Stories of Hope

I’ve managed to make it to all four book club meetings this year, and I’ve read all four of the books. That’s more than I’ve read in a while, so I’m pretty proud of myself. Each month someone different picks a book, so we never know for sure what we are going to read. This month’s book was The Boys in the Boat, by Daniel James Brown. It’s a true story about the boys who rowed in the 1936 Berlin Olympics–and won. It’s a long story, demonstrating all the obstacles they had to overcome to get there.

The main character (Joe) was interviewed by the author, along with Joe’s daughter, as he was nearing the end of his life. Apparently she kept many newspaper clippings and had journaled their story in detail, so this helped the cause. Much research had to have gone into this book in addition to her contribution. Historic events in Berlin under Hitler’s dictatorship showed a side of propaganda I found very interesting, as it was woven into the context of the story in a way I have not heard before. And the competition between the east and west was also new to me. Very intriguing how the underdogs were treated.

It was a good read. I learned more about rowing than I ever thought I would! I’m not sure I could do it! The torture these boys endured would probably not be permitted in schools today (e.g. rowing every day in the snow and bitter cold). The book was a bit technical for my liking, with a few too many rowing races described in infinite detail. I admittedly skimmed a few parts to get to the end where they competed in the Olympics. It took a while to get there. I do think it’s amazing that this true story, a fabulous part of history, is in print. It needed to be told.

Carol’s summary of our discussion was again spot-on.

"Nine of us gathered this afternoon to discuss The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown.  We marveled at how these Washington poor young men overcame all the obstacles thrown at them and how they kept rising up and beating the odds.  The Depression; the weather; the practices and still went to a job and had to do homework; the east coast having all the money/prestige; having to come up with $5,000 to go to the 1936 Olympics; the lane that they got at the Olympics; Don Hume deathly sick at the Olympics.  You could go on and on.  We all hated Thula, Joe’s stepmother,  and how she could abandon Joe at 10 years old and how Joe’s father let it happen was so pathetic.  Several of us got sick of the description of the art of rowing over and over.  It was too repetitive.  We thought the propaganda town of Berlin during the Olympics fascinating that they really pulled it off.  We all loved the ending and finding out what each one became and the families getting together each year.  We were sad of course that they all are gone.  We were all thankful for this true story being written. We rated the book 8.5."

There are a lot of memories about Joe’s family and growing up. I probably enjoyed reading these sections the most. Watching the family dynamics was intriguing as a family therapist. But it was hard to absorb as well. His family was a challenge, and I can’t imagine anyone who would abandon their son the way they did. His step-mother was stereotypical, and could have come straight from a classic Disney movie. Having said that, overcoming this challenge is just one of the many things that made him into the great man he became.

I pondered whether our current society is too easy on people. It seems our younger generation has become soft, and tends to give up more readily. I’m not saying we should permit bullying, but I wonder if the bullies in one’s life could actually help bolster an individual if we get the right perspective about it.

Perhaps we all need a few more obstacles to strengthen our internal muscles. We can moan and groan and complain, or we can choose to welcome the obstacles in our lives. Rather than focusing on how someone else can change, think about how their interaction with you can change you. These challenges may be the very thing we need to become the next (better) version of ourselves.

À la prochaine…hasta la próxima vez…until next time!

I joined a book club.

It’s sponsored by the Canopy, a cancer survivorship center at Memorial Hermann in The Woodlands. You don’t have to be a patient there, just a cancer survivor or friend of a survivor. They have a LOT of activities, from cooking classes to Spanish classes, to Yoga. I could make a full time job of attending everything they offer.

I joined the book club because I set a goal to read more books, and this can help hold me accountable. I also wanted to connect with other survivors, some of whom I already know, and some new ladies as well. We meet monthly, and rotate who picks the book. I’ve only been able to attend two meetings so far, because of our travel schedule. I am hoping to get to more meetings this year.

The first time I attended was in November, and we read Lessons in Chemistry, by Bonnie Garmus. I didn’t write a review on that one, but it was a very good book, currently being made into a drama television series on Apple TV. My main critiques for that book were the slower beginning, and the ending seemed to tie everything up a little too quickly. But it did have an interesting premise, and I loved the name she chose for her very smart dog. “Six-thirty”, because he followed her home and she looked at the time on her watch when she decided to keep him. Clever writing.

Our book for January was The Rose Code, by Kate Quinn. A very long novel, at over 600 pages, I was unable to finish before our meeting. (We were out of town during most of December, and then arrived on Friday before our Wednesday meeting.) I got about half-way through and vowed to finish before starting the book for February. The further I got into the book, the harder it was to put it down. I had rated it 8.5 at the meeting, but after finishing it and attending the meeting, I give it a 9.

The Rose Code is based on Bletchley Park in the UK, where codebreakers worked during the second world war. Men went off to war to fight, and since women were not permitted to fight, they often worked behind the scenes. Codebreaking was one of those jobs. It is said that this work shortened the war by at least two years.

Three heroines are the primary codebreakers followed throughout the book. They are three very different women, who come together in an unusual and unique way, sharing a common purpose. It reminds me that friends will often come from the most unlikely places, and friends may enter our picture for a specific purpose and season in life.

Maybe you’ve seen the movie The Imitation Game, with Benjamin Cumberbatch. This book refers to his character, who was a real person, in addition to some other real people like Prince Philip and Princess Elizabeth. The book kept going back and forth between the week before their royal wedding, and the days of breaking code, which helped to explain some of the “current” events.

I won’t give it away, but I will say I enjoyed reading it. I liked the references to historical facts, codes, and processes that helped with the war efforts. I also enjoyed reading the author’s notes, as she describes in detail which characters are based on real people and how she came up with the idea for the plot twist. She did her research! Now I want to visit Bletchley Park, which was restored and turned into a museum by Kate Middleton (her grandmother worked there). Fascinating history, and great book to honor the codebreakers.

February’s book…Redeeming Love, by Francine Rivers. Appropriate for the month of love, don’t you think?

À la prochaine…hasta la próxima vez…until next time!