The Riddle of the Labyrinth, by Margalit Fox

I just re-read a book, that was on my kindle. I don't remember reading the first time at all! It was 5 years ago, which I only know because I wrote a review of it on Goodreads (below)! I'm laughing at myself here, because the big reveal at the end--which language was it on the tablets?--came as a complete and satisfying surprise the second time around, too. Hoo boy! 

The Riddle of the Labyrinth: The Quest to Crack an Ancient Code, by Maraglit Fox

3 stars

 The story of American linguist Alice Kober's work to crack the code found on ancient Cretan tablets. As it was an unknown script in an unknown language, it was the hardest type to even attempt. Kober's efforts became the stepping stones used by Michael Ventris to solve the puzzle later. She has been largely left out of the narrative, thus this book.

I enjoyed learning about cryptography, and about the Linear B script in particular. The lives of the principal characters were also very interesting.

Just the kind of narrative nonfiction I like.

This time around, I would up that rating to at least 4 stars, if not 5. It was fascinating (again--ha!) to read about how linguists can figure out what ancient scripts say. Even more so, I would say, because in our homeschooling history lessons right now we have talked a lot about the hieroglyphs of Ancient Egypt. We read a whole book together on the Rosetta Stone and Champollion, the French man who figured out the language of the hieroglyphics. 

With that new background fresh in mind, I was particularly interested in Fox's discussions on the different types of written languages. Some use alphabets, where one character stands for one sound. Some are syllabary (may have spelled that wrong), where one character stands for the sound of a syllable; some are iconographic, where each word is written with a different symbol or picture; and some are mixed. Looking at a ancient tablet with what has to be writing of some kind on it, though, how in the world do you figure out which it is? 

As in the case of Linear B, you may not only need to figure out which type of language you have, and what all the sounds mean, you may have to figure out which language is actually written on the tablet. That is, if it's even a known language on there. Along with that, there are so many other things that we take for granted with our known languages written in known scripts: do you read it left to right, or some other way? What are the rules of the language--grammar or otherwise?  So you start to look for clues. 

The linguists who work on these ancient languages have to have immense amounts of patience and attention to detail. Kober's work was truly incredible, and it was work! She wrote every character down on homemade file cards (paper was scarce due to the recent war), and then noted where it was in relation to other characters in every word. She had boxes and boxes of little cards by the time of her untimely death. Armed with all of that information she had gathered, she was able to draw up tables of the characters in relation to each other. Her tables are what Ventris based his work on, which finally deciphered the code.

Anyway, we had some great discussions about ancient languages, and what clues are left behind in the language itself for the linguists to track down, like following a rabbit trail in the dark woods on a snowy night. The lives of the principle characters also gave us some good fodder for discussion. 

Next, I think we may try our hand at writing messages in an ancient language. There are several books that have examples of hieroglyphics, for example, that would give us a good start.

  

Mini Theme: Off the Deep End

Of the book reviews I had yet to post, a handful of them had a rather dubious connection: characters that went off the deep end, taking others with them. Unfortunately, these stories all happened to be true. Yup.

It is fascinating to read about dysfunction--more so than happiness, I'm sorry to say. Unless the happiness has been hard-won after some bouts of misery. I had a writing professor say once that "Only misery is interesting." I suppose that has some truth in it.

So these books have their share of misery, coupled with some generous doses of mental illness. So if you find yourself drawn to these types of stories, dive in! Leave me a comment letting me know which was your favorite on the list.

p.s. Yes, the first one on the list was from nearly a year ago! High time to get this review published and out the door!




Shooting Victoria: Madness, Mayhem, and the Rebirth of the British Monarchy, by Paul Thomas Murphy

3 stars: Interesting, but very detailed; a bit long to get through in parts.

Did you know that there were 8 different attempts on Queen Victoria's life during her reign? I didn't either. In fact, there's a lot I didn't know about Queen Victoria prior to reading this book.

For each assassination attempt, Murphy goes into detail about the man who was behind the weapon. His background, family situation, previous employment, mental health, and much more. The steps and planning leading up to each crime were similarly brought forward, with a blow-by-blow account of each attempt at the climax.

Then we learn about what happened to each of the men, including their trials, and any incarceration or other punishment meted out. This leads into side discussions of the judicial system in England at the time, various prisons and their histories, and so on. Back to the main topic, we also see how Queen Victoria and Albert handled each incident, and the effect on the monarchy itself. Surprisingly, each attempt greatly strengthened the love of the people for their Queen and the influence of the monarchy itself.

I liked this one; it was a good read. I just had to take it a bit at a time and keep coming back to it. I didn't realize that Victoria and Albert had 8 children, nor did I remember that he died so young leaving her a widow. Their love story was neat to learn more about.

Though they were diversions off the main topic, I was also interested in the way the law changed over the years, to deal with these men. The original crime for "taking a pop at the Queen" was high treason, with life imprisonment if the Queen pardoned him, or hanging if not. It became clear over time, however, that some of the attempts were copycat crimes, or for notoriety rather than actually wanting to kill the Queen, or even as a ticket out of poverty at the expense of the crown (prisoners had their room and board provided, after all) and so on. So the law and subsequent punishments were changed to administer public shame and embarrassment, rather than death or life imprisonment.

If you liked this one, here are 2 more for you about the lives of royal ladies: To Be A Queen.




The Professor and the Madman: A Tale of Murder, Insanity, and the Making of the Oxford English Dictionary, by Simon Winchester

3 stars: Quite interesting.

