August/John

THE WINTER FORTRESS

This non-fiction book was written by Neal Bascomb. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company, it is 322 pages of narrative, two pages of acknowledgements, 34 pages of notes, and 20 pages of bibliography and index. Archives were researched in five different countries. And yet, it reads like a novel, urging the reader to keep turning pages to follow the action which detail the pursuit to destroy the 'heavy water' and the equipment required to manufacture atomic weapons. 

The movie based on this story, 'The Heroes of Telemark', as it turns out, barely covered the story - as films can only do. Although it was very good and with much action, it does not hold a candle to the whole saga delivered in the book. Chapter one begins on February 14, 1940 and this fascinating story does not conclude until 1945, plus its contextual follow up. 

As a race between the Allies and the Axis powers to first develop the atomic bomb, this story, in spite of already knowing the ending, is a nail-biter. Obviously I enjoyed reading about the story's background, all the personalities involved from various countries and backgrounds, the rugged training, and the various operations to thwart the Nazis. It gives merit to the expression "The Greatest Generation." 

March Read/John 2

Arthur C. Clarke - being a  writer of science, a science fiction writer, an inventor, lecturer, and avid scuba diver - had much life experience to bring to his work. The four novels that make up the Space Odyssey series are well-rounded stories with many details which give them believability. At 247 pages 3001: THE FINAL ODYSSEY is the fourth and last in the series and was published in 1997 by The Random House Publishing Group. For edification, the first three of the series in order are: 2001 A SPACE ODYSSEY (1968), 2010 ODYSSEY TWO (1982), 2061: ODYSSEY THREE (1987). The series, along with other works by him, generally involve mankind's contact with aliens and their influences as far advanced entities keeping track of their offspring. 

The stories are heavenly ladened with science, with his imagination extrapolating from facts, one to another not unlike looking from the rear sight to the front sight of a rifle, aiming at a plausible idea in the future. So too a spiritual component as a thread tying it all together as some of the aliens had already evolved from human-like beings. From there they evolved with a much higher intellect into what we could perhaps call super humans. With extraordinary intellect they then transferred their brain power to machines, then perhaps organic machines, to energy itself. What they left behind (remember the monolith in 2001?) kept track of the advancement of earth's people. 

So 3001 taking place an entire millennium later has Frank Poole, the Executive Officer astronaut who was with Dave Bowman on the USSS DISCOVERY in 2001, awakening from an almost 1000 year cryogenic sleep. Part of the fun for the reader - and with some surprises to the lead character - was discovering what mankind had done technologically via Sir Arthur's imagination. (Yes, Clarke, originally from England and educated at King's College, London, was knighted in 1998.) Also intriguing are the changes he saw as social, intellectual, spiritual - heck,
the many changes his fertile imagination conjured in this field of dreams. Hummm. Make that not field but space. 

I do highly recommend this book to anyone wishing to discover new ways of looking at the future; one may not agree with Clarke's particular point of view, but it can help stretch one's mind in surprising directions, from ultra tall structures that reach to space to Dave Bowman's change to Star Child and ultimate location. But I do not recommend reading the series out of sequence. If the future reader also saw the movie 2001 - and perhaps 2010 - I also do not recommend skipping the first two books and jumping into the latter two. (Only 2001 and 2010 have been movies, with the former book and movie basically written simultaneously.) Please, read them each and in proper order. Oh, I forgot to mention just in case one was wondering, "Dave's not here." 

March Read/John

Title: Predator
Author: Cornwell, Patricia
John's Read:
Another crime thriller written by Ms. Patricia Cornwell is the novel PREDATOR. Published in 2005 by the Penguin Group, it is 453 pages long and again relates crime solving by Dr. Kay Scarpetta, a forensic expert, and the detective Pete Marino, another PhD forensics expert named Benton Wesley, and her wealthy niece, Lucy. 

In 1990 Ms. Cornwell unleashed upon the entertainment industry the power of the CSI. Many interesting iterations have followed since with books, TV shows, and movies. In PREDATOR she has taken the reader in the same direction, but down a different path: she has a story that gets more into the minds of the perpetrators, as well of course, the minds of those looking for them. 

