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635 reviews

Saladin: The Sultan Who Vanquished the Crusaders and Built an Islamic Empire by John Man

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5.0

Is This An Overview?

A solution to European regional conflicts, which included a Christian power struggle, was a Crusade.  The 1st Crusade united the leaders through conflict and a noble cause, against Islam.  Muslims did not have the unity to withstand the Crusade.  Some wanted to use the Crusaders against their own Muslim opponents or appease the Crusaders.  Even years after the Crusade, Arabic communities preferred Frankish leaders to their own.  But Christian misbehavior, created a desire to unite Muslim communities.  The 2nd and 3rd Crusades were initiated in response to Muslims recapturing territory.  The leader against the 3rd Crusade, was Saladin. 

 

Saladin was a Muslim Sultan who united Muslims and successfully defended the realm against the Crusaders.  Decisions that Saladin made, turned Saladin into a hero to Muslims and Christians alike.  Saladin was generous, and facilitated policies that enabled a prosperous economy.  Saladin was an effective negotiator, and avoided needless conflicts such as those which would have turned rivals into enemies. 

 

Saladin showed mercy to many, even to opponents.  Other leaders would not have shown mercy.  Sparing many people was a decision criticized by Saladin’s allies, as the spared people were then able to defend regions against Saladin.  Saladin’s generosity and mercy is contrasted by the Crusaders, who slaughtered many indiscriminately.  Christians might have united under a banner to engage in the Crusades, but Christians began to support Saladin as Saladin was seen as divine punishment for Christian misbehavior. 

 

What Political Situation Did Saladin Have To Manage?

Religion and culture united the people, but violent conflicts existed.  Various Islamic kingdoms were wealthy, and used the wealth to fund research.  They sought knowledge, no matter the source.  They were tolerant of diversity, such as in art and science, for all creation reflected the glory of Allah. 

 

Islam was split between Shia and Sunni sects.  Each having their politically dominant regions.  During this time, changing allegiances was common.  People might have been opponents during conflict, but were willing to trade with each other quickly after the conflict.  The political world could quicky change enemies and rivals into trading partners and friends.

 

Who Was Saladin?

Saladin came from a politically influential family.  Earned favor and political power from an early successful campaign.  Earning governorship of two villages initially, and gaining Egypt by being recognized as candidate for succession after the death of the predecessor.  Power was gained mostly through luck of circumstance. 

 

As Saladin gained power, there was a conflict as to who Saladin was supposed to serve.  Which religious sect, which peoples, which more powerful leader.  With diverse interests, Saladin was under threat from rebellion and assassination.  As Saladin secured power, Saladin became more independent of Saladin’s political supporter, Nur al-Din.

 

Saladin also had to deal with the Nizari, who became known as Assassins.  The Nizari were culturally Shi’te Islam.  The Nizari almost killed Saladin twice. 

 

Caveats?

There is a lot of content provided on the politics and the world during the era.  Most of the content on Saladin, is about interactions with the Crusaders. 

Remembrance of Earth's Past: The Three-Body Trilogy by Cixin Liu, Cixin Liu, Ken Liu

adventurous dark hopeful informative inspiring sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Review for The Three-Body Problem, Book 1 

Is This An Overview? 

The world of science is being threatened.  During the Chinese Cultural Revolution, science became antagonistic to political favor.  Ye Wenjie is a scientist who survived the persecution by being politically cautious.  But events conspire to make Ye Wenjie a target of the politicians, only to find sanctuary in an isolated political radio base.  A base which was claimed to be used for military applications.  As scientists were in short supply, Ye Wenjie had the required skills that were needed to maintain, operate, and develop the technology.  

Decades later, with persecution of scientists through the Cultural Revolution a harsh but distant memory, science has advanced tremendously.  But science seems again to be under threat, as scientists are dying with an increase in crime against academia and research institutions.  There does not seem to be a political motivation for the acts.  What defines science is also under threat, for the methods of science are failing.  Science depends on replication, that the results of an event will be repeated given the same conditions.  But even with advanced technology of participle colliders, different results occur with the same conditions. 