Writing and compiling the definitions in the Oxford English Dictionary was a huge undertaking, spanning several decades, and eventually filling several volumes. The head of the project for most of that time, James Murray, decided on an extra thorough and time-intensive approach. He solicited quotations from the general public. The idea being that each quotation, from all types of literary and old texts, would show the various nuances of the word in question. The quotations then had to be read and checked and decided upon one at a time for inclusion into the OED or not.

So, in the meantime, there was a Dr. Minor, who suffered from hallucinations and delusions and who murdered a man based on these delusions. Dr. Minor was locked up in an insane asylum for this murder. It was, however, certainly not a padded cell. He had a sitting room and over the years procured quite an extensive library. He lived most of his life in this asylum.

During his incarceration, he heard the call for submissions for the dictionary. This type of quotation treasure hunt amongst his books was just what he needed to fill the long days. He became one of the most prolific contributors to the OED, and even would contact Murray at times to see what words were being worked on and if there were any in particular that still needed quotations. Murray didn't realize that Minor was in the asylum until many years into their correspondence.

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I'm glad I read this one. I enjoy learning more about these niches of history that otherwise I would know nothing about. Now I want to go peruse the OED, though I doubt our small-town American library would have a copy.

Content: Many of Minor's hallucinations were sexual in nature. While not graphically described, I wouldn't give this one to my kids to read.




Pilgrim's Wilderness: A True Story of Faith and Madness on the Alaska Frontier, by Tom Kizzia

3 stars: Chilling, but with some hope at the end.

The Pilgrim family consisted of Papa and Mama, and 15 children. They moved up to the tiny Alaskan village of McCarthy, and proceeded to make themselves right at home. In fact, they set up living in an abandoned copper mine a ways out from the settlement, and began building a home, and making roads in to their place.

As far as anyone knew, they were God-fearing Christians, who all had a bent for folk music. They were quite charming in their homemade clothes, and the children were not shy about making friends and talking to the other folk in the town. They seemed like a happy, homeschooled, "back to the earth" type bunch, who didn't care what other people though about them.

The longer they lived there, however, the more trouble started sprouting up around them. It seems they didn't actually purchase the land they had settled on. Also, the National Park Service was getting pretty bent out of shape about the roads (bulldozed through federally protected land). When the NPS sent out a representative to start a dialogue about it, however, the Pilgrim family resisted mightily and vocally. McCarthy soon became split in its views as to whether or not the Park Service had the right to kick out the Pilgrims.

That wasn't the worst of it. The cracks began to show in the Pilgrim family's façade of brightness and goodness, too. The children more often than not appeared woefully neglected; and became downright surly to anyone trying to talk with them. People began missing things from their homes or yards, and there began to rumors flying about the living conditions up at the Pilgrim's homestead.

All was not right in the world of the Pilgrims and before it was all said and done, their story would be big news.

* * * * *
This book had me at "Alaska Frontier." I am quite predictable that way. Anything featuring my home state immediately perks up my interest.

This was quite the story. An entire family completely held captive, basically, by their father--a man who reinvented himself as needed to make his next conquest. A man who ruled his little kingdom with an iron fist, while claiming to have sanction from God. The worst kind of evil--evil that masquerades as God's will.

Those poor kids, growing up in a home rampant with all kinds of abuse and neglect. It goes most into the story of the oldest daughter, and what she did that brought everything to light. The author first came across this story as a reporter for the Anchorage Daily News.

I found the land use debate quite interesting as well. Though it was sparked off by this family's resistance to government "meddling," it was more of a backdrop to what was really going on with them.


Content: Physical, verbal, and sexual abuse. For adults.

(5/10/18)

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Have you read anything lately that would fit my mini theme?

The Indifferent Stars Above, by Daniel James Brown

This was a good one to read in the middle of winter. My sympathy for these poor people became even more acute with the wind and snow howling around my door. Not an easy read, by any means, but one that I learned a great deal from. 

The Indifferent Stars Above: The Harrowing Saga of the Donner Party, by Daniel James Brown

4 stars: The depths of human suffering, vividly and compassionately told.

I loved The Boys in the Boat when I read it, and I was highly interested in reading this one. He did not disappoint. Due to the nature of the story, this one was a much harder read than his first, but just as well written.

Brown follows the story of Sarah Graves Fosdick, a young newly-married woman going west with her husband and her family. She was the oldest of 8, and when the rest of them decided to leave malaria-ridden Missouri for the wonders of California, it was breaking Sarah's heart. She had just become engaged, and it looked like she was going to have choose between her marriage and seeing her family ever again. Then fortune smiled upon her--it seemed--and she and her sweetheart Jay were married prior to the trip. They determined to go along and drove their own wagon.

The first big problem they encountered was bad information. An author and scoundrel named Lansing Hastings wrote a travel guide for emigrants heading out west to Oregon and California. Some of the information in the book was okay, but one key piece was not: Hastings claimed there was a shortcut through the Sierra Nevada mountains, fully passable by wagons, that would shave several hundred miles off the journey to California.

He had never himself taken the supposed shortcut until after the publication of his book. When he did take it, even though it became obvious that it was highly unsuitable and downright dangerous, he continued to promote it to the oncoming wagon trains. The Graves and Fosdick families, along with the Donner/Reed party they had joined, determined to take Hastings at his word, rather than take the established trail. Everything that came after stemmed from this one decision.

* * * * *

I learned much I didn't know about the ill-fated Donner Expedition through this book. For instance, I didn't realize that there were so many children along, including 3 infants. Other than the fact that cannibalism was a part of it, I didn't know any of the particulars. It was heart-wrenching to read of the mothers, trapped by snow in the High Sierras for months, in makeshift cabins trying to keep their kids alive, and the brave fathers, brothers, and sisters, determined to forge a way out and get help.

