How Democracies Die by Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt

Genre: Political Science
320 p.
Publisher: Crown
Published: 1/16/18
Source: NetGalley and Publisher for review
Affiliate Link: http://amzn.to/2E5jvmT

A bracing, revelatory look at the demise of liberal democracies around the world--and a road map for rescuing our own

Donald Trump's presidency has raised a question that many of us never thought we'd be asking: Is our democracy in danger? Harvard professors Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt have spent more than twenty years studying the breakdown of democracies in Europe and Latin America, and they believe the answer is yes. Democracy no longer ends with a bang--in a revolution or military coup--but with a whimper: the slow, steady weakening of critical institutions, such as the judiciary and the press, and the gradual erosion of long-standing political norms. The good news is that there are several exit ramps on the road to authoritarianism. The bad news is that, by electing Trump, we have already passed the first one. 

Drawing on decades of research and a wide range of historical and global examples, from 1930s Europe to contemporary Hungary, Turkey, and Venezuela, to the American South during Jim Crow, Levitsky and Ziblatt show how democracies die--and how ours can be saved.

My thoughts:

No matter what you think about US politics right now, I do think there is a resurgence in learning about the political process and what these people in office can and can't do or even what they should or shouldn't do (if not in legal terms). This book does a good job at explaining a bit of that from lessons in the past in terms of what is happening today. Unfortunately I've seen some people dismiss this book without even a cursory read because it does criticize Donald Trump and his rise to becoming the current US president. While it does criticize the man and what he has done, it also brings a historical viewpoint in politics I have not read in quite a while. The book isn't just about Donald Trump even though he is the reason the book was written.

I think the most one word review I've seen about this book is depressing. While that aspect is present in the book, it is also hopeful. We get lessons from democracies that have perished but also those that were threatened and survived and became stronger. The US has had several threatening instances to our democracy and some were successful and corrected in later years which made it stronger and some gone uncorrected or partially corrected which has diminished our democracy. The book also shows what specific ideas were put in place by the founding fathers to prevent demagogues, those who use popular prejudices and false claims, from taking charge. Some ideas were explained in a historical context (ideas that eluded me like the electoral college) as to why they were put in place and also why those ideas failed in recent times. It also delivers a road map in how authoritarian figures come to power by examples of the past and how closely that map is followed in the present. It isn't a one sided book but well rounded as it shows how no one side (liberal or conservative) is immune to the danger of an authoritarian figure. Also, be assured, it shows how the authoritarian figures were subverted either before or after that person came to power.

So while I do see that aspects of this book are depressing I also see hope within the pages. I think it also helps to see that the tiny actions of "no" within the party in power might make a difference if it starts to grow. This book really helped me see that as a bit more positive than I had before (not much but I'll take what I can get). There is so much more I want to say as this book has really made me think. If you want to know a bit more about how democracies win or fail this is the book for you. It is, I think, better than the more tabloid book out there (no names and admittedly I haven't read it because there is nothing to back his claims) as it is a well written and a well documented thesis on how democracies die and also live.

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Art Book Review: Dare to Sketch by Felix Scheinberger

Genre: Art
160 p.
Published: Sept. 19, 2017
Publisher: Watson-Guptill
Source: NetGalley and Publisher for review

An inspirational, instructional, and visually stimulating guide to sketching and drawing. Dare to Sketch is filled with practical tips about which materials to use, a variety of subject matter ranging from easy to more challenging, and wisdom about overcoming creative blocks and fear of making mistakes.

A whimsical beginner's guide to sketching, covering all of the important basics: what kind of notebook to buy, what drawing materials to use, ideas for subject matter, and daily exercises. Includes inviting, inspirational, and idiosyncratic tips (don't start on the first page of your sketchbook!), Dare to Sketch is gorgeously illustrated with the author's unique and contemporary art style.

My thoughts:

 I'm always on the lookout for a sketching book to finally get me to sketch! Yea, I know... it is up to me and not a book but inspiration is always a good thing. While this one didn't quite get my butt in gear and start sketching as much as I should, it was a good primer book for those that want just some information on sketching in general.

I actually didn't agree with some of the suggestions here, I didn't quite disagree either. I do like his suggestions on materials, but I think to get someone to sketch you need to make it more accessible and more relaxed. The suggested paper and pens were ideal, but I think that a much more relaxed attitude toward it gets people to start more than anything else. Ironically it is a sentiment he seems to make when getting down to how to record what you see. His attitude there is that you don't need to produce photographic type of drawings (keep those for a camera) but to get more of the gesture and feel of the objects.

