Reviews: KQED interview with Barbara Kingsolver

I found the book, Spiritual Envy by Michael Krasney,  at the E Branch of my Local Library here in Lakeland.   The book pricked my interest because I have always been interested in people's search for spiritual answers, especially atheists and agnostics.  How do Spiritualists and Agnostics shape their point of view.   Also the book had a forward written by Joyce Carol Oats.   Michael Chabon stated that the author, "sets the standard by which all public affairs and cultural radio is measured.  He is a Bay Area cultural institution."


So I looked up Kresany's show on KQED, and found a great interview with Barbara Kingsolver.  Kingsolver politely states her environmental position in her new book: Flight Behavior.  Her gentle spirit is respectful to all. She knows how to bridge the biological scientific position with the people who need natural resources for their livelihoods    She also knows how to explain the complicated scientific questions with "real life."

"People need fiction we will always come home to our stories." (Paraphrased from the Interview)
Kingsolver loves how readers engage with her books.   She is fascinated with how every reader can interpret the story in new and unique ways.  She illustrates  that reading books and engaging in conversation is a key to being a good citizen to the community in which one lives  .  The books act as "a new medicine" to cure what currently affects you, or at least begin a search for an elixir.

I look forward to reading Flight Behavior as the subject of the book sounds invigorating and timely.     



 Here is the interview, enjoy:


Here is a book excerpt from Flight Behavior as provided by Good Reads: "the intensity, glory, and absolute assuredness if my mind's flight made it very difficult for me to believe once i was better, that the illness was one i should willingly give up....moods are such an essential part of the substance of life, of one's notion of oneself, that even psychotic extremes in mood and behavior somehow can be seen as temporary, even understandable reactions to what life has dealt....even though the depressions that inevitably followed nearly cost me my life." 

Musical Notes and Mathematical Tragedies

Resources to Find Good Music

Tune Find is a great resource to finding songs to your favorite T.V. shows and movies.
The music played in Sons of Anarchy and Supernatural is fabulous.   The tunes set up the feel and keep fan interest in tune (no pun intended, or maybe there was).

Etymology: Word Histories and Mythology

Bull Moose Party:  Theodore Roosevelt ran for president as an independent party, outside of the two party system.   Roosevelt survived an attempted assassination in October 1912 during the campaign.  The attempt happened before his speech in Milwaukee Wisconsin.   The bullet hit his glass case and speech.  He addressed the crowd, "I don't know whether you fully understand that I have just been shot, but it takes more than that to kill a Bull Moose.   The bullet is in me now, so that i cannot make a very long speech, but I will try my best." 
"I can tell you with absolute truthfulness that I am very much uninterested in whether I am shot or not."