American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins Read February 2021 - Zoom Reading Circle
This was a powerful book for sure. It was hard to read because of the subject matter, but was such a good book. I definitely was aware of the controversy surrounding the book and considered that the whole time I was reading it. The controversy is about the fact that it was actually a white American woman's story in the guise of a Mexican woman - and how book publishers do not publish books by authentic authors. That, I am sure, is true and awful. However, I believe that the story was a worthy one to be told. And I know for a fact that it was an impactful read for so many who came away with a new sense of empathy for anyone in the horrific situations depicted in the book. It is a book that I am glad I read.
American Dirt author on why awareness of immigrants' struggles is so important
Oprah Winfrey gets candid about controversial book club pick
I really enjoyed this book. It was very readable - easy flowing - yet full of characters and plot. It was a tiny bit hard to follow at times because of jumping back and forth in time, but it did not bother me. It was a fascinating story about two light skinned black sisters who take very different paths - and all the ripples from their decisions. It is a story not just about racial identity and bigotry, but also about the intricacies of family history and relationships and expectations. There were so many heavy topics woven into the story, but not in a heavy way. The author was quite effective at leading the reader to see almost all of the characters through a lens of empathy. It is a book I still think about.
The Vanishing Half counts the terrible costs of bigotry and secrecy - NPR article
I have enjoyed Deborah Garner's other cozy mystery series featuring the newspaper reporter Paige McKenzie on her travels around the American West and so was happy to see her new series featuring a 'larger than life' woman who loves chocolates and wine. :D ha! These Sadie Kramer cozy mysteries are light and fluffy, but are always a fun cozy mystery read. A good choice for when you want something quick and easy.
I really loved the whole premise of this book - that 'wintering' is a thing that people go through, whether it be seasonal, or otherwise. We all have periods of wintering in our lives, regardless of the 'weather'. The author gives history, her own experiences, and advice about how to go through these tough periods. She points out that animals do wintering much better than we do. They prepare beforehand and then accept that there are times of hibernation and inactivity. We tend to try to power through difficult circumstances and not allow ourselves the time we may need to slow down, accept, and heal. One example the author shared was particularly helpful to my dear Mama. The author talked about a practice in far northern climates where people get up in the middle of the night and are purposefully productive. They may rise at 2:00 am and do an hour or two of work, or reading, or even visiting with neighbors (!). Instead of laying in bed worrying that you aren't sleeping, they recognize that the body rhythms sometimes call for periods of wakefulness in the middle of the longest, darkest nights. My own Mama had struggled with this issue and after I told her about the book, she let me know that she had started simply getting out of bed, drinking a warm glass of milk, and enjoying looking out the window with no concern for 'lost sleep'. In the end, she was able to easily go back to bed and get as much if not more sleep than she would have by 'fighting' through the process. I know that I experienced a true 'winter' not long after reading this book when my Mama died. I have thought of various parts of this book often since reading it - and may need to pick it up again this year.
Here are some favorite quotes from the book...
Wintering is a season in the cold. It is a fallow period in life when you're cut off from the world, feeling rejected, sidelined, blocked from progress, or cast into the role of an outsider.
We may never choose to winter, but we can choose how.
Some winters creep up on us so slowly that they have infiltrated every part of our lives before we truly feel them.
That is wintering... the active acceptance of sadness.
We flourish on caring - on doling out love. The most helpless members of our families and communities are what stick us together. It's how we thrive. Our winters are social glue.
