FOR THE GLORY : ERIC LIDDELL'S JOURNEY FROM OLYMPIC CHAMPION TO MODERN MARTYR
by Duncan Hamilton
Everyone who has seen the film Chariots of Fire remembers the thrill of seeing Eric Liddell (actually actor Ian Charleson) fly across the finish line and win an Olympic gold medal (Paris, 1924). He was so extremely fast that he was considered to be the number one sprinter in the world. Liddell was known as "The Flying Scotsman" and broke new records when he ran 400 meters. He could have continued on with his racing and become quite a celebrity. But that was not in the cards for him. Liddell had a higher calling.
When the Olympics were over, Liddell became a missionary eventually moving to China. His strong faith in God kept him totally grounded. He was very lucky to find a strong woman, Florence, who he would marry and have three children with. When war started to rear its ugly head, Liddell sent his wife and children out of the country and put them on a ship to Canada. He could have gone with them but he felt beholden to the Chinese and so he stayed. Unfortunately for him and many other westerners, they ended up in a Japanese work camp.
Eric Lidell was the most incredible human being. He was totally selfless, dedicated to his beliefs, faced adversity with no venom, prayed for his enemies, overlooked imperfections, never judgemental, didn't argue, and would not force his religion on anybody else. Liddell lived to help others in every way that he could.
So, if you vaguely remember the film, it's much more important to read For the Glory. It's very well written and succinctly captures true humanity.
Highly recommended.
Thursday, June 30, 2016
Sunday, June 5, 2016
PRETTY JANE AND THE VIPER OF KIDBROOKE LANE : A TRUE STORY OF VICTORIAN LAW AND DISORDER
by Paul Thomas Murphy
For those of you who are obsessed with watching Downton Abbey and Upstairs, Downstairs and you truly believe the portrayals of happy, large amounts of servants, this was not the norm in 1871. In Victorian England, in order to be considered respectable (middle-class), the family had to hire at least one servant. Two-thirds of young girls (twelve or thirteen) were maids-of-all-work. Their duties were endless: cook, kitchen maid, housemaid, valet, footman, making beds, washing dishes, childcare, cleaning boots, sweeping, dusting, etc. You get the picture. It was pretty much a miserable existence. With long days of constantly cleaning (fifteen to eighteen hours) and not much time off, maids-of-all-work had a lonely, solitary life. Jane Clouson was one of these unfortunates. She began working soon after turning twelve and would eventually end up being employed by the Pook family. Jane lasted there not quite two years before she left on her own saying that she no longer wanted to be a servant. The truth was that she was in love with Edmund Pook, the son of her master and they were planning to get married. Too bad that Jane was so naive. Edmund was a womanizer and particularly liked to prey upon female servants. He, of course, had no intention of marrying her. She meant nothing to him. He knew that he had to get rid of her. Edmund contacted Jane and arranged for them to meet on an isolated road where nobody goes. The following day, while walking his beat, police constable David Gunn finds her barely alive.
Pretty Jane and the Viper of Kidbrooke Lane is a very persuasive story that keeps you glued to the page. It is very interesting to read about the legal system in Britain during the nineteenth century; the beginnings of forensic science; the police investigation; and life in England within the 1870s. Author Paul Thomas Murphy used primary sources to recreate a tale of a murder (it remained unsolved for one hundred and fifty years). Murphy has degrees in Victorian studies and it shows. He really knows how to write and draw you in.
If you like Victorian drama, especially a murder mystery that is true, you won't be disappointed.
Highly recommended.
by Paul Thomas Murphy
For those of you who are obsessed with watching Downton Abbey and Upstairs, Downstairs and you truly believe the portrayals of happy, large amounts of servants, this was not the norm in 1871. In Victorian England, in order to be considered respectable (middle-class), the family had to hire at least one servant. Two-thirds of young girls (twelve or thirteen) were maids-of-all-work. Their duties were endless: cook, kitchen maid, housemaid, valet, footman, making beds, washing dishes, childcare, cleaning boots, sweeping, dusting, etc. You get the picture. It was pretty much a miserable existence. With long days of constantly cleaning (fifteen to eighteen hours) and not much time off, maids-of-all-work had a lonely, solitary life. Jane Clouson was one of these unfortunates. She began working soon after turning twelve and would eventually end up being employed by the Pook family. Jane lasted there not quite two years before she left on her own saying that she no longer wanted to be a servant. The truth was that she was in love with Edmund Pook, the son of her master and they were planning to get married. Too bad that Jane was so naive. Edmund was a womanizer and particularly liked to prey upon female servants. He, of course, had no intention of marrying her. She meant nothing to him. He knew that he had to get rid of her. Edmund contacted Jane and arranged for them to meet on an isolated road where nobody goes. The following day, while walking his beat, police constable David Gunn finds her barely alive.
