Mairzy Doats by Glory Fagan, 206 pages

"Mairzy Doats" is a semi-autobiographical fiction book written by local author and librarian Glory Fagan.  It begins from the perspective of a character who has been dead for 20 years but is still around.  She is reflecting back on her life and a good bit of it was spent in St. Joseph.  I got a little thrill every time a St. Joseph location was mentioned and I knew exactly where it was or is.

This is a really delightful read.  I was a little worried about it, because I had no idea how to pronounce the title.  Don't worry, fair reader.  Even before the story starts we learn the title is from a novelty song written in the 40s and to pronounce it "mares eat oats."  Ahh, that allowed me to sit back and enjoy the story about Dazy who lived life fully and with love.

Kings of the Earth by Jon Clinch, 393 pages

  This is the story of three Proctor brothers outside a small New York town, from 1932 to 1990.

   For the most part, their world consists of the tiny home they were born in, each other, and their piece of rural property. None of them is gifted with intelligence, and one of them is intellectually and emotionally challenged to a greater extent than are the other two. The story begins when they have reached old age. One of them dies in bed overnight, and the other two are investigated for murder.

  The story pieces itself together through short chapters. Each chapter is narrated by a voice of someone who has known the Proctor boys in different ways over the years. As the book progresses, the narrators share different tidbits out of chronological order as memories tend to come to a person when trying to make sense of the present. In the days following Vernon's (the oldest brother's) death, the narrative voices share insight into understanding men who, for the most part, have not wanted to be known.  

  As someone who was raised in the country, rural folks’ extreme desire for privacy and independence is no surprise to me. The book challenged me to consider (not for the first time) if it might be best to leave families alone or if society has an obligation to help, stepping uninvited and unwanted into intentionally isolated households, imposing society’s culture. The answer may seem simple enough at first thought but can be complex and heart-wrenching when the people in question become real.

Bedlam: A Novel of Love and Madness by Greg Hollingshead, 386 pages

   I hated this novel, not the writing, but rather how characters with mental illness or who were political prisoners were treated by society and the medical profession. I read it thoroughly because of human history I think people today and in coming generations should know and remember.

   This is a novel, but the larger depiction of the 18^th Century London insane asylum is, unfortunately, true to what is known of Bedlam. Names of characters and the larger pieces of their stories in the book also existed and are part of Bedlam’s known history.

   I found myself a bit lost in the way the flashbacks were told at first, but some rereading of parts did the trick. Most of the book flowed smoothly enough. The book was definitely worth the time to read, but stay far away from it if you're looking for a feel-good escape from reality.

The Stranger in the Woods: The Extraordinary Story of the Last True Hermit by Michael Finkel, 203 pages

   I had no idea that a man, just a little older than I am, lived outdoors on a hidden piece of land in Maine for 27 years without human interaction (with the exception of saying “hi,” one time when a hiker unexpectedly passed by him in the woods). But, then again, without this biography, why would I know? He lived off the grid. Not even his family knew . . . until he was arrested in 2013 for stealing food to keep himself alive.

   Journalist Michael Finkel authored this book based on interviews with Christopher Knight, people familiar in various ways with Knight’s case, research on hermits throughout history, and related psychology.

   The book was fascinating and made me ponder a way of life I’d never considered. I wish Christopher Knight well, almost feel guilty for intruding upon his craved solitude by reading his story, and know that I’m not cut out to be a hermit. 
   While I listened to this book on CD, I would have preferred to curl up . . . completely alone . . . with a print version.

Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family & Culture in Crisis by J.D. Vance, 272 pages

I started this book thinking I know Hillbillies and their experiences because I had my own grandmother called Mamaw.  My dad was the oldest of seven, and the only one of his siblings to leave North Carolina.  But I did not live the life that J.D. Vance experienced.  I wasn't even exposed to it when visiting my family in North Carolina.

This is a book about broken families and a broken society that our government isn't able to fix, and is perhaps, making worse.  It goes a long way to explaining how our new president got elected.

How do we make the American Dream real and attainable for all Americans?  How do we heal broken families and break the cycle of poverty, abuse and lack of education?  Until we find those answers as a country and society, I fear we will continue to be divided.

The Boy Who Was Raised as a Dog by Bruce D. Perry and Maia Szalavitz, 288pages

The full title of this book is "The Boy Who Was Raised as a Dog: And Other Stories from a Child Psychiatrist's Notebook--What Traumatized Children Can Teach Us About Loss, Love, and Healing."

I approached this book with trepidation.  I am not a fan of true crime or horror but I am happy to say this truly was a book of hope.  I wanted to read (listen) to this book because my Rotary Club is getting ready to work with a local elementary school whose teachers and staff all plan to read this.  Students who have adverse childhood experiences don't learn or behave like students who have a happy and stable home life. 

We all need appropriate love and interaction from birth and some families are not equipped to provide that.  In order to help traumatized children succeed and thrive, they need adults who can step in and be supportive and love them even when they are acting out.  That's a tall order, but this book explains why and how caring adults can impact lives.