Mastics-Moriches-Shirley Community Library Reader Advisory Blog: Fresh Look at The Irish Potato Famine

In The Graves Are Walking: The Great Famine and Saga of the Irish People, John Kelly delivers a fresh narrative account of Ireland between 1845 and 1852. Though there have been worse famines statistics wise, the Irish Potato Famine remains the worst in history in terms of percentage of population killed. This well researched book delves into not only the causes of the famine and the politics behind the governments response but also covers the emigration experience. This is a must read for anyone interested in Irish history and readers who enjoy non fiction in general will enjoy Kelly's storytelling as well.

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

Fresh Look at The Irish Potato Famine

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