HIT: Portrait of our times

[Ed & Sue Everson <edevenso@BMTC.NET>]

Hi Group,
Thanks to all who responded to my query about a book that depicts a =
portrait of our times, you are a great help and I appreciate it.  =
Several people who responded asked for a HIT.  So here it is! =20

I read_The Hot Zone_ by Richard Preston last year.  For a scary picture
of a situation we could easily face,  it's one of the best books I've =
read.
I understand he has a new book out _The Cobra Event, about biological
warfare, I think.  And it's fiction.  I saw a snipit about it somewhere
on TV this week.  Sounded like something for this months headlines.

Having just finished Graced Land it pops to my mind as one novel which
gives a picture of our present time to me-- the courage of Joyce (or =
Rejoice),
the welefare mother who insists on keeping her self respect and the joy =
of
living,  and the growth of Emily, the young caseworker whose world is
turned upside down, is a great picture of our conflicts between =
comfortable
materialism, self righteous condemnation of people we don't understand,
and the power of love.  Of course, if she wants to sound bells of =
warning,
she could use Margaret Atwood's The Nun's Tale. (Or is it story?)   Of =
course, if she is applying to a fundamentalist religous college, neither =
of these suggestions would be first choice.

My son (now a Junior at Univ. of Florida) used the Dictionary as a book
that portrayed his age group.... all the words that are needed but not
in a story - just individual words that can be used in any number of
ways...you get the drift.

I'm not sure if something like this fits, but *She's Come Undone* by =
Wally
Lamb was a moving portrait of one invidivual in our times.  *A Yellow =
Raft
on Blue Water* by Michael Dorris is another excellent =
multi-generational,
ethnic book.  She may want to look at some other books that are on =
Oprah's list - she does have some wonderful, modern selections.  What =
about Maya Angelou?   Barbara Kingsolver (Bean Trees, etc.) is another =
great writer of modern literature.

You might have the student look at The Parable of the Sower by Octavia
Butler.  This is very dark literature which does not paint a very bright
picture of the future.  However, it is thought-provoking, and certainly =
some
aspects of the novel are present in our society.

How about the Richard Peck book that I love so much?  Unfortunately, I=20
can't think of the title right now.  Three kids, small town, suicide...

How about Bonfire of the Vanities?

Chocolate War by Cormier is anti-establishment
Fallen Angels by Myers - war is no joke! =20

How about something clearly NOT of out times, that reflects a deeper =
reality
that is present today; i.e. E L Doctorow's *Waterworks*?

Thanks again to all.
Sue Evenson, Librarian
Harrisburg High School
Harrisburg, SD=20
scevenso@sxfl.uswest.net

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