VETERANS DAY COMING UP
As this retirement facility is soon to celebrate Veterans Day, we veterans were asked a few questions to answer in writing and then two additional comment type questions. The first one for comment was "Most memorable moment in service." This was easy to answer now but I'm sure it was a moment of great sorrow and of great happiness at the time. The great sorrow was knowing the world's first two atomic bombs killed numerous innocent people. The great happiness was knowing the war was over.
The other question for comment was "One interesting story (that happened to you)." At least I had the whole back side of the page to write this. During the writing of it, the perfect title presented itself. Don't let that scare you off; it's not about grammar. I wish I could copy and paste here, but I cannot do that with this Chrome demon running this blogging business. So I'll type it up once again.
A STUDY OF PARENTHESES
In May of 1945, the celebration of victory in Europe (VE Day) gave military personnel extra leave time. Three of us WAVES rode the subway (free because of our uniforms), into Manhattan where we had two days of freedom (having to be back at barracks by midnight). Late Sunday night, as we walked from the El train (the subway came out of the earth in front of Yankee Stadium and became the Elevated), back to our barracks (nice apartments in the Bronx), we ran into an Italian Block Party. When those patriotic Italian American citizens saw our uniforms, they ran to us and hugged us FOR WINNING THE WAR (in Europe)! Tables of food and drink and music filled the street (this block was roped-off) and they invited us to help ourselves to the Italian goodies. But we declined. It was almost midnight. Still they begged us to stay. Finally one WAVE said we had to leave for she needed to go to the bathroom! A dear lovely lady invited her to her own house for that purpose. We all three went, of course (for we had promised to stick together). The modest house was clean and lovely, with patriotism everywhere. We apologized for using the beautiful (hand-embroidered) guest towels. Our hostess said she'd be thrilled to show them off (and tell who had used them). We soon got away after hugs all around again. Once we were out of their sight, we high-tailed it back to the barracks. It was four minutes till midnight. The most important part of this story is the patriotism these Italians expressed for our country (and theirs).
Sunday, October 26, 2014
Sunday, October 19, 2014
Washington, A Life
The new reading is Washington, A Life, by Ron Chernow. If you thought the 530 pages of All the Light was a bit much, how about this one, with 817 pages of text, with a total of 904 counting acknowledgements, notes, bibliography, and index. (I do use these occasionally.) I took the book to the chart room to see how many tons it weighed, but that scale couldn't handle it. With no dialogue in the pages, the paragraphs are packed. Although we assume no reporters were around to take note of everything Washington said and did, he himself was a great note-taker, keeping a written record of everything he did, or planned to do. He left this output of notes for posterity and today the Washington Presidential Library at Mount Vernon is the repository for these gems.
From the "Prelude" and the first 22 pages I've covered so far, I find it easy enough reading and exceedingly engaging. I expect to become a Washington authority!
The new reading is Washington, A Life, by Ron Chernow. If you thought the 530 pages of All the Light was a bit much, how about this one, with 817 pages of text, with a total of 904 counting acknowledgements, notes, bibliography, and index. (I do use these occasionally.) I took the book to the chart room to see how many tons it weighed, but that scale couldn't handle it. With no dialogue in the pages, the paragraphs are packed. Although we assume no reporters were around to take note of everything Washington said and did, he himself was a great note-taker, keeping a written record of everything he did, or planned to do. He left this output of notes for posterity and today the Washington Presidential Library at Mount Vernon is the repository for these gems.
From the "Prelude" and the first 22 pages I've covered so far, I find it easy enough reading and exceedingly engaging. I expect to become a Washington authority!
Friday, October 17, 2014
THE READING IS FINISHED
Three days ago, right at midnight, I completed reading those 530 pages of All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr. The story begins with World War II in progress and concludes in the year 2014. The little blind girl has become a blind grandmother but one with a doctorate in a specialized scientific field. One of the outstanding features of the novel is the blind girl's mastering the ability to get about alone on streets in her town, and even to shop regularly at a bakery for a loaf of bread in which a note of paper is hidden, enough evidence to get her killed if caught. But she is never caught with such a note.
This Marie-Laure loves the sea and much that comes from the sea, not only numerous seashells, but also the sea's sounds, smells, touch, and even taste. The author has done an excellent job in detailing scientific minutiae, particularly about the sea and the colors Marie-Laure imagines in the night sky. I once asked Doerr how he knew all the scientific facts in his other books. He said he didn't know them, but when he comes across an interesting scientific fact he jots it down even right into the story he may be writing at the time. Clever idea!
