Some Recent Reads

I decided to write a brief post on some of the books that I have been reading recently. Given my current unemployed status, it has been refreshing to once again have more time to devote to reading.

I chanced upon Brainiac written by Ken Jennings, who set the quiz world alight by winning around 70 consecutive episodes of Jeopardy in 2001, while browsing in a bookstore on holiday in Bangkok, Thailand. I remember hearing about the book from Rob Linham, who highlighted the fact that he rated a mention in the book (even if that mention is embarrassingly associated with Viagra - read the book for the full details).

Brainiac is far from just a tell-all account of Jennings' time on Jeopardy, though that obviously features in the book, but details "adventures in the curious, competitive, compulsive world of trivia buffs" as its subtitle clearly states. Jennings examines everything from the obsessively scary world of serious academic quizzing (such as NAQT University tournaments), to America's trivia obsession in the 60s culminating in the famous quiz show scandals (which were chronicled in the Robert Redford movie Quiz Show).

Jennings even manages to take us on fascinating sideshows like the town of Stevens Point, Wisconsin that gets taken over by a radio trivia marathon every year, not to mention the background and popularity of the trivia board game Trivial Pursuit. Ultimately, as a trivia buff myself, I couldn't help but enjoy the book tremendously. But I have no doubt that Brainiac would make an accessible and entertaining read for the once a year pub quiz player as much as the quiz fanatic. This is aided by the fact that Jennings is a very funny and charming writer who possesses a dry, self-depreciating humour. Brainiac is a delightful read and one that is highly recommended.

In addition, I also purchased a copy of Why is Sex Fun? by Jared Diamond while browsing at a Bangkok branch of Books Kinokuniya. I had previously read his brilliant Guns, Germs and Steel and its follow up volume Collapse and marveled at Diamond's ability to synthesize complex ideas and explain them in elegant and lucid prose. Why is Sex Fun? is no different in this respect as it sets out to examine the evolutionary origins of human sexuality.

Among the topics that Diamond examines are the battle of the sexes within human reproduction itself. As a defence to all males who are endlessly accused of doing much less work in terms of child rearing, Diamond points out that a male would only logically hang around to help rear a child if doing so would give me an increased likelihood of passing on his own genes (it would be more profitable, at first glance, for the man to just abandon the female and head off to try to impregnate as many other females as he can). Humans are actually rare among mammals in terms of the amount of care the male gives to offspring.

Other fascinating questions Diamond examines through the lens of evolutionary biology include why men don't lactate, the development of concealed ovulation (and sex for pleasure), the evolutionary bizarre fact of menopause, and the "truth in advertising" or evolution of body signals (there has to be a reason why the human male pecker is on average 4-5 times larger than the similar appendage in our evolutionarily close relative the Chimpanzee).

On piece of analysis I greatly enjoyed was the chapter entitled "what are men good for", examining the "evolution of men's roles". In a damning indictment to men, a study of aboriginal peoples actually showed that typically, the females provide equal or greater calorie resources in an average month compared to a typical male (the women by gathering grains, fruits etc, the men by hunting). Why then, Diamond asks, do the men persist in hunting when it would be more efficient to gather food?

The short answer: prestige. Women tend to choose to mate with the victorious hunter and not the wimpy food gatherer. Men are constantly chided by woman that "it isn't all about sex" (usually when they want to cuddle and find their guy snoring away). Diamond, in his book, proves convincingly otherwise.

I also had the opportunity to re-read two books recently. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is still a uproariously amusing read and a wonderful reminder of the innocence and zest of youth. Anne Fadiman's Ex Libris is a delightful little collection of essays on books and reading that it an absolute must for any book lover. She is that rare writer that is erudite, tender, wise and witty in equal measure. Ex Libris is and will no doubt continue to be a source of pleasure and comfort to me.