Monday, October 18, 2010
Tea & Mystery Update
The Tea & Mystery event is rapidly approaching-- this Sunday, from 2-4 pm. One of the two featured authors, Deb Baker, will be on the TMJ's Morning Blend (Channel 4) tomorrow, Oct. 19 between 9 and 10 am. She'll be talking about her new book, and will also plug the event here at the library. Check it out!
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Rant or Rave: The Lost Symbol
I haven't done one of these in a while and I rarely do rants, so I guess its time for one. I sincerely regret that I wasted over 17 hours of my life listening to Dan Brown's latest "thriller", The Lost Symbol-- it is a dreadful book, on many levels. I have read three of Mr. Brown's books now, and they have gotten progressively worse.
There are some minor spoilers below, so if you have not read The Lost Symbol and still plan to, I will first encourage you not to waste your time and second note that you may learn more about the book than you wish to know in the review below.
The first of Dan Brown's books that I read, The Da Vinci Code, was fairly entertaining and rather clever. It was also somewhat preachy in parts and you definitely got the feeling that Mr. Brown wanted you to know that he is a terribly clever fellow who isn't afraid to drop names. But I enjoyed it.
Angels and Demons was my second read, though it is actually the predecessor to The Da Vinci Code. Angels and Demons was still somewhat entertaining, but the heavy-handed anti-Catholicism wore on me as the book progressed and the "gotcha" Hitchcockian twist at the end was fairly absurd and really stretched my ability to suspend my disbelief in order to enjoy the story. I didn't regret reading it, but I wouldn't really recommend it to anyone, either.
The Lost Symbol has all of the flaws of the other two books and almost none of their pleasures. About the only thing I really liked about The Lost Symbol was that Brown set the novel in Washington, D.C., a city that truly is full of marvels and which very rarely receives its due as a great tourist destination.
So, why didn't I like Symbol? Well, the most obvious answer, and the one that grated on me throughout, is that the writing is really quite poor. There are over 100 chapters in the book and I would guess that over half of them end with a "cliffhanger" similar to the following: "What he saw chilled him to his bones," or "Then, like an oncoming truck, it hit her." Do this once or twice and it can be an effective literary device. Do it a half dozen times, but spread them out over the course of a 500+ page novel and they won't really register as more than a minor annoyance. Stuff several hundred of them (no, I didn't count, but many chapters had more than one of these "oh my gosh" non-surprising "revelations") and you start to dread the next time someone in the book sees something or learns something "startling" that the reader is not privy to until much later. Or, to quote from this review by Samuel F. Lytal, "The purpose of a cliffhanger is not for you to realize it is a cliffhanger, but instead to compel you to turn the page, not laugh at the author's lack of subtlety."
There is far, far too much laughing at Dan Brown's lack of subtlety in The Lost Symbol.
Other annoyances: The pacing is lousy. The puzzles are rather dull. The supposedly clever people are far too often incredibly stupid. The villain is both unbelievable and two-dimensional. The big "thing that will shake our democracy and our world to its core" turns out to be rather trivial and banal.
There are some minor spoilers below, so if you have not read The Lost Symbol and still plan to, I will first encourage you not to waste your time and second note that you may learn more about the book than you wish to know in the review below.
The first of Dan Brown's books that I read, The Da Vinci Code, was fairly entertaining and rather clever. It was also somewhat preachy in parts and you definitely got the feeling that Mr. Brown wanted you to know that he is a terribly clever fellow who isn't afraid to drop names. But I enjoyed it.
Angels and Demons was my second read, though it is actually the predecessor to The Da Vinci Code. Angels and Demons was still somewhat entertaining, but the heavy-handed anti-Catholicism wore on me as the book progressed and the "gotcha" Hitchcockian twist at the end was fairly absurd and really stretched my ability to suspend my disbelief in order to enjoy the story. I didn't regret reading it, but I wouldn't really recommend it to anyone, either.
The Lost Symbol has all of the flaws of the other two books and almost none of their pleasures. About the only thing I really liked about The Lost Symbol was that Brown set the novel in Washington, D.C., a city that truly is full of marvels and which very rarely receives its due as a great tourist destination.
