The Invisible Wall and The House on Mango Street

Yet again, I have two books to review for you today. The first is The Invisible Wall by Harry Bernstein, by far one of the best books I have read so far this year. Bernstein's memoir relates the story of his childhood, growing up in a poor neighborhood of Lancashire, a small mill town in England, on the eve of the first World War. Bernstein and his family are Jewish and therefore live on one side of the street while their Christian neighbors live on the other. He writes about the unwritten and unspoken laws that separate the families from one another, even as they interact throughout their daily lives. Their differences, beliefs, and prejudices form an invisible wall down the middle of their shared street that is rarely scaled in terms of true and deep friendship; interestingly the families live in a precarious tension of daily dependence on one another, the Jewish families only allowing Christians into their homes to light the fires during the Sabbath, and the Christians muttering insults under their breaths as the Jewish families patronage their stores and shops. Bernstein is clear to describe the pervasive feeling of anti-Semitism in his home country even before both World Wars brought this issue to the forefront; he is also brutally honest about the Jewish families' prejudice against their Christian neighbors. Bernstein details his family's life, focusing on his older sister Lily, who breaks with tradition and causes turmoil and strife among the entire street when she falls in love with a Christian neighbor. The resulting memoir is a beautifully written tale of friendship and distrust, misconceptions and illuminations, fear and love.

Perhaps one of the most amazing things about this specific memoir is the author. The book was released in 2008, meaning Bernstein was ninety-six when he penned his childhood story. Another memoir, The Dream, following his family after they emigrated to Chicago in 1922, has already been published. He is hoping to write a third book as well, if time allows him to do so. I sincerely hope it does, because his writing is phenomenally beautiful, and his story is not only amazing, but important for us to know, as it allows us a great glimpse into history, and quite possibly the future.

The next book is a short novel by Sandra Cisneros. Told through a series of short vignettes, The House on Mango Street is the coming-of-age story of Esperanza Cordero, a girl living in the Latino quarter of Chicago. Esperanza uses poems and stories to express her emotions and feelings and to describe her environment, often oppressive. The book is a short read- I finished it in one sitting- and is highly enjoyable. I recommend this one to those of you looking for a quick read that has more depth and meaning.