August Books One: Nonfiction and Poetry

 Happy Meteorological Autumn! I am grateful for the shortening days, the rain, and the slightly cooler temperatures. And for books, of course. It's always book season around here! Here's the first part of my August book list:

White Trash: The 400-Year Untold History of Class in America by Nancy Isenberg

I got this book about 4 years ago, not long after it was published, but then stuck it on a shelf and hauled it around, unread, every time we moved. Now that it has been 5 1/2 months since our local library closed, and I have not had time sensitive books moving constantly in and out, I have turned to my bookshelves more frequently and I decided it was a good time to read this book. I’m only sorry I didn’t read it sooner, because it’s a great book. 

The book is a historical look at the situation of poor white people and how they have been characterised from the settlement of what is now the US to the present day. She jumps right in by busting the myth that there is no class structure in the US, an idea which has always been ridiculous, but continues to be believed by some. From colonial times, poor white people were considered ‘waste people’ useful only for labour. Thomas Jefferson called them ‘rubbish.’ The names used to label such people evolved and some were specific to areas of the South, until at some point, ‘white trash’ became a kind of umbrella term.

The book begins in colonial times, moves through the formation of the country, and continues to the present. The book was published in 2016, so this is where her analysis ends. The author makes her points using examples from various aspects of culture—politics, economics, education, popular culture, etc. It is highly readable, very informative, and a thought-provoking read. For anyone interested in moving beyond the flag-waving nonsense of American exceptionalism and the myths about a ‘classless society,’ or for someone who just wants to understand the culture a little bit better, this is a great book, which I highly recommend.

Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World’s Most Dangerous Man by Mary L. Trump (audiobook read by the author)

I’ve always believed that cruel, evil people are created. They’re not born that way, but are damaged by others and for whatever reasons, lack the ability to deal with the pain of the damage inflicted upon them. This does not excuse their actions—we all have painful experiences in our lives and it is our responsibility to deal with them in whatever healthy ways we can. I understand the need for self-protection, but I also know that the only way to get beyond the damage is to walk through the pain, not to try to shield ourselves from it. So while I understand why and how cruel, evil people behave as they do, this doesn’t let them off the hook. They should be held accountable. 

I’d listened to a couple of interviews with the author and was intrigued by her story, so when I saw this title appear in the ‘new to library’ e-audiobook section of the library website, I borrowed it. It is a good illustration of how pain and dysfunction can be passed down through the generations. It also shows how, in one family, people can create coping mechanisms for themselves. Some hurt themselves while   others set out to protect themselves by hurting others. The author’s father was in the former category and the damaged individual who became president is in the latter. It’s a striking example of what monsters can be created in families, with the help of society at large. 

The author is a clinical psychologist and she explains her arguments in a clear way that a layperson can understand. From a personal perspective, I was struck by how some of the family of origin dynamics were the same in my own situation. It was interesting to me to see the similarities and differences in my response to those circumstances as opposed to the offspring she talks about in the book.

Life and Death in the Third Reich by Peter Fritzsche

Wintering: How I Learned to Flourish When Life Became Frozen by Katherine May

This is a memoir written about a time in the author’s life when a lot of highly stressful events were thrust upon her. As is so often the case, these events caused her to rethink various aspects of her life and make some changes. She came to see these times as winter situations, in that as in the natural world, we all need winter times to regroup and get ready for the next season of our lives. As she is writing about her own life, she also talks to others who have had serious issues and have grown as a result, learning to cope and thrive. 

I was eager to read this book when I first read an essay by the author. As soon as we were able to place holds again at the library, I requested this one. I loved this book. Her metaphors didn’t work as well for me as they do for others, simply because I do not struggle in winter. That’s a summer thing. She spoke to someone who suffers from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and while I experience most of the same symptoms, I experience them in summer, not winter. The light is agitating to me and I feel at home in the dark, so I shuddered when she described the ways in which this woman keeps her house brightly lit throughout the winter. I rely on winter to recover from summer, so that sort of thing would be a disaster for me. That aside, I enjoyed her story and those of the people she talked to and I liked the way she came to embrace winter. It’s a wonderful book.

How to Fly (in Ten Thousand Easy Lessons): Poems by Barbara Kingsolver

I loved this poetry collection, which includes poems about nature, knitting, life, relationships, and a family trip to Italy which included the poet’s mother-in-law, whose parents came from there. 

I hope there is a lot of good reading ahead for September!

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