Four Winds

 Four Winds by Kristin Hannah
2021
Weight: 1.62 lbs
Method of Disposal: Giving Away on a Buy Nothing Group

My grandmother gave me this book about a strong, though insecure woman who survives the Dust Bowl with her children and, at least partly, with her in-laws.  It was rough to watch the main character just get beaten down over and over and over and over again.  Sometimes the story seemed to move to fast and then slow down for a stretch before speeding up again.  It wasn't my favorite, but I was invested and interested. I do feel like I learned a little about the desperation of the time in history.  I cared more than I did in history class.

I am amused and horrified by how much some people have turned on the author and the anger they spew, claiming the novel is Communist propaganda.  Some things never change.

Heartland

Heartland: A Memoir of Working Hard and Being Broke in the Richest Country on Earth by Sarah Smarsh
2018
Weight: 16 oz
Method of Disposal: Leave in a Lending Library

I am shocked by how negative the negative reviewers of this book are when discussing it. People seem to lose sight of the fact that this is a real woman with a real family that she bravely shared with us. They express irritation with what they seem to think is her blaming the system for not taking care of her family. I really think these folks have missed a lot but, even if they were right, what’s with the vehemence?

I guess I should not dwell on that. It is really not the point, and the book was published to high acclaim. With such a bold title, of course it has attracted some loud naysayers. I felt drawn to the story, particularly the women in her family—their resilience and their strength. They have flaws, of course, but we all do and the less we have been able to trust those who say they love us the higher the walls can grow. One thing that rang loud and clear was how much pregnancy could change the trajectory of a young woman’s life and the impact of poverty on generations of people. 

While I was not, myself, overly keen on the author writing this novel to the baby the author never had, I also felt okay about it. That baby that never existed—that she ensured that she would not have—was clearly a big force in her life and a real reason for where she is currently at in life. It makes sense even if it does not speak to me.

I would recommend reading it.