What I've been reading

[sarahmichigan]

"Another Country: Navigating the Emotional Terrain of Our Elders" by Mary Pipher. This was an easy read in some ways- it was well organized, with relevant anecdotes, and Pipher has a way with words. On another level, it was a really hard, emotional read. I got a lot of insight about aging and the generation gap, though, so thanks to zoe_1418  for recommending it.

and

"The Confessions of Nat Turner" by William Styron. Nat Turner was a real, historical figure, a slave who lead a somewhat effective (55 white men, women and children dead) if not "successful" slave revolt in 1831. The quality of the writing is astounding,  and his descriptions of nature are rapturous, even when he's discussing flies "buzzing greenly" on a lump of manure. You can read more about the controversy surrounding the book - many black intellectuals of the time took issue with the way Turner was portrayed - here.

My full comments on both books here.

Comments

[seifaiden.livejournal.com]

I'm totally adding Another Country to my list, it sounds very useful for me. My parents and I have had many "what-if" discussions about my grandmother's generation's stoicism and her reluctance to talk about/seek treatment for her damnable mini-strokes that led to her rapid decline ignoble decline and eventually killed her.

[sarahmichigan.livejournal.com]

I think the book is good for anyone who is dealing with a parent or grandparent aging and wondering how to handle their loss of abilities and autonomy.