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caitgoss 's review for:
A memoir/biography, of the author's history of depression, and the end of an important relationship due to her cheating, and a biography of an early biologist/ichthyologist/first president of Stanford/likely murderer/proud eugenicist.
Basically: Light introspection of a person I didn't like much (and to be fair, the author is very open about how little she liked herself), and another person I didn't like much (A great white man of the early twentieth century- yay manifest destiny!). A lot of "I was a jerk and I deserve to be punished", followed by, "I was fascinated by this guy, who succeeded despite obstacles."
I knew David Starr Jordan as a eugenicist, and the first three quarters of the book were a sympathetic portrayal of his early work and life, and he is the model she wants to rebuild her life on. It is addressed in the end of the book, but frankly, it felt like too little too late. He is not a problematic fav- the biggest part of his legacy and work is gross, and the fact that his brother died young, and his lab blew up, and he lived though an earthquake is not enough to justify a loving portrait.
This book did not work for me, but my sister (who is brilliant) loved it, and so I slogged though it. I don't get what my sister liked about it, but it was a fascinating object in how different stuff works for different folks.
Basically: Light introspection of a person I didn't like much (and to be fair, the author is very open about how little she liked herself), and another person I didn't like much (A great white man of the early twentieth century- yay manifest destiny!). A lot of "I was a jerk and I deserve to be punished", followed by, "I was fascinated by this guy, who succeeded despite obstacles."
I knew David Starr Jordan as a eugenicist, and the first three quarters of the book were a sympathetic portrayal of his early work and life, and he is the model she wants to rebuild her life on. It is addressed in the end of the book, but frankly, it felt like too little too late. He is not a problematic fav- the biggest part of his legacy and work is gross, and the fact that his brother died young, and his lab blew up, and he lived though an earthquake is not enough to justify a loving portrait.
This book did not work for me, but my sister (who is brilliant) loved it, and so I slogged though it. I don't get what my sister liked about it, but it was a fascinating object in how different stuff works for different folks.