Skip to main content

Go as a River

 I don't know when the group will be gathering to discuss the latest read, but I didn't want to miss this boat, this time. I did my bestest to not include any spoilers, too, for those who have not finished . . although I suspect I am the last.


"Go as a River" resonated deeply with me on many levels. From the very beginning, I found myself completely engaged in the story, drawn into the lives of the characters and the challenges they faced. The author's portrayal of family dynamics, particularly those navigating the delicate balance between independence and interdependence, felt authentic. As well as the story of struggle, survival and resilience. 

One aspect I appreciated was how the book didn't shy away from the complexities of relationships. It showcased the highs and lows, the joys and sorrows, all with a sense of honesty that I found refreshing. The good, the bad and the ugly.

"Go as a River" reminded me of the importance of resilience and adaptability, qualities that are essential as we navigate the ever-changing currents of life. Just as a river flows around obstacles, so too must we find ways to navigate the challenges that come our way.

Brian, you told me that this was a "coming-of-age", well, it is a coming-of-age like no other! Sheesh~

The open-ended conclusion of "Go As a River," left me with a sense of disappointment initially, simply because I'm someone who appreciates closure in stories. It's natural to crave resolution, I suppose, to have all loose ends neatly tied up. However, I understand why the author chose to end the book in such a way.

Indeed, a more definitive resolution might have provided closure, but it could have also oversimplified the complexities of the characters' relationships and the journey they've undertaken. By leaving the ending open, the author acknowledges that life is messy and unpredictable, and closure isn't always easily attained.

Furthermore, ending the book with a definitive resolution might have required additional chapters or even an entire sequel. "Go As a River" already offers a rich and layered narrative, and adding more to tie up every loose end would risk turning it into a sprawling tome.

(K- what's next?)

Comments

  1. I have some comments, but first please, please tell me what that image is.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's an open book, a river with it's start in the nebula, running right down the middle, pouring out.

      Delete
  2. Nice review. I feel the same way about the book.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

cheryljohnson111@gmail.com, lancefb@gmail.com, marylouiseruth@hotmail.com, mikereagan@ni7t.com, mtgarcia1250@sbcglobal.net, blackoaknaturalist@att.net

Popular posts from this blog

"It’s tempting to hide in small rooms built from quick answers."

 ". . . it’s not always easy to be comfortable in the space created by open questions. Agoraphobia can set in. It’s tempting to hide in small rooms built from quick answers."  I am prompted to write by this metaphor.  Agoraphobia can be disabling. The limitation of movement.  Consensus agrees this is generally considered a negative. However, we humans crave quick and uncomplicated answers. We seek the comfort of black and white, the solace of definitive solutions. We want them now. The quick and easy answers generally considered a positive. Yet, life rarely offers such neatly packaged resolutions. Instead, it throws us curveballs, presents us with riddles wrapped in enigmas, and leaves us standing amidst a kaleidoscope of uncertainties. Life gives us unsolvable conundrums. Sheldrake suggests that the easy answers may be disabling to us. Limiting.   To be true, we are afraid of getting lost in its infinite possibilities. But what if we embraced the discomfor...

Small Part

 The following is a small part of a story of my life that I'm writing for my children. Since the name of our group is Reading Writing and Arithmetic Club, Lance and I have discussed that it's appropriate to put writings here, so here's some writing. Just for fun.  It's a period of a couple of years during the 60' s.      Even though that first year in Berkeley wasn't easy for me, it was endlessly fascinating. That was Berkeley in the 60s. When I arrived on the scene, organized student protests were already underway, and about to intensify. The Free Speech Movement had begun in October of 1964 with a massive student sit-in at the administration building, Sproul Hall. The students took over the building and refused to leave. A lengthy standoff ended with the students being hauled out of the building and arrested in a huge police action. Afterwards there was a continuing police presence on campus.      This was the norm when I arrived. There were pro...

Making a spiral (1 of 2)

You're sitting on your back deck. It's mid-morning in late Spring. You have your coffee in hand and the local paper on your lap. You're looking out over the back 40. You decided not to plant corn on this parcel to let the soil recuperate a bit.   There's an article in the paper about a farmer who lives not too far from you who swears he saw a UFO. You don't think so. But to prove to yourself you're open-minded, you get the idea to make some kind of design on your parcel that would signal to a UFO that there is semi-intelligent life down here. You look up how to make a spiral. You decide that an Archimedean spiral (named after the 3rd-century BC Greek mathematician Archimedes) will suffice.  You are going to make something that looks like this: You figure 800 footsteps will do. You grab a stake, measuring tape, and a pair of snow shoes. You pound the stake and start walking in a circle, letting out the measuring tape a little at a time. It takes you less than 20 ...