The Measure

This book by Nikki Erlick was another recommendation from the B & N sales person. It's an indictment of human behavior and very relevant to the present time even though it is based on a fantastical event. One morning in March, "every adult on earth suddenly seemed to be sharing the same surreal experience, the ubiquity of the boxes both a terror and a relief." They woke to find a small box with their name on it and the inscription "The measure of your life lies within." Eventually, it is verified that the piece of string in each box indicates when a person will die and, as data accumulates, the scientists are able to determine exactly which month and in which year the person will die. Some people choose never open their box. Many are traumatized to find their piece of string is much shorter than they would wish. But most fascinating and provocative are the reactions of society to people who have the short strings. Would you open the box? When interviewed on the Today show, Erlick said the book "was inspired by the Greek myth about three old women spinning threads of human destiny." Holding a masters degree in global thought from Columbia University, and after visiting a dozen countries in 3 years, Erlick said in another interview "The emphasis on the interconnectedness of the world is something I took with me and put into this book...I had all these different characters and I knew I wanted to create a sense that even in our loneliest, most isolated moments — like when I was writing in quarantine — we’re still connected as humans. Our lives touch other lives even if we don’t actively see it happening.”

There are eight characters, each of whom have their own chapters interspersed throughout. This is a bit hard to track at first, but, as we get to know them and watch how Erlick begins to weave their lives together, we can walk in their shoes for a bit. Several reviewers call the book "life-affirming" and "utterly original." Jenna Bush, the host of the Today Show's book club says about her July pick, "I know it sounds like a book about death but really it’s a book about how we choose to live.”

Spoiler alert: the origin of the boxes is never explained.