Burmese Days

By George Orwell

The last book I read by George Orwell was "Animal Farm" and I enjoyed it, both the content and the commentary on society, but I didn't recall feeling overwhelmed with the desire to read more Orwell.  However, a friend recommended, strongly, that I read "Burmese Days" saying it was one of Orwell's best, though underrated.  Actually, the recommender said it was one of the most underrated novels "period."  Valuing this person's taste in books, I dove in (after abandoning War and Peace out of boredom- that pains me as I love Tolstoy's shorter works and will review them soon).  It truly was a wonderful, even if depressing.  There is a perfection of writing in this novel.  I never found a word or sentence lacking.

Set in Burma during the time of the British Raj, one gets a clear impression of Orwell's distain for despotism, even when disguised as imperialism meant to "benefit" another nation.  It all ends up being a raping of the country taken over regardless of intention (which is stated as one thing, but of course IS another), and this is evident in the main character's opinions of this British invasion, that he happens to be a direct part of.  With nobody to share his bachelor life, Flory does his job, drinks away his life, keeps a Burmese woman, but is empty and disgusted by those life he lives and the people that surround him, except, perhaps, the Burmese themselves.  Viewed by all the other Brits as less-than-thou scum, the Burmese are of interest to read about and the characters painted richly.

Our bachelor is introduced to a visiting niece, Elizabeth, and Flory is ready to change his ways in order to share a life with her.  He shares his love of Burma- the people, the customs, the land, but the problem is that she isn't different than "the others" as he imagines she is.  His desperate loneliness causes him to see in her things that do not exist.  The plot that unfolds is heartbreaking on many levels, but it is a satisfying story.  Nobody escapes the cruelty of fate or humanity.  Perfectly written, almost awe-inspiring.

Here Lies the Librarian by Richard Peck

Here Lies the Librarian by Richard Peck

Here Lies the Librarian is the fourth book that we’ve read by Richard Peck, and it’s the only one that I didn’t really care for.  It’s not that I didn’t like the book, but rather that it didn’t meet my high expectations.  And perhaps the subject matter failed to entertain me to the extent that his other work has.

Although the book immediately grabbed our attention with a tornado in a graveyard, it seemed to fizzle for us after that first chapter.  It follows Peewee and her brother Jake during the summer of 1914, in Hendricks County, Indiana, as they try to establish a car repair garage, build their own car and race in the first ever automobile race at the county fair.  There’s a little bit of romance, a little bit of humor, but also a little bit of animal cruelty that I always have trouble getting past.

I think for kids or adults interested in cars, car history or car racing, the book would have been a fun, easy read.    But for three kids and a grown woman that don’t give a flying flip about any of those things, there just wasn’t enough humor or character development of the minor characters to keep us excited about each new chapter. 

Overall, I think Mr. Peck did an amazing job, as usual, representing small town Indiana life at the turn of the century.  It’s well written, well researched.   It’s good historical fiction for kids. But it’s still got a LOT of car stuff in there. 

The Teacher's Funeral by Richard Peck

The Teacher’s Funeral by Richard Peck

As much as I love reading, not many books make it to my list of all-time favorites.  But The Teacher’s Funeral delivered a little something for everybody in the family!  The story, set in a rural Indiana community in the year 1904, follows fifteen year old Russell Culver, his family, his classmates, his community, over the course of a year.

Mr. Peck captured both time period and place perfectly, with humor for both children and adults, and easy to connect to characters.  As I read aloud to my girls, complete with a Hoosier hayseed accent, I couldn’t help picturing my grandfather and my great-grandmother.  I recalled their stories, their memories, the way they spoke, the different words they used, so that each time I picked up the book, it felt like coming home.  Familiar, comfortable, safe.   Although both my papaw and my great-grandmother have been gone several years now, this book, these stories, brought them back for a little while, made me miss them more than I have in years.

My girls, particularly my middle child that struggles with reading and geography, loved hearing the names of local places she’s been to.  And my eldest loved looking each location up on the state map.  But most of all, we enjoyed the family stories that I tried to tie into the conversation when we’d finished reading for the day.  

While I’m sure not all readers will enjoy the setting and time period to the same extent, it’s definitely a worthwhile read, with heart, humor and history to boot!