Mastics-Moriches-Shirley Community Library Reader Advisory Blog: June's Book Discussion Announced

House of Sand and Fog by Andre Dubus is the June Book Discussion selection!

Is the American dream open to everyone? Massoud Amir Behrani, a former colonel in the Iranian military under the Shah, yearns to find his place in America. He buys a house at an auction – a house that he discovers comes with a recovering alcoholic and addict who says the house is hers. Who will win the battle?

All are welcome to attend the book discussion on Tuesday, June 17 at 2pm. To register click here (or click on the the book discussion box at the top of this blog.)

Copies of House of Sand and Fog are available at the Circulation Desk. Stop by today to pick one up.

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

June's Book Discussion Announced

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