Title: The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce
Book Beginnings quote:
The letter that would change everything arrived on a Tuesday.
Friday56 quote:
Harold couldn't help wondering if David knew he was walking.
Summary: Harold Fry and his wife, Maureen live in the South of England. He is recently retired and now is very aware that Maureen finds everything he does irritating, right down to way he puts jam on his toast. One Tuesday morning a letter arrives from Queenie, a woman Harold used to work with but hasn't heard from in years. Queenie tells him that she is dying from cancer and is writing to say goodbye. Harold quickly jots off a letter and heads out to post it at the nearest postbox. But instead of posting it, he starts walking. Soon Harold is on a pilgrimage of over 600 miles, certain that as long as he is walking Queenie will not die. While he walks Harold thinks about his life with Maureen and their son David, wondering how things got so wrong in their relationships. Maureen, too, finds herself missing Harold and wondering if he will even return to her after his walk. And how will that affect her relationship with David.
Review: I listened to the audiobook back in September at the recommendation of friend with whom I was recently reunited. She told me that it was one of her favorite books so I had high hopes for it. As I listened the book really started to grow on me and each new revelation that Harold confronts is revealed. The ending to so bitter sweet. I will recommend this book to friends and family members.
Book Beginnings on Friday is hosted by Rose City Reader. Share the opening quote from current book. The Friday56 is hosted atFreda's Voice. Find a quote from page 56 to share. Visit these two websites to participate. Click on links to read quotes from books other people are reading. It is a great way to make blog friends and to get suggestions for new reading material.
With this book I am only one review away from completing my efforts to catch up on past reviews. Check out my reviews here.
I have been captivated the last week or so reading the letters from noteworthy people to readers of the future while looking at the illustrations by artists inspired by the letters. That is the Velocity of Being project. Future readers hear from all kinds of people about the importance of books and reading in their life. After reading many of the letters felt like I was being thrown a lifesaver just as I was drowning from (choose one or more): politics, state of our environment, pandemics, racism, etc. Instead of reviewing this collection, let me share with you a few snippets of several of the letters and encourage you to get this book to find treasures for yourself in it.
Note: the photo collages below show nine of the illustrations that accompanied the letters. I didn't "shop" for my favorites. I just snapped nine random photos, trying to capture a representative sample.
"Somewhere, there is a book written just for you. It will fit your mind like a glove fits your hand. And it's waiting. Go and look for it." -Neil Gaiman
"We wouldn't need need books quite so much if everyone around us understood us well. But they don't. Even those who love us get us wrong. They tell us who we are but miss things out. They claim to know what we need, but forget to ask us properly first. They can't understand what we feel--and sometimes, we're unable to tell them, because we don't really understand it ourselves. That's where books come in."-Alain de Botton
"Reading opens up worlds inside your head, worlds you can explore, play with roam around in. Worlds that are in you and become part of you. When you read, you become bigger." -Martha Nussbaum
"I wish; I wish; I wish; I wish; I wish I were in your shoes now, I wish I were standing where you are standing now...to be at the beginning as you are now, so that I could read them [my books] all again for the very first time." -David Whyte
"Books aren't just a door to another world--each book is part of a door to the whole world, a door that always has more behind it. Which is why I still can't think of anything I'd rather do more than read." -Alexander Chee
"Books saved my life...Books made me feel less ashamed. Less weird. Less different. They connected me deeply to my own humanity." -Dani Shapiro
"Reading is for the brave among us. It teaches us how to love people we don't know and will probably never meet. It teaches us that we too deserve that same sort of love. That faith is, in fact, the work of being a fully realized person." -Thomas Page McBee
"Every reader should behave like a book, pushing others toward growth, aiming to deepen the most enduring relationship: the one we have with ourselves." -Amanda Stern
The book whispers to you From the shelf in a small voice, Reader, into the tiniest Shell of your innermost ear So quiet you might mistake it For silence. -Matthew Burgess
"I want to tell you why books are magic and how words have power. So, there's a little girl, who lives in a house where there is a lot of anger and sadness. Maybe, she feels alone like no one understands her heart and the way its hurting. Each day she goes to school, comes back home, and does her homework. She sits with her mami who reads her stories of a funny maid who just can't get things right but bakes delicious pies and tarts. The little girl laughs and asks her mami to read it again.There it is. Did you catch it? That moment where words and books changed her life? Where a book had the power to transport her to a place where her heart did not hurt?" -Isabel Quintero
"If you love to read, or learn to love reading, you will have an amazing life." -Anne Lamott
I could go on. There are over 100 letters and illustrations. I liked some part of each of them and could fill up a book's worth of quotes to share with you, but I will stop here. You get the point.