So, why didn't I like Symbol? Well, the most obvious answer, and the one that grated on me throughout, is that the writing is really quite poor. There are over 100 chapters in the book and I would guess that over half of them end with a "cliffhanger" similar to the following: "What he saw chilled him to his bones," or "Then, like an oncoming truck, it hit her." Do this once or twice and it can be an effective literary device. Do it a half dozen times, but spread them out over the course of a 500+ page novel and they won't really register as more than a minor annoyance. Stuff several hundred of them (no, I didn't count, but many chapters had more than one of these "oh my gosh" non-surprising "revelations") and you start to dread the next time someone in the book sees something or learns something "startling" that the reader is not privy to until much later. Or, to quote from this review by Samuel F. Lytal, "The purpose of a cliffhanger is not for you to realize it is a cliffhanger, but instead to compel you to turn the page, not laugh at the author's lack of subtlety."
There is far, far too much laughing at Dan Brown's lack of subtlety in The Lost Symbol.
Other annoyances: The pacing is lousy. The puzzles are rather dull. The supposedly clever people are far too often incredibly stupid. The villain is both unbelievable and two-dimensional. The big "thing that will shake our democracy and our world to its core" turns out to be rather trivial and banal.
There are a few interesting and entertaining tidbits in the book. Some of the history of the Masonic order and of Washington, D.C. is intriguing, and the presentation of the "science" of noetics is okay, though Robert Langdon is arguably the worst skeptic in the history of the world, accepting wild leaps of logic and intuition on the flimsiest of "evidence" and analysis. The best part of the whole thing is probably the whirlwind "tour" of D.C. that the book takes us on.
Yet even these niceties can only help make a truly horrible book into a fairly bad book. Which is a shame, because throughout Symbol, and most of Angels and Demons, I kept thinking "This could really be quite a good book if it were written by someone other than Dan Brown. Someone better than Dan Brown."
Unfortunately, it was written by Dan Brown, and it is not a good book. So, a big, ranting BLECH for The Lost Symbol.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Old World Wisconsin Photo Display
The Mukwonago Community Library is thrilled to host a traveling display of Old World Wisconsin's Annual Photo Contest winners. Every year, OWW takes entries from its visitors, selecting the top three pictures in the areas of: 1) Pioneer Life, 2) People, 3) Agriculture, 4) Nature and 5) Historic Structures. Normally, the winning photos are displayed at Caldwell Hall on the OWW grounds, but that building is still recovering from this summer's tornado. So this year, those pictures are all a part of a traveling display. And we're the first stop!
You can't miss the display, as it is in the front lobby of the library, so check it out the next time you visit. We'll have the photos here through Friday, November 12. Details on the annual photo contest can be found here. Details on Old World Wisconsin can be found here. It's a fabulous place-- beautiful, fun and educational. A rare combination outside of your local public library.
You can't miss the display, as it is in the front lobby of the library, so check it out the next time you visit. We'll have the photos here through Friday, November 12. Details on the annual photo contest can be found here. Details on Old World Wisconsin can be found here. It's a fabulous place-- beautiful, fun and educational. A rare combination outside of your local public library.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Jack-O-Lantern Jaunt this weekend
The 8th Annual Jack-O-Lantern Jaunt is this weekend, Friday Oct. 15 and Saturday Oct. 16. This is a fun, family-friendly event, held at the Field Park grounds on the corner of Highways 83 and NN. All of the money raised at the Jaunt is donated to charity, and this year the proceeds will go the Mukwonago Food Pantry and to...(drumroll)... the Library's Expansion Fund!
So come out to Field Park this weekend-- the weather should be fine-- and have a great time while supporting two great causes. The event runs from 6-10 pm both nights. Further details on Jack-O-Lantern Jaunt can be found here. All of the pumpkins are carved by local organizations and individuals. Here are a few examples from previous Jaunts:
So come out to Field Park this weekend-- the weather should be fine-- and have a great time while supporting two great causes. The event runs from 6-10 pm both nights. Further details on Jack-O-Lantern Jaunt can be found here. All of the pumpkins are carved by local organizations and individuals. Here are a few examples from previous Jaunts:
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Sign O' the Times
3:12 on a Tuesday afternoon and we currently have seven patrons using laptops or netbooks here in the library. On the wired computer stations-- six patrons. It seems that wired, desktop computers may soon be the wave of the past. Indeed, there are some indications that wired anything might be a thing of the past in the not so distant future.
