Book Reviewed: Around Washington Square: An Illustrated History of Greenwich Village by Luther S. Harris

The American Bohemia This is a visually captivating exploration of one of New York City's most iconic neighborhoods, the Washington Square Park. It is a narrative of the history of Greenwich Village, a cultural and geographical landmark for three centuries. Once, this was the 17th-century Dutch settlement and progressively transformed into a fashionable residential and university district in the 19th century. And later as the epicenter of the city's bohemian, creative, and activist movements. The narrative covers a broad range of themes, the architectural evolution, the construction of row houses, and the rise of artistic communities. Greenwich Village became more involved in civil rights, LGBTQ+ rights, and anti-war protests in the 20th century. The book is illustrated with photographs, maps, and illustrations that bring the history into a proper perspective. They are informative and also visually rewarding. The narratives are effortless and engaging. Although the book covers a broad time frame, it does not cover the mid-20th century counterculture movement. This book is recommended to readers interested in the American history, history of New York City and its cultural legacy.

Book Reviewed: Empires of the Indus, the Story of a River by Alice Albinia

Indus and Saraswati Rivers This is a journey along the Indus River, downstream and back in time, from the Himalayas to the Arabian Sea. Along the way, the river wanders freely across Indian subcontinent, creating ancient cities and being a silent witness to the ancient civilization, empires and kingdoms that flourished over its banks during the last four thousand years. The Indus valley civilization has a continuous history. It was a political, religious, and literary ferment, a history of the people of Indian subcontinent. Scholars and geologists suggest that the Saraswati River was a large river that once flowed parallel to the Indus River. It was one of the most revered rivers described by the Vedic seers in ancient India. The sacred scriptures of Hinduism such as the Rigveda describe this river as Goddess Saraswati. Rigveda contains metaphysical and spiritual thoughts long before civilization was born in Europe The author wrongly identifies Saraswati River as the Indus River, but actually Indus still exists but Saraswati River has dried. This book concludes that building dams across the river might have been the cause of it. But studies have revealed that tectonic activity might have changed the earth's crust that diverted the river's course. Another possibility is the climatic shift from the gradual aridification of the region. Satellite imagery studies have identified ancient dry riverbeds in the Thar Desert indicating that once it was a mighty river. The Indus River Valley was home to thriving communities of peoples of ancient India, like the world's oldest civilizations of Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro. This book documents the farming innovations, the birth of Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism, and the role of the Indus River in in supporting large cities on its bank. It is a brief exploration of their advanced urban planning, pioneering engineering feats, and social structures that supported these ancient metropolises connecting harmoniously with Mesopotamia and Persia. The author does not motivate the reader and her work contains errors.

Book Reviewed: Wheels of Her Own: American Women and the Automobile, 1893-1929 by Carla R. Lesh

Women’s place is in the driver’s seat This book explores the life of American women and the enrichment of their lives during early days of automobile, 1893-1929. It discusses the benefits of owning a vehicle that included shifting gender norms, fostering independence, and opening new opportunities for women. But there were serious challenges too. Early automobiles were difficult to operate, requiring strength and mechanical knowledge, which led many to believe driving was unsuitable for women. In addition, roads were poorly maintained, and long-distance travel was perilous. Inequities to access, safety, lodging and fuel, reliable equipment, and the racism challenged African American women significantly. The promise of any new groundbreaking "life-altering" technology was challenged by the social conditions. Women like Alice Huyler Ramsey, a 22-year-old N.J. housewife became a pioneer. In 1909, She was the first woman to drive across the United States. Accompanied by three female friends (none of whom could drive), embarked on a 3,800-mile journey from New York to San Francisco in a Maxwell automobile. They faced mechanical breakdowns, muddy roads, and navigational challenges, many roads were unpaved and lacked signs. Rural areas were most difficult since they sought the help of strangers in case of emergency. Ramsey’s successful trip proved that women were capable of handling the technical and physical challenges of driving. Automobiles also became integral to the suffrage movement. Women used cars for parades, rallies, and cross-country tours to promote, demonstrating their ability to engage with modern technology and public life. The "Votes for Women" caravan of 1913 involved women driving cars emblazoned with banners advocating for suffrage. These highly visible tours drew attention and helped reach rural and urban communities. Inez Milholland became a driving force for suffrage, and Clara Ford the wife of Henry Ford was a strong advocate for women’s driving. The mass production of the Model T by Ford in 1908 made cars more affordable, broadening access to middle-class families and women. This study is limited in its choice of subject matter, since the motoring landscape included expansive demographic than the three groups discussed here, the white, the black and indigenous population. Hispanic and Asian populations are clearly excluded and much of the discussions are about the white and black women. Another shortcoming of this book is the way the topics are discussed. There are several pictures, illustrations and diagrams of women driving, which helped me to connect with female drivers of the early 1900s.