Each of the quotes I did provide spoke to my heart in some way or another. Books on the shelf are calling out to me to be read or re-read. Sometimes I listen and other times I ignore their pleas. My grandson, who is three, loves to run around and is very active. Yet, if I pull out a book, he can settle right down and snuggle in, allowing him to calm down. His parents have learned to use books to help teach him concepts like 'not hitting', adjusting to a new sibling, and being kind to animals. Books themselves can have magical healing qualities. I used to tell my high school students that one of the things I like about self-help books is that the books themselves don't care if you follow their advice. This is, therefore, very freeing: take it or leave it, the book's feelings won't be hurt like a humans would be.
Reading and books have the power to change a life for the better. They can transport us to places and time periods we've never been. We can learn about cultures and people we have never encountered before. We can laugh and empathize, gain understanding and/or participate in magic. All of the letters were written by adults, several by adults at or near the end of their life, yet all of them continue to adore books and wish everyone could lead the life they lived through the magic of the written word.
Top Ten Tuesday: Activities I enjoy that don't involve books and reading
1. Baking. I've always enjoyed baking cookies, cakes, and pie. Lately I've branched out to more yeast breads.
2. Puzzles. I love putting together jigsaw puzzles. I usually only work on them during the winter months but since the COVID-19 pandemic I've been working on puzzle after puzzle. I think I've finished over 30 so far in 2020.
3. Hiking. I live in the Pacific Northwest so nature is practically right outside our door. We also have several National Parks within a few hours of our home. A good hike in a National Forest is a wonderful thing to do outside even if there is a pandemic.
4. Politics. I confess to be one of those wonky people who follows National and local politics fairly closely. This involves about three hours of political programming on TV per evening. I AM SO STRESSED right now.
5. Blogging. Obviously I blog. But one day a week my blog post is about politics not just books.
6. Gardening. I especially love growing flowers. My favorites are hydrangeas and roses.
7. Volunteering through my church and other church activities.
8. Sports fan. Seattle Seahawks, Seattle Mariners, and University of Oregon teams are my favorite teams.
9. Pet ownership. I sleep with my cat (or she sleeps with me) and I love my dog with my whole heart.
10. Grandmotherhood. I have two wonderful grandsons. They are the joy of my life.
11. Travel. Now that I am retired I have the time to explore the world just when it is closed off to us. Sigh.
12. Music. Listening to it, not playing it. I love having a sound track to my life. Going to concerts is still a favorite activity to do with my husband.
How about our darling grandsons in their Halloween costumes?
Weather: An atmospheric river from Hawaii was supposed to move through on Friday bringing lots of rain but it really just brought a lot of wind. One of the street trees in our neighborhood blew over. Will it be nice on Halloween for trick-or-treating?
Family news: Usual pandemic stuff...hanging out in the house a lot with short forays out to shop for food and to walk the dog. Lots of time doing puzzles, playing cards, Zoom Bible Study, Zoom church, and watching politics on TV. Comfort food has been on the menu. This week I made apple cake, a favorite food from my childhood and a boiled dinner we usually only have on St. Patrick's Day: Corned beef, potatoes, cabbage, and beets. I know. Sounds ghastly but we like it.
Halloween: How's this for our Halloween decorations? These are our pumpkins this year. Recognize the sunglasses?
Books:
Completed
Almost Everything: Notes on Hope by Anne Lamott. A favorite author, not a favorite book. (Print)
Writers and Lovers by Lily King. It is tough work to make dreams come true and to be honest with yourself and others. (Audiobook)
Currently reading
A Velocity of Being: Letters to a Young Reader, edited by Maria Popova. Still enjoying these letters written by people to future readers. (Print, 70%)
Stay With Me by Ayobami Adebayo. A new book club selection. Love and polygamy. (Print, 1%)
Book club--The RHS book club met in a socially distanced, outside setting (with heaters) to discuss Born a Crime by Trevor Noah. We were all starved for human contact and enjoyed discussing the book and being together.
