Thoughts about three books

The Cardturner ~ by Louis Sachar, 2010, YA fiction, 352 pages

This is a novel about a King, a Queen, and a Joker.  The summer after junior year of high school looks bleak for Alton Richards.  His girlfriend has dumped him, he has no money and no job, and his parents insist that he drive his great-uncle Lester, who is old, blind, very sick, and very rich, to his bridge club four times a week and be his cardturner.

But Alton's parents aren't the only ones trying to worm their way into Lester Trapp's good graces.  There is Trapp's longtime housekeeper, his alluring young nurse, and the crazy Castaneda family.  Alton soon finds himself intrigued by his uncle, by the game of bridge, and especially by the pretty and shy Toni Castaneda, as he struggles to figure out what it all means, and ultimately to figure out the meaning of his own life.

My thoughts:  This must have been my friend Donna's book, since I can't imagine buying a book about the game of bridge, which I've never played and know absolutely nothing about.  If you have read this book, can you tell me if understanding the game is necessary for a reader to enjoy this book?

Make Change: How to Fight Injustice, Dismantle Systemic Oppression, and Own Our Future ~ by Shaun King, 2020, memoir, 272 pages

As a leader of the Black Lives Matter movement, Shaun King has become one of the most recognizable and powerful voices on the front lines of civil rights.  His commitment to reforming the justice system and making America a more equitable place has brought challenges and triumphs, soaring victories and crushing defeats.  Throughout his wide-ranging activism, his commentary remains rooted in both exhaustive research and abundant passion.

    

In this book, he offers a look at the moments that have shaped his life and considers the ways social movements can grow and evolve in this hyper-connected era.  He shares stories from his efforts leading the Raise the Age campaign and his work fighting police brutality, while providing a roadmap for how to stay sane, safe, and motivated even in the worst of political climates.  By turns infuriating, inspiring, and educational, Make Change will resonate with those who believe that America can — and must — do better.

My thoughts:  I know this one was one was Donna's because she greatly admired Shaun King and Bernie Sanders, who wrote the foreword for this book.

Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking ~ by Susan Cain, 2013, psychology, 368 pages

At least one-third of the people we know are introverts. They are the ones who prefer listening to speaking; who innovate and create but dislike self-promotion; who favor working on their own over working in teams.  It is to introverts — Rosa Parks, Chopin, Dr. Seuss, Steve Wozniak — that we owe many of the great contributions to society.

 

In Quiet, Susan Cain argues that we dramatically undervalue introverts and shows how much we lose in doing so.  She charts the rise of the Extrovert Ideal throughout the twentieth century and explores how deeply it has come to permeate our culture.  She also introduces us to successful introverts — from a witty, high-octane public speaker who recharges in solitude after his talks, to a record-breaking salesman who quietly taps into the power of questions.  Passionately argued, impeccably researched, and filled with indelible stories of real people, Quiet has the power to permanently change how we see introverts and, equally important, how they see themselves.

My thoughts:  This is one I bought for myself.  I'm an introvert, who is also outgoing.  When I got the results of the Myers-Briggs test our staff took one year, I asked why I was listed as INTJ since my score showed me right on the line between being Introvert or Extrovert.  The answer had to do with how a person gets her energy back:  an introvert needs time alone, while an extrovert wants to party hearty to recharge her energy level.  No party for me, so I'm truly an introvert.