Breathing in Bad Times
From George Floyd’s heart-wrenching plea, “I can’t breathe,” to self-righteous people disputing the wearing of masks, to covid-19 patients on ventilators, to Black Lives Matter protesters, these are the days and nights of “I can’t breathe.”
In this vein I will discuss a few books:
George Floyd’s murder ignited a storm of justified protests against racism and police brutality targeting Blacks. A book that questions present-day policing is “Rise of the Warrior Cop: The Militarization of America’s Police Forces” by Radley Balko. The book discusses factors that have allowed changes in America’s policing from colonial days to the present. Readers will see how ‘Officer Friendly’ has become a ground trooper.
“Born a Crime” by comedian Trevor Noah is a coming-of-age memoir of growing up in South Africa under the cloud of apartheid and chaos afterward. Noah reveals the emotions and struggles racism forces on people of color. Stories run the gamut from hilarious to tragic.
Regarding the covid-19 pandemic and the spread of virus by people who disbelieve science, I re-mention two books:
“Fever” by Mary Beth Keane. The author brings a personality and life experience to ‘Typhoid Mary’ Mallon. Having no symptoms, Mary spread typhoid fever to families as she ignored the guidelines of health experts. Despite her flaunting of medical advice, she is a sympathetic character as an Irish immigrant bravely fighting for her livelihood.
“The Plague,” the 1947 classic by Albert Camus. I’ve read parts of this parable and was astonished by similarities between the bubonic plague described in 1940s French Algeria and today’s pandemic realities. The surprise arrival and the unaccepted truth of both plagues is a common factor. There was hesitation by the medical establishment, bowing to optimism that the disease would disappear. People hold to normal activities and travel plans as numbers of sick and dying escalate past imagining. Enforced quarantine ensues. But the novel has a redemptive ending, as we await the return of normalcy.
Our libraries are gradually returning to book lending by curbside pickup. Check locally. I also recommend AbeBooks.com for purchasing good-quality used books at decent prices.
And please don’t try to sanitize your books by putting them in the microwave! Books catch fire!
In this vein I will discuss a few books:
George Floyd’s murder ignited a storm of justified protests against racism and police brutality targeting Blacks. A book that questions present-day policing is “Rise of the Warrior Cop: The Militarization of America’s Police Forces” by Radley Balko. The book discusses factors that have allowed changes in America’s policing from colonial days to the present. Readers will see how ‘Officer Friendly’ has become a ground trooper.
“Born a Crime” by comedian Trevor Noah is a coming-of-age memoir of growing up in South Africa under the cloud of apartheid and chaos afterward. Noah reveals the emotions and struggles racism forces on people of color. Stories run the gamut from hilarious to tragic.
Regarding the covid-19 pandemic and the spread of virus by people who disbelieve science, I re-mention two books:
“Fever” by Mary Beth Keane. The author brings a personality and life experience to ‘Typhoid Mary’ Mallon. Having no symptoms, Mary spread typhoid fever to families as she ignored the guidelines of health experts. Despite her flaunting of medical advice, she is a sympathetic character as an Irish immigrant bravely fighting for her livelihood.
“The Plague,” the 1947 classic by Albert Camus. I’ve read parts of this parable and was astonished by similarities between the bubonic plague described in 1940s French Algeria and today’s pandemic realities. The surprise arrival and the unaccepted truth of both plagues is a common factor. There was hesitation by the medical establishment, bowing to optimism that the disease would disappear. People hold to normal activities and travel plans as numbers of sick and dying escalate past imagining. Enforced quarantine ensues. But the novel has a redemptive ending, as we await the return of normalcy.
Our libraries are gradually returning to book lending by curbside pickup. Check locally. I also recommend AbeBooks.com for purchasing good-quality used books at decent prices.
And please don’t try to sanitize your books by putting them in the microwave! Books catch fire!
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by
J.R.
(new)
Jul 16, 2020 11:28PM
Good books all. In the end, it's all about respect.
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Thanks Jim. I agree with your summary. It is about RESPECT.
Not that I'd ever thought of sanitizing a book in the microwave... but I didn't know they'd catch fire!
Yes, it's only good if books catch fire in our minds!