My kids don't remember a time when phones weren't wireless. They were shocked the first time they came to my office and saw a phone that was limited in how far it could go by the wires sticking out of it. Well, not actually shocked. But certainly surprised. Will their kids be surprised to find tvs and lights and other electrical devices that actually have to be plugged in? My money is on yes.
For good or ill, we do live in interesting times.
My kids don't remember a time when phones weren't wireless. They were shocked the first time they came to my office and saw a phone that was limited in how far it could go by the wires sticking out of it. Well, not actually shocked. But certainly surprised. Will their kids be surprised to find tvs and lights and other electrical devices that actually have to be plugged in? My money is on yes.
For good or ill, we do live in interesting times.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Halloween Happenings
Wear your costume and
come trick-or-treating at the Library.
HALLOWEEN
BEDTIME BUDDIES
Tuesday, October 26, 6:30 PM
An evening storytime for families of all ages.
A SOMEWHAT SCARY
STORYTIME
Wednesday, October 27, 10:00 AM
A preschool storytime for ages 3-6 years.
BABY BOO
Thursday, October 28, 10:00 AM
A lapsit storytime for ages newborn to 36 months.
ORIGAMI WORKSHOP
Thursday, October 28, 2:00 PM
For grades 4-8.
Previous experience helpful but not required.
HALLOWEEN
CRAFTY STORIES
Friday, October 29, 2:00 PM
A story and a craft for grades K-3. Please register.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Fox 6 Piece on Expansion
In case you missed it, Fox 6 did a quick (3 minute) interview about the expansion and the Night on the Town event on their morning WakeUp segment. You can find the interview on their website: http://www.fox6now.com/news/wakeup/interviews/ then look for Mukwonago Library: A Night on the Town.
Or, just click on the video. =)
Or, just click on the video. =)
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Night on the Town Event!
You may have seen it in the paper, or heard about it around town, but if not-- please mark your calendars for Sunday, Sept. 26. The Library is holding A Night on the Town, a fundraiser for the expansion project featuring John McGivern. All proceeds will benefit our expansion fund, and the night should be a lot of fun.
Some of the details:
- A pre-performance gathering at Heaven City. It will feature gourmet hors d'oeuvres and a wine tasting, with a separate cash bar available. This "opening act" kicks off at 5:45.
- Doors at the Mukwonago High School Auditorium open at 7:15, with material on the expansion available for viewing. The Blood Street Blues Band, a local jazz group, will provide entertainment until the curtain is ready to go up on the main event.
- 8:00-- the Main Event. Jim "Lips" LaBelle will be your host, and he will introduce the Premiere, an award-winning female quartet that are part of the Sweet Adelines.
- John McGivern, local storyteller, actor and radio personality will take the stage after Premiere is done to bring you some of his one-of-kind stories and reminiscences.
This will be an awesome night of entertainment, food, community spirit and most of all, fun. And all the money will go to the Library's expansion, helping to ensure that Mukwonago has a top-notch cultural center that is good for everyone.
Details on the event are available here. Details on the expansion, and how you can help us reach our goal, are available here. Please, call the library with any questions, or send an email to us.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
The Super-Dooper, Splendid, Spectacular, Stupendous, Simply Sensational, End-of-Summer Scavenger Hunt is HERE!
The Library's Summer Reading Program ends on Saturday, Aug. 7, but there's still fun to be had at the Mukwonago Community Library before the summer is over. All families with school-age children are eligible to participate in the SDSSSSSEoS Scavenger Hunt. One lucky family will win a $100 Kohl's gift certificate, and every family that successfully completes the hunt will receive a special prize.
This contest ends Friday, August 27 at 4:00 pm, but don't wait to start until the last minute-- there are 50, yes five-zero, items on the list and all of them need to be brought into the library and verified to qualify for the drawing for the $100 gift card.
Full rules and the scavenger hunt list are available in the Library, but here's just a small taste of the things you and your family will be hunting for:
- #6: Fly Swatter
- #17: Stick of White Chalk
- #33: Steel Wool
- #39: Blue Crayon
- #47: Coin Purse
Expansion Planning Update
The image above shows the expanded library from the south looking down, toward the north. This image lets you see the look of the new library's roof line and, roughly, how the parking will look on the east and southeast portions of our lot.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Not Just Nautical Knots-- TONIGHT!
