Friday, April 1, 2011
Nineteen Minutes
Two blogs in one week! I know, right? This week, I have chosen another book by Jodi Picoult entitled, "Nineteen Minutes." This is another one of my favorites. It tackles a subject that I have always found interesting: school shootings. I have, for a while, wanted to piggy-back on research that purports to explain the societal influences in school shootings, both before and after. This book approaches some of those ideas by introducing the rare scenario of the shooter being caught and arrested. However, this story is not just about the shooter, or bullying, or the juvenile justice system; this story is centered around another character, Josie, who grew up close friends with the shooter, Peter. During the shooting, Josie was found in the same room with Peter when he was arrested. She had fled into the room with her boyfriend when the shooting started. Nineteen minutes later, Peter ran in and confronted them in his final moments of his rampage. After he was arrested, Peter has to combat the justice system as a teenage murderer. Everyone associated with him post-shooting is ostracized by the community, including his attorney, a character from another of Picoult's books. Presiding over his case is Josie's mom, Alex, whom endures criticism as to whether or not she can remain objective since her daughter was injured (minorly) in the shooting. Investigating the shooting is a local detective who has been involved in the case from the first 911 call from the high school. As he is putting the pieces together to construct timelines of the events of that day, he notices glaring inconsistencies regarding the stories from Josie and Peter about what happened in that room that day. This is the primary focus of the story. This book is definitely touching on sensitive subjects, a hallmark of Picoult, but she approaches these subjects with a reverency and respect and never once does the reader get the idea that things have been watered down or diluted to appeal to a greater audience. This story is multi-dimensional and filled with twists to keep the reader guessing at the motive for such a terrible act. A lesson in the often far-reaching effects of bullying is also garnered from this book, a lesson we sometimes need to be reminded of from time to time. On a much more different note, the Medieval Fair is in Norman this weekend. I have plans to attend and take pictures and will share those pictures with the world with my next review, an homage to ye olde literature, sort of.
Friday, March 25, 2011
Transition Time!
Well, I said it would be two months until I wrote another post...I was close. Two and a half months later.... I've decided that my issue with this blog is that I have no focus. Enter: focus! After a long two months of contemplation, I've finally settled on a focus for my blog. I love to read. I think I may have mentioned this before. I have decided to share my love of books with the world. Therefore, I will, from this point forward, begin providing commentary on my veritable library of literature, beginning today!
The first book I want to share is the first book I read by an author named Jodi Picoult. She is a fantastic storyteller who utilizes contemporary issues to weave stories that affect families, always with a twist at the end. Don't worry, I won't ruin it.
This book is titled, "My Sister's Keeper." I know there is a Cameron Diaz movie that recently came out but believe me, read the book. Regardless of whether or not you have seen the movie, do yourself a favor and read this book.
It centers around a girl named Anna Fitzgerald. She has an older sister, Kate, and an older brother, Jesse. Kate has cancer, an aggressive form of leukemia that will eventually kill her without multiple stem cell transplants, a kidney transplant, and multiple other procedures that require a donor with a similar genetic makeup in order to reduce the likelihood of rejection of the donor cells/organs. Kate's parents found out about her cancer before they had Anna. Anna was conceived for the purpose of being a donor for Kate. Picoult has tackled the issue of eugenics in this book, I think because it has a place in this situation. I have a feeling that many families dealing with the issue of an incurable disease in which donor material is needed have had a thought about the convenience of having a genetically matched donor always available. There is, obviously, a down side, which is the primary focus of this story. Anna is tired of her life revolving around Kate. Anna's first donor surgery was when she was three days old and they have not stopped since. Anna is thirteen now, Kate is sixteen, and she wants her parents to understand that she does not want to go through the often painful procedures anymore. Unfortunately, Anna also realizes that once she stops being the donor for Kate, Kate will die. This is something that Anna struggles with; obviously her parents are troubled by this as well. Regardless, Anna decides to hire an attorney and pursue a court case in which she hopes to be emancipated from her parents in order to make her own medical decisions. The judge, unwilling to simply hand over emancipation to a thirteen-year-old, decides to investigate this matter, so he assigns a guardian ad litem to help him decide what is the best decision to make.
A guardian ad litem is a person assigned to a family court matter whose sole role in the case is to look out for the best interest of the child(ren). Often, in family court cases, the parties get distracted by other issues (money, property, custody, affairs, etc.) and have a hard time keeping the interests of their children at the forefront of their conscience. A guardian ad litem is assigned to perform interviews, visit the home, talk with all parties, and eventually make a recommendation to the judge as to what would be in the best interest of the child.
The guardian ad litem, Julia, has a past with the attorney for Anna, which provides the romance edge that pretty much every good book has to have. The story basically revolves around the decisions involved with caring for a sick child, focusing on a child who wants to be emancipated from her parents, as well as a troubled son who is attempting, in all of this, to get attention. Also, this story takes place within the time span of a week.
So in this story, Picoult approaches eugenics, family law, oncology issues, death, and juvenile delinquency all in this book. A drawback for me is that she structures the chapters as each chapter being from the perspective of a different character. I feel like this interrupts the flow a little, but does not necessarily take anything away from the story itself.
I highly recommend this book; it is one of my favorites. I don't think you necessarily need a box of tissues with you, but maybe at least have access to them. Enjoy and I would love to hear any thoughts on what you think!
The first book I want to share is the first book I read by an author named Jodi Picoult. She is a fantastic storyteller who utilizes contemporary issues to weave stories that affect families, always with a twist at the end. Don't worry, I won't ruin it.
This book is titled, "My Sister's Keeper." I know there is a Cameron Diaz movie that recently came out but believe me, read the book. Regardless of whether or not you have seen the movie, do yourself a favor and read this book.
