Lee’s Comments (group member since Mar 11, 2018)

Lee’s comments from the What is Life without Books group.

I've just finished this book and though it was a little different than I was expecting, Sarah did a great job weaving historical fact into her story. I'll be going through her list of sources and putting many other books relating to the code talkers on my reading list. The book is one that provokes many thoughts and much has already been mentioned in this post. I'll only add a few more.

When B.B's mom told him about the German's bringing weapons to the World's Fair and how she'd hoped no one brought such things to "our" country, I wonder if is she stood looking at the German display with thoughts of how weapons had already devastated "our" land. What happened to her people once could happen again, to her family and those who'd committed the crimes against them. The idea that we're all just one big bully away from oppression...

I'm eager to read some of the existing journals and bits of pieces that contributed to Sarah's work to see more into the mind of these native men who still eagerly volunteer to fight, and who we rarely hear much from even though their land has been utterly destroyed. This isn't the forum for me to rant about the destruction of the earth from the microbial level up, but I can't help but wonder what goes through the minds of people who have seen a land flowing with milk and honey become dust bowls and swamps with scalped land bearing no herds of bison five miles wide and twenty-five miles long as I've read in journals from the late 1800's. All I can say is that what civilized people call civilization is not what grows healthy and strong people. So I'll gladly be heathen, as my grandmother used to say...


I loved the references to god and I'm SO glad Sarah included the section of the story where B.B. explained that the natives always knew there was a creator. I've traveled to many countries and have found that most everyone relates to some superior being. A New Zealander once told me about the "breath of life", something that is in the bible, but that he said was part of their belief system long before the "white missionary" came to them. I've heard similar things over and over, that the missionaries who take credit for "saving" people, or bringing them this great wisdom, only did so because what the missionary preached had similarities to what the people already believed. Their ways and other elements of culture are different, but just because they didn't wear corsets and stiff shoes doesn't mean they were beneath the person who destroyed a lot of nature to get wrapped in those fancy duds. We've lost a lot of wisdom through being civilized.

There are no easy solutions to the many issues our country faces today because the problems weren't created in a day. It's culture, breeding ideas that manifest into actions. To change culture we have to teach differently, breed new ideas. Quit giving power to negative words, and quit tearing each other apart because we're too rich, too poor, too skinny, too fat, too dumb, too smart, too pretty, too ugly, too black, too white... The instant we judge a person, we're wrong. When we encounter someone, we have to see who they are inside. Then we don't have to judge, they'll brand themselves.

Lastly, I agree with you Patricia, this book would be a great movie! Thank you so much for your time and effort in setting up this group read!

I'd like to read this! The youtube video Karen posted is beautiful and inspirational.

Now to start on the runner up book. It was The Book In The Attic, right?

I've finished! I gave the book 4 stars but I wish we had the ability to do 1/2 stars because it's really 4 1/2 for me. Here is my review:
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas is yet another book you’ll wish was larger! The author walks you through the mind of a young black female as she navigates high school and the day to day trials of her life. It was great to see each angle represented: youth, gender, and color. We are all complex individuals and the heroine of this story shows her many layers, even the ones she’s unsure of. Hers is a world I could have spent more time exploring. Her mind one I would have loved to stay inside. Which is why the last quarter of the book felt rushed to me. Resolutions, of sort, come fast; with weeks of time cut out in order to get to the place where the book can reveal its ending. Though I’m sure if the author chose to write a ten thousand page book some would complain, and publishers wouldn’t be brave enough to publish, but I for one would have enjoyed the continued day to day of Starr’s mind. I would have loved seeing more of her interaction with her boyfriend (their relationship felt flat), and a greater showing of how she “comes into herself” when her worlds collide and she realizes she doesn’t have to keep the people she loves separate. I’d just love to see more of her life! Maybe an expanded version can be written. If so, I believe this is could be required reading. A tome to last the ages.

Aly wrote: "Anyone started or read the group read yet? I have not started yet but hope too soon. I have heard good things about The Hate You Give."

I've started on The Hate You Give and so far I'm really enjoying it! I also put the runner up book on my kindle so I'm hoping to get them both in this time! Happy Reading!

Aly wrote: "Well I finished Flesh and Fire by Tuesday Cross, and I enjoyed it. I think the ending was not as good as the rest of the book but it was only book 1. What do think think Nym's role is in this book?..."
I'm only part way in and so far really like the Marcus character. I'm hoping the book gets a little more into his psyche. And, I agree with Karen, my first thought was Harry Potter - then, Twilight. She's combined both pretty well and the way she describes Nym's magical aura is quite beautiful. I'm guessing her role is ultimately to start another war - bringing back the dragons and reigning peace down on the world because of her love affair with a vampire... the two of them testing their love and conquering all to be together. Reading the comments above, book one in this series is not getting close to that ending. So now I'm curious ... I shall have to read faster!