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Long before I went to Berlin I was singing and dancing to "99 Luftballoons/99 Red Balloons" (both the German and English versions were on the record my husband had bought while in graduate school at Yale).

It wasn't until I began to research and write Going Over, the Berlin novel that launches in three weeks, that I understood the greater significance of the song. Its rhythms filter into Ada's dreams. Its possibilities filtered into mine.

Here is part of the story, as presented by Object Retrieval.

"99 Luftballons" is a Cold War-era protest song by the German singer Nena. Originally sung in German, it was later re-recorded in English as "99 Red Balloons".

"99 Luftballons" reached #1 in West Germany in 1983. In 1984, the original German version also peaked at #2 on the American Billboard Hot 100 chart and the English-language version topped the UK Singles Chart. The German version topped the Australian charts for five weeks and the New Zealand charts for one week.

While at a Rolling Stones concert in Berlin, Nena's guitarist Carlo Karges noticed that balloons were being released. As he watched them move toward the horizon, he noticed them shifting and changing shapes, where they looked nothing like a mass of balloons but some strange spacecraft. (The word in the German lyrics "UFO") He thought about what might happen if they floated over the Berlin Wall to the Soviet sector.

Both the English and German versions of the song tell a story of 99 balloons floating into the air, triggering an apocalyptic overreaction by military forces. The music was composed by Uwe Fahrenkrog-Petersen, the keyboardist of Nena's band, while Karges wrote the original German lyrics.

Sorry. I can't resist. I'm going to be sharing these Berlin Wall-inspired songs by sometimes expected, sometimes unexpected classic artists every Monday as we move toward the launch (less than a month away!) of Going Over. This is Elton John singing "Nikita," a song (with a somewhat controversial history) that appeared on his 1985 album Ice on Fire. John says that he did know that Nikita is a man's name in the Russian language, even though the love object depicted here is a beautiful blonde East German border guard.

By Redford & Nikita

Translated by Jen Quigley, Sales Associate, and Betsy DeJesu, Publicity Manager

Welcome to round two. Last week you met Redford and Nikita. Two brave souls attempting to bridge the gap between dogs and cats. As our two volunteers continue to explore their common love of literature, we are quickly learning that the written word does more than just spark conversation for your book club.

Redford: Nikita!!!! Nikita, Nikita. (Redford lies down and licks his paws). Thanks for agreeing to meet with me again. Last time I ate your catnip so…. (Redford knocks over his food bowl…but it is empty…sigh).

Nikita: Hello, Redford. Nice to…see you again. I was told that I should say that I’m excited to be here and to discuss all things literary. So there, I said it. Are you…listening to me?

Redford: Wait, what? Squirrel! (Panting)

Nikita: That sounds about right.

Redford: Okay, sorry I’m ready now. Let’s start off with the question on everyone’s mind. Number one book that tickles your whiskers.

Nikita: Just one? Well, for the sake of this interview, I suppose I could choose just one…I’ll say the most recent book to make my whiskers shake was The House at Riverton by Kate Morton. It’s the story of an elderly lady, who served as a maid to an aristocratic family in England in the years before, during, and after World War I. She was the same age as the family’s two youngest daughters, and she kept some of their darkest secrets, including the truth about what really happened the night the man both sisters loved killed himself. The book vividly recreates the whole flapper, high society generation that took over post-World War I. And there is a mystery to boot. If there had been a cat in the book, then it would have been perfect.

Redford: Coolness! Now let’s talk character. Right now, you and I are living the dream. Taking naps, chasing squirrels, pawing at things…Tell me Miss Nikita, if you had to do it all over again which literary character would you choose to live as? Person, cat, dog, jellyfish…be honest.

Nikita: Jordan from The Great Gatsby. But with less cheating at golf.

Redford: When did you first discover your love of books?

Nikita: From a very young age. When I wasn’t chasing feathers on the end of a string or trying to hide in closets, I always had a book in my paws. Reading is fundamental, people!

Redford: Author you’d like to share a yarn ball with?

Nikita: I’ll stick with the flapper theme and say F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald. They knew how to have a good time.

Redford: How do you feel about…Squirrel! Did you see it? Right there…he just…(Panting). How do you feel about those books with no pages? I think my person call them eReaders?

