Monday, July 27, 2015

All the Light We Cannot See, by Anthony Doerr, is a great book, because it describes a hideous time of life for the world, in the terms of two individual adolescents, with very different perspectives.  Although it is a painful book to read at times, it is true that the reader is left with some sense of hope for humanity, however dim at times that might be.


Because I read this book set in WWII, after recently having read A God In Ruins, by Kate Atkinson, I'm taking a break from this subject, while earnestly praying for peace.  Atkinson's book was also good to read for the amount of resolution it provides in the conclusion for the endeavor of writing about WWII, a horrible challenge for anyone.


So with the promise of hope, I've also been reading about neuroplasticity.  Bound and determined to stay healthy, I'll admit that I'm charmed by this premise.  Perhaps as an individual person I can rewire my brain around hard subjects, guided by great novelists and artists who can find the beauty in what may not be easily seen.


And, yes, I'm learning the skill of taking breaks from books, without actually forgetting necessary details for comprehension.  Of course, my break from War and Peace went on for way too long, and maybe I'm not the only one currently rewiring.