They were just 100 miles or so from their final destination at that point, but the snow was 20-30 feet high in places. They made some snowshoes, which helped, but they were already run down, exhausted, and in the early stages of starvation from their long journey. The crew that went for help took a wrong turn at a critical point that added several days on to the journey. Time that they didn't have to spend. Things just spiraled down and down for them and for those they left back in the mountains.

Interestingly enough, the women out-survived the men by 2x as much. The first 14 members of the Expedition to die were all men. Of the 87 members of the party, only 40 survived the ordeal, a relatively high percentage of them children. Single unattached men had the worst survival rates; of the 15 in the group, only 3 survived.

The descriptions of cannibalism were not glossed over. If you have a weak stomach, do not read this book. Awfulness. Also, the way the decision to eat the dead affected the minds of those who did it was fascinating and disturbing. More than one went crazy and still others began contemplating murdering their companions for the meat. It seemed that once that line was crossed, other moral taboos shattered as well. All of them experienced PTSD in years to come, though of course it wasn't known as such back then.

Sarah was one of those that survived, but like all the survivors of the ordeal, at great personal cost.

The other part that I found fascinating was the description of getting their wagons through the Wasatch mountains. Weber Canyon, to be precise, which hey--what do you know?--is right in my neck of the woods these days. I've gone hiking pretty close to where they were trying to come through, I think. I could vividly picture those passages and how excruciatingly hard it must have been to get through. Meanwhile, I was feeling grateful for the freeway that runs through here now. We get through the canyon in 45 minutes and hardly think about it. Unfortunately for the Donner party, Weber Canyon was just the beginning of their troubles.

Content: Murder; starving and cannibalism described in detail. For adults.

p.s. Due to the content, this is one I haven't even mentioned to my kids. I generally like to share what I learn from the nonfiction books I've read. Not this time. Too grisly.

(01/29/18)

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What books make you most glad to have a roof over your head? 

Mini Theme: The Perils of Greed

Somehow this round of adult nonfiction has almost all had the same undercurrent: greed run amok. What happens when people put money--whether making it or saving it--above everything else? Well, these books give 3 compelling answers to that question.

The Secret Race: Inside the Hidden World of the Tour de France, by Tyler Hamilton and Daniel Coyle

3 stars: Absolutely fascinating.

Hamilton was rising in the skiing world, when a serious accident changed his course. He became a professional biker. Eventually he worked his way up to the team fielded by the U.S. Postal Service. The team's manager was obsessed with winning. He pushed them to begin competing (and living/training) in Europe, which they did, devoting their lives to the sport year-round. Hamilton was a teammate to Lance Armstrong and talks quite a bit about the evolution of their friendship and rivalry.

He also describes his personal life to some extent, including his marriage (and later divorce). His tolerance for pain was legendary. In 2003 he came in 4th place in the Tour de France, even though he broke his collarbone in one of the earlier stages.

Hamilton describes how he got started doping and taking drugs. First it was a way to simply keep up. It was just a little red pill to take (testosterone) to help him recover more quickly from the brutal training runs and races. It was administered to him by the team doctor. Then he noticed how certain select team members received white paper bags before races, and that invariably, they were the ones who came in first on the team. He felt he had to prove himself and get into that inner circle.

Once he did and found out just what was in those bags, he had a choice to make. It wasn't merely a choice between taking it or saying "no thanks," and remaining in the middle of the pack. It was essentially a choice between taking the drugs or choosing another career. In this era of professional biking, if you didn't take performance-enhancing drugs or blood dope, you had zero chance of winning.

In fact, Hamilton said for most of them it took roughly 1000 days to cave to the peer pressure and start doping. Essentially, 3 years of grueling workouts for little to no reward on the race course. Though he always felt guilty about it, particularly about the lies and deception required on a constant basis to keep the news out of the media, Hamilton admits that when he hit that 1000-day mark, the choice wasn't hard to make. He had already invested so much in the sport and sacrificed so much, that it seemed like the only option was to do it.

* * * *
Hamilton tells a compelling story. This was an eye-opener for me. It's hard to imagine feeling so much pressure to win that pretty much anything can be justified.


After leaving the U.S. Postal Service team, Hamilton joined another team in Italy. He quotes his trainer as saying:

To win the race, you have to be:
1) Very, very fit
2) Very, very skinny
[3) Dope--Not said right out, but understood.]

In a very telling afterwords, Hamilton notes that the winner of the Tour de France in 2011 would have gotten 40th place back in 2001, when he was riding in it.


Content: Obviously, there's a lot of talk about drugs and descriptions of taking them. I knocked off one star due to the sheer amount of bad language. Be forewarned--it's a lot; mostly in dialogue.

(Finished reading Sept. 7)

Tom's River: A Story of Science and Salvation, by Dan Fagin
Pulitzer Prize Winner for General Nonfiction, 2014

The title link goes to the separate review I did of this one a month ago. For this context though, let me just point out that every decision made by Ceiba-Geigy to avoid proper disposal of their toxic industrial waste was centered on greed. It would have cost millions of dollars to deal with their waste and they did not want to pay that much. They put making money over the human costs of long-term and terminal illnesses for many of their workers and those in the township. Pretty sad.

The Lost Tribe of Coney Island: Headhunters, Luna Park, and the Man Who Pulled Off the Spectacle of the Century, by Claire Prentice

3.5 stars: Compelling and readable account of a crooked man and his human exhibit business.

In 1905, Truman Hunt brought a band of Philippine villagers of the Igorrote tribe to New York, to be part of a human exhibit at Coney Island. Hunt had lived among the Igorrote's for some time before coming up with the scheme. Truman had an interpreter named Julio to act as a middleman when needed. Julio was half Igorrote and spoke the language.

