I was in my car during my lunch break reading "Half of a Yellow Sun" which is about the Nigerian-Biafran war. The weather was warm, sunny, and breezy, and I was comfortable and full. The book was very good and everyone at book club last night said they'd recommend it to others. As I was reading about the plight of the Igbo people the author did such a good job of pulling me into the story; I felt like I was there. Still, my personal surroundings were peaceful and it totally shocked me when the helicoptor sounds got louder and louder and the deep vibrations shook my body and my car. For a moment I thought the story had become reality and that my life was in danger. Of course within half a second I realized that it was just the Medi-Vac helicopter landing at the hospital next door to carry a critical patient from our local hospital to the trauma unit in Charlotte.(yes I really did have my camera right there!)
For half a second I felt the fear of bodily harm... but did I really? Does my sheltered self even have a clue? I hope I never find out, but there's not a day that goes by that I don't think of those around the world for whom existence is tenuous and fear is part of the air they breathe.
2 comments:
I think about that alot. I would say the most dangerous things in my life would be car accidents or robbers. And, those are probably a pretty low probability. I feel so sad to think about families who have to worry that their loved ones might be wrenched away from them by violence...and are totally helpless to stop it. We are very very lucky.
-Shirin
I found this book very moving and the story really drew me in. It is very sad in places and made me want to cry. The pace of the book is right and Chimamanda has slotted everything together really well.
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