Going from medical to psychological, from the empirical crime scenes to the theoretical tossing about of possible solutions to the crimes, and from the technological machinery of medicine to the theoretical hunches of the hunters, this story, thus covering many aspects surrounding crimes and criminals, delves into that which makes a killer a compulsive one. Giving the gory details of the crimes gives grizzly gist to these pages. 

As another page turner, the author has again hit the mark. With the horrible events that repulse, descriptive dialog that makes the skin crawl, and fascinating characters that pull one into the story, the novel mystifies, scares, and awes. Readers just  might feel the pains of the victims. Oddly this, as human nature shows, is entertainment. Here's wishing you sweet dreams. 

February/John 3

FROM POTTER'S FIELD by Patricia Cornwell was published in 1995 by Penguin Books Limited. This novel, a first read by this reader for this writer, is a crime thriller. It is 383 pages of suspense, mystery, and action cemented together by interesting characters. 

Ms. Cornwell, in her lead character of Dr. Kay Scarpetta, has created a forensic force. To stand against the evil that criminals do, she put together a team of exceptional crime fighters with the doctor and Captain Pete Marino, the latter being the Doc's counterpoint. In this story the team's main antagonist is a cruel serial killer named Temple Brooks Gault who kills and tortures with impunity through most of it. The story follows the blood and gore trail in red and gooey detail. 

With technical elements in the various people's personalities, the development of the crimes, the layout of the crime scenes, and how the crimes were solved, the story has a magnetism to it that pulls the reader into it. One's interest is such that the page turning in automatic, that is, the reader (myself) was not aware it was happening. (Good books are like that.) If one likes crime dramas - thrillers in this particular instance - then this is highly recommended for them. 

February/John 2

The Twilight War: The Secret History of America's Thirty-Year Conflict with Iran

by David Crist

THE TWILIGHT WAR The Secret History of America's Thirty-Year Conflict with Iran was written by David Crist and was published by the Penguin Group in 2012. At 638 pages, it is an excellent exposé of human frailties, misunderstandings, missed opportunities, mistrust, hate, blame, and outright failures. It is a lengthy work of non-fiction about war and peace. (A nod to Leo Tolstoy)

Mr. Crist undertook a vast amount of research in a laudable writing to unravel the intricate twists and turns associated with the various governments' dealings that helped make this conflict the exercise in frustration that it has become. As one president or group of government officials would tentatively reach out in an offering of dialogue, the opposite numbers on the other side would flatly refuse those overtures. When on some occasions they were accepted, talks would soon stall from fear, stubbornness, misinterpretation, or political conflicts within a respective country itself. 

1997: Iran was giving the maritime shipping of other countries a bad time by attacking with automatic fire from speedboats (Boghammars) and helicopters. With the possibility of more destruction, their minelayers, two larger warships, jet fighters, and Silkworm missiles threatened as well. Tanker traffic coming into and going out of the Persian Gulf was often in peril, plus there was the threat of economic choking by blockading the Straits of Hormuz. This was bookended by the 1979 takeover of the country by the Ayatollah Khomeini and the stalemates over nuclear disarmament talks from the past decade, and all interlaced with intrigues from intelligence communities. 

Covered in this book are also the military, political, governmental, and State departmental inner workings of Iran and America, other countries as well, plus the UN. Mr. Crist's writing sometimes bounces back and forth between the incidents being related and some pertinent events that had happened years before. These could be both enlightening and frustrating. Overall this is a very good read by a gentleman who is a USMCR colonel that served in both Gulf Wars and the conflict in Afghanistan, who also earned a PhD in middle eastern history. 

As an update since the book was written - perhaps if there is no nuclear war started as a result of the 2015/16 agreement, it could be very interesting to see what kind of book Mr. Crist would write concerning the intricate but well researched relationship of Iran and America by the year 2045. 

February/John

The Martian
by Andy Weir

At 369 pages, Andy Weir wrote an action packed, mentally involving and emotionally encompassing novel about survival on the planet Mars by the fictional NASA astronaut Mark Watney. First copyrighted in 2011 the  story's fabric is woven with pertinent, present day science. The situation fabric comes across as real, wrapping the reader directly in harms way designs. 

