Birds of a Lesser Paradise: Review by Kathy

REVIEW OF ‘BIRDS OF A LESSER PARADISE’

KATHY SWANSON

THE BEST PART ABOUT THIS BOOK WAS THAT THEY WERE SHORT STORIES SO I COULD PUT IT DOWN AFTER EACH STORY AND READ SOMETHING LESS DEPRESSING AND DARK.

IT AMAZES ME THAT A WIFE AND MOTHER WOULD HAVE SUCH DEPRESSING THOUGHTS TO WRITE DOWN AS A STORY. 

WERE THESE STORIES WRITTEN TO ENTERTAIN, TO INFORM?  WHAT WAS THE PURPOSE?

I DID NOT FIND ONE REDEEMING FACTOR IN ANY OF THE STORIES.

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet: Review by Dorothy

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet: Review by Barbara

Book #9 ~ Barbara's Pick: A Lesson Before Dying

A LESSON BEFORE DYING

by Ernest J. Gaines

Anstett Book Club recommendation from Barbara Lechner

For my next book club recommendation, I have chosen A Lesson Before Dying, written in 1993 but set in the 1940's, about the arrest and trial of a black man in the Cajun south.

I thought it was rather timely due to the recent not guilty verdict of George Zimmerman in Florida that subsequently led to a national outcry of African Americans that justice had not been served since the other party in the event was a black man. While I do not wish to project my opinions of the event, trial, and outcome, I do think this book might shed light on why the African American community was outraged. There is a very long history of racism, both brutal and subtle, in our country – whether it's the south or the north – that has woven a fabric of mistrust so deeply imbedded in the African American heart and mind that what happened in this Florida case could not be seen any other way by that group of citizens.

In “A Lesson Before Dying” a black man named Jefferson is an unwitting party to a liquor store shootout in which three men are killed. He is convicted of murder and sentenced to death. Grant Wiggins, a teacher and a black man, is urged by his aunt and Jefferson's godmother to impart his learning and pride to Jefferson. In the end, the two men forge a bond.

This book is so well written that you just seem to fall into the times.

Ernest James Gaines (born January 15, 1933) is an African-American author. His works have been taught in college classrooms and translated into many languages, including French, Spanish, German, Russian and Chinese. Four of his works have been made into television movies.One of them was The Authobiography of Miss Jane Pittman.(For those of you younger than 50 – this was a very popular TV event with Cicely Tyson.)

His 1993 novel, A Lesson Before Dying, won the National Book Critics Circle Award for fiction

You can purchase this book from Amazon.com or find it at your local library or bookstore.

I hope you like it as much as I did.

Birds of a Lesser Paradise: Review by Carissa

     I didn't realize how much I expected out of my books until I read this one.  I kept looking for growth, a full circle, or that ah-ha moment.  Mentally I decided that rather than stories these are glimpses which allowed me to imagine happy endings.  Like most people, I want to see the goodness in other and believe that if you work hard enough things will go your way but in these stories everyone is so ordinary when faced with an opportunity to be better; not extraordinary, just improved.  It was a window into the way people behave when they think no one is paying attention or in fact no one is actually paying attention.   

     At times good things came of it like Sam tending to the homeless that worked in their community garden even though they agreed not to get personal.  I just don't see what's wrong with getting personal.  It's important to feel compassion and empathy for others. There was so much burden in the relationships. This may be unrealistic but why didn't the vet rescue the calf, when she herself had been maimed? It felt like her decision to put it down was more reflective of how she felt about herself. She could have eased the soul of a prisoner who would've never known the difference if she would have just taken the calf and handled it herself. Instead she forced him to end the life of the one thing he had to care for.  Sure, she didn't owe him that but is that what it comes down to? Why didn't the daughter attempt to take in the African Grey Parrot for her mother's sake?  She was already losing her home after the loss of her husband.  This was her companion.  It may have changed their relationship. 

     It's clear that not everyone makes a good parent or partner but there were points when even the common courtesy of decency wasn't represented.  It made me feel grateful for the relationships I have and reminded me that I need to make sure those people in my life are aware of that. 

Birds of a Lesser Paradise: Review by Barbara

    

     I love to read short stories and have many collections on my reading shelves. This author is very talented and I think if I had read the stories individually I would have enjoyed the book as a whole better than I did. I little too much animal stuff, sadness, broken families, babies as solutions, etc. all read in one huge reading binge. I did enjoy “The Urban Coop” and thought it very endearing how the street people were given celebrity names. I loved her relationship and kindness to them. I enjoyed the story of her dog Zydo 's rescue from the water and her guilt about leaving him in the boat. Another story I liked was “Saving Face”. Wow, couldn't you feel her insecurity about her fiance's love and also her devastating mistake as the vet working on a part wild dog? That's what I call WRITING!

~ Barbara

South of Broad: Review by Barbara

     I read this book a year or so ago and really loved reading it at the time. I tried to re-read, but just couldn't get into it again. I felt like I was ruining my initial enjoyment of the story or some weird feeling like that! I enjoy Conroy's writing and have read just about all of his books. THE GREAT SANTINI is my favorite, though.

~ Barbara