The villagers that accompanied him across the ocean were there under contract for one year. They were supposed to be earning $15 per month each, plus tips and any money they made from selling handicrafts. It sounded like a grand adventure for most; a chance to get rich and provide for their families for many years to come for others.

Well, someone got rich, but it certainly wasn't the Philippinos. After arriving on the West Coast, Truman booked them for shows all the way across the country, eventually setting up in Luna Park. The tribespeople were headhunters and ate dog, two facts that were soon blazened across every newspaper headline.

They built a village, of sorts, within the confines of the park. They performed native dances and ate a lot of dog. In fact, they complained to Hunt several times that the steady diet of dog was not good for them--back home it had been just on special occasions. Their main diet was sweet potatoes, rice, and other plants. Hunt ignored them--the dog feasts were good for business. One of many requests from his charges that he ignored.

In fact, millions of people came to see the Igorrotes, making piles of money for Hunt and for the owners of Luna Park. They were the top attraction for several months. Then the owner of the other main park on Coney Island offered Hunt a better deal. Contract notwithstanding, he moved the Igorrotes to their new home in the dead of night and set up shop at the competitor's park. Conditions for the Igorrotes just got worse from there.

* * * * *
Truman Hunt was a piece of work. He started off as a friend to the tribespeople. When he lived in the Philippines with them, he doctored them and treated them well. Then, it seems that he was utterly corrupted by greed. At some point along the way, the Igorrotes stopped being human beings who deserved humane and fair treatment, and became to him simply a commodity. Whatever he needed to do--or get them to do--to bring in more money, he would do it. He staged fake weddings; he made up wild stories about them. In the end, he failed to even provide adequate housing and food for them.

It was all to get publicity and make more money. For himself. Do you think they saw one dime of what he promised to pay them? No. He told anyone that asked that they were such a simple people they couldn't be trusted with their money, and he was "saving it for them" to give to them all in one lump sum at the end. Yeah right.

It was interesting to read the backstory on what was a huge phenomenon back in its time. I didn't know anything about it going into the book, but this really opened my eyes. Now we look on a human exhibit with revulsion, but apparently back then it was completely accepted. Particularly if those being exhibited were considered to be inferior to Western humans in some ways. Hence the headhunting, dog-eating Igorrotes.

This story made me sad and it made me angry. Hunt was so dishonest and greedy. I liked how it asked--who were the true savages in this story? It certainly wasn't the tribespeople, with all their customs.

(Finished reading Sept. 16)

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Okay, it's a good thing I've moved on to more uplifting reading since I read these--it was becoming a bit depressing reading on this Mini Theme. Have you read any lately that would fit into this theme?

Tom's River, by Dan Fagin, and What It Brought to Mind...

A preview for my upcoming Mini Theme: The Perils of Greed. As I was writing up this review, more and more connections to other books came to mind, so in the end I decided it needed its own space. Never fear, though, I will link back to it for the Mini Theme. Sadly enough, greed played a huge role in the pollution problem in Tom's River continuing on and on.

Let's get right to it!

First off, I really like this cover. The river, plus the water tower in the background--some nice foreshadowing going on there.

Tom's River: A Story of Science and Salvation, by Dan Fagin
Pulitzer Prize Winner for General Nonfiction, 2014

3 stars: A lot of good information to process here.

When the industrial resins and dye-making company, Ciba-Geigy, first set up their factories in Tom's River, no-one really cared what they did with the waste. Local families were happy for the jobs the company provided, which paid some of the best wages in the area. There was a lot of waste to dispose of, much of it highly toxic, but their operations were surrounded by acres of land. They dug big pits for dumping solid waste, (some of it in barrels, some not) and poured the liquid waste right onto the ground. The sandy soil sucked it up very quickly. Problem solved.  Some of it was also put directly into the river, and some was put through a pipeline into the ocean.

Over the years, the pollution got into the groundwater and even was pumped into the public water system at one point in the 1980's. Ciba-Geigy and Tom's River Water decided together that the public didn't need to know. After all, it was for a relatively short period of time.

Meanwhile, cancer kept cropping up in the area, particularly in children. One mother, whose son had been diagnosed as an infant and who still lived against all odds, even began putting pushpins on a map every time she heard of a new case. She organized a support group for parents of children with cancer, called Oceans of Love.  Parents pushed for a government study to prove that there was a cancer cluster happening in Tom's River, and taking it one step further, that pollution from Ciba-Geigy was the culprit. However, it wasn't until a pediatric oncology nurse noticed a strangely large proportion of her patients were from Tom's River, that the wheels started slowly turning for a study. She happened to tell someone who happened to know who go to, and so on.

Unfortunately, it would be harder to prove than anyone could have guessed.

* * * * *
This one took me quite some time to read. It was quite dense. I was saddened and disgusted by the way those with the power in the manufacturing company consistently put profit margin over health and safety concerns. Also, by the government officials who continually looked the other way, and allowed Ciba-Geigy to police itself in environmental matters, effectively continuing the problem for decades.

There were many side forays into various topics, all of which were enlightening, except perhaps the part about statistics. That was just aggravating--as it was for all involved with it at the time, apparently. The evidence of their eyes and experience were pointing to one thing, but it was nearly impossible to get the numbers to "prove" it one way or the other. Yes, deeply frustrating. I will never be a statistician. I can feel my blood pressure going up just thinking about that part of the book again.

One other note before moving on: using the word "salvation" in the title was a bit misleading. I'm not certain who Fagin thought were saved. Certainly not the families of Tom's River, unless he was referring to all the activist efforts that eventually got the plant shut down. That area will be dealing with the ramifications of all the toxic waste for years to come.

