The Leavers by Lisa Ko

Immigration is a passionate issue in America, with loud voices screaming from both sides.  Lisa Ko writes an engaging fictional story depicting what it might be like to "belong" ....and not belong.

Six year old Deming is separated from his birth mother when the hair salon where she worked is raided by ICE.  His well meaning "aunt" signs papers for his adoption by a white family, in a small white community...where he doesn't belong.  He becomes Daniel and tries his best to be assimilated into a new environment....but he forever misses his Chinese mother.

This story evokes so many feelings as I reflect on my 2 adopted grandsons, and my 2 Ethiopian nephews.  Can adoption by parents of a different culture make a difference? How can the parents keep a balance between their love and desire for their kids to become part of their family and culture...but not let the kids' culture and family be left behind?  Lots of unanswered questions to ponder in this novel.

The Orphan's Tale by Pam Jenoff

Pam Jenoff has authored many historical novels, several during the World War II era where she captures a variety of different perspectives and ways in which Jewish people were hidden, and transported to safety from war torn Europe.  This story centers around two young women, Noa and Astrid, both with backgrounds of rejection by those who had loved them.  They meet in Germany in 1944 and work at a German circus, Astrid from a Jewish circus family, and Noa with no circus experience...but hiding a Jewish baby she had discovered in a boxcar full of babies meant to be discarded by the German government.  This was an entirely different storyline.  Jenoff researched the circus aspect of sheltering Jews and based this book on the true story of Irene Danner.  I so admire the courage it took for the German circus-owner to get involved by defying his country and saving those who came into his sphere of control.

As I get older the stories told about my parents' generation hold a special place in my heart.  The history that was happening around them, the ways that they faced the challenges, and their ability to move ahead all make me so proud of them.  This was a good read.

Neighbors With No Doors: The Truth About Homelessness and How You Can Make a Difference by Josiah Haken

"Up until my mid twenties I judged people living on the streets.  I had the typical stereotypes, thinking that people were lazy or that they simply wanted to be homeless.  Josiah Haken's book is something I wish I'd read back then.  It would have been an eye opener for me."  Bob Dalton, podcaster and founder of Sackcloth & Ashes

As my kids and I pulled out of the driveway of the big old house we had called home for eight years, I had to face the very stark facts:  "we are without a place to live and have no foreseeable income."  My husband had left for Michigan a week prior with great intentions of finding a job.  In 1997 the word "homeless" was not a commonly used word, but in reality that's how I felt....we were heading back "home" to stay with my gracious parents until we could figure out what was next in our lives.  The acute feelings of failure, of despair, and of fear overshadowed the mental positive-outlook checklist I had created; we are capable, we will get jobs, we will find a place to live, we will survive.  Amazingly, those things did happen for us, but with over half a million estimated homeless people in the United States today it is obvious that not everyone gets the happy ending. 

Josiah Haken is the CEO of City Relief, a not for profit organization in New York City, working to help change the lives of the Unhoused community.  This compelling easy to read 150 page book debunks the popular myths that surround this group of people:  They are lazy. They are dangerous.  They are mentally ill.  They are druggies.  With over a decade of experience and wisdom in working on the streets of NYC, Josiah brings a compassionate plan to those of us who are confused with how to help in this seemingly hopeless situation.  He starts with the simple premise that we treat them with respect and dignity, advocating that even if we have nothing of monetary value to offer them, we look each one in the eye and greet them.  His standard introduction is, "Hi, I'm Josiah.  What's your name?"  He elaborates on this in his second section, Becoming a Good Neighbor:  "My ten years of working with homeless folks have taught me that asking for names are important, even if you don't get an answer.  Showing an interest in someone's identity as a human being always goes a long way.  But I've also learned that it's presumptuous to assume that a homeless person should give me their name before I offer my own."

Interspersed throughout his extremely helpful and insightful narrative are engaging anecdotes about the people he serves and how they have been assisted in acquiring jobs, in locating places to live and in discovering social service organizations that are tailored for each individual's needs.  I loved the closing section on "My Neighbors" with full page pictures and stories of ten of the guests who have become Josiah's friends.

