Ezekiel's Daughter

I throughly enjoyed this book with a few quibbles. The author is upfront about the fact that historians don’t know what type of disease cause the Antonine plague. He reviews all of the current theories. I found the idea that it was a primitive form of smallpox intriguing. The shadow of COVID lies over this book, of course. At times, I did wonder how COVID influenced the side topics that the author decided to focus on. Quibbles: He gives Edward Jenner credit for solving the problem of smallpox. A memory made me go back to wikipedia to find “Onesimus (late 1600s–1700s[1]) was an African (likely Akan) man who was instrumental in the mitigation of smallpox in Boston, Massachusetts.” Jenner get the credit for replacing the inoculation method of Onesimus with a vaccination method. The author only mentions Jenner. The author is keen to explain that true capitalism might have solved some of the problems that Rome faced. They had no idea how periodic fluctuations in the Nile affected grain yield. They allowed taxes to be paid in grain or in cash. Which meant if grain was worth more, farmers paid in cash and promptly took the grain to market and sold it for much more. I was listening to an audiobook, so I don’t have the quote in front of me, but he mentions how the Romans could not envision a world where a citizen could find food in any market close at hand. And I wondered if the author was unfamiliar with food deserts in our current capitalistic system. Imagery The description of what a Roman bath was really like was striking. Not the spa-like image given in sword and sandal movies. The descriptions of people living in the streets and gutters reminded me of a trip to north Africa where people were living and begging in the streets immediately outside posh hotels. The author mentions an aqueduct built to “nowhere” which reminded me of the bridge to nowhere scandal in my youth. Governments will spend profligately in every time period. History Rhymes? I found it interesting that Christians were blamed for the plague because they did not participate in the universal sacrifices to the gods. As described by the author, it sounds like the anger that some of us had at citizens who would not vaccinate against COVID. The sacrifices were a sort of herd immunity. He describes a historical document that everyone had to carry indicating that they had completed their sacrifice to the gods done to ameliorate the plague. The plague killed during the reign of Marcus Aurelius who was followed by his son Commodus. A summary online indicates “Economically, Commodus's reign was characterized by financial irresponsibility…..His rule saw an increase in the use of imperial edicts, often issued to settle personal scores or reward loyalty, undermining the legal traditions and stability of the Roman state.   The emperor's arbitrary use of power extended to the Senate, where he marginalized and intimidated senators, further eroding the traditional checks on imperial authority. His foreign policy was typified by a preference for diplomacy and appeasement over military engagement.” Sound familiar? The author does print the celebratory rant published by the Roman Senate after Commodus was killed. I can see someone pulling that out again one day.

I had to look back at https://www.worldcon.org/worldcon-history/ to discover when I last wrote worldcon blog. 2016! It has been awhile. And like Mary Ann Mohanraj. I’ve missed my SF people.

I have to break this up into topics.

Travel:

I took the train to Chicago! It has been years since I took the City of New Orleans to Chicago. The last time was for another SF convention, much smaller. I stayed in a college dorm if I remember correctly. There was a family reunion in Chicago that I remember and I think this was my third trip to the city.

I ended up taking the train because the price was half the price of airfare. In fact, I kept checking the price thinking that the difference could not be that great. Roundtrip was around $440 on Southwest. Roundtrip on Amtrak was $220 (both fares are the unrefundable rate)
So I chose Amtrak. A week before departure, Amtrak offered me the chance to bid on a sleeper. The train was not full, so I bid the lowest amount and was awarded a roomette for the trip up there. The train was full coming back so I was stuck in coach on the way back. Two very different experiences.

The roomette is comprised of two benches facing each other. The benches can be pulled out to make the bed. There is also an overhead bunk bed which stores the linen for both beds. The sleeper car has a bathroom at the end of the car and a shower downstairs . (I didn’t investigate the shower). The porter slept at one end of the roomette car and close to the full bedroom car. He told me later that there used to be 8 porters on the train; now there are only 4. He was taking care of at least two cars of people. If you wanted your meal brought to you, he did so. He provided water and coffee in the car. He pulled your bed out if you were a novice like me. By the end of the trip, I was googling to find out if it was okay to tip your porter. I did so; he deserved it.

