by Uwem Akpan
The author of this collection of short stories (some are actually quite long stories) grew up in Nigeria. He was ordained as a Jesuit priest in 2005 and received an MFA from U of Michigan in 2006. This is his first published book, and it is amazing.
The most powerful (for me) story was about a family living in a shanty town in urban Kenya. With work unavailable and the adults of the family sick or high from sniffing glue to escape the horror of their lives, the twelve year old girl prostitutes herself to keep her family eating. The narrator, her 10 year old brother, is expected to beg for coins to pay for the books at his school. It's a dismal setting told with gut-wrenching honesty.
The other stories deal with the alarming realities for children in other African countries: Rwanda, Ethiopia, Niger, Sierra Leone, and Nigeria. This book is a call to open our eyes, and a call to act. I will use the first story, at least, with my Women's Lit class. A tough, but important read.
Showing posts with label classics and literature. Show all posts
Showing posts with label classics and literature. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Crow Lake
by Mary Lawson
This was one of my favorite books that my Book Club read in the 11 years we have been meeting. So re-reading it this summer was like being back in touch with an old friend. It is a beautifully written story of a family devastated by the tragic loss of both parents in a car accident years ago. Kate Morrison is now a zoologist and she believes she has outgrown her once-beloved siblings, Luke, Matt, and Bo. But her emotions were arrested years ago, and the sacrifices family members made to ensure the children stayed together are now resented and festering. The story unravels slowly, and readers are swept away, into the lives of the characters because of the hauntingly beautiful writing. I loved it every bit as much the 2nd time as I did the 1st.
This was one of my favorite books that my Book Club read in the 11 years we have been meeting. So re-reading it this summer was like being back in touch with an old friend. It is a beautifully written story of a family devastated by the tragic loss of both parents in a car accident years ago. Kate Morrison is now a zoologist and she believes she has outgrown her once-beloved siblings, Luke, Matt, and Bo. But her emotions were arrested years ago, and the sacrifices family members made to ensure the children stayed together are now resented and festering. The story unravels slowly, and readers are swept away, into the lives of the characters because of the hauntingly beautiful writing. I loved it every bit as much the 2nd time as I did the 1st.
Friday, June 25, 2010
The Art of Racing in the Rain
by Garth Stein
Let's imagine that all dogs have complex thoughts, and that this one particular dog can reason, learn, and articulate thoughts. This book is told from the dog Enzo's point of view. His owner is Denny, a race car driver, to whom Enzo is fabulously loyal. When Denny marries Eve, Enzo wonders and worries about this new intrusion into his life. Soon Zoe is born and Enzo has a new human to protect and serve. When Eve gets sick, life for Denny, Zoe and Enzo changes in ways they could never imagine. Funny, sad, fierce and wonderful - it's a quick read that will leave you feeling amazed by the connection between dogs and their humans.
Let's imagine that all dogs have complex thoughts, and that this one particular dog can reason, learn, and articulate thoughts. This book is told from the dog Enzo's point of view. His owner is Denny, a race car driver, to whom Enzo is fabulously loyal. When Denny marries Eve, Enzo wonders and worries about this new intrusion into his life. Soon Zoe is born and Enzo has a new human to protect and serve. When Eve gets sick, life for Denny, Zoe and Enzo changes in ways they could never imagine. Funny, sad, fierce and wonderful - it's a quick read that will leave you feeling amazed by the connection between dogs and their humans.
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