Claudia from The Bottom of Heaven asked if I wanted to participate in Blogger's roundtable for Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye, to celebrate its 40 anniversary. There was only one answer I could give YES.* First Happy Anniversary to the Bluest Eye. And thank you Claudia for asking me to participate.
The first time I read The Bluest Eye I was 13 or 14 yrs old. I feel very lucky to have discovered Morrison so early. I missed Mildred Taylor, the same thing could've easily happened with Morrison. The Bluest Eye wasn't school reading, though I do recall my 9th grade English teacher, giving me a list of authors right before the beginning of summer. I am pretty sure Morrison's name was on the list. At the time I was reading a lot of genre fiction books by Stephen King or Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris. I was just discovering Black authors. Sure I read James Baldwin, Richard Wright even Donald Goines, but it was the ladies who had me.
Of course alot of The Bluest Eye, was over my head the first time I read it. Though that didn't matter since Morrison's characters and language felt familiar.
Forty years later I will always be thankful for Morrison's first novel. The Bluest Eye opened literary doors for many Black female authors.
Without it I may never of had the chance to read Tina McElroy Ansa, Toni Cade Bambara, Gaylor Naylor, Ntozake Shange, Alice Walker and all the other Black female authors whose stories speak to me like genre fiction never will.
There were a few topics, we could've tackled for this roundtable. I choose - Humanizing Cholly Breedlove: Vilified? Redeemed? How did you respond to this character or how might we read him today?
The first time through Cholly Breedlove was evil. Any man who would hit his wife, set his house of fire and rape is daughter couldn't be anything but evil. Years later when I reread The Bluest Eye, I payed closer attention and noticed there was more to Cholly. I felt compassion towards him.
This was the first time I had to reevaluate my perception towards a particular character after rereading a novel. So I decided to take an even closer look at Cholly.
Cholly Breedlove is Pecola's father. Pecola is the little girl who dreams and wishes for blue eyes. With blue eyes Pecola believes she will be beautiful and loved. Breedlove's are poor and ugly. One is bad but both is unforgivable.
Before Cholly becomes half of a marriage that thrives on conflict, he is a man with potential. Cholly almost lost his chance at being anything. When he was four years old his mother placed him on a junk railroad. He was saved by his great aunt Jimmy.
Cholly's aunt raised him until he was 14yrs old. When she's dies, Cholly ran away to find his father. His aunt took care of him but there was no love. Cholly's went searching for a male roll model and someone to love him.
9 Comments on The Bluest Eye - Happy Anniversary, last added: 7/2/2010
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By: L. M. Baldwin,
on 6/30/2010
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By: L. M. Baldwin,
on 4/26/2010
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Set in a luxury hotel, in a fictional Central American capital. The lives of several guests play out over a week's time. The central character is Suki Palacios, a Japanese Mexican American matador. She's in town for the first ever female bull fighting competition. Suki Palacios is a very memorable character. There is strength in her skill and beauty. She commands the attention of everyone.
The ongoing presidential election is an essential part of the story. This novel is filled with strong female protagonists, including ex guerrilla, Aura Estrada. Aura comes face to face with the colonel responsible for the death of her brother.
Garcia has crafted a beautiful, elegant and lyrical story. Only 205 pages, the author takes the less is more approach. I love novels where there's meaning and purpose behind each word and pause.
"Last night Suki visited the cathedral, off the colonial plaza. It was All Souls Day and the whisperings to the dead rose from the pews, circling in the naves until they hummed with a humid sorrow. Suki trusts in the enigmas of the unknown as she does her own eyesight, or the pumping muscles of her heart. The trick is balancing the measurable known against the vast chaos that defines everything else. In medical school, Suki's professors praised her for her lack of sentimentality but they underestimated her respect for the imperceptible." (from arc)
Cristina Garcia is a bestselling author and National Book Award Finalist. The Lady Matador's Hotel will be released in September. Garcia also as a collection of poetry that will be released in May called The Lesser Tragedy of Death. Don't be surprised if you see that reviewed here in the future.
