May Book Review!
Today is this little guy’s 14th birthday.
Fourteen.
Sigh.
Here is the May Book Review and then I am going to have a moment or two to let this latest milestone for him sink in…
May Book Review
I was able to read two books for the month of May.
I did some multitasking on the first one – I am David by Anne Holm.
When I was looking for material to wrap up the year for the 7th and 8th grade English classes, we had several novels on the school shelves and the classes and I decided this was our pick.
We all enjoyed it and would take turns reading out loud. Discussions as we read plus a lot of great material I purchased from Teachers Pay Teachers enhanced our time in this wonderful book.
I am David is based on the post World War II occupation by the Soviet Union of many Eastern European countries that had been liberated from the Nazi’s only to have a new government dictatorship.
David is a 12 year old boy who has known nothing but life in one of the many concentration camps that help political and religious opponents of the Communist party. He doesn’t know why he is there but he hates those who hold him in this hopeless place.
At the beginning of the story his greatest enemy, the commandant of the camp, roughly informs David that he will be transferred to a new post the next day and he has arranged for David’s escape that night.
David has no reason to trust him, but also no reason to stay and so he follows The Man’s directions and thus begins a long trek to Denmark. Along the way he learns more about why he was allowed to escape and why The Man sent him to Denmark as a final destination.
The story is a bit of an allegory about freedom and particularly freedom in Christ. It is also eye-opening to see what post-war was like in that part of the world.
Russ and I hope to share it with the grands this summer.
While written for 6-8 grade level, any adult would benefit from reading it. There is also a movie based on it which we hope to locate and watch this summer.
I highly recommend this one.
Here is the link : https://www.amazon.com/I-Am-David-Anne-Holm/dp/0152051600
The second book I read was nabbed from the “Free to a good home” shelf at the library. Withdrawn from the shelves, I enjoyed reading Tom Brokaw’s A Lucky Life Interrupted which details his journey after being diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma.
I remember Tom Brokaw from his news anchor and special report days but was not aware of this part of his life.
The book is not only a journal-style following of his year of treatment by season. It is interspersed with glimpses into his faith, family, sporting and journalism adventures and a constant reference to his “luck” to have been in the right place at the right time.
He also frequently addresses his views on health care and the medical community from the vantage point of a patient fighting for his life. He addresses the importance of advocating for your health and shares personal stories of others who have dealt with cancer.
The book meanders from treatments and doctor appointments, experiences dealing with major news events of his career, his family past and present and the people and places that are his world. It is almost like you are strolling along with him on a long walk and he is just sharing his thoughts as you go.
There are references to a lifestyle and experiences that are way above my social status, and yet as he discusses aging, dealing with a life-changing illness, love of family and friends, the injustices of world systems and other factors that affect us all. Despite the differences in his life and min, he is extremely relatable.
He mentions at one point how you can hear the famous newscasters voice in their writings. This is certainly the case with this man who is thoughtful and exhibits a strong work ethic and deep sense of values and integrity that are missing in our current world of media posturing. Reading his words, I could hear him reporting unbiased news and I miss that kind of reporting.
I would recommend this as a good read, especially for anyone who has an interest in history as well as experience dealing with an illness that involves extended treatment across many resources.
It is evident that he had financial and social ties that helped him receive the best treatments possible. But you will hear in his writing that this only served to make him more compassionate for those who do not.
Here is the link if you are interested https://www.amazon.com/Lucky-Life-Interrupted-Memoir-Hope/dp/0812982088
I do not receive any compensation for these. There are other sources for ordering if you want to look for them or perhaps they are available from your local library.
I plan to let a friend read the Tom Brokaw book, but if you want to have it after that, let me know if you are local! I will be passing this one along <3