(Finished reading Sept. 12.)

One thing I enjoy about reading this book was that it kept bringing up connections in my mind to other books I've read. So let's talk about those for a moment.

Fagin talked quite a bit about cancer, mostly from a historical perspective. He discussed some newer advances and some of the biology behind it as well.

If that part was fascinating to you, you will love The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer, by Siddhartha Mukherjee. Follow the title link for my review of this book, read in June of 2016.

Another rabbit trail to follow is the one on epidemiology, or finding the source and cause of infectious diseases in large populations. With cancer this can be particularly difficult (and it doesn't exactly fall under the umbrella of epidemiology anyway as it isn't infectious), but it's roughly the same idea, particularly when it comes to cancers caused by environmental triggers. Interviewing those affected, trying to find similarities, etc. Fagin discussed the basics of the field.

If you wanted more examples and case studies, give The Medical Detectives, by Burton Roueche, a try. (Title links to my review from January 2017.) It is all about epidemiologists working out what caused certain clustered bouts of illness. If only those working on the Tom's River cancer cluster case could have found definitive links like in this book.



Along those lines, Fagin told the story of London's cholera epidemic and the work of those responsible for figuring out the source and cause. That reminded me of a book I had read exclusively on that topic, read 9 years ago:

The Ghost Map: The Story of London's Most Terrifying Epidemic--and How It Changed Science, Cities, and the Modern World, by Steven Johnson.

4 stars: This is one our book club read and discussed. I highly recommend it.

This is the story of London's deadly cholera epidemic of 1854, where more than 700 people died within 2 weeks. But more than that, it is the story of a doctor with an unfailing commitment to figuring out the cause of the outbreak--even though what he finds goes against the prevailing opinions of his time--and a local priest who teams up to help prove it. Johnson then adds an additional layer, weaving the outbreak, and the people involved into a broader historical context.

Informative, with lots to think about and discuss.

(Originally reviewed on Goodreads, August 2008)


Finally, Fagin mentioned in passing the HeLa cells and how they furthered science. Well, it just so happens that I've read a book about that, too!

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, by Rebecca Skloot

4 stars

In the late 1940's a black woman with cancer went to John Hopkins for treatment. Without her knowledge or consent (not at all uncommon at the time) they took a sample of her cancerous cells and attempted to grow them in a test tube. Unlike every other attempt at growing human cells, hers kept growing and multiplying, producing a new generation every 24 hours. 

Henrietta did not survive her cancer. Her cells, however, didn't just survive--they thrived. Enough so that they were sent all over the world for research and a factory was built simply to produce and ship more HeLa cells to scientists and researchers all over the world. Her family didn't even find out about their mother's cells or their many uses in research for several more years.

Skloot spent years researching this book, including the history of the Lacks family, and the nuances of the ethics of cell research. Who has ownership of your cells/blood/tissue samples? If money is involved (and it usually is) who does it belong to? How does all this effect research?

Full of interesting questions, clear writing, and a warm look at this family and the way they've struggled with their mother's immortality.

(Originally reviewed on Goodreads, October 2011)

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Okay, I think that was all the connections. A whole list of good reading to do here, if you're interested! If you do read any of these, let me know! I would love to chat with you about them.

Adult Nonfiction I've Read Since March

Unlike the fiction I've been reading, which has tended toward fantasy & steampunk lately, my nonfiction has been all over the board. I crave a good nonfiction read every so often to balance out all the fantastical stuff.

Also, as much as I enjoy making themed lists, I'm falling way behind! So, in the interest of catching up on reviews, here they all are!

50 Children: One Ordinary American Couple's Extraordinary Rescue Mission into the Heart of Nazi Germany, by Steven Pressman

4 stars: A testament to the power of determination, persistence, and faith.

Gilbert Kraus was a successful lawyer when Hitler rose to power in Germany. As concerns mounted over the state of the Jews in Europe, a friend approached him with an unusual idea: maybe they could go over there and bring back Jewish children to safety. Virtually as soon as he heard the idea, Gilbert was determined to do it. His wife Eleanor had grave concerns, but she too thought they should pursue a rescue mission.

The problems seemed impossible to overcome. Most notably, obtaining visas for the children to enter the United States. At that time America had very strict anti-immigration laws and there was a lot of anti-Semitic public sentiment, particularly when it came to allowing Jews to come into the country. In addition, the idea of bringing over a group of children unaccompanied by their parents raised all kinds of outcries over the logistics of their care and prospects once they came.

Kraus was relentless, politically savvy, and knew (or learned) immigration law to the letter. He was determined to make this happen. Eleanor worked behind the scenes, filling out reams of paperwork (each child had to have a sponsor, each sponsor had to be extensively vetted). When it finally came time to leave for Berlin and Vienna, the visas still weren't a sure thing. Kraus went anyway.

Despite everything they had overcome, there would be even more obstacles to face once they arrived in Vienna.

* * * * *
Based on Eleanor Kraus' memoir and personal papers, this was a remarkable story. It left me with such hope. A couple who persevered against all odds to save these kids. A great example of what one person, or one couple can do. The percentage of children they saved from certain death was very small in the grand scheme of things, but if more people had stepped up and saved who they could--think of the cumulative effect!

There were many heartbreaking aspects of it, among them: they had to choose just 50 children, out of hundreds; the children were separated from their families, some of which were never reunited; and unbelievably, the Kraus' motives were misunderstood by many and they were publicly maligned for what they did, before and after the mission.

It was also fascinating for me to gain a greater understanding of the politics in America at the time, which Pressman brought forward. The American people were not ignorant of what was going on over in Europe. They knew the Jews were in dire straits. What were the factors that kept this country from throwing open its doors and providing a safe haven for more of them here?