After being challenged by Neighbors With No Doors, my plan for the upcoming Holiday season starts at Thanksgiving.  While sharing together the year's ups and downs with our guests at the bountiful table, I'm committed to a discussion on "Who can we bless?"  I want to describe my emotional journey with being briefly "unhoused" so they somewhat comprehend the myriad of feelings that our homeless neighbors experience on a daily basis.  Will you join me in this singular endeavor?  Read this book!  Let's bring our MOXIE and show the Kalamazoo Homeless Community that we care...with our gifts and service.

Fall Reads

Under the Golden Sun by Jenny Ashcroft

A touching story.  Rose desires a life change with some adventure, as she is uncertain of her relationship with a fiance who seems untrustworthy.  After meeting five year old Walter, a multi-racial child living in London during World War II with his very kind dying aunt, Rose decides to accompany him on an across the world trip to Australia to re-unite him with his family at the aunt's very urgent request.  

Rose's deep, protective love for Walter is the defining foundation of this story; although the many well-developed characters found in the beautiful and vast Australian wilderness give the reader a satisfying sense that all will be well.

A new setting during World War II for me, and interesting to understand how the country from Down Under handled this period of history.

Other Birds by Sarah Addison Allen

I am always on the lookout for new novels by this author.  As I have mentioned before, Allen is a pro at magical realism.  There are probably many readers who might have issues with imaginary birds who befriend hurting young girls or with dead folks who hang around as ghosts, protecting their loved ones until they know they are progressing and dealing with their grief....but I'm not one of them.  I pick up these books to be enchanted, to get to know Allen's new characters who have anxieties and fears, and to see how this author weaves a story that always ends with happiness coming to the most broken.

"...Charlotte thought she understood why she loved this place so much...no one here had to be made up of what they used to."

It has been seven years since Allen's last book.  Finding out that she has battled cancer, and lost both her mother and sister endears me to her.  To find hope and bring joy to readers with her whimsical perspective is quite a feat when life brings such turmoil to your life.

The God of the Garden by Andrew Peterson

Andrew Peterson has been a singer-songwriter-author for almost 30 years.  "Is He Worthy?" and "Dancing in the Minefields" are two songs that have particularly touched me. This devotional/memoir brought me to tears as he chronicles his ongoing love of trees, specifically and nature, generally.  His upbringing in IL and FL with his ministry parents is gut-wrenchingly honest.  Included are many drawings of the trees he has loved in various places around the world.  He is a planter of trees and flowers, a bee-keeper, a footpath walker.  And in the midst of his...at times anxiety ridden career, he always comes back to center:  the God of Creation draws us, never leaves us, comforts us, and calls us to commune with Him....particularly in His Creation.

 "Of all the places God-in-flesh could have chosen to live, he decided on a little corner of creation where people farmed, kept bees, cultivated grapes, fished, walked footpaths, and lived in close community.  He lived near to the earth, with an intimate awareness of the way things grew in their season, the way humans cultivated and cared for his creation."

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

As another reviewer observed, "The writing is so witty and brilliant.  There's a zing to it that makes it feel zippy and wholly original."  Yes, the writing continually made me smile, and I appreciated strong-willed, unusual Elizabeth Zott, a chemist in the '60's.  She is a problem solver, resilient, and well beyond persevering.  Her strong personality immediately puts her at odds with co-workers and management in the male-dominated culture of business.  But what really got my heart was her dog, Six-Thirty (so named because she found him on the streets at that particular hour!) and her daughter Mad ( Madeline).  Many chapter segments were written from each of their perspectives, and it made me wonder how the author could personalize their thoughts so well, and make a pet sound like a person!  

I had to rate this with a 3 out of 5 because the whole book speaks in science and chemistry language--this character was pretty focused!  At one point she becomes a famous TV cooking personality, using chemistry to explain her never-fail recipes.  This aspect of the book didn't seem to faze other readers, but I think my aversion to science (in particular to a terrible chemistry teacher) gave me a pre-conceived bad attitude.  All in all, it was pretty enjoyable.

Call Your Daughter Home by Deb Spera

Polite make-believe is weary business, and there is no one better at this than

'POLITE MAKE-BELIEVE IS WEARY BUSINESS AND THERE IS NO ONE BETTER AT IT THAN SOUTHERNERS'

Having lived through four years of college life under the blistering sun and continual frizzy-haired humidity of South Carolina, I could definitely identify with the Branchville, SC setting of Deb Spera's inaugural novel.  In the first weeks of getting acclimated to a new southern culture, a new grueling schedule and new uncertain attempts at friendship; my most vivid memories are of the loneliness and homesickness I felt.  Had I dared mention those feelings to my far away mom on my weekly calls, my guess is that she would have "called her daughter home".  But..she never knew.  Several decades later when my husband and I were burned out from ministry in another state, my mother did have the chance to "call us home". She lovingly cared for our family as we tried to sort out our lives.  Her delight in having us close was evident.

