Monday, November 17, 2008

Books by classmates

As you may have noticed, I have started to list books written by classmates on our website and the class blog. I was so interested in this diverse body of work that I have started to read them.
Being a Literature major, I started with a work of fiction - Claire Messud's "The Emperor's Children". It was a great place to start.

Claire's books have been extensively reviewed, and I won't attempt to review this book here. I will say that I found the book to be thought provoking and beautifully crafted.

My only other observation is about perspective. There was a time when I would have more closely identified with the younger characters in the book, thirty year old friends from college striving to find their way in the world. Although I could identify with some of the struggles of these characters, I could more closely identify with the parents than I would have thought possible just ten years ago. And, Claire's examination of parent-child relationships raised as many questions for me (as a parent) about my relationships with my children as it does about my relationships with my parents.

Please share your thought's about "The Emperor's Children" on the class blog.

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