Wang Miao is a scientist who is asked to participate in a group from which many of the dead scientists have been associated with.  Through the investigation, Wang Miao comes across a game that the scientists play, called 3 Body.  The game is extremely immersive, with the goal of predicting events.  Within the game, civilizations develop during Stable Eras and fall during Chaotic Eras.  The eras can change quickly, with the world undergoing seemingly random and extreme changes.  How are the events of the Cultural Revolution, the death of scientists decades later, and the 3 Body game related? 

Caveats? 

There is a plethora of science terminology in the book.  Written in a way that blends the science and science fiction which makes it difficult to separate when the science ends and the science fiction begins.  There are sections filled with science terminology, ideas, and people involved.  If a reader has a background in various science fields, the science references can add depth to understanding the situations being presented.  Without the science background, the sections can be difficult and confusing to read. 

Review for The Dark Forest, Book 2 

Is This An Overview? 

The Trisolarans are heading to Earth, with ill intent towards humankind.  Trisolaran technology is far advanced compared to what humans have, but during the time it would take the Trisolarans to reach Earth, humans have the potential to develop more advanced technology compared to what Trisolarans have.  A potential nullified by Trisolaran sophon technology, that is used to prevent humans from understanding physics, from gaining more knowledge about how reality works.  This limits human technology to developments using knowledge already possessed.  Sophons have another function, to inform the Trisolarans of everything that humans are doing and saying.  The threat posed by the Trisolarans changes human society.  Governments and economies change their priorities, people suffer from psychological turmoil.  Various methods are proposed to handle the threats.  

A limit to the sophons, is their inability to know what someone is thinking.  Humans create the Wallfacer Project to take advantage of the secrets people carry in their thoughts.  The Wallfacers are four individuals chosen to think of a plan without explaining to others what the plan is.  Nobody can know what the Wallfacers are actually thinking.  With minor limitations, whatever the Wallfacers want, others have to find a way to obtain what they want.  The Wallfacers come from different backgrounds and begin to think of methods to overcome the Trisolaran threat.  The Wallfacers are treated as saviors of humankind.  

While there are those wanting humans to overcome the Trisolaran threat, leading to support for the Wallfacer methods.  There are humans who have allied themselves to the Trisolarans, and want the Trisolarans to succeed.  The Trisolaran human allies find a Wallbreaker for each Wallfacer.  The Wallbreakers’ task is to expose the plan that the Wallfacers have in their thoughts.  Can the Wallfacers find a method to save humanity or will the Wallbreakers succeed in reading the Wallfacers thoughts? 

Caveats? 

This book not only requires readers to have some familiarity with science, but the reader also has to become an investigator.  The reader has to become a Wallbreaker, to continuously try to figure out the Wallfacers plan.  This book is filled with events that appear to have insignificant consequences, obvious consequences, or random behavior, which can have drastic consequences for the future of humanity, and have different reasons and outcomes than expected.  The variety of events can make it difficult to understand how they coalesce, and the variety of perspectives can be difficult to keep track of. 

Review for Death's End, Book 3 

Is This An Overview? 

The Dark Forest deterrence has changed human and Trisolaran societies.  Humans think that Trisolarans are no longer a threat.  Trisolaran eagerness to share knowledge, leads to a cultural exchange.  Humans learn to advance technologically from Trisolaran culture.  Trisolarans learn to be creative and organize their society based on human culture.  Each species shows respect to each other.  People are speaking of a universe of peace.  The Dark Forest deterrence is still needed as the Trisolarans are acknowledged to still be technologically superior.  Dark Forest deterrence depends on a single person, a Swordholder, to activate the system once defection has been detected.  Can deterrence last?  What makes for an effective Swordholder?  What do the Trisolarans want from Earth? 

Caveats? 

This book is still based on science, but is more science fiction.  The science fiction becomes increasingly more abstract.  Part of the science is the potential interaction with alien life, which shares how the universe, can be a tragic place. 

Cobalt Red: How the Blood of the Congo Powers Our Lives by Siddharth Kara

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5.0

Is This An Overview?

Cobalt is a rare resource used in electronic technologies to make devices hold more charge and operate safely for longer.  As societies are transitioning from fossil fuels to renewable sources of energy, cobalt is a resource needed to satisfy sustainability goals.  Cobalt is most abundant, in Congo.  Congo contains the largest concentration of accessible and high-grade cobalt.  Congo has cobalt and a variety of valuable resources, which are in demand by foreign powers.  An abundance of resources, which has been severely exploited. 

