Xmastime Book Recommendation

I picked this up as per recommendation from longtime Xmastime buddy Serge, and this is how reading it for me went:

EVERY SINGLE PAGE WHILE READING: goddam I hate Serge now this is so depressing I can’t do this I can’t read another page dear god I hate Serge for this

THE SECOND I FINISHED: goddam I hafta read this again immediately.

Astonishing horror & beautiful survival, all worn as if by a little boy in a grown man's suit. Unbelievable read, so much hopeless despair to wrestle with but you pick up affecting depths as you read like snow on a snowball going down a hill.

“From him I learned that the order of the world had nothing to do with God, and that God had nothing to do with the world. The reason for this was quite simple. God did not exist. The cunning priests had invented Him so they could trick stupid, superstitious people. There was no God, no Holy Trinity, no devils, ghosts, or ghouls rising from graves; there was no Death flying everywhere in search of new sinners to snare. These were all tales for ignorant people who did not understand the natural order of the world, did not believe in their own powers, and therefore had to take refuge in their belief in some God.”

“If it was true that women and children might become communal property, then every child would have many fathers and mothers, innumerable brothers and sisters. It seemed to be too much to hope for. To belong to everyone! Wherever I might go, many fathers would stroke my head with firm, reassuring hands, many mothers would hug me to their bosoms, and many older brothers would defend me against dogs. And I would have to look after my smaller brothers and sisters. There seemed to be no reason for the peasants to be so afraid.”

Thanks, Serge.