By: L. M. Baldwin,
on 4/20/2010
Blog: Color Online (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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Sweet Mary by Liz Balmaseda
Balmaseda is a two time Pulitzer Prize winning journalist and this is her first novel. It was one of my favorite mystery debuts of 2009
Dulce Maria (Mary) Guevara is a single mother and a very successful Miami real estate agent. Mary has worked hard to provide a nice home for her and son, Max. Mary's life is turned upside down when she is mistaken for a drug queen pin. One morning the FBI searches Mary's house and she's arrested in front of her son. After the charges are dropped, Mary realizes the only way to get her life back and not lose custody of her son is to catch the real criminal.
Sweet Mary was such a pleasure to read. I loved it. Mary is a wonderfully crafted character. Part of the beauty of this mystery is Mary comes across as a real person. She is an accidental sleuth, like Laura Lippman's Tess Monaghan or Kyra Davis's Sophie Katz.
One of the many strengths of this story is the relationship between Mary and her best friend Gina Torres. Gina helps search for the real criminal. Balmaseda allows the reader to get a good taste of the city of Miami. Sweet Mary is a wonderful addition to the mystery genre.
By: L. M. Baldwin,
on 2/16/2010
Blog: Color Online (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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Perfect Shot
Debbie Rigaud
Simon & Schuster
2009
Reviewer: Doret
I love when a book gives exactly what it promises with good writing and no unnecessary tricks like out of the blue Vampires. Perfect Shot was such a joy to read. If I had known I was going to enjoy it has much as I did, I would've read it sooner.
15-year-old London is a volleyball star. She's working part time at an art store to raise money for volleyball summer camp. A guy (Brent) catches London's attention at the art store. She soons finds herself accidentally entering a modeling competition to catch Brent's attention, a photography intern.
London doesn't feel like she fits in with the other girls. Rigaud does a great job of developing and creating a very likable character in London. Yes, she's tall and beautiful but she's still unsure because of all the name calling in middle school. So its easy why London would feel insecure around the other contestants. Plus, London is more sporty than fashion. It's her best friend Pam that has the eye for fashion.
London's biggest competition is an old frenemy, Kelly. I loved the contest. Think, Next Top Model but online with believable challenges. The Perfect Shot was a whole lot of fun to read. I laughed out loud many times.
Perfect Shot is a part of Simon & Schuster's Romantic Comedy series. It's the first one that features Black characters. It's was so nice to read a light, fun and well written YA book with characters of color. Ages 11 up. Only $6.99
While reading Perfect Shot, I thought of Love at First Click by Elizabeth Chandler. Another great Sports & Boys (S&B) chick lit read.
There's also The Ex Games (snowboarding) by Jennifer Echols
Sports & Boys chick lit is a beautiful thing.
By: L. M. Baldwin,
on 1/25/2010
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Ruined
Paula Morris
Point
2009
Rebecca Brown and her dad have always lived in NYC. Mr. Brown, travels on occasion for work. This time he will be gone too long for a neighbor to watch Rebecca. Rebecca is headed to New Orleans to live with a woman she has only meet once, Claudia and her twelve-year-old daughter, Aurelia. In order to get into the exclusive academy for her sophomore year, Rebecca must pretend she is Claudia's niece. Rebecca gets along very well with Aunt Claudia and Aurelia which is good since they live in a shotgun house and there isn't much room.
Rebecca doesn't care much for New Orleans. Everyone seems concerned with money, family ties, status and who knows who. At Rebecca's new school, the students from the most connected families are known simply as Them. The Gray's, Bowman's and Sutton's are the core families.
Helena Bowman and Marianne Sutton are the It girls at Mead Academy. Rebecca doesn't like or trust either. There's only one living person Rebecca enjoys spending time with Anton Gray. Both know their relationship would not be accepted so they do their best to keep it a secret. The only other friend Rebecca has is Lisette, a ghost. Lisette is around Rebecca's age, she died in 1853 under suspicious circumstances. Lisette has been haunting the cemetery, across from Aunt Claudia's house since her death. She can't go in peace until the truth comes out. When Lisette was alive she was a free person of color. She and her mother lived in Faubourg Treme. Rebecca spends much of her time in the cemetery talking to Lisette.