Now I want to see the HBO documentary!

(Finished reading March 30)

The Egg and I, by Betty MacDonald

3 stars: Lively storytelling with a few downsides.

MacDonald's memoir of her early marriage, homesteading and building a chicken farm up in the mountains of Western Washington. It was a bestseller when it was first published in 1945.

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When I found out that the author of our beloved Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle books had written books for adults, I was excited to find this one on the library bookshelf. While there were many parts I enjoyed, I didn't love it nearly as much as her kids books.

The good:
She wrote with a keen eye and sharp wit, making the daily events and characters come alive. Her ability to find humor in what must have been very trying circumstances brought a grin to my face several times.

I also quite enjoyed her descriptions of the beautiful scenery and farm life in general. She had a real knack for celebrating the wonderful side of life, while not glossing over the hard parts.

The not-so-good:
I was bothered by her constant denigration of the Native Americans she encountered. She pretty much had nothing good to say about them. I know, I know. It was a different era back then, and even her daughters in the Forward said that if she had written it now she probably would have chosen to portray them differently. So I'm not trying to say she was a terrible person for it, just that for this modern reader it was offensive and hard to get through.

There was also quite a bit of bad language--mostly quoting people--more so than I expected. I suppose because I was coming off her children's books, and didn't expect there to be any. Naïve of me, I know.

So, taking the good with the bad, it evened out to 3 stars.

(Finished reading April 10)

The Great Divorce, by C.S. Lewis

4 stars: Raised some great points to ponder.

A English man gets on a bus one afternoon, only to find that he's an accidental passenger from Hell to Heaven. His experiences and conversations while in Heaven prove enlightening.

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Like others by C.S. Lewis, I feel like I need to re-read this one a couple of times to really get all that I want to out of it. The allegory itself wasn't my favorite, necessarily. Some parts of it were a bit strange. As a vehicle for bringing out various points of ideology and doctrine, however, it sufficed.

His ideas of why people are or are not suited for heaven--or why they do not allow themselves to become suited for it--were quite instructive. I particularly enjoyed his explanation for why repentance is necessary. I'm still thinking about many of the ideas he brought up.

This would be a great one for book club sometime.

(Finished reading April 12)

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind: Creating Currents of Electricity and Hope, by William Kamkwamba

5 stars: A remarkable story!

William grew up in Malawi, Africa, the son of a farmer. His hardworking parents made great sacrifices to send his older sister to school, and were prepared to do the same for him. Unfortunately, a severe drought caused a nation-wide famine around the end of his 8th grade year. They had to focus on simply surviving for several months, until the new growing season came. When the famine finally ended, there was no money left to send William to secondary school.

A smart boy with a mechanical mind, William was desperate to learn more and attended school as long as he could. Finally, though, he was turned away due to the lack of funds. At that point he undertook his own education, by visiting the village library and checking out some textbooks to read. This proved a turning point for him, when he discovered books on Physics, in particular one called Using Energy.

He had long had questions that no-one could answer about how certain things worked--the headlamp on bicycles powered by pedaling, for example. The books he found answered his questions, with diagrams! Using his newfound knowledge, William built a windmill to provide electricity for his home, using scrap and scavenged parts and pieces.

That was just the beginning.

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William's story was so inspirational, on many levels. First, if you ever start to feel sorry for yourself or think your middle class first-world life is hard, read this book. It will bring you back to your senses very quickly.

Second, I was inspired by the way William had a clear vision, used what was available to him (which was not much at all), and made his dream happen. Despite his lack of schooling or any type of mentor as a support, not to mention the mockery of almost everyone around him, he did it! Plus, his dream wasn't just something he did for his own selfish ends. It was to help his family and ease the burdens of his parents.

Read this to be grateful for what you have, then go out and use whatever that may be to do great things!

(Finished reading April 24)

Elena Vanishing, by Elena Dunkle & Clare B. Dunkle

4 stars: Brutally honest, eye-opening, and ultimately, redemptive.

Elena's struggle with anexoria began as a teenager when her family lived in Germany. However, attempts at diagnosis and treatment were scattered and ineffective until several years later, as she was nearing the end of her college career. By that time she was at a critical point, hovering on the brink of the downward spiral toward death. With her parents' constant support and at times, tough love, she entered a residential treatment program, determined to finally win this battle.

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Although eating disorders have not touched my life directly, I have long felt compelled to learn more about them and the people who suffer from them. This memoir takes us right into Elena's mind and motivations through her years-long battle with this disease. The perfectionism and harsh self-criticism at any failure--perceived or real, the deceptions and shame, the defiance and despair. It's all there. If that's where it ended, it would be a tough read.

Thankfully, she also lets us in to the slow process of her recovery. As she confronts her demons, old and new, she opens herself up to healing that she didn't even recognize she needed. Her perspective begins to shift and despair recedes just enough to let in some hope.

My heart went out to Elena and her family as I read this book. They all suffered. It's really a story of the journey they all were on to save Elena from herself.

Content: A lot of language, vivid description of a miscarriage, adult situations. For older teens and adults.

(Finished reading April 29)

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So, what have you read that has informed or inspired you lately? Do tell!

Reading with my 9-year-old: Wimpy Kid Movie Diary & Vanished

My oldest boy just turned 9! Hard to believe I've got one almost a decade old. :)
I continue to try to keep a handle on what he's reading and interested in. While I certainly don't read everything he's reading, at least once a month or so, I make an effort to read a book that he has read and talk with him about it. Sometimes the "discussions" are very short. :) Even so, I feel like they give me an extra point of connection with him, which is valuable.