The train up there and back had an observation car or lounge car—usable by all in most cases. There should have been a dining car because the lounge car was shut down during the period when sleeper car people were using it as a dining car. I miss the true dining car! So did the porters! Especially since the cars still existed. One was at the end of the train, merely there to make certain that they had the requisite number of cars. The conductor said that the kitchen had been pulled out of the car. Apparently the renaissance of train travel that Biden would like to see is not happening. I mentioned the train that was scheduled from New Orleans to Florida to one of the porters. Alabama refuses to allow an amtrak train to return. One of the train officials scoffed that that only a commuter train line, not a true coast-to-coast train like the Southern Crescent, The City of New Orleans, or the Southwest Limited.


When we reached the outskirts of Chicago, I saw two huge fields of solar panels, wind turbines next to an electric distribution plant. I had reached the “free” states! It’s amazing how much money gets spent in Louisiana to make certain that I never see such a sight here.

This article
https://grist.org/transportation/amtrak-train-line-fight-new-orleans-passenger-cargo-rail/
made me wonder about the history of train travel in general. I thought that passenger trail was paramount and freight came later. But maybe freight trains were always the money maker?

Anyway, the trip back was via coach.
I was cold in my sleeper getting to Chicago—even under my Amtrak blanket. It was comfortable on the trip back. Which meant that many of the men were hot. The seat space is wide; the seat reclines without endangering the person behind you. Just like the sleeper car, there are curtains — unneeded on the lower level.

HOWEVER.

Departing from Chicago was confusing unlike arriving. The ticket office had been moved twice and I followed signs all over the place to find out where to check my bag. I never heard a general boarding for my train. The St Louis train was leaving from the same gate. They were still in line when 6:00pm came around….wait…I have to explain that when I booked the return trip, I was leaving at 8:30 pm. Before I left, the departure time was changed to 6:30 pm. So I had less time in Chicago. Now…6:00 pm arrived and I got up because they should have been boarding my train. I heard some commotion as a family tried to help a hispanic woman and her young daughter. Neither spoke English but needed to get on the City of New Orleans also. The train was boarding. We got on a tram to head for the train and the people at the gate yelled wait! There was something wrong with the train. The woman beside me started cursing. This has been the trip from hell, she proclaimed. I asked her what happened. Apparently, on the trip up to Chicago, she got on in Hammond, the train was an hour late. They got to Illinois and the train broke down. They were promised a bus and the bus was an hour late. And now, here we were and the train going back had a problem. 15 minutes later, they said Go! So we loaded the train. We were all in the lower level in a car meant for handicapped people unable to climb the stairs. The bathrooms in coach are all on the lower level. Before we left, we discovered that it was our car that had the problem. The bathroom would not flush. The train operators wanted to swap out the car for another one but the Chicago lead did not allow that. I guess he wanted an on-time train. So we were instructed to use the bathroom in another car. While i use a cane, I could get up those stairs, but many of the car occupants couldn’t. So they decided that that bathroom would be like an outhouse. The closed train door would keep out the stench. (Remember, the train was sold out. They couldn’t move us). Later during the trip, the door malfunctioned and they had to leave it open. As soon as daylight arrived, I abandoned my coach seat and went to the lounge car to read and watch the scenery. As the train emptied, I asked the porter in coach if I could move my seat. There were no more seats on the lower level but I did move upstairs once most of the cars emptied out. Since I didn’t have a sleeper, I had to pay for my breakfast biscuit and coffee. After moving, the trip was fine. I tipped the coach porter also. Retrieving my bag was simple. In fact, I got lost finding my coach seat in all of my walking back and forth. I ran into the baggage car at one point and was able to verity that my bag was in there by looking through the window. I walked to the end of the train to see what that was like.

Amtrak boasted of improving their air filtration system. I wore my mask the entire time in coach. I didn’t wear it in the sleeper car where I was able to close the door and isolate myself. Union Station/Chicago is impressive on the front end and confusing on the back end. It is a nexus of several Amtrak lines and the city Metro line. I didn’t get a chance to ride the El even though some panelists recommended it. I would have needed a guide. Union Station/New Orleans is smaller. We have 3 train lines that go north, east and west. They all come in at different times so, there is little chance of confusion.

