Doubleday | Book Chatter

James
By Percival Everett
Double Day Books, 9780385550369, March 2024, 320 pp.

The Short of It:

Nothing short of remarkable.

The Rest of It:

Have you read The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn? I ask because James is a re-imagined Huck Finn but from Jim’s point of view. While I was reading this, I was surprised at how many people I know who have not read Finn, so let’s begin there.

In the The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Huck flees from his abusive father with a slave named Jim. The two run for their lives, loot for what they can and have “adventures” on the river. Jim and Huck are very close which is unique in that a young white boy’s attachment to a black slave does raise eyebrows.

In James, Jim is the one fleeing because he desperately wants freedom and his entire goal is getting his wife and daughter out of slavery. But Huck is not having it. He finds himself by Jim’s side. They fish for their food, steal boats and canoes as needed and head down the river hoping to hit a free state, whatever that means. But a white boy and a black man cannot easily navigate those waters without raising suspicion.

Things happen. Crimes are committed.

As they continue their journey, the bond between the two strengthens and often these moments are beautifully shared. Huck is a smart boy, and he loves Jim. Everything he does is out of respect for Jim. The threats they encounter along the way highlight the difficulties that such a relationship brings.

Everett is a wonderful storyteller. I first read Telephone for book club a few months back and it was a very unique story. After that discussion I knew I would read him again and sure enough, James was chosen for this month’s club discussion. We met the other night to discuss it and it was a very good discussion.

Highly recommend.

Source: Borrowed
Disclosure: This post contains Indiebound affiliate links.

Lessons in Chemistry
By Bonnie Garmus
Doubleday, 9780385547345, April 5, 2022, 400pp.

The Short of It:

Pure fun with a little bit of science and feminism.

The Rest of It:

Elizabeth Zott is a chemist. In the 60s. She is brilliant, but pegged as “difficult”. Her discoveries are impressive but not to her peers. Her male peers consider her to be more of a lab tech than a ground-breaking scientist. When she uncovers something big, her male boss takes credit for it. None of this is new to Zott. It began in school and unfortunately affected the job offers she received. This is how she ends up at Hastings, a research institute run by a total tool.

It is at Hastings that she meets Calvin. Calvin, is a well-known scientist and a hot commodity for Hastings. He could have worked anywhere but chose Hastings for its mild climate. You see, he is also a rower so good weather year-round was a plus even though he could have gone anywhere.

Lessons in Chemistry surprised me. From the cover, I had ZERO interest in reading it. It looked like one of those fluffy romance reads. But then I read an article that praised it on many levels. And then my book club selected it for this month’s pick. So, not only did I find a copy, I BOUGHT a copy. Something I rarely do. It surprised me in many ways:

It’s full of science but masked as cooking tips
Zott is difficult, but in a very likable way
There is an adorable dog
Yes, there is romance but not fluffy, silly stuff
There are highs and lows. Not all happy stuff
It does illustrate the difficulties that women faced in that decade

This is one of those feel-good reads. It will be on my fave list at the end of the year because it includes love, loss, overwhelming challenges, and in my opinion, some really great characters. However, with all that good, it was predictable, which is why this is a four star read for me. It’s predictability did not affect my enjoyment while reading it though. I eagerly looked forward to it every time I picked it up.

If you passed this one over due it its cover alone, give it a go.

Source: Purchased
Disclosure: This post contains Indiebound affiliate links.

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