Join us this evening at 5 bells (6:30 pm for landlubbers like me) for a presentation on knot tying and much more. Which side is port and which starboard? Come find out! Craig Grisham, technology support person here at the library, will be your host for an informative and fun evening of nautical terminology and knot tying techniques. He will also relate a few of his exploits on the open seas.
There will be prizes for sailors 12 and under and fun to be had by all. Make sure to find out why five bells is 6:30-- I'm sure there is a good reason, but I can't imagine what it might be.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Summer is Here!
School's out and summer has begun (okay, officially it is still four days off, but once school's out, summer is here). The place to be cool this summer is the Mukwonago Community Library. There is simply tons of cool, "wet" and "watery" things happening here during June, July and August-- the theme this year is "Make a Splash at the Mukwonago Library".
Next week alone we have a Pirate Pajama Party at 6:30 pm on Tuesday the 22nd. The next morning, join us at 10 am for "Silly Songs and Stories." Teens can play many of their favorite Wii games in the afternoon, 1:30-3:30 pm on Wed., June 23. That night, you can be a detective, or a suspect, in the Library's Murder Mystery Party: Hulas and Homicides, 6:00-8:30 pm. Thursday is lapsit storytime at 10 am, then Ocean Origami for grades 4-8 at 2:00 pm.
And those are just the one-time events. The weekly reading challenges are ongoing throughout the summer, with separate challenges for children, teens and adults. Join in the fun and you could win a cool prize in one of our raffles. Story and drawing challenges are also underway-- tell us about "The One That Got Away," or draw a sea monster. And we have a "Guess How Many Origami Frogs" contest open to children as well.
Later in the summer, we'll have our Second Annual Recipe Contest, a bunch of cool movies-- with water/fish themes, and a Hula dance troupe. Visit our Youth Services and Adult Services web pages for a full listing of what's going on. Or, stop in to the library and pick up our brochures that give a full listing of the special events and activities available throughout the summer.
Make Waves this summer-- at the Mukwonago Community Library!
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Monday, May 24, 2010
Rant or Rave: The World Below
This is a Rant or Rave that I am surprised to be writing. Sue Miller is not "my kinda author". Frankly, though I had heard her name on a few occasions at the library, I really didn't know who she was, nor what kinds of books she wrote. It is sometimes difficult to break me out of my norms of historical fiction, classics, science fiction & fantasy and non-fiction. Certainly, if I was consciously to step outside those norms, I doubt Sue Miller would've even been on my list of potential authors to explore. Certainly, she would not have been near the top of that list.
Funny thing happened on the way to forum-- I heard Sue Miller speak at the Milwaukee Public Library Spring Literary Luncheon. More, I heard her read from her latest book, The Lakeshore Express. And I was impressed and engaged. Far more so than I expected. She was quite charming and interesting, and her book was good. Very good, actually.
So, upon returning to the Mukwonago Community Library, I checked to see if we had any of Ms. Miller's works on audiobook. And, lo and behold, we had The World Below on CD. And, lo and behold, it was good. Really, really good.
Oh, there are bits and pieces that don't quite fit, especially at the beginning, and there are a few places where the narrator describes events from the past in a level of detail and specificity far beyond what she could actually know about those events. But these are minor quibbles. The World Below references the human ability, skill and foible both, to present one version of yourself to the world, while maintaining a quite different perspective and history hidden below the surface. Known only to a few, and visible to others only at rare moments when circumstances are just right.
It resonated strongly with me, perhaps because from time to time, I find myself wondering what if? What if I had gone to prom with someone else? What if I had pursued a different course of study in college? What if I hadn't grown up in the country? What if, what if, what if? The World Below echoes those What Ifs, explores the ways we justify things in our past. Paper over some of the hurts and what ifs that didn't go at all the way we expected them to. It is a rich, deep look into human nature, particularly into the worlds we all create-- one on the surface, and one (maybe more) below.
The World Below is not an easy book. It twines together the life stories of several generations of one family, and following who is where is why is when can be challenging. But it is most definitely worth investing the necessary time and energy to fully appreciate. As an added bonus, it also does have a historical fiction section, as Miller's descriptions of Georgia Rice's stay in a Maine tuberculosis sanitarium added much to my understanding of what it must have been like to have TB in the early 20th century. I know of diseases like TB and polio, of course, but in a hypothetical "gee, that sounds bad" sort of way, rather than through any personal experience. Miller vividly transforms that theoretical understanding into something much more profound and personal with her elegant narrative.