Nikita: They would be easier for me, I suppose, since I don’t have thumbs, and it’s hard to flip through pages without them. But I do love to curl up and take a nap on a good book. Nothing beats sleeping on warm paper.

Redford: Cool, cool. I still want to be an astronaut when I grow up…

Nikita: Of course you do.

Redford: Word of day?

Nikita: Felis cattus.

Redford: Thanks Nikita. I’d like to think that over the past two weeks you and I have brought closure to the mindless battle between cats and pups…well at least when it comes to paper…Pl

By Nikita & Redford

Translated by Jen Quigley, Sales Associate, and Betsy DeJesu, Publicity Manager

Though the 2010 World Cup has drawn to a close, there is a very important lesson we can glean from that spectacular, month-long, global soccer match. And not just that vuvuzelas are very ear-splittingly loud. Instead, the World Cup has shown us that despite our many differences—of geography, culture, languages, time zones, and beers of choice—there are still certain things that can bring together even the most opposite of peoples.

In that spirit of unity, then, we wanted to foster a partnership between two of the world’s most, shall we say, unfriendly beings. We’re not talking about Team Jacob vs. Team Edward or the Yankees vs. Red Sox vendetta. We’re talking about the real deal. That’s right. Dogs and cats.

Though typically considered enemies and many times relegated to different parts of the yard, we are here today to take the first steps to bridge the gap between our species. Representing for canines will be Redford, and weighing in for the feline perspective will be Nikita. Redford and Nikita have agreed to meet on neutral territory to open up a dialogue and see if they can find some common ground for their people to run around on.

Nikita: Hello, Redford. Thank you for agreeing to this meeting. Please disregard the copious amounts of catnip I have sprinkled on the floor. It keeps me grounded during situations like this.

Redford: (Silence…Redford looks up from eating catnip off the floor). Bone. Cat. Squirrel. (more chewing).

Nikita: Let’s start. I figured that since we are both big readers, we could discuss our love of the written word.

Redford: I like book. Smells good. Tastes even better. Squirrel!!! (Redford takes off and returns several moments later out of breathe.) I like book. (Panting….)

Nikita: Great. First question: What recent book, in your opinion, deserves two paws up and a tail wag?

Redford: Garth Stein, The Art of Racing in the Rain. Paws down. Stein took it to another level with this one. Intellectual pups, race cars, rain puddles and a bunch of tail wagging moments between person and dog. Truly an empowering moment for any young canine after reading this book. I mean, it’s our job to take care of our people and any person, cat or dog that thinks otherwise can duke it out with Mr. Stein.

Nikita: Who is your favorite character in literary fiction and why? It’s okay if it is a human. Or a cat. No one will judge.

Redford: Does the squirrel sitting outside that window count….

Nikita: What was your favorite book when you were a puppy?

Redford: That monkey, George. I like him. Yellow Hat. Hugs. Monkey.

Nikita: Blog vs. print?

Redford: Bone. Wait, what? Oh sorry. My little legs prevent me from reaching the computer screen. Print. Read it. Eat it. Pee on it. Enjoy it.

Nikita: Steampunk or YA fiction?

Redford: When I grow up I’m going to be an astronaut. (Redford lies down to lick his paws and scrounges for catnip crumbs,)

Nikita: Thank you for your time, Redford. I hope thi

By Nikita as dictated to Betsy DeJesu, Publicity Manager

My name is Nikita, and I’m an 8 year old domestic shorthair cat with – as I’ve been told more than once – gorgeous green eyes. I live with my mom in a teeny apartment in Astoria where I routinely nap, stare daggers at birds outside the window, and read tons of books. I’m also the unofficial feline mascot for Oxford’s illustrious publicity department. I don’t know if that is a real position or just something my mom made up when she was begging her boss to please stop hating four-legged creatures. Regardless, I’m here to share my love of the written word with everyone, people and furry creatures alike.

