Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison and Ada's Rules by Alice Randall

Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison was first published in 1947, my copy was published in March 1995 by Second Vintage International a division of Random House, Inc. The introduction is by Ralph Ellison. I have to say I did not read the introduction, though in this case I probably should have, but I will give you my opinion and after I have given my opinion I will read the authors thoughts on his work.
I found this book intriguing as recently I have read several accounts of black history in the United States, and have read several books from black authors. I loved the idea of the invisible man because I understand the concept. In fact as a woman, who had her share of trauma, I too decided to be somewhat invisible when I was growing up, never trying bring notice to myself. I can never be part of the feelings that different races have who have felt the injustices of slavery, bigotry and many other opinions and actions. I can say that I hate that part our history.
So how about this story we have a young black man in the time of zoot suits and race riots, who lives in the South. There is a college that he has the fortune of getting into because of a speech that he made, to some white affluent people in the community. But in order to give this speech he had to fight other men, in nothing but his boxers, blindfolded and pushed, traumatized and all for sport of these affluent men.
He goes to school and is given the task when the shareholders of the school come to be their chauffer, lovely thought don't you think. His Dean is also a black man who plays the game of seemingly  influenced by the shareholders. But the minute there is a problem, our young man is dismissed from the school though he was not the cause of the problem. He is supposedly given a letter of recommendation but finds this not to be true. So he is in New York without a job and no references.
He gets a job but the person he is under also a black man thinks he is after his job and I am pretty sure causes him to get hit by equipment on his first day of work.
Many more conflicts, people trying to control him for their own gain, and he decides to become invisible, just living off the grid in a basement that no one goes into. We hear his whole life story up to his invisibility and then we see a change.
Many ideologies of the times expressed and many problems in New York and never a chance to become who he thought he should be, until maybe the end of this tale.

Now why do I mention this other book by Alice Randall, in ADA'S RULES we have a black woman who is the preachers wife. She has been slowly gaining weight and is at crossroads and a conflict. In her mind the women that are most powerful are the black women who are larger. Does she give this up by being a skinnier version of herself? Does she risk dying as her three sisters did because they were overweight because of the sugar? She is dealing with many things, her mother with dementia, a father who has sown wild oats in the past as a musician, her husbands mother, the congregation, the school she runs. I know this feeling, when you are always on the run, fast food becomes your best friend. Then one day you look in the mirror and another person looks back. Ada feels that if she loses weight she will become invisible, she already thinks her husband does not see her.

Both of these books address societal problems, race and then in the last book obesity. How do we overcome something that we have lived with all our lives. How do we strive to move forward? Sometimes you just have to put yourself out there to make the changes you need, sometimes they maybe subtle and sometimes they may hit you full in the face. I maybe naïve but I believe change is power and power is change.

Finished with REMAINS OF THE DAY

In my last post I promised to finish his book while I was traveling, which I did. Now the coincident part of this is that this book involves someone traveling within his countryside, looking back on his life and his job. I have also traveled and I too will look at this butler's life. REMAINS OF THE DAY was written by Kazuo Ishiguro. Mr. Ishiguro was born in 1954, so a contemporary. This book was finished and first published in 1989 and is published both in England and the New York City. My copy was published in 2012 by ALFRED A KNOPF in their Everyman's Library edition. I am glad to have learned this because in the introduction by Salman Rushdie, he makes reference to Downton Abbey (vii), so I had been thinking that the show was either longed lived or I had a later copy.

This is about and told by our Butler Mr. Stevens, who has been given permission to tour the country side in  his current employers Ford. They reside at Darlington Hall in 1956. Mr. Stevens is reluctant to do as instructed because he does not think that it is proper and believes Mr. Farraday is not sure of English customs. But two things make him change his mind, one he is having trouble keeping staff, and he receives a letter from the former person in charge of the housemaids, her name is Miss Kenton, but actually we learn later she is married.

Mr. Stevens, brings up to Mr. Farraday about his suggestion several days later, and is happy to know that he still has permission. Though Mr. Farraday jokes about him meeting up with a woman. This causes Mr. Stevens to talk about the bantering of Americans. The whole time he Mr. Stevens is driving to Miss Kenton's area in Cornwall he is reflecting about his life, those who were and are in it and how a butler should be dignified giving the best service he can.  He is questioned several times about his previous employer, who seems had connections to Germany before WWII, and is not looked on favorably by the people in England. Mr. Stevens tries to justify his employers position though time and time again he denies that he knows him. Reminded me of Peter with Jesus. Most of his reflections are about Miss Kenton, you get the feeling that opportunity was lost. But man with a stiff shirt such as Mr. Stevens, one can see why.

I really liked the book, makes one reflect about ones own life and opportunities we miss because we let others dictate our lives.