We dip into the Top 5 today, and we also see the return of Jennifer Haigh with a second offering on this list. We also see a book of essays (the first and only non-fiction to appear this year) written by one of my favorite filmmakers,
#5) Run Towards the Danger by Sarah Polley – With insightful, and introspective care, Polley chronicles some of the most difficult moments throughout her life and how they affected its trajectory. The challenges she focus on for her first book of essays are largely health issues, but sometimes brought about by the stresses and extremes she underwent as a child actor. Polley is unapologetic in her writing, yet she is also unflinching as she exposes her own neuroses, or drives, which sometimes come across as alienating. What always comes across, however, is the exploring, intelligent mind of a thoughtful, independent woman.
#4) Mercy Street by Jennifer Haigh – Jennifer Haigh has accomplished something remarkable in her latest novel, Mercy Street, about an abortion clinic in the heart of downtown Boston. By focusing on a variety of characters connected in some way to the clinic, their connections, however tenuous, and their lives, she lifts a potentially charged topic out of the political and grounds it securely in the personal. Haigh’s main character, Claudia, counsels patients at Mercy Street, the aforementioned clinic. Through her we meet a number of women, many quite young, who visit the clinic, but we also become involved in the life of Timmy, her pot dealer, one of his other clients, Anthony, and Anthony’s vaguely sinister online friend Victor, who goes by the name of Excelsior11.
The stories threads seem very disconnected at first, but they closely and skillfully weave together to tell a tale that is compassionate, even as it explores behaviors and beliefs that could potentially lead to violence. Haigh’s characters are unique and three-dimensional — it’s hard to put them into a single category. It’s a quick read, and a compelling one, and is a terrific addition to her strong body of work.