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Audrey Schulman

Autor(a) de Theory of Bastards

6 Works 624 Membros 30 Críticas

Obras por Audrey Schulman

Theory of Bastards (2018) 186 exemplares
The Cage (1994) 176 exemplares
Three Weeks in December (2012) 151 exemplares
Swimming With Jonah (1999) 45 exemplares
A House Named Brazil (2000) 41 exemplares
The Dolphin House (2022) 25 exemplares

Etiquetado

Conhecimento Comum

Data de nascimento
1963
Sexo
female
Nacionalidade
Canada
Local de nascimento
Montréal, Québec, Canada
Locais de residência
Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
Educação
Barnard College (BSc)
Ocupações
Novelist
Co-executive Director, HEET

Membros

Críticas

This is a post-apocalypse novel with a lot of anthropology thrown in. I read it on the recommendation of a podcast host. It really isn’t my genre.
 
Assinalado
MylesKesten | 7 outras críticas | Jan 23, 2024 |
What a haunting book. It's part science-fiction, part romance and part apocalyptic. The ending seemed to resonate with me, even though it didn't answer every question or wrap things up neatly.
 
Assinalado
EZLivin | 7 outras críticas | Jul 4, 2023 |
In an increasingly fragile world, a researcher arrives at one of the last sanctuaries for apes and starts studying bonobos in order to further her theories about female sexual selection. She’s also recovering from surgery from endometriosis, the pain and medical neglect of which is described in detail. And she is navigating her own recovering body and her sexuality, including her relationship with the initially offputting but increasingly attractive researcher assigned to support her work. After a dust storm cuts them off from the rest of the world, things get pretty scary; the ending is ambiguous at best but it’s sf of feminist ideas in terms of the questions it considers important (especially: what does choice mean when we have these bodies evolved in specific ways?) and I found it engaging despite the terrible romance-novel cover it has on Scribd, which was staring at me every time I opened it.… (mais)
½
 
Assinalado
rivkat | 7 outras críticas | Jun 28, 2023 |
There was a time when a male-dominated, rigidly hierarchical scientific community conducted experiments with little regard for animal welfare. This led to the development of ethical guidelines for the use of animals in research. Today, scientists are forced to consider alternatives to the use of animals in research, reducing their numbers, minimizing suffering and especially recognizing the dignity of sentient experimental animals. This novel is a fictionalized account of an actual research project that took place in the 60’s when such guidelines did not exist. A lay person, hired by a scientist, becomes appalled by the horrifying and exploitative nature his research project. With little recourse, she is forced to make a profound compromise to mitigate the damages. The outcome stands as a powerful example of communication and trust that can develop between humans and animals.

Cora quits her waitressing job in Florida and moves to St. Thomas with no goals in mind. Her hearing impairment has given her a special talent for communication. Recognizing this, Blum, a Harvard professor studying dolphins, hires her to oversee their welfare. However, he seems more interested in obtaining funding for his ill-conceived research and experimenting with psychedelic experiences than conducting real science. Blum’s male collaborators have similar shortcomings characterized by excessive alcohol consumption and casual sexism. They see Cora as unqualified because of her lack of formal training in research and, especially her failure to quantify her observations.

The plot involves Cora’s growing appreciation of dolphin behavior. She slowly begins bonding with four captive dolphins. Clearly, this becomes joyous for both Cora and the dolphins. After observing brutal surgeries with little obvious rationale or concern for the dolphins, Cora agrees to a compromise. The scientists will cease the surgeries if she assumes a mothering role for Junior, an adolescent male dolphin. The goal is to teach him to mimic human language. Obviously, Blum sees this plan as his ticket to fame and fortune. Cora and Junior are thus isolated together in a makeshift structure referred to as a “homearium.”

Schulman’s rambling narrative details the playful and mutual relationship that Cora develops with the dolphins, especially with Junior. Along the way, Schulman imparts some fascinating information about dolphin behaviors, like mating, sleeping, communicating, and even breathing. However, the most touching scenes come from the dolphins’ more human-like behaviors. The alpha male dies from something like “suicide” by deciding to just stop breathing. Junior has the need to suck on Cora’s toe before he can fall asleep. After Cora convinces Blum to free two females, their joy is wonderful. And especially Junior manipulates Cora into messaging his gums by assuring her that he will not bite by holding his mouth open using a ball. Notwithstanding its many strengths, this story suffers from its unfair characterization of the scientists and their families. They come across as self-involved, inhumane and lacking in the curiosity that is so evident in successful scientists.
… (mais)
 
Assinalado
ozzer | Mar 29, 2022 |

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Estatísticas

Obras
6
Membros
624
Popularidade
#40,357
Avaliação
½ 3.7
Críticas
30
ISBN
32
Línguas
3

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