The Sum of Us

June 2022 - The Sum of Us by Heather McGhee

I decided to give a shout-out to Juneteenth, our new Federal Holiday celebrating the end of slavery by reviewing Heather McGhee's thought-provoking and award-winning book The Sum of Us.

I usually choose to entertain and educate myself by reading fiction. I use novels to shed light on how another person lives, or dies, or kills off their neighbors. And it can be hard for me to stay interested in a book of Non-fiction. Sometimes they are dry, and there are rarely any cliffhangers. But The Sum of Us kept me turning the pages. The other advantage to reviewing non-fiction is that I don't have to worry about spoilers.

The Sum of Us burst my white bubble of privilege, but with an eye-opening, heart-opening vision for the future. Heather McGhee suggests that the shame and guilt of racism would be better replaced with knowledge and commitment to do better.

There is plenty of history to explore here, but McGhee delivers it with context and consequences. She makes connections between what happened in the past to how it has manifested itself in the present day. And she dares to believe that there is another way.

Much of our inability to address poverty, hunger, and education is rooted in our nation's racist history. Taxes were at a peak as a percentage of the economy in 1965. Standards of living were on the rise, and homeownership was a priority. However, the narrative changed when women and people of color forced the government to include them in the equation. Antigovernment conservatism took hold, and politicians began to demonize big government.

The Sum of Us offers multiple examples of how programs to help people help themselves were dismantled. In 1976 state governments provided sixty percent of the cost of enrollment per student on average. Colleges in California and New York were tuition-free. But forty years later, the primary income is from tuition, and there is a crushing student debt crisis. McGhee calls this the "stealth privatization of America's public colleges."

Time and again, The Sum of Us shines a light on how the shift in focus has robbed us of benefits that previous generations took for granted. Our racist history has corrupted the American dream and our vision for freedom and equal opportunity. The book makes a compelling argument that pulling out this historical government support has reduced the middle class, has widened the gap between the haves and the have-nots, and has weakened us as a country.

For all the challenges this book reveals, it also gives us hope. Its underlying message calls for unity. The challenges that face us face all of us. We can choose to make our lives better and reinstate some of the initiatives and policies that made America the land of opportunity. And this time, we can provide those opportunities for all of us.

Celebrate Juneteenth with a copy of Heather McGhee's The Sum of Us. She has excellent ideas for making America great again with a more inclusive perspective.

The Madness of Crowds

May 2022 - The Madness of Crowds by Louise Penny

The Madness of Crowds is the seventeenth novel in Louise Penny's murder mystery series that features Inspector Gamache and a small village in Canada called Three Pines. I have read them all.

I don't think you have to read them all. And I don't think you have to read the series in order. But...I don't know what will happen if you start with The Madness of Crowds.

Will you appreciate the nuanced relationships? Would you enjoy this book more after you've gotten to know Ruth, the abrasive poet, and Myrna, the owner of the used bookstore, and Olivier and Gabriel, the guys that run the Bistro? I can't say. Is it a better read if you know more about Gamache's marriage, his relationships with his children, and his history on the Surete with Jean-Guy and Isabelle. But, I am not reviewing the series, just this one book.

At least, that was what I thought I was doing.

I love the series for uncomplicated reasons. Inspector Gamache is Canadian, French Canadian (or is it Canadien?). The setting in Quebec allows a little window into cold winters, shoveling snow and curling up by the fire without actually having to experience the cold. We hear about the ongoing sibling rivalry between the French and the English. Art, poetry, and literature are often referenced in the series, and the well-read and well-rounded Inspector is often known to quote a line or two. We are given a window into Gamache's life that extends beyond work. The man is dedicated but seems to aim for a work-life balance.

Not every crime novel offers four sentences as a path to wisdom. We should all remember to use them as needed.

I don't know. I was wrong. I need help. I am sorry.

So there are many reasons that I love this series. The books often deal with difficult decisions. There is a running theme of how to balance feelings with facts, when to use logic and when to let love take the lead.

Her latest one, The Madness of Crowds, is a timely novel. It takes our shared experience of the pandemic and relates our diverse fears. It recounts for us the challenges and poses questions regarding the lessons learned.

In the aftermath of the global pandemic, Gamache is asked to provide security for a talk given by an academic statistician. The dull evening for a few dedicated participants becomes a crowded, emotionally intense event surging with danger. Abigail Robinson contends that statistical analysis proves that caring for the most vulnerable in society is a losing situation. The expense and resources allotted to the elderly, the infirm, and the handicapped are robbing the rest of the population of a better quality of life. As the story continues, we experience the heartache of caring for someone with dementia, the conflicting emotions of dealing with a special needs child and ponder the role of government in these big social issues. How do we measure our humanity?

But you don't have to get bogged down in politics. There is still a murder, and Gamache needs to solve it. And I will not judge you if you decide to dive in with The Madness of Crowds and see where it leads.

Get your copy at your local bookseller.

Southernmost

April 2022 - Southernmost by Silas House

Every day my friend Shelia Athens posts gratitude on Instagram. It's a great reminder to approach each day with appreciation. I owe Sheila more than a day's worth of gratitude for recommending Southernmost and for lending me her autographed copy.

Southernmost is the novel I aspire to write. It achieves everything I hope for in a good book. It immerses me in the setting, the characters, and the narration. It transports me to another world or into another life. Sometimes a book allows you to experience another culture or see things from a new perspective, but in Southernmost you are taken on a deep-dive into the familiar.

Silas House set his novel in Tennessee and Key West, Florida. Since I spent my childhood in the upstate of South Carolina and lived for a time in Florida, Southernmost was like a homecoming.

The pace of the storytelling felt like a Southern drawl, comfortable and familiar. The language and the sentiment invited you in, and the characters were family and neighbors.

The novel captures a sense of place, both in the rush of the Cumberland River in Tennessee and in the magic of the ocean at night. You don't merely see the landscapes that Silas House describes, you connect to them. You remember those moments in your life when the beauty of the fall leaves inspired wonder or the moonlight on the waves took your breath, or the peach tint of a sunrise reminded you of the presence of God.

Southernmost tackles hard choices and asks difficult questions about parenting, societal issues, religion, love, family, death, and kindness. It reminds us that our children can be wise and that our good intentions don't guarantee good results.

The main character, Asher Sharp, has to make a choice. How can he do what's right by his wife, his son, his church, and his God? It seems as if, no matter what he decides, the outcome could be as devastating as the flood that rips through the valley. Regret from his actions in the past forces Asher to take a different path.

Asher's young son, Justin, has the wisdom of Buddha. If Asher listens closely, he will teach him how to parent. And Bell, the owner of the Key West Inn, provides a place of respite, free of judgment, where Asher can recover and gain strength to do the right thing.

Southernmost reassures us and restores our faith in humanity. It's a novel that reminds us to breathe and offers us a mantra.

Olivia, bougainvillea, iguana.

Pick up SOUTHERNMOST from your local bookstore, recommend it to your book club, and get grateful by following Sheila Athens on Instagram @sheilaathensauthor.