The China Study

by T. Colin Campbell

I read this book after a recommendation I saw on a bulletin board I frequent. I had heard it gave compelling evidence as to why a vegan or vegetarian diet eliminates disease and encourages longevity. In short, it was about health and a study that was done on the impact of meat products- actual meat, as well as eggs and dairy.

Let me start out by saying that this was a very dry read. I expected a book along the lines of a fad diet book- a little bit of dialogue, followed by an eating plan using the information from the first section of the book. Instead, I found scientific study after scientific study, and I have to admit that a lot of that, I really skimmed over. I wasn't so much interested in the actual science, I just wanted to know the results and conclusions drawn from said science. What I found was indeed, a very compelling arguement for switching to a plant-based diet. And had I just rested on this book alone, I would have made a switch immediately. However, there are holes in the science found here.

For example, a lot was made about dairy products causing early puberty in teen girls, as well as causing breast cancer later on in life. But there wasn't any information as to whether the dairy examined was hormone-free or organic, or perhaps even unpasteurized. What if it's actually the pasteurization process that causes these things? And what if it's hormones. These variables weren't addressed. I can see that loud and clear, and I'm not even a scientist.

I can't recommend this book one way or the other, because it was very informative, and did give me a lot to think on. But I could easily see someone reading this and then instantly giving up meat and dairy because they're afraid for their lives- it's a little alarmist in that respect. However. If you are looking for some good scientific information, I don't doubt the studies done, I just think they're only one aspect of the big picture. This book did make me take a good hard look at my family's diet, and we will be making some changes because of it. I do plan to move more towards a plant-based diet, because I think in the long run we'll be healthier because of it. But I don't think we'll be eschewing meat altogether, just making it less of a focus.

I've also decided that I'm only going to buy milk that is completely hormone free- and organic if feasible at the time. I have never been one to harp on my children to drink all their milk, but I'm going to also stop giving them milk to drink every night at dinner. Sometime, sure, but as evidenced in The China Study, there is plenty of calcium and vitamin A in many of the foods my children already enjoy eating. There's no reason for me to go overboard, just because the milk marketing board wants me to do so.

In order to make a clear judgment, you'll just have to pick this one up for yourself. Just be forwarned, it's a science book, and the study referenced-The China Study actually makes up very little of the book. If you do read this one, I would love to know what you think, as I am sure the information I gleaned from it will be in my mind for a very long time.

Sister Of My Heart

by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni

I loved this book. I would read a little, then put it down and spend a lot of time thinking about what I had read. Then I would smile to myself and pick it up again and read a little more. It really was a beautiful story of love, friendship and family, and it was beautifully told.

The story is told through the eyes of two girls, cousins who were born on the same day. Sudha and Anju were both born prematurely the day both their father's lives were ended. Living in the same household, the girls were raised together and grew to love each other as sisters. We spend the first few chapters of the book getting to know these two girls, and the three mothers who raised them. As they grow, we discover that Sudha is a rare beauty, the girl who's face will enchant any man, while Anju, is rather plain looking. While this matters not to the two girls, we are soon to learn that their eternal happiness could be destroyed by this fact.

This story is wonderful. As each chapter unfolds we get yet another glimpse into life in India, and what it would be like to be part of an arranged marriage. Each section is even more beautiful than the one before, and we find that in the end, love triumphs over all.

I highly recommend this book, and I will be looking for more by this author. Such a beautiful manner of storytelling cannot be unique to just one novel. I dare you to read this book and not be enchanted and swept away.

The Friday Night Knitting Club

by Kate Jacobs

When this book opens up, we meet a young woman in her late thirties named Georgia Walker. Georgia is a single mother to a vibrant twelve year old daughter named Dakota. Georgia is also the owner and proprietor of Walker & Daughter, a yarn and knitting shop in New York City. It isn't long before we start meeting some of Georgia's associates and customers. One at a time we are introduced to individual woman who are all very different. What began as a lark and as an impromptu gathering quickly becomes a regular nightly event, dubbed the Friday Night Knitting Club.

We get glimpses into Georgia and Dakota's daily life together, and we learn that Georgia is a very strong woman, and her daughter is taking after her. And then Dakota's estranged father enters the picture, regretful of missing the first twelve years of Dakota's life. Georgia is very cautious about letting him back into their lives, their relationship ended when he became unfaithful, and he left without even seeing his daughter once.

This novel was touted as a great story about women and friendship and family. And I get that, I do, but I really found this novel lacking in so many ways. I enjoyed the storyline for the most part. I found it believable, and it almost had me digging out my knitting needles to give knitting another whirl. But the dialogue really bothered me. It really was poorly done- the conversations these people had with each other simply didn't make sense some of the time. A conversation that should be deep and meaningful is wrapped up in just a sentence or two. The dialogue just felt really contrived to me at times, and really took away from the story, in my opinion.

Other things just seemed inconsistent to me. One of the characters creates a line of felted purses, and of course, another club member knows a buyer for Bloomingdale's and gets Bloomies to order some of these felted purses. I know a thing or two about retail and buying, and that just was not believable to me. Idealistic and nice, maybe, but not realistic in the least.

I don't know. I did enjoy the book, I enjoyed the characters, but felt there could have been so much more substance to each one of them. I also just learned that a movie is in production, featuring Julia Roberts as Georgia Walker. It will be interesting to see, but I daresay (without spoiling the ending too much) we've already seen Steel Magnolia's once. I think a movie version could give some great depth to the people in this novel, so with any luck it will improve upon the story.

I recommend this book with reservations. There are many, many holes, unanswered questions, and unresolved issues. I can only hope that a sequel is in the works to shed some light on the lives of the other members of The Friday Night Knitting Club. It's an enjoyable enough story, but it didn't move me to tears, or keep me up late into the night. It was a good read, but not one I'll likely pick up again.