In this short memoir chronicling the author’s own bout with depression, Styron gives us a glimpse of the pain and madness of the disease. Styron not only provides us with details of his own illness, but also expounds on the suicides and/or depression of other authors. He also gives guidelines and suggestions for action to those who have a loved one suffering with the disease.
Styron was the author of Sophie’s Choice and the Pulitzer Prize winning The Confessions of Nat Turner. He died in 2006 at the age of 81 from pneumonia.
Thanks, Joy, for hosting this again! Last year after the challenge, I won The Only Road North from Joy, and I just finished it last month. Thanks for that, too; it was an excellent book!
I usually have to be forced to read non-fiction these days, so this challenge will be good for me. I’ll pick 5 from the following, making sure I have at least one that’s not a memoir:
Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi (graphic novel memoir)
Persepolis 2 by Marjane Satrapi (graphic novel memoir)
The Only Road Northby Erik Mirandette is a story of brotherly love — between actual brothers and also between the Mirandettes and their fellow ‘brothers’ in need. Erik Mirandette was attending the Air Force Academy when he decided to take a two year break to focus on humanitarian efforts in Morocco. After being instrumental in bringing food and medicine to refugees in that country, he decided to take one last trek through Africa beginning in South Africa and working his way north to Cairo. His brother Alex, along with two friends, Kris and Mike, were in on the once-in-a-lifetime trip. After getting through numerous dangers and threats along the way, terror strikes them in Cairo when a suicide bomber attacks. Will Erik keep his faith and trust in God, even when the unthinkable happens?
This was a moving and sad story, but it was also full of hope. Thanks, Joy, for introducing it to me!
2007, 300 pp.
Rating: 4.5
It is almost always easier to learn about history through historical fiction or current world events through memoirs, and this book is no exception. Daoud Hari gives us a harrowing account of his experiences translating for various media outlets in the Darfur region. The violence in Darfur, especially toward women and children, is unspeakable. Though not overly graphic, it is still difficult to read in spots.
Similar to the plight of the Kurds, the people of Darfur have had their lives shattered due to boundaries set by people not of their region. This brief, engaging book will not only enlighten you to the situation in Darfur, but will also make you question the wisdom of meddling in other countries’ affairs at all.
a) What issues/topic interests you most–non-fiction, i.e, cooking, knitting, stitching, there are infinite topics that has nothing to do with novels? Christianity, history, computer programming, and science.
b) Would you like to review books concerning those? Not really, though I did review a few last year. I much prefer fiction.
c) Would you like to be paid or do it as interest or hobby? Tell reasons for what ever you choose. I’m not a good enough reviewer to be paid, but no, I wouldn’t be interested at this time of my life anyway. I have too many other commitments.
d) Would you recommend those to your friends and how? Yes, with caution. Only if I know someone is interested in those topics.
e) If you have already done something like this, link it to your post. My best non-fiction titles from last year were the following:
1. Wild Swans ****1/2 by Jung Chang (2007 #1 Best Non-Fiction)
2. The Bookseller of Kabul **** by Seierstad (2007 #2 Best Non-Fiction)
f) Please don’t forget to link to whoever tags you. I linked to the two people who tagged me above.
If you haven’t done this meme yet and want to, consider yourself tagged!
I don’t plan on reading any more non-fiction titles this year either, so here’s how I would rank the measly 7! titles I read. Wild Swans also made my Best of 2007 list, and it was easily the best of the bunch. I don’t know if I should increase my non-fiction reading percentage next year or not. If I do, it will probably still be no more than 10% (as opposed to 6-7%) of my reading.
Darkness Visible
The Only Road North by Erik Mirandette is a story of brotherly love — between actual brothers and also between the Mirandettes and their fellow ‘brothers’ in need. Erik Mirandette was attending the Air Force Academy when he decided to take a two year break to focus on humanitarian efforts in Morocco. After being instrumental in bringing food and medicine to refugees in that country, he decided to take one last trek through Africa beginning in South Africa and working his way north to Cairo. His brother Alex, along with two friends, Kris and Mike, were in on the once-in-a-lifetime trip. After getting through numerous dangers and threats along the way, terror strikes them in Cairo when a suicide bomber attacks. Will Erik keep his faith and trust in God, even when the unthinkable happens?