Vote November 3rd. Participate. Your Vote Counts.
COVID: Sad/Mad/Bad: Our only option now to save our lives is to VOTE!
Good news and information about voting:
1. VOTE. VOTE. VOTE.Don't get worried if the results on Election Night are skewed toward Trump. Mail-in ballots, which more Democrats filled out this year, are counted last and it may take a few days for them to be reflected in the counts. Stay positive!
2. The only polls that really tell us anything are the State polls. One chap, see chart below, has looked at all the polls and has done a little math. Remember the Electoral College target number to win is 270. First he plugged in the "for sure" state numbers red and blue (baseline: Biden 232, Trump 125.) Then he plugged in electoral counts based on polls. Let's hope he's right. (DKos) For wonks, read The Economist and the 538 forecast.
3. And here's a fun activity. Open up another page on your browser to an Electoral College Calculator Map like 270toWin. Start adding and subtracting using the NYT chart below to see the likelihood of a Biden or Trump win.
4. How to vote in your state (WaPo) or visit the county auditor's (election clerk) or the Secretary of State's website in your state.
Or consult this website if you have any questions about voting in your area
5. Absentee Ballot Deadlines in all States.(Vote.org) DO NOT MAIL YOUR BALLOT NOW OR IT MAY NOT BE COUNTED. Turn it into a voting dropbox in your area or take it to your polling station on election day, November 3rd. MAKE SURE YOUR VOTE IS COUNTED.
6. "R.I. P., G.O.P.--The Party of Lincoln had a good run. Then came Mr. Trump." NYT Editorial, Oct. 24, 2020
Of all the things President Trump has destroyed, the Republican Party is among the most dismaying.
“Destroyed”
is perhaps too simplistic, though. It would be more precise to say that
Mr. Trump accelerated his party’s demise, exposing the rot that has
been eating at its core for decades and leaving it a hollowed-out shell
devoid of ideas, values or integrity, committed solely to preserving its
own power even at the expense of democratic norms, institutions and
ideals.
7. "If Trump wins, athletes might just stop playing." (Intelligencer) No! No professional or college sports? Another big reason to elect Biden!
“If Trump wins, or if he refuses to concede, I’m telling you right now:
There won’t be any sports for a month,” he said. “Maybe more. These kids
just won’t stand for it...Settling for less in the near term is a reasonable strategy — as long as
Joe Biden wins. But what happens if Trump overcomes his long odds and
does somehow prevail? I think you will see the largest and most
expensive athlete protest in the history of sports. I agree with my
executive friend: I think they will simply refuse to play.
8. 20 US Attorneys--all Republican--endorse Biden. (WaPo)
Twenty
former U.S. attorneys — all of them Republicans — on Tuesday publicly
called President Trump “a threat to the rule of law in our country,” and
urged that he be replaced in November with his Democratic opponent,
former vice president Joe Biden.
“The
President has clearly conveyed that he expects his Justice Department
appointees and prosecutors to serve his personal and political
interests,” said the former prosecutors in an open letter. They accused
Trump of taking “action against those who have stood up for the
interests of justice.”
The
letter, signed by prosecutors appointed by every GOP president from
Eisenhower to Trump, is the latest instance of Republicans backing
Biden.
9. Nickelodeon kids pick Biden 53% to Trump 47%. Yay! (Republicans even tried to cheat on this vote, but Nickelodeon figured it out and backed out the illegal votes made by bots. Ha!)
Musical Interlude: This is from 2018 but it is so appropriate for today. WE SHALL OVERCOME. "We shall overcome this day and pray for love to lead the way."
On the lighter side
1. This has nothing to do with politics, pandemics, or racism. This week my daughter showed me this weather report and I laughed every single time I looked at it. (It is from 2015) Enjoy. We all deserve a little levity to break up the tension right now. (Weather map goes crazy.)
2.