So let's talk about a couple that we've both read lately.

The Wimpy Kid Movie Diary, by Jeff Kinney

3.5 stars: Entertaining behind-the-scenes look at the popular movie, with photos and Kinney's signature illustrations.

If you've got a 3rd grader in your house, there's a good chance you already know all about The Diary of a Wimpy Kid books. My son has probably read them all at least 3 times.

Although we have yet to see the movie, when he happened upon The Wimpy Kid Movie Diary at the library, he snatched it right up. Then I picked it up, too. It was hard not to! It was a fun, quick read.

Kinney describes several parts of movie-making, from the casting to special effects. He talks about the challenges of turning line-drawing illustrations into real characters. He introduces the actors and actresses and tells stories about good times on and off set. A good mix of illustrations and photos keeps the pace lively and the visual interest high.

A sure hit for Wimpy Kid fans!

(Finished reading Jan. 26)

Vanished: True Tales of Mysterious Disappearances, by Elizabeth MacLeod

4 stars: Who doesn't like a good true mystery story?

Six stories about people or things that disappeared and still have yet to be found again, written for a middle grade audience: the Roanoke Colony, the Gardner museum art heist, an Alcatraz prison break, and more. MacLeod goes into what is known about the disappearances, the methods used then and now in an attempt to solve the mysteries, plus the current best guess of what really happened.

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I'm not surprised my son picked this one up! I've always had a fascination with unsolved true mysteries, myself. In fact, I did a Mini Theme last year on Missing Persons stories (for adults.)

This one was short, and included all kinds of sidebars and photos. Well done, and made for some good conversation afterword, as we talked about our own theories.

(Finished reading Feb. 1)

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What have your kids been fascinated by lately?

Annapurna, The Lost German Slave Girl, and The Medical Detectives

Three adult nonfiction titles for you today. I've really been on a nonfiction kick lately. For some reason, this month it has been hard for me to focus on fiction longer than middle grade--just a lot going on, I guess. True stories like these are usually easier for me to read in smaller pieces, with less of an attention span required to get back into the narrative.  I'm still working on Guns, Germs, and Steel, but I have the feeling that beast is going to take awhile to get through.

Annapurna, by Maurice Herzog

4 stars: Extreme mountain climbing pre-Everest.

In 1950, no-one had ever climbed a mountain higher than 8,000 meters. (Everest had not yet been conquered.) Herzog led a team of French climbers, plus a surgeon, into Nepal with hopes of setting a new record. Annapurna was one of two peaks under consideration for the assault. Neither had ever even been explored, let alone climbed. The team was under a time constraint, as well, because the monsoon season started in 2 months and they had to be out of the mountains by then, for safety reasons.

After setting up Base Camp at a small village in the foothills, they started by sending smaller groups up on exploration and acclimatizing runs, testing if a climb to the peak of either mountain was even possible. That took a month or more. Finally they had done all the exploring they could do. The one peak--Dhaulagiri--was deemed impossible from any angle. Annapurna would not be easy, but they thought it would be possible. Now they had to begin setting up camps higher up. The final decision wouldn't be made until they actually began the assault.

At this point they had approximately 3 weeks until monsoon season hit. Despite the risks, inherent and unforeseen, they decided to go for it.

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I really want to just keep going and tell you the entire story, but then I guess you wouldn't need to read the book! I think I may have mentioned before that I am not very adventurous. At all. For instance, I do not have least bit of desire to climb a very tall mountain. "Climb Mt. Everest" will never be an item on my Bucket List (assuming I make one someday--ha!)

I will say though, I enjoy Armchair Adventuring as much as anybody! This one definitely fit the bill for that. It was a good time of year to read it, too, with the wind and snow outside my window. Made it all the more real. Boy, was I ever glad to be cuddled up on my comfortable couch, rather than at 20,000 feet, stumbling around in a blizzard with only the hope of a cold tent to come back to (assuming one could even find the tent....) As perhaps you can tell, reading this book did not change my mind about my life's ambitions.

Content: The descent and its aftermath include some vivid descriptions of frostbite and gangrene. Not for those with a weak stomach.

(Finished reading Jan. 20.)

The Lost German Slave Girl: The Extraordinary True Story of Sally Miller and Her Fight for Freedom in Old New Orleans, by John Bailey

4 stars: Fascinating. A side of history that I didn't know much about.

I first came across the history of the German immigrants known as Redemptioners when I read the fictional novel Escape to Zion, by Jean Holbrook Matthews. While I didn't love that book particularly, I was interested in the historical aspects of it. Matthews actually mentioned this trial in her story and went on to explain further in a note at the end of the book. So when I saw this title, I was eager to learn more.

This story starts in Germany, with a group of families and friends who all decide to emigrate to America together. In particular, there are 2 brothers--one a shoemaker and one a blacksmith--who decide to take their families and go. Last name of Muller.

They run into terrible trouble. After having sold everything they own to pay for boat tickets, a dishonest man in Amsterdam sells them fake tickets, and absconds with the money. After several months of destitute street-living, they finally get a place on another ship headed to America. Crammed to the gills, no sanitation to speak of, and what's more--because they don't have money to buy tickets--each adult is made to sign a paper giving the ship's owner the right to sell them and their children into indentured servitude once the boat reaches America. Slavery with a time limit (supposedly.)

Fast forward to New Orleans. Hundreds of people have died during the ocean crossing, including several of this group from Germany. The rest are being split up dockside to go work for their new masters. One of the Muller brothers, along with his 3 children, (his wife Dorothea didn't survive the voyage) are sold upriver and by all accounts, never heard from again.

