Mastics-Moriches-Shirley Community Library Reader Advisory Blog: Overlooked Books of 2012 Part I

2012 was a great year for literature with many outstanding books and novels published. Some received tons of press; others didn't. To make sure you don't miss any of 2012's best books, the next 5 days will profile the most overlooked books of the year. What Happened To Sophie Wilder by Christopher Beha tells the story of Charlie Blakeman, an aspiring novelist who reunites with his old college girlfiriend, Sophie, who fills him in on the past ten years during which she cared for a dying man. Then Sophie abruptly disappears and Charlie sets off on a mission to find out exactly what happened to her. Don't let the title fool you. This is not a whodunit. Rather this whip-smart debut novel is a beautifully written tale of love, faith, and the redemptive power of storytelling.

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

Overlooked Books of 2012 Part I

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