Mastics-Moriches-Shirley Community Library Reader Advisory Blog: WWII Time-Travel Story Wins Nebula Award

In February, this blog announced the list of 2011 Nebula nominees for best novel. Now, the winner has finally been chosen: Connie Willis for Blackout its companion volume, All Clear. The books tell the story of three time-travelling historians from 2060 who become trapped in World War II, with dire consequences. These accessible titles will appeal not only to science fiction readers, but also to fans of historical fiction/alternate history and to people who enjoy books like The Time Traveller's Wife.

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

WWII Time-Travel Story Wins Nebula Award

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