So I know it is only January, but I might have to go ahead and say this is the most important book I will read all year.
First, let me set my stage for you: I live in Charlotte NC. This city was in the news a lot last fall after riots and marches occurred in response to the shooting death of Keith Scott, an African American man, by a CMPD officer who also happened to be African American. It was the latest in a flurry of police shootings across the nation and the city exploded in anger, fear and violence. One other man was shot killed during the riots by another protester (although his death got much less attention).
Charlotte was shocked. This sort of thing doesn't happen so close to home. Obviously we need to work on healing, listening, understanding on all sides. My church is still discussing how to have some very difficult conversations about race relations on a personal and community level, and there is a group of clergy representing 70 congregations around town that are working towards just that. There was a beautiful yet small event of music, song and speeches during MLK weekend that brought together all colors and ages to discuss freedom, hope and determination. It was a start.
Then, this book pops into my feed because my friend Sarah read it and loved it. Sarah is a faithful and tireless community volunteer and empathy trainer and has one of the biggest hearts I have ever known. She is an avid reader and we often discuss the books we read. She reads more for education than I do I think, so some of her choices are too tough for me - she is BRAVE, let me tell you. But this one intrigued me due to the recent events so was in the forefront of my mind. Sarah, thank you.
This book is important. This book is honest. This book says things that everyone else is afraid to bring up or admit. This book pulls back the film on what racism is today, and why. This book is aimed, as the author admits in her epilogue, at people like her - white, middle class people who say "Oh, I am not a racist, I don't see color." Then, she calls bullshit.
Ruth has been a neonatal nurse for 20 years. She is assigned follow up on a newborn, but the white parents insist that they do not want an African American near their baby. Ruth complies quietly but feels the discrimination deeply. Then, an emergency with another patient leaves Ruth alone in a room with the new baby, who suddenly goes into distress. What should she do? Follow her Florence Nightingale oath to care for all or follow her supervisor's instructions not to touch the baby? When the baby dies, the parents blame Ruth and an explosive trial ensues. In true Picoult form, she tells this story from three points of view - Ruth's; Turk's, the father of the dead baby; and Kennedy's, the lawyer assigned to Ruth's case. Some scenes are repeated from the experience of a different character, proving that the exact same experience can mean different things and provoke different reactions from different people. The relationships Picoult brings into the story are fascinating. Ruth and her sister have had opposite reactions to the reality of discrimination - Ruth has tried to blend in and Rachel exacerbates the stereotypes. Ruth's childhood friend Christina is the daughter of a wealthy white family who employs Ruth's mother as their housekeeper. Ruth's teenage son is an honor roll student who has never been in trouble, until his mom is thrown in jail and angst ensues, threatening to negate all of Ruth's hard work to create a different, successful end for her son. And Ruth's public defender Kennedy, a white woman, becomes not only Ruth's defender but maybe even her friend. They have much to learn from each other, and it is the lawyer's eyes being open to the subtleties of racism that I found so important. Racism is quiet; it is assumptions; it is ingrained reactions; it is not always visible to those who do not experience it first hand. And Ruth also questions herself - is she looking for people to discriminate her? Is she also doing some assuming about others? It can work both ways, which makes it even more difficult to know the real truth of a situation.
Not often does a book come along that has the potential to create widespread social change. Read this book. Read it with your teenagers, read it with your book club, read it with your church/synagogue, read it with your neighbors, read it with your friends from high school and college. Read it, then pass it on, then talk about it. Be brave, like Jodi and Sarah and Kennedy. And like Ruth, who never ONCE gave up on herself, her story, or her future.
First, let me set my stage for you: I live in Charlotte NC. This city was in the news a lot last fall after riots and marches occurred in response to the shooting death of Keith Scott, an African American man, by a CMPD officer who also happened to be African American. It was the latest in a flurry of police shootings across the nation and the city exploded in anger, fear and violence. One other man was shot killed during the riots by another protester (although his death got much less attention).
Charlotte was shocked. This sort of thing doesn't happen so close to home. Obviously we need to work on healing, listening, understanding on all sides. My church is still discussing how to have some very difficult conversations about race relations on a personal and community level, and there is a group of clergy representing 70 congregations around town that are working towards just that. There was a beautiful yet small event of music, song and speeches during MLK weekend that brought together all colors and ages to discuss freedom, hope and determination. It was a start.
Then, this book pops into my feed because my friend Sarah read it and loved it. Sarah is a faithful and tireless community volunteer and empathy trainer and has one of the biggest hearts I have ever known. She is an avid reader and we often discuss the books we read. She reads more for education than I do I think, so some of her choices are too tough for me - she is BRAVE, let me tell you. But this one intrigued me due to the recent events so was in the forefront of my mind. Sarah, thank you.
This book is important. This book is honest. This book says things that everyone else is afraid to bring up or admit. This book pulls back the film on what racism is today, and why. This book is aimed, as the author admits in her epilogue, at people like her - white, middle class people who say "Oh, I am not a racist, I don't see color." Then, she calls bullshit.
Ruth has been a neonatal nurse for 20 years. She is assigned follow up on a newborn, but the white parents insist that they do not want an African American near their baby. Ruth complies quietly but feels the discrimination deeply. Then, an emergency with another patient leaves Ruth alone in a room with the new baby, who suddenly goes into distress. What should she do? Follow her Florence Nightingale oath to care for all or follow her supervisor's instructions not to touch the baby? When the baby dies, the parents blame Ruth and an explosive trial ensues. In true Picoult form, she tells this story from three points of view - Ruth's; Turk's, the father of the dead baby; and Kennedy's, the lawyer assigned to Ruth's case. Some scenes are repeated from the experience of a different character, proving that the exact same experience can mean different things and provoke different reactions from different people. The relationships Picoult brings into the story are fascinating. Ruth and her sister have had opposite reactions to the reality of discrimination - Ruth has tried to blend in and Rachel exacerbates the stereotypes. Ruth's childhood friend Christina is the daughter of a wealthy white family who employs Ruth's mother as their housekeeper. Ruth's teenage son is an honor roll student who has never been in trouble, until his mom is thrown in jail and angst ensues, threatening to negate all of Ruth's hard work to create a different, successful end for her son. And Ruth's public defender Kennedy, a white woman, becomes not only Ruth's defender but maybe even her friend. They have much to learn from each other, and it is the lawyer's eyes being open to the subtleties of racism that I found so important. Racism is quiet; it is assumptions; it is ingrained reactions; it is not always visible to those who do not experience it first hand. And Ruth also questions herself - is she looking for people to discriminate her? Is she also doing some assuming about others? It can work both ways, which makes it even more difficult to know the real truth of a situation.
Not often does a book come along that has the potential to create widespread social change. Read this book. Read it with your teenagers, read it with your book club, read it with your church/synagogue, read it with your neighbors, read it with your friends from high school and college. Read it, then pass it on, then talk about it. Be brave, like Jodi and Sarah and Kennedy. And like Ruth, who never ONCE gave up on herself, her story, or her future.
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