Leisureville – Andrew D. Blechman

Macbeth: Act 3, Scene 2:

… Duncan is in his grave;
23 After life's fitful fever he sleeps well;
24 Treason has done his worst: nor steel, nor poison,
25 Malice domestic, foreign levy, nothing,
26 Can touch him further.

These words, uttered by Macbeth to his wife as he describes the hell that his life has become since his murder of Duncan, occurred to me as I read Andrew Blechman’s searing examination of age-segregated communities burgeoning in popularity in the United States. Is there anyone amongst us who has not pined, as Macbeth does in the above quote, for an existence free of the anxiety, disturbance and suffering that are inevitable components of life? Macbeth realizes the only way to realize such a utopian peace is through death; an increasing numbers of seniors, however, see it as achievable by removing themselves to retirement or age-segregated gated communities, virtually severing the once almost indissoluble ties of community and family in the process. Such is the promise of Leisureville, the wry title the author uses to describe his perception of life in such an environment. After reading the book, many readers may conclude that such communities are another form of what Macbeth longed for in his colloquy with his wife.

While always treating his subject with respect, after living for a month in such a community at the invitation of former neighbours who moved to “The Villages,” the foremost age-segregated community in central Florida, the author draws a portrait of a life that, from most people’s perspective, can only be described as vapid and meaningless. Although days upon endless days filled with swimming, golfing and drinking in a sheltered environment may seem alluring to many, one inevitably has to ask if this is any way for a responsible person to spend the rest of his or her life. Considering that many of the retirees have perhaps 30 or more years of life remaining, the answer has to be no.

Blechman makes a pretty strong case for community engagement and involvement throughout one’s life, not just up to retirement, arguing that inter-generational co-existence is what gives true meaning and vitality to communities. While acknowledging that North American society as a whole doesn’t do a particularly good job of either encouraging or looking after its retired people, he clearly doesn’t see secession as the answer.

In addition to the societal implications of seniors’ self-removal from the larger world, Blechman also examines the environmental and political implications of such movements. For example, owing to their mild climates, two of the most popular states for age-restricted communities are Florida and Arizona. At least up to the present, there have been very few restrictions placed on development, despite the fact that water is becoming increasing scarce in both states, with droughts occurring with disturbing regularity. The author discusses sinkholes happening in The Villages due to depletion of aquifers; as well, he makes regular reference to the bulldozing and flattening of land as The Villages continues its relentless development. Another consequence of this kind of lifestyle is the domination of very conservative politics, led by the developers who, with their vast resources, contribute significant sums to both the Republican Party and local politicos that welcome unrestricted development while at the same time largely ignoring and denigrating the needs of the larger community.

All of us need and deserve regular hiatuses from the hurly-burly of life. In my view, Andrew Blechman makes a compelling argument through Leisureville that none of us deserves a life-long commutation from it.

Alex and Me

Anyone who has ever owned and had a close relationship with a pet other than perhaps a turtle or a hamster will likely attest to the belief, much resisted by the majority of the scientific community, that animals do in fact have some capacity for thought. That has certainly been true of our last two pets, now deceased, a Newfoundland dog and a tabby cat. I remember when I would take Fred, our Newf, on long walks which would frequently see me running into people I knew and stopping for a chat. Fred, always the gentleman, would sit nicely beside me for about five minutes, but after the elapsed time, would invariably take his paw and nudge me on the thigh, saying, in effect, “Time to get a move on.” Similarly, our cat would stay out of our bedroom until he heard me getting up, at which point he would enter the room and meow at me to feed him. Despite the fact that I would react with pavlovian haste to his request, it was somehow never fast enough for him, and he would inevitably chastise me with a series of very acerbic meows as I made my way to the cupboard to get his food, as if swearing at me for not being fast enough.

No doubt, many will dismiss these two anecdotes as manifestations of nothing more than operant conditioning, but on an intuitive level I know they were much more. Which brings me to the subject of this post, a fascinating book by Irene Pepperberg called Alex and Me, the story of her 30-year relationship with an African Grey parrot named Alex. Although possessing a doctorate in chemistry, Pepperberg turned her lifelong fascination with birds into a career discovering the capacity for thought and true communication between parrot and human.

Hers is the story both of the struggle to get sufficient funding to pursue her studies as and the very close, loving relationship that developed over three decades with Alex, her subject and, in a very real sense, collaborator. The book is not meant to be a scientific explication of her methodology, although she provides sufficient information about her training techniques and her results to leave the reader with the belief that what she uncovered was not some unusual capacity for mimicry on the part of an unusually bright parrot, but rather significant indications that Alex was not only able to speak with meaning and purpose but also grasp abstract concepts such as numbers, differences and similarities between things, and language as a tool for influencing and manipulating others, all qualities that have been traditionally viewed as the exclusive domain of homo sapiens.

Rather than my recounting some Alex’s achievements here, I am providing a link to a segment done with Alan Alda on Scientific American Frontiers:
PBS - Scientific American Frontiers:Pet Tech:Watch Online

The reader can’t help but be amused and touched by the experiences that both parrot and human shared over the many years, and perhaps a little humbled in seeing that human beings are perhaps not quite as distinct a species as we have always believed.

