Have you ever noticed that sometimes certain themes pop up at the same time? At the moment, I’m reading three different books from three different sources for three different reasons. Yet common factors overlap between them.
Like reading a series?
Not at all, Lily. Two of the books are from Christmas. Fire Exit by Morgan Talty was one of two copies I bought- -one for a friend and one for myself. We just finished reading it at the same time, and discussing it along the way.
That’s a wonderful idea!
Yes, it worked beautifully, and soon we’ll read the book that my friend picked out for us both.
Circling back to Fire Exit, the story is set on and near an Indian Reservation in Maine.
Overlap: Maine and indigenous people.
The other book that came for Christmas, this one from my niece, is The Cliffs by J. Courtney Sullivan. This story is also set in Maine, and stolen tribal artifacts figure heavily in the plot. Plus, there are ghosts, which brings me to the third book.
Overlap: Maine and indigenous people, plus ghosts. . .
I’m reading Beloved by Toni Morrison right now for two reasons. First, because it’s part of my Banned Book List reading project. Secondly, I hadn’t reached her name on the list (organized alphabetically by author), so I skipped ahead to read it now in honor of Black History Month (which the new administration cannot effectively erase). The book is mostly set in Ohio, not Maine, and it deals with formerly enslaved people shortly after the Civil War instead of indigenous tribes. However, like The Cliffs, Beloved is heavily laced with ghosts.
Overlap: Ghosts, plus the dark family secrets that haunt all three books. . .
What do you think it all means?
I’m not sure, 9. But I think this kind of thing- -thematic overlap for lack of a more specific word- -happens to lots of people. Is an unseen force manipulating my reading list from beyond?
I like the sound of that!
And it fits neatly with the ghost theme. Maybe it’s the Universe’s way of reminding me that everything around us is interconnected. And there is an overlap, a universal theme, within all three books: the keeping of dark family secrets that affect us even though they remain untold.
A reminder that, even when overlap between us isn’t evident, as in today’s fraught political climate, we are all made of the same star stuff. All of us and everything around us originates from the stars.
Hi Susan,
I love it when this happens! Like the universe is calling my attention to certain things…maybe…
My February blog post is along the same lines.
Beloved has been on my mental list of books to read…maybe your blog will be the last little nudge to actually reading it.
Hi Betty, I just read your above-referenced blog and left my full reply/comments there. Thanks so much for reading and commenting here, and happy Black History Month!