BOOKS AND MORE BOOKS. You’ll find fun with a favorite children’s book here along with Edna O’Brien’s sobering novel followed by a fast-paced thriller.
THAT CAT
I had the unexpected pleasure of reading The Cat in the Hat to a kindergarten class the other day—with some non-verbal assistance! It was Dr. Seuss Day and the Chief Penguin and I were at the Community Day School in Sarasota. This faith-based school is an inclusive place open to kids of all nationalities, flavors, and religions with a focus on preparing them to be global citizens and to have a positive impact on the world. 
Dr. Seuss Day celebrates the noted author’s birthday (March 2) and is a time when many schools invite volunteers in to read one of his books. In the Sarasota-Manatee area, the event is also sponsored by the organization, Embracing Our Differences.
EVIL AND INNOCENCE
The Little Red Chairs by Edna O’Brien. O’Brien is a noted Irish writer of stories, novels, and a memoir, and this is her latest novel. Her first novel, which I have not read, but know of, The Country Girls, was published in 1961. She was so severely castigated for its frank sexual content (mild by today’s standards) that she left Ireland for London and has been estranged from her home ever since.
The Little Red Chairs is a strange book but, despite my initial doubts, I ended up finding it worthwhile. The early chapters present a bunch of characters in a small town in western Ireland and are somewhat confusing. Eventually, things sort themselves out after Fidelma, a married woman who desperately wants a child, becomes the focal point. She is attracted to the charismatic stranger and healer, Dr. Vlad, and ultimately seduces him.
But, Dr. Vlad is not who he pretends to be and is arrested for war crimes associated with the Bosnian War. Horrific revenge is visited upon Fidelma for her actions and she must leave and forge a new life for herself in London. Echoing throughout the early part are memories of and references to the massive slaughter in Sarajevo in 2002. This is a dark novel of hate and evil based on the real war criminal, Radovan Karadzic (tried and convicted at The Hague), ending with a glimmer of hope for Fidelma’s salvation.
I read this novel for my book group here. Everyone found it challenging, and responses to it were mixed to negative. Some found there to be too much descriptive writing and others did not find themselves engaged with or caring about the characters, especially Fidelma. Many of the book reviews I read consider it O’Brien’s masterpiece. Particularly helpful for context is an interview with the 85 year old O’Brien which appeared in Smithsonian Magazine. Had I read it before tackling the novel, I would have appreciated sooner what she was attempting.
CHANGE OF PACE THRILLER
Before the Fall by Noah Hawley. I had put off reading this thriller since it deals with a plane crash, but once I started it, I raced through it. It was gripping. A private plane leaving Martha’s Vineyard crashes a a short time later, and of the eleven people on board, only two survive, a man and a small boy. Why did the plane crash and what are the back stories of the passengers and crew? Hawley’s novel is a fast-paced account of the TSA investigation, the role of the press, the lives of the victims before the crash, and the effect of the crash on the two survivors. If you’re looking for a quick escape into another realm, this could be it!
FOOTNOTE
Following up on my mention of Colson’s novel, The Underground Railroad, most of the NY Times’ Travel section this past Sunday (February 26) was devoted to museums and historic sites related to the Underground Railroad. Many of them in Maryland.
Images: Red chairs from the Web (litstack.com); photos courtesy of L. Hershorin.
