Judgement Day: The Science of Discworld IV, by Terry Pratchett, Ian Stewart, & Jack Cohen. Anchor Books, 2015

This volume of the Science of Discworld books goes over evolution, cosmology, and religion, among other things. The discussion of these things is presented if fairly straightforward terms that most readers will be able to understand without having to resort to Google too often. I’ve read several books on quantum physics and cosmology (and still remain boggled by the subjects) and have to say this book puts in a very understandable way. The heart of the book, though, is a thread that runs through all the subjects, and that is why do people believe in things that cannot be proved scientifically. Why do some cling to young earth theories that geologists assure them are not true, or feel that their religion, and only their religion, is real and true despite *not* being able to prove it? Their answer is that religion is human-centered, even though it tries to explain universe centered things. A human centered world view concentrates on the smaller things, on a human scale. Science says the universe is huge, cold, and doesn’t give a damn about humans. A universe centered view offers no comfort.

Like the other SoD books, the science is strung together with a weak Discworld story. And it’s very weak in this book. A couple of pages of story at the start of every chapter makes it a very short story, and it has no plot arc. A fair number of Discworld characters put in appearances, but it’s like they are just wheeled out to wave at the crowd and be gone. If you’re looking for an overview of the sciences presented in this book, it’s fine. But don’t expect a real Discworld story. 

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All the Things We Never Knew: Chasing the Chaos of Mental Illness, by Sheila Hamilton. Seal, 2015

Newswoman Sheila Hamilton didn’t know David Krol all that well when they married- they were married and she was pregnant within a year of meeting- but many couples commit to each other that rapidly. So it’s not like she knew nothing about him when she committed her life to his. And it was several years into the marriage before she realized David had something wrong with him. She felt he had quirks, but she trusted him. He was running his construction business while she was doing first TV and then radio news and they had a young child; she didn’t have time to dwell on his mental oddness until it got bad. And even when things go bad, she still didn’t think of it in terms of mental illness; she thought he was just being a jackass. His family made no mention of mental illness (even though Sheila was to find out that other family members had issues, too).

The book follows David and Sheila’s relationship from happy newlyweds to strangers living in the same house, ready to divorce. During that time, David ran up hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt, didn’t do necessary business paperwork, didn’t finish jobs which meant the homeowners refused any payment, and was unfaithful. Through it all, though, he remained devoted to their daughter, who was nine when David killed himself. He tried hard- although he failed most of the time- to be a good father to her.

That David was eventually diagnosed with bipolar disorder and that he committed suicide is no secret; it’s right on the book cover. Despite knowing this, I read the story tensely and breathlessly; I couldn’t avoid hoping for a happy ending even though I knew better. Hamilton’s writing drew me in and made me feel what she felt during this horror story. An amazing book. 

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The Nest, by Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney. HarperCollins, 2016

The ‘Nest’ of the title is a trust fund, established by Leonard Plumb, Sr. as a nest egg for his children, not to be distributed until the 40^th birthday of the youngest. He died young, and so did not live to see the funds grow exponentially through the years to a sum well beyond what he expected. This was supposed to be just a nice addition to their incomes; he expected them to do at least as well in life as he did. But Plumb’s offspring haven’t done nearly as well as he thought they would; Leo is the only one to make money and he’s just screwed up royally. After going through most of his own money, he has just had a drunken car accident with a 19 year old girl’s hand around his penis- and the girl has been badly hurt. The Plumb’s mother, Francine, the only person with access to the Nest, has just burned through the majority of it buying off both Leo’s bad mistake of a wife and the injured girl in the name of keeping the story out of the news, as well as sending Leo through rehab. Now the time for the funds distribution is coming up, and the other three siblings want to know how Leo plans on repaying the money; they all have desperate need for it.

This book is an examination of family dynamics, couple dynamics, and the problem with assuming that a deus ex machina will solve their problems. What will they do when they realize that they must solve their own problems and save themselves? Will they survive? Can they manage to reveal their secrets to their families and stand on their own two feet?

I normally I loathe stories that revolve around lies and secrets, but I found myself totally enthralled by this dysfunctional family. They are not bad people; they are average folks who’ve screwed up. The author emphasizes the need for families to keep talking to each other, and that things are easier to deal with when you don’t keep them secret from those closest to you. And, most important, that families can heal. 

The above is an affiliate link. If you click through and buy something- anything- Amazon will give me a few cents. 

I received this book free from the Amazon Vine program in return for a fair review. 

Neither of these things influenced my review.