3. Trump knows nothing about climate change. Want to make him shut up? Here's how...
Biden campaign also going up on Comedy Central and Adult Swim with this animated climate change focused ad pic.twitter.com/0OjZnqz3PZ
4.Don't let the worst restaurant man win because you didn't vote.
5. I don't even live in Texas so I can't vote for this guy, but I think this political ad is so funny. Hope you enjoy it, too. (TX-01)
6.
7.
Lastly: In the event that things go sideways after the election, here are some resources to help you act to defend democracy. Let's hope that this is unnecessary.
On a national level there are two organizations asking for people to sign up and be ready to act:
Choose Democracy has a pledge to take to be on the streets to act when it is needed.
Protect the Results
is a broad coalition of organizations that is asking people to set up
local actions and they're coordinating about when is the best time to
ask people to go out onto the streets
So folks, this is the last post before the Nov. 3rd election. I have found some comfort each week pulling out tidbits of information to share with you. It was my hope that this information helped you make a decision to vote for Biden or the courage to share with your friends/family what you have learned. I have tried to deal in facts not conspiracy theories or "fake news." I wanted to bring you a bit of humor to help lighten up the mood we are are all feeling right now...tense and worried. I hope the "funnies" I found did that. Now we wait and pray for positive results.
A moment of Zen:
Click on this link to listen to Raul Malo play a cover of 'A CHANGE IS GONNA TO COME.' It is a perfect way to usher out this Sunday Salon post. (Thanks Kathy for sharing this with me.) While you are listening you can meditate on the beauty of trees.
A view of our backyard from the upstairs window. I wish you could experience the beauty of the light as it is filtered through the leaves. It sparkles in golden tones. The photo doesn't do it justice.
Sadie enjoying a snooze while we discussed Born a Crime. Photo used with permission.
Title: Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah
Book Beginnings quote:
Friday56 quote:
Summary: Trevor Noah, the comedian who is the host of The Daily Show on the Comedy Central channel, grew up in South Africa during the time that apartheid was becoming dismantled, though racism was alive and well. Apartheid attempted to categorize people according to their race and ethnicity to keep them separate. Noah, a mixed race child born to a black South African woman and a white Swiss man, did not fit into a category so was often on the outside in social/school settings. His birth was evidence of a crime, since it was illegal for whites and blacks to have sex and/or create children together. For this reasons his mother went to extreme measures to hide him until the tyrannical apartheid "whites rule" ended. From that point Noah and his mother, though very poor, spent a lot of time on low-cost adventures.
Born a Crime is
the story of a mischievous young boy who grows into a restless young man
as he struggles to find himself in a world where he was never supposed
to exist. It is also the story of that young man’s relationship with his
fearless, rebellious, and fervently religious mother—his teammate, a
woman determined to save her son from the cycle of poverty, violence,
and abuse that would ultimately threaten her own life.--The Publisher
Review: I am a big fan of Trevor Noah and the Daily Show. When everything in life seems ultra serious these days it is good to turn on Comedy Central just before bed and watch Noah talk about politics and the news of the day from a decidedly funny point of view. I've long wanted to read this memoir so I was glad when it was chosen as our book club's October reading selection. I assumed, others in my club did too, that the book would walk the readers through Noah's march from poverty in South Africa to his rise to fame as a comedian and his stint on The Daily Show. Well, we were all wrong. The book was only about his life in South Africa and only mentioned once, as an aside, that he was starting to work the clubs as a comedian. If someone wants to know how Trevor Noah got from there to here, this is not the book to read. But if someone wants to learn more about life in South Africa at the end of apartheid and about what a remarkable child Noah was and what a phenomenal mother he had, this is your book.
I listened to the audiobook read by Trevor Noah himself. One of the things I loved most about this experience of listening to it was the way Noah used language. He learned from his mother the value of speaking to people in their own language and he knows many South African languages at least well enough to converse in them. The Friday56 quote is an example where Noah perfectly recites the Africaans quotes so the listeners could hear the language. My book club is made up of current and retired high school teachers. Three of the gals are retired world language teachers. They all spoke very passionately about how much they appreciated Noah's comments about the importance of language in building bridges with people.