The author does a wonderful job of incorporating a lot of New Orleans rich history:
Rebecca decided to smuggle her homemade sandwich in to the library. She liked looking at the maps of Louisiana and the Caribbean, back when France and Spain and Britain were fighting over territory and power. It made her think of pirates and buccaneers, of plantation ladies and dashing explorers though, she knew, this was a naive and romantic view. Back in the days when Haiti was called Saint-Dominique, it was known as the Pearl of the Antilles, a place of incredible riches where the French produced sugar and coffer and rum for their entire empire. But this was only possible because of hundreds of thousands of slaves. And the brutal treatment of these people led to the slave rebellion and Haitian revolution, which was incredibly bloody and terrible. Rebecca's class had been story it in history. Anyone with the means to escape Haiti fled the fighting and thousands of these refugees came to New Orleans like Lisette's grandparents. With them they'd brought their music and their food and their religion, voodoo. According to her teacher they changed the the culture of New Orleans forever. And now, since the hurricane, people had moved to the city from Mexico and Central America, to work on rebuilding
By: L. M. Baldwin,
on 1/20/2010
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Dear Bloomsbury:
By: L. M. Baldwin,
on 1/20/2010
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I usually don't know ahead of time what my non review post will be. This particular idea came to me while I was reading Amber Kizer's new YA novel Meridian. I've already finished and really enjoyed the book. ( my review )
Here's a quick back story: In the novel, since Meridian was small animals have been dying around her. As she got older the animals got bigger. On her 16th birthday Meridian sent to live with an Aunt, who will explain Meridian powers. She is a Fenestra, a window, helping people move on to the afterlife. For her safety Meridan must the bus to her Aunt's in Colorado. While at the bus depot Meridan helps translate for an older women. When they get to Colorado the woman's daughter Dr. Portalso -Marquez thanks Meridian for help her mother. When I read that, I was like What! a Latina doctor. That is just one example of color in this novel. I don't think it was a concidence that this was the last novel I read in 2009.
*I think its fitting that I would end the year reading a book with a protagonist that does not exist in a color free world. It made me think of all the other books that I've read like that this year that have embraced diversity.
Luv YA Bunches by Lauren Myracle - This is a great book. How often do you see a MG book with a Muslim girl that's not historical fiction. How often do you see an MG book where one of the main characters has two moms. Myracle has all of this diversity, like its the most natural thing in the world.
NERDS: by Michael Buckley This book is so much fun. Not only is the cast diverse, just like Luv YA Bunches so is the cover. Thank you Abrams books. This is book one in the series. Each character will get a chance to be in the spotlight. I have no problems with the author starting with the White male protagonist. Its always easier to start with the familar. Though I have my fingers crossed that the next character the author decides to show case is a character of color.
Ruined by Paula Morris - This is one of my favorite novels on the year. The Haitian ghost was unexpected and loved. The author gives alot of
By: L. M. Baldwin,
on 1/17/2010
Blog: Color Online (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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Children's blogger, Betsy Bird of Fuse #8 Production, over at School Library Journal recently announced a new poll. The Top 100 Children's Fictional Chapter Books.
Everyone has until January 31, send along there 10 top middle grade choices of all time. When I saw the announcement, I knew that the majority of my selections would feature kids of color. I would be to able to vote for Juster's The Phantom Tollbooth , Paterson's Bridge to Terabithia, Konigsurg's The View from Saturday or any number of middle grade novels with White protagonists that I 
love and deserve to be on the list. But I can't. With my picks I am striving for a little color balance. I don't feel bad or guilty about the way I will vote. I love color in fiction but I am not blinded by it. I don't lower my standards or exceptions simply because a book has characters of color.
I haven't sent my 10 top middle grade choices yet. Haven't even written them down. They're still floating around in my head. Though I am happy they're there because I can remember what I loved about them and why they're deserving of my vote. If you think what I am doing isn't necessary then take a look at the results of last year's 100 Picture Book Poll results. I recommend more then a few of those titles on a regular basis at the bookstore where I work. It's a great list of titles but its also noticeably lacking in color.
I can't complain about last year's results since I didn't vote or take the time to ask others to remember color when choosing their favorite picture books. I am asking now - if you are taking part in the poll, please consider coloring it up. Please take a moment to think about middle grade novels with characters of color like Flake's Money Hungry, Garcia's I Wanna Be Your Shoebox
or Lin's
By: L. M. Baldwin,
on 11/30/2009
Blog: Color Online (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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Blessing's Bead
Farrar, Straus and Giroux
2009
This is a family generational story that ends in 1989 and begins in 1917. Book I is Nutaaq's story. Her family are Inupiaq Eskimos. At Sheshlalik, the annual trade fair Nutaaq's older sister Aaluk marries a young man from Siberia. Before Aaluk sails off with her new family she gives Nutaag two Blue Beads which are believed to calm the spirits. That is the last gift that will ever past between the sisters.
