If you read my last post, I explained that I was just getting into The Secret Life of Bees. Well, last night I finished it. Saturday I took my book to the bar to read while I was waiting on my friends to show. It gave me 3 hours of opportunity to read. We installed a new point of sale system and I had some programming issues with it, so I had to go in and make the changes. Not to say that I haven't brought a book, or my knitting for that matter to the bar other times. Ok, this is my exciting life.
Back to the book. Wow, it was great. I said in my last blog that it centers around a 14 year old girl, Lily, in South Carolina in 1964. Deep inside me the 14 year old girl of my youth cried out right along with Lily. Like her I know what it is like to be abandon emotionally by your father, and feel like an island, alone in shark infested waters. The other women in the book are amazing.
They are strong women grounded in faith and family. I do not know first hand what it was like in South Carolina in the 1960's, the racial discrimination, women not having a place outside of the home. I know that even in 2009 racism exists and is colorless, and discrimination happens to everyone in one form or another.
The story tracks Lily's journey from her hometown in search of information about her late mother. She and her nanny find themselves in Tiburon, South Carolina living with 3 African-American women. Again, I don't want to ruin the story, in case you want to read it. I will just say that I completely fell in love with each of these women and would have been proud to have known them. I laughed and cried along with each of them.
The new book I am about to start is Run by Ann Patchett. I will keep you up to date on my progress.
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I am glad to hear you enjoyed one of the books you picked up! Even though you didn't go into super detail about the book, just your joy in reading it makes me want to take a look into it and read it myself!
ReplyDeleteHard to believe that you already have one book completed. I have to wait until my 3 kids go to bed so I can find a little quite time to read.
ReplyDeleteI loved The Secret Llife of Bees because it's all about the strong support network between women. I'm going to have to give it a reread, I think. It's been about five years, and I don't remember the details. Thanks for the thoughtful post. I'm excited to hear what you think about Ann Pratchett. Have you ever read anything else by her?
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