Under Our Skin: an honest discussion of race relations in the U.S.

Under Our Skin by Benjamin Watson is a deep look into race relations in this country. Mr. Watson is currently a tight end for the Baltimore Ravens. The book is an expansion of his viral Facebook post after a grand jury returned a no bill on the charges against Officer Darren Wilson for the shooting death of Michael Brown and the riots that ensued. In the book, Mr. Watson writes with brutal honesty to both blacks and whites about our interactions with each other. He writes about what blacks and whites do and act that keep the racial divide wide. He speaks about his anger, his frustration, his fear and confusion among many other emotions. He speaks from his own experiences with racism and open conversation with white friends and teammates about racism in the United States. He admits that there are no easy answers or solutions. He still has hope that we can live together as a community.

I read Mr. Watson’s original Facebook post and I loved it. Then one day recently, I saw a program which discusses this book and I was intrigued. I immediately went online and ordered it. When it arrived, I took my time to read his words. To truly digest and comprehend his experiences and his viewpoints. Some of his points I agreed wholeheartedly and others were eye opening and hard to swallow. Although I wasn’t raised to treat anyone different because of their skin, society has an influence on how we view each other and sometimes those thoughts and ideas creep in and I hate myself for it. I highly recommend everyone read Under Our Skin.

Under Our Skin

is available at major booksellers

in paperback and eBook

And the Mountains Echoed: a great story about a family torn apart

And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini is a heartbreaking journey one Afghan family must take from an impoverished Afghan village to a modern day, war torn country. From Afghanistan to Paris, France to the United States. The book is told in a series of short stories told from different perspectives as the reader is taken on one father’s devastating choice to a country trying to rebuild.

It is the fall of 1952 and 10 year old Abdullah is being told a story by his father. The story of a father sacrificing his favorite child to save an entire village and the anguish he suffers. Abdullah, his beloved little sister, Pari and their father, Sabor are on a journey to Kabul where Pari will be adopted by Mr. and Mars. Wahdati. In the spring of 1955, Mr. Wahdati suffers a stroke and Mrs. Wahdati to return to Paris, France taking Pari with her. The book fast forwards to spring 2003, as two Afghan-Americans, Idris and Timur, come to Kabul, looking to restore their families’ lands which were stolen by the Taliban. The experience changes Idris as he returns to his cushy and safe life in the U.S. We learn that Abdullah has made it to America where he and his family have opened a restaurant. The story flash backs to Paris 1974 and Pari as a young adult. She struggles with her alcoholic mother. We sees Pari’s life as she gets married, has children and becomes a widow. Until one fateful day, when the phone rings and she learns about her past that her mother took with her to the grave. Will brother and sister finally be reunited? Or is it too late?

I enjoyed And the Mountains Echoed. I enjoyed the epic story of one family as their country is thrown into war, the arrival of the Taliban and the aftermath of the U.S. war against the Taliban. While the political agendas are very much in the background, the reader can feel its presence as the characters interact and live in the world around them. Despite the back and forth in the timeline and the narrators, the story flowed and was easier to read than I expected. I highly recommend And the Mountains Echoed. It is a great story about the personal events in a turbulent region of the world.