What I've Heard- The Opposite of Hate

I don't read or listen to a lot of non-fiction, but when I heard Sally Kohn's interview on NPR's Studio 1A, I knew I needed to read her book The Opposite of Hate. I'm really torn on whether or not listening to this book was a good idea. On the one hand, it is read by the author and in such a way that it feels almost narrative rather than informative, which I loved. On the other hand, audiobooks are awfully difficult to highlight. There were so many times I wanted to underline something she said or take note of a point she made, but I obviously wasn't able to do that. I did stop a few times to write down a quote or two, but that isn't always convenient.

Solution? Well, I'm just going to have to purchase my own hard copy. And I think you should, too.

The Opposite of Hate is one of the books that I really think should be required reading. For everyone. We all live in the world and we all know there is far too much hate out there. Maybe you think you don't hate. And maybe you don't, but Kohn believes we all possess some form of implicit bias, including herself. I was impressed with how courageously brave she was in citing specific examples where she has discovered her own bias and she encourages us to look for it within ourselves. Bias can lead to hate and it is more important now than ever that we find ways to connect as human beings rather than focus on what divides us.

I really loved this book and I know I will read it again. And I will share it with my children when they get just a little older. If we really want to make the world a better place, we have to find a way to get along better. That doesn't mean changing what we believe or all becoming the same thing, but it does mean making an effort to understand one another regardless of our differences. Please read this book and I'd love to hear what you think.

What I've Heard- The Girl with All the Gifts

The Girl with All the Gifts is a thrilling book that I loved reading and the audio version leaves nothing to be desired. Listening to this book narrated by Finty Williams makes it easy to forget the miles I'm pedaling away on my bicycle or the number of times I've unloaded and reloaded the dishwasher. Even though I'd read the book and knew what was going to happen, I listened with rapt attention (while still being safe on my bike, of course). This is a really good book and I think you'll really like it, too.

America's First Daughter by Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie

Thomas Jefferson was one of the Founding Fathers of The United States of America, the principal author of the Declaration of Independence, and the third President of the United States. By the time he was elected president, Jefferson was a widow and it was his daughter Martha (nicknamed Patsy by her family) who served in the new role of First Lady. America's First Daughter by Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie is a fictional depiction of Patsy's life from the time she was a child escaping the British descending on her home at Monticello, through her time in Paris, her marriage and motherhood, and on until a few years after the death of her father. While the title and cover make it seem as if the focus of the book is on the time that she helped her father as president, it is much more focused on all the other years she served almost as Jefferson's right hand. This historical novel makes it sound as though her father quite depended upon her. Patsy doesn't have an easy life by any description. Her mother dies shortly after the birth of her third daughter and leaves Patsy with the responsibility of looking after her father and her sisters; a command that she takes very seriously, devoting her life to his protection and assistance.

This book was interesting, but very long and often a little slow. It took me nearly the first half of the book to want to read it. If it hadn't been for a book club deadline, it would likely have taken me much longer if I was even able to finish it. That isn't to say it wasn't well written and interesting. It was, but it also felt like a bit of a chore to read it. Maybe I just wasn't in the mood for historical fiction or maybe it is that this exact subject matter wasn't of particular interest to me. Martha Jefferson was certainly a fascinating person with a life full of interesting stories. I can think of lots of people who would enjoy reading this because of their affinity for American history and I hope that my review doesn't scare them away; it just wasn't really for me.

But isn't that the great thing about a book club? You get to read books you never would have picked and I like expanding my reading experience.

The Immortalists by Chloe Benjamin

If you knew the date of your death, how would you live your life?

So asks the tagline of Chloe Benjamin's novel The Immortalists. Simon, Klara, Varya, and Daniel are just children in 1969 when they learn of a fortune teller who can give a person the day they will die. The curious thing about knowledge is that you can't unknow something you wish you didn't know. And yet no one can avoid the end of their life no matter how near or far it might be. Simon runs to the opposite side of the country in search of a better life, or to at least live the one he has a full speed while he can. Klara is determined to pursue her dreams regardless of their feasibility. Daniel tries to forget what he knows, but denial can only last so long, and Varya makes her life's work about prolonging life itself.

Filled with complicated characters that make decisions for very complicated reasons, I found this book interesting and compelling, but I really wanted to like it more than I did. It was an excellent concept, but the execution (no pun intended, really) didn't quite achieve what I think the author intended. I was often frustrated with the actions of the characters. Certainly no character ever behaves in exactly the way every reader would like, but their behaviors were so determined toward self-fulfilling prophecy that I wanted to scream at them, and not in that satisfying, "these characters are crazy but I still love them" kind of way. Only one of the deaths we see am I able to view with understanding and compassion. The others just made me angry.

And yet, I couldn't put the book down. I am sure that says more than my final opinion of the book. Or if not more, certainly quite a lot. Maybe you will enjoy it more than I did.

Oh! And before I forget, there was quite a lot of what I found to be unnecessary graphic descriptions of intimacy. I am always going to be a "fade to black" kind of girl. I just find that more romantic and I never like to read anything explicit and when I encountered that in this book I almost didn't continue reading. I only finished because it was for an online book club with which I haven't been the best about reading. Luckily it was a short-lived section that didn't repeat further in the book, but I feel obligated to put that warning out to you.