The photo at the top of this page is our hostess's dog, Sadie, who joined us as we sat outside near propane heaters to discuss Born a Crime. I highly recommend this book for book clubs and for anyone who enjoys reading about other cultures or just likes Trevor Noah.
Book Beginnings on Friday is hosted by Rose City Reader. Share the opening quote from current book. The Friday56 is hosted atFreda's Voice. Find a quote from page 56 to share. Visit these two websites to participate. Click on links to read quotes from books other people are reading. It is a great way to make blog friends and to get suggestions for new reading material.
Top Ten Tuesday: The best horror books I've read from the Shortlist of 35 best horror novels ever written. (See list here). Admittedly I don't read many books in the horror genre, so I haven't read many of the books on this list, but I have read a few. I actually would debate with the creator of the original list that many of the novels aren't actually horror titles. See what you think.
1. Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier---I just watched the updated movie of this atmospheric novel. It definitely has a spooky vibe and is considered a classic gothic novel. (1938)
2. Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut---not sure why this book is on the list. It is a war story and the events are horrifying but not scary-frightening. (1969)
3. Lord of the Flies by William Golding---once again a book that has a horrifying theme but it isn't frightening. Nonetheless it is on the list. (1954)
4. Coraline by Neil Gaiman---everyone's nightmare that somehow we will get lost from our family and can't find them. This one is truly frightening. (2002)
5. Beloved by Toni Morrison---indeed it is a ghost story but the haunting is unusual. (1987)
6. The Stranger by Albert Camus---I read this book in French so I'm not sure I understood it very well, but I just remember it being strange not frightening. (1942)
7. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson---A definite thriller with very dark themes. (2005)
8. The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood---definitely bleak and dystopian but horror. I think not. What do you think? (1995)
9. The Testaments by Margaret Atwood---sequel to Handmaid's Tale. Thrilling, not frightening. Your thoughts? (2019)
I've only read nine of the 35 books on the Shortlist. Take a look at it. How many have you read?What books are you shocked aren't on the list?
Here are some titles I expected but weren't on the list: Collected Stories of Edgar Allan Poe; Wuthering Heights; The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde; The Picture of Dorian Gray; more titles by Stephen King, Neil Gaiman, and Shirley Jackson.
Weather: The night's are turning cold and threats of frost are in the air. Right now (Saturday afternoon) it is lovely and cool with blue skies.
Family news: We visited a local pumpkin patch with our daughter and her family. Ian had fun running around, going on a ride pulled by a tractor, attempting to hit a box with a pumpkin in a sling shot, and jumping off a hay bale when grandma said "Jump". I love this photo so much. You can even see our other grandson's head peeking out from the cool mommy-n-baby coat.
Books: Amazingly I actually did a little reading this week.
Completed:
The Sixth Extinction by Elizabeth Kolbert. This was a book club selection for the club meeting this past Tuesday. Last week I mentioned that I had abandoned this book because of its serious and depressing message, but I picked it back up and nearly completed it in time for the meeting. I highly recommend it. It contains such a vital and timely message we all need to hear. (Print)
Born a Crime by Trevor Noah. No wonder everyone who has read this told me to read it, too. I expected "how I became famous" but got "growing up in South Africa is hard work." There was not a hint of feeling sorry for himself, either. Wow. Now it's your turn. Read it! Better yet, listen to the audiobook. Noah reads it himself. (Audiobook)
Hello, Neighbor! The Kind and Caring World of Mr. Rogers by Matthew Cordell. An authorized picture children's biography of Mr Rogers. Love it. (Print)
Currently reading:
A Velocity of Being: Letters to Young Readers by Maria Popova. A collection of over 100 letters written to young readers of the future from authors and other well-known people. I am so grateful that this book fell into my hands at this time. It is like a salve to a wound. (30%, print)
Writers and Lovers by Lily King. I started this audiobook ages ago and didn't finish it before it was due back at the library. I just got it back and am trying to pick up where I left off last time. (Audiobook, 50%)
Almost Everything: Notes on Hope by Anne Lamott. I picked this one up from my church library a few weeks ago, wanting something, anything to give me hope. At least I can read it even though there is so much chatter going on in my head. (50%, print)
Good News:
1. Endorsements for Biden. In the event you still need a little persuasion before you vote, read/view these:
"We’ve lived for the past four years under a man categorically unfit to be president. Fortunately for America, Joe Biden
is Donald Trump’s opposite in nearly every category: The Democratic
presidential nominee evinces competence, compassion, steadiness,
integrity, and restraint. Perhaps most important in this moment, Biden
holds a profound respect for the institutions of American democracy, as
well as a deep knowledge about how our government — and our system of
checks and balances — is meant to work; he aspires to lead the nation as
its president, not its dictator. The 2020 election,
then, offers the nation a chance to reboot and rebuild from the racist,
authoritarian, know-nothing wreckage wrought by the 45th president. And
there are few Americans better suited to the challenge than Joe Biden."
