1055 P Street
Gering, NE
Phone (308) 436-7433
Fax      (308) 436-6869 
Email: gpl@geringlibrary.org

Book Review: Should We Stay or Should We Go

“Should We Stay or Should We Go” by Lionel Shriver tackles a couple’s thoughts on growing old. In 1991 Kay’s father died after a long battle with dementia. She and her mother are physically and emotionally drained from serving as his caregivers for 15 years. Cyril (a doctor) suggests they commit joint suicide when Kay turns 80 (in March of 2020) to spare their children and themselves the pain and suffering Kay’s father had caused them and had gone through himself.

Years ago I read a book by Shriver that stuck with me. The suspense slowly built into an ending that felt like a punch in the stomach. I have often thought I would like to read another book by her, so I picked this one. The premise of “Should We Stay or Should We Go” sounds morbid, but Shriver handles, with grace and imagination, the heavy themes of fear of the unknown, death, and ageing. She lays out a dozen different scenarios; Kay gets cold feet, Cyril gets cold feet, they both get cold feet...a tiny nuance, a different mood; each has a huge impact on what might happen in the end.

Shriver’s writing is elegant.

                 “To emphasize the heady sensation, she inhaled a lungful of the cabernet’s concerted fruit. There had always been a touch of the immoderate about Kay’s passion for red wine, and now no purpose would be served in its restraint. Yet despite the implicit permission of the moment, she wanted to face this mysterious frontier in a state of clarity. Her single blissful sip was chaste.

                ‘I must say, we chose the red splendidly, my dear,’ she added, dabbing her mouth with a napkin. ‘Robust, and balanced. Just like you and me.’”

While I liked the book over all, I found some things to criticize. I find it self-serving when authors (including Stephen King) name-check themselves in a book. Beyond that, it the first part of “Should We Stay or Should We Go”, the background, was clunky. She was building backstory with inane and unrealistic dialogue, not the way people who have been married 30 years would talk to each other. I think a writer with her experience might have addressed that differently. Once the book started though, it was thought provoking, very twisty and kept me reading.

I recommend this book for people who like to read books written in an experimental format. If you often find yourself wishing a book had a different ending, this book might be for you. It has lots of endings! I would also suggest it for fans of Kate Atkinson’s “Life After Life” You can find this on the new book shelf at the Gering Public Library, and some of her other award-winning books on the shelves.

Book Review: The Big Year

Who would have thought the adventures of three men on a journey to enumerate more birds (birds?!) than anyone else in a single year would evolve into and enjoyable book? Well, David Frankel did because he made a highly successful movie from "the Big Year" by Mark Obmascik. The book is not so much about birds as it is about obsessive, driven men who have determined to count birds in a competitive way, though there is no actual competition. Wealthy entrepreneur Sandy Komito, wealthy businessman Al Levantin, and church mouse poor Greg Miller crisscross the country multiple times from east to west and north to south to achieve the goal of setting a bird siting record. This is brought to us in a human, humorous way that involves the reader in the outcome. It's filled with interesting stories of the birders and insights into their quest. Some chapter headings give an idea of the humor in the situations- The Early Birders, The Wise Owl, Two in the Bush.

Fall Storytime starts on September 8

Miss Christie revamped storytime so it is designed for both toddlers and preschoolers. The Young and The Restless, a storytime and playtime for wigglers and gigglers will be at 10:00 most Wednesdays through the school year. Enjoy music, books, movement and exploration with your little ones. After storytime, parents can visit and children can play with our educational toys. Older children can make a craft.

Lego Club is back on September 1

Everybody loves Legos! Lego Club will be on Wednesdays from 3:00-4:00 and is open to kids ages 8 on up. Children younger than 8 must bring a caregiver age 13 or older.