Pretty Jane and the Viper of Kidbrooke Lane is a very persuasive story that keeps you glued to the page. It is very interesting to read about the legal system in Britain during the nineteenth century; the beginnings of forensic science; the police investigation; and life in England within the 1870s. Author Paul Thomas Murphy used primary sources to recreate a tale of a murder (it remained unsolved for one hundred and fifty years). Murphy has degrees in Victorian studies and it shows. He really knows how to write and draw you in.
If you like Victorian drama, especially a murder mystery that is true, you won't be disappointed.
Highly recommended.
Friday, May 13, 2016
THE LAST VOYAGEURS : RETRACING LA SALLE'S JOURNEY ACROSS AMERICA : SIXTEEN TEENAGERS ON THE ADVENTURE OF A LIFETIME
by Lorraine Boissoneault
How does one celebrate America's two-hundredth anniversary? Reid Lewis, a French teacher from a suburb in Chicago, had the idea of reenacting a 3,300-mile canoe journey from Montreal to the Gulf of Mexico. He wanted to emulate Rene-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle's long voyage. La Salle was the first European that traversed from Montreal to the mouth of the Mississippi River. It would be called La Salle: Expedition II. The expedition would be made up of twenty-three men, sixteen of which would be teenagers who had just graduated high school along with six teachers. They would take the names of the original French voyageurs (look, act, and behave like them), make their own seventeenth-century clothes, build their own canoes, and give performances along the way to the communities. There was no way, though, that Lewis could lead this expedition alone, so he asked his brother, Ken, to help. Canoeing was right up their alley. Just a month prior, the two of them had followed and reenacted the trek of another French explorer (Louis Jolliet), but Lewis and Ken had just paddled half of the Mississippi River. The students would need to do research projects and get up to speed with both the physical and mental trials they would experience. Lewis wanted teachers who could be tremendous assets during the trip. They had two years to plan everything.
The Last Voyageurs is an extremely well-written book about a daring group of young men who were involved in the adventure of a lifetime. For eight months, they left their families and dealt with hardship, difficult personalities, a limited diet, camping out in makeshift tents (canoes turned on their sides with tarps), dangerous waters, learning how to get along with others in very tight spaces, and homesickness. The chapters are laid out with the historical aspect of the original voyage and at the same time, the present trip. In this way, you get the feel of what actually happened three hundred years ago, but also see how the young voyageurs attempted to be like those men and experience what they went through.
I loved reading this story. It's a real page turner. If you enjoy adventure tales, you must get this book. Between the astute sketches of the characters involved and the way author Lorraine Boissoneault melds everything together keeps you riveted. I really did not want this book to end. Hopefully, Boissoneault will surface again with another terrific escapade. I will be eagerly waiting.
Very highly recommended.
by Lorraine Boissoneault
How does one celebrate America's two-hundredth anniversary? Reid Lewis, a French teacher from a suburb in Chicago, had the idea of reenacting a 3,300-mile canoe journey from Montreal to the Gulf of Mexico. He wanted to emulate Rene-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle's long voyage. La Salle was the first European that traversed from Montreal to the mouth of the Mississippi River. It would be called La Salle: Expedition II. The expedition would be made up of twenty-three men, sixteen of which would be teenagers who had just graduated high school along with six teachers. They would take the names of the original French voyageurs (look, act, and behave like them), make their own seventeenth-century clothes, build their own canoes, and give performances along the way to the communities. There was no way, though, that Lewis could lead this expedition alone, so he asked his brother, Ken, to help. Canoeing was right up their alley. Just a month prior, the two of them had followed and reenacted the trek of another French explorer (Louis Jolliet), but Lewis and Ken had just paddled half of the Mississippi River. The students would need to do research projects and get up to speed with both the physical and mental trials they would experience. Lewis wanted teachers who could be tremendous assets during the trip. They had two years to plan everything.
The Last Voyageurs is an extremely well-written book about a daring group of young men who were involved in the adventure of a lifetime. For eight months, they left their families and dealt with hardship, difficult personalities, a limited diet, camping out in makeshift tents (canoes turned on their sides with tarps), dangerous waters, learning how to get along with others in very tight spaces, and homesickness. The chapters are laid out with the historical aspect of the original voyage and at the same time, the present trip. In this way, you get the feel of what actually happened three hundred years ago, but also see how the young voyageurs attempted to be like those men and experience what they went through.
