STILL AT IT..

 after all these years; since 2012 according to Josh at the gym he owns.

I often wonder what my life and body would be like if I hasn't gone all these years.  

Has it made a difference?  Does my body care?  And, why do I have an earache right now in my right ear?

The Diamond Eye

 Exceedingly long book based on a real person - a lady from Russia who was a trained sniper during WWII.  She killed over 300 Nazi's and was very proud of her achievements.  

She became a hero for Russia and had a stamp issued for her.

She also was a friend of Eleanor Roosevelt.

For me, the book went on and on for far too long.  I was SO GLAD when it was over, but it gets lots of good reviews.  I give it 2 stars.  I just really couldn't get into it.  It does show the horrors of war and the brutality of the men and women who fight in it.

I need a light-hearted book about now.

A Surprise Visit

 As old people, we don't get many young people coming to see us.  So, it was a BIG surprise when two young returned missionaries from our ward, came to visit us briefly on a Sunday afternoon.

Thank you Nate Wade and Cameron Pedersen for the spontaneous surprise visit.  It was so fun to share some time with you.  

The Uncharted Flight of Olivia West

 

Interesting book based on actual events.  About a competition flight from California to Hawaii.  

The story is told in two time frames.  Olivia in 1927 wants to fly - more than anything.  1980 (something) Wren has inherited some property in Hawaii from a great aunt. 

Olivia gets to be the navigator on a flight from California to Hawaii in a competition.   While on the flight, the pilot, Felix, passes out so Olivia takes over the flight.  The plane lands safely after a very tumultuous flight.  

Years later, Olivia is living in a nursing home when she meets Wren and tells her the story of the plane, flight, and her life in Hawaii with her husband, Heath, who had been in the competition also.  

I give it 3 stars.  Although many readers give it much higher reviews.  I'm not sure why it didn't appeal to me more as it did to others.  

Didn't Finish

 ENIGMA GIRLS

Maybe I just didn't give it a good chance.  It was very boring to the point where I was reading.  It was more like a text book. I couldn't get into it, so I didn't - get very far into it, that is.   Maybe if I get to where I have absolutely NOTHING to read, I'll check it out again.  Unlikely.

THE BEST MINDS

I read quite a bit in this book; it's the story of two Jewish boys growing up in New York.  They are best friends; so far where I had read to, it was a series of adventures and what they did together and in their spare time.  I couldn't figure out where the book was headed so I read a few reviews.  It does turn very dark, so I decided not to continue reading it.  Sometimes I feel like - even though my life is great - I have my own dark turns, so didn't need this one.    I also consulted with my personal book chef - Margo Gee.  She advised me to not continue reading it, where is the way I was already leaning.  SO, It's gone.  

On to other great reads.  I hope I have a good one to finish out the year.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer: In the Midst of Wickedness

 

Remarkable person.  But, there are so many people that it was hard to keep straight who was who, for me.  Allen makes a list of main characters and this would have been a good idea in this book.  

But, having said that, I'll just say that it's a true story of a German family who are appalled at the audacity of Hitler and what he does to other countries and to people.  It's a book about people who are willing to stand up for what they think is right and fight for the good of the people.  Several members of the Bonhoeffer family are involved in a plot to kill Hitler.  They are good Christians.  In fact, Dietrich Bonhoeffer is actually a minister.  

It reminds me of the scripture in the Book of Mormon...better that one man should die than a whole nation dwindle in unbelief.  The Bonhoeffers were not familiar with that scripture, but those are the feelings they had when they were in on the plot to kill Hitler.  It's an important story, but I didn't think it was really that well written; confusing at times about who was who, etc.  It's actually from a series of books for younger children about Christian heroes.  I liked that about it; it was not over long which the adult version is totally too long.  

Daughters of Shendong

Women were nothing in the Chinese culture; just another mouth to feed.  And, just someone to raise to send off to another man's home.  

So, having four daughters was a total failure for Mother.  She was easily expendable when the Chinese regime changed ram Chiang Kai-shek to Mao Zedong and the Ang family fled their ancestral home in 1949, leaving Mother to cope for herself.  From then on, Mother and her three daughters are on their own as they struggle to survive in a harsh landscape.  With hunger, cold,  Chinese cadres always on their tails, it is just starve or eke out survival somehow.  

This story is based on the author's grandmother.  It was so difficult to plow my way thru as it was one disaster and failure and challenge after another.  I just know that I would have been dead very early on!  

I have recommended it to a couple of people because it is a look at a China at the end of Chiang Kai-shek's reign.  I certainly hope many things have changed in the last 75 years.