I've read two books in the past few weeks that are both not only absolutely wonderful examples of their particular genres, but are also tied together through a focus on how we connect with one another.
The first book is Kristen Radtke's graphic nonfiction work Seek You: A Journey Through American Loneliness. The title comes from amateur radio, which Radtke's father used a way to try to connect with others: operators reach out to others through a "CQ call." English speakers turned that into "seek you," a fitting change for the way many people used and continue to use amateur radio.
The first book is Kristen Radtke's graphic nonfiction work Seek You: A Journey Through American Loneliness. The title comes from amateur radio, which Radtke's father used a way to try to connect with others: operators reach out to others through a "CQ call." English speakers turned that into "seek you," a fitting change for the way many people used and continue to use amateur radio.
Radtke explores loneliness through her and her family, but also through research, tying the two strands together in each section. She moves through her five sections: Listen, Watch, Click, Touch, then back to Listen. Her research and experiences vary widely, moving between psychological tests for loneliness and how her friends/significant others interpreted her behavior; the importance of gossip and how the media portray loneliness, especially when related to those who perpetrate mass shootings; and social media and the conflict between the research and life of Harry Harlow. Her images, especially her use of colors in each section, reinforce and broaden her ideas in ways that help readers see loneliness in different ways, as well as think about it differently. In the end, she encourages readers not to avoid loneliness, but to use it to reach out to others, to hear a voice calling back when we reach out.
The other book--Anthony Doerr's novel Cloud Cuckoo Land--is also divided into sections and similarly winds a variety of stories through one novel. There are five main storylines: an ancient Greek text, from which the novel gets its name; the siege on Constantinople, as seen from one character outside the city and another inside; an attempted bombing of a realty office, also seen by two characters with different angles on that scene; and a spaceship in some future where Earth has become less- or uninhabitable due to climate change (from what we can tell).
As with such braided narratives, the characters all ultimately connect in interesting ways, but the primary way is through their interactions with the ancient Greek text. Doerr isn't simply exploring human connection; he wants readers to think about the power and the fragility of stories (how they get passed on, how they change, how they get lost, but also what effects they have on their listeners/readers). Ultimately, Doerr wants readers to see how we connect through stories. As the ancient Greek text in his novel states, "Stranger, whoever you are, open this to learn what will amaze you." What will amaze readers of his novel is not just how well he writes, how well he ties the stories together, how well he develops characters so that one cares for each of them, but how well his story reminds us of the importance of story, so that we feel a connection with other readers.
The other book--Anthony Doerr's novel Cloud Cuckoo Land--is also divided into sections and similarly winds a variety of stories through one novel. There are five main storylines: an ancient Greek text, from which the novel gets its name; the siege on Constantinople, as seen from one character outside the city and another inside; an attempted bombing of a realty office, also seen by two characters with different angles on that scene; and a spaceship in some future where Earth has become less- or uninhabitable due to climate change (from what we can tell).
As with such braided narratives, the characters all ultimately connect in interesting ways, but the primary way is through their interactions with the ancient Greek text. Doerr isn't simply exploring human connection; he wants readers to think about the power and the fragility of stories (how they get passed on, how they change, how they get lost, but also what effects they have on their listeners/readers). Ultimately, Doerr wants readers to see how we connect through stories. As the ancient Greek text in his novel states, "Stranger, whoever you are, open this to learn what will amaze you." What will amaze readers of his novel is not just how well he writes, how well he ties the stories together, how well he develops characters so that one cares for each of them, but how well his story reminds us of the importance of story, so that we feel a connection with other readers.