In the end I give this book 3 stars. It is good basic information for those starting to sketch and it does have some good inspirational sketches from the artist. I also like the last couple of pages that talked about master artists and what happened to their sketchbooks. I always love those kinds of tidbits.

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Canine Nutrigenomics by W. Jean Dodds, DVM

Genre: Nonfiction Dog Health
326 p.
Publisher: Dogwise Publishing
Published: 1/13/15
Source: Library

Vibrant health begins in the cells. Learn how to transform your dog's cellular health with the power of nutrigenomics in this ground-breaking new book. Nutrigenomics (a combination of the words nutrition and genome) is the study of how the foods we and our pets eat "speak" to our cells to regulate gene expression, which in turn plays a huge role in determining whether a person or animal will live a life of vibrant health, or one plagued by illness. 

Scientists now know that while we can't change the genes we are born with, we can change how those genes behave, which is exactly what authors W. Jean Dodds, DVM and Diana Laverdure-Dunetz, MS show us how to do in, Canine Nutrigenomics: The New Science of Feeding Your Dog for Optimum Health from Dogwise Publishing.

 My thoughts:

I have been interested in dog health and especially dog nutrition for a long time now. I have had several dogs throughout the years with special needs and so I was forced into reading on nutrition. If you have had to forage into this area you know it can get confusing fast. Very fast. It is worse than human nutrition. What is bad in one book and should be avoided at all costs is celebrated in another. My biggest suggestion for those looking to improve health is to carefully read about the person giving the information and also research their background.

I've been following this vet for a while now and I have read many of her articles but none of her books. This was the first one I have read by her and I was not disappointed. In earlier articles by her I read a bit of her information on thyroid problems in dogs. I've had two dogs with that problem and one of them is my large doberman. Though her articles I have adjusted when I give the medicine to him and what foods to avoid. It seems very consistent with other nutritional veterinarians.

This book focuses on Nutrigenomics. It is has gained more popularity and was once considered pseudoscience. Not all agree that there is enough evidence to suggest that nutrition can influence how genes react which is the basis of nutrigenomics. It is in a sense using food as medicine. It has been gaining popularity and more papers and studies have been done. It is an interesting idea in both humans and animals. Plus, in my own experience I have physically seen how nutrition has changed my animals health throughout the years.

Dr. Dodds also runs a canine blood bank and has a test for food sensitivities which she promotes in the book. I would love to do it for my pups but it is very expensive (but some insurances do cover it but a veterinarian has to order it). It could end up being a money saver, however, if you have not gotten to the bottom of certain gastrointestinal disorders or even coat problems (like hot spots and excessive itching). It is at least worth a look if you have a pet that has issues that have not been helped conventionally. There is information on her site about this test and the book really tells you how the information you gain from this test applies. If you don't do the testing you can still gain some insight and knowledge on what to feed your dog.

I give this book 4 stars with my long winded review. The book can seem quite technical to some so I would try her articles first to see if it is someone that makes sense to you. I also suggest to library book this one (where I got my ebook copy) to see if it is something you want to keep or just something to get a few tidbits from to enhance your dog's food. Dr Dodds is at lest worth a look when you are trying to help your pet's health through nutrition.

Dr. Dodds Blog (you can also access their other services and information through the link as well).

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DNF: Draw Your Weapons by Sarah Sentilles

Genre: Nonfiction
Published: July 4, 17
Publisher: Random House
Source: From NetGalley and publisher for review

A single book might not change the world. But this utterly original meditation on art and war might transform the way you see the world--and that makes all the difference.

"How to live in the face of so much suffering? What difference can one person make in this beautiful, imperfect, and imperiled world?" 

Through a dazzling combination of memoir, history, reporting, visual culture, literature, and theology, Sarah Sentilles offers an impassioned defense of life lived by peace and principle. It is a literary collage with an urgent hope at its core: that art might offer tools for remaking the world. 

In Draw Your Weapons, Sentilles tells the true stories of Howard, a conscientious objector during World War II, and Miles, a former prison guard at Abu Ghraib, and in the process she challenges conventional thinking about how war is waged, witnessed, and resisted. The pacifist and the soldier both create art in response to war: Howard builds a violin; Miles paints portraits of detainees. With echoes of Susan Sontag and Maggie Nelson, Sentilles investigates images of violence from the era of slavery to the drone age. In doing so, she wrestles with some of our most profound questions: What does it take to inspire compassion? What impact can one person have? How should we respond to violence when it feels like it can't be stopped? 

