Harry Potter with Guest Co-host, Patrick Pricken (B&I 13)

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kelly-web.jpg Even if you haven't finished reading Book 7, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, by JK Rowling you can enjoy this podcast, which features guest co-host Patrick Pricken, from Germany. Patrick's blog, which features movie and book reviews can be found at http://www.p-pricken.de/. (The blog is in German, but translation to English is available from Google.) We talked about what why JK Rowling's work has international appeal, even among adult readers. We explore our favorite characters and talk about whether Book 7 lived up to our expectations. The episode is spoiler-free up to the 17 minute mark. The last 15 minutes does contain specific material from the last book, so if you haven't read it yet you will want to stop listening at 17:00, until you finish the book. If you would like to talk about the podcast or share your favorite Harry Potter memories, please join us in the the special section with in the Brain Science Podcast Discussion Forum. Listen to Episode 13 Download Episode Transcript Subscribe to this podcast Subscribe via iTunes™ Join email list
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Will Harry Potter Survive?

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harry_potter_stamps.jpg While I won't be standing in line tonight at midnight to buy the last Volume of the Harry Potter series, but I will be watching my mailbox eagerly tomorrow morning waiting for the UPS truck to bring the copy I pre-ordered back in February. When it arrives I will probably start a marathon reading session, because I don't want to hear how the story ends from someone else. Fortunately, since I am a fast reader, it will probably take me only 8-10 hours. I must say that I regret that all the hype will preclude a slower reading. I am planning to do a Books and Ideas Podcast after I finish, but I wanted to get this post up, because I wanted to get my personal predictions on record before the release (yes I know there are spoilers out on the internet, but I assume if you read this blog regularly you know I have avoided these). The big debate seems to be over who is going to die in Book 7. I am not going to hazard a guess, but I don't think it will be Harry. First of all this would violate the basic principle of telling an heroic tale. I am comfortable that JK Rowling has good enough instincts as a storyteller not to kill off her main character. Thus, it is not even necessary to offer the more comercial reason that killing off Harry would also kill off future sales because it won't take long for the word to get out. Another debate seems to center on what really happened to Dumbledore. Most readers agree that his appearance in the portrait in the headmaster's office at the end of book 6 removes any doubt that he is actually dead. However, I predict he will still be an important character in Book 7. I think he knew that he was likely to die (which is why he froze Harry to keep him from sacrificing himself), and that he has left something behind for Harry to help him. Plus, we don't really know much about what the characters in the portraits are really able to do. I am just listening to the end of Book 6 and I was surprised how sad I feel about Dumbledore's death-two years later! I think when I read the book the first time I saw it coming and I did not have a full emotional reaction.

Reflections on Harry Potter: the first six books

I am proud to say that I have been a Harry Potter fan since before the media frenzy hit, which I think was around the release of Book 4 in July of 2000. I started reading in 1998, when book 2 was still in hardback. At the time I was following the Publishers' Weekly Best Seller list fairly closely and I noticed that books 1 and 2 were topping the adult best seller list. I bought book one because I was curious about how a children's book had become an adult best seller. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is still a magical book that I recommend to everyone. After that I was hooked. I have been pre-ordering from Amazon since Book 4. In fact, looking back at my records I discovered that when I pre-ordered that book in March of 2000, its pre-release title was Harry Potter and the Doomspell Tournament. (The final title was Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.) Some literary snobs are critical of JK Rowling's writing, but I think there are several things that set this series apart. First, it has great characters. My first rule when I read fiction is that I have to care about the characters. This is never a problem when reading Harry Potter, even when he is going through the awkward changes of adolescence and one would occasionally want to throttle him. Which brings me to what I think is perhaps Rowlling's most outstanding achievement: the way she allows the characters to grow and change feels totally real. Lots of series, for both adults and children suffer from becoming repetitive and predictable. (A Series of an Unfortunate Events is like the old Shirley Temple movies, once you've read one you know what will happen). Every Harry Potter book has been unique. The story has become darker and more complex, but I think Rowling is also showing a tremendous amount of respect for her younger readers. The changes her characters face mirror the changes adolescents face in real life. There are many examples of this, but of course, the most obvious is Harry's relationship with Dumbledore. Fortunately, most of us don't face the literal loss of our adult mentors so soon, but everyone experiences the painful lesson of realizing a parent or similar figure is not perfect and can not rescue us. In book 6 we clearly saw Harry growing into a mature, responsible young man. This development is all the more satisfying since we have followed him through his tempestuous early teenage years. Rowling certainly has a more positive attitude toward teenagers than most of the people who write television shows. Besides helping millions of young people discover the joy of reading, she has also provided a story with a solid message about the value of love and friendship. That is why these books are great to read whatever your age.
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Does Free Will Exist? (B&I 12)

