Half of a Yellow Sun

It was time for me to revisit one of my favorite authors, Chimamanda Adichie. I'm waiting for the library to deliver my next book for the little web class I'm taking so in the interim I picked up an older Adichie book. I read her most recent book in July, and if you read my post about it then you already know I have a mild obsession. I actually thought I read Half of a Yellow Sun before, but I didn't.  I think I bought it in the past, but I may have loaned it out prior to reading or lost it in a move or donated it. Either way, I read it now and yes I enjoyed it immensely.

When I was reading this book, I was so vividly transported to Nigeria that the reading environment around me (coffee shop, my apartment, the park) would dissipate. I would look up and blink a few times and remind myself I was not currently in Nigeria or Biafra. The book also permeated my non-reading life in odd ways. For example, I made a stew the other day. While I was making it, I cut the meat for it into very small bits because I wanted to make sure there was meat in every bite.  In the book there is a lot of discussion about whether or not people have meat in their soups because there is a war going on and subsequent food rationing. Here I was cutting up meat for a stew thinking "I am glad I have meat in my soup".  That is a testament to the power of good writing. Adichie does this for me in all her writing.  She has a way of pulling you into the story and the story into your life.

The book is beautifully written. The story follows five main characters, Olanna and Kainene (sisters), Odenigbo and Richard (their significant others), and Ugwu (the houseboy) as they start off in a united Nigeria and are thrown into the Biafran war in the late 1960s.  It has all the expected drama of war; bombs, deaths, evacuations, displaced family, famine, starvation, and so on.  However, the personal experiences of each character and how they respond to their rapidly changing environment is the real story. I admit my knowledge of African civil/ethnic wars is abysmal. After reading this story, I did more research into Nigerian history and the Biafran war.  It made me appreciate the story so much more.  I am truly a fan of Adichie's work and I expect I will be a lifelong one.  If I taught a literature class I would make this required reading.  I highly recommend it.

Of note: I get very uneasy with the subject of rape and sexual exploitation and there are several descriptions of it in the book as a weapon of war. This was not unexpected, but I always like to give people a heads-up about it if you have uneasiness like me.  However, there are tender love scenes between the couples as well so the contrasting effect is helpful. 

Lolita

I've avoided this book like the plague because of its content.  I vaguely knew it was about a pedophile and I was not interested in the least. Well, of course it showed up on the syllabus for the literature class.  I could have skipped it because I'm not officially taking the class on-site for any kind of academic credit.  This self-study is only for my own edification.  I decided not to skip it. I figured if I looked at it critically I could probably digest it a little better.

I was surprised how much I actually liked the book.  You can't deny the writing is superb and for me that was the major reason I enjoyed it. The protagonist, Humbert, is a horrible person, but his articulation is divine.  His way of describing scenes and situations pulls you into the story even if you are disgusted by him as a person.  You can tell he views himself as part of the upper echelon of society, however through his prose you can also see how weak and pathetic he is.  His prey, Lolita, is probably one of the most tragic figures in literature.  We only see things from her perspective, very briefly, through Humbert's eyes.  Only towards the end does he come to the conclusions any sane person would have known from the beginning and by then it's too late for everyone involved.

I'm glad I read it now and not earlier.  Breaking it down as literature helped me enjoy it more than I would have reading it on my own with no guide.  Honestly if I read it independently, I may have put it down because the subject matter is uncomfortable.  Amazingly, though, I highly recommend it.  Read it for the writing.

Wise Blood

This is the second book on the syllabus for the Open Course literature class I'm taking.  I have heard critics rave about Flannery O'Connor.  I read her short story "A Good Man is Hard to Find" and enjoyed it.  It was not something I expected from a female writer because it was about a family on a road trip that goes horribly wrong in a violent way. I shouldn't have preconceived notions about female writers, and I didn't really think I did until I read her and then realized I did.

At first when I started reading this book I was bored, then it picked up a little bit and I found myself enjoying it. The most compelling section of the book, for me, was the last thirty pages. Those last pages made the book.  None of the characters are likable and as I was reading I was hoping that maybe someone would do something nice, but nobody does anything worthy even though redemption is an ongoing theme.  This story drips with religious metaphors and discussion. The main character, Hazel Motes, is a young man trying to convince himself (and others) that he doesn't believe in Jesus anymore even though religion was a large part of his upbringing. Along the way he meets several individuals who pretend they believe in Jesus, but are really just hustling people for money. Meanwhile Hazel, who is fighting his belief in Jesus, is probably the strongest believer of them all.

I don't know who should read this book. It definitely strikes me as literature and not a leisure read. I think if you are interested in Southern literature and strong female writers you should give it a go.  I realize it's not for everyone, though and may take some time to appreciate.

Black Boy (American Hunger)

Since I live in one of the college sections of my city (within walking distance of both Drexel University and University of Pennsylvania) I'm acutely aware of summer's demise because of the influx of students.  As much as I may internally groan about the increase in foot traffic and longer wait times at local eateries, I've always loved "Back to School" season even when I was a little kid.  New school supplies, new books, new things to learn, new people, and did I mention new books?  So I decided this year that I would take a free online literature course offered by Yale.  I selected the course entitled The American Novel since 1945. Now I can secretly be the English student I've always wanted to be without paying actual tuition. I'm still paying for my Nursing degrees and I refuse to go further into debt for higher education, but this is not a blog about debt. I'll link the site for the classes below. They have a pretty diverse class offering so even if literature is not your thing, you may find something else you like.

The first book on the syllabus was Black Boy by Richard Wright.  I have never read anything by Richard Wright.  I vaguely remember attempting to read Native Son once or twice back when I lived in New Jersey in my early 20s. I don't have a concrete reason why I didn't get into it or finish it. After viewing the Intro class online and hearing about the original publication fight regarding Black Boy, my interest was piqued. Apparently it was chosen as a Book of the Month Club selection, however the president of the club did not want both parts of the book published. She only wanted the first half and there was a significant amount of back-and-forth correspondence between her and Wright.  Eventually, only the first half was published and it was a huge success.

Fast-forward to today when I have a chance to read the book in its entirety as the author intended.  Well, I have to admit; I could see why the BOTMC leadership said ditch the second half.  The first half was very engaging to me.  I vacillated between being incredulous and sympathetic.  The book is about the author's childhood and touches on the themes of racial segregation, child abuse, violence, religion, education, intellectual escape, and self-actualization. Many have conceded that although the book is called an autobiography it's really semi-autobiographical.  There are instances that are somewhat fictionalized or not the memories of the author, but rather those of his friends or acquaintances.  At the end of the first section I was pleased and there was hope.  I would have been completely satisfied with that ending.

The second section has to do with his participation in the Communist Party.  While this was interesting, it did not hold my interest at all.  There is a great deal of infighting (of course) and Wright shuffles around trying to understand his world and his place in it as a young adult.  I can appreciate coming into one's own in a politically volatile atmosphere, but the way he told that portion of the story was dry and unengaging.

So I would definitely recommend the first part and leave the reading of the second part of the book to your discretion. If you are interested in stimulating your mind, click the text to check out the Yale Open Courses.

Enjoy!