Erik's One-Sentence Book Reviews/Ratings for March

Another month has concluded and I've enjoyed some interesting reading.  I've read Indonesian short stories, a Japanese mystery, a collection of poetry, an African-American novella from the 1920s, a guide to Islam, and a remarkable book about how the U.S. is really a society based on caste.

And something new of interest, starting this month!  I have joined forces with an amazing fellow book lover and we have created the world's smallest and most-elite reading group, the S & E Book Club. In the upcoming month, I will be reading a book she has suggested to me and she will read a book I've suggested to her.  And in the book review post for April, I'll let you know about the literary treasure she's directed my way and the impact it had on me.  It will be great fun to collaborate with an extraordinary fellow reader who holds new perspectives, and she might even agree to share her reviews here too, we shall see.

I read six books in March and here are my one-sentence reviews of each book and the rating scale I use.

*****        An extraordinary book: one of my Top 15 all-time favorites

****          An outstanding book: highly recommended

***            A good book: worth the read

**              An OK read, but you'd be better off finding something else

*                Not worth the read; avoid at all costs

Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents, by Isabel Wilkerson  (****)

An extraordinary book that argues we shouldn't view the U.S. through the prism of race, but of caste, as she demonstrates that the dysfunction in America springs from its harmful caste system that stigmatizes African Americans, very similar in nature to India's caste system which oppresses the Dalits, and the Nazi German caste system which led to the effort to exterminate the Jewish population. 

Passing, by Nella Larsen (*** 1/2)--can be purchased for under $1 on Apple Books and is available at almost zero cost through other E-book sources

This perceptive and dramatic novella, written in the 1920s, is an interesting exploration of the troubles that the concept of race can cause as it traces the lives of two African-American women--one who tries to live as a black person and the one who is fair-skinned who attempts to pass as white--and the tragic consequences that inevitably unfold.

Fireflies in Manhattan, by Umar Kayam (*** 1/2)

An excellent collection of short stories from the 1960s through 1980s, written by one of Indonesia's most distinguished literary figures, is highlighted by three stories that note the tragic human cost of the political turmoil in Indonesia during the mid-1960s. 

Understanding Islam/The Muslim Family/Islam and World Peace, by T.J. Winter and John Williams (****  if you are a non-Muslim reader, ** for Muslim readers; overall rating is, therefore, ***)

This slim volume contains three micro-books which provide a basic understanding of Islam which should be required reading for all woefully-oblivious North American non-Muslims, but might prove a bit elementary for most Muslim readers--the dozens of beautiful photos of Muslims from all over the world practicing their faith will be enjoyed by everyone regardless of religious preference.

A Man Bathing & Other Poems, by Hanna Francisca (***)

This collection by an emerging Indonesian poet, on the surface, is a treasure of verse about food and cooking, but closer examination unveils a world of death and injustice: for example, The Papaya Tree features overripe papayas as a metaphor for the young Chinese girls and women who have been raped during anti-Chinese uprisings.  

The Honjin Murders, by Seishi Yokomizo (** 1/2)

Written in 1947, by the "Agatha Christie of Japanese Mystery Writing," this complicated mystery will puzzle even the most intrepid mystery fan, but might be a bit convoluted for the casual reader and the cultural realities of Japan at that time might unsettle modern readers as well.

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Speaking of convoluted, some of my reviews may seem to stretch the boundaries of a sentence, but they are all technically one sentence, despite their elaborate construction.

One other thing to point out--the book Caste is being attacked by right-wing Republicans and neo-fascists and has been banned in some places as part of the ridiculous "Anti-Critical Race Theory" nonsense being advanced in the U.S. today.  If you are an American, you must stand up against all efforts against banning books like Caste that point out the evils that have been perpetrated against minority groups in our society.  If you do nothing, these neo-fascists will win and you might not be able to read any books, in the near future, that are contrary to these MAGA snowflakes' insidious beliefs.  Books are still incredibly important and we all must stand up for them because knowledge is essential to democracy--and when books are banned, soon democracies perish.

Enough of that lecture.  All I can say now is: read, read, read!!!