Author: John Demos

Genre: Nonfiction, History

Rating: **** (4 Stars)

Summary:

John Demos is a professor and scholar of history.  The Enemy Within is “the end product of an almost half-century engagement with witchcraft study” dating back to a term paper he wrote as a grad student in 1960.  Demos observes that “witch hunt” is a widely used metaphor in today’s world, and sets out to compare and contrast modern metaphorical witch hunts with the literal witch hunts of the past.  He begins with the Roman persecution of Christians in the 2nd century A.D., continuing up to the Salem witch trials in 17th century Massachusetts. Demos notes consistent patterns in events leading to accusations, people who were accused, and how witch-hunts sometimes spiral out of control as the accused name others in attempts to save their own lives.

After Salem, Demos focuses on several more modern incidents, including attacks on Freemasons, Mormons and Catholics; various “Red scares”; the McCarthy hearings of the 1950’s; and the child sex abuse/satanism accusations of the 1980’s, showing similarities and differences in the ways each progressed.  One common thread is the suspension of rights normally accorded to the accused, leading to the conviction of people who later turn out to be innocent or at least harmless.

My Thoughts:

The best historians make their subject relevant to modern society.  John Demos accomplishes that admirably.  As I read about the persecutions of past centuries, and the spurious evidences that often led to conviction, I wondered how people could be so gullible.  Then I read about the nationwide flurry of accusations alleging satanic sex rings operating out of child-care centers, the spurious evidences and unconscionable violations of due process and normal legal procedures that led to convictions of innocent people, and I began to understand.

People in every age have something they are afraid of, whether it be witches, communists, child molesters, or terrorists.  When enough people feel enough fear, it is terrifyingly easy to start a witch hunt, whether by intentional manipulation, or by hysterical overreaction.

Witch hunts are ultimately about people becoming hysterical and attacking a perceived threat.  The more insight we have into the factors that lead to witch-hunts, the better we will recognize when we are contributing to the problem, and hopefully avoid the needless destruction of human lives.  I think that is the real value of this book.

Potentially Offensive Content:

The Enemy Within is an intense book due to the nature of its subject matter.  It discusses some of the ugliest aspects of human nature.  That said, I don’t think anything in it is offensive when taken in context.

Have you read this book?  Share your opinion by commenting.

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Subtitle: From Dating, Shopping, and Praying to Going to War and Becoming a Billionaire- Two Evolutionary Psychologists Explain Why We Do What We Do

Authors: Alan S. Miller and Satoshi Kanazawa

Genre: Nonfiction

Rating: ***** (5 stars)

Summary:

Why Beautiful People Have More Daughters is an insightful look at how natural selection has influenced how we behave, asserting that certain behavioral tendencies made our ancestors more likely to survive and reproduce, and that we, as their descendants, have the same tendencies, which, taken together, constitute “human nature.” Many of these tendencies are better suited to a world that existed thousands of years ago, rather than the present day, and result in many of our social problems of today.

Beautiful People contrasts evolutionary psychology with the “Standard Social Science Model” of human behavior. The Standard Social Science model asserts that humans are exempt from biological factors that determine the behavior of all animal species, and that human behavior is almost entirely a product of environment and socialization. Evolutionary psychology, on the other hand, asserts that both sociology and evolutionary psychology have value in explaining our behavior.

The authors are quick to warn against thinking that just because something is natural doesn’t mean it is good. Instead, they assert that:

Any solution to a social problem must start with the correct assessment of the problem itself and its possible causes. We can never devise a correct solution to a problem if we don’t know what its ultimate causes are. So true observations are important foundations of both basic science and social policy.

Beautiful People includes a section titled, “Puzzles and Questions,” where it addresses specific questions of human behavior, and shows how evolutionary psychology provides explanations.  The authors cite studies to support their assertions.  Additionally, they provide a long list of questions to which answers had not been fproposed at the time of publication.

My Thoughts:

Beautiful People makes a lot of sense.  I found it to be not only insightful, but a highly entertaining read.  Additionally, I think I gained some insight into my own behavior and that of the people around me.  I appreciated the authors’ intellectual honesty in acknowledging the many questions that remain to be answered.

It is important to note that this book never disparages our intelligence or ability to choose.  It merely explains where our urges and tendencies come from.

Potentially Offensive Content:

Extensive discussion of sex.

Beautiful People touches on a highly controversial and emotional hot-button issue of our time: Evolution.  Those whose religious beliefs preclude any possibility of evolution playing a role in our existence may be offended by it.


Have you read this book? Share your opinion by commenting.

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Author: Lee Child

Genre: Thriller, Detective Fiction

Rating: ***** (5 Stars)

Summary:

Jack Reacher is a former military policeman who lost his job to military downsizing.  He is living off his severance package and drifting from place to place without much of a plan.  On a whim, he gets of a Greyhound bus and walks into the small town of Margrave, Georgia, where he is falsely arrested for murder.

Reacher is interrogated by the town’s only detective, a man named Finlay who formerly worked in Boston.  Reacher convinces Finlay of his innocence, and because of his military police background, ends up helping the police department with the case.  He learns, to his horror, that the murdered man is his own brother, Joe, who was working for the Treasury Department investigating and prosecuting counterfeiters.

Reacher and Finlay’s investigation unearths an ingenious counterfeiting ring that involves some of Margrave’s most prominent citizens, leading to multiple attempts on their lives as they struggle to collect enough evidence to bring it down.

My Thoughts:

Killing Floor is not one of those detective novels where the protagonist spends most of the book at the mercy of the bad guys, escaping and winning only by luck.  From the beginning, Jack Reacher is calm, confident, and in control of his situation.  He has an answer for every challenge that he faces, and he spends most of the book kicking the bad guys’ collective rear.  When the counterfeiters become violent, he has no qualms about killing them to save his own life and to avenge his brother’s murder.  If you derive satisfaction from watching the bad guys get the butt-kicking they’ve earned, you’ll love this book.

Potentially Offensive Content:

Intense graphic violence, sexual content, profanity


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Author: Geraldo Rivera

Genre: Nonfiction

Rating: **** (4 Stars)

Summary:

His Panic is, as the title suggests, about immigration, immigration reform, and the prevalent negative attitude of Americans toward Hispanic immigrants.  Geraldo Rivera sets out to to address many of those perceptions and make a case for a more liberal immigration policy.

The author compares the current wave of central and south American immigrants to the past migrations of Europeans, including the Irish after the Potato Famine.  He cites the example of violence toward Irish immigrants in New York City, and suggests that current attitudes are simply history repeating itself with the hatred focusing on a different group.

Geraldo addresses a number of negative perceptions surrounding Hispanic immigrants, asserting that most immigrants are law-abiding, hardworking, patriotic and benefit the United States by their presence here.  He also accuses certain radio and TV commentators of spreading misinformation to sway public opinion against immigration reform, citing and refuting several examples.

My Thoughts:

Sneakyreader.com is not a political site, and I thought long and hard about reviewing a book on such a hot-button political issue.  I can’t elaborate my opinions without violating the boundaries I’ve set for this blog, but I will say that His Panic challenged my assumptions about Hispanic immigrants.  I found it both interesting and compelling.  His Panic is a persuasive exposition of the arguments in favor of immigration, and I highly recommend it to anyone who has an interest in the debate.

Potentially Offensive Content:

Any political book has the potential to offend people who disagree with its conclusions.  I thought, however, that Mr. Rivera’s style was congenial, respectful, and positive, and I think most people will appreciate that whether or not they agree with him.

Have you read this book?  Share your opinion by posting a comment below.

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Enjoy!