November reading roundup #1

The reading has been slow lately, due to the election and the general life craziness. But here are a few good books I’ve discovered this month. (Photo: the wonderful Three Lives & Co. bookstore in NYC.)

Goodbye to a River, John Graves
I loved this wise, wry, observant, slightly cranky account of a canoe trip down the Brazos River (in central Texas) in the 1950s. Graves and a dachshund pup he calls “the passenger” paddle through a stark, isolated, often beautiful stretch of country, and Graves muses on history, change, nature and whatever else comes into his head. Reminded me of Steinbeck’s Travels with Charley, which I adored.

Other-Wordly: words both strange and lovely from around the world, Yee-Lum Mak (illus. Kelsey Garrity-Riley)
This was an impulse buy at the Harvard Book Store: a gorgeous, whimsical illustrated compendium of untranslatable words in English and other languages. I am particularly enchanted by raðljóst, an Icelandic word that means “enough light to find your way by.” So lovely.

Like a River Glorious, Rae Carson
Leah “Lee” Westfall and her companions have made it to California, and they set about staking claims and establishing a small town they dub “Glory.” But Lee’s evil uncle Hiram is still hot on her trail, and she must thwart his plans before he destroys everything she loves. A rich, adventurous, well-plotted sequel to Walk on Earth a Stranger (which I loved) – and there’s a third book forthcoming.

A Most Novel Revenge, Ashley Weaver
Amory Ames, amateur sleuth, and her husband Milo are summoned to an odd country-house party: the other guests all witnessed a murder several years ago. As secrets and lies simmer beneath the surface, another guest is found dead and Amory tries to ferret out the killer. This third case wasn’t quite as engaging as the first two, but I like Amory and I love a good British mystery.

A Symphony of Echoes, Jodi Taylor
This sequel to Just One Damned Thing After Another (which I so enjoyed) finds the time-traveling historians of St. Mary’s grappling with a sneaky enemy – one bent on destroying their institute and possibly doing violence to history itself. I love Max, the whip-smart, fierce, damaged narrator, and her loyal, brilliant, eccentric companions. Snarky, hilarious and so smart, with copious amounts of wit and tea.

Nowhere Else I Want to Be, Carol D. Marsh
Marsh had no idea what she was getting into when she founded Miriam’s House, a resident community for homeless women living with AIDS in Washington, D.C. This memoir tells the stories of many Miriam’s House residents alongside Marsh’s own story of learning to live in relationship with them. Powerful, well-written and so timely. To review for Shelf Awareness (out Jan. 10, 2017).

Links (not affiliate links) are to my favorite local bookstore, Brookline Booksmith.

What are you reading?

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education can save their lives

I grew up taking my education for granted.

Well, not entirely for granted – I always loved school, especially English class, and it was absolutely expected that I’d do well in high school (I did) and then go to college (I did, and loved that too). Thanks to my parents (and my status as a white, middle-class American), I managed all of the above with no financial sacrifice and certainly no social risk on my part. I went on to earn a master’s degree, with a little financial sacrifice – but nobody ever told me I couldn’t or shouldn’t get more education because I am a woman.

However – as you certainly know – there are millions of girls in the developing world who struggle for every single scrap of education they can get. Most of them are expected to marry young, or drop out of school to help their families. Many are at risk for sex trafficking, HIV or other sexually transmitted diseases. And all of them would benefit immensely from education.

The good news: there are many programs out there that work with young girls to keep them healthy, safe, unmarried and in school for as long as possible – ideally, until they’re adults who can decide for themselves when to marry and have children, and/or whether to have a career (and what kind). I’m writing this post as part of the 2011 Girl Effect blogging campaign, and the Girl Effect website has linked up with various programs supporting education for girls – but I’d also like to highlight two organizations close to my heart, because they are run by friends of mine: Eternal Threads and Sanctuary Home for Children.

Eternal Threads, founded by Linda Egle, works with women in developing countries, who use their handicraft skills to generate income for themselves, their children and their villages. Their partner in Nepal works with girls rescued from or at risk for sex trafficking, teaching them to knit and sew, and their partner in Thailand works with rescued girls and refugees, teaching them to make jewelry, so they can make a better life for themselves. They also work with women in India, Madagascar and Afghanistan – and they are starting new projects all the time. In just a decade, these projects have made an enormous difference for hundreds of women in the developing world. (And their products are beautiful – check out their online store.)

I’ve written before about my friend Amanda’s project, Sanctuary Home for Children – an orphanage in Tenali, India, which started in 2006 with 30 children and now houses nearly 100. Many of the children are orphans, and others have family members who can’t care for them. All of them are in dire straits financially, and in danger of having to live on the street when they come to SH. About half of them are girls who gain several years of safety, education and good health by living at SH. Several of the girls have now completed their secondary education, or received vocational training in sewing, and all of them have learned to read and had a safe place to live and enjoy their childhood – a rare thing for many girls in the developing world.

I may have taken my education for granted – but I can guarantee you that the girls helped by Sanctuary Home, Eternal Threads, and other like-minded organizations will never do so. Whether you buy products from Eternal Threads, donate to support the work of Sanctuary Home, or simply spread the word about supporting the education of girls, you will be making a real, tangible difference in these girls’ lives.

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