Christmas in Plains: Memories
2004
Weight: 5 oz
Method of Disposal: Donating
I am surprised so many people love this book! It is simple and uninspired. The effort to write about race could have been good, but it was so basic and unemotional that it bordered on being offensive. The picture that gets painted if of a nice, white, upper class guy who loves his wife, kids, and Jesus. He also loves his old home, Plains, and is nostalgic about the days of cutting down his own Christmas trees, playing with the black children he grew up with (partly kids of the parents that worked for his family), and good ol' traditional American Christian fun in a small town. He talks a little bit about being the President and that it was painful when he was not reelected. His joke about the world praying for him to have relief from his hemorrhoids fell flat, but I am glad he got relief. Strange bits like that really popped out of the idyllic world he was presenting, but there was nothing truly moving, sad, dark, or honest that came out. All joy, all the time. Even when surrounded by racist/sexist institutions he recognizes as such. At least he seems to know how lucky he was.
I like the Carters just fine, and I appreciate a lot of the good they have done in the world. I am just not a fan of this book.
2004
Weight: 5 oz
Method of Disposal: Donating
I am surprised so many people love this book! It is simple and uninspired. The effort to write about race could have been good, but it was so basic and unemotional that it bordered on being offensive. The picture that gets painted if of a nice, white, upper class guy who loves his wife, kids, and Jesus. He also loves his old home, Plains, and is nostalgic about the days of cutting down his own Christmas trees, playing with the black children he grew up with (partly kids of the parents that worked for his family), and good ol' traditional American Christian fun in a small town. He talks a little bit about being the President and that it was painful when he was not reelected. His joke about the world praying for him to have relief from his hemorrhoids fell flat, but I am glad he got relief. Strange bits like that really popped out of the idyllic world he was presenting, but there was nothing truly moving, sad, dark, or honest that came out. All joy, all the time. Even when surrounded by racist/sexist institutions he recognizes as such. At least he seems to know how lucky he was.
I like the Carters just fine, and I appreciate a lot of the good they have done in the world. I am just not a fan of this book.
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