June 17, 2026 LIVING IN AMERICA

Currently recovering from bike accident number 3. YUP. Think I'd be a bit leery--since I've gone flying over a couple of cars in my younger days?? Crazy. This wasn't your typical bike accident though. I wasn't technically riding at the time. Somehow a calamity of tiny missteps happened and WHAM--I'm face first on the cement--4 stitches, a black eye, slammed  jaw, teeth out of whack--could barely chew for a week. Did I mention the sprained fingers and a bad knee. IT COULD HAVE BEEN A LOT WORSE. The only thing more frightening than the accident was the 7 hours spent in the hallway at the emergency room. Talk about CRAZY. We were  packed in there like sardines. Bless those ER workers. That is one job that is literally INSANE. Reminded me of the old days back at the court house. Talk about PTSD. I've plowed through many books during my convalescence but one that really sticks with me is Good People by Patmeena Sabit. This debut novel is pretty amazing as it is set up as a series of interviews of friends, family, neighbors, teachers, store keepers-- regarding the Sharaf family after a tragic event.  Rahmat Sharaf, wife Maryam, and their three children left Afghanistan and moved to Northern Virginia in order to escape the war. They come with nothing but after Rahmat finds success, the family lives the American dream--moving to a mansion, private schools for the kids, luxury cars. Money is no object. Cultural differences, however, plague them,  especially when their daughter, Zorah tries to behave more American. The reader only learns about the family and their lives through the interviews as we all become investigators trying to unravel the story. What is interesting is that each interview paints a different picture of the family. Who do we believe? Who really knows? This thought provoking book makes you wonder---how many people make judgements about people based on conversations, social media, stereotypes, cultural differences? How easily are we all manipulated? Find out more about the Sharaf family and judge for yourself what really happened.