 

Cobalt is mined through coerced labor, which involves children.  The people work in hazardous conditions, using rudimentary tools.  Barely paid for the effort and risk taken.  The wealth from the resources partly goes to corrupt officials, but most of the wealth goes to foreign companies.  The wealth is not being used to improve the conditions of the people.  The miners do not have negotiating power to ask for appropriate wages, or working conditions.  The people do not want to speak against the practices, for fear of violent reprisals.  The use of sustainable electronic devices is powered by the human and environmental catastrophe in Congo. 

 

No company or government is taking responsibility for the negative consequences of mining.  No company wants the inappropriate practices.  They claim that they are committed to high standards in their supply chain, promote the responsible sourcing of resources, and uphold international human rights.  They claim to send support to prevent the terrible conditions, but no sufficient efforts have been made to ameliorate the conditions.

 

What Is Congo’s Political Situation?

Through the independence movement in 1960, Congo democratically elected a prime minister, Patrice Lumumba.  Through Lumumba, the Congolese were going to gain sovereignty, to enable the resources to benefit the people rather than foreign powers.  Various foreign interests conspired to remove Lumumba, and install Joseph Mobutu.  Mobutu supported foreign power interests.  Foreign powers got resources, with Mobutu receiving the income.

 

How Does China Effect Congo?

China has been making infrastructure-for-resources agreements across the African continent.  Even though the infrastructure is low quality without social considerations to the location of the infrastructure, the Congo leaders such as Kabila have benefited financially from the agreements.  The cobalt is refined in China, because Congo does not have sufficient electricity capacity to refine cobalt.

 

As of 2021, the ownership of 15 of 19 mining companies are Chinese.  The mining sites have their own armed units, military contractors, and informal militias.  They keep minerals secure and prevent prying eyes.    

 

Caveats?

Although a short history of Congo and Congolese political situation is provided, the focus of the book is on the mining industry.  To understand the variety of conflicts in Congo, and life outside the mining industry would require more research.

 

Most of the book tries to capture the individual, human suffering.  As that information tends to be more emotional, which is often assumed to make people change their behavior.  As tragic as the human suffering is, the narrative can become repetitive.    

Social Justice Fallacies by Thomas Sowell

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4.0

Is This An Overview?

There are many factors that create disparities between people.  Human bias that is part of discrimination is a single factor, among many factors.  Discrimination does not have a monopoly on creating disparities or even always a dominant factor, as there are many factors that influence human achievement.  There have been societies with industries dominated by ethnic minorities, who did not control politics or other social aspects.  People with the same skill sets, do not necessarily want the same things, do not want the same outcomes.  As people do have different skills, different people and groups can excel in some achievements while lag in others. 

 

Nature itself is not egalitarian, as resources are not distributed equally between political boundaries.  Knowledge can be used to transform nature, but not all societies have equal access to the same information.  Geographically linked people have more access to information and develop faster than geographically isolated people.  Even with access to information, cultures need to be receptive to different ideas to make use of the information.  Not all cultures are receptive to different ideas.

 

What Can Be Done About The Disparities?

Social justice activists may want to fix social problems, but that does not mean their claims and policies achieve their goals.  Intervention in society is claimed by social justice activists as needed to ameliorate the problems, but they can fail to share supporting evidence that intervention is needed.  Social justice activists tend to hide evidence of how the problem they sought to ameliorate was ameliorating before their intervention, and do not share evidence of the problem being exacerbated after the intervention. 

 

Politicians who advocate social justice to gain votes, learn to enact politically desirable policies even as there are negative consequences for society.  Society might suffer, but the politician gains political support.  There are increased chances that terrible policies are enacted for their political desirability, when the politicians do not face the consequences of being wrong.

 

People react differently to the imposition of rules and policies than expected.  They do not simply accept and carry out someone else’s grand design.  Policies can have the reverse consequences than expected, such as raising tax rates with the expectation of increasing tax revenue, can have the consequence of lowering tax revenue as people find ways of avoiding the taxed activity or product.  Alternatively, lowering tax rates can increase tax revenue as more people will find the activity or product attractive.

 

Caveats?

While the author shares the biases of the opposition, the author has biases of one’s own.  There are various examples of how the opposition used evidence incorrectly or did not share the appropriate evidence, while the author presents favorable alternative evidence to support the authors’ claims without questioning the evidence in the same way.

