Handle with Care by Jodi Picoult

My friend Paul hates Jodi Picoult because he feels that she draws upon the basest of human emotions. I wonder if Paul is going to be annoyed that I mentioned his name on this blog. I guess that will tell me whether or not Paul actually reads the blog.

But I digress. I agree - she does draw upon the basest of human emotions. But why do we read books in the first place, why do we see movies or watch television? Isn't it all about the vicarious experience of emotions? The fact that you can drown yourself in something and see what it would feel like with the safety net of being able to turn off the tv, close the book, or walk out of the movie? Or, if you're Joey from friends, put it in the freezer (anyone?). So maybe there's something to be said for Picoult's ability to draw those emotions out of us. Some reaction is better than no reaction at all when it comes to these things. I guess it's kind of like that whole "hatred is better than indifference because hatred still means you care" argument.

Another thing that I will say about Picoult is that it's clear that she thoroughly researches each of her novels, and in reading her work, you always learn something. This book, Handle with Care, is about a child born with osteogenesis imperfecta, which is (from Wikipedia) a "genetic bone disorder. People with OI are born with defective connective tissue, or without the ability to make it, usually because of a deficiency of Type-I collagen." Basically it means that their bones break much more easily than those of a normal human being, therefore stunting their growth for their entire life. It's actually quite an interesting thing to learn about, and if I'm going to be reading something that some people (paul) would categorize as not much better than trashy drugstore novels, at least I'm learning something in the process, right?

You'll learn about OI and about wrongful birth suits, basically a type of malpractice lawsuit in which the plaintiff alleges that their child never should have been born.

It's an interesting read, if nothing else. Not my favorite by Picoult, but not my least favorite either. Worth picking up at the library if you come across it, or if you need something stimulating to listen to for a long road trip.