Mastics-Moriches-Shirley Community Library Reader Advisory Blog: Debut Novel: In the Shadow of the Banyan

Vaddey Ratner's searing debut novel is based on her own personal story. In the Shadow of the Banyan is the story of a young girl coming of age among the killing fields of Cambodia. Seven year old Raami's childhood of privilege dissolves into chaos when civil war comes to the streets of Cambodia's capital, Phnom Penh. At first, Raami's family believes the new government will stem the tide of injustice but they quickly realize the true nature of the Khmer Rouge and must flee to the countryside. One terrible event follows another but ultimately Raami's resilience helps her survive.

Being Mortal by Atul Gawande

Genre: Adult Non-Fiction
Rating: 5 out of 5

"Being Mortal is about the limitations of what modern medicine can provide for people as their lives draw to a close. Gawande argues that the objective of medicine should not merely be treatment and survival; medical care should also ensure dignity in death and having control over one's final moments. He argues that instead of aggressively fighting the inescapable realities of aging, we should ask the hard questions of ourselves and our loved ones -- What makes life worth living? When should we try to extend our lives, and when should we choose a better quality of our remaining days over extending their quantity?

This book is difficult to read. Not because of the way Gawande writes -- his style is highly engaging, and he never lapses into excessively scientific jargon or overly simplistic explanations -- but because of the tough subject matter. Gawande draws on his own experiences as a doctor and peppers his book with honest and humane stories of his patients, friends, and family; the stories he tells make the book more accessible, and also more heartbreaking. (And that's not a bad thing.)

No one likes to think about their loved ones', or their own, impending mortality. But it's important to have these hard conversations, because as Gawande says, "endings matter." - Amanda

Debut Novel: In the Shadow of the Banyan

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