Library Lines July 26th

Everybody’s Son by Thrity Umrigar. During a terrible heat wave in 1991—the worst in a decade—ten-year-old Anton has been locked in an apartment in the projects, alone, for seven days, without air conditioning or a fan. With no electricity, the refrigerator and lights do not work. Hot, hungry, and desperate, Anton shatters a window and climbs out. Cutting his leg on the broken glass, he is covered in blood when the police find him. Juanita, his mother, is discovered in a crack house less than three blocks away, nearly unconscious and half-naked. When she comes to, she repeatedly asks for her baby boy. She never meant to leave Anton—she went out for a quick hit and was headed right back, until her drug dealer raped her and kept her high. Though the bond between mother and son is extremely strong, Anton is placed with child services while Juanita goes to jail. The Harvard-educated son of a US senator, Judge David Coleman is a scion of northeastern white privilege. Desperate to have a child in the house again after the tragic death of his teenage son, David uses his power and connections to keep his new foster son, Anton, with him and his wife, Delores—actions that will have devastating consequences in the years to come.

Getting’ Old Ain’t for Wimps. Speaker and author Karen O'Connor urges her post-fifty friends to "laugh and love all the way home to the Father's house." With humor and wisdom, Karen shares personal and gathered stories about the blessings of surviving and surpassing middle-age. Gettin' Old Ain't for Wimps overflows with candor and helps the boomin' baby boomer market celebrate with:funny stories of the antics and adventures of getting older, conversations with God" for a deeper prayer life, hopeful words for the tough times. For those who have already traded in their wimp status for a more courageous existence or those still wondering about the future, this delightful read affirms that the latter decades are filled with God's promises and joys.