchman. The difference is that they eyes that are on him are different. Scout is different. Suffice to say I spent the last half of the book crying because my adoration of Atticus Finch has been crushed, but I still like him--he remains a man of principle and openness, and for the time it is set in, he's a good man that does right and seeks true justice. I would argue that because Lee was asked to write a second draft of stories strictly from Scout’s childhood perspective, we end up seeing two versions of Atticus Finch. When you look at the first draft in comparison to the second, I think it only serves to highlight the brilliance of Lee—she knew that the idealized version of Atticus that Scout had was only what Scout saw. The grown up version of Scout that we meet, Jean Louise, is a woman who thinks and has her own opinions. She is a different person from her peers in Maycomb.

For me, the part that hit hardest was how Scout had changed. She did not realize that she was the one who had changed, and I have experienced that. I have parents that have vastly differing views from my own, which leaves us little to discuss during holidays. The only thing my father and I can solidly agree on is how much we detest Tom Brady and the Patriots. My mother, to whom I always looked up to and adored is (to me) a completely different person than who she was when I was growing up. But, is she really? Or is it me that is different?

Again, the argument of whether or not it should have been published isn’t happening on this blog. I feel like the problem readers have with Watchman is that they so desperately wanted Atticus Finch to be the ideal from Mockingbird. The (albeit fictional) reality is that Atticus was never as idealistic as Scout set him up as. White people have a problem with that—Atticus Finch is their fictional idolized pillar that yells “See?!? We’re not all racist!” We feel good because Atticus did right by the Black man. And white people have a hard time accepting that it is necessary to acknowledge our Privilege. After reading Watchman, I realized that Atticus was doing right by the law. The law is what was important to him. At heart, we still want to see Atticus defending Tom Robinson as an act of defiance in the face of racism and segregation at the time it is set it. In Watchman, we get a grown up Scout that represents what many of us in the South feel. We have relatives and people we know who use racial slurs and are so judgmental that we cringe during every holiday get together. What Go Set a Watchman is: a heart wrenching reminder that you can never truly go home once you leave.

If you’re looking for a good book, read it. If you’re looking for something comforting and non-confrontational, I suggest you look elsewhere.

Oryx & Crake / Year of the Flood - Margaret Atwood

I finished Oryx & Crake in record time sometime last year. It is a truly frightening tale, not in the sense of good versus evil or a horror story. Rather, it is a very realistic look at the direction the human race has taken and the road we seem to be speeding down. I am not up on my science, though I do know we have made some medical advances in many different areas. One thing I do know is that people in general are wearing down their resistance to antibiotics and it has been speculated that we're due for an outbreak of some type. Hence my lack of antibacterial soap at home and hesitance to leap to antibiotics right away for anything.

Oryx & Crake is exactly that--between Corporations that produce medicines and others that produce food in a manner that is even more horrifying than our current methods of hormones and antibiotics that make chickens four times as big as they were twenty years ago... It is not much of a leap to go from how the world is now to the world that Atwood builds in Oryx & Crake.

It took a second try to wade through Year of the Flood, mostly because not only alternates characters, but also includes sermons from Adam One. We see events leading up to and after the disaster in Oryx & Crake from the points of view of two different women loosely connected to Jimmy and Glenn (or Snowman and Crake, if you like). Admittedly, I often skimmed through the Adam One sermons. Towards the end, they actually included information regarding the state of the world and should probably not be skimmed over, but that's just me.

As with The Handmaid's Tale, Atwood builds a dystopia that is believable and feasible based on the reality of our society. If I am honest, her writing scares and thrills me all at once. I'm currently not quite halfway through Maddaddam, and my thoughts are ambivalent at this point. Oryx & Crake is worth picking up all on its own, but I can never leave a series unread. Regardless of whether you want to experience the entire series, it is an apt look at what we are doing to the world. It could very well be our future, as we look at the destruction of ecosystems and the crazy flooding I'm currently experiencing.

I love the characters, they are all so relatable, especially Toby and Ren. They stand out in a set of novels where they live in a society that places extreme value on scientific and mathematical skills with no regard for anything else, except profit. Perhaps this is why Atwood's fictional world goes to hell in a hand basket. Both Toby and Ren belong to God's Gardeners, an eco-group within the novel. Even it has a dark side, as part of the group branches off and helps cause the literal end of the world. Right now, we're ruled by oil and those backed by big oil. We have other options that will likely not be used in my lifetime. Yet, it begs the question: what exactly are we doing? Our lifestyles are not sustainable. I can even attest that I have no desire to give up my twenty minute morning showers or evening soaks. I drive a gas guzzling sports car. I vote sporadically at best. I recycle only sometimes. This is how we reach the end of the world, isn't it?

Plated: In where I order food from the interwebs and follow directions...

I adore things that make my life easier. Smartphone, check. Car that is fancy enough to give me an oil life percentage, check. So, it would stand to reason that ordering food from the interwebs and cooking would be a snap... Check, check, check. I was pretty doubtful when I stumbled across an article about Plated. Since it was only going to cost $24 and there is no obligation to keep receiving boxes (I'm looking at you, Julep), I dove in.

My order shipped Wednesday and I got it via FedEx this afternoon. It came in a regular ol' box that was niftily insulated. I've even got some extra ice packs to show for it... Even though the next time I move, they'll likely get thrown out. Essentially, Plated sends you enough ingredients for strictly 2, 4, or 6 servings. I see this as absolutely a plus, but not a plus for me personally. However, if you're a frequent business traveler and want to impress a lady or man person during the weekend, it seems like a perfect idea! Or if you're going to have guests and want to cook a couple meals for them during their stay. But, for a lady person on a budget... Mmm, I can see this not being a regularly feasible option.

