Tuesday, March 28, 2017

Review - Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult




#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • With richly layered characters and a gripping moral dilemma that will lead readers to question everything they know about privilege, power, and race, Small Great Things is the stunning new page-turner from Jodi Picoult.

SOON TO BE A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE
“[Picoult] offers a thought-provoking examination of racism in America today, both overt and subtle. Her many readers will find much to discuss in the pages of this topical, moving book.”—Booklist (starred review)

Ruth Jefferson is a labor and delivery nurse at a Connecticut hospital with more than twenty years’ experience. During her shift, Ruth begins a routine checkup on a newborn, only to be told a few minutes later that she’s been reassigned to another patient. The parents are white supremacists and don’t want Ruth, who is African American, to touch their child. The hospital complies with their request, but the next day, the baby goes into cardiac distress while Ruth is alone in the nursery. Does she obey orders or does she intervene?

Ruth hesitates before performing CPR and, as a result, is charged with a serious crime. Kennedy McQuarrie, a white public defender, takes her case but gives unexpected advice: Kennedy insists that mentioning race in the courtroom is not a winning strategy. Conflicted by Kennedy’s counsel, Ruth tries to keep life as normal as possible for her family—especially her teenage son—as the case becomes a media sensation. As the trial moves forward, Ruth and Kennedy must gain each other’s trust, and come to see that what they’ve been taught their whole lives about others—and themselves—might be wrong.

With incredible empathy, intelligence, and candor, Jodi Picoult tackles race, privilege, prejudice, justice, and compassion—and doesn’t offer easy answers. Small Great Things is a remarkable achievement from a writer at the top of her game.



My Thoughts
Wow...just wow!  Everyone should read this book at some point in their lives.  It's relevant, timeless, and race is something that we deal with each day.
I see that this will be a movie, I can't wait to see who plays these characters.  Now that I have said that out load, I am truly trying to decide who would be great for these roles.
Ruth Jefferson lives in a nice neighborhood in CT, has set high expectations for her son, and wants to live a better life than most family and friends that she knows.  She is a labor and delivery nurse for a local hospital and has had her job for over 20 years and loves it!
Then one day she gets the patients from hell, literally.  A white supremacist family and they were out to make her life miserable.  Not allowing her near their baby and going to her boss with their tainted views of African Americans. 
One day their newborn son is fighting for his life and Ruth is the only person near to help at that moment.  What does she do?  Should she help?  Should she wait till others show up?
Tragedy strikes and Ruth's life is turned upside down.  Will she rise above and get past it or will she snap and let it take her down along with her son?
I refuse to giveaway too many details, you must read the book for yourselves to get the big picture and understand what is going on.  It is more relevant today then ever!


Drink Selection
I would have to pair this selection with a deep red wine, Merlot to be exact.  Delish!  Here are a few suggestions that you may love!



Rating
This is one of my top reads of 2017!  I couldn't put it down and lived for opening it every second of the day.  Read it today!  5 wine glasses all the way!











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