"You Don't Look Like Anyone I Know"

You Don't Look  Like Anyone I Know by Heather Sellers

This is Heather Sellers' true story of growing up with prosopagnosia, or face blindness, a rare neurological condition that keeps her from recognizing faces. It's a difficult condition to explain to people because it isn't consistent; she may or may not recognize a face at any given time. She knew growing up that something was wrong, but didn't get an actual diagnosis until well into adulthood.

She describes it as taking a handful of stones, naming them, throwing them back among the thousands of other stones on a beach and trying to pick them out again. We'd never be able to distinguish one from the other. She says: "For face-blind people, a given human face looks more or less like all other human faces. They aren't able to organize fine distinctions in mouths, noses, cheekbones, eyes. The special processor, the face processor, isn't installed."

She wondered all her life if she was mentally ill but finally got a true diagnosis when she contacted researchers at Harvard and was invited to take part in trials. MRI scans of her brain while doing recognition exercises showed the areas of her brain that weren't functioning normally and resulted in the prosopagnosia diagnosis.

Since learning the truth about her condition she's done television interviews, met others with the same illness and written this book to help other sufferers. In the afterword she says: "I hope that, at least in some small way, this story will help steer others toward clarity, and toward love, in spite of the greatest odds."

Even without the aspect of face blindness Ms. Sellers' story is quite remarkable. She spent her teen years moving back and forth between her separated parents, her father an alcoholic and her mother a paranoid schizophrenic. It's a wonder she survived at all; it's amazing that she grew up, got an eduction and is now a successful university professor and authour. It's also refreshing that, in this day of blaming our parents for everything, she isn't angry or resentful toward hers, but loves them and is grateful for having them.

If you enjoy memoirs, don't miss this one. I think it will stay with you for a long time.

"The Return Of The Prodigal Son"

The Return of the Prodigal Son by Henry Nouwen

Henri Nouwen (1932-1996) was a Catholic priest and authour of several books, including The Wounded Healer, In the Name Of Jesus, and The Way Of The Heart. He taught at Yale and Harvard, then worked with the mentally challenged at L'Arche in Toronto, where he saw a poster of the Rembrandt painting that lends it's name to this book.

He was so moved by the painted figures and the emotions they expressed that he traveled to St. Petersburg, Russia to see the original. Seeing things in it that he hadn't fully considered before led him into a lengthy study of the biblical story that inspired the painting, and what he learned he shares with us in this book.

This is not a book one can simply read and set aside - it demands more from the reader. It forces an inward examination, asking questions that will not be left unanswered. It will make you uncomfortable, but it will comfort you as well. Perhaps it's not so much a book, as it is an experience.

Nouwen gives thoughtful consideration to the three main characters in the painting - the prodigal son, the elder son and then the father - looking at each one's part in the story and how each person relates to the others. It's a very personal journey for Nouwen and is sure to affect each reader differently, but I will say that I saw something of myself (most of it not attractive) in all three of the primary characters and I'm aware that this is just the beginning. I read a borrowed copy, but I've ordered one of my own and hope to re-read it every year during Lent. There is so much in this book that is good and the author has a beautifully humble way of sharing it.

Three of my favourite passages:

"Leaving home is living as though I do not yet have a home and must look far and wide to find one."

"As the Beloved I can confront, console, admonish, and encourage without fear of rejection or need for affirmation....and receive praise without using it as proof of my goodness."

"I leave home every time I lose faith in the voice that calls me the Beloved and follow the voices that offer a great variety of ways to win the love I so much desire."

"The Return Of The Prodigal Son" is a good book, well worth reading, and then reading again.

Book Blogger Hop

 

March 22 - March 28

Hosted by Coffee Addicted Writer

This week's question is:

 What are the top five books you would grab in an emergency?

My answer:

Five? Just five??!!

1. My Bible

2. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (I'm not cheating, it's in one volume)

3. The Complete Works of Shakespeare

4. Emily Dickinson's poems

5. The Singer Trilogy by Calvin Miller (again, one volume)

That's five, but I wouldn't be very happy without Lewis, Austen and Hemingway. This question made me panic just thinking about it. And now I feel bad about all the authours I claim to love but left behind.

"The Monctons"

The Monctons by Susanna Moodie

Finding this novel available as a free e-book was a surprise after trying, and failing, to find a print copy for several years. I live in a Canadian city named after the Moncton family; it's a name you don't come across often so I was interested in seeing what this book had to say. It's fiction, but still I was hoping there might be a tidbit or two of factual information. It wasn't that kind of novel though, not what I'd call "historical fiction" in the usual sense of the term. The story is set at a particular time in history, but is not about that era. It's completely about relationships within the Moncton family: who cheated who, who lied, who kept secrets and who tried to swindle who out of their rightful inheritance.