It is a fine, fine book. Once I return from my current jaunt back into the classics (Great Expectations), I will give The Lakeshore Limited a read to see if it is as good, or better. Anyone else have any feedback on Sue Miller's work?
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Budget Simulator
The size and growth of our nation's debt is an issue of concern to many, regardless of political affiliations or ideological preference. If you'd like to try your hand at reducing America's debt and developing a fiscally responsible federal budget, then go to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget's (CRFB) new budget simulator and give it your best shot.
It's an interesting exercise, and provides a pretty good overview of the areas where reductions can be achieved (though it makes no provisions for the actual political or social/cultural impacts of the various choices).
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Scoopie Night for the Library
Plan your dinner for Monday, May 24 at the Mukwonago Culver's, where 10% of your purchase will benefit the library's expansion and renovation project. In addition, library volunteers (myself and other staff members included) will be serving food during the promotion.
This event is only from 4:30 to 7:30 pm, so lunch at Culver's that day won't help the library (though the food will no doubt be tasty). You will need a flier for us to get credit, which you can print out here. Additional fliers will be available at Culver's that night.
Come out for butter burgers and frozen custard on Monday night and help the library out at the same time-- Win/Win!
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Self-Check Coming!
The library has ordered a self-checkout station, and it should be installed before the start of the Summer Reading Programs. This station will allow you to check out materials by simply scanning your card, then scanning the items you wish to check out. The process is very similar to the machines they now have at many grocery, department and home improvement stores.
Waukesha, New Berlin and many other libraries around the state and the country are using these stations, and all report that their customers find them easy to use and very convenient. The new checkout station will be just to the east of the circulation desk, where one of the catalog access computer stations is right now.
Holds, ILL and video game items will still need to be picked up at the circulation desk, but the rest of our materials should be able to be checked out at the new station once it is up and running.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Rant or Rave: Dracula
In my continuing quest to catch up on "classic literature" that I should've read in high school or college, but didn't, I listened to Dracula last month. It was quite good, though if it weren't the first vampire novel, I doubt it would have lasted this long and generated so much follow-up literature. Parts of it are terribly melodramatic, in the 19th century tradition of idealized romance and British propriety, while a few parts make you roll your eyes at the obtuseness of the main characters.
Obtuse until you remind yourself that the characters aren't steeped in vampire lore, the way much of the western world is. The concept that Count Dracula could form from fog, or transform into a bat, or command wolves was brand new to everyone when Bram Stoker wrote Dracula in 1897. So, you can forgive the main characters most of their complete blockheadedness in regards to the Count's activities.
Three interesting tidbits from Dracula that I had no idea about before reading it:
- It is written entirely in the form of diary entries, newspaper articles and personal narratives. There is no "omniscient author". It gives the novel a very different feel than we are used to today, and also provides a fascinating glimpse into turn-of-the-century British mores and customs.
- In addition to introducing the concept of vampires into popular culture, as well as the singularly evil Count Dracula, the novel also introduced the world to the stereotypical insane asylum resident, often caricatured in cartoons. In the novel, the patient Renfield plays a significant role, and Stoker's depiction of his psychosis and reaction to the proximity of the Count are clearly the inspiration for many portrayals of a "typical" madman on stage and screen.
- Dracula also introduced the character of Van Helsing to the world. A dutch doctor who also happens to be familiar with the legends and myths of the eastern European lands. Van Helsing, though physically vibrant for his age, is far more intellectual and philosophical in Dracula than he is often portrayed as in later movies. Certainly NOT like the ripped, action-figuresque Hugh Jackman from the 2004 film.
The ending to Dracula is a bit abrupt, and far too conveniently coincidental for my tastes, but overall it is quite a fun read. In addition to the main storyline, the novel also provides some interesting insight into the culture, beliefs and science of its time. A fascinating century-plus long look backwards. So-- a fairly enthusiastic Rave for Dracula.
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Back in the Saddle Again
Sorry for the long pause in posting. April wound up being a very busy month. Lots of programming and events, coupled with a significant increase in expansion project activity. April saw Spring Break week, Earth Day activities and more.
