Book Review (Rucksack): What A Plant Knows

What A Plant Knows

Written by Daniel Chamovitz in 2012

The Raccoon: What A Plant Knows presents a comprehensive body of research on plant behavior, intending to prove that plants actively perceive and respond to their environment.

UNMASKED: The international team of researchers known as The Society of Plant Signaling and Behavior was originally founded as The Society of Plant Neurobiology.  Heavy criticism among the scientific community led the group to change their title in 2009, as many scholars found it ridiculous that the members drew parallels between plant and human cognition.  Whether we can ascribe attributes such as sight or memory to beings other than animals remains a point of contention among scientists, which left Chamovitz with a very difficult line to walk while writing What A Plant Knows.  Ultimately, the author failed in his effort to balance the opposing viewpoints.

Chamovitz begins each chapter with a grand claim, such as, “Think about this: plants see you,” only to spend the rest of the chapter backtracking and explaining why such a strong word should not be used in the context of these organisms.  All of this occurs after the disclaimer, “We can’t equate human behavior to the ways in which plants function in their worlds, but I ask that you humor me…” which I believe is enough for Chamovitz to establish that he does not believe plants are as intelligent or soulful as humans.  There is a constant discrepancy in the book’s tone that undermines its main argument.

Despite Chamovitz’s “insecurities” about satisfying everyone with an opinion about plant intelligence, he is one of the few scientists gifted with the ability to explain layered research and complex experiments to any audience.  What A Plant Knows teaches without lecturing and at times even proves to be enjoyable to read.

Strengths:

• The book is thoughtful in its organization, and the subheadings within chapters make the work easy to comprehend.
• Periodic images and diagrams greatly help the reader to visualize experiments.
• Charles Darwin surprisingly makes an appearance as a pioneer of the plant sensing field.

Weaknesses:

• Certain sections resemble roller coasters whose drops are not thrilling enough to warrant the long climb preceding them.
• A reader passionately interested in this subject will find that there are many areas of plant behavioral research left out.

Rating: 18/20 Venus Flytrap hairs

Ideal Setting: Read this when the world seems a little dull.  So much of our world remains to be discovered.

Book Review (Canon): The Alchemist

The Alchemist

Written by Paulo Coelho in 1988

The Raccoon: A shepherd boy journeys to Egypt to live out his Personal Legend, learning the secrets of alchemy along the way.

UNMASKED: The Alchemist is celebrated as one of the most inspiring works of fiction of all time due to its central theme of following one’s individual purpose.  Santiago, the young protagonist, certainly proves to be an inspiring role model through his unending persistence and undiscriminating kindness.  Yet, while the former has led to critical acclaim, the latter actually composes the core of the story.

The Alchemist is not a tale about pursuing your Personal Legend, nor, although Coelho says otherwise, does the novel reflect the author’s belief that the thing one seeks has been inside of him all along.  The Alchemist is a dissertation on love.

All of these lofty metaphors lead to the actual words on the page being filled with archetypes and cliché conversations regarding wisdom.  However, a strong story keeps the action flowing and the characters grounded enough to make The Alchemist far more than just a sermon.

Strengths:

• Scenes of Santiago connecting to the universe and of him teaching others are amazingly written and worthy of cinema.
• I was left entirely satisfied with the ending and uplifted by the book’s lessons.
• Coelho’s view of love is honest and inspiring.

Weaknesses:

• One of the characters is nothing more than a religious plot device, whose presence detracts from the rest of the novel.

Rating: 17/20 omens

Ideal Setting: Read this if you are ever losing faith in love or spirituality, or when your life depends on your ability to transform into wind.

Book Review (Rucksack): Outliers

Outliers

Written by Malcolm Gladwell in 2008

The Raccoon: Citing studies of centenarians, famous athletes, and geniuses, Gladwell explores the reasons why certain individuals and groups are able to progress so much further in life than the rest of the population.

UNMASKED: There is never really an acceptable reason to refuse a book by Malcolm Gladwell.  If you have less than 48 hours to hack into the NSA to avert a global catastrophe, but a friend walks in the room and hands you Blink or David and Goliath, it is in your best interest to drop everything and read it immediately.