What is America? A Short History of the New World Order – Ronald Wright

Like his last book, A Short History of Progress, author Ronald Wright has crafted an eminently readable and concise work that deserves to be read both widely and deeply. In his latest analysis, Wright looks at the history of America, from its earliest days as the domain of the aboriginal, to its current position as probably the most reviled country in the world.

Beginning with a short history of the Spanish subjugation of Mesoamerica (Mexico and the adjoining Maya region of Central America) and Greater Peru which powerfully sets the theme of conquest, the author quickly moves to the time of the English settling of what ultimately became the United States. Much of the history of the genocide and betrayal of the aboriginals living in what, for many, will seem a surprising amount of structure, government and civilization, is well-known to students of that period, but the information serves to provide the context for defining the American character as it has revealed itself over the past two hundred years.

Once the frontiers of America were closed, the U.S government looked abroad to expand its influence and will until we have the situation the world confronts today – a country that subscribes to the notions of exceptionalism and manifest destiny, beliefs that have made it guilty of a hubris worthy of Greek tragedy. Perhaps the best way to view the book is as an examination of a pattern of behaviour that, while hardly unique to the United States, has resulted in a sorry tale of lost potential.

While those who subscribe to the American mythology of benevolence betrayed will be deeply offended by this work, those who are able to rise above blind patriotic fervour will see the truth and validity of Wright’s observation which, as always, are backed by solid research and historical data. He ends the book by looking at one model of co-operation that suggests human beings can rise above their selfish and violent history to work together toward common goals. That model is the European Union which, as the author readily admits, is far from perfect but seems to be succeeding where past structures have failed. One needs only consider their progressive legislation on climate control or medical care for its citizenry to appreciate the accuracy of his observations.

In closing, it seems that all of the goodwill and excitement generated worldwide over the election of Barack Obama suggests that there is still a tremendous hunger in countless countries for the United States to succeed as a nation among nations; without question it still has much to contribute, and its tremendous power to influence the direction of world affairs, for both good and evil, is undeniable. But some important questions remain to be answered: Can the United States rise above the national character it has forged in history, and begin to realize its true potential? Will its citizens, even under inspirational political leadership, be willing to do the hard work and make the necessary sacrifices to achieve that potential?

Only time will answer those questions. I wish them well.

A Short History of Progress – Ronald Wright

Every so often I read a book that not only makes me think deeply but also causes me to feel a measure of despair about the human condition. Ronald Wright’s A Short History of Progress is such a book.

Exploring our short 10,000-year-old human civilization, Wright develops a portrait that can hardly be considered flattering. Examining four previous societies, Sumer, Easter Island, the Maya and Rome, the author shows the shortsightedness of each that ultimately led to their downfall. In spending all of their ‘natural capital’ (the natural resources available to them), with little thought to the future, each was ultimately felled by what Wright calls ‘progress traps’ that resulted in environmental degradation, starvation, and collapse. Perhaps the most disturbing aspect of their collective demise is the fact that each of them became aware, long before conditions became irreversible, of where they were headed and yet persisted in their respective behaviours! Might this sound at least remotely familiar to the modern reader?

The power of this very accessible book lies in its demonstrated historical correspondence to contemporary life, and the message is clear: if we continue in the pattern so regularly repeated throughout our human history, we will soon be at a point where not just one or two societies collapse, but rather our entire way of life on earth. A few years ago it would have been easy to dismiss such a thesis as alarmist and overblown, but given what we now know about greenhouse gases, pollution and climate change, we would be as foolish as our ancestors were to adopt such an attitude. But of course, isn’t that precisely what so many of us and our leaders continue to do?

I suspect that one of our fundamental flaws as human beings is to confuse our technological achievements with wisdom, leading us to the belief that we are highly evolved beings when, in fact as Wright so amply demonstrates, our short history of progress shows us to be a shortsighted species, having thus far left an almost unbroken record of environmental exploitation and degradation.

The question that remains to be answered is, “Are we capable of truly learning anything from our sordid past?” Stay tuned to find out the answer.

Before I Wake – Robert J. Wiersema

In many ways I am a conservative reader, tending to stay with authors I know will provide me with a satisfying story. Lately, however, I have been branching out with unfamiliar writers, mainly because there is little new with my favorite ones. The experience is proving to be worthwhile.

The latest book I read, Before I Wake, by Robert Wiersma, reminds me in some ways of the very first book I read many years ago by the late Brian Moore, called Cold Heaven, in that both deal with themes of family relationships, miracles, and the challenges inherent in accepting personal responsibility. Before I Wake begins with one of the worst things a parent can imagine, the prospect of losing one’s child. In this case, Sherry Barrett, the three year old daughter of Karen and Simon, is struck down by a truck as she is crossing the street with her mother. In a coma and with no hope of recovery, her parents make the incredibly hard decision to take her off life support. However, the unexpected begins when she is disconnected from the respirator – she continues to breathe.

