'What rfre 'You
‘Reading?
What Are You Reading? A project sponsored by the Friends of the Macomb Public Library District to encourage reading and book discussion in our community. Would you like to share your favorite books with other readers? Please send your name, occupation or grade level, book author and title, and a brief statement about the book and why you liked it to Kate Joswick, [email protected].
AN UNFINISHED LOVE STORY DORIS KEARNS GOODWIN
Reviewer’s Name: Alice Davenport Reviewer’s Occupation: Clergy Book Title: An Unfinished Love Story Book’s Author: Doris Kearns Goodwin Do you sometimes find longing for the 1960s? Those times of JFK and LBI, when legislation was passed which impacted ordinary Americans lives for the better, especially women and minorities, as well as the lives of people around the world. Think about it: during JFK’s short time in office: the Equal Pay Act, The Peace Corps Act, the Housing Act, the Community Mental Health Act and other important legislation was passed.
During LBJ’s administration came the Voting Rights Act, the Fair Housing Act, the Economic Opportunity Act (aka The War on Poverty) and laws establishing Medicare and Medicaid. There were more that provided massive funding for primary and secondary education and the establishment of HUD, a new federal agency to expedite housing and urban development programs. Additionally we got the Water Quality Act, the Motor Vehicle Pollution Control Act and also laws requiring the installation and use of seatbelts.
I loved time traveling with Doris Kearns Goodwin as she described months with her husband going through boxes of documents and photos relating to his work as a presidential advisor to the presidents named above and also candidates Eugene MeCarthy and Robert F. Kennedy. The depth and breadth of that era, when civil rights, social welfare, education, and environmental protection issues were addressed in powerful and transformative ways, engaged me personally.
It was a time of liberation for me as a young woman from patrichal domination, and also of liberation from a fundamentalists, confining and damaging version of Christianity. Reading about two individuals who were part of those movements and of their love for each other during 42 years of marriage, was fulfilling and uplifting.