In a variety of ways the three fierce protagonists in this compelling story are on a long arduous journey, coming to grips with their broken relationships with their daughters.  Each of these women take turns speaking their thoughts in the unfolding chapters, giving us a clear picture of how the Boll Weevil infestation of 1915 led to this situation of poverty and hopelessness in 1924, just prior to the Great Depression.  Business owner Annie is the matriarch of the influential Coles family, and she is clueless as to why her daughters left home and refuse to communicate with her.  Retta is a first generation free slave who  untiringly manages Annie's large home, while still grieving for her long dead daughter, Esther.  Downtrodden Gertrude has lived in unspeakable squalor with her abusive husband and four daughters, who seldom see love and tenderness from this hardened mama.  The lives of these resilient women intersect and though their characters and experiences are vastly different, they discover that their commonalities as "sisters" transcend understanding; they positively influence one another.  

Retta's humanity and compassion deeply touched my heart as she gathers hurting people under her wing, nurses Gertrude's daughter back from near-death, and unselfishly serves as midwife to all who need her.  She refuses to dismiss the people that God brings into her sphere, even though her friends and neighbors are disdainful.  In a particularly poignant scene where I finally understood the significance of the book title, Retta is valiantly assisting her young Indian friend Nelly in delivering her first baby.  "Mama used to say to all the womenfolk, "Call out to your child, what is his name?"  And the women would call his name."  With this very difficult breech birth delivery, Retta commands Nelly, " Call out to your daughter.  Call her home."  The tenderness of this exchange struck me as I realized the depth of the ties between daughters and mothers, from the very first moments that we set eyes on them.

Most moms have experienced that strong tie at various times in their lives.  In her third year of college, my daughter struggled with bulimia.  It was a horrific year with a controlling boyfriend, an unsuccessful soccer experience, and the unremitting deadlines of coursework.  As summer was approaching, she accepted a nanny position; but in lengthy phone conversations, she admitted that it was a less than ideal situation with a rather demanding boss-mother.  The mother heart in me knew that this beautiful daughter of mine needed the healing touch of home.  So I "called my daughter home" to love her, to affirm her, to laugh with her, to offer rest, to offer acceptance, to banish anxiety.  It was a summer of restoration and refreshment for her.  It was a summer of relief and hope for me. 

As moms, just like Annie, Retta and Gertrude;  our greatest desire is to have good relationships with our kids, both daughters and sons.  That sometimes means allowing them to figure things out on their own; yet, at other times it means "Calling them Home".  A mesmerizing and redemptive read.

Summer Reads II

 The Book Woman's Daughter by Kim Michele Richardson

I have to admit, I was a bit disappointed in this sequel to "The Book Woman".  Cussy's story of the Blue People of the Appalachians was fascinating, so as this story began,  I was looking for a different plot-line than the original; but it seemed the same to me.  After her Blue mom and white father are imprisoned for marrying in Kentucky, daughter Honey is still facing prejudice and continual obstacles from various people in the community,  just as her mom did.   Fortunately there are folks who step up to support her just as they did for her mom.  So... good characters, but something was missing in this one for me, it was just not as strong and pretty predictable.

Golden Girl by Elin Hilderbrand

Another light read which made me smile.  The author created a totally different scenario than is her norm. In the opening pages, Vivian, a world famous novelist, is killed by a motorist while on her morning run.  She is ushered to heaven by her angel-person, Martha, and granted three nudges to assist her loved ones on earth, while she observes their goings-on for the summer  from the comfort of a beautiful "Greenroom", created especially to her tastes.  Vivian's three kids are foremost in her heart as she watches and determines when to issue these nudges to keep them from making some huge mistakes. 

 

Last page:  "I wish I could write a book about all of this," Vivi says to Martha.  "You, me, the Beyond, the greenroom, the choir, the nudges, the Hermes scarves..."  Martha shakes her head."  So Enjoyable.

