Restak (The Mind, 1988; The Brain, 1984, etc.) rests on his laurels a bit with these brief, breezy essays on technological innovations, ethical issues, and as-yet-unsolved mysteries in the fast-developing field of neurology. Is it possible for any individual to become a genius? Do we possess our brains, or are our brains all we are? Do our intentions precede our actions, or the other way around? These are some of the questions Restak addresses on breaks from his practice as a neuropsychiatrist, and thanks to new knowledge gained through modern technology, surprising answers are currently emerging. Brain activity in those of normal intelligence appears profoundly different on a PET scan from that of geniuses, for example— implying that an enriched environment may heighten intelligence but is unlikely to spawn a race of geniuses. On-scalp electrodes detect brain activity briefly preceding the conscious decision to act, suggesting that our brains are slightly ahead of our minds in dealing with the external world. Such recent discoveries in neurology have sparked fascinating philosophical debates elsewhere, but Restak abandons each topic just as it begins to get interesting, switching abruptly to the more personal issues he confronts in his consulting room. Ethical dilemmas such as whether to allow a patient in coma to die, whether to inform a patient that he has a degenerative disease that will eventually destroy his mind and kill him, and whether to spend time on fruitless therapy sessions with a chronically schizophrenic woman are all potentially rich topics, but in failing to explore any one fully, these essays fail to satisfy. Cocktail party conversation—light and lively, but ultimately disappointing.
Pub Date: Nov. 1, 1991
ISBN: 0-517-57483-7
Page Count: 224
Publisher: Harmony
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 1991
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
An enjoyable slice of 20th-century music journalism almost certain to provide something for most readers, no matter one’s...
Music journalist and musician Wald (Talking 'Bout Your Mama: The Dozens, Snaps, and the Deep Roots of Rap, 2014, etc.) focuses on one evening in music history to explain the evolution of contemporary music, especially folk, blues, and rock.
The date of that evening is July 25, 1965, at the Newport Folk Festival, where there was an unbelievably unexpected occurrence: singer/songwriter Bob Dylan, already a living legend in his early 20s, overriding the acoustic music that made him famous in favor of electronically based music, causing reactions ranging from adoration to intense resentment among other musicians, DJs, and record buyers. Dylan has told his own stories (those stories vary because that’s Dylan’s character), and plenty of other music journalists have explored the Dylan phenomenon. What sets Wald's book apart is his laser focus on that one date. The detailed recounting of what did and did not occur on stage and in the audience that night contains contradictory evidence sorted skillfully by the author. He offers a wealth of context; in fact, his account of Dylan's stage appearance does not arrive until 250 pages in. The author cites dozens of sources, well-known and otherwise, but the key storylines, other than Dylan, involve acoustic folk music guru Pete Seeger and the rich history of the Newport festival, a history that had created expectations smashed by Dylan. Furthermore, the appearances on the pages by other musicians—e.g., Joan Baez, the Weaver, Peter, Paul, and Mary, Dave Van Ronk, and Gordon Lightfoot—give the book enough of an expansive feel. Wald's personal knowledge seems encyclopedic, and his endnotes show how he ranged far beyond personal knowledge to produce the book.
An enjoyable slice of 20th-century music journalism almost certain to provide something for most readers, no matter one’s personal feelings about Dylan's music or persona.Pub Date: July 25, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-06-236668-9
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Dey Street/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 15, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2015
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK TO SCREEN
BOOK TO SCREEN
BOOK TO SCREEN
Stricter than, say, Bergen Evans or W3 ("disinterested" means impartial — period), Strunk is in the last analysis...
Privately published by Strunk of Cornell in 1918 and revised by his student E. B. White in 1959, that "little book" is back again with more White updatings.
Stricter than, say, Bergen Evans or W3 ("disinterested" means impartial — period), Strunk is in the last analysis (whoops — "A bankrupt expression") a unique guide (which means "without like or equal").Pub Date: May 15, 1972
ISBN: 0205632645
Page Count: 105
Publisher: Macmillan
Review Posted Online: Oct. 28, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 1972
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