Book Report: The Disappearing Spoon by Sam Kean

This was the May entry for the Science Book Club, and I thought it was outstanding. Kean does a great job of finding interesting stories about the elements that make up the periodic table, as well as the people who worked to discover them.

To be honest, I thought the stories dried up as soon as the focus moved to sythetically-creating a few molecules of a new element in the lab, instead of isolating and discovering the naturally-occurring elements. And the Nobel Prize politics didn't make much of an impression on me. But there are plenty of really good stories here, from Gandhi to Einstein, Hitler to Fermi. There are heroes and villains, unintended consequences galore, and all sorts of interesting stuff in between.

Book Report: Stiff by Mary Roach

I volunteer at a local bookstore, and they were looking for someone to take over the Science Book Club. I figured I could try that, so I selected Stiff by Mary Roach as the first month's entry. If you've ever wanted to learn more than you could ever wanted to know about dead bodies, here you go. It was a little too gruesome for me in several parts, but Roach is an eternally curious researcher, and her enthusiasm is contagious.

Book Report: Satan is Real by Charlie Louvin

I can't recommend Cocaine & Rhinestones, a country music history podcast by Tyler Mahan Coe, enough. One of the first episodes in the first season is about the Louvin Brothers, and their "blood harmony" singing that is perhaps only possible to achieve among relatives. Coe recommended Charlie Louvin's autobiography, Satan is Real, the library had it, and here we are.

It's a quick, easy read, broken up into short chapters, and Louvin's conversational style is engaging. Coe pointed out several instances where Louvin made claims that don't hold up to scrutiny, so who knows how much of the book is actually true. Charlie spends most of the book tearing down his late brother, Ira, for his heavy drinking, surly attitude, and poor marriage decisions, which comes off as pretty self-serving.

The life of a touring musician in the '40s onward doesn't sound like much to aspire to. Charlie relates all kinds of tales of driving all night from one gig to another, with only enough time to rinse off his face before taking the stage again. Amphetamines were crucial to the lifestyle, and while Charlie stayed married for his whole adult life, it doesn't sound like he had much of a family life. There were a couple of photos of his kids, but he had way more to say about Ira's exes than any of his own children.

A couple of closing thoughts: 1) Damn, "Knoxville Girl" is a brutally gruesome song. 2) Hoo boy, I'd really like to own a Nudie suit.