Month: December 2021

So today marks 10 years since we first began our library blog. I chose to re-read one of my favorite authors, Claire Mackintosh over the Christmas break. It’s been long enough that I had forgotten what happens. Pip and Max Adams’ 3 year old son Dylan has terminal brain cancer and is paralyzed from the neck down, on pain medication, with a very poor quality of life. His mother, Pip, wants to let him die, not wanting to prolong a life of suffering. His father, Max, has heard of proton beam therapy in Texas that could prolong Dylan’s life and possibly offer him more options. The hospital recommends palliative care until Dylan dies. So a court case ensues, and both sides of the argument are presented. It’s a good read — really makes you think about what you would do…

Mukesh Patel has lost his wife to cancer, and is understandably depressed. But when he decides to return a book his wife was reading to the local library, his life begins to change. With the help of a librarian, Aleisha, who finds a reading list someone has left behind, Mukesh slowly learns how to connect with his young granddaughter, and regain his joy at life. This novel was a wonderful read: it reinforces the power that libraries have to bring communities together, and also the immense power of the written word to change lives. It’s a keeper; every library should own a copy. Kudos to Sara Nisha Adams for a marvelous debut novel.