As for the train coming back—I would have preferred a car with a working bathroom. Of course. The train was on time at every stop. In fact, we got into New Orleans an hour earlier than planned. I would have gladly given that up for a working bathroom. I do remember the curses from my coach-mate whose train was an hour late in Hammond. I wonder what she would have chosen. It makes a difference if you are not on-time for stops in-between the start and the end. People are left waiting for you.

More on the con later. Pictures below

Train map
https://photos.app.goo.gl/BbdMb75TLzaYsWcL9

Bunk bed
https://photos.app.goo.gl/QFrmdkw2PBcEsA7W7

Roomette from door
https://photos.app.goo.gl/f9YLyvB3odWZMAJ29

Travel to Chicago. We left on time but were late at almost every point.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/vazok4LLeqJW3Y4N8

Observation car
https://photos.app.goo.gl/eXoBsw3wX38gsf8n9

Roomette bed
https://photos.app.goo.gl/67gHvcGB6WawmCat5

A look out the back door. (I wasn't supposed to be here)
https://photos.app.goo.gl/aBzEiFtrWmdKpetp7

On-time arrival back in New Orleans
https://photos.app.goo.gl/uVozkcuLn5WLDAym6

American Spy by Lauren Wilkinson

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I would rate this book around a 3.5 in terms of my reading pleasure. I am largely a SF/fantasy reader but I also absolutely adore John le Carre' novels. I don't care for Ton Clancy styled novels. I am more interested in the moral ambivalence found in le Carre', therefore it is difficult to find new novels in which the spies are not patriotic without interior questioning. That establishes what I am looking for.

This novel satisfied some of that itch. As a Black American, the protagonist Marie is the descendent of an American father who is a policeman in a racist environment, and a mother from the former French colony of Martinique. She knows that America's hands are not clean, yet both she and her sister see government work for the FBI and the CIA as their way out of an oppressed life. As Marie tells her story, we see her realize that neither is truly a way out. The men at the FBI shuttle Marie to paperwork and trivial surveillance. We don't completely know her sister's viewpoint, but we know that her hopes are dashed by a fatal accident. Marie jumps to the CIA in hope of fulfilling their sibling desires only to discover yet another confining box.


My rating is somewhat lower because of several factors, many of which are probably personal to me. (a) I don't understand how Marie was able to turn off her abhorrence of the misogyny and racism that she found within the CIA and FBI. What does she get out of her work? I can understand her father working with the police because he is also protecting his neighborhood. All of the cases that we see Marie involved with are FBI CONINTELPRO or the CIA seeking to undermine a nascent African nation.
I wanted Marie to protest more! Yet, I know that this is illogical. To be a Black employee in America to accept that your employer is sometimes acting against your freedom and your people. Marie's response is believable even if depressing.
(b) the pacing is somewhat slow for a spy novel. Once I realized that this was not an action-oriented novel, I settled down to enjoy the tale of Marie's life. However, I can understand the dismay that I see in other reviews if they expected a typical spy novel.




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I’ve put away my suitcases after hurricane Ida, but not without considering the detritus that stays in the suitcases because I considered it necessary at some point. Some things are eventually removed but there are a few constants.

The travel space bags are a relic of a trip to London and Paris with my sister. Someone recommended the bags for packing. Insert clothes, squeeze the air out, and acquire the ability to pack even more! Well maybe. After years they don’t really shrink like they used to. Now I use them for organization. I package outfits together to insure that I have everything needed. And I tell myself that it saves the TSA time when they want to rummage through my things. Everything is in clear plastic bags. The things one tells oneself in a era of surveillance.

One suitcase had a personal size Klennex container. Was that added for a funeral? Lip gloss for a dry climate? These are things I could remove. The overnight bag has a phone charger connection for a car along with a device to hold the phone upright while I drive. That’s the result of flying to the northeast, renting a car, and realizing that I needed to use my phone’s GPS for directions. How was I to drive without looking down at my phone all the time? That stays in, even though I haven’t flown anywhere in two years.

The extension cord and the Polarized Grounding 2-Prong Adapter are artifacts of Katrina and other storms. I had evacuated to Shreveport and my older relatives and family friends lived in homes built in the 40’s and 50’s. I found it difficult to use my laptop in their homes without adapters. Both have remained in my suitcase or overnight bag because hotels don’t always put outlets where they are needed and some hotel outlets are just as antique. The extension cord was used during Ida to plug my personal computer up cater-corner to my work computer.

