TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD by Harper Lee is an unbelievable classic of the 20th Century. Set in 1935 in a small town in Alabama, the book not only details life in this era but one that is disturbing to the “status quo”. Atticus Finch is a late 40’s year old attorney in this town and is not only deeply concerned with the day-to-day happenings of his professional life but the happenings of his two children, Jes, his 12 year old son, and Scout, the 8 year old daughter. Courtesy and caring about others are foremost in the daily life in this Southern town as exampled by the tipping of hats by gentlemen to the elderly ladies living nearby, and the ‘Sirs’ and ‘Ma’ams’ as voiced by children to their elders. Communication at this time is done by an operator on the telephone who plugs in each party; no telephone books or direct dial are available. Radio programs are foremost in each home to learn of the news of the day, primarily those coming from Washington D.C. But when a resident in a nearby area who is black is falsely charged with the rape of a woman living next to the city trash pile with her neer-to-do father, the town explodes with anger aimed at not only the father but the children.
If you only read one book this year, do read this; it may not only give you an example of life in an earlier time, but perhaps one that should/could be today without the advent of cyberspace! Or do you remember going to town only to buy groceries (those that you didn’t can or meats that you didn’t raise) and having the back seat of the car or the old pickup filled with boxes (instead of plastic sacks) and a 100 pound sack of potatoes? Or picking up the Sunday paper that was at least 4 inches thick following Sunday morning Church? Possibly this was much milder era, one that seemed to be devoted to the betterment of the participants.
UNDERTOW as written by Sidney Bauer, the pen name for an Australian writer, Kimberly Scott, brings to the forefront racial bias, a subject that has been discussed for many years, and sadly, is still on the front burner. However, please, the reader must note that this is strictly my impression to the story that follows; others may not agree, and after all, these reviews are just my impressions; no one else’s. This is an extremely sad plot of a mother taking her daughter and friends for a birthday party on a day’s sail aboard a chartered boat off the coast of Massachusetts. Somehow, one of the girls drowns, despite her swimming ability, and as she is the daughter of a major local politician, a law suit evolves. Then, thrown into the suit, is the fact that the mother, who has chartered the boat for her birthday daughter, is black and the other girls are all white. I was left with a very bad taste in my mouth as I have no other information to believe about the author than she is not an American but from another country. Written in 2007, I would hope that we as a country have progressed much further than what this author has cast.
Just a quickie: we have an unbelievable array of books for purchase at our Library, both hard cover and soft cover, of all types of fiction and even nonfiction. Come see us before you take your trip! And we welcome all you visitors to our Library; we may be small but we have a lot of good books and DVDs! Just takes a Library Card!
And remember: Our Library is open on Monday and Tuesday from 9-1 & 2-6; on Wednesday, we open at 1:00 p.m. till 6:00 p.m.; Thursday from 12:00 Noon till 5:00 p.m. and Saturday from 9:00 a.m. till 1:00 p.m.
“When an old person dies, a Library burns down”
Karin Gillespie