The Nature of Fragile Things by Susan Meissner

"As I look down at Candace's letter, I feel my strength leaving me like blown dandelion wisps.  Up to this point my mounting anger at Martin's deceit has felt like something to be harnessed and utilized, like a team of ready horses.  But now I feel undone. Emptied of vigor."

Sophie arrives in San Francisco to meet her yet unseen husband to be, as his mail order bride.  She is running away from her Ireland roots, her New York poverty and...her secrets.  Ironically, she meets her match in a husband who has more.  The backdrop of the story line is the 1906 earthquake and resulting fire.  Learning about a historical event in a novel definitely is a plus for me!

This is a captivating "can't put down" read.  I so enjoy authors who can turn a phrase that makes you visualize the feeling of the characters:  "When people are thrown into an abyss and together find their way out of it, they are not the same people.  They are bound to one another ever after, linked together at the core of who they are because it was together that they escaped a terrible fate."

No matter her past, Sophie is a decisive woman with heart....choosing the hard road as she tries to move past her mistakes.  I will try more of Meissner's writings.

Summer Reads

The Maid by Nita Prose

Recommended by a bookclub friend, this was a light read about a very obsessive, meticulous young woman working in the Regency Grand Hotel.  Molly's difficulty in social situations sometimes makes her seem odd and unusual; and as she navigates the hurts of her Gran's death, Molly makes some unfortunate choices in trusting people.  When the police target her as a primary suspect in the death of a hotel guest, Molly finds that true friends emerge to give her encouragement and love.  I love that!

The Beautiful Community: Unity, Diversity And the Church at Its Best by Irwin L. Ince Jr.

While visiting our Tennessee kids, I joined a class that was just beginning this book discussion at their Presbyterian church.  In my ever continuing challenge to understand the full meaning of diversity, both in and out of a church setting, this book was another building block to that end.  The author serves as a pastor at Grace Presbyterian Church of Washington DC, having earned degrees at Reformed Theological Seminary and Covenant Theological Seminary.  He is well equipped to comment on his experiences and thoughts about racism and diversity.  He begins with reviewing our creation so that we can embrace our position as Image Bearers: worthiness with incomparable dignity.  He moves on to our fallenness and unpacks reasons for our divisions.  "To cast off the ugliness of disunity and heal our fractured humanity, we must cultivate spiritual practices that help us pursue beautiful community."  Ince developed many ideas as to how to make that Beautiful Community but his premise is that we have an inability to understand one another.  This quote underscored where many of out differences begin:  "Having existed for most of American history as a marginalized minority with limited to no agency in the culture forced the Black church to adopt this right understanding of our duty to speak out against injustice in the public square.  The majority white church, on the other hand, has enjoyed the luxury of neglecting public justice as a part of the church's calling."  We, the white church, did not need to seek justice because we already enjoyed it.  

The People We Keep by Allison Larkin

My recent reading seems to include many stories of "down and outers" who desperately try to figure out how to manage their lives.  Teenager April, living in a motorless RV when her single dad abandons her, determines that her life will vastly improve if she leaves her hometown and finds a new life.  I loved her grit, I loved that she took chances and began to trust people, I loved that she believed in her music, I loved that she finds new people who become "home" to her ....while keeping some from her past who were always her real family.

The Last Bookshop in London: A Novel of World War II by Madeline Martin

Feeding my never-ending love of World War II novels, this once again provided a new perspective.   Grace finds a job in a bookstore, even though she has never been much of a reader.  Her organization skills bring the bookstore back to life and she becomes an avid reader who shares books with the community in weekly reading sessions,  while the bombing in London goes on and on.  Based on a true story, the added historical element was about the Air Raid Protection Wardens who monitored homes and businesses during the London Blitz, and assisted countless families when their homes were burned or partially destroyed.  This particular story felt slightly saccharine, as Grace was an almost perfect character with no faults, and not much plot.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (#4) by J.K. Rowling

What can I say?  Harry, Ron and Hermione continue in this very fun saga of dangerous adventures.  This was my favorite so far because the main storyline was centered on the competition between four students from 3 different rival schools; Harry being one of them due to someone's wizardry.  These books have given me some common ground with my grands, who are avidly reading them.

Wish You Were Here by Jodi Picoult

"And sometimes, you cannot tell what you're looking at until it's right under your nose."