It centers around a girl named Anna Fitzgerald. She has an older sister, Kate, and an older brother, Jesse. Kate has cancer, an aggressive form of leukemia that will eventually kill her without multiple stem cell transplants, a kidney transplant, and multiple other procedures that require a donor with a similar genetic makeup in order to reduce the likelihood of rejection of the donor cells/organs. Kate's parents found out about her cancer before they had Anna. Anna was conceived for the purpose of being a donor for Kate. Picoult has tackled the issue of eugenics in this book, I think because it has a place in this situation. I have a feeling that many families dealing with the issue of an incurable disease in which donor material is needed have had a thought about the convenience of having a genetically matched donor always available. There is, obviously, a down side, which is the primary focus of this story. Anna is tired of her life revolving around Kate. Anna's first donor surgery was when she was three days old and they have not stopped since. Anna is thirteen now, Kate is sixteen, and she wants her parents to understand that she does not want to go through the often painful procedures anymore. Unfortunately, Anna also realizes that once she stops being the donor for Kate, Kate will die. This is something that Anna struggles with; obviously her parents are troubled by this as well. Regardless, Anna decides to hire an attorney and pursue a court case in which she hopes to be emancipated from her parents in order to make her own medical decisions. The judge, unwilling to simply hand over emancipation to a thirteen-year-old, decides to investigate this matter, so he assigns a guardian ad litem to help him decide what is the best decision to make.
A guardian ad litem is a person assigned to a family court matter whose sole role in the case is to look out for the best interest of the child(ren). Often, in family court cases, the parties get distracted by other issues (money, property, custody, affairs, etc.) and have a hard time keeping the interests of their children at the forefront of their conscience. A guardian ad litem is assigned to perform interviews, visit the home, talk with all parties, and eventually make a recommendation to the judge as to what would be in the best interest of the child.
The guardian ad litem, Julia, has a past with the attorney for Anna, which provides the romance edge that pretty much every good book has to have. The story basically revolves around the decisions involved with caring for a sick child, focusing on a child who wants to be emancipated from her parents, as well as a troubled son who is attempting, in all of this, to get attention. Also, this story takes place within the time span of a week.
So in this story, Picoult approaches eugenics, family law, oncology issues, death, and juvenile delinquency all in this book. A drawback for me is that she structures the chapters as each chapter being from the perspective of a different character. I feel like this interrupts the flow a little, but does not necessarily take anything away from the story itself.
I highly recommend this book; it is one of my favorites. I don't think you necessarily need a box of tissues with you, but maybe at least have access to them. Enjoy and I would love to hear any thoughts on what you think!
Thursday, January 6, 2011
2010
I realize I am a little late in reviewing my year. Obviously my resolutions for 2011 are going as well as expected. That's another post. Most likely in another two months.
2010 was - in a word - terrifying. 2010 was a year of dramatic changes for not only myself but for my relationship with Austin and those surrounding me as well. A year ago we had applied and already been accepted into OU, so we were beginning the planning stages of exactly what was going to happen when we decided to come to Oklahoma, and when we were going to do it. Little did we know how much of our lives were going to change during the course of 2010. The process of, for a lack of better word, ending our lives in Birmingham and preparing to essentially start over was really scary. I had a great job and worked with wonderful people. We had a well-established core group of peers whom we loved. My entire family lives in Birmingham. We were taking outselves out of a place of comfort and putting ourselves in a place of unpredictability. I am many things, spontaneous is not one of them.
Which is one thing that I was taught during the course of 2010. As much as I can plan, there really IS a bigger picture that supercedes anything I can superficially write in a calendar. Moving to Oklahoma wasn't just about Austin going to OU; we had to learn to be a married couple again living in close proximity to each other without the everyday distractions afforded to us by work, family, bills, friends. I had to learn to trust in a power outside of my control. With these lessons has come a new Sarah. I seek every day to be a better wife to Austin, a better daughter to my parents, a better sister to my sisters (and sisters-in-law), a better daughter to my Father in Heaven, a better coworker to my fellow coworkers, and a better friend to my friends (new and old). There are days where I fail miserably time and time again. However, there are also days where it seems like the world falls into place and things are just as they are. I cherish those days. And so, with 2011 I seek all of these things and more.
2010 was - in a word - terrifying. 2010 was a year of dramatic changes for not only myself but for my relationship with Austin and those surrounding me as well. A year ago we had applied and already been accepted into OU, so we were beginning the planning stages of exactly what was going to happen when we decided to come to Oklahoma, and when we were going to do it. Little did we know how much of our lives were going to change during the course of 2010. The process of, for a lack of better word, ending our lives in Birmingham and preparing to essentially start over was really scary. I had a great job and worked with wonderful people. We had a well-established core group of peers whom we loved. My entire family lives in Birmingham. We were taking outselves out of a place of comfort and putting ourselves in a place of unpredictability. I am many things, spontaneous is not one of them.
Which is one thing that I was taught during the course of 2010. As much as I can plan, there really IS a bigger picture that supercedes anything I can superficially write in a calendar. Moving to Oklahoma wasn't just about Austin going to OU; we had to learn to be a married couple again living in close proximity to each other without the everyday distractions afforded to us by work, family, bills, friends. I had to learn to trust in a power outside of my control. With these lessons has come a new Sarah. I seek every day to be a better wife to Austin, a better daughter to my parents, a better sister to my sisters (and sisters-in-law), a better daughter to my Father in Heaven, a better coworker to my fellow coworkers, and a better friend to my friends (new and old). There are days where I fail miserably time and time again. However, there are also days where it seems like the world falls into place and things are just as they are. I cherish those days. And so, with 2011 I seek all of these things and more.
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