 

This book contains examples and ideas found in various other books that the author wrote, without many changes to the examples or additional examples.  This book can be used as a short reference book to the authors’ other books. 

Korea: A History by Eugene Y. Park

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3.0

Is This An Overview?

Korea’s technological progress in the Bronze Age brought with it social stratification and the subordination of weaker tribes by stronger tribes.  Tribes became larger and more centralized, eventually bringing about the Three Kingdoms of Paekche, Koguryǒ, and Silla.  The kingdoms were brought together under the Koryǒ monarchy, which transitioned into the Chosǒn.  Becoming the two states of North and South Korea after the end of Japanese occupation. 

 

The kingdoms had their similarities and differences within conflicts and foreign relations.  Even from the early Kingdoms, Korea’s culture and politics has been influenced by China.  The kingdoms developed strict aristocracies, with Buddhism, Confucianism, and later Protestantism for social harmony and governance legitimization.  Governance which became a compromise between meritocracy and aristocracy through examination and privileges.  At times, monarchs became figureheads.  

 

The Korean states maintained their sovereignty through a balance of power between them, and other neighboring states.  But were often a tributary state, a colony of another power such as China, Mongolia, Manchuria, or Japan.  Preserving their identity while being subordinate. 

 

The economic burden of societies tended to be placed on the lower classes, the farmers.  When there was more extraction from farmers, the economy suffered, which sparked rebellions.  The socioeconomic situation improved when the lower classes were not under dire pressure, and were supported by knowledge and innovation.  The political and economic tension persisted into the two states of North and South Korea.  Both had authoritarian regimes, but while North Korea was influenced by Russia to pursue economic self-sufficiency, South Korea was influenced by the United States to pursue economic integration into a global economy.  North Korea’s economy initially fared better than South Korea’s, but South Korea flourished due to globalization, while North Korea suffered through a lack of needed support. 

 

Caveats?

This book can be difficult to read, as a lot of diverse details are provided in quick succession.  There is often a lack of explanations for events other than the details of what happened, with poor transitions between events.  The informational organization when describing contemporaneous Korean states can make it difficult to understand what information effects what state.  The difficulty of reading the book was alleviated when the author was describing shorter time horizons, with fewer political states.

 

As a book on Korea, the author favors interpreting information to favor Korea.  A present but not major bias, is the representation of Korea as more victim and others as perpetrators, while limiting information on Korea’s aggressions. 

Nature Wars: The Incredible Story of How Wildlife Comebacks Turned Backyards into Battlegrounds by Jim Sterba

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5.0

 

Is This An Overview?

During the 20th century, Americans recognized how the ecosystems has been harmed and damaged.  In response, various environmental organizations were born.  Culture gradually changed to become more protective of the flora and fauna.  The protection was so successful, that there are species which were near extinct, which began to flourish, and have become overpopulated.  Overpopulation of animals has negative consequences for people and the ecosystem.

 

As people have lost tacit experiences with the ecosystem, people no longer know how to properly protect and interact with the ecosystem.  The more animals there are, the more food resources are needed.  Species which have become overpopulated due to human intervention such as by giving them more food, cannot find enough food for themselves in their habitats, leading to starvation. 

 

Human intervention can be on an ecosystem scale, but often, people advance the cause of a few or a single species.  While the supported and protected species becomes overpopulated, the species competes with unprotected species, taking away resources from the unprotected species.  Protecting a single species at the expense of others damages the ecosystem, as the numbers of the unsupported species decline.  An overpopulation can pollute and degrade the ecosystem thought their consumption methods and waste, which damages the habitats of other creatures.

 

Animals which habituated to the presence of humans, and recognize that humans are not a threat, can become a threat to humans.  Those who handle animal related problems are appreciated by those whose problems they resolve, but are disapproved by those who idealize the animals. 

 

Various means of controlling species populations are discussed within communities, often with tense debates as the various interest groups do not think the means of others are appropriate.  As culture has become protective of animals, many do not want to use lethal means of controlling the population.  Even though people do not want to use lethal means, people appear to not find the frequent road kill as problematic. 

 

Who Invaded Who?

As people invaded animal regions, animals reciprocated by invading human regions.  Though developing an environment for people, certain species have benefited from these developments as well.  Species which were able to thrive in developments for people, which otherwise would have had difficulty surviving.  Within human associated regions, there are various legal protections for animals, such as laws that prohibit hunting.

