I saw this book while meandering Target one day, and since it looked interesting, I asked my hubby to pick it up from the library (seriously, I ask him to do that a lot- thanks, honey!). Sarah's Key is a fictional story based on historical events, intertwining the stories of a young Jewish girl living in Paris during World War II and a modern-day American journalist residing in Paris with her family. Sarah and her family were arrested with thousands of other Jewish individuals and families during an infamous round up by the French government ceding to German demands. The families were held at the Velodrome d'Hiver, a famous indoor cycle track, outside of Paris for several days; parents were separated from their children before all were sent to concentration camps within France; eventually all the fathers, mothers, sons, and daughters were transported to Auschwitz and executed. Though this story is fictional, I learned a great deal of history through reading this book. The 'Vel d'Hiv', which happened on July 16 and 17, 1942, was the greatest mass arrest of Jewish individuals in France. Over ten thousand Jewish men, women, and children were rounded up that evening- not all of the Jews were born in France, but many of them were- French citizens by birth, sent across border lines to die in a concentration camp; this event is not something the French like to remember, as this mass arrest was not conducted by SS officers or the Gestapo, but by French officers under direct orders by the Vichy government. I was very interested in learning more about the Vel d'Hiv, since I had never learned about it in school or even in any of my other readings I have completed. While I was in Paris, I had no idea that such a thing had happened sixty years before, and that though there was no famous museum or monument to remind us of what is possible for humans to do to one another, there is a small plaque and museum near the Vel d'Hiv. One day when I got back to Paris, I will make sure to visit that location. Though it is often difficult to do so, it is good to be reminded of atrocities we have allowed to be committed; we must never forget so that we do not allow such things to happen again. "Always remember. Never forget." 
Beloved by Toni Morrison is on my list of 100 novels, so I checked it out from our local library a few weeks ago. I understand the historical value and cultural significance of this novel, but honestly, it was a bit out there. I felt like I should have been sitting in Mrs. Massicotte's AP English class my junior year of high school, discussing all the symbolism and what Morrison meant by the number of individuals in Sethe's family or why Baby Suggs asked about orange or what was real versus surreal. I am an avid reader, but there are some novels which are best read in a classroom setting, where it's possible to delve into the complexities of the book's symbolism. Isaac asked me at one point, "Was the ending a surprise?" to which I responded, "I mean, the whole flippin' book, I had no idea what was going on. So yeah, I guess you could say it was a surprise." If you really want to read this book, I suggest reading it in a classroom setting or with a reading discussion group. 
I really, really enjoyed The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. Full of allegorical significance and well-written, you can read this book very quickly just because it's so enjoyable. I started and finished it during the drive back from Colorado, and let me tell you- this novel made the trek across Kansas bearable. It is the story of Santiago, a young shepherd who wants nothing more than to travel and see the world. Soon, Santiago begins having a dream about a child pointing him to a great treasure near the Great Pyramids of Egypt. Unsure of what the dream means, Santiago searches for help in interpreting the dream. Eventually, an old man approaches him, advising Santiago to sell his herd and set out on the quest to fulfill his Personal Legend. Santiago soon begins a journey that will change his life; he sails to Africa, looses all of his money, learns about crystal and the Arabic language, voyages across the Sahara, and meets a young woman named Fatima, as well as a world-famous alchemist. Through all of these events, Santiago struggles with the decision to give up his Personal Legend and settle for a mundane life of mediocrity or to carry on through life's trials and surprises in order to fulfill his Personal Legend so that he will be able to look back on life without regret. The story makes you excited about life, about traveling and seeing the world, about learning new things and experience different cultures, and about the chance to make the most of what we've been given so that, like Santiago, we will be able to look back on our life without regret, realizing we lived this blessed life to the fullest. This book has been translated from the original Portuguese into numerous languages, and I believe the beauty of the story and the language remains intact. Please, enjoy this read and let me know what you think. In completely non-literary related news, one of my friends posted this video to her Facebook page:
For heaven's sake. Because I know when I'm hungry, I am more focused and perform better...riiiiiiiiight.
1 comment:
I'm glad you got through Beloved even though the book was a whackadoo!
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