The Reader
ETA: I am a bit of a perfectionist. I wanted to make sure I hadn't missed some detail, so I listened to parts two and three again. It was not boring listening a second time; the writing is beautiful and there is so much to ponder. It is about the holocaust so do not expect an easy, light read! It is about second generation Germans and how they view their parents and their actions during the war. This is done with both honesty and humility; it is an important issue to address. The central topic remains the role shame and guilt play in people's lives. *****************
I listened to "The Reader" in a hypo (low blood sugar) all afternoon. I know everything that happened, and I cannot decide if I should re-listen to the whole dam thing. It is not disgusting, like I thought it would be. The boy and the woman LOVE each other. You don't think about the age difference. It has great lines that make you think. The sexual relationship is simply part of two people reaching out to each other. This book is about guilt and shame and what it will push people to do. I think this book will appeal to people that seem strong, but in fact are quite insecure. It will appeal to people who are ashamed of their own inadequacies. They will relate to the boy/man and the woman. It is also about the guilt Germans feel after WW2. I am very glad I read this book. No, I listened to it. Good narration by Campbell Scott.