I thought long and hard, between naps and inexplicable staring sessions at the ceiling, about what I wanted to chat about for this post. I found myself getting super-sleepy and a little ho-hum, and then I realized what was going on – it’s the doldrums of winter! And they are back with a vengeance. Once the last holiday leftovers have been eaten and right before everyone’s New Year’s resolutions are broken, the long, dark, and boring days of winter set in. With the exception of a few fun days, there isn’t much to look forward to until summer hours kick in around May. So what can you do to help make those cold, snowy months skip by, just like the way that feather attached to a string skips around and drives me nuts? Well, you can read a book! Here are a few good ones that I recommend:

Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.
Katniss is a 16 year old girl living in a post-apocalyptic America that is ruled by an all-powerful, all evil, totalitarian regime. Once a year the government throws the Hunger Games, an elaborately televised game of survival in which 24 children from the country’s 12 districts are chosen at random to fight against each other to the death. When Katniss takes her little sister’s place in the games, she quickly finds herself in a world where “Survivor” meets Lord of the Flies (with a smidge of a love triangle thrown in for good measure!) Though considered a Young Adult title, Hunger Games should in no way be relegated to just the tween shelf. There is already a sequel, Catching Fire, and the final book in the trilogy will be out this summer. Go Team Peeta!

The Meaning of Night by Michael Cox
I dare you not to be compelled to devour this book after this first sentence – “After killing the red-haired man, I took myself off to Quinn’s for an oyster supper…” Seriously, that is a great first sentence. Cox’s The Meaning of Night is a Victorian mystery with all the trappings: murder, romance, dark alleys, big mansions, secrets, and lies. Also check out Cox’s follow-up (and sadly, his last book; he passed away in April 2009) The Glass of Time.

Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld
Even if you didn’t go to a prestigious boarding school like the one in Prep, high school was still probably the same for everyone – dramatic, awkward, fun, stressful, and most likely filled with a few all-consuming crushes.

By Nikita as dictated to Betsy DeJesu, Publicity Manager

My name is Nikita. I’m a 6-year old tabby who lives in New York City with my owner, Betsy. We don’t have a lot of space in our apartment, but what we do have a lot of is books. And that is just fine with me because I love to read. I just rocked your world a little bit, didn’t I? You didn’t know that cats could read, did you? Sure, we do lots of things that you usually associate with cats – jumping onto tables that we’re not supposed to be on, taking long naps, giving death stares to the birds outside our windows, punching plastic bags, chasing pieces of string, taking naps, spazzing out over cat nip, being totally adorable, taking more naps….But we can also read. I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t let this get out, though. If anyone else finds out, it will only be a matter of time before I’m on Letterman doing “Stupid Pet Tricks” or a video of me reading War and Peace on Youtube gets forwarded to you like those weird videos of the sleeping puppies. I prefer to fly under the radar on this one and preserve my privacy, if you don’t mind.

Anyway, where was I? Oh, right. Reading. Elizabeth Hardwick once said, “The greatest gift is a passion for reading.” Another very smart person, Dr. Seuss, said “The more you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” Both were right about the importance of reading, and I learned that at a very young age. I started reading when I was just a little kitten. I would read the labels on cans of wet food, the directions on the back of the box of kitty litter, and those menus that mysteriously shoot through the bottom crack of your front door in New York. After that I was hooked, and I read anything I could get my paws on. I might be an indoor cat, but when I read I can go anywhere in the world or anywhere throughout time. I’ve been to fabulous parties with flappers in The Great Gatsby, to imperial Russia to visit the last Tsar in Nicholas and Alexandra, and I watched Scarlett make a snappy dress out of curtains in Gone With the Wind. I learned why World War I started in The Guns of August, how to help stop poverty in The Bottom Billion, and what happens when you take a lot of drugs in Helter Skelter. The classics are great – Frankenstein, The Lord of the Flies, Little Women – and so are fantasies like Wicked and biographies of glamorous ladies like Bette Davis and Marilyn Monroe (I really enjoyed Bette Davis: A Biography and Marilyn: Her Life in Her Own Words: Marilyn Monroe’s Revealing Last Words and Photographs has beautiful pictures). Without books I would probably get to take even more naps, but to be honest, I would be pretty bored and life would seem a little dull. That reminds me of another great quote: “A day without cracking open a good book is like a day without chicken and salmon flavored wet food.” If you like to read, you know just what I mean (even if you don’t like wet food, I’m sure you get the general idea).

Well, I could go on forever about reading, but there’s a piece of string peeking out from the under the couch that I need to pounce on and then – you guessed it – I have a nap scheduled. So I better get going – happy reading and happy holidays!