A Death of No Importance

 

A Death of No Importance

Mariah Fredericks

Meira.Elena

Ages: 14+

Lexile: 1000L-1200L

Journey to New York City, in 1910, to the scene of a gruesome murder with all too many probably suspects. Jane Prescott, maid to the Benchley sisters, must put together the clues and solve the murder to protect the innocent- but who is innocent? And can innocence be easily defined? Written with stunning details, engaging language, and well-developed characters, Mariah Frederick’s novel will grab and hold your attention from the very first chapter!

 

Jane Prescott works for Charlotte and Louise Benchley—newcomers to New York City’s high society. With her charges at the center of a scandal, and with everyone out to fulfill their own agendas, Jane Prescott must become a detective herself, to solve such a conspicuous murder before the wrong party takes the fall. With an engaging Irish reporter, new discoveries in the science of crime, and rising tensions between the anarchists fighting for worker’s rights and unions and the upper class men and women determined to retain their positions in the human hierarchy, Jane Prescott doesn’t have much time or support. But then again, what lady’s maid ever succeeded at the first signs of hardship?

I read this book in one afternoon, it was delicious! While I suspected the murderer, I did not know for certain until they were revealed, just as it should be in a well-written mystery novel! Prescott’s character was engagingly imperfect, and Fredericks wove issues of worker’s rights, women’s rights, child labor, sexual assault, and class differences into the story with both grace and honesty. And as other reviews have said, you will truly feel as though you have stepped into 1910s America.

          Today, this book reminds us that not all cases are cut and dry; not all villains are truly evil; and life is not black and white. There are nuances and circumstances that make judgment difficult, and there are rarely easy answers. Definitely a book that is relevant to today.

I would recommend this book to anyone who loves mysteries, histories, and well-written characters.

Becoming

 

Becoming

Michelle Obama

Meira.Elena

Ages: 14+

Lexile: 1170L

 

Written by former First Lady Michelle Obama, Becoming is her journey to who she was, who she is, and who she may one day be. Obama tells her audience about her childhood; the struggles she faced in college and at her first job; falling in love and starting a family; and the realities of being the spouse of a politician and President of the United States. Obama’s honest and accessible prose invites readers to think about their own journeys and encourages them to become.

 

Growing up in the South Side of Chicago, Obama was surrounded by love, music, and encouragement, but also by disparities and inequities. She explains the differences and similarities she witnessed among her neighborhood, her family, her classmates, and her teachers. She goes on to explain how spite—against a school guidance counselor who told her she couldn’t—got her first into Princeton and later into Harvard. Obama honestly writes how she struggled to find a career that would support her and her family while also leaving her feel fulfilled and able to make a positive change in the world. She explains her distaste of politics and the sacrifices her family made in order to support her husband as first a state Senator and later as the President. Finally, she tells her journey—from the wife of a Senator to the wife of a President to an active, powerful First Lady, eager to use her position to better the lives of others.

Obama created programs, such as Lets Move!, which supported student physical activity and healthy exercise. She created the Reach Higher program, to encourage students from low-income, high-risk areas to use their education to push themselves further towards success. Obama started the Let Girls Learn program to support girls across the world get access to education. Finally, Obama and Jill Biden, wife of former Vice President Joe Biden, created the Joining Forces program, to support military veterans and spouses.

I read this book because I only knew Michelle Obama as the wife of Barack Obama, and I wanted to know her as an independent person. This was a fantastic book! The writing style was engaging and accessible; her story was honest and thought-provoking; and the way she told her story allowed her to connect to readers of all ages and backgrounds. Truly a well-written book for all!

          In today’s world—amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, a countdown to the next election, and an unknown future for thousands of Americans—Michelle Obama’s novel inspires hope in both the American democracy and, more importantly, in her people. Obama recalls those who fought for change and succeeded with the support of others. She epitomizes her own phrase “When they go low, you go high”, focusing on all the positives this country has to give.

        I recommend this novel to everyone. To high school readers heading off to college; to college readers looking for their first job; to new parents and older ones; to newly weds and those who are single. I recommend this book to readers across the world, as an example of how to remain strong, graceful, and dignified in the face of international scrutiny and judgment.

Eviction: Poverty and Profit in the American City

Matthew Desmond

Meira.Elena

Ages: College+

Lexile: 1010L-1200L

 

In Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City, American sociologist Matthew Desmond follows eight families living in Milwaukee, Wisconsin as they face the challenges of living in poverty in the early 21^st century. A fascinating dive into one of today’s most prevalent challenges, Desmond reveals the truth of poverty and the economic exploitation of those living in poverty, making their experiences understandable and accessible to a more privileged audience. It’s no wonder this book won a Pulitzer!

 

Desmond follows eight families: Arleen and her two boys; Lamar and his boys; Larraine; Pam and Ned; the Hinkstons; Scott and Teddy; Sherena and Quentin; and Crystal. Each family has their own definition of family, their own challenges and histories, their own hopes and dreams. What all these families have in common is their poverty—their struggle to put food on the table, pay the rent, find good jobs, and maintain stable homes for their children to grow and develop. Each chapter reads like a narrative, with invigorating sociological research to provide context to each character’s story.

This is one of the most important books I have ever read. I was ashamed and astonished at how little I understood poverty and the daily struggles those living in poverty must deal with. The very fact that these people can’t trust their landlords, social workers, bosses, extended families, or even churches to support them as human beings reveals the true isolation they face even as they are surrounded by a city facing the same struggles they do. Well-written, educational, enticing, and emotional, this novel is fantastic and a must-read for everyone!

          In today’s society, as we bandy back-and-forth terms like “privilege”, “poverty”, “wage-gap”, “minimum wage” and “poverty line”, it is even more vital for those of us who are fortunate enough to live in economic security to take the time to step into the shoes of those without our stability and understand exactly what they need to survive and what we need to do and change to make that happen.

I recommend this novel for everyone, but especially those going into politics, policymaking, social work, education, sociology, and anthropology. This book will change the way you view America!