JONAS SALK : A LIFE
by Charlotte DeCroes Jacobs
Poliomyelitis (infantile paralysis) was the disease that every parent dreaded. There was no cure. In 1916, twenty-seven thousand people (mostly children under the age of five) were afflicted. It would take thirty-nine years before a vaccine would enter to prevent polio and end the suffering.
On April 12, 1955, the life of Jonas Salk changed forever. He was the man who created the vaccine and his announcement catapulted him into instant celebrity. It was never-ending. He was adored and adulated by the public. Salk was their hero.
The scientific community did not feel the same way. They snubbed him. In their eyes, he wasn't a real scientist, because no man of science puts himself out there to the public. They couldn't seem to get their heads around the fact that one man created something that could save lives.
Salk was not just involved with polio, but he also had a hand in a vaccine for influenza (he never received recognition) and did incredible work on AIDS.
Jonas Salk knew as a child that he would do something really noble. (His mother, after all, told him that he was destined for greatness.) This idealism would drive him even though his peers rejected him.
At 400 plus pages, this is one hefty book, but it's not plodding nor boring. Author Charlotte Jacobs is a great biographer and writes quite skillfully. There's plenty of details that in lesser hands could really bog down the information. She knows how to present the material in a pleasing way that is palatable to the layperson. As a physician herself and professor of medicine at Stanford University, Jacobs has the knowledge to portray Salk in all of his complexities showing who he really was.
Highly recommended.
Sunday, July 5, 2015
Wednesday, June 24, 2015
OFF THE RADAR : A FATHER'S SECRET, A MOTHER'S HEROISM, AND A SON'S QUEST
by Cyrus Copeland
Remember the year that sixty-six Americans were being held hostage in Iran's U.S. embassy? It was 1979. A revolution and Islamic fundamentalism commenced. The Americans were kept for 444 days. It made international news. What was not known, though, was that another American ended up being arrested for espionage.
Max Copeland was a quiet man who seemed more like a college administrator than a corporate executive. He worked for Westinghouse (they were no longer in the business of selling light bulbs) and they were a huge presence in Iran selling radar equipment to the Iranian Air Force. Max was caught by Revolutionary Guards and thrown into prison. The United States did nothing. He was put on trial. No lawyer took his case. The only one who could save him was Shahin, his Iranian wife.
Thirty-five years later, son Cyrus is going through a box of his father's files to see what he was really doing in Tehran and discovered a man that was way different than he had known.
Off the Radar is an absolutely brilliant book. The writing is tremendous. If you didn't know the history of Persia/Iran, it is all explained here along with the downfall of the Shah, his exiting, and the entrance of Khomeini. The family really went through quite an emotional upheaval, because they were two colliding cultures. Shahin, the matriarch of the family, was the rock as she tried to save her husband and used her wits, strength, and intelligence to go after the powers-that-be of Iran.
This is one stupendous, riveting, and exciting read.
Very highly recommended.
by Cyrus Copeland
Remember the year that sixty-six Americans were being held hostage in Iran's U.S. embassy? It was 1979. A revolution and Islamic fundamentalism commenced. The Americans were kept for 444 days. It made international news. What was not known, though, was that another American ended up being arrested for espionage.
Max Copeland was a quiet man who seemed more like a college administrator than a corporate executive. He worked for Westinghouse (they were no longer in the business of selling light bulbs) and they were a huge presence in Iran selling radar equipment to the Iranian Air Force. Max was caught by Revolutionary Guards and thrown into prison. The United States did nothing. He was put on trial. No lawyer took his case. The only one who could save him was Shahin, his Iranian wife.
Thirty-five years later, son Cyrus is going through a box of his father's files to see what he was really doing in Tehran and discovered a man that was way different than he had known.
Off the Radar is an absolutely brilliant book. The writing is tremendous. If you didn't know the history of Persia/Iran, it is all explained here along with the downfall of the Shah, his exiting, and the entrance of Khomeini. The family really went through quite an emotional upheaval, because they were two colliding cultures. Shahin, the matriarch of the family, was the rock as she tried to save her husband and used her wits, strength, and intelligence to go after the powers-that-be of Iran.
