An Intriguing Read
Today I am grateful for a good tempo run this morning and for sweat. It feels good to sweat when exercising hard and dressed accordingly.
Happy Anniversary today to my stepson Arthur and his wife Alyssa! Have a special day! Five years goes fast. Grateful to have both of you in my life.
Summer usually means more time for me to read. I appreciate books that are informative and also provoke me a little. Provoking some disagreement can be a good thing when it stems from words on a page.
Getting new information, or learning about people's views that are different from mine actually affirm my own stance, or give me a broader perspective than I would have otherwise had. I recently read Chasing the Scream: The First and Last Days of the War on Drugs, by Johann Hari and published in 2015.
His approach in this book was compelling and kept me reading. He wove historical data with the very human stories of people caught up in this war on drugs over the last 100 years or so.
I agree with the author that helping addicts and providing resources to them is far more effective than punishing them. I disagree with his stance that in most cases addiction stems from childhood trauma. That is certainly a factor for many, but not all. He seemed to simplify addiction at times.
The violence that stems from the drug trade is tragic. So many lives lost, and I am not even referring to those who died from actual drug use. Hari made sure this came across in the book, and I think it stirs compassion and concern in readers who may have otherwise kept a safe distance from the topic.
All in all, I am grateful to have read the book and taken away some valuable insights.
The next book is well underway. You'll probably hear more about it soon.
I am grateful to be able to read and to have plenty of reading material at my disposal. Reading is a peaceful and relaxing endeavor.
Happy Anniversary today to my stepson Arthur and his wife Alyssa! Have a special day! Five years goes fast. Grateful to have both of you in my life.
Summer usually means more time for me to read. I appreciate books that are informative and also provoke me a little. Provoking some disagreement can be a good thing when it stems from words on a page.
Getting new information, or learning about people's views that are different from mine actually affirm my own stance, or give me a broader perspective than I would have otherwise had. I recently read Chasing the Scream: The First and Last Days of the War on Drugs, by Johann Hari and published in 2015.
His approach in this book was compelling and kept me reading. He wove historical data with the very human stories of people caught up in this war on drugs over the last 100 years or so.
I agree with the author that helping addicts and providing resources to them is far more effective than punishing them. I disagree with his stance that in most cases addiction stems from childhood trauma. That is certainly a factor for many, but not all. He seemed to simplify addiction at times.
The violence that stems from the drug trade is tragic. So many lives lost, and I am not even referring to those who died from actual drug use. Hari made sure this came across in the book, and I think it stirs compassion and concern in readers who may have otherwise kept a safe distance from the topic.
All in all, I am grateful to have read the book and taken away some valuable insights.
The next book is well underway. You'll probably hear more about it soon.
I am grateful to be able to read and to have plenty of reading material at my disposal. Reading is a peaceful and relaxing endeavor.
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