Review of The Reject Bench
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Review of The Reject Bench
In The Reject Bench, James H Morgan wrote about his life as a young man, from a young high school boy, when his parents moved from Upland to Claremont, to his love for playing music, especially the clarinet. He took us through his time at Claremont High School, the friends he made, and his time with the school orchestra. He wrote about the people who came into his life within this period, like his friend Dennis Manly, his summer job with Kaiser Steel, and a bit of his dating life. His story continued with his induction into the Army.
The author wrote about his life with an endearing freeness that was heartwarming. He wrote stuff about himself that many people would have considered too embarrassing to share. For example, he wrote about not being picked by any Pony League team at Upland Junior High because he was considered a 'runt' but humorously pointed out that his runt days were thankfully over.
The author told his story in a way that his personality shined through. He came across as a blunt, practical young man who couldn't care less about the fanfares of life. The book also incorporated humor in its narration. For example, when James was called to the counselor's office because he got a C in biology, he met another student who humorously commented, 'Second annual meeting of underachievers anonymous.'
Racial discrimination was not excluded as the author revealed how a black student had to be protected by troops to attend school and avoid being lynched. It was apt that the author highlighted racism in his narration, considering the story's timeline. The segregation at the time was not just social but also economical. Many black people could not afford to live in particular places, like in Claremont, where James's family lived; even if they could afford it, no landlord would rent out to them because it would not look good for business.
I loved the character of James's mother. I applaud her for nurturing her children in the Christian faith and not treating any human being with degradation because of their skin color. I could not help but imagine how progressive the anti-racist movement would have been if every parent lectured their children from a tender age to learn to love instead of discriminate. Indeed, the only way that racism would not make it to the next generations would be to train this generation to be color blind.
The author showed his skills as a good storyteller with the expert way he relayed his story. As I read this book, it felt more like a novel with a simple plot than a personal biography, further testament to the author's writing skills. This is in addition to the fact that the book was exceptionally edited, as I could not find any error.
I'd recommend this book to readers who love to read biographies and get some bit of history, especially considering the timeline of this book. I couldn't find anything to dislike. Therefore, I’d rate The Reject Bench four out of four stars.
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The Reject Bench
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