Outliers is certainly no exception; the book sheds light on several mechanisms that govern economic and social placement in our society.  For example, you may have heard the idea that ten thousand hours are required of any activity before it is mastered.  Gladwell proves this using plentiful studies of groups and examples of specific men and women, leaving no holes in his thesis.

The natural consequence of Gladwell’s depth and rare subject choice, however, is fear.  It is one thing to read The Confessions of an Economic Hitman and learn how the United States government has flooded developing countries with debt under the guise of helping them industrialize.  It is a far more frightening thing for Gladwell to reveal the skewed methods by which Bill Gates became a household name while other men and women of his caliber remained entirely unnoticed, because nobody is at fault.  There is no grand conspiracy; the unnatural selection process is simply as automatic to society as breathing is to us.

Outliers is a gift, because it raises awareness of a problem that has passed completely under the radar up until now.  So, whatever you have planned for the weekend, it isn’t as important as this book.

Strengths:

• Outliers revolutionizes the way the reader sees the people around him/her.
• Gladwell elaborates on every point he presents, making for strong, proven arguments.

Weaknesses:

• Gladwell ends Outliers with his family’s story, which is the least logical and interesting example in the book.
• Although Outliers aims to be entirely scientific and unbiased, certain chapters border on racist stereotyping.
• A “be all end all” tone pervades the book, ignoring that the the societal factors described do not currently apply to every person and will likely not always apply to the rest.

Rating: 17/20 opportunities

Ideal Setting: Read this when you feel “the system” has cheated you.  You are still being cheated, but there is a reason for every aspect of life’s unfairness.

Book Review (Canon): Wings

Wings

Written by Aprilynne Pike in 2009

The Raccoon: After moving to a new city and entering public school, fifteen-year-old Laurel anticipated some discomfort.  However, developing a bump on her back which blossoms into a giant flower and learning that her old house guards a supernatural gateway is a bit more than she bargained for.

UNMASKED: My discovery of Wings could very well have been the beginning of its own fantasy novel.  I found a tattered, brown book, without a cover, seemingly abandoned, on a piano at my school.  The first three pages were empty, and the fourth only held one word: Wings.

Ultimately, I left the book where it lay for fear that I would be stealing it, which completely ruined my moment of magical immersion.  Yet, when I bought and read Wings for myself two weeks later, I felt the same sense of hidden enchantment as on the first day.

Wings is the ultimate fantasy novel for people who are disenchanted with fantasy novels.  Its supernatural elements are well-crafted and fit snugly into a world that is otherwise like our own.  The reader becomes comfortable enough with Pike’s ideas that the verisimilitude is not lost when Laurel learns of another dimension or any of the book’s other surprises.

However, brilliant concepts on their own are not enough to keep a reader’s attention, and it was the characters in Wings that really glued my eyes to the book.  Laurel and David, the novel’s two protagonists, are much more realistic than your average teenage heroes.  Laurel especially has a personality clearly shaped by her homeschooling; she is shy and a little naive, yet has a strong sense of right and wrong.  She reacts in a relatable, emotionally stirring way when other characters confront her or overwhelm her with information about the supernatural.  For the first time in years, I found in Wings someone who makes sense and who I would want to have in my life, and I mean the book as much as I do Laurel.

Strengths:

• Every character stays true to his/her personality and background.
• Differing from the trope of a new recruit being able to stop a world catastrophe more effectively than his/her colleagues who have trained for life, the threat of disaster is not inconceivably above Laurel’s capacity to solve it.
• Pike creates a unique and slightly humorous idea of faeries.

Weaknesses:

• There does not seem to be any reason for Laurel’s attraction to Tamani and how close the two of them become.
• It is difficult to swallow the feeling of immaturity when the book discusses trolls.

Rating: 18/20 breaths

Ideal Setting: Read this whenever one of your behaviors makes you feel isolated or a new environment causes you to think that you don't belong. Perhaps you have simply been a plant this whole time.

