First lines for October, from two fiction and five nonfiction. Includes one book of children’s lit, featuring physical disabilities. Several of these books were quite short. I had some door knocking to do. In many of these books, people crossed lines that needed to be crossed, and broke through barriers that needed breaking.
What was on your reading list for the month?
Book 1
It took Ragin screaming in their faces on the corner of Fifth and Market for people to notice him. That’s how easy he was to ignore. Thin, light-skinned, glasses.
Book 2
Why does the G in wage sound different from the G in wag?
Book 3
In the early church, Christian congregations and their bishops paid generous and deliberate attention to the plight of the poor and damaged to give relief. In the sixth century (long after the much-maligned Constantine) there was a rather abrupt turn away from this attentiveness, as the church became private about wealth and otherworldly in its hope.
Book 4
Stalin
I never asked myself about the meaning of freedom until the day I hugged Stalin.
Book 5
One: Day of Beauty
People don’t tap their watches anymore; have you noticed? Standard wristwatches, I’m talking about.
Book 6
When I was little, a kid pointed at me on the playground and shouted, “Her arms fell off!” then ran away screaming in terror to his mom, who had to cuddle him on her lap and rub his head for like ten minutes to get him to calm down.
Book 7
On May 14, 2018, a cheerful crowd of activist New Yorkers blocked the sidewalk at the corner of Bleecker and Crosby streets.
The titles and authors revealed:
Book 1
American Sirens: The Incredible Story of the Black Men Who Became America's First Paramedics,
By Kevin Hazzard
336 pages • first pub 2022.
nonfiction history race
An excellent recounting of the development of professional paramedic medicine, which happened in Pittsburgh. The first professional team was entirely African American men, until the program went nationwide. This is, of course, also a tale of rampant racism.
Book 2
Enough Is Enuf: Our Failed Attempts to Make English Easier to Spell
By Gabe Henry
304 pages • first pub 2025
nonfiction history reference
As the winner of 2nd place in the Columbus, MS 1972 Spelling Bee, I can tell you that spelling skills are overrated. I was so relieved to achieve 2nd place by misspelling the word “parallel”. Second place got me a fine dictionary and a free gallon of chocolate ice cream, which for me are dream prizes. The bigger prize was that I did not have to go on to the next level of Spelling Bee.
So yes, English spelling should be simplified. But no, it’s nigh impossible to make the change. Americans have succeeded in dropping the superfluous “u” in words like ‘flavour’ and ‘colour’ and the “ue” in ‘catalogue’ but haven’t effected much else. This book gets a mite tedious (but not a might tedious); I liked reading it anyway because (a) I am interested in language in general, and (b) my brother read it.
The attempt of the Mormon community in Utah to establish their own alphabet (as well as their own sovereign nation) was fascinating. I also found interesting the last few chapters about inventive spelling, Prince, and textspeak.
Book 3
Materiality as Resistance: five elements for moral action in the real world
By Walter Brueggemann
Published 2020. 103 pages.
For a church class.
Short book, slow reading. Lots to think about. This was easier reading than I have found other forays into Brueggemann’s writing, and it helped further to have discussion about it.
Book 4
Free: Coming of Age at the End of History
Lea Ypi
320 pages • first pub 2021
nonfiction history memoir politics
A coming-of-age memoir about a young girl in Albania, which abolished its socialist regime in 1990. This book, a fast and fascinating read, explores the complexities of feelings and decisions in the face of a repressive regime, and then the crumbling of that regime. The author’s outcome was quite surprising.
There can be threats on the other side of the fence.
Book 5
Three Days in June
Anne Tyler
165 pages • first pub 2024
fiction contemporary literary
I loved reading this, as I have loved most Anne Tyler novels I have read. It’s a family drama, told with much humor, and several references to my childhood hometown, also the author’s hometown, of Baltimore, Maryland. I read it for book club, where we had a worthy discussion of divorce and family dynamics.
Book 6
Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus (Volume 1)
by Dusti Bowling
272 pages • first pub 2017
fiction middle grade mystery
This is a middle-grade book, with several characters living with disabilities. The narrator is a girl who was born without arms. The book includes a focus on those living with Tourette syndrome. I selected it because it was available and short, while I am waiting for book club titles to arrive on my kindle. I enjoyed reading it.
Book 7
The Doctors Blackwell: How Two Pioneering Sisters Brought Medicine to Women and Women to Medicine
Janice P. Nimura
336 pages • first pub 2021
nonfiction biography feminism history
An interesting account of the first women doctors in the US. Elizabeth Blackwell was the first woman to earn a medical degree at a college in the United States. And her younger sister Emily was the third, and became an accomplished surgeon. I read it because it was available from the library on kindle, while I endure the agonizing wait for the books I need to read for book club.
What astonished me, while I was reading this book, was the realization that in my childhood I had definitely heard of Florence Nightingale, who encouraged women to become nurses (but not doctors), but had never heard of Elizabeth nor Emily Blackwell, who encouraged women to become doctors.
The Blackwell sisters were rather prickly and complicated personalities (especially Elizabeth), perhaps as is required for people who feel called to go against prevailing societal attitudes. The battle to have women physicians accepted as full practitioners of medical care was not theirs alone, but they were at the forefront of the fight.
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