Until...one day in 1843 (several years later), one of the other German villagers from that terrible voyage, goes on a walk and just about has a heart attack when she recognizes her long-lost friend Dorothea over a fence. Then she realizes that of course, it can't be Dorothea. This must be one of the daughters. As she talks with this young woman, however, she realizes that the girl is currently a slave. A slave! The daughter of her friend from Germany! She becomes determined to rescue this girl from slavery and restore her to her rightful place in society.

Thus begins the legal battle.

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This was so very interesting to me. Bailey was a law student when he began researching this trial. His background definitely came through in the book, as several times he sidetracked from the main narrative to tell what current laws were at the time, or judicial history that related to slavery in general and the Sally Miller case in particular. There was also history related to New Orleans itself: how it became a city and the various cultures and influences that shaped it. I found it all compelling. Rather than merely interrupting the story, these asides added to the narrative and my understanding of what was happening. 

He kept me guessing throughout the whole book. Was this lady really the lost German girl, or not? There were several factors in favor of that opinion, but there were some pretty big holes in the evidence as well. Then, even after all was said and done in court, more evidence kept coming to light--for both sides!

Worth your time, if you're interested in this time period or subject at all.

(Finished reading Jan. 19.)

The Medical Detectives, by Berton Roueche

3 stars: Stories you'll want to tell someone else about! (Though maybe not over dinner...)

A compilation of 25 different unusual medical cases. A handful are presented as the doctor trying to figure out what could be causing certain symptoms, but with most, the disease is known and it's up to epidemiologists to track down the specific cause along with who else might be affected--or infected, as the case may be.

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Somewhat uneven writing between chapters, with some very slow and tedious to get through (particularly the chapter about aspirin) and others high interest to the end. Since they span decades, I suppose it was to be expected. I ended up retelling many of the stories to my kids. They clamored for more! In fact, my 8-year-old picked it up to read on his own, but got bogged down a chapter or two in. I guess you can tell there's a strong medical influence in our home!

Also, always wash new clothes before you wear them. Just...do it. Please. Thank you.

(Finished reading Jan. 5.)


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Let me know if you read any of these! Half the fun of reading these true stories is discussing them with other people afterword. My kids have already heard all of my opinions! :)

2 True History Tales: Duel with the Devil and Manhunt

I've read a couple of true history books lately. I especially enjoy narrative nonfiction for learning about history. I have a great memory for the stories--not so great for dates and names. My hope is that reading a whole book about some of these events will stamp the names into my memory, once and for all!

In any case, these were both very interesting and brought historical figures to life in memorable ways.

Duel with the Devil: The True Story of How Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr Teamed Up to Take on America's First Sensational Murder Mystery
By Paul Collins

3.5 stars: Life and politics in the early 1800's, plus a murder trial.


In 1799, Manhattan was a fledgling city with all kinds of problems. One of the biggest problems was the lack of sanitation and clean water. Yellow fever ravaged the populace nearly every summer, and clean water to drink was simply not available for most people. Yet that was just the status quo back then.The city started a big project to put in pipes that would siphon water from an uncontaminated well, known simply as "Manhattan's Well."  

Meanwhile, Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton, bitter political rivals, both lived in Manhattan for at least part of the year. They were both top lawyers and often faced each other from opposing sides of the bench in the courtroom. They both hoped to carry the voting in Manhattan for the upcoming presidential election. Burr was behind the clean water project, hoping it would help provide him some badly-needed revenue.

One cold winter night, Elma Sands, a Quaker woman living at her sister-in-law's boardinghouse, simply disappeared. Her body was found in the Manhattan Well several days later. It was obvious foul play had been involved. One of the other boarders was promptly accused and taken into custody--an up-and-coming young carpenter named Levi Weeks. The public outcry was swift and outraged. They wanted his blood and nothing less would do! Pamphlets proclaiming his guilt were widely distributed. His fate seemed to be sealed.

Meanwhile, Levi's older brother Ezra stepped in to help clear his name. Ezra Weeks was well-off, very well respected, and had connections with many of the leaders of the city. With his money and influence, he managed to hire both Hamilton and Burr to defend his brother.

The trial that followed had so much public interest behind it, that a complete copy of the courtroom transcript was published hours after it was over.

* * * * *

Collins really brought to life the climate and people of the times. America was still such a young country, and peaceful succession of the president was not at all a sure thing. Add to that the stressors of widespread illness and poverty, and you had disaster brewing. It's hard to believe that Burr and Hamilton agreed to be on the same side of this trial for any reason!

Content: Poor Elma's corpse was quite vividly described. For adults.

(Finished reading Sept. 29.)

Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer, by James L. Swanson

3 stars: I actually preferred the middle grade version: Chasing Lincoln's Killer.


The story of Lincoln's assassination, and how John Wilkes Booth and co-conspirator David Herold escaped justice for 12 days on the run.

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I picked this one up after reading Swanson's version of the same story written for middle grade audiences, Chasing Lincoln's Killer, with my 8-year-old son. I was ready for the full story, in detail. I did get a bit more detail, but not any more substance. There were side characters and stories that his other book didn't mention, but nothing so illuminating that I just had to tell my son what he missed. A woman in the alley here, a stable owner there. The ending was more fleshed out, including Booth's final hours, and what happened to all the co-conspirators (and their remains.)

Strangely enough, I thought his depiction of the Seward assassination attempt was more gory in the younger book. Not sure why he made that choice. Even so, my vote would be for the middle grade version. It's much shorter, and what you miss is not of great consequence.

Content: The assassination scenes were quite bloody and intense, as was to be expected. For adults.

(Finished reading October 5.)

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Do you have any more true history suggestions for me? I'm ready for the next!