Draw Your Weapons stirs and confronts, disturbs and illuminates. A single book might not change the world, but this lucid, radiant, and utterly original meditation on art and war might transform the way you see the world--and that makes all the difference.

My thoughts:

I'm quite upset that this is my first official DNF of the year. I thought this one would be perfect for me. Taking on a different perspective than we usually see on violence and war and what we really want to change through these perspectives including those that believe in pacifism. I love seeing things you contemplate through new eyes and taking from a few artists that lived through different eras with their own perspective on violence in the world. I really just wanted a different perspective than I would have considered before. I wanted some food for thought with people who do not glorify violence and some who see it as a springboard for creation despite the destruction. Now this sounds like I've already put this book up for failure with my expectations but I would have been satisfied with a good tale even if I had heard it all before.

Unfortunately, I could not get into how she wrote the book. Sort of like a stream of consciousness that felt a bit like a diary from many perspectives. It just flitted from one POV to another. Even if they were connected I wanted a bit more grounding before I take off into the stratosphere and I didn't get very far before I put it aside. I can sometimes make myself try to get used to the author's intended format but I think with so much going on right now I just didn't have the patience.

If you still feel like this is something you would enjoy, I say go for it. Perhaps the format that doesn't fit me will fit perfectly with you.

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The New Colored Pencil by Kristy Ann Kutch

Art Instruction Book
Medium: Colored Pencil
176p.
Available Now
Source: Blogging for Books for review

Learn to draw and paint using colored pencils in The New Colored Pencil: a how-to guide for creating vibrant, textured, and easy art illustrations by best-selling author and teacher Kristy Kutch 

Master the Latest Breakthroughs in Colored Pencil Art 

If you want to create colorful, radiant works of art, colored pencil and related color media (wax pastels, watercolor pencils, and so on) provide you with limitless options for adding vibrancy to your creations. In The New Colored Pencil, artist and instructor Kristy Ann Kutch guides you through the latest developments in color drawing media with examples of and recommendations for the newest pencil brands, drawing surfaces, and groundbreaking techniques (including using the Grid Method, grating pigments, blending with heat, and more). Supported by step-by-step demonstrations and showcasing inspiring art from some of today’s best colored pencil artists, The New Colored Pencil shows you how to use color theory to your advantage, combine color media, create and enhance textures, and experiment with surfaces to create interesting effects. Whether you use traditional wax-based, or watercolor colored pencils,The New Colored Pencil will take your art to the next level.

My thoughts:
Well, here is my new art book review. I have been wanting to do these for a while now and just got the opportunity. I love art and encourage everyone to at least try it. :)

I have been wanting to incorporate different things into my watercolors. I have considered colored pencil and now that they have water-soluble pencils I need to consider it further. There was even a section dedicated to the water-soluble pencils and even pastels. That was a nice surprise and fortunately (or unfortunately for my wallet) I now want to try those as well.

I didn't just get ideas in that section. I also had ideas of combining the more traditional pencils to watercolor. I didn't even consider the wax content in the pencil and how it could create a resist and it got me to thinking about being able to preserve some color through the resist or even just create interesting patterns with the resist itself.

My favorite part of the book is where she breaks down a lot of the more popular artist grade pencils and pastels. It helps you save a lot of time and money just by reading those parts. You can then decide what you want your work to do and pick the appropriate utensil. It made me want several brands just by reading their capabilities.

The part that I thought needed a bit more work would have been the areas on watercolor. She isn't a watercolorist and you could tell in this section. Although it was lightly visited a better section on watercolor brushes might have been a good choice. I enjoyed her selection of papers listed but I would have also liked perhaps a list of watercolor books that would be good for a beginner for those that haven't tried the medium yet.

I give this book 4 stars. It is easy to follow and helps you pick out your product easily. I think for a beginner it would give them a good overview of the medium and it also helps seasoned artists to think about how they might want to incorporate pencils and some pastels into their work.

In a Dog's Heart by Jennifer Arnold

Jennifer Arnold has come to a unique understanding of the human-dog bond over the two decades she has spent raising and training service dogs for Canine Assistants. She developed a methodology—Choice Teaching—that pairs scientific and behavioral knowledge about dogs with gentle incentive and encouragement to extraordinary effect. 