This is one stupendous, riveting, and exciting read.
Very highly recommended.
Thursday, June 18, 2015
A GOOD PLACE TO HIDE : HOW ONE FRENCH COMMUNITY SAVED THOUSANDS OF LIVES DURING WORLD WAR II
by Peter Grose
In the years between 1940 to 1944, an isolated French community selflessly saved 3,500 Jews from the Nazis. They risked their own lives to offer a safe haven, hospitality, and kindness. These incredible people were Huguenots, who at one time were anti-Semitic. That would change. The Huguenots broke away from the Catholic Church in 1530 and became Protestants. They grew by the millions. The Catholic Church was not too happy about this and fought them bitterly. So began the Wars of Religion. It wasn't until Napoleon arrived in 1804 that peace for the Huguenots was finally at hand. For over 200 years, they understood what it was like to be a persecuted minority. They learned how to survive, keep their wits about them, their heads down, and watch what they said. It was a match made in heaven for the Jews. They were among ordinary men and women who offered human decency.
A Good Place to Hide is an extraordinary tale. It is one of these feel-good stories that don't come around too often. The book is very well-written. Peter Grose did quite a bit of research including interviews with some of the people that were there.What started the ball rolling was a documentary called Weapons of the Spirit. (Check out the 4-minute excerpt from it on YouTube by Pierre Sauvage called "Le Chambon.") After watching this video, you will WANT to know what happened.
The story is quite moving, absorbing, and so inspiring. It's a terrific read and is not to be missed.
Highly recommended.
by Peter Grose
In the years between 1940 to 1944, an isolated French community selflessly saved 3,500 Jews from the Nazis. They risked their own lives to offer a safe haven, hospitality, and kindness. These incredible people were Huguenots, who at one time were anti-Semitic. That would change. The Huguenots broke away from the Catholic Church in 1530 and became Protestants. They grew by the millions. The Catholic Church was not too happy about this and fought them bitterly. So began the Wars of Religion. It wasn't until Napoleon arrived in 1804 that peace for the Huguenots was finally at hand. For over 200 years, they understood what it was like to be a persecuted minority. They learned how to survive, keep their wits about them, their heads down, and watch what they said. It was a match made in heaven for the Jews. They were among ordinary men and women who offered human decency.
A Good Place to Hide is an extraordinary tale. It is one of these feel-good stories that don't come around too often. The book is very well-written. Peter Grose did quite a bit of research including interviews with some of the people that were there.What started the ball rolling was a documentary called Weapons of the Spirit. (Check out the 4-minute excerpt from it on YouTube by Pierre Sauvage called "Le Chambon.") After watching this video, you will WANT to know what happened.
The story is quite moving, absorbing, and so inspiring. It's a terrific read and is not to be missed.
Highly recommended.
Friday, April 24, 2015
HE WANTED THE MOON : THE MADNESS AND MEDICAL GENIUS OF DR. PERRY BAIRD, AND HIS DAUGHTER'S QUEST TO KNOW HIM
by Mimi Baird with Eve Claxton
She never really knew her father. He was not around for most of her childhood. When Mimi Baird was six years old, he had stopped coming home. She would ask where he was. The answer was usually "away" or that he was "ill." Most of the time, all of her questions about her father went unanswered. The only time Mimi got to see him again was for a very short time in 1959 right before his death.
Many years later (1994), Mimi received a package on her doorstep. Inside was a manuscript: her father's memoirs. By organizing these stacks of papers in meaningful piles, she finally discovered what had happened to him all of those lost years.
Dr. Perry Baird was a well-known dermatologist in Boston back in the late 1920s and 1930s. He had a very busy practice and people flocked all over the world to see him. Early on in his profession, he became fascinated with the background of manic depression. He did experiments with other doctors, but by the time they were published, he began to suffer from it himself. Dr. Baird was institutionalized many times against his will, his medical license was revoked, and his family was told to forget about him.
