Monday Moments - The Love of Books

This non-fiction little book The Secret Lives of  Booksellers and Librarians compiled by James Patterson and Matt Eversmann is a love letter  to books and reading.  Booksellers and librarians were interviewed and the stories from all over the U.S. are interesting  and compelling.  They are detectives, treasure hunters, advocates, and visionaries. It's a world that has the magic of rainbows and unicorns, but it's also a business. The book business. (cover blurb)

Read about folks who took the plunge and love what they do in their world of books. The tales are heartwarming, humorous, and hopeful. 

I love this quote by our former first lady, Laura Bush, who advocated for reading.  

You must also  read about Suzette Baker, former head librarian in Llano County, Texas. Her story is told in the above compilation. She was told  to pull books from shelves  and  refused.  She writes about a very avid minority of people in power who are promoting  censorship and she's concerned.  

I'm concerned. Yes, parents should know what their kid is reading. It's like television. You may control your own self and your family,  but don't keep me from reading certain  books that your don't like or think is appropriate (example - To  Kill  a Mockingbird by Harper Lee,  The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison, etc).  

Sigh!
 

Book Review - The Girls of Atomic City by Denise Kiernan

 The Girls of Atomic City by Denise Kiernan is the Untold Story of the Women Who Helped Win World War II.  This is a work of non-fiction that has been solidly researched. But it's told like a story as Kiernan zeroes in and follows some key women who are representative of the thousands of women brought to Oak Ridge, Tennessee to work on a secret project. Chosen from small towns across America, they performed key tasks, kept quiet, and forged bonds with strangers as they lived in a created muddy city of 75,000 residents. Chemists, secretaries, factory workers - All were key in helping to end WWII

back blurb: Drawing on the voices of the women who lived it- women who are now in their eighties and nineties - The Girls of Atomic City rescues a remarkable, forgotten chapter of American history from obscurity. Kiernan captures the spirit of the times through these women, their pluck, their desire to contribute, and their enduring courage. 

I had no idea what all went into the building of the nuclear bomb that was dropped on Hiroshima. This book is fascinating as it truly goes behind the scenes and gives snippets of the action. It also shows how women and men from all walks of life truly worked together for the sake of America. Loose lips could sink ships, as the saying  goes back then. Oak Ridge, TN was an amazing hub for history. Excellent, eye-opening book. 

History in 3D

Home from work, I strolled by the front window on the way to my den office, and glimpsed something you don't see every day - a 1969 British tank. With an impish grin, my neighbor Pat said in his delightful accent, "It's England's answer to road rage." Actually, he and his son have had this restoration project going for five years, and the tank is officially ready for shows, parades, and a trip to the neighborhood.

Pat's grandson and a friend had a grand time in the turret position. It got me thinking about how to get young folks to read - history in 3D. Now, I have no idea, but I would guess that this project incited some interest in British history and the role of this tank in wars. Whether fiction or non-fiction, I bet there's some grand stories behind this solid piece of machinery.

As a youth in Pennsylvania, my family had lots of daytrips to historical sights. The trips then piqued my interest and I went through a Revolutionary War phase, a Civil War phase, etc. Whether it was Johnny Tremaine or Gone With the Wind, I devoured historical fiction. Hands on experiences kick-start the imagination and bring words on the pages to life.

Education is intertwined - history, English, social studies, science (i.e. the mechanics behind this mammoth beast and its Rolls Royce pistons). If nothing else, these young men are also working on their social skills. Pat said they stopped at a red light, and had time to flirt with some young ladies. They are already asking, "May we drive it to prom?"