Loose Girl

Book: Loose Girl: a memoir of promiscuity

Author: Kerry Cohen

Grade: B+

"No one likes to hear a therapist say this, but I don't believe in change. The bottom line is that I haven't changed...... I still get the same urges when I hit rough patches in my life. The difference now is simply that I'm too aware of my addiction's lies to act on it anymore. There's a line in in the book, "We all have the opportunity to find that place where awareness trumps our actions. And I've reached that place. I can't go back." That's the only change that happened for me"

Profound and honest; this paragraph epitomizes Cohen's eye opening account of the depths she sinks to in futile attempts to fill her insatiable need to be wanted and loved; and the realization that being wanted and being loved are two entirely different entities. It's been a while since I've read anything that comes close to being as honest as "Loose Girl." Cohen lays it all out on the table: the good, the bad and the very ugly in the hopes that some "loose girl" somewhere will be able to find her story in these pages. Cohen brings to light a topic that is sorely under represented in our society in a way that is both relatable and researched.

Despite never having struggled with the same issues, I found myself completely understanding her description of her pain and aching. I understood that her actions were the only ones that made sense at the time. Regardless of the drug of choice (food, booze, drugs, sex, video games), anyone with a history of addiction will see themselves on each and every page of this book and find themselves rooting for Cohen with all they got - that was certainly my experience. I strongly urge all to read this powerful memoir whether or not you are dealing with an addiction. I have no doubt you will come away from "Loose Girl" deeply moved.

Plain Secrets

Book: Plain Secrets: An Outsider among the Amish

Author: Joe Mackall

Grade: C-

Joe Mackall has lived surrounded by the Swartzentruber Amish community in Ashland County, Ohio for over 16 years. The Swartzentruber Amish are the most traditional and insular sect of Amish. They forbid indoor plumbing, electricity, cushions on their chairs or lights on their buggies. They also don't participate in the much sensationalized rite of "Rumspringa" (wherein Amish youth are encouraged to go into the "English" world, get wild, and return home to be baptized -making them full members of the church).

Over the years, Mackall forms a solid friendship with the Shetler family and is granted unprecedented access to a world kept entirely hidden from the general public. Mackall paints an unbiased portrait of a predominately stereotyped population.

I didn't love it, but I didn't hate it. It's almost certainly ending up in the category of books I read and then never think about again. If your at a loss for anything else to read, or if you are particularly fond of the Amish, then "Plain Secrets" might be for you. If you don't fit into either of those categories, I suggest skipping it.

An Altar in the World

Book: An Altar in the World: A geography of Faith

Author: Barbara Brown Taylor

Grade: A+

I opened this book mid-evening last night and was incapable of putting it down until my eyelids literally refused to stay open any longer. I woke up early this morning, planted myself on the couch and didn't move until the last word on the last page. Then I was left with the melancholy that sinks in after finishing a read that I wish would go on forever. I put the book down and took the dog for a walk while I processed what I'd just read.

"An Altar to the World" is a exquisitely beautiful meditation on the holiness of everyday life. After leaving her post as a pastor to pursue a career as a professor of religion, Taylor discovers the beauty of a God that extends beyond the four walls of an institution deigned for worship. While Taylor is Christian, she doesn't let that limit her journey into the spirit. Taylor's experiences in discovering the sacredness lurking in everything from doing the dishes to make offerings to God, are inspiringly easy to recreate in one's own life.

I'm no stranger to books on spirituality but have yet to come across anything that left me so inspired and invigorated. I put this in the "must-read" category for anyone interested in seeing the world around you in a completely different light.

Rapt

Book: Rapt: Attention and the Focused Life
Author: Winifred Gallagher

Grade: C-

Given that I'm told a dozen times daily to pay attention or focus (neither of which are my strong suits by any stretch of the imagination), a crash course on the "how-to's" of living a focused life seemed like just what the proverbial doctor ordered. Gallagher manages to turn those two simple words ("pay attention") into a 220 page discourse on every conceivable nuance and facet of the concept. The primary premise of "Rapt" is the claim that our reality is whatever we choose to focus on at any given moment. Makes sense, right? In theory. In practical application it gets a little trickier.

As someone with this previous exposure to the practice of mindfulness, let me go on record as saying it's not an easy practice (at least not for this gal, whose brain goes a mile a minute and in 20 different directions at once - on a good day). I doubt anyone's shocked to learn that paying attention to the good in your life, as opposed to the negative, helps achieve a sunnier outlook. I was unaware of some of the exact health benefits resulting from this practice and did find many of the anecdotes to be interesting. Still, "Rapt" struggled to hold my attention (no pun intended). Were it half of its length, it could be an interesting read on a common struggle. I, however, lost interest halfway through, had to struggle to finish and would be hard pressed to recommend this.

Then again, perhaps I just wasn't focusing my attention on the positive aspects of "Rapt." :)

Methland

Book: Methland : The Death and Life of an American Small Town

Author: Nick Reding

Grade: B

It's imperative to understand that I devour gritty tell-all exposes like they're going out of style. I love nothing more than to be immersed in the underbellies of humanity. "Methland" did not disappoint!

Reding sets out to give a historical account of the meth epidemic's beginning, growth and spread. Interestingly enough, despite what one might naturally think, Meth really took hold in the tiny towns of the Midwest - not in NY or LA as might be expected. Reding spent four years reporting from America's heartlands - particularly Oelwein, Iowa. His account is truly fascinating. Reding clearly outlines how the consolidation of the agricultural industry resulted in a truly depressed local economy. This precipitated mass migration out of the towns which opened the door for the cheap, long lasting and highly effective drug to take its hold.

Meth started out as a prescription used to treat everything from depression to obesity before the discovery that the most appealing result of the drug was the ability to work endlessly without sleeping. In an economy where the vast majority of the residents were forced to work insane hours doing tedious and dangerous tasks, Meth seemed like the answer. Because the result of meth reliance seemed to be increased work ethic (rather than the sloth caused by heroin for example), its use was not only tolerated, it was encouraged. Until it spun out of control - as it inevitably would.

"Methland" is primarily a historical account complete with statistics and medical explanations and therefore runs the risk of being too dense to actually be enjoyable. Reding adeptly provides balance by introducing and following a crew of four main characters through their successes and failures within the meth industry. Reding succeeds in introducing characters that really tug at your heart strings and keep you afloat during some of the more technical chapters.

I've never done meth. I don't know many people who have and previously had no real interest in its' manufacturing. This was a purely voyeuristic adventure that turned out to be vastly informative and highly engaging.

If these types of books are what get you excited, I highly recommend "Methland." However, if this is not something that sparks an interest in you, there is a good chance of getting stuck in some of the denser chapters and I might skip this read.