 

How To Control The Population?

There are lethal methods of reducing animal populations, but they have become disapproved of.    The overpopulation of animals makes hunting seasons less effective, for they remove less animals than the reproduction rate of the animal, and there are less people willing to hunt.

 

A nonlethal method of removing animals from an environment is to relocate the animal.  Relocation is not a safe method as relocated animals have low survival odds.  The animals are relocated to strange environments and need to compete with animals already there.  The relocated animals can also carry diseases. 

 

When repopulating wild population, domesticated species to not necessarily thrive.  For their behavior has changed to be domesticated, rather than what is needed to survive.

 

Caveats?

The focus of the book is on the species which are overpopulated due to human intervention.  Not all species are overpopulated.  More research would be needed for species which have not recovered.

 

This book shares a diverse number of species which have flourished from human contact.  Sharing the biological traits of a species, a history of how they were endangered, how culture changed to support them, the consequences of their overpopulation, and the political conflict on population control.  Even with the diversity and varied details on each species, the explanations can become self-similar.  Such as the conflict over how to manage a species, from different lethal to nonlethal methods, can appear to be the same as other species but with different interest group names. 

Crazy Horse: A Life by Larry McMurtry

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5.0

Is This An Overview?

For the Sioux, names are not permanent but earned.  Crazy Horse earned the name after being recognized for the risky behavior taken during confrontations with the opposition.  Crazy Horse was a force of resistance to American expansion.  Crazy Horse and others understood that the Americans intended to conqueror all their land.  Made possible by American power and a willingness to destroy their adversaries.  Over time, various Native Indians changed their strategy of resistance, to being part of the American administration system. 

 

Crazy Horse was someone who tended to defect from cultural obligations, and was often isolated in thought and behavior.  A mysterious person even to those close to Crazy Horse.  Crazy Horse retained a connection to the community because there were those who were dependent on Crazy Horse, with Crazy Horse having a sense of responsibility.  Crazy Horse was one of the last Sioux warriors who resisted American expansion, but joined the American administration to protect those who depended on Crazy Horse.

 

The Sioux were composed of various related tribes.  Tribes which were governed by a council.  Native Indian governance was misunderstood by the American negotiators.  The negotiators thought that Native Indians were governed in a similar manner as the American system, with a single individual who held authority to speak for all people.  For the Native Indians, they did not obey other leaders unless their own interests were aligned with the other tribes. 

 

Governance misunderstanding was only part of the negotiation failures.  Another negotiation problem was that no treaty made by the Americans, was expected to be upheld.  There were American negotiators who made genuine claims and treaty terms that respected the local conditions to gain the trust of Native Indians.  Treaties that would have enabled cooperation and improved the political situation, but were denied by distant government officials.  Leading to further distrust of the Americans.  

 

Caveats?

The focus of the book is on a single individual.  There are various references to the culture, politics, and events that affected Crazy Horse, but to understand the era would require more research. 

 

There are various references to data gaps on what is known about Crazy Horse.  The author refrains from speculating on unverified details, but shares how others have thought of the details.  

Charlemagne by Johannes Fried

adventurous challenging informative inspiring slow-paced

3.0

Is This An Overview?

Charlemagne was a warrior king, who became a medieval emperor.  The Franks were in a constant state of conflict to finance itself and organize the social classes.  As king, Charlemagne needed to expand territory to prove oneself worthy of leadership, and to provide the retinue with rewards.  Efforts were made towards integration of the conquered lands and people, but local laws and customs tended to be accepted and retained.   

 

During the era, there was no separation between Church and state.  Charlemagne was a defender of Christendom.  Needed to protect churches and the faithful.  Even Rome needed the Franks for defense of their independence.  Various conquests were justified for providing religious services.  Charlemagne gave the clergy wealth and power, and in return, the clergy were to bring salvation to the people.

 

Charlemagne initiated the development of an educational infrastructure.  Wanted to educated oneself and the empire.  Educational efforts which enabled literacy, that was used to improve the efficiency of Frankish bureaucracy and to understand religious matters.  Churches established schools which enabled a literate administration of power.  Knowledge was sought after no matter the source, as foreign ideas were welcomed and schools established which supported their culture and learning.

 

Caveats?

