Memphis, by Tara M. Stringfellow

 

This first novel covers three generations of women in the North family in Memphis. With chapters alternating between the generations, the book’s plot reveals itself in a non-chronological order. The overriding themes of this book are loss, determination, and survival. Hazel is widowed while still pregnant with her first daughter; her husband, Memphis’ first black police detective and a WWII veteran, was lynched. Her daughters are talented and smart, but make poor decisions that have long-lasting effects, one marrying an abusive man and the other getting pregnant and dropping out of college. The youngest generation includes two sisters who are gifted with artistic and academic talent, and their cousin who was abused as a child and who struggles with the rising criminal element in their neighborhood. The chapters are told from each of the women’s and girls’ viewpoints, leaving the men out (they don’t get to tell their side). The novel is punctuated with events such as the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr., revealing the impact it had on the community.

The writing in this book is excellent; not a word is out of place. The slang and vernacular seem natural. The plot flows, in spite of the non-chronological way of telling the story. The female characters are believable and they’re well-developed. The male characters are less well-developed, but I think that’s the point. This story emphasizes the strength of women in the black community and their ability to manage for themselves when they have to. There is also an element of tragedy. Not every plot line has a happy ending, although there is some amount of closure for each.

I really enjoyed reading this book; it’s Stringfellow’s first novel and I would definitely read future books by her (should she write more).

All the rivers flow into the sea, by Khanh Ha

 

This book is a collection of eleven short stories with the central theme of Vietnam. Many of them are set in Vietnam; others in the U.S. They revolve around the Vietnam War, with some of the stories taking place in the years before or during the war, and others dealing with its aftermath. The stories are about relationships: a Vietnamese American man and the impoverished daughter of a fisherman, an American man and his Vietnamese language teacher, a Vietnamese college students falls for an opium dealer, etc. What I do like about many of the stories is that they provide some insight into what life is like for people living in Vietnam in the 1960s-1980s, and what life might be like for Vietnamese refugees once they resettle in the U.S. These stories reveal the complexities of everyday life and relationships between people, Vietnamese or American. While some of the stories are very poignant, others are a bit uneven in quality. Occasionally, the writing is stilted and could have benefited from more editing.

The song of Achilles, by Madeline Miller

 

I loved this book; it brings to life the story of Achilles and his lover Patroclus, set against ancient Greece and the Trojan War.

The road to rescue: the untold story of Schindler's list, by Mietek Pemper

 

This is a fascinating, behind-the-scenes story about how Schindler's list came about, written by a Jewish prisoner whose access to classified documents and work as a translator allowed him to assist Schindler develop the plan to save more than 1,000 Jews during the Holocaust.

From junkie to judge, by Mary Beth O'Connor

 

What’s it like to grow up in a violent, abusive home, take up drugs and alcohol for relief, dive deep into meth addiction, then turn your life around? In this harrowing, yet affirming, memoir, author Mary Beth O’Connor shares her traumatic tale in page-turning prose. Abandoned by her mother to a convent until she was six months old, O’Connor endured years of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse at the hands of her stepfather, leaving her suffering from PTSD. What began as teenage rebellion, smoking and drinking cheap wine, led to much more serious drug use, including LSD and ultimately meth, which became her drug of choice. O’Connor used meth off and on for the next 15 years. While she managed to graduate from college, she dropped out of law school due to her addictions and worked in low-level jobs that she could never hold for long. Finally, entering rehab, she achieved sobriety. An atheist, O’Connor sought a recovery program that did not rely upon a belief in god, which most 12-step programs require. Returning to law school, she worked in corporate law and ended her career as a federal judge. VERDICT This is a sad but ultimately uplifting story.

This review was published in Library Journal here.