"Echoes from a Dungeon Cell" presents a portrait of a man who was an observer of his own condition, living with a disease for which, at the time, there was no cure for. The manuscript shows both clear-headed thinking and manic deterioration. It must be the first time somebody who was afflicted with this disease was able to sit down and write about what went on.
He Wanted the Moon is an unforgettable fast read where you constantly shake your head in disbelief. From Dr. Baird's writings (you feel as if you're sitting in the same room with him, especially as he describes the brutal treatments he had) and what Mimi found out about her father (through her research and interviews), this book is truly amazing. What an eye-opener.
Highly recommended.
by Mimi Baird with Eve Claxton
She never really knew her father. He was not around for most of her childhood. When Mimi Baird was six years old, he had stopped coming home. She would ask where he was. The answer was usually "away" or that he was "ill." Most of the time, all of her questions about her father went unanswered. The only time Mimi got to see him again was for a very short time in 1959 right before his death.
Many years later (1994), Mimi received a package on her doorstep. Inside was a manuscript: her father's memoirs. By organizing these stacks of papers in meaningful piles, she finally discovered what had happened to him all of those lost years.
Dr. Perry Baird was a well-known dermatologist in Boston back in the late 1920s and 1930s. He had a very busy practice and people flocked all over the world to see him. Early on in his profession, he became fascinated with the background of manic depression. He did experiments with other doctors, but by the time they were published, he began to suffer from it himself. Dr. Baird was institutionalized many times against his will, his medical license was revoked, and his family was told to forget about him.
"Echoes from a Dungeon Cell" presents a portrait of a man who was an observer of his own condition, living with a disease for which, at the time, there was no cure for. The manuscript shows both clear-headed thinking and manic deterioration. It must be the first time somebody who was afflicted with this disease was able to sit down and write about what went on.
He Wanted the Moon is an unforgettable fast read where you constantly shake your head in disbelief. From Dr. Baird's writings (you feel as if you're sitting in the same room with him, especially as he describes the brutal treatments he had) and what Mimi found out about her father (through her research and interviews), this book is truly amazing. What an eye-opener.
Highly recommended.
Friday, March 20, 2015
DEAD WAKE : THE LAST CROSSING OF THE LUSITANIA
by Erik Larson
According to the New York manager of the Cunard line, the Lusitania was the safest boat on the sea. She was also the fastest. No submarine could get near her. It was built to be speedy. With this in mind, this luxurious ocean liner took off from New York on May 1, 1915, carrying 1,959 passengers and crew and sailed to its destination of Liverpool. That morning, newspapers had written warnings from Germany that they should be careful as they would be sailing through a war zone. The passengers, though, were quite at ease. They put all of their trust in Captain William Thomas Turner who had already commandeered the Lusitania in previous voyages plus other ships. These passengers also assumed that they would be escorted through dangerous waters by the British Navy so there was nothing to fear or be anxious about.
Unfortunately, the Admiralty wasn't really that focused on the Lusitania to send escorts. But British intelligence was extremely interested in Walter Schwieger. He was the captain of Unterseeboot-20 and he had quite a record of torpedoing neutral boats. So without telling anybody, this particular unit of intelligence tracked Schwieger's U-boat. And Schwieger set his sights on the Lusitania.
Erik Larson is always the author that must be paid attention to. Every time one of his books is published, you have to grab it fast. Dead Wake is no exception. Larson is so dedicated to detail. His descriptions of both the outside and the inside of the Lusitania, the myriad of characters that were involved, what a submarine looks like within, the machinations of a torpedo, is riveting reading. Of course, there's the drama that draws you in and, of course, the tension.
There are no photographs in the book, but they are really not necessary. (You can always find them on the Internet.) Larson's writing keeps your attention constantly and it's a fast read (three days for me). There have been other books written about the Lusitania, but Larson discovered new information that has never been revealed before. The research was massive.
