BAM Challenge: May Review – A Long Way Down

And, finally, the May review. The May theme was Mother for Challenge #5 in honor of Mother’s Day. I read A Long Way Down by Nick Hornby.

An interesting look at the lives of four people contemplating suicide. All come from completely different backgrounds but are held together through a common struggle. The tie-in to this month’s theme is that one of the four is a middle-aged mother with a disabled teenaged son. She has spent her life caring for her son and has forgotten how to live a life, but meeting the others gives her an opportunity to learn.

I am caught up and ready for the July challenge.

BAM Challenge: April Review – The Ten Most Beautiful Experiments

OK, I’m finally catching up on the April and May reviews. The April theme was Beauty for Challenge #4. I read The Ten Most Beautiful Experiments by George Johnson.

Johnson confesses he had a difficult time picking the ten experiments for this book, and I don’t know how he was able to choose since there are so many great examples. However, he discusses ten experiments that not only changed scientific thinking, but were also examples of brilliant insight and scientific work. Science at its best. In reading this brief book, I easily see the beauty in what all of these scientists accomplished.

BAM Challenge: June Review – Cryptonomicon

The June theme is Knowledge for Challenge #6. I read Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson. The irony of seeing this book on the list of ideas for June was that I had requested it as an interlibrary loan some time ago, and it had finally come in a few days before I saw the BAM Challenge theme for the month.

As for the book itself, the setting shifts back and forth in time, and, from cryptographers cracking enemy codes in World War II to building a data haven closer to present day, knowledge is quite often the turning point in the story. I love the way Stephenson weaves a story through presenting the perspectives of several characters that are unknowingly connected.

I confess I missed the last two challenges, but I do have books ready to read for the April and May challenge. I will catch up – hopefully before July!