Technically, the narrative is loaded with numbers, calculations, circuitous constructions, and many a manner of complex thoughts the lead character must work through if he is to survive. Stuck all alone a few hundred million miles from earth, this astronaut, with very limited supplies of water, food, fuel, and breathable air, must use his botanical, mathematical, mechanical, and electrical knowledge - to say nothing of his life experiences - to survive the very harsh conditions imposed by an alien environment. Communications with his comrades at NASA provides productive possibilities by tapping their collective knowledge and experience to find a way to rescue him before time thwarts their efforts. His inherent 'human error' factor, whether the sun is out or not, also shadows him all the way. 

Explaining in laymen's terms diverse solutions to various problems such as how to grow potatoes in a hostile land, how to communicate with earth by combining equipment, and how to traverse long distances over hostile terrain, makes it a very interesting intellectual treatise; writing excellent dialog through a myriad of mind boggling enigmas gives it suspense. What makes the glue that is the entertainment factor is the gallows humor shown by his lead character. 

A software engineer by trade, Mr. Weir, whose hobbies include "...relativistic physics, orbital mechanics, and the history of manned spaceflight", certainly combined his talents to write an excellent 'science fact' novel. And being "a lifelong space nerd" did not work against him. This, his first novel, gets an 'E' for effort, an 'A' for a grade, and a hardy recommendation. 

Patti and Her Friend

Patti and her friend celebrated the Valentine's Day

In the Heart of the Sea/John

IN THE HEART OF THE SEA
THE TRAGEDY OF THE WHALESHIP ESSEX, a 302 page book by Nathaniel Philbrick, was published in 2000 by the Penguin Group. It is a non-fiction work that centers around the time period of July 1819 through August 1821, with the background giving pertinent knowledge to enable one to follow the story, and the  followup of the ordeal to flesh-out the ramifications of this very human tragedy. 

The narrative delves into the history of the hardy people of Nantucket Island and their relationship with the normally placid whale, from the island's inauspicious beginnings into contemporary history. During the period that involves the main story, the island, located 24 miles off southern New England's coast, was the whaling capital of the world. The hardships described in making a living by going to sea portend the ordeal the shipwrecked sailors went through after an 80 foot sperm whale purposefully rammed the 87 foot, 238 ton displacement whaleship and subsequently sunk it. How eight of the crew out of twenty in their three 25 foot whaleboats used as lifeboats survived their arduous journey of 4,500 miles in the Pacific Ocean is the heart of the book. 

Mr. Philbrick, in writing this detailed account, conducted prodigious research into not only whaling and its relationship to that era, but also the effects - short term and long - of starvation, exposure to harsh elements, and the psychology of enduring their incredibly difficult decisions during their voyage. He did an excellent job of teaching the reader about the history of Nantucket and life at sea in the 19th century, and relating what was under the most grueling of circumstances that which was accepted then for survival. And even now. 

Drawn designs and diagrams, detailed maps, and pertinent photographs were included to assist readers in the relating of actions and elements, people and sea life, ships and work. The fact that some made it through this crucible is a testamate to their excellent seamanship, ability to work together, and their fortitude to prevail even with bad decisions, horrendous weather conditions, and human nature. This book is highly recommended for anyone not faint of heart. Or even for them if they want to toughen-up. 

September Read/John

Book report for 2015-09-15/T

THE LITTLE BOOK OF SIGN LANGUAGE
Text: Written by Jason Rekulak
Dust Jacket & Interior:
Photographed: Steven Raniszewski/BCP
Designed: Terry Peterson
Produced: In cooperation with the Pennsylvania School for the Deaf

This book, being both small and with only 127 pages, is meant as a teaser to entice ones interest in American Sign Language (ASL). Like a dead battery can be 'jumped' by a good voltage source, ones pursuit might well be stimulated to passion by the well illustrated lessons given in easy to read fonts for detailed texts describing this language's uniqueness. The beginning 'signing' is well covered along with the explanation that eye contact, facial expressions, and body language play a crucial role.

First, the alphabet is covered. Then their excellent way of showing the numbers zero through ten, and how their signs work while having to use only one hand. Greetings and salutations come next, covering from hello and goodbye, then to  congratulations and excuse me, to the very important 'magic words' of please and thank you. Also included are some emotions, family members, favorite foods, animals, and references to learn more.

