The most recent book I read was written by my neighbor, Tom DeWolf. It was his first book he has written and he finished it in 2008, that is him in the center of the cover in the background. Currently he is wrapping up his second book that I am anxiously awaiting to read as this was a wonderfully written book and filled with an amazing history on slavery and the United States.
In this book Tom and a number of his cousins retraced the steps of their ancestors and their role in the United States slave industry and its triangle between Africa, Cuba, and the U.S. It is a memoir from the history they dug up and the places they visited. Along with it being a memoir it addresses many issues that still haunt the US and the world in general...racism and sexism to name a few..
One of my favorite lines and apparently one of Tom's too was "Relationships are Primary. All else is derivative." This was from Dr. Ron David on page 210. He goes on to say:
"This statement is the common threat in all the subjects he teaches, and the philosophy by which he lives his life. He says that nothing matters more to us as humans than to be in a relationship for the sake of being in relationship. We tell each other our stories and disclose our innermost selves in order to fall in love with one another. The burden of disease, despair, and early death is not the lack of access to health care. It's the breakdown of relationships. If we examine the underlying damage to relationships and repair them, we will become healthier people and communities."
With this statement left for you to ponder over, I hope you are all enjoying your summer and the books that you are feeling your way through. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and look forward to Tom's next one... Cheers
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