Book Reviewed: Nexus: A Brief History of Information Networks from the Stone Age to AI by Yuval Noah Harari

The artificial Intelligence (AI) and humanity The author explores the use of information in the past and its future potential as artificial intelligence could shape humanity. He sounds more like a soothsayer than an author of a book warning readers of their impending doom. There is not a great deal one can learn from this book than already said by physicists like Stephen Hawking and entrepreneur Elon Musk. Stephen Hawking's views on information highlighted its centrality to our understanding of the universe, especially in resolving mysteries of spacetime, information, and physical reality. The transformative potential of AI can be both positive and negative. Negative, if precautions are not used to keep human control of AI. If not, especially, when AI itself starts writing its own programs without the participation of a human programmer, it could be dangerous for our own existence. Elon Musk shares this view and continues to believe that AI is a transformative force that benefits humanity through initiatives like Neuralink and exploration of Mars for future survival of humanity. This book is not inspiring and doesn’t illuminate the readers

Book Reviewed: Nan Goldin (Phaidon 55's) by Guido Costa

Song of sexual dependency Nan Goldin is known for intimate exploration of love, sexual orientation, addiction, and the human condition. Her work documents her own life and the lives of those in her close social circles, blurring the line between art and autobiography. Some of the pictures of Goldin captures moments of passion, despair, and chaos, reflecting the struggles and joys of intimacy and relationships. This book is a compilation of some of her work and the only photograph that truly reflects her soul, and personality is her own photographs.

Book Reviewed: The Naked Neanderthal: A New Understanding of the Human Creature by Ludovic Slimak

An exploration of our closest human relative The author presents a different perspective on neanderthal culture and society in this book. He emphasizes the importance of understanding neanderthals on their own terms, rather than solely through comparisons with modern humans. According to him, by analyzing the neanderthal into another human-like species is racism and based on prejudicial assumptions. Palaeobiological and archeological evidence show that both neanderthals and modern humans produced similar tools and ornaments, suggesting some cultural exchanges and parallel development of technologies. Recent research reveals that neanderthals and modern humans coexisted for extended periods, engaging in interbreeding and cultural interactions that shaped the evolutionary trajectories of these two species. Interbreeding between neanderthals and modern humans occurred between 60,000 to 40,000 years ago in Europe and Asia. This gene flow affected the genomes and biology of both species, with modern non-African human populations carrying about 2% neanderthal DNA. The author’s suggestion that scientific analysis focuses on subjective realities rather than a more objective perspective. His observations are far-fetched and unrealistic.

Book Reviewed: The Wall of Life: Pictures and Stories from This Marvelous Lifetime by Shirley MacLaine

A life in pictures In this remarkable book of pictures, author Shirly MacLaine shares over 150 images (B&W) from her personal archive accompanied by a brief narrative. There are numerous pictures from her childhood with parents and brother Warren Beatty, several pictures with members of “Rat Pack,” Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davies, Jr. with whom she had lasting friendship, in addition, Clint Eastwood, Jack Nicholson, Sydney Poitier, and many others including Morgan Freeman to whom she once propositioned. She also met many American presidents like Bill Clinton, Jimmy Carter, and Geroge McGovern. She led a life of political and personal activism. There is a photograph on page 242 depicting a woman dancing on the top of a cliff. This image is a self-portrait capturing MacLaine herself in a moment of expressive dance against a dramatic natural backdrop. It reflects her lifelong dedication to dance, performing arts, and her adventurous spirit that is deeply connected to Oneness with nature. It is a visual representation of her artistic journey and personal philosophy, a harmonious blend of art with the natural world. Shirley MacLaine explored Vedanta philosophy of Hinduism, and profoundly impacted by the themes of interconnectedness, self-realization, and the nature of Pure Consciousness, Paramātmā, the Absolute Atman or Supreme Soul where all personality/individuality, spacetime, matter and energy vanishes. MacLaine was deeply immersed in this metaphysical thought in which a universal consciousness gives rise to everything that exists in the cosmos. Reincarnation, a concept of Hindu philosophy fascinated MacLaine and she reflects her thoughts about past lives, dharma, karma, and attainment of Jnana yoga. MacLaine was married to producer Steve Parker from 1954 to 1982 with an unconventional relationship, an open marriage, allowing both partners to explore other relationships. She admits to affairs with her costars Robert Mitchum, French actor Yves Montand, comedian and actor Danny Kaye, George Huvos, her first love, and Andrew Peacock, her last love. There were also relationships with journalists, Pete Hamill, and Sander Vanocur, and of course she also admits that she once propositioned actor Morgan Freeman, but he declined her advance. In one section of the book, she discusses being nominated for best actress for the film Apartment, but on Oscar night, she was in Japan filming Geisha. She believes that Elizabeth Taylor won the award in best actress category for Butterfield 8 because the award was a sympathy vote for Taylor who was dying of pneumonia that year. MacLaine felt disappointed but agrees that her best friend Elizabeth Taylor was a brilliant actress, The Apartment is still one of her favorite films. There are pictures from India she visited; she flew to New Delhi, rented a car, and drove south to Chennai (Madras) by herself ended up on the west coast of India. She was exhilarated by the spirituality and culture. In 1994, she walked the Camino de Santiago, a five-hundred-mile trek across Spain in thirty days by herself, and her meeting with Stephen Hawking at Cambridge discussing cosmology. She speaks warmly of her friendship with members of the Ratpack, especially Sammy Davis Jr. This is a wonderful book which I very much enjoyed, and I strongly recommend this to readers interested in her life.