Anrui (Tears in the Darkness)

Tears in the Darkness: The Story of the Bataan Death March and Its Aftermath by Michael Norman

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Michael Norman and Elizabeth Norman wrote an incredible book when they wrote Tears in the Darkness: the Story of the Bataan Death March and Its Aftermath. The surrender of more than 76,000 American and Filipino troops on the Bataan peninsula is not a part of World War II that I learned much about in history classes, and I am so thankful that I stumbled upon this book at the library.

Captivating and well-written, this book also dredged up academic memories from college experience at Whittier College. Initially, I found some of the facts so horrific and disgusting they were nearly unbelievable. And then, I found myself intensely disappointed with a four-star general; so disappointed that I started to think about the classes I took on history and theory. This general is so celebrated, and when I read what he did, I wondered why this bit of his military career is kept so quiet.

Then I remembered how history is an account influenced by a historians experiences, the questions they ask and the answers they seek (something I learned at Whittier). Even now, after I finished the book, I wonder what made the authors chose to tell this particular story in this way. Tears in the Darkness is told from the American point of view, I found that the Normans also give you a flip-side perspective, so you cannot help but question our own country's actions.

It was a humbling and emotional experience to read this book. I cannot even begin to understand how American and Filipino prisoners of war endured, nor can I wrap my mind around the inhumanity we humans inflict upon one another. Then there was anger, shame, and pride. Anger and shame for both the Japanese and the Americans. Pride in how these POWs withstood the degradation, helped one another and most of all, survived.

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Summer

I love summer. There's just something about June through August that makes me happy. Well, besides, the warm weather, the sun, and the longs days, there's just something about summer. Right now, I'm just missing living by the beach. Then I would be in a state of bliss.

Yay! Welcome summer. Stay for awhile, okay?

Eclipse

Today is opening day for Eclipse in theaters, and somehow, I found a way to resist the urge to see the midnight showing. However, I could not wait for the weekend, and dragged Seth to an evening show.

My self-control paid-off and we did not have to deal with an outrageous line. There were, however teenage girls in line, who gushed with their friends who had just come out of an earlier show. Then there were the screaming teenage girls during the movie. And, they screamed every time Jacob appeared without a shirt. Luckily, I was able to [sort of] tune them out.

The movie itself was great; although I will admit that it doesn't take much to please me when it comes to anything Twilight related, so take my opinion with a few grains of salt. I probably enjoyed this one the most.

I felt like the screenplay was well written, and allowed the story to flow smoothly and transition nicely; something that is difficult to accomplish when the book itself is so long and detailed. There were certain moments when one character spoke a line in the movie that another character had spoken in the book, but I appreciated this change because it helped the story to make more sense. It was also great to see the Newborn story told onscreen since Stephenie Meyer does not expand on them much in the book.

What a great way to end my work day.

This One Made Me Go "Hmm...."

The Hornet's Sting: The Amazing Untold Story of World War II Spy Thomas Sneum by Mark Ryan


My rating: 3 of 5 stars
My favorite genre is science fiction fantasy, so I can take those leaps of faith while reading in order to get past "reality." Then I read Mark Ryan's The Hornet's Sting. I just could not take it seriously.

Don't get me wrong, it was interesting. It was just leaned toward unbelievable.

The book is the story of Thomas Sneum, a Dane who served as a British spy during World War II. His life as a spy in German-controlled Denmark was amazingly close to James Bond--at one point Sneum actually refuels a plane, mid-air.

See what I mean? Unreal.

I am still baffled by the story, and cannot get my mind around it. Luckily, Mr. Ryan has sources besides Sneum, so I will be reading R.V. Jones' Most Secret War, among others.

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Cabernet Sauvignon, Meet My Cream-Colored Top

Have you ever tried to open a bottle of wine, only to somehow push the cork into the bottle instead of pull it out? This is precisely what happened on Saturday when Seth tried to uncork a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon. He stopped when the initial wine spray hit us; and there was the cork, stuck in the bottleneck.

It is important to note that at this point, Seth was the one wearing more wine. Unfortunately, I let my irritation get to me and so I grabbed the opener from him, thinking that I would be able to get the cork out. Well, bachi on me because there was still some air pressure in there, and I successfully released the air, and more wine.

Now I am the one wearing more wine. On my favorite cream-colored drape front cardigan. Did I mention we were at a party? Luckily, the top I was wearing underneath made it out of the wine fray with little damage, so the cardigan went in the laundry room for the rest of the evening.

Seth tried to give me money so I could get a new one, but I really did not see how that would do any good since I bought it several months ago at the Nordstrom Rack and would surely be difficult and more expensive to find. In my usual form, I decided to be stubborn and try to get the stains out. As soon as we got home, I put my stain-removers and sprayed the cardigan with Sol-U-Mel and soaked it overnight in Oxi Clean.

It was like magic! I am not sure what did it, so I will say that the combination of Sol-U-Mel and Oxi Clean got the Cab stains out of my cardigan. I was also able to get all the stains out of Seth's shirt, and I did not treat it until the next day.

Apparently, Sol-U-Mel can be purchased online, but I get my products through my sister or my best friend. Oxi Clean is available everywhere, and I might just start buying a Costco-sized container!

Dieter Dengler's Escape From Laos

Escape from Laos by Dieter Dengler


My rating: 3 of 5 stars

While I tend to avoid real-life-themed works in fiction, I do enjoy reading history books, biographies and memoirs. Lately, I've been on a history-biography-memoir kick.

Escape From Laos is Dieter Dengler's account of the time he spent as a POW in Laos, including his escape. This was an easy, interesting read. I read it in part because I just finished John McCain's Faith of My Fathers, which covers his five years as a POW in Vietnam; and also because I saw the movie Rescue Dawn about a year ago. Rescue Dawn is the movie based on Dieter Dengler's story.

Pick this one up if you enjoy this genre of books. It might be a little difficult to find. Luckily the Contra Costa Library system has a copy, but I think that might be because Dengler was a Bay Area resident.


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Shiver

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Since when did young adult fiction get so intense? I don't remember books being this consuming when I was a teenager (wow, writing that just made me feel so old). It took just one page, and I found myself wrapped up in all the emotions and angst of Maggie Stiefvater's Shiver.

Set in Minnesota, Shiver is about a teenage girl named Grace and "her" wolves. Of course, she has one wolf in particular, and he happens to be a werewolf named Sam. As their love unfolds, so does the uncertainty of his future--neither of them knows when Sam will change back into a wolf, forever.

The only thing I can think of at this point is, "Sigh."

I sigh because Ms. Stiefvater has successfully captured all the swirling, topsy-turvy, stomach-knotting feelings of first love. I wonder what the next installment will be like.

Yes, this is a trilogy. The second book, Linger, comes out in July.

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