From the beginnings of sign language in America in1694 when the deaf Englishman Jonathan Lambert moved to Martha's Vineyard (MA) with his seven sons, two of whom were also deaf, to the system used today, this informative book is an excellent way to begin learning this intriguing way of communicating. It's small size make it convenient to actually carry in ones pocket to enable studying throughout the day when small amounts of time can be easily snatched between other projects. This resource, then, is obviously highly recommended. So until another book report, picture me with my right hand up and my fingers moving up and down - as if I were waving goodbye.

August Read/Margaret

Sea Swan
      When I bought this book, “Sea Swan,” a long time ago, I was just thinking it was for my grandchildren. Now a few years after retiring at home, I found this book was what God prepared for me to have during my retirement time. I learned a lot from the grandma in this book. She was always active. She even had a lot of people helping her in her life which made her life run very smoothly. One day when she was 75, she was determined to learn new things to improve her life. She bought a new swim suit and went to class to learn with young people to swim. She did not stop after she knew how to swim. She also enjoyed learning how to dive so she could see all the beautiful things in the world God created for us to enjoy. She even taught and encouraged others to do swimming and diving to see how beautiful it is under the sea. Then she planned her retirement life to have with her cat, close to the sea, so she could swim and dive. She even tried to learn cooking and to take care of herself. She is a very encouraging lady for me. You don’t need to feel old when you retire. You just need to go and see the outside world while trying to learn something new every day.

August Read/Otoor

A Bible Story: Miriam and Her Brother Moses
Author: Jean Marzollo

 This story relates to the Bible story about Moses. It shows how a brave little girl, her n name Miriam, helped to save her brother, Moses’s life. Moses led his people to freedom, after they were slaves during the Pharaoh’s time period. Pharaoh gave his soldiers a truly terrible order to throw all Hebrew baby boys into the Nile River, so they wouldn’t grow up to fight him. This happened the same year that Moses was born, so Miriam succeeded to convince the princess, daughter of Pharaoh, to save Moses’s life. Miriam also had special songs that she had taught Moses when he was a baby. When he became a prince, he wanted to help his family and all the Hebrew slaves so he led them out of Egypt.

August Read/Sherri 2

The Matzo Ball Heiress

Lauri Gwen Shapiro’s book, “The Matzo Ball Heiress,” is  light, humorous and an easy read. The story is centered around a dysfunctional family that long ago lost their Jewish identity due to the large expansion of the families prosperous business. The irony is the family money that supports their gregarious life style, is reaped from the Kosher Jewish community. The largest profit time is centered around the Jewish Holiday called Passover. The business is dwindling and so is the family. The family is given an opportunity to rebuild  their family relationships and busines but in order to accomplish this they must come together to present a Sedar on TV. The challenge is they are all estranged and have not had a Sedar in years. The story unfolds like an old vaudeville comedy of characters , from the Egyptian Consulate member, to the father’s flaming gay boyfriend, to the grandfather’s secretary/ ex-mistress, to the pothead assistant, to the three trust fund characters who want desperately to keep their inheritance a secret. A calamity of errors happens throughout the story keeping it funny yet edgy. 

August Read/Sherri

Fall of the Marigolds

“Fall of the Marigolds” is written by author Susan Meissner. Susan writes her books with an object that pulls two time period together. There are many correlations between both stories. In this book, the object is a scarf with a print of marigolds . The first time period takes place on Ellis Island in September 1911. The second time period is during the 9/11 fall of the Twin Towers. The two stories intertwine and eventually are pulled together by the story of the scarf. What I liked most was Susan’s storytelling techniques. I like reading a story, that leaves you wishing for the rest of the story and curious as to how it will unfold yet not wanting the story to end. The characters are revealed by their choices and actions. This book is about family, friendship, love, bravery, fear and humanities view of two difficult times in American history. The big lesson here is the beauty of perception and how we all have a choice in our perceptions in life.  Given we don’t always know all the information or sequences of events to know if our perception is correct. Knowing the other sides of the story can make all the difference in our truly understanding the challenges we all meet in life. Sometimes if we are lucky as our characters, we learn, with time, the whole story and  how our influences in helping others to meet their challenges, will be reviled to us.

