A Calamity of Souls
Ratings17
Average rating3.9
After 17%, I was so bored with the racist town setup I just gave up. I read a lot of books that examine race relations and I appreciate that DB did some research for this one, but the lazy repetition of homogeneous views from dozens of different white people is tiresome. Where is the nuance this author lauded at the beginning of the book (re Uncle Tom's Cabin)?
So there are a lot of books I've given 4-5 Stars to, but this book deserves ten stars. Baldacci has created a story that already existed, likely in many lives, but he unearthed it with great care, as Stephen King might say. The writer gently probed, picked and dusted the tale until our eyes weren't dry, our minds were engaged and our hearts were floored. Do you think that some people are created better than others? Never believe it. Yes, some people do terrible things, but it is not the color of their skin that decides it, but as Dr. King might have said, it is the content of their character. I hope that whoever becomes the next president of these United States, he or she will rule with honor. Did I say rule? That shows a plentiful lack of sense. We are a democracy and a republic, so I hope they will serve and lead with honor. And the Good Lord mend my heart as well as yours.
This was my first Baldacci and I see the appeal, even if this book was more autobiographical than his thriller series. Lots of difficult and depressingly relevant subjects & language. I hope his massive authorial platform helps many readers to appreciate the contemporary parallels.
