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Not long ago, a friend of mine recommended a great little read, based upon some of my scholastic interests and previous work experience. I don’t read every book that is recommended to me, but I must admit, I’m glad I read this one. The end result was a captivating read that beckoned me to embark on a journey that truly is a literary rarity—one full of deep introspection and serious contemplation. Father Gregory Boyle’s Tattoos on the Heart is, in a sense, the measure of a man’s life work. Throughout the pages, readers discover the retelling of nearly thirty years’ worth of life and ministry. Boyle’s writings bring to life a certain reality that many in our culture are either unaware of, desensitized to, or just not interested in.

After his ordination in 1984, Boyle began ministering to underprivileged villages of South America—Bolivia, to be exact. Here, Boyle discovered what he would eventually label his “life’s purpose.” Gregory Boyle fell in love with poor people. That phrase looks odd at first glance; thus, I’ll showcase his intended meaning through a bit of his own words. In speaking about the transition from being placed in a fairly cushy first assignment after ordination to where he would eventually land—the gang-infested populations of the Pico Gardens and Aliso Village public-housing projects of Los Angeles, California—Boyle states, “Originally, I was scheduled to go to Santa Clara University to run their student service program, but Bolivia changed all that. I can’t explain how the poor in Bolivia evangelized me during that year of 1984-85, but they turned me inside out, and from that moment forward, I only wanted to walk with them.”

 So, that is exactly what Boyle did. As mentioned above, he was assigned to a small congregation, by which he had previously served in an associate’s capacity, nestled in the heart of Los Angeles, California’s “gang capital”—Delores Mission. After a somewhat organic growth, the mission soon became a haven for gang members. At first, Boyle made it his mission to create an atmosphere of peace among rival gangs by fostering treaties and formal resignations of violence toward one another. Looking back upon these labors, “G” (as his congregants affectionately call him), suggests that his naivety allowed him to miss the mark here. Over time, he began to see that these efforts fueled the flames of gang activity, rather than extinguish them. So, Boyle changed tactics by becoming the founder and director of Homeboy Industries—a place committed to providing jobs for former gang members, thus giving them an entry point into not only a normative state of society, but also a healthy way of life. Father Boyle established Delores Mission and Homeboy Industries as a safe place for young men and women to find shelter amidst a lifelong struggle of violence and neglect, thus giving reprieve coupled with tools and resources that would lead to betterment.

 Tattoos on the Heart is one Jesuit’s story of partnering with marginalized members of society. In the pages of this book, one will discover a man’s journey that not only brought hope and restoration to the lost he was working on behalf of, but that also brought healing and betterment to his own life. His work was reciprocal. The stories in this book are dynamic and variable. Some may induce fits of laughter. Some may produce strong emotions, the types that are often accompanied with tears. Throughout the reading of this book, individuals might find themselves engaging in philosophical, theological, and/or ideological thought—which sounds like a pretty good result, coming from a book written by a Jesuit. It should be noted that in this book, the vocabulary gets course and gritty. This is written by a man who has spent his entire adult life working with and for gang members, after all. Yet, regardless of the vocabulary found in these pages, and regardless of the emotions and ideas induced, this book offers up a real value that is often times missed in memoirs of a similar ilk.

In this book, Boyle gives voice to the silent. Throughout the process of outlining this review, I struggled with the question of which, if any, stories might I mention here. In the end, I find myself dismissive to the idea of promoting one or the other. Instead, I do my best to encourage you to read them all. Read the sad ones. Read the funny ones. Read the ones about young boys who never got a shot at life, simply because of the street corner they were born closest to. Read the ones about the former gang-bangers turned community leaders. Again, read them all.

 A great thing about this book is that you don’t have to see the world the same as Father Boyle does in order to find an inherent value. You don’t have to consider yourself a religious person. You don’t have to consider yourself a “good Samaritan” or an “others centered” type of being. No, really that’s not needed. Yet, if you’re interested in being challenged by a segment of society that you’re either ignorant toward, or just haven’t thought about in a long while, then this book may do you well. In the midst of a culture ensnared in division and disunity, it may do us all well to seek out compassion and to work toward togetherness. So, if you’re looking to be challenged, or you’re looking for a real thought provoker, you can pick this book up in the new non-fiction collection at the Joplin Public Library

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A person’s age, a person’s gender, the amount of money one brings home annually, even the political party one most closely aligns with; in the grand scheme of things, none of these demographic descriptors allowed for reprieve come this time last year. In the year 2016 Americans of all shapes and sizes were inundated with one of the most interesting and heated presidential races in campaign history. As political personalities made their way into morning drives to work, lunchtime perusals of current events, or evening viewings of local news channels, not many people in America could escape the theatrical events unfolding in the political landscape of the day. John Dickerson, political director of CBS News and moderator of Face the Nation, knows this reality all too well, and he capitalizes on it in his recent work Whistlestop, which came out during the thick of last year’s political campaigns.  

