White Fragility by Robin Diangelo

Frustrating..Eye Opening..Hard Read..Academic..Enlightening..Important.
Our July book group tackled this non-fiction read, very applicable as our nation once again is embroiled in a necessary fight to understand, acknowledge and eradicate the racism that permeates our culture.

As with some of my earlier reads on racism, I wanted to deny or get defensive about some of the illustrations and dialogue; but Diangelo consistently pursues the premise that EVERY white person in America is racist.  We don't intentionally choose this, but the very founding of our country's constitution and subsequent policies and laws have made whites the superior race in America.  White men decided that blacks were less worthy so they did not get the advantages that whites automatically held: the right to vote, to purchase land, to go to the better schools and colleges, to move up in job opportunities.  In this way, our system has continually held back the advancement of black people...and we have done nothing to improve this unfair situation, except to take advantage of our privilege and to enjoy our lives.

The second theme is that whites are afraid to talk about this issue, thus making them "fragile".  When in discussions during her racial training consultant work the author most often faces anger, hostility, silence, fear, and guilt as she tries to navigate this topic with whites.  Mostly we say that we do not see color (wrong), or we have family members and friends who are of color (doesn't matter), or we argue that Affirmative Action gave too many positions to blacks (wrong)....what we don't do is simply and humbly acknowledge that we have had a part (actively or passively) in this ongoing injustice.

Our group had a great discussion on this (I love these Sizzlers!), even though most of us agreed that it was hard to plow through.  What I do know is that I want and need to continue to educate myself more on this topic, not necessarily to be an activist--but to just enlighten more friends and family about the ongoing history of our injustices;  and to fight for my two grandsons that they may fully enjoy ALL of the freedoms that I take for granted.

Covid Summer Reads

THE PIECES WE KEEP by Kristina McMorris
Because I enjoyed this author's Sold On a Monday, I tried another of her books.  She ran two story lines, one from WWII and the other present day.  Vivian falls deeply in love with a German during the war, and though she ends up marrying a different man; that first love haunts her as she raises his child. Audra is a veterinarian reeling from the loss of her husband, and trying to parent a hurting child. Both stories were intriguing, but my disappointment came at the end when I didn't feel she connected the stories together in a satisfying way.

I will try a few more books from McMorris as she is very readable and she develops some unusual plots.  The poor ending, in my opinion, did not dissuade me enough to give up on her!

PEACE LIKE A RIVER by Leif Enger
With the turmoil of Covid and Social Justice protests swirling around us, I found great satisfaction and calm in this book.  Each of the main characters added an important element to the development of the story.  Eleven year old asthmatic Reuben narrates; nine year old Swede, as the only girl, "manages" her brother and her father as she writes beautiful poems describing the plots and twists of their lives; teenager Davy commits the ultimate deliberate revenge to two low-lifes who briefly kidnap and frighten his sister; and Jeremiah, a single father, constantly gives grace and redeeming love to these kids as well as to all he meets, driven by his limitless faith in God.

I truly loved this story.  Enger is a character developer, not a page turning author.  His phrases sometimes need to be re-read to appreciate their depth of meaning.  He incorporates the best in people with quirky traits.  His story stays with you and makes you turn it over again in your head.  He is hopeful in these almost hope-less times.  I will read more from him.

THE TEA GIRL OF HUMMINGBIRD LANE by Lisa See
I enjoyed taking this cultural journey into China with Li-Yan (re-named Tina in America).  The Akha people in a remote mountain village, live in poverty as they daily work the tea fields, both adults and children.  See does a great job in explaining the living conditions in the late 1980's which contrast greatly to the western world at that time.  As the story develops, the world seeps into village life but one thing does not change...the love of Pu'er tea and the sustenance and prosperity that it brings to these villagers.

The very personal journey of Li-Yan gives hope that education and taking challenges/risks can bring success; but the strong theme of family and community undergird this.  The ending is a beautiful picture of perseverance, and the enduring love of mothers and daughters.

Though I did not research some of the cultural village oddities presented by the author (acceptance of pre-marital "sowing your oats" similar to the Amish Rumspringa), I found other traditions (like the Village priest calling together the Village to assist in conflicts) to be extremely Biblical.  It was a refreshing change to "travel internationally" into the lives of the Asian people.