Skip to main content

Finally a book I can't put down

So for much of the last month or so I have been reading shit. After this week, that has finally, mercifully changed. I am about 3/4 of the way through a biography called, "Unbroken," by Laura Hillenbrand, the author of "Seabiscut" (another book I loved.) and I cannot put it down. I got it from my parents library. My Dad's shelf is filled with these types of books and I was lucky enough to come across this gem. It's the story of a WWII bombardier whose plane crashed into the ocean during a mission and his subsequent tale of survival despite being lost at sea for over 40 days and then captured and taken as a POW by the Japanese military. It is an absolutely amazing story and I am lost in it. At times the writing feels disjointed and the characters not flushed out, but the story itself more than makes up for any shortcomings. I have read a lot on WWII and am endlessly fascinated by this era in time. I'm not sure how it started but I remember taking every class I could on the topic in college and immersing myself in the literature(and there is an abundance of it out there). And yes I did read, "The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich," which is over 1200 pages long on my own time mind you, even though my friends looked at me like I was nuts. Even though I can only trace this fascination as far back as college, I am convinced I was actually a jazz singer in the 40s and have been reincarnated in the present day. How else do you explain my love of all things 40s? No one my age is into jazz, grainy black and whites and holocaust literature as much as me so yup, I'm going with my reincarnation theory. So I guess it is not surprise that I am in love with this book and this story. The really compelling part for me though, and how this book differs from the countless others I have read is that it takes place mostly in Japan. I haven't read nearly enough about what went on over there during the war. Most literature of this time focuses on the Holocaust and so this feels like a whole new perspective has been opened up for me. The main character in the book is contained in several POW camps for over 2 years and is still there when the bombs are dropped on Nagasaki and Hiroshima. I don't want to give away too much of what occurs but suffice is to say that it is pretty horrific stuff. Reading this has made me look at my own life at little more closely. Even though I have had a rough go of it over the past couple of years, it has been a absolute picnic compared to what these POW's went through. It has made me have a new appreciation for the comfort and relative ease of my own life. It is an uncomfortable read and often people ask how I can bear to read stories like this and my answer is always the same - because I have to; we all have to. We owe it to the men who suffered unimaginable pain to give us the freedom we have today and we owe it to ourselves so we never get too greedy, gluttonous and lazy. I have no tolerance for people who don't educate themselves about our country's history no matter how gruesome because it is a reminder that tragedy is never too far away and that we should never ever take anything for granted.
I am almost done with this book but I don't want to be because it is giving me a perspective I haven't had in a while and I hope I can hold onto. I'm sure I will finish it this week and hand it on to the next person to be horrified, educated and humbled.

Comments

  1. Maggie RandolphFebruary 7, 2012 at 9:13 AM

    I just finished Heaven is for Real by Todd Burpo!! True, it's not a classic but if you are looking for upbeat, positive, read- in- one -day type of book, this will shake you out of your funk.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

What is a classic?

There are varying definitons and opinions about what defines a classic but they all have  3 things in common: 1.  It stands the test of time 2. It has universal appeal 3. It has artistic quality I have to add my own to these three and that is that it moves you to feel something - whether it be love, hate, anger, sadness or joy, a classic work of literture should have the power to move. This has led me to reflect upon my first real experience with being moved by a book. I read a lot as a child and teenager but largely to impress my mother who was a librarian. My reading experience didn't extend beyond  Stephen King and the Baby Sitter's Club books. Then my junior year in high school, my English teacher assigned, "A Separate Peace." by John Knowles,  a typical high school reading list book.  I approached it like I did every school assigment - with diligence but little to no enthusiasm. Three quarters of the book was pretty forgettable....
Post a Comment
Read more

California dreaming

When I was 23, I moved to Los Angeles. My older sister Lorraine left for California after graduating college in the 80s and stayed out there. When I was young, I would go visit her with my parents or my Aunt Florence. Something about California seemed impossibly glamorous and other worldly when I was 11. I fell in love. It was always sunny and the ocean greeted you at every turn. I was enraptured by the palm trees and the active lifestyle. Growing up in Boston my whole life, I was used to freezing cold winters, barren landscapes and grumpy people. I mean its beautiful in the spring and summer but that doesn't last that long. California was the land of plenty and I wanted to go. I set my sights on leaving when I was in high school. I knew by the time I was 15 that I would move there eventually. I ended up staying in Boston for college mostly due to financial reasons but as soon as I graduated I was off. I ended up in Los Angeles which wasn't my first choice but my other sister w...
Post a Comment
Read more

By the numbers

The study of numerology is a interesting one. I never looked into before but lately I’ve been delving a little deeper. I guess it all started when I was listening to a podcast about it. I don’t know if I believe in it but lately I’m not closing off any ideas so I thought I would do a little research. I also started thinking back to when my current struggles took root and it was 7 years ago. There are so many instances of 7 being a significant number in all types of cultures and religions. Haven’t we all heard the proverb that says, “Break a mirror and have 7 years of bad luck?”  In many religious cultures, 7 is a significant number. In Christian belief, God created the world and rested on the 7 th day. In sects of Hindu and Buddhist beliefs belief, there are 7 major energy systems in the body (chakras). In Islam, Muslims, on their pilgrimage to Mecca walk 7 times around the center of the sacred mosque. In Jewish wedding ceremonies, there are 7 blessings. There are 7 deadly sins, ...
Post a Comment
Read more