Thanks to Ice Curtain,the borders between Alaska and Russia are closed. Families are now seperated by an ocean. Nutaaq's story is just under 60 pages, but the author manages to paint a clear picture of the Inupiaq people. From the first page I was quickly taken by the authors writing.
Book II is Blessing's story. Her Eskimo name is Nutaaq, named after her great-grandmother. Blessing and her younger brother, Isaac are sent to live with Aaka, their grandmother when its discovered their mother is drinking too much. Aaka's Eskimo name is Aaluk, named after the aunt she never meant. Nutaaq and her grandmother are connected by to their Eskimo names.
Blessing and Isaac are now surrounded by family they hardly known. Blessing's story is as captivating as her great- grandmother's. She slowly begins to understand the strength of her name and find the rhythm to an Inupiaq dance buried deep inside her consciousness. Blessing's Bead was a real joy to read. Edwardson's writing is straight forward kind of beauty. I loved it.
The author's interviewed @ Jacket Knack
The author @ Cynsations
By: L. M. Baldwin,
on 11/17/2009
Blog: Color Online (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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One Crazy Summer
Rita Williams-Garcia
Amistad
January 2010
reviewer: Doret
One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia It's 1968, three sisters, 11-year-old Delphine, 9-year-old Vonetta and 7-year-old Fern will be spending the summer with their mother in Oakland, CA. They live in Brooklyn, NY, their dad and grandmother, Big Ma. Their dad decided it was time they got to know their mother. I loved these girls voices. They rang true and familiar.
The sisters call their mother by her first name, Cecile. She left right after Fern was born. The girls quickly realize they will have to keep themselves occupied for the summer. Cecile is a poet and not maternal. The kitchen is her workspace and it's off limits to the girls.
At night they eat takeout on the living room floor. In the mornings, the sisters go to the People's Center, for the free breakfast provided by the Black Panther's. They stay for the program, which is taught by Sister Mukumbu. The author gives glimpses into lessons being taught at the center, though it's really from the girls' actions that we understand the impact the Black Panthers have on them.
If I had to guess, I'd say Williams-Garcia spent time with these sisters before she let them out in the world. Their relationship is natural and believable. Though it's Delphine voice, we hear most often, the author gives each girl a distinct personality.
I smiled my way though this book. It's filled with an honesty I love to see in middle grade fiction. The sisters are simply beautiful. There isn't much middle grade historical fiction featuring Black characters that at some parts warm your heart making you laugh out loud, then just as quickly teaches something. I wish this book was around when I was younger, I would've swallowed it whole.
The Black Panthers are a very important part of history, but they've been ignored until this year's release of The Rock and The River by Kekla Magoon and soon One Crazy Summer. It's inevitable that these two novels will be compared. I think it would be best if they were simply paired. Though both books are about the Black Panthers, the authors' approaches are different. There is no better, just another way.
One Crazy Summer scheduled release date is January 26. I highly recommend pre-ordering it right now. Ages 9 up.
While you wait if you haven't already, check out the above mentioned The Rock and The Rive
By: L. M. Baldwin,
on 10/17/2009
Blog: Color Online (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms
N.K. Jemisin
Orbit
February 2010
reviewer: Doret
Yeine Darr is only 19-yrs-old and already a chieftain among her people, the Darr. They are the outcast and barbarians of the north. Yeine's father is Darr but her mother is Arameri. The Arameris are a powerful people. They have gods on their side, literally. The Arameris have four gods enslaved since the gods' war to ensure their continued influence. Yeine's mother was the rightful heir to throne, but she left it all behind for Yeine's father. After the sudden death of her mother, Yeine is called to the City of Sky, home of the Arameri.There she is named heiress to the king, (her grandfather), along with two cousins. The three will fight amongst themselves to see who will succeed the king. Yeine has Arameri blood but none of their characteristics. She must learn quickly in order to challenge her cousins. Yeine needs allies fast to protect herself and her people, the gods are an option.