Wiersma then takes us to the Barrett home several months later, where Sherry, still comatose, is being taken care of by her mother Karen and a nurse, Ruth. By this time, Simon is no longer in the home, having moved out to be with a fellow lawyer, the much younger Mary. The plot then takes an unusual turn as Ruth reveals to her sister, dying of cancer, that she is no longer afflicted with her crippling arthritis. She attributes her cure to Sherry, and invites her sister to meet her. As a result of this meeting, a cascade of events develops, ultimately threatening the safety, and even the lives, of the Barrett family.

All of the events described take place very early in the novel, after which we are introduced to a fascinating array of characters: the rather sinister Father Peter, his acolyte Leo, the enigmatic Tim, and the contrite hit and run driver Henry. Each has an important role to play in the drama that unfolds.

As far as I know, this is the first novel by Robert Wiersema; his facility with plot, character and narrative structure all bode very well for building a loyal readership in the years to come. He certainly has me convinced of his talent.

Restless – William Boyd

Although never a fan of the espionage genre, with the exception of the Ian Fleming Bond stories when I was a boy, I made a recent exception upon the enthusiastic recommendation of a friend and fellow avid reader. I’m glad I did.

The book, entitled Restless, by William Boyd, is an engrossing tale that takes place in two times, 1976 and the Second World War, and has two strong female protagonists, Sally Gilmartin, originally Eva Delectskaya, and her daughter Ruth. Eva’s story begins in Paris in 1939, not long after the murder of her brother Kolia. She is approached by a man named Luca Romer, for whom Kolia had worked, and is quickly recruited into the British Secret Service. Thus begins her life as a spy.

Meanwhile, in 1976, Eva’s daughter Ruth is a single mother of a five year old when she notices her mother acting strangely, insisting that she is being watched. Over a period of time she hands over the autobiography of her life in espionage, for reasons that become completely apparently only very late in the novel. It is a fascinating story that she gives to Ruth, a life of danger, betrayal, and renewal.

Eva’s activities ostensibly revolve around the British efforts to draw the United States into the Second World War. Through the front of a news agency, Eva and her colleagues specialize in writing and planting spurious stories designed to exaggerate the threat of Nazi penetration into the continental U.S., the goal being to produce a sense of danger sufficient to make the Americans believe that entering the war is in their best self-interests. However, as seems inevitable in the world of espionage, all is not always as it seems, and the reader can look forward to some intriguing twists.

Readers will find themselves drawn into the lives of both mother and daughter, both independent, strong-willed women, and fans of the spy genre will experience sufficient plot surprises to appeal to their sense of historical adventure as well.

All in all, a very compelling novel!

Some Quick Picks

While some time has passed since I last wrote on this blog, my reading has been as active and varied as ever; while some of the books have had some interesting elements, but not sufficiently compelling to warrant recommendation, other authors have proven to be reliable purveyors of their particular genre. Following are some ‘quick picks’, accompanied by some very brief comments for each:

Saving Fish From Drowning – by Amy Tan

Using the persona of a ghost as her narrator, Amy Tan does her usual magnificent job in offering acute observations of the clash of cultures, this time by having a group of Americans of various backgrounds taking a tour of Myamar, formerly Burma. Amidst much wry humor, Tan is also able to explore some very serious themes, not the least of which is the frequently misguided notion of Westerners that they can solve the problems of people about whom they know nothing. Unsparing in her examination of the brutal oppression of the military regime currently running the country, the author achieves a remarkable result in this novel: entertainment and edification.

The Accidental Time Machine – by Joe Haldeman

This quirky novel can perhaps best be described as science fiction for those who don’t normally read the genre. As the title suggests, the plot revolves around an accidental invention of a time machine in the form of a calibrator; this machine transports itself and anything/one connected to it into the future in exponential jumps in both time and place, affording the author the opportunity, in the vein of H.G. Wells’ classic, to offer social commentary on a myriad of human foibles. Well worth the read!

Obsession – by Jonathan Kellerman

Every novel written by this psychologist over the years has proven to be satisfying. Part detective, part mystery, part psychological thriller, Kellerman’s latest revolves around the provocative deathbed statement of the mother of one of his former patients, in which she seems to confess a murder to her daughter. While no one who knew the competent, highly regarded and compassionate mother and nurse believes there is any credibility to this, her enigmatic statement sets of a series of events and twists that provide the kind of challenges the author’s readers have come to expect over the years.

Born Standing Up – Steve Martin

Anyone of a certain age who, over the years, has enjoyed the somewhat skewed humour of Steve Martin, comedian, writer, actor and filmmaker, will find real pleasure in reading this gentle and gracious memoir of his development as a stand-up comic. From his early days performing at the Bird Cage Theatre housed at Knott’s Berry Farm, to his writing for the Smothers Brothers, to his appearances on the Tonight Show and Saturday Night Live, through to the end of his stand-up performances in front of tens of thousands of people, Martin provides both wit and insight as he explains what it means to be a comedian. Anyone looking for lurid details of his personal life will be disappointed. An intensely private man, Martin provides only the personal information necessary to understand the factors that contributed to the development of his career. All in all, a classy memoir.