 |
| The Death of Captain Miller in Saving Private Ryan |
Today marks the 72ndyear the allies stormed the beaches of Normandy in the name of freedom. At the end of the movie Saving Private Ryan, Tom Hanks’ character (Captain John Miller) tells Private Ryan (played by Matt Damon) to ‘earn this’ before he perishes. It was quite an emotional scene charging Ryan to carry a tremendous load in the decades that followed his life. But carry he did, and because of Captain Miller and his battalion’s sacrifice to find and save Private Ryan, generations of Ryans would flourish. I think of the depth of that sacrifice, and the letting go of what could have been. My own grandfather (deceased since 1968) was the only survivor of his battalion in World War One at Vimy Ridge. And I often wonder if he felt any guilt at being the last man standing. I certainly hope not or I wouldn’t be here now. Thank you, Grandpa.
My mother managed to survive World War Two while living in Hertfordshire, England. The war started when she was ten, and ended five years later in her mid-teens. Some of her stories have brought tears to my eyes, and her own just by remembering certain events and incidents. One such time, mom was telling me about when the Germans invaded France, and scores of British men and women raced across the English Channel to rescue as many French people as they could in whatever boats they owned. Another memory is simpler, yet so profound. Mom wanted to go to the movie theatre with her friend to see Bambi, but my grandmother told her no for some reason. The same movie theatre got bombed that day with many casualties, including my mom’s friend. Thank you, Grandma.
Many times my mother would go to school, and there would be empty seats where students once sat. Back then, there was no grief counselling, so the children would have to ‘deal with it’ as my mother would say, and move on. Bomb shelters were a part of life, but my grandmother tried to make a game of it for her three daughters to ease their fears. That horrific war certainly brought out the resilience and stamina in people, as they had to live their lives as normally as possible.
The next book in my young adult time travel series called The Last Timekeepers and the Dark Secret will take place during World War Two. Fittingly, it will be released October 17th, less than a month before Remembrance Day (November 11th). During my research, I learned a lot about what the people of that era endured and how they coped in such adversity. It was so humbling to read what the survivors had to do to keep moving forward with purpose, and to be as resilient as possible. I want to express my eternal gratitude to ALL the veterans of ALL the wars for keeping the peace, giving us our freedom, and making the world a safer place to live. Although evil still slithers around the globe and makes its ugly presence known from time-to-time, I truly believe that good people will always out-weigh the bad people. If you don’t agree, take it from somebody who’s been there:
In spite of everything I still believe that people are really good at heart. ~ Anne Frank
This D-Day, don’t forget to thank or hug a veteran. They’ve certainly earned it.
I hope everyone's holidays are going/went well. I hope that Hanukkah Harry, Solstice Sam, Santa, and Kwanzaa Kofi were good to you and yours and that now you're all full of cookies and goodness and curled up with the parts of your family that don't drive you crazy and a good book.
I had to leave Wisconsin much too soon, but it was a lovely time even if the Packers totally sucked in Sunday's game. (ouch. seriously. ouch.) It even snowed...
Also, I got a lot of reading done. I now have 21 books to read before Monday turns to Tuesday. I can totally pull that off, right? Yeah, I know. But, it will be fun to see how far I get.
Anyway, here are a few of the books I read in various airport lounges, airplanes, and my parents' living room.
If a Tree Falls at Lunch Period by Gennifer Choldenko
Someone remind me to stay away from really well done non-humorous realistic fiction about junior high. They make all the memories I've worked so hard to repress come up.
Anyway, Kirstin's best friend is hanging around the mean girls they used to hate. Kirsten could maybe be included if she just tried a little harder to fit in. That's what her mom wants--to the point where she'll call up the other mothers. Kirsten's not dumb. She knows that Ms. Queen Bee doesn't want her there. She also knows she doesn't want to be there, so she starts hanging out with some other people.
Boys. Scholarship students.
Walk is one of those scholarship students-- one of a very few non-white students at this exclusive private school. He wishes he were back at his old school, with his friends...
Choldenko could have had a beautiful story, just on that. But there's also a deep dark looming secret. I'm not sure how I feel about that. It wasn't really necessary.
I did, however, love Kirsten's little sister, Kippy.
Thanks to
Kelly for turning me onto this title!
You Are SO Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah! Fiona Rosenbloom
This was the very last book I read in 2006. I remember racing to the end so it would be done before we went out for New Years Eve so it would firmly end up in th 2006 pile.
Anyway, it's Bar and Bat Mitzvah season in Westchester County. So, 13 year olds dealing with the opposite gender, social ranking, friendships, divorced parents and geeky little brothers.
It's true to life while still being funny enough that it doesn't send me back into therapy.
It's a very nice coming-of-age (literally!) story.
My one complaint is that the time line is really screwed up. There are a few things that happen where the times of various events are mentioned, but it doesn't make any sense when you try to reconstruct the day. Plus, geeky little bro undergoes big changes over the book. But the book only takes place over the time span of 1 week, so that also doesn't make sense.
But this old review leads us to a new review!
We Are SO Crashing Your Bar Mitzvah! Fiona Rosenbloom
In this sequel (which I just read) Stacy and Lydia have a whole new look and can't wait to show Kelly.
Only Kelly's full time hanging out with the Chicas (mean girls!) and Stacy and Lydia aren't invited.
Literally. Queen Bee Kym's cousin Eben is having the Bar Mitzvah to end all Bar Mitzvahs and everyone else is invited.
So, Stacy and Lydia do the only sensible thing-- crash. Coupled with the outlandish lies they've been telling to make themselves seem cooler, they've spun a web that's about to catch them.
I think I liked it even better than the first one!
Gennifer Choldenko's If a Tree Falls at Lunch Period is a book that packs a punch on two different levels: one) its midpoint plot twist comes as a complete and total surprise to the reader; and two) its textual simplicity belies the deep and important truths central to the novel.
If a Tree Falls at Lunch Period is narrated by two seventh-grade students attending a prestigious private school--Kirsten McKenna and Walker Jones. Kirsten begins the school year suffering from the usual seventh-grade problems: her parents are on the verge of divorce and her best friend Rory has fallen in with the popular crowd. Moreover, Kirsten has suddenly gained 30 pounds and is uncomfortable in her larger body.
Walker is a new student to the group. He earned a scholarship to the private school and is the only African-American student in the seventh grade. Within weeks, he establishes himself at the very top of his class. The pressure on Walk is huge. Every day his mom, Sylvia, reminds him, "Brothers can't make it in this world unless we work twice as hard as everyone else."
Kirsten and Walk become friends when Kirsten realizes Rory and the popular girls (headed by a truly vile specimen, Brianna) are only pretending to be friends with her. Kirsten, resilient despite the problems at home and at school, seats herself at Walk's table and becomes fast friends with him and his crowd. Then a secret is revealed.
If a Tree Falls at Lunch Period is wonderful book. Kirsten and Walk's voices are distinct. Kirsten is a good-natured girl, just trying to find her place in the world. She does so despite quarreling parents and the machinations of the it-crowd. Walk is such a great kid--one who welcomes Kirsten with open arms into his group of friends--that you feel deeply for him when he learns a difficult truth about his life.
Choldenko has achieved the near impossible with If a Tree Falls at Lunch Period. This is a book any fifth grader can read, but it is also one with life-changing truths. Don't miss it.
i have If a Tree Falls at home. You seem to talk about everything I intend to read but never have time to. Do you actually read all this stuff? your public has doubts. hmm.
I am cut to the quick! See, Susan, you have this thing called "a life." I have books. ;)