Book Review (Rucksack): The Prince

The Prince

Written by Niccolò Machiavelli in 1532

The Raccoon: Machiavelli’s infamous political treatise is considered the groundbreaking work of modern political philosophy.  His collection of advice on ruling, originally intended to secure him a job with the Italian monarchy, has evolved into a controversial leadership manifesto.

UNMASKED: I was introduced to Machiavelli’s work twice before I ever touched the book.  The first time was in eighth grade, when the topic arose in my American history class and my teacher advised me, “If you want to take over the world, read The Prince.”  The second came two years later, when my European history teacher was discussing provincial Italy.  He elaborated, “Have any of you watched House of Cards?  That’s all Machiavellian politics.”  One praised The Prince as practical and useful; the other condemned it as manipulative and inhumane.  Having finally gotten to read Machiavelli and judge for myself, I find neither interpretation to be entirely correct.

Unfortunately, entire sections of the book hold no value to a layman, and, out of the worthwhile content, only very little has stood the test of time.  I had to slog through descriptions of the different types of Princedoms and armies-- Machiavelli has proven himself to be the king of subheadings and word count-- to gather the few quotes that were meaningful and applicable to modern life.

On the other hand, there certainly is gold to be found in The Prince, namely, interesting lessons that I believe will improve both my career and my relationships.  Yet, the book falls short of being a comprehensive guide to leadership.  Of course, The Prince is not heartless propaganda preaching that “the ends justify the means” either.  For example, it is a simple truth that seeming noble in public will help you build up a positive reputation faster than being truly noble but without recognition.  Yet Machiavelli does not claim that this is how one should live their life, and the reader is, of course, free to utilize the book as a buffet, taking only what he/she finds helpful.

Strengths:

• “Still, to slaughter fellow-citizens, to betray friends, to be devoid of honour, pity, and religion, cannot be counted as merits, for these are means which may lead to power, but which confer no glory.”  In other words, Machiavelli advises against becoming so power-hungry that one sacrifices his/her humanity.
• The many methods by which one can acquire a princedom are synonymous to the ways people rise in business, so Machiavelli’s commentary on the actions to take to retain one’s newfound authority is worth studying.

Weaknesses:

• “...he who is the cause of another’s greatness is himself undone,” is a terribly misguided catchphrase, even in competitive situations.
• Machiavelli contradicts himself on a few significant points, and much of his other advice is unclear as well.
• Simply reading a summary of The Prince could bestow up to 90% of the benefits.

Rating: 8/20 mercenaries

Ideal Setting: Read this the day before you start your next job, to equip yourself to rapidly rise to the position of CEO and win any Renaissance-era wars that may occur in your office.

Book Review (Big-Ticket): The Count of Monte Cristo

The Count of Monte Cristo

Written by Alexandre Dumas in 1844

Well, friends, here it is, the moment we have all been waiting for:

This video would not have been possible without the countless hours put in by Poke_Maniac 411, who graciously took time out of his own holiday to help me give birth to my passion project.  Check out the link to his channel in my video description.

While most of my reviews follow the layout of

• Synopsis
• My thoughts
• Strengths
• Weaknesses
• Rating
• Ideal Setting

The Big-Ticket reviews have a different focus:

• Synopsis
• What makes this book stand out
• Rating
• How the book has impacted my life

I hope you enjoy!

Cheers,

Jonah

Announcement: The Woods are Lovely, Dark, and Deep, But I Have Promises to Keep

Hi everyone,

The holiday season has brought with it an impressive series of restrictions on my time.  In order to keep my head above water, I will be taking a hiatus from The Unmasked Raccoon for the month of December.    Come January, I will be back and better than ever, and I intend to kickstart my triumphant return with my first animated review.

Thank you for your understanding.  To help keep yourself cozy over this stretch of winter, I recommend reading

• I Am The Messenger by Markus Zusak, a philosophical novel about a cab driver who, after inadvertently stopping a bank robbery, is sent cryptic messages that help him change the lives of others
• Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency by Douglas Adams, a hilarious blend of crime, mystery, and romance featuring impossible furniture placement and an electric monk
  
  

Happy holidays!

Love,

Jonah