Tracy Holczer's Everywhere in The Universe is a slightly older (2018) book that definitely deserves shelf space in today's libraries and book stores. Although historical fiction (set in the Vietnam war era), it also holds a timely warning for the direction America is going in today.
Lucy (12) is reserved, stoic, polite--definitely taking after her mother's English line ("They were Chin-Up women. They were Stiff-Upper-Lip women. They knew how to handle themselves.") than her father's boisterous Italian clan.
Lucy's life has changed drastically since her surgeon father was drafted to the war in Vietnam. She's not only had to live with the very real possibility that he could be seriously injured or even die, but move at a very developmentally challenging time--seventh grade. She's lived through a very lonely school year, missing her friends and failing to bond with her new classmates.
Lucy's father loses an arm and returns damaged in unseen as well as noticeable ways and facing the daunting task of discovering a new vocation while mourning his losses. He rebuffs her attempts to help him with the activities of daily living. She can't understand why he seems so distant and rejecting.
Lucy makes a new friend, Milo, who is staying staying with his grandmother for the summer. They discover a buried soldier's helmet, purple heart, and family pictures. Trying to return it to its owner, they learn startling truths about people's perceptions of the war and those fighting it.
Now for the timely warning part. Vietnam was a war of aggression, one we had no justification for embarking on. It took a terrible here and abroad. Our military committed atrocities on civilians. Military families suffered from fear for
their loved ones, many just out of high school, seeing just how much peril they were in with the newish media of television bringing the war into suburban living rooms. Many combatants came back in body bags or seriously damaged physically and/or psychologically. And can you imagine what it was like for 18-year-olds drawing low draft numbers to realize that the only to avoid being plunged into a hell on Earth was to leave family, friends, and country, not knowing if they could ever return?
Now President Trump is plunging us into a war of aggression in Iran without Congressional approval. A war in violation of international laws. We bombed a school for seven to Twelve-year-old girls which is morally indefensible. He is calling for troops on the ground and talking about reinstating the draft.
Saturday, March 28, there will be No Kings rallies in thousands of locations across America. Hopefully if enough of us attend Congress will pay attention and do something to change the terrible path our nation is on.
On a purrrsonal note, I've been protesting since the war was in Vietnam. I'll be out there Saturday. As long as I'm drawing breath I'll be taking it to the streets. Being old guard for social justice.
A great big shout out goes out to the organizers of the rallies and all who will show up and speak up.
Sent from my Galaxy
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