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This episode is my response to the The Myth of Free Will (2007), which was sent to me by the book's editor Cris Evatt. I felt the topic was very relevant to my recent discussions on the Brain Science Podcast, where we have been exploring the evidence that a surprising amount of decision-making occurs beyond our conscious control. Listen to Books and Ideas #12 Now I have tried to include some interesting references and links below, but I hope you will share more links (especially good blogs) at the new Brain Science Podcast Forum, which is located at http://brainscienceforum.com. I have set aside a section under "Off-Topic Discussions" for discussions about Books and Ideas. The subject of free will is quite controversial. This episode is intended to stimulate thought and discussion, rather than to convince you that I have the answers. Show Notes The difference between political and psychological free will Can a non-physical soul or spirit be controlling our brain's decisions? Naturalism (What is Naturalism? by Thomas W. Clark founder of The Center For Naturalism) What about choice and responsibility? What does neuroscience have to say about free will? Partial List of Writers Whose Work I discuss References and Further Reading Why Choose This Book?: How We Make Decisions (2006) by Read Montague (Dr. Montague was interviewed on the Brain Science Podcast #15.) The Problem of the Soul: Two Visions of Mind and How to Reconcile Them (2003) by Owen Flanagan Freedom Evolves (2003) by Daniel C. Dennett Astonishing Hypothesis: The Scientific Search for the Soul (1994) by Francis Crick Links of Interest Center For Naturalism The Garden of Forking Paths-A philosophy blog devoted to agency theory, including related issues in Philosphy of Action, Moral Psychology, Metaphysics and Ethics I will try to expand this list in the future.
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Lee Smolin looks at the Einstein Myth

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I haven't tried to read Walter Isaacson's new biography of Einstein because I found his biography of Benjamin Franklin insufferably boring. So I consider myself still on the search for a good biography of the most imp0rtant physicist of the 20th century. Meanwhile, I can highly recommend physicist's Lee Smolin's essay, The Other Einstein, which appeared in the June 14th issue of the New York Times Review of Books. Thankfully, the entire essay is available free on-line. The most interesting part of the article is its consideration of how some of Einstein's objections to quantum mechanics may have even more relevance today than when he was alive. If you have any interest in the conflict between relativity theory and quantum mechanics you will want to read this essay.
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Mini-Review: The Places in Between by Rory Stewart

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placesinbetween.jpg by Rory Stewart Rory Stewart is a Scottsman who walked across Afghanistan shortly after the US invasion in 2002. I listened to the audio version, which he reads himself. Like The Kite Runner, another excellent book about Afghanistan, this book is best in audio because he pronounces all those words that I would be clueless about if reading the book. This is really not even a mini-review except that I want to say that he provides a unique perspective on the country and its people. I never realized that Muslims consider dogs unclean! This just illustrates the huge cultural gap between these people and the West. I could not help but wish we had just stayed away. Rory has a new book out called The Prince of the Marshes: And Other Occupational Hazards of a Year in Iraq . He describes his year as a part of the provisional government in Iraq. I am probably going to discuss this book on the next Books and Ideas Podcast. Please note that the schedule for Books and Ideas has been reduced from twice a month to what I hope will be once a month. This is because I am unable to keep up with putting out a podcast every week. I intend to continue putting out the Brain Science Podcast twice a month.
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Mini-review: Children of Men by PD James (audiobook)

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childrenofmen.gif The Children of Men by PD James was actually published back in 1993 and the story is set in 2021. The basic premise is that no human babies have been born since 1995 (for 25 years). This is an interesting premise, but the book was disappointing. Obviously such an situation would would have many consequences, most of them bad. James concentrates on the psychological consequences, which fine, but the problem is that none of the characters, including the narrator and the younger woman he falls in love with, are engaging. The plot becomes rather predictable. Instead of finding myself sitting in the car wanting hear more, I found myself procrastinating. Finally I forced myself to listen to the last hour. I won't give away the end, but I will say that it did not change my overall disappointment. I haven't seen the movie so I do not know if they changed anything significant. Unfortunately, this is the first PD James book I have read and I do not feel inclined to read more. If any of you have read more PD James, please leave a comment comparing this to her other work.
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Review: "Palestine" by President Jimmy Carter (B&I 8)