So, if you're a Larson fan, get a hold of this book. You won't be disappointed.
Highly recommended.
by Erik Larson
According to the New York manager of the Cunard line, the Lusitania was the safest boat on the sea. She was also the fastest. No submarine could get near her. It was built to be speedy. With this in mind, this luxurious ocean liner took off from New York on May 1, 1915, carrying 1,959 passengers and crew and sailed to its destination of Liverpool. That morning, newspapers had written warnings from Germany that they should be careful as they would be sailing through a war zone. The passengers, though, were quite at ease. They put all of their trust in Captain William Thomas Turner who had already commandeered the Lusitania in previous voyages plus other ships. These passengers also assumed that they would be escorted through dangerous waters by the British Navy so there was nothing to fear or be anxious about.
Unfortunately, the Admiralty wasn't really that focused on the Lusitania to send escorts. But British intelligence was extremely interested in Walter Schwieger. He was the captain of Unterseeboot-20 and he had quite a record of torpedoing neutral boats. So without telling anybody, this particular unit of intelligence tracked Schwieger's U-boat. And Schwieger set his sights on the Lusitania.
Erik Larson is always the author that must be paid attention to. Every time one of his books is published, you have to grab it fast. Dead Wake is no exception. Larson is so dedicated to detail. His descriptions of both the outside and the inside of the Lusitania, the myriad of characters that were involved, what a submarine looks like within, the machinations of a torpedo, is riveting reading. Of course, there's the drama that draws you in and, of course, the tension.
There are no photographs in the book, but they are really not necessary. (You can always find them on the Internet.) Larson's writing keeps your attention constantly and it's a fast read (three days for me). There have been other books written about the Lusitania, but Larson discovered new information that has never been revealed before. The research was massive.
So, if you're a Larson fan, get a hold of this book. You won't be disappointed.
Highly recommended.
Friday, March 6, 2015
A FIFTY-YEAR SILENCE : LOVE, WAR, AND A RUINED HOUSE IN FRANCE
by Miranda Richmond Mouillot
Something happened between Anna and Armand in 1948 that led them to split up. They both had been Jewish refugees fleeing from the Nazis in France. Luckily for them they evaded being captured and sent to a concentration camp. They ended up in neutral Switzerland and got married in 1944. It didn't last too long. A few years later, Anna walked out on Armand with the typewriter and their two children. They never spoke to each other again, never saw each other, neither one of them remarried, and never told their family what caused their separation.
Author Miranda Richmond Mouillot, the granddaughter of Anna and Armand, puts on her detective hat and delves into letters, archives, and even her grandparents to get at the truth. It took her ten years to write it all down. The hardest part was dragging the memories out of her reticent, aging grandparents. He would fly into a rage at the mention of her name and she would change the subject.
It took an inordinate amount of patience, love, and fortitude for Mouillot to uncover their story.
A Fifty-Year Silence is a stunner of a memoir. Mouillot's writing is absolutely gorgeous. She's such a masterful storyteller that you can't lift your head up for a minute, because you're so involved. The way she reconstructs their difficult and painful lives through the calamity of the Holocaust is riveting.
By learning about what happened between her grandparents, Mouillot discovers her own inner strength.
Very highly recommended.
by Miranda Richmond Mouillot
Something happened between Anna and Armand in 1948 that led them to split up. They both had been Jewish refugees fleeing from the Nazis in France. Luckily for them they evaded being captured and sent to a concentration camp. They ended up in neutral Switzerland and got married in 1944. It didn't last too long. A few years later, Anna walked out on Armand with the typewriter and their two children. They never spoke to each other again, never saw each other, neither one of them remarried, and never told their family what caused their separation.
Author Miranda Richmond Mouillot, the granddaughter of Anna and Armand, puts on her detective hat and delves into letters, archives, and even her grandparents to get at the truth. It took her ten years to write it all down. The hardest part was dragging the memories out of her reticent, aging grandparents. He would fly into a rage at the mention of her name and she would change the subject.