One thing I really love about it is that it forces you to make a choice between what is being offered... and once it is in your possession, that's what you've got to make. I would never have gone out of my way to make Chicken Tikka Masala, but that was one of the options in my trio of meals. And it was fucking delicious. I've had the boxed, frozen Chicken Tikka Masala from Trader Joe's, and it was so spicy that I was unable to finish the dish. The ingredients from Plated, along with their recipe made for an excellent dish with loads of flavor and a healthy kick that wasn't so spicy that it became inedible. I even went with the suggested side of sauteed spinach, which was something I would not have made if left to my own devices. Now, if you're a vegetarian or have food allergies, not to worry! You are completely able to tailor the meals to your preferences. Since I am an eater of ALL THE THINGS, I ended up with a chicken, pork and beef. I've only made the Chicken Tikka Masala as of this posting, but my other two options look really tasty as well.

According to the Plated website, your order will stay appropriately cooled for up to 24 hours after delivery, which is perfect. I actually didn't run the super-important-school related errand I had to run today because I was afraid of the box sitting outside in the lukewarm sunshine. Since FedEx delivers any time before 8 pm, I reluctantly stayed home... And by reluctantly, I mean I watched Gilmore Girls. Since my apartment complex will also receive deliveries for me, I really don't have to be worried if I get home after it is delivered during the day. No biggie!



Another big thing that has been on my mind lately is eating meat that is hormone, antibiotic, and cruelty free. I have been eating a ton of fish. Thankfully Kroger has a pretty good array of pre-seasoned fish filets that allow me to whip up dinner in under 30 minutes. Tonight's chicken dish took me close to an hour to prep and cook, so it is definitely not something I would undertake during the week, unless I was trying to impress someone... Which, let's face it, my liberal minded, feminist, two stepping, omelet cooking, tall, and handsome hasn't made it into my life yet. As I am a foodie, this isn't a problem. Plated sources antibiotic and hormone free, and (according to them) try to source from family owned farms. Points to Plated for that. Their seafood is sustainable, points again.

Orders over $50 ship for free, which is something I like. They do sell out, so prepare to be a little disappointed. I was looking at the menu and eyeballing some lamb chops. No lamb chops for me. I was able to update my potential order for a different delivery date in order to get some of those fancier options that have beef, pork, duck, or chicken.

Prices can vary depending on what you choose. I played with my basket and ended up with two meals that cost $100. This is definitely not going to be something I do on the regular, but I absolutely will be checking out the menu on a weekly basis and seeing what looks interesting. You can cancel your subscription with no fuss, or you can just elect to skip the week or receive a box every other week. I love this concept and it is something I'll do again every so often to brush up on my cooking repertoire!

Kindred - Octavia Butler

I know there are sub-genres within sub-genres, along with crossover genres. Some work, some don't. Kindred works, and it works well. A friend asked to see the back of the book, and laughed as he read the classification at the top: science fiction/African American literature. I use the term friend very loosely, as we were out on a date and one date later, he called me creepy for keeping a gun underneath my bedside table and also mansplained rape and stalking statistics in my area as being very low. Anyway, that is neither here, nor there.

I would definitely approach Kindred as an excellent piece of historical fiction and African American literature. Set in 1976 and over several years in the antebellum South, it shows the comparative aspects of relationships between black and white people both in time and in relation to one another. Hopefully that made sense. From the back of the books: Dana, a modern black woman, is celebrating her twenty-sixth birthday with her new husband when she is snatched abruptly from her home in California and transported to the antebellum South. Rufus, the white son of a plantation owner, is drowning, and Dana has been summoned to save him. Dana is drawn back repeatedly through time to the slave quarters, and each time the stays grow longer, more arduous, and more dangerous until it is certain whether or not Dana's life will end, long before it has a chance to begin.

I feel that marking it as science fiction reaches a little, but I get why. Regardless, Butler writes well and descriptively, giving Dana depth and emotion--making her a truly likable character. Actually, I like all the characters, even Rufus and Dana's husband, though he falls a little flat. His reaction annoys (by annoy, I mean that it shames me into recalling I benefit from white privilege). I'm actually reading this for two different classes, both within Women's Studies. Within Feminist Theories, we've not touched on the book yet, but I am eager to see it from that approach as well--and may already be seeing it from that kaleidoscope perspective, in that Dana is black, married to a white man and has to deal with the disappointment of her family that she has married a white man. We have already touched on Kindred in my other class, U.S. Women of Colors--and hit it from more of a historical perspective. I'd definitely pick up Kindred if you are interested in historical fiction. If you are a die hard sci-fi nerd, well, it's really historical fiction. Good historical fiction, which means a lot coming from me. 

Ready Player One Sequel?

Firstly, I have mixed feelings about this.

What was wrong with Ready Player One? Well, not a lot. But, enough to make it slightly painful to read. It had a strong start and it struck me as a very friendly book to a wide range of audiences. It hit all the high points that you could possibly imagine within the nerd kingdom. My gripe is the romance aspect. It was just eye roll inspiring.

As I stated in my initial review of RPO, I like Cline's writing. And I loved the nuanced aspect of touching on literally every nerd thing. And I do mean ALL OF THE NERD THINGS. I fully give it a 7/10 - would read again. But, I am really hoping for more evidence of his great writing.

Just leave out the teen romance.