"Elect Joe Biden. Reject Donald Trump. In 2016, we broke tradition in urging
you not to vote for Trump. Now we're making our first presidential
endorsement. We hope it's our last... Now, two weeks until Election Day, we suggest you consider a variation
of the question Republican Ronald Reagan asked voters when he ran for
president in 1980: Is America better off now than it was four years ago?"
Ret. Admiral William McRaven (who oversaw the raid that killed Osama Bin Laden) wrote an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal endorsing Biden.
"This week I went to the polls in Texas.
Truth be told, I am a pro-life, pro-Second Amendment, small-government,
strong-defense and a national-anthem-standing conservative. But, I also
believe that black lives matter, that the Dreamers deserve a path to
citizenship, that diversity and inclusion are essential to our national
success, that education is the great equalizer, that climate change is
real and that the First Amendment is the cornerstone of our democracy. Today I voted for Joe Biden."
The Des Moines Register endorsed Biden several weeks ago. Now they are endorsing a slate of Democrats. Wow, just wow. If only people read newspapers still.
[Putting party above country] has led Republicans down a treacherous path of steadfast loyalty to a president who has coddled dictators, demonized immigrants, wavered on denouncing white supremacists, run the White House like a family business, routinely ignored science
and witnessed over 215,000 Americans die in a pandemic on his watch.
And the worst may be yet to come, since he has not committed to a peaceful transfer of power if he loses the election.
That's why in this particular election every Republican incumbent
should be voted out of office and every open seat should be awarded to
the Democratic candidate.
The Democratic candidates for Congress in Iowa have much to offer. But make no mistake: Elected
Republicans' actions have been so poisonous that removing them from
power is as important a goal as sending thoughtful public servants to
Washington.
Mel Brooks, first Presidential endorsement ever. (You never know what kind of weird news items I will find each week! Ha!)
2.This Joe Biden ad played during the first game of the World series, narrated by Sam Elliot. It is super patriotic. (Link)
3. Pope Francis calls for civil union law for same sex marriages. (Catholic News Agency)
“Homosexuals have a right to be a part of the family. They’re children
of God and have a right to a family. Nobody should be thrown out, or be
made miserable because of it,” Pope Francis said in the film, of his
approach to pastoral care.
4. This poem is by author Octavia Butler from the Parable of the Talents. It is very appropriate for us today.
5. A Texas teenager may have found a COVID-19 cure breakthrough. Really. Read about this astonishing story here. (DKos)
6. The polling still looks very good for Biden. Even on issues that the President thinks he has sown up, he is behind on most of them.
7. Obama is back! Here he speaks at a Biden campaign rally in Philadelphia. It is 36 minutes long but I loved listening to him again! (Obama at Biden rally)
I'm not the only one who felt this way. Check out this meme that showed up the day after his speech.
Musical Interlude from Dave Mason and the Quarantines, playing "Feelin' Alright." Haven't heard of them? If you are an old rocker you'll recognize the musicians. Enjoy. (Listen here.)
On the Lighter Side:
1.Trump knows the only way he will win is if he cheats. And he is so crooked he thinks cheating is fine.
2. Doesn't it seem like Trump only does things for himself, not the country?
3. Trump lies so often some people don't even recognize them as lies. But others see the truth, like Tom Hanks!
4. Borat's new movie apparently caught Trump's attorney, Rudolph Giuliani, with his pants almost off. This is Borat defending him. (Snark)
5. Most laughs of the day, compliments of my sister Grace.
6. Unless you consider the kind of "treats" we've been eating in 2020. Yuck.
7. Every week I think I won't find enough funny memes to fill my blog. Every week I am delighted by what I actually find. Musically speaking, this one seems to wrap up the year perfectly.