August Read/John

Title: HOME BEFORE MORNING
The True Story of an Army Nurse in Vietnam
Published in 1983

Author:  Lynda Van Devanter
with Christopher Morgan

Graphic horror: were words numbers to be added, that might total the sum of them. If it were possible to actually do so. Her wartime experiences as a young and naive nurse in Vietnam full of hope and compassion, who was not long out of nursing school, came vividly alive in gory detail. The book is an odyssey of a girl growing up, gallow's humor, suffering and healing, despair and redemption. 

So too for the narratives that described her mental  anguish and emotional suffering of the tortured existence she and so many others laboriously endured while giving the best of themselves to patch and help heal the broken bodies, minds, hearts, and spirits - including their own -of the grievously injured and sick under terrible conditions. They even persevered many times while under attack. 

The PTSD she and others experienced from the uncaring hands of fate slowly built as she described PTSD's inextricable escalation. She then gave an account of what her life became during its harsh control, and the self medication by consuming copious amounts of alcohol, smoking grass, and failed relationships.  And finally, she laid out the long and anguished journey back to a plateau of normalization by many hours of therapy, working with other veterans, a trip back to Vietnam, and help from friends. 

August Read/Kirsten

Number the stars (Lois Lowry)

How begin a report about this poignant book?

It takes place in Copenhaguen, Denmark, in 1943, during the Second World War. Annemarie is 10 years old. She ‘s used to tell fairytales to her little sister Kirsti, with queens and kings. Her best friend is Ellen, a Jewish young girl.

During the 1943 fall, the German are beginning the “relocation” of all Danish Jews. But thanks to some Danish politics “leaks”, the Jew community is warned during the New Year that something was going to happen.

It’s the story about the Danish resistance, helping thousands of Danish Jews to escape to Sweden, which is not invaded by the Nazis. It’s this story told by a young girl, not naïve, but who has genuine thoughts about the adult world.

I’m half Danish. But from Denmark, I essentially know about culinary culture and Christmas. I didn’t know anything from the Second World War. My grandmother told us a very few, as we couldn’t speak Danish at that time. But I know about the rationing: rye-bread and some potatoes, and that was all. I had no idea about how the Danish people protected their friends. How the King Christian sank his float, so the German couldn’t use it…

Sometimes, I’m wondering if I would be as brave as Annemarie if I lived during the war. Anyway, I would advise you this book, very well written, in a simple English with just enough new words to enjoy the story AND learn English. The emotions are simple, but very poignant.

Thank you Sherri, for sharing this book with me.

July Read/Kirsten

Title: About Death and Dying

Author: Elisabeth Kübler Ross

Hello,

Today I would like to share a very precious reading of mine. As I'm thinking about how to continue to help people (as I used to do as a medical doctor), but without doing the equivalence, I'm reading a lot of things on dying, living with a cancer or other critical illness.

The first time I went back to my library after my last 2 months in France, I found that very famous book for me: On Death and Dying. It's famous because I learned during my medical studies the different steps of grief, which come from that book. But I never read the book itself. So today I'm proud to tell you that I read it in its original version!!

Elisabeth Kübler-Ross was a psychiatrist, born in Switzerland. She worked in France and in Poland, during a typhoid fever epidemic. She also discovered black butterflies drawn by children in Majdanek concentration camp ... After all these special life experiences, she moved to the USA where she became a psychiatrist, and dedicated her research to dying patients, and later dying children.

This book is the first that she wrote, while working in Chicago. She explains the seminar that took place at the hospital, initially with 4 theology students. The principle was to interview a critically sick person, in front of a one way mirror. Behind the mirror, at first 4 students but soon up to 50 people, nurses, medical students, theology students ... What impressed me is that I'm not sure that those interviews given in 1965 would be so different today. The only difference would be that no patient would remain without knowing his diagnosis from the doctor himself. At that time, so many patients would only be informed by their family of the severity of the disease ... So that's definitely some progress of the last 40 years.

But the 5 steps of grief are still so true. At first it's denial and isolation. "That's not possible!" usually quite short, but sometimes pathologically long. Then comes the anger: "Why me?" People can be angry at their doctor, their nurse. The important thing for caring staff is to remember that this anger is not against them in particular, but against "the entire world" for being sick. And that's a lesson that every new generation has to learn, that I learned a few times with patients...
The third stage is bargaining: people try to ask "nicely" to try to get something. To God, to their doctor... They try to stay functioning until a child's wedding for example.
When bargaining cannot be positively answered comes the fourth stage, the depression stage. People are sad, realizing the different losses in life (work, physical appearance ...) preceding the loss of life itself. It's a difficult stage to go through, because often there are some conflicts about how to deal with spouse, with children...

