The Collected Toppi. Volume Four: The Cradle of Life

B E A U T I F U L 

Five tales of folklore set in colonial-era Africa, Australia, and the South Pacific, originally published in the 1970s and 1980s. Included are THE KOKOMBO DOSSIER, BWUMA MY SON, WARRAMUNGA, M'FELEWZI, and PACIFIC ISLAND.

The Searcher by Tana French

Not mind-blowing, thrilling, or even suspenseful, I'd say, but it's surely an entertaining and gripping story. The best of this novel is the character depiction of the protagonist and his relationship with a kid. Both, searching for answers and trying to heal at the same time. I liked French's writing, so I will be looking for more books by her.

The search for the Origin of Covid-19 by Alina Chan and Matt Ridley.

Excellent read. This book is full of facts about the origins of the recent pandemic. It tells the story like a detective novel, putting the pieces of the puzzle one by one together. But the puzzle isn't finished yet. There is more work that needs to be done.

The book explains what is known about Covid-19 and similar viruses. How these viruses are studied in China and elsewhere. Who are the people who carry out and the people who fund those studies. It draws comparisons with previous epidemics (SARS, MERS) and explains how the authorities and scientists acted then.

The book also details the events before and during the outbreak. Who got infected, where, what data was collected, and most importantly, how the Chinese government obstructed the search for truth. Not only this, there is some information about Western scientists and authorities trying to manipulate public opinion, as if there was something big that needed to be hidden.

Viral does not find the origins of the virus because more information needs to be uncovered, but instead, the authors propose two hypotheses: 1. The pandemic originated as a natural spillover. 2. The pandemic originated from an accidental laboratory leak. There is one chapter trying to prove each hypothesis true. The main contribution of this book, I guess, is a long set of questions that are currently unanswered but which need to be answered to find the truth.

Personally, after reading the book and reading the update to the epilogue (with more facts since the hardcover was released) and watching recent developments, I lean towards Hypothesis 2.

The lack of transparency in China, the WHO, the NIH and others is evident. Add to that WIV Scientists and friends trying to conceal information and misleading the public with their Nature and Science papers.

I'm grateful the authors wrote this book. It clarifies so much misinformation and misinterpretations presented by the media, authorities, etc. Now, I'm in a better position to follow the news and have an informed opinion.

Metabolical. The Truth about Processed Food and How it Poisons People and the Planet by Dr Robert Lustig

This is an excellent book. It's about how processed food (ultra-processed food) damages our health and is the cause for modern diseases: noncommunicative diseases-> metabolic syndrome. 

It goes into cellular biology and how cells use energy and how our food should provide for bodily processes which need that energy. Lustig explains how Real Food nourishes us and how processed food doesn't. The book then goes on to explain how processed food is made and how different it is from real food. There are sections explaining how sugars and other poisons (corn syrup, nitrates, trans fats, etc.) affect our body, giving us diabetes, heart conditions, liver cancer, dementia and other mental health problems.

The last part of the book discusses the Food Industry and compares it with the tobacco and alcohol industries. The effects of processed food on our bodies are indeed comparable to the effects of those controlled substances. Sugar is an addictive substance and is everywhere in everything processed. There is also a section on governments and how complicit they are. There is a strong relationship between both - food industry and governments - which isn't necessarily ethical but is financially beneficial for them. 

It seems that the food industry keeps feeding us sugar because it will make us eat more and they will profit from it. Big pharma also make big profit as all these chronic metabolic diseases mean we will need medication possibly for life. These medicines only treat the symptoms but do not cure the diseases. The only cure (and prevention) as Dr Lustig says is: Eat Real Food! 

Science and medicine have been blind to this for years, as Big Food and Big Pharma's interference funding research has distorted the truth. Big pharma has also interfered with medical education enforcing teaching paradigms which benefit their use of prescriptions. An excellent read for anyone who is interested in the food industry, health, and particularly Real Food.

Gateway by Frederik Pohl

Good, good! I like how Pohl intercalates the narrative about the Gateway, the aliens and the trips with psychotherapy sessions of the protagonist with an AI/robot therapist. Actually I found these sessions a very interesting narrative tool of past and present events as well as uncovering the psychological effects the trips and the gateway had on the protagonist. Thought provoking and surprisingly entertaining.

The Collected Toppi. Volume Seven: Sharaz-de.

So far favourite Volume (I've read volumes 5, 6 and 7). 11 stories adapted from The Thousand and One Nights. Love the page layouts. I thought I was going to stop here and be happy with the 3 volumes I have, but I might get more.

Consciousness. Understanding the Ghost in the Machine. New Scientist. Essential Guide N°12. Edited by Richard Webb.

This book doesn't have a definite answer about the nature of consciousness. The reason is that no one has one final answer. The first article starts with "Consciousness is a slippery concept." And the last article starts with "The subjective nature of consciousness makes it difficult even to define." This book explores so many aspects related to consciousness, from subjectivity, experiences, to where consciousness resides in our brains and why we have it. Jump to sleep, anaesthesia and hallucinations. So many different areas of study, so many angles. Hopefully, someday we'll be able to understand. Worth a read.