May will be busy too, partly in preparation for our Summer Reading Program challenges and events, but also with its own fun events. Registration for the children's and adult's summer reading challenge begins June 1, with the kickoff date of Monday, June 14. Join in the fun! This year's theme is a beach/water-related one, with Make A Splash @ the Mukwonago Community Library for the kids and Ride the Title Wave @ the Mukwonago Community Library for our adult patrons.
Join us Monday, May 24 between 4:30 and 7:30 at the Mukwonago Culver's for Scoopie Night. Bring along a flier and 10% of your order will be donated to the library's expansion fund. Copies of the flier are available to be printed off of our website. Details on the expansion project and its progress are available here.
Several Rant and Rave segments to come, as I have been listening and reading during the past month, just not posting as much (okay, at all). For details on other summer events and programs, be sure to check out our Youth Services web page and our Adult Services web page. You can also follow us on Facebook.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Food For Fines
Coming in May: Our second Food For Fines drive. For each non-perishable food item received, we will reduce your fines by $1.00. The maximum reduction is $20, and the reduction does not apply to lost items or fines from other libraries.
Expired food will NOT be accepted.
The drive runs from Monday, May 10 through Saturday, May 15.
Food will be donated to the two Mukwonago Food Pantries.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Stuff this Week
A busy week, so my apologies for not posting more and providing more advanced notice-- remember, you can always check our online calendar to see what's happening as well. So, it the spirit of better late than never, here's a breakdown of the remaining Spring Break week at the library:
- Tonight, Tuesday April 6: Job Hunting Workshop; 6:30-7:45
- Tomorrow, Wednesday April 7: Pigeon Party-- fun and games for K-2nd graders; 2:00 pm
- Thursday, April 8: Mad Hatter Tea Party-- enjoy tea and crumpets while make a mad creation; grades 7-12, 2:00 pm
- Friday, April 9: Game day-- we'll have a Wii station (but only one), and a variety of board games.
Join us at the library!
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Rant or Rave: Uncle Tom's Cabin
As part of my "Catching up on all the books I probably should've read when I was younger but somehow never got around to," tour of literature, I recently read Uncle Tom's Cabin, by Harriet Beecher Stowe. Classic title, about which I knew next to nothing except that it was vehemently anti-slavery and had a major impact on the abolition movement in the mid-1800s, culminating ultimately in the Civil War. That's about it. Things I did not know about Uncle Tom's Cabin:
- It was the best-selling novel of the 19th Century, selling over 300,000 copies in its first year of publication, and the second-best selling book to the Bible.
- It was made into a multitude of different plays and dramatic performances during the second half of the 19th Century, none of them authorized by Harriet Beecher Stowe.
- That there was a controversy regarding Stowe's descriptions of southern slave life since she never actually visited any southern plantations, relying instead on written narratives and interviews with escaped slaves.
- My understanding that the Uncle Tom character of the book was a race traitor, a figure to be scorned, even a villain, came from the unauthorized plays and 20th Century literary criticism, not from the book itself.
The writing in Uncle Tom's Cabin is good. Not great, but good. Actually, at its best it is great, but the book is quite uneven-- some sections are extremely engaging and well-written, while others suffer from either heavy-handed "preaching" from the author or over the top melodramatic prose.
But while Stowe's actual writing is inconsistent, the story and the subject of the book are not-- her vivid depiction of the evils of slavery, the negative, nearly inconceivable harm it did to so many people-- comes through brilliantly. To get a true sense of what slavery was like as little as 150 years ago, read this book.
So, a nearly unqualified rave for Uncle Tom's Cabin. It is a powerful, generally well-written and engaging story that will give you a new appreciation for just how awful an institution slavery was, and is, in our world. The only qualification is to be aware that at times the author does interject herself too much into the narrative-- telling, rather than showing-- and this can be distracting and annoying on occasion.
Final note-- if anyone ever calls you an Uncle Tom, simply smile at them and say "thank you." It will likely confuse them, and then you can tell them that Uncle Tom was a compassionate, kind and spiritual man, who always helped others and sacrificed himself to protect others from harm and injustice. Stowe's book is a Christian book, strongly grounded in 19th Century Protestant Theology, and Uncle Tom is in many ways a Christ-like figure. Never violent, willing to bear physical and emotional wrongs stoically to help others with the support of his faith, Uncle Tom is not a race traitor or a subservient whipping boy. He is a strong, principled man who doesn't compromise his beliefs even when it costs him severe beatings.
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