Yeine's voice is quickly established. Through her we begin to understand the world, the author's created. It's a world where gods were once its sole inhabitants and their bickering lead to their downfall. Now the gods belong to the Arameri. At first I couldn't grasp gods being imprisoned by man though the author is very convincing. It didn't take long for me to believe it and lose myself in the world she created. Jemisin's writing is straightforward, visually appealing with the right amount of action and the unexpected. I was captured by it.
This is one of those books, once I started, I couldn't stop. I simply had to keep turning the pages. This need to keep reading was do it part to wanting to know if or how Yeine would establish herself among the Arameri people. Then there were the gods, my heart went out to them, for their loss and enslavement. Yeine's relationship with the gods is fragile and undefinable. With one god in particular, Nahadoth, this is especially true. Nahadoth is power; he will do an Arameri's biding though the question must be worded correctly otherwise he won't stop until all is destroyed. There are layers of tension, sexual being one of them between Yeine and Nahadoth. Their relationship is complicated, the dynamics always changing.
The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms is book one of the Inheritance trilogy. Jemisin has written a lovely foundation with this first book.She manages to establish the past the and present at the same time. Though readers will be drawn to Yeine, the gods, and the battle to rule Arameri, they will first be drawn to the wonderful cover created by Cliff Nielsen. I am of the opinion that the cover art is as important if not more than the words themselves for first time authors. The cover of The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms is eye-catching. Nielsen has given readers a reason to stop and take notice. The story's premise will hold them and Jemisin's writing won't let them go.
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Doret knows YA and more. She's bookseller, reader and reviewer. When she's not helping me with lists,"What Do I Read Next?" and any number of other features here at Color Online, she's blogging at Happy Nappy Bookseller. Check her out.
By: L. M. Baldwin,
on 9/22/2009
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I Wanna Be Your Shoebox
Christina Garcia
Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
2008
Reviewer: Doret
I loved this book. Yumi Ruiz Hirsch is Cuban, Jewish and Japanese. She's also surfer/skater boarder, classical clarinetist, who loves good rock ( Ramones), and she plays a decent bass guitar. Garcia refused to limit who Yumi was and who she could become. The summer is over, Yumi is returning from Surfer's camp, she'll be entering the 8th grade. Yumi's lives with her mother. Her parents have been divorced since she was one. Yumi is very close to Saul her Jewish grandfather. Saul is ninety-two and dying of cancer. Yumi asks Saul to tell his story and he does. The story alternates between Yumi's everyday life and visiting Saul.
Much is going on in Yumi's life. Her mom is dating for the first time in years and due to a lack of funds, the school orchestra is being discontinued. To save the orchestra, the members decide to put on a rock concert with classical instruments. Yumi is one of the students who takes charge. It was her idea.
How about a fund raising concert? I suggest. Maybe an all girl punk band. Dad says you can play punk with three chords and lots of attitude, so how hard could it be? I figure we could cover a couple of great Ramones songs, maybe write one of our own. In less than five minutes everyone is already fighting over a name for our nonexistent band. I'm in favor of Don't Call Me Miss. the other contenders are Testosterone Free Zone (TFZ), The Anastasia's, Kisses for a Dollar, the Neo-Cramps, and Nasty Girl. Quincy complains that boys shouldn't be excluded from the band and says he'll play in drag if he has to. Believe me, at six foot two and one hundred seventy pounds, that would not be a pretty sight.
I loved this book from the beginning. Garcia's created a wonderful character in Yumi. The ending reminded me of another book I loved Kephart's, House of Dance. I knew Saul was going to die, but it's still sad. The authors don't want the readers to linger on death but to look forward and they look to dance as a way to embrace life. This book came out in 2008, I only just heard about it last recently. I Wanna be Your Shoebox is a book diamond. I loved this book so much I will be reading Garcia's adult novelDreaming in Cuban, next. I don't usually read two books by an author so close together but I Wanna be Your Shoebox was so good I am making an exception. Ages 9 up. I highly recommend it. An excellent book club selection. I read the hardcover edition but I like the look of the QP better so that's the one I used. The paperback will be released on Sept 22. though this book is hardcover worthy. Or simply check your local library. Read an excerpt. As an added bonus here's Dreaming in Cuban Google Preview.
