COMMENTS

12 responses to “Senior Planet Book Club: Take My Hand by Dolen Perkins-Valdez”

1. The book left me with a lot of questions about Civil’s character. That’s good because books should keep you unsettled sometimes.
   Petisia’s presentations before the discussion are always well done and informative.
   Suggestion for book. Pachinko by Min Yin Lee

   Reply to Richard Kelsey

2. I’m sorry to have missed the Zoom today. I loved the book since I learned a lot about the egregious acts. I also thoroughly enjoyed the relationships among the characters and found their stories to be very authentic and relatable.

   Reply to Vivian Y.

3. What is most disturbing is that I discovered through Google research that this book is based on authentic cases. I stopped short of reading all the details because I want to finish the book first. I do think, however, that what I read sounded familiar. I expect that I learned of the events decades ago but have forgotten all about them. I am thankful for the book as it details a part of history that should not be forgotten.

   Reply to Vivian Y.

4. I am 84 and have been trying to improve my well-being for decades. I have written a book detailing my journey to reach the age of 100. Can I share the book with your readers? It has just been published on Amazon.

   Reply to Roy Blacksher

   1. Congratulations on your book! Senior Planet doesn’t do book reviews; our Book Club only uses books by established authors, suggested by our Book Club leader. You might try contacting websites like Sixty and Me or Next Avenue about it. We don’t have any contacts to refer you to, but those outlets have a wider editorial policy than Senior Planet. Good luck!

      Reply to Virge

5. I have truly been educated and found it hard to put this book down. I was aware of the drug but never knew about the extent of what the government was doing and how far they had taken it. Makes me wonder if there wasn’t some bonus driving the nurses to do what they were doing.

   Reply to Ginger W Myers

6. Comments on Part One: I am feeling Civil’s need to help this family. And I am concerned that I’m learning of another time in history when people have been used for experimental purposes.

   Reply to Jane Phillips

7. I am thoroughly enjoying the book. Part 1 was very informative and educational for me. The name Depo Provera sounds familiar to me, but I didn’t remember that there was an injection as an option for birth control. Initially, the chapters made me wonder if the girls were being abused, possibly by their father, which prompted the clinic to prescribe the shot to them. My mind has now shifted, and I expect a different reason will come out.

   Reply to Vivian Y.

   1. I initially thought that about the father too.

      Reply to Lisa

      1. I’m glad that wasn’t the case.

8. I can’t put this book down! It’s so good. I’m actually up to Ch.43.
   However, to comment on Part 1, Ch. 1-13, I immediately found it interesting that the main character’s name is Civil. I identified with her & the time period depicted because I was a few years younger than her at that time & related to the historical facts that occurred then, (ex. Roe v Wade, etc). I like how Civil’s compassion & need to nourish the Williams’ family developed. You see how that was lacking in her childhood.

   Reply to Valerie Rooks

9. I have read the book and found it very moving and eye-opening. I have recommended it to our library-sponsored book club for next year.

   Reply to Pam Herrlein