I've been involved this month in a challenge with some other bloggers to attempt to purchase nothing unnecessary for the month of April, and I did really well until today. Then, in an attempt to find a book to read for a reading challenge, I made the mistake of entering Pages For All Ages Bookstore. Really, a judge should issue a restraining order to prevent me from going in that place. I simply cannot leave without buying something. All I can say in my own defense is that this time it really was only one book!
Anyway, the book I purchased was, as I said, for another challenge for the month of May. Participants are supposed to read a book related to environmental issues. I was looking for "Serve God, Save the Planet" by Matthew Sleeth, but they were out of it and will be ordering it for me. My thinking was that if I bought that book, read it myself, passed it around the family, and then donated it to the church library, it would be a worthwhile purchase. But, since they were out of it I just had to look around.....and buy a different book.
I'm glad I did though. The book I wound up with is "Living Downstream-A Scientist's Personal Investigation of Cancer and the Environment" by Sandra Steingraber. Steingraber is a Central Illinoisan and biologist/environmentalist, as well as being a cancer survivor. She writes beautifully about this part of the world and the environmental degradation that has led to clusters of cancer diagnoses, carefully tracing back, back, back to the origins of those carcinogens. Naturally, buying the book caused me to scrap any practical use of my time today and dive right into reading. After several chapters, I can tell you I am completely hooked and would highly recommend this book to anyone.
I do hope to also read Sleeth's book this month. It's been on my "To Read" list for a while. I'll review that one as well when I get to it. If you are interested in getting involved in the reading challenge, look on my blog roll and go to Green Bean's blog. And I promise to learn to hyperlink soon!!
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7 comments:
Sounds fascinating. After having one of my closest friends pass away from cancer at the age of 30, this is a topic very close to my heart. I will add it to my ever growing list!
I've got a review up on my blog for Sleeth's book if you're interested. Just click on label for book reviews - I don't know how to hyperlink in a comment! I know how to do it on blogger, though -- you highlight the word you want to link and then click on the icon that looks like a little green monster. You'll figure it out from there!
Oohhh....the first title sounds fantastic! I'm currently renovating our church library - - and BOY does it need work.
If you have title selections or reading lists you can share, let me know! Shan
Wow, sounds like a great read. I have lost many family members to cancer and am convinced that it has something to do with our environment. Does it? I'm loving my own challenge (ha ha) because I am already coming across all of these books that I never would have heard of and now I desparately want to read them all!
arduous and Green Bean, so far it's a great read and I think she really makes a case for the environmental triggers. There is a lot of "science" in it, but I think basic high school chemistry is standing me in good stead, so most people will enjoy it. She could hardly make her point without the science.
Donna, that review makes me even more determined to read the Sleeth book. Didn't you mention that this was used for a class at your church? I've thought about that too.
Shannon we have a good library but it has a lot of fiction. I'll look around in there and see if there's anything else of interest. Could I have an e-mail address for you? I could send you a list that way
I do love this challenge! Thanks for dreaming it up, Green Bean!
I never did get that DVD to you that you wanted. The Website address for what I was talking about is http://tradeasone.com/. Check it out.
I'll be interested in your findings in the book on cancer. My dad was a strong believer that pesticides, etc., had a great deal to do with cancer.
Blog on . . .
Randy
Randy, I think you would really be interested in this book, because she grew up over by Pekin, and you would recognize all the places she's talking about.
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