read’em + The Time Keeper Mitch Albom
weep BY AMAL CHAABAN
Why you should read this book
You shouldn’t unless you’re an Albom fan
Lovers of Mitch Albom’s work were very happy when the Time Keeper hit bookshelves earlier this year. Similar to his other work, there are the familiar markings of faith, power of sorts, and of course, questions which may not have answers. That is precisely what makes this book so unremarkable and so repetitive. Our story is about Dor (aka Father Time), a man who lives in the time of the Tower of Babel and what happens when he becomes interested in marking what we now know as time.
This is where Albom’s whole story basically falls apart. The characters (Nim, Alli, and Dor), who are supposed to be best friends and later husband and wife in the case of Alli and Dor, are cardboard; even Dor, who is the “hero”, is poorly fleshed out. The character’s relationships read as tenuous at best and that lack of character development only continues through as we read what are supposed to be particularly emotional scenes in the book. This is a book specifically for lovers of this author’s work.
Uprising Douglas L. Bland
Why you should read this book
One charismatic voice can rally even the most downtrodden The year 2012 was rightly called the year of the uprising by many: the Arab Spring continued, people around the world protested loudly at their governments, and the #IdleNoMore movement kicked off. It’s this last thing that distinguishes this book as such an important (and slightly terrifying) read. The story takes place in Canada and discusses what happens when a charismatic leader starts a First Nations uprising (for those who don’t know, the
First Nations are the indigenous people of Canada) and what the consequences of that uprising could be. Bland, a retired Canadian Army Lieutenant Colonel, sets the Idle No More stage for this novel, basically what we are seeing happen in the real world today. His characters are quintessentially Canadian, right down to their reaction to the initial protests. Well written with no weak points in the plot, this is a fast paced, tightly-written book. Great read politics aside.
Me Before You Jojo Moyes Why you should read this book
Life is what we make it, no matter how clichéd that sounds
When Louisa Clark loses her job, she is forced into a new position that takes her to places she never dreamed of. Will Traynor is a quadriplegic from a freak accident and he wants to die. Louisa is first hired to be his companion, not knowing that the family has their hopes pinned on her to make him want to live. Once Louisa discovers this, she is determined to change his mind. I won’t spoil the read by telling you what happens. I will however tell you that Jojo Moyes has written a book that cuts right to
the heart of one of the most contentious debates in our time: the right to die. She has written a book that takes all of the politics and religious rhetoric out and leaves all of the humanity behind those who make these decisions (and their families) in. It discusses the laws and the controversy without melodrama and really breaks it down to the most basic element: who has the right to decide how you live or die? This is an excellent read all the way through that will provoke all sorts of emotions.
Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness Susannah Cahalan
Why you should read this book
For all that we think we know about the brain, we really don’t Award winning journalist Susannah Cahalan had it all: a wonderful job at the Post, a great boyfriend, and a life in New York City. When she wakes one morning with what she thinks are bedbug bites, it only occurs to her to call the exterminator. In the interim, her behaviour is becoming extremely erratic, bordering on and resembling a mental illness. When she has a seizure one evening, things rapidly go downhill and she begins a journey that no one wants to take. She is hospitalized where a myriad of tests MARCH 2013
are done, only to come back negative. On the verge of being committed to a psychiatric ward for her hallucinations, violent outbursts, and paranoia, she finally has a spinal tap which shows that something is seriously wrong. After 28 days of sheer hell, at a point where almost everything is exhausted, there is a light at the end of a very long tunnel. This book demonstrates how little we know about how the brain actually works. This is the must read book for people who love science when applied to humanity. www.ragmag.co | R A G M A G | 133