I've just finished reading Elizabeth Berg's book - "We Are All Welcome Here". Its a lovely book, sad and inspiring at once and yet also full of hope. I enjoyed it so much I asked Shasha to get me another Elizabeth Berg, Open House. The first book is about a paraplegic single mother trying to raise her daughter, Diana, a normal teen. The relationship between the two is a very special one, sometimes loving and compassionate, sometimes awkward and tense. Paige Dunn, the young mother was made a paraplegic by typhoid and is left by her weak husband. Paige tries to bring up her wilful daughter Diana single-handedly, with the help of Peacie, a black woman. Sometimes poignant and sometimes amusing, it illustrates the love and devotion of a mother who against all odds tries to bring up her child in as normal an atmosphere as possible. A skilled writer, Elizabeth Berg captures the depth of feeling and emotions and the special relationship the women shares.
Barrack Obama's book The Audacity of Hope is another thought provoking book. He is a good writer, with a smooth flowing style so typical of great writers. Although Obama is a politician, now a presidential candidate, he writes with a deep sensitivity for his subject and gives very practical and humane suggestions on "keeping the faith". I think his is a must read as he offers his readers an insight into the workings of the mind of a politician. I've got a number of books in my sight now - Jodi Piccoult's Nineteen minutes is waiting for me as are Open House, and A HIstory of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson. I just need some time to get to them.
1 comment:
i think compared to the one you just read, open house is so-so. but also nice. hmm...since i haven't read it either, would you mind passing that elizabeth berg to me, mama? :) she's good for a rainy day kinda read where you just hole yourself up in the house and relax.
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