June 26

The Remains of the Day (1989)

By Kazuo Ishiguro

The year is 1956 and Mr Stevens, a dignified aging butler, is combining a once-in-a-lifetime motor trip with a visit to hopefully recruit a housekeeper he knew back in the 1920-30s.  As he sets out from Darlington Hall, near Oxford, toward the West Country, he reflects on his years of service to Lord Darlington (recently deceased) and his country home, now in the hands of a wealthy American.  Dignity was of utmost importance, especially in terms of never showing emotion, whether in the case of a simple insult or as painful a case as a death in the family.  Looking back as he takes his first trip away from Darlington Hall, Stevens recalls his loyalty to his employer and his reluctance to let a friendship with the housekeeper ever evolve into anything closer.  He wonders if his loyalty blinded him to his employer's shortcomings or whether his professional rigidity deprived him of what might have become a warmer relationship.

This is a well-written story; Ishiguro illustrates how Mr Stevens' greatest assets as a butler were also his greatest obstacles to his own happiness, yet writes with sympathy.

June 20

Henry Himself (2019)

By Stewart O'Nan

Henry, age 75, spends much time reflecting on his life.  He was raised in Pittsburgh, went to school at Pitt and (apart from his experience in France during WW2 - a time he sometimes looks back on with both painful and tender memories) has always lived in Pittsburgh.  He is a husband to Emily, a father to son Kenny and daughter Margaret (a recovering drug addict), and a grandfather to Kenny's and Margaret's kids.  Henry is a retired engineer, spending much of his puttering in his workshop or walking his dog.  As a retiree, his life takes on certain routines.  During the course of a year Henry takes his wife out for Valentine's day dinner, welcomes the family for holidays like Easter and Thanksgiving.  He is active in his local Episcopal church and always looks forward to spending summer at the family cabin at Chattaqua.  But, at age 75, there is always a sense of living on the edge, that life is fragile.  He knows his own limitations - both physical and emotional.  He sees his wife's shortcomings, but knows he sees her, just as she needs him.  While this sweet story is very much about the little things in life, it is somewhat reassuring, and Henry is a pretty likeable character.  Good writing.

June 17

I Should Have Honor (2018)
By Khalida Brohi

Raised in Baluchistan province, Pakistan, Khalida is one of those rare girls whose father believes in girls' education.  Her father himself is the only one among several sons to go to school and becomes a journalist and an activist.  Khalida's young cousin Khadja is killed by her uncle for running away with a boy at age 14, and Khalida has found her calling.  She works to end this tradition of killing women for (from the men's perspective) bringing dishonor to the family.  In Khadja's case, she had refused to marry at a young age and be compelled to a life of servitude.  (Khalida's own mother was forced into marriage with her father at the age of 9.)  Khalida starts "Sughar" to give girls and women the power to overcome oppression; her organization grows beyond Khalida's own province to have branches throughout Pakistan.  Khalida efforts to fund Sughar brings grants from various international organizations, and she eventually comes to the US, where she meets her future husband David.  Only 28 years old at this writing, Khalida has accomplished much as a young woman and one hopes that her efforts through Sughar will result in many young women finding fulfillment in education and later marriages.

June 3

Empty Planet: The Shock of Global Population Decline (2019)
By Darrell Bricker and John Ibbitson

For 200+ years (starting with Thomas Malthus), we have been warned about the consequences of overpopulation (less water to drink, less land to farm, less air to breathe, etc) and we have seen our planet's population catapult from one billion in 1800 to the current 7+ billion people, with most of that growth in the last 60 years as live expectancy has improved.  Researcher Bricker and journalist Ibbitson, however, take an opposite tack: that the world's population - after hitting a high of 9-11 million mid-century, will start to decline. Indeed, we'd already see the effects of today's 1- and 2-child families, if life expectancy weren't so high.  The authors assert that several factors, especially urbanization, have come together to make small families more desirable.  On the farm, more children meant more farm hands; in the city, children are a liability and more mouths to feed, educate, etc.   As more women, especially in developing nations, are educated, they are often less willing to forego careers to raise large families.  The authors cite many examples, with China being the most prominent; although China's family size was government-mandated, after the 1-child mandate was lifted, it turned out most Chinese parents were unwilling to have more than 1 child.  Even in the developing world (e.g., India, Nigeria), birth control is now available and many families opt for smaller family size.

The authors state concern for the shrinking, graying populations of industrialized countries and say that immigration is the best tool to bring in a young workforce, suggesting that countries should do everything possible to attract them.  They look at Canada as a success story, as the Canadian government has welcomed refugees from all over the world, not necessarily assimilating them into Canadian culture (asserting there really is no such thing) but embracing the variety of cultures and skills immigrants bring.  Very interesting and logical interpretation of today's demographic trends.

Two things the authors do not address are: 1) What happens when the world hits its plateau population of 9-11M?  Won't it be very difficult for a few decades - before we really see a decline?  2) What happens to the "sending" nations, whose people flee oppression or hardship to emigrate to the "settler societies" of the US, Canada, Australia, NZ, etc?