Thoughts: A Typology of Domestic Violence

In this path-breaking reassessment of thirty years of domestic violence research, sociologist Michael J. Johnson argues the domestic violence is not a unitary phenomenon. Instead, he delineates three major, dramatically different forms of domestic violence- intimate violence terrorism, violent resistance, and situational couple violence- and shows that the failure to distinguish among these types of partner violence has produced a research literature that is plagued by both overgeneralizations and ostensibly contradictory findings. By creating the theoretical framework to differentiate among types of partner violence, this volume represents the crucial first step to a better understanding of domestic violence among scholars, social scientists, policy makers, and service providers.

Okay, so A Typology of Domestic Violence doesn't seem like a read you want to snuggle under the covers with, and probably sounds like something that might be taught in a family violence course. For me, this book qualified in both categories, and happens to be the best late night/early morning cram session book I've ever read (yes, I know, not saying much, but here me out). At a short 86 pages, I read this in one sitting and actually enjoyed it. I thought I would fall asleep after two pages of more domestic violence statistics and research, like other texts for this class, but this book was excellent. It's about different types of violent partners, something that has not been researched thoroughly or enough, according to the author. It does not require you to know any theories related to family violence, and is written for someone who has never studied the topic. And, best yet: It's actually an interesting read!

Now, I'm going to assume most people are not sold on this book, and that's understandable- it's certainly not something I would pick up off the shelf if my grade didn't depend on it. But I would recommend it to anyone who wants a better understanding of domestic violence, for personal reasons or otherwise. It was an enlightening read and was enjoyable at the same time. There is one account given as an example of one typology, and there is a warning before reading- pay attention to that warning! I felt sick after reading it, and it was the first time I had felt uncomfortable after taking a semester on the topic.

Thoughts: The Light Fantastic

In The Light Fantastic only one individual can save the world from a disastrous collision. Unfortunately, the hero happens to be the singularly inept wizard Rincewind, who was last seen falling off the edge of the world...

Terry Pratchett is well known for his comedy/parody/satire series Discworld, and The Light Fantastic is the second in the series. I fell in love with the fist book immediately, and in this one I fell for the characters even more. I couldn't help but wonder how Pratchett creates all the ridiculous situations presented, and the characters reactions are so spot on to their personalities. Each character is like an exaggeration to one/a few human characteristics, and it makes them outrageous and laughable. I love the parody, and hope I didn't miss anything- I would not have caught the Orpheus quip had I not seen Eurydice a weekend or two ago. It is such a talent that he can weave quick details of fantasy, mythology, and science fiction pop culture into his stories.

Anybody looking for a light hearted read needs to look no farther- the books in this series will take a few sittings to finish and you'll be ready to pick up the next one.

Quotes
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Thoughts: Sunny Side Down

I first saw animations from Tales of Mere Existence only two weeks ago, so I was very surprised when a friend handed me Sunny Side Down, a collection of Tales. This 200 page comic series was a breeze to read through- I did it in one sitting, laughing every now and then at the silly protagonist and his thoughts on life past and present. I was expecting more giggles than were expelled from my giggling gland (sorry, I'm usually weary of alliteration), but I enjoyed the light read with depressing undertones. I wouldn't recommend buying it, but definitely check out some of the online animations (I've linked two favorites below). If you got a second in the bookstore, go ahead and flip through. It's a favorite of the friend who owns it. It is my kind of humor, but I can't tell if it's just delivered in the wrong way or if there is just too much stuff like it out there. It could even be that I saw the animations first, and I like how the narrator delivers the narratives in gloom and doom manner. Maybe I was reading it with the wrong voice in my head. Does anybody else make voices for when they're reading?

How I Found Out About Girls

I'm Not Going to Think About Her

Quotes: The Light Fantastic

The Light Fantastic, Terry Pratchett

(Light)

When light encounters a strong magical field it loses all sense of urgency. It slows right down. And on the Discworld the magic was embarrassingly strong, which meant that the soft yellow light of dawn flowed over the sleeping landscape like the caress of a gentle lover or, as some would have it, golden syrup. It paused to fill up valleys. It piled up against mountain ranges. When it reached Cori Celesti... it built up in heaps until it finally crashed in great lazy tsunami as silent as velvet, across the dark landscape beyond.

(Staring)

Galder broke off first- looking at Trymon always bothered him. It had the same disconcerting effect as gazing into a mirror and seeing no one there.

(Oh, Emotions)

"Dead?" said Rincewind. In the debating chamber of his mind a dozen emotions got to their feet and started shouting. Relief was in full spate when Shock cut in on a point of order and then Bewilderment, Terror and Loss started a fight which was ended only when Shame slunk in from next door to see what all the row was about.

(Sane to Insane)

"No one goes mad quicker than a totally sane person."

Page 99 Test: Let the Right One In

A little over a year ago, I fell in love with Let the Right One In, by John Ajvide Lindqvist. IN LOVE. I let my roommate borrow it earlier this week, and she devoured this almost five hundred page book in four evenings. When she handed it back to me yesterday, I made the mistake of reading the first few pages... and went to bed on page 132. So I guess I'm stuck rereading, and a review will be posted! But for now, a page 99 test...

There was a single wooden chair in the kitchen, nothing more. Oskar pulled it up to the sink, stood on it, and peeed into the drain while he had water running out of the tap. When he was done he put the chair back. It looked strange in the otherwise empty kitchen. Like something in a museum.
What does she keep it for?
He looked around. Above the fridge there was a row of cabinets you could only reach by standing on the chair. He pulled it over and steadied himself by putting a hand on the refrigerator door handle. His stomach rumbled. He was hungry.
Without thinking more about it, he opened the fridge in order to see what there was. Not much. An open carton of milk, half a packet of bread. Butter and cheese. Oskar put his hand out for the milk.
But...Eli...
He stood there with the carton of milk in his hand, blinked. This didn't add up. Did she eat real food as well? Yes. She must. He took the milk carton out of the fridge and put it on the counter. In the kitchen cabinet about the counter there was almost nothing. Two plates, two glasses. He took a glass and poured milk into it.
And then it hit him. With the cold milk glass in his hand it finally hit him, with full force.
She drinks blood.
Yesterday evening, in his tangle of sleepiness and sense of detachment from the world, in the dark, everything had somehow felt possible. But now in the kitchen, where no blankets hung in the window and the blinds let in a weak morning light, with a glass of milk in his hand it seemed so... beyond anything he could comprehend.
Like: If you have milk and bread in your fridge you must be a human being.
He took a mouthful of milk and immediately spit it out. It was sour. He smelled the rest that was in the glass. Yes, definitely bad. He poured it out into the sink, rinsed the glass out, and then drank some water in order to get the taste out of his mouth. Looked at the date on the carton.
USE BY 28 OCTOBER.
The milk was ten days too old. Oskar had a realization.
The old guy's milk.
The refrigerator door was still open. The old guy's food.

So, what do you think? Go ahead, judge by it's page 99!