I picked this book up from Barack Obama’s summer reading list. Whatever you think of his politics, he has a refined taste in books, and he’s never led me to a bad place in his book choices. This work is no different. Ben Lerner guides us along for a shorter story – almost a novella – that unwraps creatively as we go along. Though readers’ curiosities are engaged from the start, the main theme isn’t…
Fathers can sometimes present themselves to their children as a tyrannical lot, especially in abusive situations. Young ones can feel trapped in circumstances because they cannot escape their family, yet their circumstances are oppressive to their own personal growth. Coming to peace with their situation and themselves can consume years of early adulthood. Nikolidakis’ story embodies this storyline, yet as a thirty-something, a trip to Greece, her ancestral home, brought her a sense of peace…