This book is difficult to read, mainly caused by the data gaps.  The author often repeats how much is not known about Charlemagne, the Franks, and the era.   Data gaps that contribute to a lack of details on many events, and reasons for the events.  

The Entrepreneurial State: Debunking Public vs. Private Sector Myths by Mariana Mazzucato

adventurous hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.0

Is This An Overview?

There is a myth that governments cannot make appropriate investments, and intervention in the market would create problems.  The myth implies that the main role of the government is to fix the private sector, to fix market failures, and to provide equitable laws.  This myth enabled the dismantling of public organizations and outsourcing responsibilities.  Leading to governments lacking tacit knowledge, and preventing long term agendas.   The myth of government’s ability, is associated with the myth of the lone entrepreneur who knows how to invent and invest in the future.

 

In practice, many entrepreneurs innovated state-funded technologies and used public funding sources.  Private sector investments tend to occur when an idea is ready for commercialization, after various failed ideas have been filtered out.  Governments tend to invest in earlier stages of an idea before commercialization.  Governments invest in the seed stage of an idea, which carries more uncertainty and higher risk than the later commercialization stage.  The private sector invests in ideas after government has transformed the uncertainty of an idea into much lower risk. 

 

Government has more patience with lower expectations of returns to ideas.  A strategy that has been effective, given that while government is spending more on Research and Development, the private sector is spending more on boosting share prices.  Government investments enabled forthcoming innovations, thereby stimulating private investments rather than crowding out investments.

Caveats?

In trying overcome one myth, another myth was written.  Although the author references that effective innovation is a collaboration between public and private sectors, the book prioritizes state activities.  A myth that the private sector is secondary to the state, being not as effective with financing and social functions.  Sharing only little reference to the consequences of state activities.  The bias in favor of state action, reduces the value of collaboration. 

You Are Not a Stranger Here by Adam Haslett

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

Is This A Collection Overview? 

There are a variety of mental health problems that someone can face.  States of mind that makes the person feel isolated, alone, a stranger to everyone around them.  No one else can understand what the person is going through.  The person is in a state of mind that makes it difficult to connect with, makes their thoughts and behavior strange to others.  This is a book sharing a diverse set of people with various mental health problems.  To show that there are others who are going through mental health problems of their own.  To show that a person can find others, that the person is not a stranger to these characters.  Not a stranger within these pages.  

Collection Caveats? 

This is a collection of various short stories, which have mixed qualities.  Sometimes the short stories can bring an understanding of what other people are going through, sometimes more details would be advisable.  The stories show a variety of ways people resolve their problems, which are based on real choices, but there are some resolutions that are not advisable.  Better to seek help, then use the characters methods.  

 

Notes To My Biographer Overview? 

This is a story of Franklin Caldwell Singer, who is supposed to take medication, but does not take the medication.  Not wanting to take the medication, to not become docile.  A story of how the mind shapes how the individual perceives oneself and others.  Franklin is a supposed engineer, an entrepreneur.  Uses one’s mind in creative ways.  Seeing opportunities to improve everyone’s quality of life.  Seeing opportunities has consequences, of not seeing the consequences.   

This story is about Franklin wanting to see Franklin’s children.  With only Graham responding.  But when Franklin arrives, Franklin becomes distracted by the opportunities for projects.  Barely noticing, barely hearing Graham.  As Franklin spends time with Graham, Franklin becomes ever more anxious as Franklin sees that everyone in public is trying to steal Franklin’s ideas.  How can Graham be heard? 

The Good Doctor Overview? 

Frank Briggs is a doctor who is helping a mother handle the depression after losing a child.  Buckholdt tells the story of how the child died.  The story of the toll that drugs took on the child.  How erratic the child’s behavior had become.  As a mother, Buckholdt wanted to help, but the child made decisions that led to death.  To handle the depression, Buckholdt sometimes takes prescription medication.  

Frank knows and can provide the medication needed for Buckholdt, but wants to help more.  Wants more than the prescriptions, wants to have more regular conversations to help with the depression.  Buckholdt does improve with the medication, but claims to handle life without them.  Frank tries to impose more regular therapy sessions.  Why does Frank want to have proximity to Buckholdt? 

 

The Beginnings Of Grief Overview? 

