The Bielski Brothers - Peter Duffy

As I am rarely satisfied with one perspective on a topic, I read a second history of the Bielski brothers - this one by a non-Jewish American.

This book was an easier read than the Nechama Tec history, in that it was more chronological.  I was impressed at the level of research that Peter Duffy performed to write the book - it captures a little more detail in some areas than Tec's book.

The conclusions are more pointed - by the time the war ended, there were very few Jews joining up with Bielski's unit, simply because they were all gone, destroyed.  It is indeed a sad chapter in human history.

Defiance by Nechama Tec

No way around it - this book was extremely fascinating.

The image is from the movie that Edward Zwick made with Daniel Craig as Tuvia Bielski.  I first saw the movie, and then I was unable to resist getting the book.

There are many shortcomings in the movie, but it was well done.  When you have to boil down the essential elements of a highly documented and researched historical work, you just can't do it justice.

The basic storyline is set in Belorussia/Poland when the Germans invaded in 1941.  Jewish population in this region was reduced by 90% during the several years of World War II.  This is about a group of Jews that resisted, fled into the forest, built a village, and had as their primary mission to save Jews.  They were very imperfect people (who isn't?) but I was fascinated by their humanity and their reaction to the situation in which they found themselves.

At war's end, over 1200 Jews walked out of the forest together under the leadership of three brothers - Tuvia, Zus, and Asael Bielski.  Today the descendants of the people they saved number in the tens of thousands.

Hundred in the Hand - Joseph Marshall III

I had a great time reading a historical novel by a Lakota - Hundred in the Hand tells the story of the Fetterman Massacre from the perspective of the native American.

A lot of controversy surrounds the events of the Fetterman Massacre - perhaps the most argued issue is whether or not Crazy Horse was present.  To the Lakota, there is no question.  This was the place where he truly became a great symbol in the eyes of his people.

I read another book by Marshall a year ago - it was a biography entitled The Journey of Crazy Horse.  I truly enjoyed the effort it took to see things from a different perspective than the one we get in our typical history books.  History is always written by the winners...and so it is possibly not very objective.

Although God clearly had a hand in the westward expansion in America, a lot of really ugly human characteristics were made manifest in the treatment of the native Americans.  There was a lot of greed and ambition, and there was sometimes a thirst for blood, especially among former fighters in the Civil War.  It is also difficult to understand the historical bigotry and racism that existed amongst many who came west.  I am describing a general problem associated with the human condition throughout the history of the world - a lack of respect for differences and a closed mind when faced with diversity.

I do understand that many migrants experienced hardship and suffering at the hands of native Americans, but it is important to consider the many reasons why the natives responded to the westward expansion the way that they did.  It is also important to understand that they experienced many broken promises from the white people along the way and therefore lost trust in them.

I am not so much of a pragmatist to think that growth and efficiency must always be best, and I am not so much of a Darwinist to think that it was simply good for the stronger people to prevail.  I appreciate Mr. Marshall's writing, and I recommend it to others...enjoy!

Eat the Rich

I thoroughly enjoyed this book - in fact, I found myself feeling guilty at how much I was enjoying it, due to P.J. O'Rourke's irrevent and sometimes crude manner.  I'm not sure I could have read this one out loud with my queen.

To understand economics, he traveled to Wall Street, Albania, Sweden, Cuba, Tanzania, Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Russia (and I may have forgotten a few places) to see good and bad versions of free market and socialism.  I think his press pass may have gotten him into some places that the regular Joe like you and me might not go, but his insights are spot on.

His last chapter is the best - he talks about four ways to spend money:

1. Spend your own money on yourself
2. Spend your own money on somebody else
3. Spend somebody else's money on yourself
4. Spend somebody else's money on other people

He does this to demonstrate why it is always best if we can earn and spend our own money - there is greater accountability and tendency toward wisdom and frugality with #1.  In #4, you buy whatever the heck you want no matter the cost (which is what government spending looks like.)

This book goes up there with Henry Hazlitt's Economics in One Lesson - it is a treasure.  But be prepared for the vulgarity and frankness...

Book Review - Arrowsmith

Last night I finished Arrowsmith by Sinclair Lewis. I saw it on our downstairs bookshelf about a week ago and decided that I shouldn't let a classic book sit there unread - I wouldn't call it the most compelling read I've ever experienced, but it was worthy of my time. The use of language, the description of the characters, the development of the story, were all well done.

But I am left wondering what the author intended me to take from the story...I warn other people about asking themselves this question all the time, but I have asked myself anyway.  It appears that the author wishes to enshrine asceticism above all else.  I liked the main character (Martin Arrowsmith), because I could see some of myself in him, but I became very frustrated with him at several points in the story, especially at the end.

He is a bright and scientific young man from a small Midwest town who graduates medical school, goes briefly into small-town private practice, public health official for a time, and a more high paying private practice job before landing a medical research job with a large research firm.  There is a fair amount of content in the book associated with Martin's former medical school mentor, Max Gottlieb, who is somewhat of an ascetic and purist. Halfway through the book, while working for the institute, Martin discovers a "phage" that destroys bacteria and he travels to a Caribbean island to fight an outbreak of plague.

Martin's wife Leora is a very likeable character - she is honest and has no pretensions and loves him through all of his quirks. She dies of the plague on the island, and he loses his anchor for a time. He remarries a very wealthy woman, but later leaves her and his young son to devote the rest of his life to pure scientific research.

I struggled a bit with the ending - this is where I see the author enshrining Martin's ascetic ideal, and I don't understand it.  But overall, a good book.

For Unto Us A Child Is Born

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.  Isaiah 9:6

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.  And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.  Luke 2:11-12

 OK, so Mary (my queen) is wearing eyeglasses and baby Jesus (my little princess) is a little girl, but you get the idea!  This was fun and chaotic to take this picture last night for family night.  I really like the little angel on the right!

Writing a Book

I am participating in NaNoWriMo this year - I am posting the chapters in my adventure novel to this site:
http://heartofthewilderness.blogspot.com/
Feel free to stop by and see what an amateur writer has in his head.  The goal is to write a 50,000 word novel in 30 days.  I'm only getting about half as many words per day as the goal.  We'll see if I catch up.  Regardless, I am learning a lot about how to spill your brains out on paper.  I welcome your comments - maybe you can give me ideas as the novel develops.  I have a rough outline in my head, and I try to write a chapter each night.  I'm a few nights behind...