The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

I read The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum for book club. The book description says, "First published in 1901, “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” follows the magical adventure of Dorothy, a young girl who lives with her Aunt Em and Uncle Henry on a farm in Kansas. One day when Dorothy is caught up in tornado with her little dog, Toto, she finds her farmhouse has been magically transplanted to Munchkin Country in the mystical Land of Oz. Her house lands on the evil Wicked Witch of the East, killing her, and freeing the Munchkins from her rule. As a reward the Good Witch of the North gives Dorothy the magical Silver Shoes that belonged to the Witch and sets her on her way down the yellow brick road to the Emerald City to ask the Wizard for help in returning to Kansas. Along the way she meets several interesting characters including the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman, and the Cowardly Lion who join her on her travels to ask the Wizard for help of their own. The journey is not without peril though, as the Wicked Witch of the West, who wants revenge for the killing of her sister and to regain the magical Silver Shoes, unleashes numerous dangers against Dorothy and her companions. 'The Wonderful Wizard of Oz' is a classic story of fantasy which is considered to be the first American fairy tale."

This was a fun read. I honestly don't know if I've ever read this book before. I maybe have, but it felt like the first time. I was constantly comparing it to the movie and to Wicked. There were parts of the book that aren't in either, and it was fun to read things like that. I thought it was an enjoyable read and think it'd be fun for Ollie to read. The characters were really distinct and just fun. I also loved some of the lines, like what Oz said to the lion about courage: "You have plenty of courage, I am sure. All you need is confidence in yourself. There is no living thing that is not afraid when it faces danger. The true courage is in facing danger when you are afraid, and that kind of courage you have in plenty."

Rating: * * (2/3 = Liked it)

Everything is Tuberculosis

I've had Everything Is Tuberculosis: The History and Persistence of Our Deadliest Infection on my to-read list for awhile and finally had the time to get to it on audiobook. The book description says, "Tuberculosis has been entwined with hu­manity for millennia. Once romanticized as a malady of poets, today tuberculosis is seen as a disease of poverty that walks the trails of injustice and inequity we blazed for it. In 2019, author John Green met Henry Reider, a young tuberculosis patient at Lakka Government Hospital in Sierra Leone. John be­came fast friends with Henry, a boy with spindly legs and a big, goofy smile. In the years since that first visit to Lakka, Green has become a vocal advocate for increased access to treatment and wider awareness of the healthcare inequi­ties that allow this curable, preventable infec­tious disease to also be the deadliest, killing over a million people every year. In Everything Is Tuberculosis, John tells Henry’s story, woven through with the scientific and social histories of how tuberculosis has shaped our world—and how our choices will shape the future of tuberculosis."

This was a really interesting read. I knew very little about TB beside the fact that sometimes you have to get a TB test to get a job or something, but I had no idea how widespread it still is in poor countries. I thought John Green made many powerful points about how the cure is where the disease is not and the disease is where the cure is not. He also observes how we in rich countries don't care enough about TB since it doesn't affect us, so there aren't enough resources poured into it. It was an eye-opening book, and I think it's really meaningful that John Green has found a way to use his platform to speak up for people who are suffering from and dying from TB. One of his lines said, "How can I accept a world where over a million people will die this year for want of a cure that has existed for nearly a century?" I'd definitely recommend this book. 

Rating: * * (2/3 = Liked it)

The Correspondent

I read The Correspondent by Virginia Evans for book club. The book description says, "Sybil Van Antwerp has throughout her life used letters to make sense of the world and her place in it. Most mornings, around half past ten, Sybil sits down to write letters—to her brother, to her best friend, to the president of the university who will not allow her to audit a class she desperately wants to take, to Joan Didion and Larry McMurtry to tell them what she thinks of their latest books, and to one person to whom she writes often yet never sends the letter. Sybil expects her world to go on as it always has—a mother, grandmother, wife, divorcee, distinguished lawyer, she has lived a very full life. But when letters from someone in her past force her to examine one of the most painful periods of her life, she realizes that the letter she has been writing over the years needs to be read and that she cannot move forward until she finds it in her heart to offer forgiveness."

This was a great read, which didn't surprise me since it had a crazy long wait list at the library. I listened to the book on audiobook and was very engaged in the story. Sybil was just such a unique character that the reader can get to know so well through her many different letters. I loved all the side characters--the employee she meets through the ancestry company, the kid who lives with her for a time, the old man next door, etc.--and the side stories, like her trying to audit a class at the local college. The overarching storyline about her son who she lost was a powerful story, and I loved seeing how Sybil grew and changed even in her old age. I thought the book came together beautifully as well. I feel like this book is in between liked and loved, and I wish I had written this right after I finished so I could give a more accurate rating.

Rating: * * (2/3 = Liked it)