The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead. The author of The Underground Railroad has done it again, this time with a story of a prison-like reform school in Florida. Worse-than-Dickensian abuse occurred throughout this narrative, based on the real-life revelation five years ago about the Dozier School for Boys in the Florida panhandle town of Marianna. …
Month: November 2019
Books to consider, pt. 2- fiction
Olive, Again by Elizabeth Strout. If you enjoyed Strout’s Pulitzer Prize-winning Olive Kitteridge , you will love reading Olive, Again, the sequel. Oh, to be able to write like Elizabeth Strout! Olive is sui generis……..except I find in myself an occasional alarming similarity to some of her traits. There’s still her craggy, occasionally harsh humor, …
Books to consider, pt. 1 – non-fiction
The hammering from daily political news has kept me away from devouring my normal quota of books on contemporary politics. If you too are on overload, here are some non-fiction alternatives I've recently enjoyed. The River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt’s Darkest Journey by Candace Millard, published in 2006, was loaned to me by thoughtful neighbors …
Deval Patrick: too little, too late or a ray of sunshine?
There is no better campaigner than Deval Patrick. He's charismatic, warm, visionary and inspirational. He appeals to our better sides, and has the kind of personality that really could help to heal the searing wounds of division. That he is African-American indicates his potential appeal to a constituency whose enthusiasm is essential to a Democratic …
Continue reading Deval Patrick: too little, too late or a ray of sunshine?
It doesn’t have to be all about impeachment
Donald Trump would like the world to think that the Democrats are so committed to impeaching him that the important work of the country is not being touched. But there are elected officials, including officials in high places, who are staying focused on work. At least on the House side. Hundreds of bills have passed …
Continue reading It doesn’t have to be all about impeachment
Marjorie Arons-Barron 