Books to start the 2020 decade
The last week few weeks have been filled with conversations about the new year and more specifically the new decade--2020. Here we are embarking on a new decade that will bring so much to our lives, and of course, we have no idea what some of it will be.My reading during this time has included some history and some fiction that has brought many issues to light. The importance of family, how we handle what we must, what lies ahead, and where to go next are few of the themes that have surfaced.
I guess I should begin with the here and now rather than the look back at history. I have read all of the works by author Elizabeth Strout so when her new novel about the irascible character Olive Kitteridge came out, I had to purchase a copy.
At first, I wasn’t sure I liked it as much as the first novel about Olive which was followed by a film of the same name, but as I continued reading, I realized I really did find merit in the book.
The author includes chapters about people who encounter Olive and how that affects their lives. I won’t give away too much, but it brings in the family themes as well as coping mechanisms, as aging impacts her life and others she knows. I did like the ending which was one I could not have predicted. It leaves an opening for a possible third book about this character whom readers love to hate.
This summer I had purchased a book – “Mary Lincoln, Wife and Widow” by Carl Sandburg when we visited Sandburg’s home in Flat Rock, N.C. It was on my stack of those to be read soon. It did not disappoint.
The author includes chapters about people who encounter Olive and how that affects their lives. I won’t give away too much, but it brings in the family themes as well as coping mechanisms, as aging impacts her life and others she knows. I did like the ending which was one I could not have predicted. It leaves an opening for a possible third book about this character whom readers love to hate.
This summer I had purchased a book – “Mary Lincoln, Wife and Widow” by Carl Sandburg when we visited Sandburg’s home in Flat Rock, N.C. It was on my stack of those to be read soon. It did not disappoint.
It is not an easy read and is compiled from letters she wrote and others who wrote to her. It was originally published in 1932 and was out of print for many years. The most recent publication date is 2008, but there were several paperback printings in the 1980s and 1990s. It is available now at booksellers online and in stores so a trip to Flat Rock is not necessary, but it is a fascinating place to visit.
I had read about her and heard about her for decades so it was interesting to read her own words and those of people who knew her. It is a sad and tragic story of course, but this does shed light on her mental capacity and how this type of illness was treated in those days. There are strides in that area for sure, but it often seems as if we have a long way to go.
Her tremendous capacity to love not only her husband but her dear children is evident and the loss of all of them but one child would shake most people to their core.
Her shopping exploits were especially interesting when considering the era and how people lived. Ordering online was not even a tiny glimmer in those days, but I bet she would have loved it. She did manage to find what she wanted and run up tremendous debt. At the end, that was something that consumed her with thoughts of poverty and starvation.
It is certainly worth a read, but it takes concentration. I had to find a time with few distractions to take in all the observations that were so compelling.
Last but certainly not least is the book “We Have Always Lived in the Castle” by Shirley Jackson. I have always been a fan of Jackson’s who writes some unusual stories (“The Lottery” is one of her most famous), and this one did not disappoint.
I had read about her and heard about her for decades so it was interesting to read her own words and those of people who knew her. It is a sad and tragic story of course, but this does shed light on her mental capacity and how this type of illness was treated in those days. There are strides in that area for sure, but it often seems as if we have a long way to go.
Her tremendous capacity to love not only her husband but her dear children is evident and the loss of all of them but one child would shake most people to their core.
Her shopping exploits were especially interesting when considering the era and how people lived. Ordering online was not even a tiny glimmer in those days, but I bet she would have loved it. She did manage to find what she wanted and run up tremendous debt. At the end, that was something that consumed her with thoughts of poverty and starvation.
It is certainly worth a read, but it takes concentration. I had to find a time with few distractions to take in all the observations that were so compelling.
Last but certainly not least is the book “We Have Always Lived in the Castle” by Shirley Jackson. I have always been a fan of Jackson’s who writes some unusual stories (“The Lottery” is one of her most famous), and this one did not disappoint.
This was her final novel and is considered her greatest by many writers and experts. First published in 1962, other editions are still available.
She takes the reader into a world that is unsettling with characters and events that shake the core of what would be considered normal. The surprise comes close to the end, but I am sure many readers figured it out sooner.
She takes the reader into a world that is unsettling with characters and events that shake the core of what would be considered normal. The surprise comes close to the end, but I am sure many readers figured it out sooner.
The family is peculiar in every way possible, and the story unfolds slowly and methodically. I don’t want to give away any more of the story, but it will stay with the reader for quite some time.
There it is – the 2020 decade and what I have been reading so far. All three present women who are memorable. Some are real and some are not. Those that are not real could easily be. What we chose to read is definitely a matter of taste. Not sure what this says about me but I do seem to veer towards certain writers and types. Happy reading this decade!
There it is – the 2020 decade and what I have been reading so far. All three present women who are memorable. Some are real and some are not. Those that are not real could easily be. What we chose to read is definitely a matter of taste. Not sure what this says about me but I do seem to veer towards certain writers and types. Happy reading this decade!
Savvy Frances
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