Whistlestop is a retelling of a political journalist’s favorite stories throughout the history of presidential campaigning. Dickerson takes the historical significance of the Whistlestop method of campaigning, and allows that image to drive home his overarching theme: “If there is a constant to the American campaign story, it is that elites can’t predict the future very well.” That’s right, voters are constantly “undoing [the] certainties” of the political press. This compilation of oral histories captures that truth in a way that is simultaneously entertaining and potentially motivating, as it takes the reader to various points in history, that at times eerily mirror the present, and yet validate their own unique placement in the annals of record keeping. So again, regardless of one’s political inclinations, this book has the potential to engage any reader through the method of good, old-fashioned storytelling. Dickerson makes use of natural language to draw in his reader, and he has a good pace and overall flow throughout these narratives. Whistlestop is not recorded chronologically, but rather topically, so it does have an anachronistic feel to it at times. This is evidenced in how Dickerson places Andrew Jackson’s unexpected surge as a primary candidate in 1824 in the middle of the book, rather than closer to the front, as one might expect. Still the same, Dickerson’s weaving of the stories throughout the overall narration alleviate some of the distraction this method might otherwise induce.  

From Ronald Reagan’s famous “I am paying for this microphone, Mr. Green” moment to Grover Cleveland’s opponents taking up the war cry “Ma, Ma, where’s my Pa?” this book is jam packed with entertaining clips of campaign history. Some accounts retell specific incidents, such as Edmund Muskie’s emotional tirade against the Union Leader’s publisher William Loeb, where the famous question “was Muskie crying?” first made its appearance. Like this retelling, Dickerson unearths the backdrop of the story. In doing so he clearly identifies another primary aim of this book, which is to note that throughout campaign history there are very few single moments that shift the course or trajectory of the race, but rather several smaller circumstances that lead to the moments most will often remember. In other sections of the book, Dickerson outlines the major events and themes that impacted an overall campaign, while not necessarily focusing on one single event within. This is demonstrated in his treatment of JFK’s 1960 run for office, which is entitled “The Catholic Candidate.” 

A beautiful component to this book is Dickerson’s ability to transcend political issues and to allow readers to make their own conclusions. There is no party biased agenda here. This is simply a text that allows its readers to surmise their own villains and heroes of each story, even if Dickerson does provide some evidence within the overall narratives. So, if one is interested in political history, or desires to escape the tumultuous political landscape this country dwells in, this book might be just what the doctor (or maybe President?) ordered. One can find this riveting narrative in the nonfiction shelves of the Joplin Public Library.

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From as far back as I can remember the allure of soccer has been hard for me to withstand. While I consider myself to be a fan of sports in general, certain games seem to transcend the monotony of all the rest. For me, soccer fits into that category. Thus, it was somewhat natural and logical when I recently picked up Phil West’s documentation of the premiere U.S. soccer league (i.e., the MLS)—The United States of Soccer.

Phil West makes a considerable contribution to the somewhat scarce amount of information concerning soccer and the fans who support it in the U.S. In large part, this is due to West’s outstanding credentials as a soccer journalist and his outspoken commitment to the propagation of the sport. In other words, his professional background definitely helps to push the agenda of this writing. Yet in addition to this, West’s credit as a fan places a lot of stock into the worth of this book as well. Many times a reader can find him/herself being ushered into a story that is dictated not by a journalist covering the minutia of a required story, but rather by a fan living out a desirable experience—it just so happens that this fan has the credentials and talent that allow him to document those experiences for the world to access. For me, this is one of the most enjoyable components of this text, as it allows me to share in the wonder and awe that the sport has to offer via the experiences of an avid watcher.

At the center of West’s treatment of the MLS and its fan base is what he identifies as the culminating event that resulted in the formation of the league. This event is what West labels “the promise.” In 1988, the Fédération Internationale de Football (FIFA) agreed to allow the 1994 World Cup to be hosted by the United States. However, there was one major stipulation required in order for this to happen—the U.S. needed to develop a top tier soccer league. A major hindrance to this was the recent demise of the North American Soccer League (NASL). As the most successful league in American history was making it’s exit, the idea of a prominent premiere league in the U.S. seemed doubtful. Yet, The United States of Soccer is a record of the story that somehow broke through the doubt, resulting in the modern-day incarnation of such a league. While America has a long way to go before being able to stand toe to toe with international powerhouses in the sport, the MLS has turned into a competitive league whilst creating an environment that supports avid fanbases.

