The Best Books Club: "A Thousand Roads Home," by Carmel Harrington

Something I most love about books is that no matter the specifics of plot, character or setting, there can be found within the pages of every book something with which every reader can identify. “A Thousand Roads Home,” by Carmel Harrington, is no exception.

Admittedly, few of us can identify with being homeless or being diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome, a form of autism spectrum disorder. And, fortunately, relatively few of us have suffered the loss of both our only child and our spouse.

That said, no doubt every single person who is in their “best years” has, like Doc, suffered the loss of a dear loved one. Each of us can understand why, 10 years later, he still deeply mourns the loss of his wife and son, even though we probably can’t identify with his method — homelessness — of coping with their deaths.

Without minimizing the situation of those with Asperger’s syndrome, I believe every reader, if honest with him or herself, can identify with Ruth, as well.

A few years ago, I found myself in a conversation with a fellow Central High School (CHS) alumna. She had been popular in high school, and I well remember how poised she seemed. Casual acquaintances then, we connected a few years ago and found ourselves reminiscing about our time at CHS.

In the course of our meandering conversation, she commented that back then, she never felt she fit in and was quite unsure of herself. I expressed surprise at her admission, and she replied, “I firmly believe that everyone was insecure and didn’t think they fit in back in high school and feels that way even now from time to time. Some people are just good at hiding it.”

I believe she’s right, and all of us have a bit of Ruth in us.

You may be thinking to yourself, “OK, that’s fine and good, but is that it?”

Not at all! I also love books because I firmly believe if only we will open ourselves to it, every book reminds us of something we’ve forgotten or reinforces the truth of something we know but haven’t accepted yet as truth. “A Thousand Roads Home” is again a case in point.

When Doc and Ruth take their focus off their own tragic circumstances and focus instead on helping others, they find the sense of purpose they both so desperately need.

When Doc stops DJ from committing a crime and focuses on helping DJ and Ruth, he begins to heal emotionally.

When Ruth takes her eyes off of her own lack of resources in order to minister to Doc, and when she attempts to help her son and the other children at the hotel for the homeless, she not only finds the friends she has longed for but also changes the trajectory of her life.

This book reminds us of something that is also true in real life: When we look beyond ourselves — beyond our aches and pains, our shrinking retirement funds and growing medical bills, our loss of loved ones and loneliness — and focus instead on helping someone else, we also inevitably help ourselves.

Don’t believe me? Give it a try.

__Some topics we’ll discuss in our Facebook group threads and during our Facebook Live discussion at 4:30 p.m. Sept. 12:__

1. Where — or what — is “home” to you?

2. Which of the following has a greater impact on the main characters: their own choices, the decisions of other people or life circumstances?

3. Homelessness has, in recent years, become a major issue in communities around the world, with many opinions about how to address it. What is the first thing you would do if given the job of addressing homelessness in your community or state?

4. Author Carmel Harrington has shared how a radio interview of a man who tried and failed to bring home his beloved, homeless son caused her to begin to look more closely at people she passed on the street, who had previously been “invisible” to her. What experiences in your life have caused you to really see other people or to consider them in a different light?

5. In what way, if any, did this book impact you? Did it move you to action? Did it cause you to feel despair, or hope?

__Up Next__

It’s time for a nonfiction book! A recent poll in The Best Books Club group on Facebook — please join us in the group if you haven’t already done so — indicated group members’ favorite type of nonfiction book is biography. I considered more than 70 biographies for our October selection and kept discarding them; as a result, for our next book, you get to choose the biography of the “the person who most Xs you.”

Fill in that “X” factor with an appropriate verb! To list just a few examples, read the biography of the person who most inspires, amazes, baffles, amuses, intrigues, inspires, teaches, frightens, bores, enlightens, challenges or educates you!

Can't wait to see what you learn!

Patti Miinch, a resident of Cape Girardeau, is an author, mother and mother-in-law of two, grandmother of three and retired educator; while she has many loves, spending time with her family, sports, travel and reading top the list.