Item Type: Appointment
Start Date: 01/02/2003 08:00 pm Eastern Standard Time (Thursday)
Duration: 1 Hour
Continental Drift by Russell Banks
I'm not sure teenagers would understand "Contintental Drift." I may
remove it from our collection. The protaginist is in his 30's, far too
young for our readers to identify with.
On the other hand, “The Sweet Hereafter” by Russell Banks was an
incredible story. Banks catches small-town America and throws it in your
face. Here it is! It’s real! And I agree!
“Continental Drift” is similar in its depiction of small-town and
small-time America. Maybe I felt too close. What have I accomplished, a
small-town American boy? I’m only a librarian. My siblings are
multi-millionaires.
A man dreams of a better life, better than his wife and family, mortgage
and boat, girlfriend on the side, and a consistent paycheck. Stuck in a
small town in New England destined to repeat the life of his forebears,
he decides to strike out. To Florida! Where his brother is ringing the
brass ring in central Florida real estate—to his friend from high school
who doesn’t have a care in the world in the Florida Keys, running drugs
on the side.
As the story develops we find a group of Haitians seeking a better life
in Florida, risking their lives by boat to Miami. Their lives are
intertwined with Bob DuBois, a simple oil heater repairman from the
North, who also happens to operate a boat that can take them to the
promised land.
It comes to a bitter end for most. That brass ring has strings attached,
the brother is dead, and the friend is imprisoned. Most of the Haitians
are drowned at sea. And what about Bob DuBois, and his family? What is
their end?
Ouch! This one has a particular resonance with me as I work with so many
Haitian students. What are their stories? I can’t even become to know.
Read it and weep.
Adam
Adam Janowski
Library Media Specialist
Naples High School
1100 Golden Eagle Circle
Naples, FL 34102
E-mail: NHSWebmaster@collier.k12.fl.us
Phone: 239-430-6644 Ext. 390
Fax: 239-430-6673
Library web site: http://collier.k12.fl.us/nhs/lmc/
School web site: http://collier.k12.fl.us/nhs/
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