Here Arnold shares
• how to choose the puppy that’s destined for you and what to have on hand before you bring that puppy home
• best practices when it comes to teaching your dog essential and even lifesaving commands• what to stock in your doggie first-aid kit• how to keep your pet safe from dangers at home and in the outside world• how to help your dog overcome anxious behavior, from separation anxiety to thunderstorm phobia• the challenges and rewards of adopting an older dog 

Throughout the book are captivating stories of the extraordinary ways in which dogs prove themselves worthy of our care and devotion—and how we can, and why we should, help them achieve what they so deserve.

This seemed to me to be a book for first time owners of dogs. I'm always curious about these books and want to see if I can glean things that I may have not thought of before. However, after reading the chapter, "Keeping Our Dogs Healthy", I would not recommend this book to a first time dog owner. I don't just sort of disagree with what was said, but disagree to an extent that it bothered me.

One of the things I disagree with is soy. She says that dogs can become vegetarian if you provide a complete protein in the diet. This is true, however she suggested soy as the substitute. Dogs cannot completely digest soy, so therefore it is not a good substitue for the protein. Second, she actually advocated synthetic preservatives. That was the huge NO to me. Ethoxyquin, a common synthetic additive and is used as a pesticide and a agent in making rubber. It is not allowed in any human foods we consume. BHA is also commonly used and is allowed in human food, however, it is currently under attack and is on a possible list of those that may be removed one day. She made the point that natural preservatives have a much shorter shelf life and that you should be aware of dates and how often the foods either sold or refreshed on the shelf. That is true, but not a reason enough for me to even consider the synthetic preservatives over natural, especially ethoxyquin.

She also suggested that the brands she listed and any others who are large dog food companies are safer than a local brand. Not sure what those local brands are since the ones I see are all big or med companies. She suggested that the big brands are safer because they manufacture the food and ingredients. This is false. Big companies buy from other companies parts of their ingredients like most packaged foods. Some of these companies they buy from are very bad. There have been recalls because some of these ingredients were manufactured in China and had rat poison (which is legal in China) traces in the ingredients. There is also a recall of some treats because of antibiotic residue which is not allowed in America, but is, again, in China. So what she claims is completely not true and the foods she recommends are ones I stay away from.

The other thing in that chapter she attacked was raw diets. It is a huge commitment to do a raw diet but it is not dangerous as she suggests. Her biggest complaint was the possibility of salmonella poisoning (I'll specifically talk about that one although it can apply to other things she said). Samonella is a consideration especially if you have small children or do not like washing your hands and dog bowls. Second, you can get that same poisoning from even dry dog kibble. There was a recent recall of dry dog food and treats because it contained salmonella. It's one of the reasons very small children are discouraged from handling/eating any dog food. So, again, her reasoning is faulty if that is her main complaint. It is false to suggest that commercial foods are extremely safe in comparison. She had suggested learning from a nutritional veterinarian about cooked home diets (I actually have consulted one about raw food diets). I think she should have done the same before writing that whole chapter.

Sorry for climbing on my soapbox. Not the forum for that, but a book review. So, let me continue on with that...

*gets off soapbox*

I also have to question her methodology she supposedly created called "Choice Teaching". It is a good methodology, but not one she created. It is basically positive reinforcement. Karen Pryor has a great website and training articles that are great for anyone wanting to learn this method of training. I do like what she says and how she trains, it's just not original. She also bashes dominance training. I don't disagree with her about that, but I could do with a little more information and less bashing is all. It wasn't her examples and then what she thought was wrong with it but how she continually bashed one particular well-known person. It was the continual bashing that got old quickly.

Now if you think I hated this book (aside from the nutrition chapter) then you are wrong. I actually loved the stories she had about the canine companions. The dogs who assist people with disabilities and how they came together. This is where the book shines. It also had a great story of one of the Vick dogs that I really enjoyed. I actually think she should have made it a book about those stories and have her positive training tips for the average dog owner. I think the book may have then made it to one of my fave dog books. However, as it is, I have to say that I have to give it 2 stars. The stars are for the stories because they are stellar. I can recommend it for those stories which are quite moving and will often put a smile on your face.

I received this book from the First Reads program at Goodreads and no compensation for my review was given.