But war is not the most important thread in this story, seeming far away for the main characters in France and in Germany, as well as for the reader. Werner, the German boy with elite military training, does not know what is going on in the war scene elsewhere. The word Hitler is never mentioned and Fuhrer (umlaut that u, for I cannot produce it on this blogger site) is misspelled, for all nouns in German are always capitalized.
Of interest to many are the interspersed references to radios and transmitters, etc., too technical for me to discuss here. But the result of amateur broadcasts is the climax of the story, followed by anticlimax that may break your heart, if it is a tender heart like mine. I must not tell you more than this about the plot, for you must experience the delights and defeats for yourself.
The novel captures great beauty, especially through the senses of Marie-Laure whose eyes can only imagine the beauty. The reader longs to give her shoes that fit her feet; food and water to nourish her; and news of family. But most of all, the gift of sight. By 2014, some medical breakthrough might have succeeded.
Three days ago, right at midnight, I completed reading those 530 pages of All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr. The story begins with World War II in progress and concludes in the year 2014. The little blind girl has become a blind grandmother but one with a doctorate in a specialized scientific field. One of the outstanding features of the novel is the blind girl's mastering the ability to get about alone on streets in her town, and even to shop regularly at a bakery for a loaf of bread in which a note of paper is hidden, enough evidence to get her killed if caught. But she is never caught with such a note.
This Marie-Laure loves the sea and much that comes from the sea, not only numerous seashells, but also the sea's sounds, smells, touch, and even taste. The author has done an excellent job in detailing scientific minutiae, particularly about the sea and the colors Marie-Laure imagines in the night sky. I once asked Doerr how he knew all the scientific facts in his other books. He said he didn't know them, but when he comes across an interesting scientific fact he jots it down even right into the story he may be writing at the time. Clever idea!
But war is not the most important thread in this story, seeming far away for the main characters in France and in Germany, as well as for the reader. Werner, the German boy with elite military training, does not know what is going on in the war scene elsewhere. The word Hitler is never mentioned and Fuhrer (umlaut that u, for I cannot produce it on this blogger site) is misspelled, for all nouns in German are always capitalized.
Of interest to many are the interspersed references to radios and transmitters, etc., too technical for me to discuss here. But the result of amateur broadcasts is the climax of the story, followed by anticlimax that may break your heart, if it is a tender heart like mine. I must not tell you more than this about the plot, for you must experience the delights and defeats for yourself.
The novel captures great beauty, especially through the senses of Marie-Laure whose eyes can only imagine the beauty. The reader longs to give her shoes that fit her feet; food and water to nourish her; and news of family. But most of all, the gift of sight. By 2014, some medical breakthrough might have succeeded.
Saturday, October 4, 2014
THE BOOK IN PROGRESS
ALL THE LIGHT WE CANNOT SEE is so good it's not easy to lay it down and go about one's duties. I'm only just over half way through it. The chapters alternate with Marie-Laure in France and Werner in Germany. But neither of them has yet really seen what this war is really about. However, Werner has occasional doubts about his training at the elite academy he was selected to attend, where every boy has blue eyes and fair hair.
The action by chapter is not always in chronological order, one of the signs of the author's choice to be different. This difference appeared also in the first book Doerr wrote, a collection of short stories, no quotation marks, as I recall. This current work does without commas in a series and no misunderstanding occurs. Innovation, that's called, whether it's understood or not. In Doerr's case, innovation is a plus. I hope some of you have read this book, are doing so now, or plan to. Don't wait for the movie version.
ALL THE LIGHT WE CANNOT SEE is so good it's not easy to lay it down and go about one's duties. I'm only just over half way through it. The chapters alternate with Marie-Laure in France and Werner in Germany. But neither of them has yet really seen what this war is really about. However, Werner has occasional doubts about his training at the elite academy he was selected to attend, where every boy has blue eyes and fair hair.
The action by chapter is not always in chronological order, one of the signs of the author's choice to be different. This difference appeared also in the first book Doerr wrote, a collection of short stories, no quotation marks, as I recall. This current work does without commas in a series and no misunderstanding occurs. Innovation, that's called, whether it's understood or not. In Doerr's case, innovation is a plus. I hope some of you have read this book, are doing so now, or plan to. Don't wait for the movie version.
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