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A review by pattydsf
The World's Strongest Librarian: A Memoir of Tourette's, Faith, Strength, and the Power of Family by Josh Hanagarne
4.0
“I also work here because I love books, because I'm inveterately curious, and because, like most librarians, I'm not well suited to anything else. As a breed, we're the ultimate generalists. I'll never know everything about anything, but I'll know something about almost everything and that's how I like to live.”
“A good library’s existence is a potential step forward for a community. If hate and fear have ignorance at their core, maybe the library can curb their effects, if only by offering ideas and neutrality. It’s a safe place to explore, to meet with other minds, to touch other centuries, religions, races, and learn what you truly think about the world.”
“As a librarian, saving lives and worlds isn't in my purview, although if I could put those on my resume with a straight face, I would. Saving minds, however … perhaps it's not as farfetched. A mind can be lost without its owner's death. A mind that no longer questions only fulfills the rudimentary aspects of its function. A mind without wonder is a mere engine, a walking parasympathetic nervous system, seeing without observing, reacting without thinking, a forgotten ghost in a passive machine.”
I can’t quite believe it took me three years to get around to this memoir. I mean, really, the man is a librarian; of course I am going to be interested in his story. I also figured I would learn a bit more about Tourette’s and learning is always an important part of reading.
I will admit to being put off a bit by the fact that Hanagarne is a Mormon. I don’t know much about the Church of the Latter Day Saints. I remember reading From Housewife to Heretic by Sonia Johnson many years ago which I know tainted my view of that church. Mitt Romney, the politician didn’t help matters. However, Hanagarne helped me learn more about his church and I was glad to read his viewpoints.
Although there were times that I found Hanagarne long-winded on his faith and his search for health, I had no trouble listening to this audiobook. The reader was good and kept me engaged. Hanagarne himself is an excellent writer and he combined all the threads of his story well. I especially liked the way he used the Dewey Decimal system to further his tale.
Hanagarne must be a wonderful librarian. I have quoted him three times above, but he had plenty more to say about librarianship. I am glad he persisted until he became a librarian. Our profession needs more people like Hanagarne.
If you are interested in biographies, if you like meeting interesting new people, if you want to know more about librarianship or Tourette’s or you just like reading well presented stories, try this memoir. I think that you will find Hanagarne’s story very engaging.
“A good library’s existence is a potential step forward for a community. If hate and fear have ignorance at their core, maybe the library can curb their effects, if only by offering ideas and neutrality. It’s a safe place to explore, to meet with other minds, to touch other centuries, religions, races, and learn what you truly think about the world.”
“As a librarian, saving lives and worlds isn't in my purview, although if I could put those on my resume with a straight face, I would. Saving minds, however … perhaps it's not as farfetched. A mind can be lost without its owner's death. A mind that no longer questions only fulfills the rudimentary aspects of its function. A mind without wonder is a mere engine, a walking parasympathetic nervous system, seeing without observing, reacting without thinking, a forgotten ghost in a passive machine.”
I can’t quite believe it took me three years to get around to this memoir. I mean, really, the man is a librarian; of course I am going to be interested in his story. I also figured I would learn a bit more about Tourette’s and learning is always an important part of reading.
I will admit to being put off a bit by the fact that Hanagarne is a Mormon. I don’t know much about the Church of the Latter Day Saints. I remember reading From Housewife to Heretic by Sonia Johnson many years ago which I know tainted my view of that church. Mitt Romney, the politician didn’t help matters. However, Hanagarne helped me learn more about his church and I was glad to read his viewpoints.
Although there were times that I found Hanagarne long-winded on his faith and his search for health, I had no trouble listening to this audiobook. The reader was good and kept me engaged. Hanagarne himself is an excellent writer and he combined all the threads of his story well. I especially liked the way he used the Dewey Decimal system to further his tale.
Hanagarne must be a wonderful librarian. I have quoted him three times above, but he had plenty more to say about librarianship. I am glad he persisted until he became a librarian. Our profession needs more people like Hanagarne.
If you are interested in biographies, if you like meeting interesting new people, if you want to know more about librarianship or Tourette’s or you just like reading well presented stories, try this memoir. I think that you will find Hanagarne’s story very engaging.