Currently reading
Death Coming Up the Hill
This book is very memorable and touching, especially if you remember 1968 and the all the turmoil in that one particular year. The format is unusual and makes it a very fast read, one or two settings. It is written in haiku with lots of white space on every page. At first this may seem strange but then you get into the rhythm. I found the format very effective. The main character, 17 year old Ashe, is caught up in turmoil in his home as well as in the rest of the world. His peace activist mom is at odds with his angry, dogmatic, racist dad. Beyond that, his girlfriend, also a peace activist, is dealing with the fact that her brother is missing in action. This book was personal to me because I graduated from college and began my teaching career in that year. My fiance was in Vietnam and, like Ashe, I closely followed the war, the mounting casualties, and the distressing other events of the year.
The book is very moving and I think I will remember it a long time. Go to your library or bookstore, settle down in a chair, and give it a read! It's billed for ages 14 up. I can also see it in the hands of the right 12 year olds. The format is interesting in and of itself. I am very glad Dr. Teri Lesesne recommended it to me and I highly recommend myself.
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