Issue link: http://frankenmuthcvb.uberflip.com/i/1545247
The Magical Magnitude of the Ordinary: Three Novels that Celebrate the Average Life by Kirsten Bierlein Hollenback, Communications Librarian A few weeks ago, on a mundane Friday night, I plopped down on the couch and thoughtlessly clicked opened Netflix, unwittingly embarking on a 1 hour and 43-minute journey destined to alter my brain chemistry in unexpected ways. Train Dreams, an Oscar-nominated Netflix film directed by Clint Bentley, is one of the most thoughtful, terse, and strikingly beautiful movies I've watched in my lifetime. And it's largely about nothing. There is no transcontinental travel. No espionage. No complex plot involving government secrets and spies. It's a movie and (as I learned afterward) 115-page novella by Denis Johnson about one man's ordinary life. Robert Granier is a timberman who works hard, experiences devastating loss, bears witness to the rapidly changing landscape of the Northwest, finds moments of joy, doesn't overthink much, the end. Train Dreams is the antithesis of- and perhaps anecdote to- the chronically fast-paced, rat-race lives we lead in 2026. As our world seems to spin faster, it's natural that many of us ache to swing the pendulum back toward a simpler, slower, way of life. Perhaps it's this profound sense of longing that, at least in part, explains the explosive popularity behind two recent novels, Theo of Golden by Allen Levi and The Correspondent by Virginia Evans. While not explicitly similar in plot, Train Dreams, Theo of Golden, and The Correspondent are all connected by one simple, exceedingly important thread of an idea: immense meaning can be found in living a simple, kind, and good life. No matter how ordinary it seems. Copies of both Theo of Golden and The Correspondent can be found at the Frankenmuth Wickson District Library. Library patrons can order a copy of the novella Train Dreams through Mel.org, while the Oscar-nominated film can be viewed on Netflix. 5 Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Famous Strombolis Pizza & Deep Dish Pizza Authentic Pasta Dishes Beer, Wine, Liquor Daily Specials Outdoor Seating Catering Available