I loved reading this story. It's a real page turner. If you enjoy adventure tales, you must get this book. Between the astute sketches of the characters involved and the way author Lorraine Boissoneault melds everything together keeps you riveted. I really did not want this book to end. Hopefully, Boissoneault will surface again with another terrific escapade. I will be eagerly waiting.
Very highly recommended.
Friday, May 6, 2016
LOUISA : THE EXTRAORDINARY LIFE OF MRS. ADAMS
by Louisa Thomas
Louisa Catherine Johnson most definitely did not marry for love; that would come later. John Quincy Adams, on the other hand, fell head-over-heels for Louisa and wanted her for his wife. It's odd that he would feel this way, because there was another woman long before Louis showed up and he loved her more, but it didn't work out to what he had planned for the two of them. Considering that Louisa's and John Quincy's courtship was so antagonistic, it's a wonder that they even got married at all.
Louisa was raised quite differently than John Quincy. She was born in London to an American father and a British mother a few months before the Revolutionary War began. Louisa was used to living in opulence, looking pretty, and singing for visitors. John Quincy was taught by his parents to be committed to his country and dedicate himself to public service. Louisa had to learn how to conform, get along with her in-laws (a mercurial task), and to fit in.
Louisa is a terrific book about a quite remarkable lady. Author Louisa Thomas is a masterful biographer. Not really having any knowledge of who she was, by the time you finish reading this riveting work, you will realize that Louisa Adams was an incredible woman in her own right. Because she became America's only foreign born First Lady she had to reinvent herself and create her own identity. Her marriage with John Quincy was difficult, yet there were times that they needed each other through both the worst and the best times. Adversity made her stronger. For many years she has been overlooked as just another Adams. Not anymore. Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams has come out of the shadows.
Very highly recommended.
by Louisa Thomas
Louisa Catherine Johnson most definitely did not marry for love; that would come later. John Quincy Adams, on the other hand, fell head-over-heels for Louisa and wanted her for his wife. It's odd that he would feel this way, because there was another woman long before Louis showed up and he loved her more, but it didn't work out to what he had planned for the two of them. Considering that Louisa's and John Quincy's courtship was so antagonistic, it's a wonder that they even got married at all.
Louisa was raised quite differently than John Quincy. She was born in London to an American father and a British mother a few months before the Revolutionary War began. Louisa was used to living in opulence, looking pretty, and singing for visitors. John Quincy was taught by his parents to be committed to his country and dedicate himself to public service. Louisa had to learn how to conform, get along with her in-laws (a mercurial task), and to fit in.
Louisa is a terrific book about a quite remarkable lady. Author Louisa Thomas is a masterful biographer. Not really having any knowledge of who she was, by the time you finish reading this riveting work, you will realize that Louisa Adams was an incredible woman in her own right. Because she became America's only foreign born First Lady she had to reinvent herself and create her own identity. Her marriage with John Quincy was difficult, yet there were times that they needed each other through both the worst and the best times. Adversity made her stronger. For many years she has been overlooked as just another Adams. Not anymore. Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams has come out of the shadows.
Very highly recommended.
Saturday, April 9, 2016
THE PARKER SISTERS : A BORDER KIDNAPPING
by Lucy Maddox
Chester County is an area in Pennsylvania along the southeastern border. It abuts the northern boundaries of Maryland and Delaware. In the latter part of the eighteenth century, these boundary lines converged with the fabled line drawn by Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon. What this means is that Chester County was sort of stuck between the free states to the north of this particular line and the slave states to the south of it. Pennsylvania was a free state then but that didn't necessarily guarantee freedom to anyone who was black due to the slave catchers. They would take them whether they were free or not and sell them across state lines.
In 1851, Elizabeth Parker, a free black child was abducted from a farm by two men and taken to a slave pen in Baltimore. Two weeks later, her teenage sister Rachel was abducted from another farm and brought to the same place as Elizabeth. The man who took both of them was caught in Baltimore and arrested. Thomas McCreary was charged but unfortunately never convicted. So, he was free and the two poor girls who had done nothing wrong spent months in jail. Blame it all on the Fugitive Slave Law of 1950.
There's quite a number of books written about slavery in the south, so finding one that talks about the antagonism between a free state such as Pennsylvania and the slave state Maryland is incredible. The heroics of a small farming community who took matters into their own hands by going after the perpetrators and saving the fugitives themselves is remarkable. Historian Lucy Maddox writes extremely well considering the amount of details and research that she accomplished. In lesser hands, The Parker Sisters could have been quite boring and plodding. Thankfully, it was not. It's most definitely a great read.