It's not a great book, but I found myself interested in the characters and all the intricacies of their relationships - and intricate it was indeed. I got lost amid the brothers, cousins and all their various connections, finally making sense of it all by making a list of names and how they related to each other. Once I could see it laid out it was much easier to follow.

The story centers around Geoffrey Moncton, poor relation of Robert Moncton who takes Geoffrey into his law firm to learn the business. Robert's cousin, Alexander Moncton, holds the title of Baronet and is master of the Moncton estate but has no heir to follow him. Robert has hopes for his own son, the obnoxious, insufferable Theophilus ("as ferocious and hard a human biped as ever disgraced the name of man"), and the lengths to which he will go to make sure his son receives the inheritance are mind-boggling. 

This style of mystery writing serves up a little more melodrama than I like, but on the other hand there was an inspiring nobility in some of the characters that very much appealed to me. I enjoy books that give me someone to look up to and leave me wanting to be a better person. As usual in this type of novel everything is clearly black and white, with no grey areas between good and evil; it's not always realistic but it is the genre. The opening lines of the book suggest the struggle between right and wrong that is about to unfold:

"There was a time - a good old time - when men of rank and fortune were not ashamed of their poor relations; affording the protection of their name and influence to the lower shoots of the great family tree, which, springing from the same root, expected to derive support and nourishment from the main stem.....That time is well-nigh gone forever.."

If I had to slot this novel into a specific genre it would be Victorian mystery, but there are a couple of romantic story lines as well. They are every bit as complicated as the plot of the mystery is, but, then, there's that dependable Victorian ending where all things get sorted out and the future looks bright, at least for those who deserve it.

All in all it was a pretty good read. If you enjoy Victorian style mysteries generally, you'd probably like this one too. The plot could have been laid out with more clarity, and a character or two less might have helped, but there's a wholesomeness to this story that makes it worth reading.  You can't help liking sentiments like this final quote I'll leave with you:

"Nature has always such an exhilarating effect upon my mind that I can hardly feel miserable while the sun shines."

"A Brief History Of Time"

A Brief History Of Time by Stephen Hawking

I have an interest in theoretical physics, but it's a regular person's interest. I like reading about black holes and event horizons and I like science fiction shows that play around with those concepts. I was well aware that Stephen Hawking is far out of my league, but I had read that he wrote this for non-scientists and such so I thought I'd give it a shot.

I had some specific things in mind before I started. I wanted a better understanding of black holes, Einstein's theory of relativity and quantum mechanics. And I wanted to know what the heck quarks are. I came away from the book satisfied that I'd gotten what I came for but wishing I'd been able to understand more of it. I got lost in his explanations a number of times and had to keep referring back to what I'd learned in previous chapters.

The writing itself wasn't difficult to read, it was the subject matter than got a bit beyond me. He writes clearly and in a reader-friendly style. He makes a few personal references that make the book even more interesting; his life is as fascinating to me as the science he writes about. He has lived with enormous physical challenges but hasn't let them limit him in his chosen work. The man is an inspiration.

I've just read a review of Bill Bryson's "A Short History of Nearly Everything" at deadwhiteguyslit that sounds like it tackles the same topics. I'm hoping it might be a little bit easier to read, but that's not a deal breaker and I realize that the subject may too complicated to be written about simply. I hope to get a copy and read it before what I got from this one evaporates in my brain cells.

I do recommend this book for anyone interested in the topic. It took effort to read, but there's nothing wrong with a bit of mental exercise, and in the end I liked it a lot. If you read it I'd like to hear what you think so do come back and comment. 

Book Blogger Hop March 15-21

The Book Blogger Hop is now being hosted by Coffee Addicted Writer, whose question this week is:

"Time to take a seat on the director's chair! If you could turn one of your favorite books into a film, who would you cast?"

I think "The Cellist of Sarajevo" would make a phenomenal movie. When I read it I pictured Stellan Skarsgard as Dragan and Donald Sutherland (with long-ish hair) as the cellist. I think Shia LaBoeuf could be good as Kenan (although maybe he's too cute) and Ellen Page is perfect for the part of Arrow. I would love to see this movie so please, Mr. Hollywood Director, if you're out there and reading this (because what else would you have to do on a Friday night?) feel free to use my casting suggestions, no charge. Well, maybe just a small mention in the credits...

Check out the Blog Hop to see what other book bloggers are up to and maybe get a few new titles for your to-read list. And have a great weekend!