8. And the last word of the week goes to Gilligan's Island.
Another musical Interlude.This is not-to-be-missed. (Black Eyed Peas)
10 more days until election day. Breathing deep.
I love your comments. It lets me know you have visited and read my blog. But it also allows for polite discourse. Please leave a comment below or on the link at Facebook. Thank you.
Title: The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History by Elizabeth Kolbert
Book Beginnings quote: Prologue:
Beginnings, it's said, are apt to be shadowy. So it is with this story, which starts with the emergence of a new species maybe two hundred thousand years ago. The species does not have a name--nothing does--but it has the capacity to name things.
Friday56 quote:
Darwin's familiarity with human-caused extinction is clear from On the Origin of a Species. In one of the many passages where he heaped scorn on the catastrophists, he observed that animals become rare before they become extinct.
Summary: Scientists believe there has been five mass extinctions during the history of the planet Earth. Currently the sixth extinction is under way and it will be as catastrophic the one caused by an asteroid that slammed into the planet causing the extinction of all the dinosaurs. The sixth extinction is happening faster than one can imagine and will likely be the most lasting legacy of the humans who have caused it.
Review: I've wanted to read this book since it won the Pulitzer Prize for nonfiction in 2015. When it showed up as a book club library kit for check out, I selected it for my club over a year ago. Little did I know at the time that we would be embroiled in a catastrophic pandemic when it finally came our way. Club members discussed whether or not we should read it now. Would it be too deep and depressing for us to tackle? We decided to give it a try and I think everyone was glad that we did, though only three of the nine gals actually read the whole book.
The first five chapters or so are pretty dense, looking at evidence of extinctions going back millions of years and talking about creatures that we've never even heard of before. But as the author started talking about the evidence of this, the sixth extinction, the book became easier to read and almost un-put-downable. What is happening to amphibians, bats, rhinos, and to coral reefs is so frightening. If we don't get a handle on climate change, and fast, our ocean will become unlivable due to the acidification of it. It was a real call to action. Though very depressing at the core, it also has some points of hope, showing how many people are working on solutions to reverse the course we are on and how we can help.
It is maybe not the book one should recommend for people to read right now in the midst of our pandemic lock-downs. Or maybe, and this is what I think, it is the perfect book to read when one has time to ponder ways they can change their own lives for the better, to help reduce their own carbon footprint. Either way, add it to your reading list. It is a must read for sometime in your life, the sooner, the better. After you read it, watch the David Attenborough's 2020 documentary called "Life on this Planet" available right now on Netflix. It is a powerful video on the same topic by the famed naturalist who says the film is his witness statement and hope for the future.
Book Club discussion questions: (I didn't find any questions from the publisher. So I grabbed a copy of the questions assigned to tenth grade readers by their Biology teacher in some school. We all decided that questions directed at 10th graders was about the right level for us.)
The Sixth Extinction Discussion Questions
The hallmark of evolutionary biology is adaptability. Is the main challenge facing our era the speed with which we are forcing things to adapt? Explain.
Describe the causes and effects of ocean acidification.
Which of Kolbert's examples seems most compelling/troubling to you, and why?
If humans have a place in the natural balance, should we expect the planet itself and other organisms to adapt and evolve in response to our impact?
How has "the new Pangea," as Kolbert calls it, accelerated certain threats to various species' future around the globe?
"The Thing with Feathers" (chapter XIII) alludes to Emily Dickinson's poem "Hope is the thing with feathers" (Poem 314). After reading Kolbert's book, where do you see some hopeful possibilities?
Has reading this book changed your views about climate change in any way? How so?
What specific steps might you take to counteract the trends that Kolbert describes in her book?
Book Beginnings on Friday is hosted by Rose City Reader. Share the opening quote from current book. The Friday56 is hosted atFreda's Voice. Find a quote from page 56 to share. Visit these two websites to participate. Click on links to read quotes from books other people are reading. It is a great way to make blog friends and to get suggestions for new reading material.
