The main character of Thrity Umrigar's new novel, Everybody's Son, has a lot more than school to worry about during the heat wave of 1991. He just wants to survive the day. Anton Vesper is a 10 year old African American who lives in the projects with his drug addicted mother, Juanita. Determined to find drugs one day, Juanita locks Anton in their apartment--with the intent to return in an hour, and never returns. Day Seven--Anton has no food, electricity or lights. It's 95 degrees in his apartment when he finally shatters a window with a chair and escapes his prison. He's rescued by a policeman and taken to child services. Anton later becomes a foster child to a white privileged family--David and Delores Coleman --after Anton's mother is sent to prison. Because the Colemans have experienced a huge loss, they immediately fall in love with Anton and want to adopt him as their own. Desperate to keep Anton, David uses his political connections to make sure it happens. Anton grows up--becomes Harvard educated and is on his way up the political ladder when he receives a letter from his birth mother. Anton must come to grips with the truth about the family he loves as well as whom he has become while living in a white world. This exceptional book explores many issues--race, class, culture and privilege to name a few-- All of which are relevant in our world today. It's about 350 pages or a 4 mile run that will have you thinking long after the story is over.
Sunday, August 27, 2017
August 27, 2017 SUNDAY BLOODY SUNDAY
It's not really Sunday's fault. It just happens to be the day that signals the end of the weekend. We either go back to SCHOOL the next day--or we don't. Sunday is my FAVORITE day of the year when it signals summer vacation--AND THEN IT'S NOT--you get the picture. Had my last leisurely run of the summer this morning. Boy am I going to miss that--but it's all good. I have to remind myself that most people DON'T get summers off and be THANKFUL THAT I DO. One more day in DENIAL then I'll PLUNGE right in. That's generally how I operate. Tomorrow I'll actually string together entire sentences --AND MAKE SENSE. Not sure how that's going to happen--but it will. I'm a soldier--preparing for battle. I'll face parents, tired AND many times uninterested students--with STYLE. THAT'S WHAT I DO--I'm a teacher. Hopefully, my students will learn a lot--laugh a lot--and become more competent, compassionate people along the way. That's my prayer!
The main character of Thrity Umrigar's new novel, Everybody's Son, has a lot more than school to worry about during the heat wave of 1991. He just wants to survive the day. Anton Vesper is a 10 year old African American who lives in the projects with his drug addicted mother, Juanita. Determined to find drugs one day, Juanita locks Anton in their apartment--with the intent to return in an hour, and never returns. Day Seven--Anton has no food, electricity or lights. It's 95 degrees in his apartment when he finally shatters a window with a chair and escapes his prison. He's rescued by a policeman and taken to child services. Anton later becomes a foster child to a white privileged family--David and Delores Coleman --after Anton's mother is sent to prison. Because the Colemans have experienced a huge loss, they immediately fall in love with Anton and want to adopt him as their own. Desperate to keep Anton, David uses his political connections to make sure it happens. Anton grows up--becomes Harvard educated and is on his way up the political ladder when he receives a letter from his birth mother. Anton must come to grips with the truth about the family he loves as well as whom he has become while living in a white world. This exceptional book explores many issues--race, class, culture and privilege to name a few-- All of which are relevant in our world today. It's about 350 pages or a 4 mile run that will have you thinking long after the story is over.
The main character of Thrity Umrigar's new novel, Everybody's Son, has a lot more than school to worry about during the heat wave of 1991. He just wants to survive the day. Anton Vesper is a 10 year old African American who lives in the projects with his drug addicted mother, Juanita. Determined to find drugs one day, Juanita locks Anton in their apartment--with the intent to return in an hour, and never returns. Day Seven--Anton has no food, electricity or lights. It's 95 degrees in his apartment when he finally shatters a window with a chair and escapes his prison. He's rescued by a policeman and taken to child services. Anton later becomes a foster child to a white privileged family--David and Delores Coleman --after Anton's mother is sent to prison. Because the Colemans have experienced a huge loss, they immediately fall in love with Anton and want to adopt him as their own. Desperate to keep Anton, David uses his political connections to make sure it happens. Anton grows up--becomes Harvard educated and is on his way up the political ladder when he receives a letter from his birth mother. Anton must come to grips with the truth about the family he loves as well as whom he has become while living in a white world. This exceptional book explores many issues--race, class, culture and privilege to name a few-- All of which are relevant in our world today. It's about 350 pages or a 4 mile run that will have you thinking long after the story is over.
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