Recommended.
by Lucy Maddox
Chester County is an area in Pennsylvania along the southeastern border. It abuts the northern boundaries of Maryland and Delaware. In the latter part of the eighteenth century, these boundary lines converged with the fabled line drawn by Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon. What this means is that Chester County was sort of stuck between the free states to the north of this particular line and the slave states to the south of it. Pennsylvania was a free state then but that didn't necessarily guarantee freedom to anyone who was black due to the slave catchers. They would take them whether they were free or not and sell them across state lines.
In 1851, Elizabeth Parker, a free black child was abducted from a farm by two men and taken to a slave pen in Baltimore. Two weeks later, her teenage sister Rachel was abducted from another farm and brought to the same place as Elizabeth. The man who took both of them was caught in Baltimore and arrested. Thomas McCreary was charged but unfortunately never convicted. So, he was free and the two poor girls who had done nothing wrong spent months in jail. Blame it all on the Fugitive Slave Law of 1950.
There's quite a number of books written about slavery in the south, so finding one that talks about the antagonism between a free state such as Pennsylvania and the slave state Maryland is incredible. The heroics of a small farming community who took matters into their own hands by going after the perpetrators and saving the fugitives themselves is remarkable. Historian Lucy Maddox writes extremely well considering the amount of details and research that she accomplished. In lesser hands, The Parker Sisters could have been quite boring and plodding. Thankfully, it was not. It's most definitely a great read.
Recommended.
Friday, April 1, 2016
THE CIVIL WARS OF JULIA WARD HOWE : A BIOGRAPHY
by Elaine Showalter
The lyrics for the "Battle Hymn of the Republic" were written in 1861 by Julia Ward Howe while staying in a hotel in Washington, DC. (She had gone to sleep but then awoke with these lines in her mind, for which she had to quickly write them down.) It was actually a poem that she called "Battle Hymn" and sent it to the Atlantic Monthly. Published anonymously (Howe was paid five dollars) it was renamed "Battle Hymn of the Republic."
Julia Ward was an heiress from New York (her father had been a wealthy banker) and was instructed by tutors in music (she was a contralto and played the piano) and languages (she spoke six), an avid reader, plus always had an interest in writing (mostly poetry). (She would eventually write six books.)
When Julia met Dr. Samuel Gridley Howe, a world-famous doctor who developed a method for educating blind children (Perkins Institution; Helen Keller would eventually be educated here), she thought she had met her match and would have an equal partnership. Alas, it was not to be starting off on the wrong foot after they became engaged. Julia wanted to wait for a couple of years and Howe was ready to get married in three months. The power struggle between them already began to assert its place. Their eighteen-year age difference didn't help. To outsiders, it looked like the perfect marriage. They traveled the world together, were both ambitious, had tremendous energy, were committed to public services, knew many political and intellectual people, and seemed to be united. The reality was that Julia was stifled by Howe. He did not approve of married women working outside the home and expected Julia to be fulfilled in her domestic and maternal roles. Howe tried to stop her writing (she tried to do it in secret) and when he discovered some of it, he was enraged. He made all of the decisions and expected her to abide by them. Julia defied him and after her husband died, she finally had her freedom and came into her own.
Elaine Showalter has done a tremendous job of bringing this incredible, strong woman into the light. The writing is wonderful and never bogs down with irrelevant information as so many other biographies seem to do. I never even knew who originally wrote the famous anthem and after reading this marvelous biography, you understand what made her write it in the first place. Julia rose above the strife in her life and was recognized, appreciated, and revered.
Highly recommended.
by Elaine Showalter
The lyrics for the "Battle Hymn of the Republic" were written in 1861 by Julia Ward Howe while staying in a hotel in Washington, DC. (She had gone to sleep but then awoke with these lines in her mind, for which she had to quickly write them down.) It was actually a poem that she called "Battle Hymn" and sent it to the Atlantic Monthly. Published anonymously (Howe was paid five dollars) it was renamed "Battle Hymn of the Republic."
Julia Ward was an heiress from New York (her father had been a wealthy banker) and was instructed by tutors in music (she was a contralto and played the piano) and languages (she spoke six), an avid reader, plus always had an interest in writing (mostly poetry). (She would eventually write six books.)
