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Bill Kerwin's Reviews > Our Town

Our Town by Thornton Wilder
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"So all that was going on and we never noticed...Oh, earth,you are too wonderful for anybody to realize you. Do any human beings ever realize life while they live it--every,every minute?鈥�
To answer poor dead Emily's question: I know I don't. Especially not today. Not on this Fourth of July.

Most Independence Days I think about hot dogs, potato salad, Souza, and fireworks. And maybe--for a brief moment鈥攁bout life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

This year, though, I am thinking about everything we have lost. Little towns like "Our Town," eaten up by urban sprawl or abandoned to the ghosts of the plains. Our sense of a common purpose. Our civility. Our truthfulness. Our faith in our justice system to bring about justice. Our belief that science and government can make things better. Our openness to the strangers among us--especially the children of strangers. Our friendships with people who are different鈥攐r who believe different things鈥攆rom ourselves. And even our ability to agree about what flags should be honored and how our national holidays should be celebrated.

The only hope I have is that, by being honest with ourselves, by spending a few moments this Fourth of July reflecting on all America has lost, we may perhaps realize--now, this minute--how wonderful our life on earth鈥攊n our America, in our town鈥攔eally is.
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Reading Progress

August 4, 2007 – Shelved
July 4, 2019 – Started Reading
July 4, 2019 – Finished Reading

Comments Showing 1-4 of 4 (4 new)

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Fergus, Weaver of Autistic Webs Thanks SO much, Bill. These brief words need to be engraved on our HEARTS!


Sara Lovely thoughts, Bill. I also wish the discourse would become more civil and the minds more open. We will probably never get small town America back, but we could do better with what we have.


Michael Mathews Reading your comment just after the 2020 election, in the midst of our worldwide health crisis, and thinking how your words ring true.


Bill Kerwin Michael wrote: "Reading your comment just after the 2020 election, in the midst of our worldwide health crisis, and thinking how your words ring true."

Nice to know this old review keeps its relevance.


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