What I Am Reading - The Giver

The Giver

Lois Lowry

I read this in 24 hours.   Not attempting to toot my own horn as the book itself is only around 200 pages but what I mean to say is that it is epic.  I originally read “The Giver” in elementary school and I remember when I read it than that I really enjoyed it and was a little worried when I opened the book  16 years later that it just would not have any sort of relevance or intrigue.  This was a very foolish assumption and I would say that I enjoyed this far more than I intended too.  “The Giver” was written by Lois Lowry in 1993 and is actually the first book in a trilogy but the only book out of the three to win the Newberry Medal.  This is of course only awarded to the most distinguished literature for children and the first award was given in 1922.

In the world of “the Giver” the main character, Jonas, is faced with growing up.  He has to go to school each day, he has to have dinner with his parents, he has to put up with his little sister and equally challenging school mates, Jonas knows that he has to take his pill every morning and  Jonas knows nothing else but what the community provides.  At the age of 12 all of the kids are assigned jobs based on aptitude which they will work until they removed from the work force.  Jonas’s world suddenly and dramatically changes with his rare a honorable job placement that shatters all of his pre conceived notions about life and the community that he is part of. 

Jonas is not part of any community as we would recognize because Jonas is part of a community that have done everything that they possible could to remove pain and suffering and to encourage sameness.  People in the community live and die with everything provided to them, a perfect system. 

I would highly suggest this to anyone that is looking for a quick read but must confess that I have no plans to read the other two books in the trilogy nor any of her other works.  I simply have too much to read as is to delve into her rather large collection.

On a side note, I have no idea why on the cover the guy has a beard.  There is no mention at all of anyone with a beard at all.  This seems to be a complete oversight and I am shocked that it has not been corrected during 18 years that it has been in print.