It took an inordinate amount of patience, love, and fortitude for Mouillot to uncover their story.
A Fifty-Year Silence is a stunner of a memoir. Mouillot's writing is absolutely gorgeous. She's such a masterful storyteller that you can't lift your head up for a minute, because you're so involved. The way she reconstructs their difficult and painful lives through the calamity of the Holocaust is riveting.
By learning about what happened between her grandparents, Mouillot discovers her own inner strength.
Very highly recommended.
Sunday, February 22, 2015
BEYOND THE CALL : THE TRUE STORY OF ONE WORLD WAR II PILOT'S COVERT MISSION TO RESCUE POWS ON THE EASTERN FRONT
by Lee Trimble and Jeremy Dronfield
As World War II was coming to an end in 1944, thousands of Allied ex-POWs were liberated from prison camps set up by the Third Reich. They were let loose only to be abandoned with no food. The Soviets viewed them as cowards and traitors and thought they were all spies. Stalin refused to allow the United States to bring in planes, supplies, and teams to retrieve the POWs and evacuate them.
So a plan was conceived for an undercover rescue mission provided by The Office of Strategic Services (OSS). They chose an out-of-the-ways airfield in Ukraine called Poltava and used an American air force detachment that was stationed there. Of course, all of this was top secret. The man that was chosen to undertake this mission was Captain Robert Trimble, who was a bomber pilot.
Trimble was told something completely different by his Commanding Officer. He was supposed to salvage airplanes that had been severely damaged and fly them back to their original starting points.
Needless to say, Trimble was lied to just to get him over there. He had absolutely no covert training, but he decided to take on this monumental mission anyway.
Here we have one of those unsung, ordinary Americans who accomplished an over-the-top deed facing all kinds of adversity. He himself survived by sheer wit, courage, and bravery. Trimble was surrounded by danger every minute, but that didn't stop him. He would only feel satisfied if he could save as many POWs as was humanly possible.
Beyond the Call is a book that will keep you riveted. It will infuriate, make you cry, shudder, and also be awe-inspiring all at the same time. It's a fast read (two days) and just impossible to put down.
Lee Trimble and his siblings never knew about their father's war service in Russia. That part had been locked down inside of him for the rest of his life until he was close to death. Only then did he finally open up and relate those memories of that horrific time.
This is one hell of a story.
Highly recommended.
by Lee Trimble and Jeremy Dronfield
As World War II was coming to an end in 1944, thousands of Allied ex-POWs were liberated from prison camps set up by the Third Reich. They were let loose only to be abandoned with no food. The Soviets viewed them as cowards and traitors and thought they were all spies. Stalin refused to allow the United States to bring in planes, supplies, and teams to retrieve the POWs and evacuate them.
So a plan was conceived for an undercover rescue mission provided by The Office of Strategic Services (OSS). They chose an out-of-the-ways airfield in Ukraine called Poltava and used an American air force detachment that was stationed there. Of course, all of this was top secret. The man that was chosen to undertake this mission was Captain Robert Trimble, who was a bomber pilot.
Trimble was told something completely different by his Commanding Officer. He was supposed to salvage airplanes that had been severely damaged and fly them back to their original starting points.
Needless to say, Trimble was lied to just to get him over there. He had absolutely no covert training, but he decided to take on this monumental mission anyway.
Here we have one of those unsung, ordinary Americans who accomplished an over-the-top deed facing all kinds of adversity. He himself survived by sheer wit, courage, and bravery. Trimble was surrounded by danger every minute, but that didn't stop him. He would only feel satisfied if he could save as many POWs as was humanly possible.
Beyond the Call is a book that will keep you riveted. It will infuriate, make you cry, shudder, and also be awe-inspiring all at the same time. It's a fast read (two days) and just impossible to put down.
Lee Trimble and his siblings never knew about their father's war service in Russia. That part had been locked down inside of him for the rest of his life until he was close to death. Only then did he finally open up and relate those memories of that horrific time.
This is one hell of a story.
Highly recommended.
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