When Julia met Dr. Samuel Gridley Howe, a world-famous doctor who developed a method for educating blind children (Perkins Institution; Helen Keller would eventually be educated here), she thought she had met her match and would have an equal partnership. Alas, it was not to be starting off on the wrong foot after they became engaged. Julia wanted to wait for a couple of years and Howe was ready to get married in three months. The power struggle between them already began to assert its place. Their eighteen-year age difference didn't help. To outsiders, it looked like the perfect marriage. They traveled the world together, were both ambitious, had tremendous energy, were committed to public services, knew many political and intellectual people, and seemed to be united. The reality was that Julia was stifled by Howe. He did not approve of married women working outside the home and expected Julia to be fulfilled in her domestic and maternal roles. Howe tried to stop her writing (she tried to do it in secret) and when he discovered some of it, he was enraged. He made all of the decisions and expected her to abide by them. Julia defied him and after her husband died, she finally had her freedom and came into her own.
Elaine Showalter has done a tremendous job of bringing this incredible, strong woman into the light. The writing is wonderful and never bogs down with irrelevant information as so many other biographies seem to do. I never even knew who originally wrote the famous anthem and after reading this marvelous biography, you understand what made her write it in the first place. Julia rose above the strife in her life and was recognized, appreciated, and revered.
Highly recommended.
Monday, January 25, 2016
OPERATION THUNDERBOLT : FLIGHT 139 AND THE RAID ON ENTEBBE AIRPORT, THE MOST AUDACIOUS HOSTAGE RESCUE MISSION IN HISTORY
by Saul David
July 3, 2016, will be the 40th anniversary of the raid on Entebbe. It has been described as the greatest, most successful counteroffensive of the War on Terror. This onslaught encouraged other countries (primarily Western) to create special counter-terrorist entities. Its legacy has continued.
On June 27, 1976, Air France flight 139, which was supposed to fly from Tel Aviv to Paris, was hijacked by several Arab and German terrorists. The plane was redirected, instead, to Entebbe Airport in Uganda. There were 253 passengers and crew on board and in order for them to be relinquished, the terrorists wanted Israel, Kenya, and Europe to release "freedom fighters" (the terrorists' verbiage) from their jails. Idi Amin (a monster of a ruler in Uganda) was in cahoots with the terrorists, so he was no help.
Israel was only given a couple of days to decide what to do. Yitzhak Rabin (prime minister) was in favor of negotiating, but Shimon Peres (defense minister) was not. They certainly did not want to capitulate to the terrorists nor attempt to rescue hostages, (most of whom were Israelis), because it might end in disaster. It was discussed and argued until with not that much time left, a plan was executed: "Operation Thunderbolt" was born.
Apparently there haven't been too many or any books written on what really happened according to author Saul David. He wanted the perspective of everybody involved and was able to interview quite a good number of them.The book reads like a thriller because of the way he set it up. You get the real time and the location, which is placed above the narrative. Events unfold before your eyes. You learn about the horrible conditions of the Old Terminal in Entebbe where the hostages were kept, the soldiers who were chosen to lead and fight, the governments involved, the Israeli Defense Force (IDF), and so much more.
Operation Thunderbolt is spectacular storytelling that will keep you riveted.
Very highly recommended.
by Saul David
July 3, 2016, will be the 40th anniversary of the raid on Entebbe. It has been described as the greatest, most successful counteroffensive of the War on Terror. This onslaught encouraged other countries (primarily Western) to create special counter-terrorist entities. Its legacy has continued.
On June 27, 1976, Air France flight 139, which was supposed to fly from Tel Aviv to Paris, was hijacked by several Arab and German terrorists. The plane was redirected, instead, to Entebbe Airport in Uganda. There were 253 passengers and crew on board and in order for them to be relinquished, the terrorists wanted Israel, Kenya, and Europe to release "freedom fighters" (the terrorists' verbiage) from their jails. Idi Amin (a monster of a ruler in Uganda) was in cahoots with the terrorists, so he was no help.
Israel was only given a couple of days to decide what to do. Yitzhak Rabin (prime minister) was in favor of negotiating, but Shimon Peres (defense minister) was not. They certainly did not want to capitulate to the terrorists nor attempt to rescue hostages, (most of whom were Israelis), because it might end in disaster. It was discussed and argued until with not that much time left, a plan was executed: "Operation Thunderbolt" was born.
Apparently there haven't been too many or any books written on what really happened according to author Saul David. He wanted the perspective of everybody involved and was able to interview quite a good number of them.The book reads like a thriller because of the way he set it up. You get the real time and the location, which is placed above the narrative. Events unfold before your eyes. You learn about the horrible conditions of the Old Terminal in Entebbe where the hostages were kept, the soldiers who were chosen to lead and fight, the governments involved, the Israeli Defense Force (IDF), and so much more.
Operation Thunderbolt is spectacular storytelling that will keep you riveted.
Very highly recommended.
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