Night by Elie Wiesel

Our book discussion group read Night. Elie Wiesel is going to be honored in Dayton, Ohio on October 14th for lifetime achievement by the Dayton Literary Peace Prize at the Schuster Center. We were lucky enough to have high school students and their teacher to join our group of adult women to share their thoughts on this great book. We were amazed at the clarity of the author's language and his ability to put his experience to paper no matter how difficult that was to to, especially at a time when the world was not ready to face the whole truth of the Nazi plan of destruction. The author was instrumental in helping to have the Holocaust Museum built in the united States. This discussion of ours took place on the same day that the President of Iran was denying the Holocaust in a national publicized speech in America's Columbia University in New York.

Ethiopian diaspora

Just read a book, Sweetness in the Belly by Camilla Gibb. The protagonist is a young English-born girl, Lilly, whose parents travel the north African coast as free spirits. Her life changes when her parents are killed and she is left with a Muslim religious leader in Morocco for her upbringing. As she matures she is encouraged to take a religious pilgrimage to Ethiopia with another young Muslim scholar. The story is fascinating, told back and forth between the 70's in Ethiopia and the 80's in London. At a time when the west seems fascinated with the Muslim culture this book helps readers to understand some of the motivation behind the practices. Islam may be the largest growing religion in the world, and I want to understand it more. Not to convert, but to at least have more respect for people's choices and beliefs. This book is well written and sympathetic to the Diaspora in London of the Ethiopia population. The author spent time in Ethiopia as part of her anthropology research, and her appreciation of the people shows.

Dirty Snow

Just finished Dirty Snow by Georges Simenon. Its a dark novel, taking place in an occupied country at the time of World War II. At the end of the novel is Tucson 20 March 1948. In the New York Review book edition that I am reading is an afterward by William T. Vollmann. He explains why we read such dark novels. I am struck by Vollman's remarks about the protangonist, Frank Friedmaier. "But how immensely human he is! Here is Simenon's genius." And what he remarks has terrifing relevance for today, where violence is such a given in parts of our cities, and it makes no sense. Vollmann says, "Franks wants to be recognized. He wants to be known. He scarcely knows himself, or anything else worth knowing." Later he reflects on Frank's mother..."she is a major factor in his spoiling. She has fed him with the corruption he regurgitates, which is why, as I said, he wants to be hated-a surefire way to get others to see him, to be real, to actually catch the eye..." Well, now that I have read it, and it is a depressing book to read, I think about its value. the value of the book for literature's sake. It does let us into the mind of a dark, evil person, who is living in a godless society, full of oppressive people, only Holst is redeemed or redeeming. He doesn't speak until the end of the book, he exposes his pain, and he sees Frank for the boy-man who is lost and needs saving. He is human, and has a forgiving quality, but it is all for the sake of his daughter, Sissy. He would do anything for Sissy, and he does. Would this be a good book for violent prone inner city young adults to read? Could they see themselves? Has this been thought of before? Who has used this novel in high schools? I guess I think that violence is our greatest problem in this society. And I don't know how to stop it. And I certainly am not the only one thinking about this. I grieve for all the families who lose a family member through violence, and the resulting incarceration.

Reading the newpaper

Found a story that I found disturbing in the newspaper. It was in Wednesday's paper, a syndicated article I am sure. About the emigration of middle class British citizens due to the over immigration of foreign population to Britian. All of this is a result of the British empire and the colonization all across the world. But, it doesn't make it easier to lose your country. And foreign people have lost their country to the influx of Western society. Makes me wonder if I will want to emigrate from America someday. I aslo read that the murder rate in New Orleans is the largest in the USA. A pastor is writing everyone's name down on a "murder board" in front of his church in New Orleans. Dreadful, sad, and so wasteful. I know my first reaction to Katrina was, we cannot fight a war over seas when we cannot take care of our people and rebuild New Orleans and thousands of people's homes and businesses. Waste of money, waste of lives and sad sad. I asked someone this summer what was the most disturbing political issue to them personally: the war, the violence or the ecomony. The economy was her answer because they have an investment home that is not selling right now. This from someone who doesn't have to work, her husband has a good job, all her children have good jobs, and the home they are trying to sell is occupied by a family member. I guess we all end up voting our pocketbook. Is the American way of life really worth salvaging? Seems we are run by corporations who want to earn more money that anyone needs. My soapbox...a change would be more scary, I am reminded that Germany's issues after World War I were some of the same for us now. Rising inflation, an abundance of crime, and widespread immigration. and we all know that the change of power for Germany seemed like an answer for them at the time and was a disaster for everyone. What to think?

