Pearl Diver by Jeff Talarigo
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Our neighborhood book club read and discussed this title. It is a small book - but full of meaning and issues for thoughtful conversation. Set in post-war Japan (1948) - the main character (we never learn her “real” name) is beginning what she hopes will be a life-time career of pearl-diving. She loves the sea - and losing herself in it. To her, it represents a kind of freedom not found in any other aspect of her life. It is truly a life sentence, then, when she is diagnosed with leprosy and sent to live on an island in a community of others with the same illness. To have leprosy in that time and place involved the afflicted being totally separated from the “mainstream” population, and the lepers relinquishing all aspects of their former lives: their names, families, careers - in short - their identies. What is left to each person is only the core - or soul of him/herself - and the book shows us how for some - they used what remained to reinvent themselves as caring, compassionate people who retained their innate human dignity in the face of seemingly hopeless odds. We had a really good discussion - and even though it was not the “leader’s” first choice of titles, everyone was very grateful for the reason/opportunity to read it.