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I was a little hesitant to choose a controversial book, but after I read President Carter's new book, Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid, I felt the ideas were too important not to share. I also feel that anyone who reads the book for themselves will agree that Jewish Americans are being unfair when they accuse President Carter of taking sides. It is true that he highlights the plight of the Palestinians in the occupied territories, but this hardly makes him biased. Episode 8 of Books and Ideas is only an introduction to the book. You will have to read it yourself to make your own decision. Listen Now Download Transcript Subscribe to this podcast Subscribe via iTunes™ Join email list Here are some links you might find interesting: The Carter Center CNN's coverage of the resignation of the Jewish members of the Carter Center Some information about the Wall Israel is building around its settlements
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Review: "Generation" by Matthew Cobb (B&I 6)

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generation.jpgGeneration: The Seventeenth-Century Scientists Who Unraveled the Secrets of Sex, Life, and Growth by Matthew Cobb Listen to this episode now Subscribe to this podcast Subscribe via iTunes™ Join email list Show Notes In this episode I discuss the highlights of Matthew Cobb’s account of the early days of the scientific revolution. During the Dutch Golden Age of the 17th century, several Dutch thinkers made important contributions to discovering how human reproduction happens. Their work helped established the scientific method of experimentation and helped revolutionize how we see ourselves relative to the other living things on earth. Here are the full names of the people mentioned: William Harvey Neils Steno Francesco Redi Robert Hooke Johannes van Horne Jan Swammerdam Reinier de Graaf Antoni Leeuwenhoek Gregor Mendel Other interesting Links: Matthew Cobb’s Website an American Scientist Bookstand interview of Matthew Cobb
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Mini-review: Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

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waterforelephants.jpgThis was one of the most memorable novels I have read in the last few years.The narrator, Jacob, is “ninety or ninety-three” and lives in a nursing home. The arrival of the circus next store leads him to reflect on his experiences working on a circus during the depression. I have never been to the circus but Gruen makes the days when the circus was still a big event come to life.

Several things make this story stand out. First, instead of the usual format where the elderly person only appears to introduce a flashback, in Water For Elephants, the story alternates between Jacob’s present life in the nursing home and his life as a young man in the circus. In the audio version, there are separate narrators for the younger Jacob and the older Jacob. This makes it easy to tell where you are and adds to the realism.

At first I found myself wanting to get out of the nursing home and back to the circus, but by the end I cared as much about what was going to happen to the elderly Jacob and I did about learning the secret of his past. Even so, I thought the writing about the circus was especially powerful. Gruen’s ability to evoke the world of the depression-era circus reminded me of Ann Rice’s ability to make me feel that I am in New Orleans. She puts you in the menagerie with the animals, and Rosie, the elephant, is a character you won’t soon forget.

Finally, there is a surprise at the end, which leaves you feeling happier than you expected.

This is a relatively short book that I think anyone who loves animals will enjoy.

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Worst Audio Books of 2006 (B&I 4)

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Show Notes for Books and Ideas Episode 4: I am not going to list the books here, but if anyone needs or wants a list all they have to do is drop me an email at docartemis at gmail.com. In this episode I also reminisce about 1977 with some really geeky memories in celebration of my recent 30th wedding anniversary. I also recommended Orson Scott Card’s Ezine The Intergalactic Medicine Show. Listen to episode 4 now Subscribe to this podcast Subscribe via iTunes™
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My Favorite AudioBooks of 2006 (B&I 3)

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Shownotes I downloaded 29 books from Audible.com in 2006. I have chosen my favorite 10 to discuss briefly in episodes 3 and 4. Next week, after I have posted episode 4 I will post the full list here. In this episode I also recommend Philosopher’s Zone podcast from Australian public radio. Listen to this episode now Subscribe to this podcast Subscribe via iTunes™
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Review: "The Trouble with Physics" (B&I 2)

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troublewithphysics-small.jpg Show Notes This episode turned out longer than I planned. After I recorded a piece about Lee Smolin’s book The Trouble with Physics: The Rise of String Theory, the fall of a science, and What Comes Next, I decided to wait until the next episode to discuss my Audible.com top 10 for 2006. I think Smolin’s book makes an important contribution on several levels. First, it is an excellent review of contemporary physics and puts string theory into context. It is also a candid look at the trends in contemporary science that are stifling original thinking and creativity. It is a passionate defense of the traditional scientific method (making predictions and testing them with experiments). If physics, which has always been thought of the purest science could lose site of its principles, we are reminded that science is a human endeavor, prone to human error and human desires. Listen to this episode now Episode Transcript (Download PDF) Subscribe to this podcast Subscribe via iTunes™ Note: This post was amended on October 5, 2009 (to fix a glitch in WordPress) Comments are closed. If you want to comment please join our new Facebook Fan Page.
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