Diana loves her career in the competitive niche of the New York art auctioning world.  Her almost-fiance Finn is a surgical resident in the bustling medical arena there.  Even though Diana is speaking of art in this quote, it applies so well to many other situations that she faces as the events that unfold during the covid 19 pandemic reach into her personal world.  With an unusual and unexpected twist halfway through the novel, Picoult veers into a subject that is unknown to most of her readers.  All that Diana had been looking at in her life wasn't what it appeared to be.  I was so shocked by the twist that it almost made me dislike the story...almost!  But as Diana presses in to discover what her future will hold, she draws some bright new conclusions about the difference between what she thought was perfect and what her imperfect new life might look like.

"All of us are grieving something.  But while we are, we're putting one foot in front of the other.  We're waking up to see another day. We're pushing through uncertainty; even if we can't yet see the light at the end of the tunnel.  We are battered and broken, but we're all small miracles."

Us Against You by Fredrik Backman

This author! He makes me feel so many things as he works hard to look at the community of Beartown through his super-clear lenses.  He hates injustice, hatred, and unkindness yet he readily portrays these foibles in his characters.  He makes me acknowledge that all of us exhibit some excellent qualities, yet our broken messes and prejudices co-exist alongside those very fine attributes.  

This is the second in the Beartown series. Although the author is Swedish and this fictional town represents a town in that country, the characters represent all of us- the good, the bad, and the ugly.  Backman has an unusual way of writing, yet it sucks me in.  He not only gives the current story, he also conveys how some of the characters may look in their futures.  

"Ramona takes hold of his hand and whispers, " You don't have to become like him, Benjamin.  You've got his eyes, but I think you can become someone else.  Benji isn't ashamed of crying in front of her."

Backman writes about dreams and broken dreams, about childhood traumas and overcoming them, about parental failings and second chances, about how a community can re-invent itself.  Mostly he's a  realist with a bit of optimism thrown in!  And he always convicts me to become better.

Spring Reads - April 2022

 Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation 

by Kristin Kobes DuMez

Calvin College Professor of History Kristin DuMez writes a sweeping documentary on the past 75 years of white evangelicalism, attempting to answer the question of how we (evangelicals) arrived at this particular place in culture with one foot squarely in the conservative Republican camp.  Extremely readable, I was intrigued to follow the steps that she defines and the leaders she mentions, because I was in the thick of this history, making decisions and following the guidelines of these conservative spokespeople.  This historical perspective gave me much consternation and sometimes shame, for accepting so much of the rhetoric that was espoused without analyzing my immediate acquiescence in the 1980's and '90's; today, I am much more prone to review, think and agonize over what I am told by the media and by both sides of the political spectrum.  DuMez definitely opened my eyes to the past and what has contributed to our current reality, but she didn't convince me that masculine patriarchy was the major contributor to this situation.  As with any flawed organization, there are many components and variables that make it so.

Where the Light Fell: a Memoir by Philip Yancey

Philip Yancey has long been one of my favorite non-fiction authors.  He speaks rationally and sanely about suffering in his bestseller, "Where is God When it Hurts?"  His raw questions in "Disappointment With God" make believers nod their heads along with him.  We all have questions about why God allows hard situations in our lives.  Because Yancey attended the same Bible College as I did, I wanted to hear his story.  This memoir clearly details Yancey's upbringing in a fundamentalist church, with a slightly dysfunctional mother.  Shame and guilt were  regularly dished out; but God dished out extra grace to combat the ill effects.  Yancey, with thoughtful analysis, determines that only God's grace and love kept his faith intact. An interesting read, particularly for others who have had similar histories.

Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese

Although this was quite a lengthy saga, it was well written and introduced me to Ethiopa's history.  Conjoined twins, Marion and Shiva, are left orphans at birth due to the death of their Indian born mother (a nun) and the fleeing of their surgeon father.  The story chronicles the mysterious tie that the twins have, the conflict between them, and the beautiful but sorrowful ending after their reconciliation.  The outstanding stars of the story are the true adoptive parents who step in to raise them, with great love and guidance.  Both doctors, they include the boys in their medical lives and transfer their passions for excellence in surgery and research to them.

Dear Emmy Blue by Lia Louis

Lia Louis does a great job of describing an introverted twenty something who hasn't quite resolved her past...so cannot move forward.  A mother who has chosen not to be involved, a father who has been incognito, a forever friend who has been her security for years, and his brother.  Lots of moving pieces and fun characters.  Happy ending!

