Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin (2022) 401 pages

I listened to the audiobook on Libby narrated by Jennifer Kim with a short section narrated by Julian Cihi. The title comes from a speech in Shakespeare's Macbeth. A couple of my co-workers have also read and reviewed this novel here on the blog. I really enjoyed this story of two friends, their love of video games, and their careers as game designers. The characters of Sam and Sadie are just a bit older than I am growing up in the '80s and '90s. I remember learning computer skills in elementary school, in part, by playing Oregon Trail. Sadie also shares a love of Magic Eye images, those repetitive patterns that you stare beyond to bring out a hidden 3D object. Their lives and the other people in their lives are so richly drawn and realistic. I found exploring the process of video game design fascinating. The ups and downs of building and marketing their games, as well as family and romantic relationships kept me engaged.

 

Far from the Tree / Andrew Solomon 962 pp.

If I were a poet, I would write an ode to this book.  Or the author.  Anyway, I'd take Dr. Solomon over a Grecian urn any day of the week.  In 12 chapters he explores a variety of what he calls 'horizontal identities,' that is, conditions which set children into a culture or identity group different from that of their parents.  Examples include deafness, dwarfs, Down syndrome, and schizophrenia and others.  For each condition he conducts extensive longitudinal interviews with families who are grappling with these profound parent/child differences.  Here we meet good, bad, and mediocre parents, as well as some acutely 'difficult' children; it's Solomon's gift that he conveys each and every story with empathy and grace.  Most importantly, this is not a book about disability.  It's really about parents figuring out how to see and accept their children as the individuals they are, and by extension, how we can turn those same wide-open eyes upon our neighbors, co-workers, and friends.  Yes, it's a long book...I checked it out multiple times to finish, and I don't regret a single page.