The latest additions to the overnight bag are a tiny bottle of hand sanitizer and a mask. I look forward to removing those at least. However, it may be some time before they are evicted.


In other “news”, I returned from the storm to find that the chickens are back. There are only two of them wandering my block now where there used to be five. I even found them in my back yard, possibly because the back fence is down. They are as fat as they used to be. I still wonder if chickens are smart enough to realize that their numbers are smaller. Crows can count to eight, I read. But chickens? As food animals, I do hope that they can’t. As it is, I wonder if their owner evacuated and left them. Or if these are the ones that escape nearly every day. I was blaming a negligent owner, but on a bike ride I passed an eight foot fence. As I passed, a chicken flew to the top of the fence and then landed down on the sidewalk. These chickens are truly free range and more than one house in the neighborhood has a flock, based on the sound I hear when biking.

https://1drv.ms/u/s!AhPZI-_9mdYkhCfhDGz_NjxWMdyZ?e=MoaKyh

I am somewhere between 4.5 and 5 stars on this one. I was listening to the audiobook so forgive any vagueness. (And really-- I wouldn't want to give away any major plot points away)

This book has an atypical narrator. High points for that. The protagonist is a "lightly" married woman who was a wrestler and body builder in high school. She wanted to go into detective work but settled for working for some type of security firm as an analyst after she discovered a love for statistics. Therefore, if there ever is a movie please don't cast a petite size 4 dynamo to play her. She is meant to be impressive. I said "lightly" married because she admits to cheating on her husband in the past. She still has a love of flirting in bars, but tells us that she never follows the guy up to his room. She has a daughter that she loves but thinks/knows that she is doing an abysmal job being a parent. She has a definite edge to her and it is difficult to warm up to her--but then who wants to cuddle with Sam Spade either?

She is obsessive. My, is she obsessive! She was handed a puzzle slightly before the beginning of the novel and she pursues it throughout the novel even though it destroys her employer, some of her co-workers, her family life, and many of the people she happens to meet. I was happy to follow her pursuit throughout the novel as she turns her analytic ability on her puzzle and eventually on her own life.

I was concerned when I reached the 90% mark on my audiobook and I realized that I still had no idea what was going on! Why were all of these tortures and murders occurring? Not to fear, an answer to all questions appear by the end of the novel. The author leaves it up to us to decide whether this is a completely dystopian novel. The narrator begins her tale by telling us that she will be dead by the time we read this. The meaning of that chilling statement changes throughout the novel and the ending gives it the possibility of hope.

The 99% Invisible City: A Field Guide to the Hidden World of Everyday Design by Roman Mars

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I thoroughly enjoyed this book about design. I’ve been a listener or 99 PI for at least year and it was interesting both to revisit stories that I remember listening to and reading stories that I missed from earlier episodes. Having a physical book allowed me time to rethink, explore and consider the small design choices that make up a city.

If I have one complaint, it was with the choice to go with line drawings to illustrate the book. In most cases, the line drawings work fine. In a few cases (i.e. Mansard Roofs, the Bosco Verticale), I found myself jumping online so that I could find an actual picture.

All in all, I enjoyed this examination of where city perennials came from and learning their names. I never knew that those inflatable figures were call Fly Boys. It was interesting to see that New Orleans is not the only city that resists a rectilinear street grid. The chapter on design ideas that bubble up from the populace instead of being enforced by city management was inspiring. The sections on each topic are short and make a quick read over lunch, dinner, or right before bed. (Although, you may find yourself reading just-one-more)

Recommended.




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The City We Became by N.K. Jemisin

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


There are some reviews where I might write "once this got going". In true, this book "got going" from the very beginning. I read it in the space of two days, putting it aside on a Saturday night at 2 am and finishing it on 6 pm on Sunday.

The book describes the embodiment of the city of New York in five people and a sixth who represents the entire city. They must band together to protect their city from a Lovecraft-like horror that sometimes represents itself as gentrification. If you live in a city that has threatened culture (New Orleans, Austin) then you will recognize and perhaps grimly smile at the image of a Starbucks attacking our heroes as they race to save Staten Island.

The book is both exciting and satricial, I look forward to reading what comes next.



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