These books are other nonfiction books I found worth reviewing.

Our Stolen Future by Theo Colborn, Diane Dumanoski, and John Peterson Myers, 1996. Manmade chemicals mimic hormones on the body. They're everywhere, in all our bodies. Nobody knows all the effects, but they appear to cause sterility and other reproductive problems. Lots of examples of wild animals, lab animal studies, and documented human effects. Excellent book, except when it comes to finding solutions. What suggestions are offered seem very unlikely to me as long as anyone can make a profit selling these chemicals. Recommended. Reviewed 1997.

Among Whales by Roger Payne, 1995. Fascinating, informative, and inspiriing. a *lot* of information about whales: physiology, social groupings, observed behavior, a strong consciousness of how much we *don't* know, and hypotheses and speculation on what we may learn. And that's just the first half of the book. Then there are interesting looks at whale-human interaction, a history of whaling, and an enlightening behind-the-scenes look at the workings of the IWC (International Whaling Commission). From there, he goes on into a long and on-target scientific explanation, essay, and impassioned rant on how human pollution is harming the whales, the ocean ecosystems, and the entire world ecosystem, and how each of us must change our consciousness in order to turn the process around and avoid the extinction of wild animals, ourselves, and possibly all life as we know it. He ties it all together at the end of the book with a chapter on how we can save it all through interactions with other species, specifically whales. He has an overview of the entire situation facing us, yet you can tell where his enthusiasm lies: whales. I loved the whole book. Recommended. Reviewed 1998.

The Bond Between Women: A Journey to Fierce Compassion by China Galland, 1998. The author traveled to Nepal, India, Brazil, and Argentina, looking for fierce female deities and their relationship to compassion, especially in relation to how to stay compassionate in the face of horrible social injustices she almost inadvertently was exposed to. Good reading. Reviewed 1999.

Another Country: Navigating the Emotional Terrain of our Elders by Mary Pipher, 1999. By a very human psychologist, about cultural issues involved in aging. She is very much interested in the importance of community. She has a tendency, annoying to me, to make generalizations from observations that may not be as widely applicable as she thinks. And it could be better organized. But it's a good read, with some excellent points. Reviewed 1999.

Note: I know my taste is quirky, and I have strong opinions that are far from mainstream. I am aware that I am skeptical, cynical, and not always kind. I am not interested in arguing about anything, but if you like and/or dislike the same things as I do, and feel like it, email me.

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