Phil West takes the reader on a somewhat chronological timeline of the major events and major figures that contribute to the formation and history of the MLS. While there is an order to the events and circumstances surrounding this soccer league, West also takes liberty to interject the impact that these events have on current trends in the sport. So, while it is a chronological telling of the history, it also jumps around a bit in terms of voice and narrative. Part of this is due to the overwhelming amount of information provided. I will make note, however, that while much information is provided, West seems to deliver it well, as he disregards jargon often associated with the sport and uses a vernacular that is easy to comprehend for the layperson.

A strength behind this work is West’s ability to present a story. The stories in this book are truly what make it such a delightful read. In every page, there is a narrative that leads to the next. Again, this makes for an easy read, and for the most part, an enjoyable one. Major figures in sports (e.g., Lamar Hunt) show their faces in many of these stories, allowing individuals with little to no interest in the sport to find some kind of resonance with the contents. In addition to this, all of the prominent figures working behind the scenes and in front of the cameras during the building of this league make their appearance as well. This was another delightful aspect of the book, as West provides stories that are relatively unknown to the common fan (or outsider) about figures they are familiar with. One such story centers around the prolific winger/forward, Landon Donovan. While many fans are aware of the name, many may be unware of the fact that he made his MLS debut the same year that league almost folded (2001). Surrounded by the turmoil of 9/11, the overwhelming consensus in the league was one of fear and dread. Yet, through a series of events, the league withstood and eventually even expanded. Additionally, figures like Landon Donovan proved that Americans can take a place on the international stage as well.

West does well to provide his readers with a lot of inside information. Loaded with ample amounts of research and experience, West crafts a genuine and authentic piece of work that truly does give voice to a growing tradition in American sports. As stated before, no one reading this book will be disillusioned after reading it. Readers will maintain awareness of the long road that lies ahead of the sport and its fan base in the U.S. Yet, I believe that soccer fans, as well as “not-yet soccer fans” can find some valuable entertainment in this easy and quick read. The United States of Soccer is available to borrow at the Joplin Public Library.

Echo

By Pam Muñoz Ryan

Some books are big. A book with many pages may have this stigma attached to it, as could a book that is bound in a particularly large cover. Working in a library, I hear many individuals comment on the “bigness” of a book. “Wow! That’s a huge book!” Recently, a book crossed my path that not only falls under this umbrella of big due to its size and length, but also due to another factor: its impact. The juvenile fiction novel, Echo, by Pam Muñoz Ryan certainly does well to meet this last-mentioned criterion.

 Echo has a form and style that is unique and inviting. The author does well to keep her audience captivated from start to finish. She does this by engaging the reader with a large story arc that is connected by various smaller stories. The book begins with a tale of discovery, as a boy named Otto uncovers a story and a harmonica in a forest. Otto then comes face to face with that story as he becomes lost in the forest, only to encounter a trio of protagonists that mystically appear—three sisters who seem to come directly from the story Otto has just uncovered. From here, the larger story begins to take shape. The significance of mystery and wonder, as well as the overarching theme of music is introduced in Otto’s dialogue with the three sisters. All of this sets the stage for a dramatic shift to occur in the story, a shift that will take place three different times and that will span three different generational time periods and three different geographical locations.

 In essence, Pam Muñoz Ryan tells one larger than life narrative by utilizing the vantage point of three different characters: Friedrich in Germany, Mike in Pennsylvania, and Ivy in California. Throughout these various stories, the main character remains the same: a captivating harmonica that seemingly finds its way into the hands of passionate musicians who are all interconnected in ways that are never fully realized by the individuals. Through her powerful attention to detail, Muñoz Ryan narrates a driven story that addresses many themes that are easy to relate to and that seem to transcend time and circumstance. She deals with political controversy, as Friedrich finds himself in the middle of Hitler’s rise to power. She deals with issues that are surrounded by the loss of loved ones, and the struggle of discovering one’s place in the world as Mike and his little brother Frankie find themselves in an orphanage after the death of their parents and grandmother. She also deals with racism, as Ivy is confronted with its harsh reality during the process of moving to a new community that views cultural heritage differently than she is used to. Throughout it all, however, there stands in the middle of these issues a solution to overcoming adversities: the power of music.

While not every reader will identify themselves as a musician, Muñoz Ryan takes advantage of the seemingly ever present realization that music plays a part, in some way or another, in the lives of most people who inhabit this earth. By using music as a median, she gives her readers something they can relate to as she wrestles with the thematic issues addressed above. Couple this with her ability to spin a story, and this novel has the potential to be a pretty big book that leaves a pretty big impression on its readers.71aK5tVGXsL
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