Unashamed: Rahab's Story by Francine Rivers

This was true to the Biblical account and a great reminder of how God's redemption plan unfolded through the lineage of a prostitute.  How amazing is God's grace?  Rivers did a good job adding interesting family characters and developing a love interest with one of the spies, Salmon--putting Rahab into the line of Boaz, Jesse, David and ultimately Jesus.

Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis

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Written in 2000, this young adult book won both the Newberry Award and the Coretta Scott King award, the first black man to receive that honor.  The story takes place in Flint and Grand Rapids, MI; the author's home state.  He writes convincingly and simply, introducing us to Black culture and characters. So enjoyable. 

Spring Reads- March 2022

 On our two month spring travels, I amazingly managed to read 8 wonderful books.  Writing full reviews seems a bit overwhelming so I am condensing them into two posts! 

The Lake House by Kate Morton

I hadn't picked up one of Morton's novels in several years, but needed a good story to balance out my heavier non-fiction choices.  An abandoned lake house, the 90 year old author's past secrets and regrets, the young investigator who "needed a story" to revive her career...all parts culminated in a very satisfying ending.  How had it taken up so many years to re-connect with this accomplished storyteller?

The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah

I have been a great fan of Hannah over the years.  She can elicit feelings from the deep parts of my soul, but her past two renderings have left me somewhat wanting.  Perhaps both have been ambitious, lengthy projects that seemed to drag out a bit for me.  I did very much appreciate the historical context of the post depression years and how it affected the "Dust Bowl".  I really had no idea of the trauma involved, and the transition opposition they faced in moving to a more lush, productive state like California (where one would assume, people could start over).  It was another reality check of the difficulties generated by greedy people in power, with racist tendencies.

Gay Girl, Good God: the Story of Who I Was and Who God Has Always Been by Jackie Hill Perry

Recommended by my daughter who heard Perry's story at a conference, this was an excellent read.  It made me again evaluate my thoughts regarding the LGBTQ community in this very divisive climate.  My heart broke over the author's deep longings and cravings for security, for love and acceptance in a society that shunned her; yet also made me hopeful when Perry relayed her joy and resolve in facing what God asked her to do.  She does not sugar-coat this process.  Her thirst and desire for the opposite sex was very real, making every day difficult to face.  Not everyone would agree with her premise that it is possible to leave this lifestyle, that it is painful and involves choices every day that are similar to facing any other addiction choices (drugs, alcohol, abuse, anger, lying, power, greed); but her journey was definitely eye-opening to me.

All American Boys by Brendan Kiely and Jason Reynolds

A great audio book listen, this is a story of what can happen in a high school when a young black student is mistreated by a police officer in his community; and how the school rallies around him to make a positive statement to the media and the civil authorities.  The added storyline is the white basketball player who is an eye-witness, and also a friend to the police officer involved.  Choices and consequences.  

A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles

 Spanning over three decades, this detailed  depiction of Russia's many changes from 1822 through 1954

was a delightful read, especially because of Towles' lead character, the very charming Count Rostov.  Some readers looking for a faster pace or a deeper plot will not be enamored of this more slow paced dissection of numerous characters.  However, I was!  Count Rostov is a displaced aristocrat, headed for Siberia and probable death when Russia was "cleaning the swamps" of its wealthy class.  Rostov is saved from that end because of his status as a "pre-revolutionary poet" (a historical contributor); but was still punished by being banished for the rest of his life to the Metropol, an exclusive hotel directly across from the Kremlin.

It was such an interesting premise beginning on page 3, and my initial thought was.."where in the world is this author going to find material to fill the rest of these pages?" The remaining story of the Count's many excursions, friendships, conversations, roles, and unusual life is absolutely enchanting.  Towles' "rabbit trail reflections" are intriguing, causing the reader to pause and reflect:  "For that matter, what can a first impression tell us about anyone?  Why, no more than a chord can tell us about Beethoven, or a brushstroke about Botticelli.  By their very nature, human beings are so capricious, so complex, so delightfully contradictory; that they deserve not only our consideration but our reconsideration - and our unwavering determination to withhold our opinion until we have engaged with them in every possible setting at every possible hour." 

As another reviewer so aptly put it: "Towles bestows on us a language to be treasured; a story to be remembered."  I concur.