Wednesday Wars

This book spoke to me on so many levels, I hardly know where to begin, but I think I'll start on a personal level. The setting is 1967-68 . . . my senior year in high school. I LIVED these events. I couldn't believe how quickly this book took me back. I was reading it on a plane to Utah and came to the part about the 5,000 Marines in Vietnam and suddenly realized they were talking about Khesanh!!! Rod's brother was there! I started to cry uncontrollably. I couldn't believe that Rod could be SLEEPING right next to me! I almost slugged him! Khesanh has had such an impact on our family. We have all felt some small part of the pain Rod's brother has experienced for the past 40 years as a result of the seige: PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder)!

Second, it spoke to me on a professional level. I teach 7th grade. Every day I live with student/teacher, student/student, and student/family relationships. I had the great privilege of teaching my students during the 2008 presidential election and seeing their passion for the issues and their desire to have an impact on their world. I also had the challenge of keeping the little piranhas from eating each other for lunch!! 7th graders can be heroically kind and devastatingly cruel! I usually spend half an hour or more venting to Rod at the end of a day. Some of my students' lives are a train wreck. Others seem to have a glorious future ahead of them (no Perfect Houses, I hope). I pray that I will have an impact on some of them such as Mrs. Baker had on Holling.

Third, it spoke to me as a parent. I was ready to choke Holling's parents. I was appalled at the emotional distance between the parents and children in this family. I was so grateful that, at least, Holling had Danny's parents on his side. Rod and I have had several discussions as a result of this book. I know his parents didn't go to many of his basketball games and my parents weren't driven or focused on engineering our success through extra-curricular activities, etc. On some level, I think they sent us (at least the older kids in my family) to school and figured the experts would teach us what we needed to know. However, I know my parents would have done ANYTHING in their power (and did) to rescue a wayward child. I thought the implication that Holling's father was somehow trapped by his upbringing and that Holling, by understanding his father, wouldn't have to follow the same path was very compassionate and helped heal the hurts he experienced. (It also made me feel more forgiving.)

Fourth, it spoke to me as an English major. The use of Shakespeare's plays to develop Holling's self-awareness was masterful. I loved the literature, the allusions, the way the selections fit so perfectly with what was going on in Holling's life. It was such a well-written story. No wonder it received a Newberry Award!

Fifth, it was fun! The humor of the rats, the cream puffs, the Ariel costume . . . I couldn't help laughing out loud :) (Who knows what the other passengers thought!)

Laurenda, Thanks for a great pick. I told Rod he HAS to read it.