Low Tide in Michigan

I am reading a new author, Barbara Kingsolver. Or rather rediscovering her work. I read The Bean Trees about six years ago. And I tried to listen to the Prodigal Summer and didn't finish it. So when I heard that our community was considering Animal, Vegetable, Miracle for our One Book, One Community I thought I should read one of her nonfiction titles. I choose to read High Tide in Tucson for my vacation book to read on the trip to Michigan. Turned out to be a good choice. As soon as I was done I wanted to read it again. I think it is the language that attracts be to the book. The way she puts her ideas into words that are fresh and original. I also like the strength she has in her opinions and perceptions. She likes to think of herself as a political writer. Not everyone does. She has very strong beliefs and she wants to reflect her beliefs with her life. The best example I can come up with is that during her protest of the Desert Storm war she chose to move her family out of America and live in the Canary Islands. That takes courage and conviction. And she was pleasantly surprised to find that this Spanish culture nurchurded children. And I wondered what that would be like. We Americans are so sure that our culture is the best, but then we have to face the consequences of the laws, the freedoms, the decisions that are made in the best interest of the people.

Reading on my vacation

Taking a few days off from worK. Car travel is perfect for reading. When I was young I would have trouble reading in the car. Did I just will myself to be able to read in a car, or did I just outgrow it? I get a lot of my reading done in the car. Listening to audio-tapes helps tremendously. I recommend starting a difficult book with the audio version. I find that I can then go to the written version after a couple of tapes. And finish it with both. I have done that lately. I did that with The Stone Diaries by Carol Shields. And Slaughterhouse-Five. The audio version I listened to was read by the actor Ethan Hawke. The fantasy version of the bombing of Dresden. I know I will have to read it over again to better understand it. Haven't read Science Fiction in a very long time. The Planet of the Apes by Pierre Bulle, translated from the French may have been the only one I read. Did I read The Cat From Outer Space or do I just think I did? I'm going back 40 years so my memory is a little fuzzy. After I saw the movie on the planet of the apes, then I read the book. I must have been fourteen. I read Gone With the Wind a few times in that same era. I was disappointed by the movie. I think I like to see the movie first and then read the book. That reminds me, I did pick up the DVD on The Weight of Water and it sat on my shelf. Guess I was afraid to watch it. Was it going to be too scary? So I brought the book home from the library. It didn't end at all like I thought it would. Haven't seen the movie yet, but I am sure the movie version is very different. That book has stayed with me. Strong sense of place, taking place on the coast of Maine. The characters are living on a boat, five people cramped in. The story transfers between the past and present. The main protagonist is photographing an island in the ocean where a double murder had taken place. The suspense the reader feels is the impending murder in the present time. This book was written by Anita Shreve, the first I've read by her.

Garrison Keillor has written a history of radio in St. Paul Minneapolis. He ought to know, he was in radio for many years, recreating the glory days on his own A Prairie Home Companion starting in 1974. But this book is a little more racy than his typical home show so that made it all the more fun. Poking fun at the locals and the stars on radio, he exposes all their humaness and weaknesses. You have to like Frank White, the naive young man who stars his career in radio, and grows wise to the older generation. He learns when to stand on his own feet and branch out into the world of television in the early 50's. Garrison's own voice on the book on tape is pitch perfect, his droll sense of humor matching the story. A hit.