A teenage boy has his life unraveled.  The death of both parents in quick succession.  Having to move into a home of strangers.  This is a story of how the boy handles grief, along with one’s gender identity.  During a time of stigma against homosexuality, the boy enjoys school to get closer to another boy.  The way the grief ridden boy gets attention from the boy he wants, is by antagonizing the boy he wants.  Antagonism that has a psychical response.  A cycle of self-harm forms.  Why does the grief ridden boy behave in a self-harming way?  What happens to the boy he wants? 

 

Devotion Overview? 

Owen and Hillary are brother and sister who are devoted to each other.  Their bond developed due to a loss of a parent when they were young.  Both end up liking Ben, for Ben can sympathize with their sadness.  Ben also experienced a tragic loss of a parent at a young age.  Hillary and Ben were together for a time until Ben had to move away due to a job.  Coming back into their lives many years later, married with children.  The siblings still care for Ben, but do not want to get in each other’s way.  They are more devoted to each other.  How did Ben effect the siblings? 

 

War's End Overview? 

Ellen and Paul are visiting another country.  Primarily for Paul’s mental health, but under the pretext of Ellen’s research.  Paul has become lethargic, depressed, barely able to make decisions for oneself.  The change of scenery was meant to help.  Years have already been spent on going from doctor to doctor when Ellen finds a better doctor.  Paul feels like a burden on Ellen.  

While waiting for Ellen, Paul meets McLaggan who is a grandmother of a dying grandchild, Albert.  Albert liked medieval history.  McLaggan asked if Paul can share stories of the era to Albert.  Medieval history was not Paul’s topic of expertise, but begins to speak.  Paul finds the energy to speak to Albert for a long duration.  Paul’s teaching appears to be a form of therapy.  What choice does Paul make when the trip comes to an end? 

 

Reunion Overview? 

James received a letter, which had prompted an immediate vacation from work.  The vacation was a pretext, as James left work completely.  James’s behavior changed drastically after receiving the letter, for James did not have long to live.  James initially becomes more involved, experimenting with what life has to offer.  But then becomes reclusive, with people noticing how James does not appear well.  Since getting the letter, James has been writing letters to James’s father.  Reflecting on one’s life, without sharing the cause of the letters.  What does James’s father think of the letters? 

 

Divination Overview? 

Samuel is a 12-year-old boy, who believes that Samuel can foresee someone’s death.  The observation started with Samuel’s teacher, Jevins.  Samuel had a bad feeling about Jevins, who was an elderly fellow.  Samuel was imagining the death of Jevins, and felt uncomfortable with those thoughts.  Shortly after, Jevins passed away.  Samuel becomes emotional about Jevins death, having foreseen it coming.  

Samuel’s mother referenced that Samuel was overcome with emotions when a grandparent passed.  Samuel’s older brother Trevor references something similar with their father.  Their father had a dream of a cousin’s death, and the cousin died shortly after.  Then Samuel has a dream, of Trevor dying during a forthcoming trip.  The parents use various methods to tell Samuel that Samuel cannot predict when people die, to not confuse what is real and what is not real.  But Samuel cannot let go of the feeling that something bad is going to happen to Trevor.  What happens to Trevor? 

 

My Father's Business Overview? 

Daniel has many mental health problems, some of which have been inherited from Daniel’s father.  Daniel is bipolar, alternating between mania and depression.  Therapists had tried to give Daniel various medications, which did not work.  To get to know oneself, Daniel makes various tapes which are left with the therapist.  

Before taking a trip to visit a friend, Daniel obtains the interview tapes, and some therapists notes.  Daniel is a bit afraid to look over the content, while does not want to be afraid of the information.  Then begins to get to know oneself, with the therapists’ notes providing a grim conclusion to Daniel’s health.  The taped interviews are of Daniel’s various friends and family members.  Who is Daniel interviewing? 

 

The Volunteer Overview? 

Elizabeth has been hospitalized for a long time, due to a history of seeing the dead.  Having a visceral experience with the dead.  The dead guide Elizabeth’s behaviors.  While institutionalized, Elizabeth is being visited by Ted.  Ted is volunteering to visit Elizabeth.  Ted is in school, on the verge of adulthood.  Elizabeth feels better when Ted visits, while Ted is able to talk to Elizabeth about relationship advice.  Elizabeth and Ted bond, but Elizabeth’s past intertwines with their present.  How does Elizabeth’s past effect Ted?