Eventually, when those conflicts are dealt with, the patient enters the last step, aka acceptance. The patient gets detached from his family, is less hungry. That's the final stage of grief and dying. Not everybody is able to attain that stage, depending on the ability of his entourage to let him go...

Those stages, I did learn during my medical studies. But what I didn't learn really (or at least what I didn't remember) is to give hope at every stage. Not false hope, but Hope. At least respect the patients' hope, such as the discovery of a new treatment (rarely on time...). And I admit this is a hard thing to do in every day life as a thoracic oncologist... And that's what I would like to work on in the future.

This book is not just a dissertation about the different stages, it's most of all a collection of patients' testimonies about dying, and about life. I would recommend this book to every health care student, but also to everybody who has to take care of a sick person (does that mean quite everybody?). This book is very touching...

 

May Read/Ruby 2

Title:The English Roses

Author: Madonna

Have you ever heard of the English Roses? They are not a box of chocolates, a football team, flowers growing in the garden. What they are is this : Four little girls named Nicole, Amy, Charlotte, and Grace.

They go to the same school and live in the same neighborhood, in many ways, it all sounds so perfectly fun an nice, but they are all a little bit jealous of another girl in the neighborhood. Her name is Binah, she is very beautiful, an excellent student and good at sports, and always kind to people, but she is very lonely. She has no friends, and everywhere she goes, she is alone.

The English Roses want to be friendly and the know that Binah was lonely, but they couldn't bring themselves to be nice to her. They decide to pretend they don't see Binah when she walks by, so time goes by, the English Roses continue to have fun with each other, while Binah remains alone.

One night when all the girls are having a sleepover party at Nicole's house, her mother talk to them about Binah, she wants all of them be friendly with Binah, and have a conversation with Binah not just based on how her look. The girls know Nicole's mother has a point, but they didn't want to say it. And while they are sleeping, they each have the same dream. All four of them are having a picnic in the park, complaining (as usual) about how beautiful Binah is, how unfair it is for them, when suddenly, a fairy godmother appears !

The girls sit and stare at her with their mouths open, the fairy godmother offers them the opportunity to be someone else. So they ask to be sprinkled with fairy dust, and off they fly to Binah's house. Suddenly they found themselves sitting around Binah's kitchen table. And there, Binah is scrubbing the floor, sweat is dripping from her forehead, and she looks very tired. All at once, her father comes into the room and says, " It's getting late, Binah. When you've finished scrubbing the floor, I think you should start cooking dinner. I'm going outside to fix the car." When Binah finished cleaning the floor, she cooks, she washes and irons the clothes, and finally she empties the trash. The English Roses can't believe their eyes, they have never seen a girl work so hard in their lives. Binah's mother died long time ago, so she lives alone with her father and spends all her time on her own.

When morning comes, the girls awake, they tell one another about their dream, and they promise each other that, from that day on, they will be kinder to Binah and stop complaining their own lives. They invite Binah to a tea party, and then they start walking to school with her, they soon find out that she is very likable indeed, they grow to love her like a sister, and after go to her house to help her with her chores. Time goes by, and soon everywhere the English Roses go, Binah goes with them.

May Read/Kirsten

Title: Sound Reporting

Author: Kern, Jonathan

Kirsten's Read: 

Before I left the US, I just finished Sound Reporting, written by Jonathan Kern. It took me quite a while to finish it, because it is very complete.

There are some chapters about how to make a "piece" of a few seconds to eight minutes, the kind of report you could listen on "All Things considered." It's a goldmine for beginners: write before you say, write as you would speak, how to record on the field, etc.

Then the author explains how to make an entire show, like on NPR. How to edit it, how to host it, how to manage the technical problems... And finally, you could one day be "beyond" the radio, like by having a community on social media, or by having your radio on internet.

