What Unites Us

What Unites Us by Dan Rather
Read March 2021 - Zoom Reading Circle

Wonderful and timely book!  I appreciate Dan Rather's thoughtful take on patriotism and what it truly entails.  Not all the gunk that tries to pass for patriotism far too often.  He covers topics such as Service (he believes everyone should have a period of some kind of public service), Public Education, Inclusion and more.  His history - as a journalist, his upbringing, and his longevity in the midst of American history - provides him with good insight.  I wish all would read this book.  

Patriotism, he says, is loving your country and dialoguing with your fellow citizens to improve it. Nationalism is the belief that we are better than everyone else and leads to conflict and war.  Patriotism is rooted in humility.  Nationalism is rooted in arrogance.  

Good points all!

What unites Americans regardless of political belief - PBS Newshour

What unites Americans?  We took a road trip to find out - Bloomberg Quicktake

Ahead of election day, what unites Americans? - Bloomberg QuickTake

Dan Rather - What Unites Us?

Trouble I've Seen

Trouble I've Seen by Drew G.I. Hart

Read March 2021

Drew G.I. Hart is a young black pastor who shares insight about racism in our country and in the church.  He shares his own experiences - and those of others - and offers ways the white American church can and should examine ourselves in order to move forward in positive ways.  We have to be aware of systemic racism through the eyes of those who experience it - and not just through our own personal lens.  We cannot know or understand what minorities go through because our lives just are different.  It is also not the way of Jesus to continue the hierarchies that have long been established that keep others down.  We must be part of the solution - actively.  I highly recommend this book. 

Quote from the book - 

Those who violently colonized you ought not set the standard of what is proper and respectable. (p. 135) 

Systemic Racism - the Unscripted Series

From Tablet to Table

From Tablet to Table by Leonard Sweet

Read Feb/March 2021 - Books With Friends

I enjoyed many parts of this book and learned from it.  However, the author annoyed me a bit.  If you can get past that there is a lot of good info.  Basically, he states that the table should be a focus of our homes, churches, and communities and that Jesus is the table.  He references how often food is used in the gospels - including the Eucharist.  He makes the case that sharing a table with others dispels anger, lets us truly know and see others, offers conversation instead of fighting or ignoring others.  It also establishes intimacy, provides for and serves others, and builds community and relationships.  I'm on board. 

The Coincidence of Coconut Cake

The Coincidence of Coconut Cake by Amy Reichert

Read March 2021 

This was a decent book but not nearly as good as my previous read, The Late Bloomer's Club.  Lou is trying to keep her French restaurant, Luellas, afloat.  The restaurant receives a scathing review from a man who writes under a pseudonym, which pretty much causes it to fail.  Of course the two meet and begin to date, while agreeing to never talk about work.  When the truth comes out, how will they make their relationship work?  

It sounds like a decent premise but Al, the writer, was so obnoxious and then suddenly changed course too quickly; it didn't make sense.  Lou's first boyfriend was SO stereotypically evil, even named Devlin (like the devil?)... it was a bit much.  And then Lou just wasn't the sharpest knife in the drawer.  Weirdly, there was a lot of sex written into the book, which didn't seem to fit.  But I did love the recipe for coconut cake included at back of the book!  :) 

The Late Bloomers Club

The Late Bloomers Club by Louise Miller

Read March 2021

I loved this book!  I saw it on a facebook book club group page and decided to give it a try.  It was just a really good, engaging, sweet story.  No real angst - characters I liked - fun story all around.  I do plan to read more from this author.  This book is about a woman named Nora who owns and works at a diner in a small town, just as she has all her life.  She grew up in the midst of the diner and her parents left it to her after they died.  Another character dies at the very beginning of the book and leaves her home to Nora, which sparks some big decision making about whether to sell the house and land to a big box store (and solve all her financial troubles) or 'do the right thing' for others (like she has all her life).  A very enjoyable story. 

Quote from the book...

All the suffering in the world arises from wishing ourselves to be happy.  All the happiness there is in the world arises from wishing others to be happy.  

American Dirt

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

The Vanishing Half

The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett

Read February 2021 - Zoom Reading Circle

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

https://www.npr.org/2020/06/03/868197705/the-vanishing-half-counts-the-terrible-costs-of-bigotry-and-secrecy

Brit Bennett - Colorism and Racial Passing in The Vanishing Half - The Daily Show

Author Brit Bennet talks about her book The Vanishing Half - Good Morning America

A Flair for Truffles

A Flair for Truffles by Deborah Garner

Read February 2021

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.