If you're thinking, "Oh my an added bonus, I've never seen that before. This book must be extra special," You would be correct. So go get your hands on a copy of I Wanna Be Your Shoebox.
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Doret knows YA. She's bookseller, reader and reviewer. When she's not helping me with lists and "What Do I Read Next?" and any number of other features here at Color Online, Doret blogs at Happy Nappy Bookseller. Check her out.
I'm so thrilled for this forum on TBE. It is exciting for me to be finding new blogs to read and to discuss the issues of the book in a meaningful manner.
Cholly is a character worth a great deal of discussion. When I think of him, I think of that couch... a metaphor like so many others in that book. Something with promise and a symbol of pride and hardwork becomes damaged -- and isn't quite right afterward. But beyond that, it becomes a symbol of things that went wrong. Things that are reminders of pain and frustration.
I think that is what Pecola becomes. A reminder that Cholly isn't -- that he can't be -- what he once believed he could be. (Which is to say, I agree very much with what you've written!) Writing him so sympathetically is, I think, very important to this story. The threat and fear of 'the black man' is so pervasive and negative, she had to deal with this in a very real way -- he had to be broken, too, he had to have a heart. This doesn't make him forgivable, but it makes him more understandable.
Great post, Doret. Morrison's decision to give Cholly a life and a backstory was really disturbing to me at first too. I'm still a little troubled by the way Morrison puts us inside his head during the rape scene while still leaving so much doubt as to what what he and Pecola were experiencing. I think this ambiguity makes his actions all the more chilling. But Morrison achieves in making every character - with the exception, maybe, of Maureen Peal - complex and multi-dimensional. It takes a very good writer to pull something like that off!
@coldspaghetti - I hadn't thought of the couch as a comparison; that works really well!
Finding compassion for Cholly is a challenge for me and a tribute to Morrison's brilliance as a writer.
This blog post reminded me of a recent post by author Tayari Jones about finding empathy for the characters in her writing. She said:
"One thing I like to do is to write journal entries in the voices of other people, or even characters in my books......The challenge is that you have to discover something new about the person or character. If your exercise reveals only what you came to the page with in the first place, then you have not tapped into the empathy you are going to need to write the story you want to write. The thing is that you are really going to have to want to understand that person, which means you may have to let go of that anger."
I would love to know how Morrison was able to let go of her anger when thinking about Cholly and see him as human.
Tayari's full post is here:
http://www.tayarijones.com/blog/archives/2010/04/on_writing_with.html
Thanks everyone for commenting in spite of the posting glich. I believed I fixed it.
coldspaghetti- I loved the couch metaphor. And like Claudia, I missed the comparrison with Pecola.
But now that you part it out its seems so clear. Pecola's supposed lack of pretty was one more reason for the Breedlove parents to give in.
I couldn't forgive Cholly for the rape but it was hard to hate him when I knew the reason behind his violence.
Claudia - Maureen Peal didn't stay long but I think she served her purpose. Though now I do wonder why was she nice to Pecola that one time.
Was it because she was pretty and she could afford to be? Or was she simply a nice person. It was very hard to get a read on Maureen's personility with the young narrator.
Though I would like to think it was because Maureen was nice since she did try to engage the young narrator, Claudia in conversations near their lockers.
Wdjenkins - I agree what Morrison did with Cholly took some serious skill. A female author writing Cholly this way, had to be a risk.
If the Bluest Eye was written now I wonder if the editors would ask Morrison to not make Cholly such an empathic character.
Doret, thank you for this wonderful post and for the new light (new for me) you shed on Cholly.
I'm still not healed from the mark the character left on me. I'm not sure one can read Morrison's books without being touched and/or scarred in some ways (not saying this with a negative connotation).
I read this book when I was way too young. In 5th grade. It definitely left an impact on me. I should reread so I can more actively participate!
I do remember finding it impossible to forgive Cholly and I was disturbed that we were in his head during the rape scene. But reading this post, does make me feel for him. I felt bad that he had such a tough childhood (don't remember the white men scene though) and it does become clear that he is frustrated with his lack of ability to give his family what they need.
Good discussion, thanks for posting!