In the Neighborhood - Peter Lovenheim

Full title: In the Neighborhood, The Search for Community on an American Street, One Sleepover at a Time.

3.5/5 stars.

After a murder-suicide happened in his street, the author, Peter Lovenheim, realizes that the tragedy might have been avoided had the wife been able to reach out to her neighbors. Unfortunately, people on his street do not know each other. To remedy this, Peter proposes to sleep over at some neighbors' and spend the day with them, to create a sense of community, and to be sure that his neighbors know they can reach out to him, and he to them, if they are in need.

The book itself was not that interesting, since it mainly related the author's sleepovers and his neighbors' life. From a narrative perspective, the content was a bit disappointing -it's fortunately a quick read. However, from a conceptual point of view, it was fascinating. Now, I am admitedly biased, as I am struggling to feel that I belong in Seattle and in my new neighborhood. So the effort of one person to make his neighborhood a community of people who know each other really drew me to the book. While reading it, I asked myself what kind of community I would want to live in, what kind of neighborhood I'd like to move to next. My downstairs neighbors have a great community back in Texas. I wish I had that here.

So the book doesn't offer solutions -well, unless I want to go ahead and spend the night at my neighbord (no, thanks!)- but it's a ncie snapshot of what our lives have become when we barricad ourselves behind walls. It's also a call to be more mindful of what our neighbors might be going though in their lives and to offer support if the opportunity arises. Interesting. Not earth shattering, but definitely mind opening.

All Over the Map - Laura Fraser

3 1/2 out of 5 stars


As most memoirs go Fraser comes across a bit self absorbed but that, I've found, goes with the territory. She is honest and down to earth. Even taking on topics that can be dificult to address, like sexual assault. Although aside from her personal experience and one article she wrote on human trafficking in Italy she stays in the land of self.

Laura hopscotches the globe from start to finish, often using her travels as jumping off points for her story. While she is successful in her career as a travel writer and has many close friends to keep her company, it is the company of a man she craves. This once divorced woman in her mid 40's talks openly on the struggles of life as a single woman of her age, the lack of men out there willing to be her base and loneliness. As the book, and years, progress finding a partner becomes secondary to the self discoveries she makes along the way.

This book would be great read for a book club. It would also be great if you are in need of some adventure in your life!

Committed - Elizabeth Gilbert

4/5 stars.

Everybody has heard about Eat, Pray, Love. You may have avoided reading the book and you may avoid watching the movie when it comes out later this month, but you have certainly heard of the book. Who hasn't? The book was reviewed and its author interviewed in every major publication, from the NYT to Oprah. It was a very good book (I enjoyed it immensely). When my friend lent me this book, I thought "okay, do not be disappointed if it's not as good as EPL." Turns out, this book is also very good, in a different way. It focuses on one topic -marriage- and is more serious than the first one, as it provides information about the history and sociology of marriage and married people.

The man Gilbert loves, Felipe, is from Brazil and is an Australian citizen. One day, coming back from a trip abroad, the US customs detained Felipe and told him he could never go back to the US unless he and Gilbert married. That was a problem, since both of them decided that they were fine living together without being married, thank you very much (both went through painful divorces). I find the title particularly good, since Gilbert end up committed to marriage, but fears that the institution might trap her (as in "committed" in a real hospital/institution). Elizabeth Gilbert takes us on her very personal journey of coming to terms with being married, since it is the only way she and Felipe can live together in the US.

Her insights into marriage are fascinating. I learnt that the early church didn't want people to get married in order to stay pure (this still applies to priests and nuns and monks). I loved reading about the fact that though governments tried to control marriage (who can get married to whom is just one example), ultimately the intimacy that happens behind closed doors only belongs to two people. I enjoyed discovering other cultures' idea of marriage: the Hmongs, for instance, live in community and get much of their happiness from this sense of belonging, so they don't expect their spouse to fulfill their every need.

The book is easy to read, definitely interesting, and, as in EPL, Gilbert's tone is personal, funny, and touching. I highly recommend Committed. I give it only 4 stars because I feel that to deserve 5 a book has to inspire me and has to leave an indelible mark. This book is really enjoyable, but might not make it on my all time favorites list.