July 2015. We're back

So, after a long hiatus I am back in the book club business. After our trips and various dramas of the summer.

Yonatan: On the Move: A Life

Sacks, Oliver

A great new autobiography by the famous doctor/scientist/london jew Oliver Sachs. Now facing death from a rare cancer he writes about his adventurous life in a new light. I hope that it will appeal to you at least out of interest of all the great men he has known.

Noam: Hold Still: A Memoir with Photographs

Mann, Sally.

This is really for both of you, a memoir about her life in the South, written by a photographer and illustrated by her pictures. I have had my eye on it for you for some time. I think that you will both enjoy it.

Dalia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (The Chronicles of Narnia)

C. S. Lewis

As you may or may not know I am putting together a library of great children's books in hardcover for Dalia. Daci said that she has enough infants books to stock a public library so these are for the future. I am using a guide to the best 50 children's books of all time and buying them at one a month in the nicest illustrated editions I can find.

She already has Charlie and The Chocolate Factory and Alice in Wonderland at our house, by the time I am finished she will be 4 and have at least a copy of all the classics.

March 2015 renewing the posts

The past few months:


It has been a while since I have written any posts here, and there has been a short gap in the book sending, but now we have a new member of the Platt book of the Month club and I will begin getting a book for Dalia every month so she will have a whole library when she is ready.

I don't get books for Gil, he has access to my Amazon account and seems to be on a book of the week program.

March's choices:

Dalia:

I am sure that Daci and Yoni already have books but I will keep these coming, we have also kept all those books we read and reread to our children, an almost complete set of the Berenstain bears etc...

Noam:  The Lady in Gold: The Extraordinary Tale of Gustav Klimt's Masterpiece, Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer.

I think that both Noam and Catie will enjoy this, soon to be a film staring Helen Mirran.

Yonatan: The Fantastic Laboratory of Dr. Weigl: How Two Brave Scientists Battled Typhus and Sabotaged the Nazis

A combination of microbiology and fighting Nazis, what could be better, strongly recommended by Noam.

October 2014

Noam: A time for Gifts.

Patrick Leigh Fermor

Noam I bought this for Yoni last month and I think that it is time for you to read it. It won't cure your wanderlust that's for sure. This guy, who was a huge hero in the second world war, after getting kicked out of school at 17 in 1932 decided to walk across Europe. This isn't really a trip that you can make anymore though many have tried. I say that because the world has become so much smaller and the differences between nations have become so much smaller. Anyway he walks like a tramp some of the time and because of his contacts, social status and gift for languages he ends up sleeping in a lot of palaces. A great book, thought by many to be the best modern travel book. Bear in mind that he wrote it 50 years after the trip so he is able to see some of it through the hindsight of history.There are two others, just let me know when you want those.

Yoni:

City of Thieves: A Novel

Benioff, David

This is one of those great finds, a book I picked up at a book sale because the author had a Jewish name. I couldn't put it down, honestly, it deserves all the reviews on Amazon, Judy is reading it now.

When I finished it I read a book about the siege and most of the stuff here is true. Of course, there is a Jewish connection. I think that Daci will enjoy this as well.

July 2014

Noam:

The Remedy: Robert Koch, Arthur Conan Doyle, and the Quest to Cure Tuberculosis

Goetz, Thomas

I know you like books about diseases, TB is really the king of Bacteriological issues. Though Selman Waksman (yes MOT) developed the first useful treatment in the 1950's TB remains along with Malaria as the most destructive infectious disease, though in the past, it was often related to creativity. I hope that this book will shed some light on the subject. It is certainly the disease with the most literary heritage.


Yonatan:

A People's Tragedy: The Russian Revolution: 1891-1924 

by Orlando Figes 

I have refrained from getting you guys history books, this does look a little daunting at first. I read this last year and I have to say it is really readable. This period in history is mostly misunderstood and the scale of events is truly momentous. Don't worry I won't send books on the Balkans any time soon.

June 2014

Noam:

In the Sanctuary of Outcasts: A Memoir (P.S.)

See Yonatan's book from last month, the story about the leprosy asylum in S. Louisiana. I keep hearing great things about this book, I hope that it appeals to you as you like both microbiology stories and Louisiana history.

Yonatan:

Midnight in Europe: A Novel

 The new Furst book came out on Tuesday, you will get it on Saturday!

May 2014

Yoni:

In the Sanctuary of Outcasts: A Memoir (P.S.) Paperback

by Neil White

My good friend Marc Kahn from Tulane recommended this. The true story of a white-collar criminal who finds himself befriending the last remaining patients of the last remaining "leper-colony" which is of course in South Louisiana. Probably a disease you will never see but an intersting window into a lost medical world (thankfully).

Noam:

The Paris Architect: A Novel Hardcover

by Charles Belfoure (Author)

Ok, as you know I would happily drop everything and move to Paris. In addition this a book about Jews, the holocaust and an Architect. It has your name written all the way through. There should be a fair amount of architectural detail hidden  throughout.

April 2014

A fun month I think (if you think  the history of TB is fun)


Noam: 

Why Knot?: How to Tie More than Sixty Ingenious, Useful, Beautiful, Lifesaving, and Secure Knots!

Petit, Philippe
(that's the guy why walked the high wire in between the twin towers.
If he doesn't know how to tie a knot who does?

I know you love all sorts of outdoorsy stuff and I read really good things about this book.
I myself still remember how to square lash from camp. It is probably a good life skill.


Yonatan: Less fun but very interesting;

The Remedy: Robert Koch, Arthur Conan Doyle, and the Quest to Cure Tuberculosis

Goetz, Thomas

I have been waiting fo rthis to come out for a while and I am ordering myself a copy. TB remains along worth Malaria as the most destructive infectious disease, though in the past, it was often related to creativity. I hope that this book will shed some light on the subject. It is certainly the disease with the most literary heritage.