So what ? Do you listen to the radio ? I try to listen to NPR when in the US, but it's hard for me to do something else on the same time, either because of troubling noises (like washing dishes for example), either because I can't concentrate on two things at the same time. But when I do listen to NPR, I find it "dry." The hosts speak all the same way, and when it's a talk-show, there is no music. "If you want music, there are music radio elsewhere," was I told once...

When in France, I try to listen to France Inter. The public French radio is composed of several channels. France Culture would be the equivalent of NPR, France Musique broadcasts classical music and jazz, France Info is a continuous news channel... And France Inter is a mix of the others, with a touch of pop music.

But one show is not just news reports, or music. It's generally a well-dosed mix. And there are some interviews of half an hour or three quarters. I used to listen France Inter all the day long during my studies. I had some voice-friends: at 4pm Frederic Lodeon and all his stories about classical music. At 5pm Daniel Mermet, from "Là-bas si j'y suis" (There if I am  there), about people, places, social initiatives. During the summer, "Dernier parking avant la plage" (Last parking lot before the beach) with some crime novel readings by Sophie Loubière. They all accompanied me during anatomy and physiology lessons, in my room in Strasbourg, as a medical student.

I wish I could find such a friend-voice in the US... I wish I could become such a friend-voice one day... Let's see what's next in the story!

April Read/John

Title: True Grit
Author: Charles Portis
John's Read:
"Well, shuck my grits, pard" said Tex. "That was a very good book." 

"Aw, Tex, you got that right" said Cody. "I enjoyed every word. Heck, while we were moseying along on the trail I was just thinking_" 
"You got that right, I almost fell out of my saddle too when I thought about the humor, it was so funny" injected Tex. "And I really liked the dialog between Mattie and the Colonel Stonehill during their negotiations."

"Me too, and_"
"I think this writing is as good as 'Lonesome Dove'" interrupted Tex, "but doesn't have the epic quality, LD being kinda long."

"I agree" confirmed Cody, "but_"
"Yeah, but also up there with L'Amour's work, with good descriptions of the trails and countryside even without as much of his geologic info" jumped in Tex. 

"Right you are_" countered Cody, but before he could go on Tex again continued on his roll: "And interesting characters like Zane Grey's, the Master himself, just certainly not as prolific a writer as ZG." 

"Sure and_" Cody tried to quickly interject, but Tex's words shot out of his pistol-thoughts, already quick drawn from his holster mind with lightning speed, "And I really like the way Portis contrasted the personalities and characters of his people, Rooster's rough hewn toughness versus LeBoeuf's uppity and by-the-book way, and their collective savy experience up against Mattie's naive but unshakable ideals and insistence of doing the right thing. Plus, whoa, those gunfights! Good action, page turning narrative, why, talking about this has given me a powerful appetite" continued Tex, "though you sure have been quiet about it. Let's ride on over to the chuck wagon - maybe it'll loosen your tongue to get some ranch beans and biscuits in you."

"Well, blaze my saddle_"

April Read/Kayla

Title: The Tale of Despereaux
Author: Dicamillo, Kate

The tale of Despereaux

 

By Kate Dicamillo

 

What if we are different from others and are in a desperate circumstance from birth? What if we are even being plunged to the dire situation that cannot be easily overcome by our own family? Is it a destiny for us to be absorbed into the despair and death?

Despereaux, born with open eyes and big ears, was the runt who could barely survive among his litter. As he was small and sickly, his mother named him for despair. He was unique and different from other mice in the castle, reading books instead of nibbling papers. He particularly loved the story of a knight saving the princess and them living happily ever after. One day while reading a book, Despereaux heard music and was led to Princess Pea and the king. He talked with them, which meant he violated the rule of mice that the mouse would not talk to any human being. Despereaux was banished to the dungeon to his death where the rats lived, by his father and brothers who called the mice council.

What better example of perfidy can someone expect than this in one’s life? Despereaux was filled with anguish. From his birth, Despereaux was despair. However, he worked his own way to save Princess Pea from the rat, Roscuro, like a knight. Trembling with fear for unknown, Despereaux struggled to put the light back on Princess Pea with only a needle. As he didn’t settle into the given fate like what other mice might have thought, he made hope out of despair.

To fall into the pits of despair is too early if things go against us. From the endless darkness, a seed of hope always grows as shown in the tale of Despereaux. There are endless miracles happening.