Small Mercies
By Dennis Lehane
299 pages
What’s it about?
This story is set in 1974 in South Boston- against the backdrop of school desegregation. Mary Pat Fennessey was born and raised in the housing projects of Southie. She is one tough lady who is determined to fight desegregating the schools. However, once her 17-year-old daughter Jules goes missing she has much more to be concerned about.What did it make me think about?
Hard to imagine that this all happened in my lifetime.Should I read it?
This is almost more social commentary than mystery. It is such a tumultuous period in our history and it is easy to forget. This is a book about racism, segregation, love of family, institutional poverty, and how dangerous it is to feel superior.Quote-
“Call them gooks, call them niggers, call then kikes, micks, spics, wops, or frogs, call them whatever you want as long as you call them something- anything- that removes one layer of human being from their bodies when you think of them. That’s the goal. If you can do that , you can get kids to cross oceans to kill other kids, or you can get them to stay right here at home and do the same thing.”What’s it about?
This story is set in 1974 in South Boston- against the backdrop of school desegregation. Mary Pat Fennessey was born and raised in the housing projects of Southie. She is one tough lady who is determined to fight desegregating the schools. However, once her 17-year-old daughter Jules goes missing she has much more to be concerned about.
What did it make me think about?
Hard to imagine that this all happened in my lifetime.
Should I read it?
This is almost more social commentary than mystery. It is such a tumultuous period in our history and it is easy to forget. This is a book about racism, segregation, love of family, institutional poverty, and how dangerous it is to feel superior.
Quote-
“Call them gooks, call them niggers, call then kikes, micks, spics, wops, or frogs, call them whatever you want as long as you call them something- anything- that removes one layer of human being from their bodies when you think of them. That’s the goal. If you can do that , you can get kids to cross oceans to kill other kids, or you can get them to stay right here at home and do the same thing.”
