Books Read in February 2017, part 2

(continuation of Part 1)

Gilead - Marilynne Robinson
"I feel sometimes as if I were I child who opens its eyes on the world once and sees amazing things it will never know any names for and then has to close its eyes again."

This was probably my favorite read of this month. An old Southern preacher relates his personal and family history to his young son through a series of journal-type entries. The writing style is lyrical and immersive. Bonus if you're interested in historical fiction, particularly in relation to the Civil War era, and doses of theology/philosophy.

A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier - Ishmael Beah
"These days I live in three worlds: my dreams, and the experiences of my new life, which trigger memories from the past."

Written by a former child soldier who grew up in Sierra Leone in the 1980s and '90s, this book is an unflinching look at the author's experiences - and, by extension, the experiences of anyone affected by the coups. Though hopeful at its core, the direct writing style includes descriptions of brutal killings and torture, some of it perpetrated by Beah as a child soldier. It's not an easy read, but it's a compelling and necessary one for those wanting to understand not only the specific situation in Sierra Leone, but child recruitment in wars and the psychological aftermath it levies.

The 13 Clocks - James Thurber
"The cold Duke was afraid of Now, for Now has warmth and urgency, and Then is dead and buried."

This book would be classified by me as "a somewhat darkly humorous children's fairytale". Along the lines of Thurber's The Wonderful O (read earlier in the month), rhymes and wordplay factor in throughout, though not as heavily. Neil Gaiman cites this book as a favorite in one of his essays, and it was interesting to make parallels between this story and Gaiman works like Coraline and his fairytale-inspired short stories.

The Neverending Story - Michael Ende
"Strange as it may seem, horror loses its power to frighten when repeated too often."

I've never seen the 1980's movie and didn't know a much about the storyline, so I went into this book with pretty fresh eyes. The illustrations and different-colored typefaces really made the story, I thought (hopefully all editions are like the one I read!). I liked the first half of the book quite a bit better than the second; as the book went on, I found myself being reminded more and more of L. Frank Baum's Oz series, not necessarily in a favorable way (it was feeling a little like a rip-off). But overall, I enjoyed the story, found enough unique in it to make it enjoyable, and wish I'd come across it two decades or so ago.

Tuesdays with Morrie: An Old Man, a Young Man, and Life's Greatest Lesson - Mitch Albom
"I give myself a good cry if I need it, but then I concentrate on all the good things still in my life."

The author reconnects with and has a series of talks with Morrie Schwartz, an old college professor of his who's dying of a terminal illness. A shorter but not necessarily fast read - there are lots of quotes and thoughts a reader could spend a good bit of time mulling over (the book became a bestseller for a reason). I appreciated the matter-of-fact perspective that Morrie comes to take on death and dying that the author observes and writes about.

Books Read in February 2017, part 1

I made a library trip this month and came away with a stack o' books, and I had a few book purchases as well, so I'll be splitting up this past month's reads into two parts. February had a few Children's Fiction choices, a couple of autobiographies, and a self-help book in the mix - along with a few others. Onward!

The Road to Wigan Pier - George Orwell

"But unfortunately you do not solve the class problem by making friends with tramps. At most you get rid of some of your own class-prejudices by doing so."

Orwell is one of my favorite authors, so this year I'm trying to read his works that I'd never gotten ahold of previously. The first half or so of The Road to Wigan Pier details the living conditions of the poor/working class coal miners in England based on Orwell's experience staying among them (somewhat reminiscent of Down and Out in Paris and London). In the second half, Orwell makes a case for Socialism, drawing from his lived and observed experiences and addressing the concerns people have against Socialism. It's a book addressed to Socialists as much as it is for the public consumption. Orwell also takes the time to explain things like class distinction in Great Britain - something very useful for this American reader. Even if you're not terribly up to speed with politics or you strongly disagree with the conclusions, this book is an interesting read, especially if you're interested in history or learning more about Orwell himself.

Trigger Warning: Short Fictions and Disturbances - Neil Gaiman
"We are all wearing masks. This is what makes us interesting."

This is Gaiman's third short-story fiction collection, and despite the title, I found the contents of this book the least potentially-problematic of the three (from my reading last year of Smoke & Mirrors and my page-through of Fragile Things). If you've never read a Gaiman short story collection before, I'd probably start with this one. It has the requisite Gaiman blend of horror, fantasy, ghost stories, mystery, and the macabre, but doesn't delve as deeply into taboo or possibly-objectionable (depending on the reader) content as some of his other works. As a bonus for Doctor Who fans, this collection includes an Eleventh Doctor episode-esque story.

Exodus - Debora Feldman
"How had I never realized that there might be Jewish communities all over the world whose practices and perspectives had nothing in common with my own, yet were just as connected to our shared heritage as any other?"

I read Feldman's first autobiographical book, Unorthodox, a few years ago. Exodus continues her story of life after leaving her Hasidic sect of Judaism, but with a somewhat looser and confusing timeline. While I appreciated some aspects of her journey of self-discovery, I felt that I couldn't relate very well - and in the end, I was left with more questions than answers (namely, how did she afford her various overseas trips? Who was looking after her son while she was traveling?). While I found Feldman's first book a subversive and worthwhile read, I personally thought Exodus was fairly unsatisfying.

The Wonderful O - James Thurber 
"Books can be burned," croaked Black. "They have a way of rising from the ashes," said Andreus.

While I've long been a fan of Thurber's short stories (the most famous of which is probably The Secret Life of Walter Mitty), I was unaware of his children's books until this year.  Part fairytale and chock-full of words and wordplay and rhymes, The Wonderful O is a unique sort of children's story. I found it fun, though the emphasis on words and letters got a bit tedious for me.

There Is No Good Card for This - Emily McDowell & Kelsey Crowe
"Reaching out and fumbling is often far better than not reaching out at all."

Knowing how to help or appropriately respond to friends, family, and/or acquaintances who are dealing with tragedy is hard. While not an exhaustive reference on the subject, There Is No Good Card for This is a good starting point. The book uses elements like illustrations, example conversations, and broken-down sections for easy readability. While it focuses (understandably) on certain specific major difficult life-events in its examples (namely death in the family, cancer/serious illness, and miscarriage), its advice is widely applicable. One of the overall takeaway messages: give yourself credit - we're all doing the best we can. I'd widely recommend this book as applicable for just about anybody, since all of us are or will be touched by tragedy in one sense or another in life.

(continued in Part 2)