To Be Read #7: All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque

I'm puzzled why I haven't read this classic before. A Book-Toker, @rubyhartbooks, said this was one of her favorites, which inspired me to add this to my to-be-read stack. I even found that I had two copies, which shamed me even more for not having read this yet. 

First published in 1928, it was written by Erich Maria Remarque, who was a German veteran of World War 1. It was enormously successful from the start. It, along with the sequel The Road Back, was banned and burned by NAZI's in the 1930s. It's been made into films on three different occasions, and all have been award-winning quality. The latest one is currently on Netflix, which I plan to watch at some point. 

The story follows 4 German schoolboys who, in 1914, are inspired by their schoolmaster to join the army. They join with youthful patriotism and enthusiasm. Then they are faced with the grim realities of deadly trench warfare, which is full of tedium and terror. 

 

To Be Read #6: Theft by Finding by David Sedaris

 

There are times after reading a book that is heavy, intense, or heartbreaking. I need something light, humorous, and heartwarming to break the seriousness. David Sedaris fills that role for me in my reading repertoire. 

I'm listening to the audiobook version of this, narrated by the author David Sedaris. I've read his physical books, which are wonderful and enjoyable; there is something added to his personal narration of his book. He has a warm, self-depreciating style of humor. His wit can be biting in one moment, and then make you cry with his sadness that comes through in his very personal moments. 

Some serious readers don't consider audiobooks as real reading. I've been a fan of audiobooks for over a dozen years now. I listen to them on my long work commutes, which helps alleviate the boredom and tediousness of a long drive every day. Critiques of whether listening to audiobooks is considered reading a book are a form of gatekeeping. It is also intellectually snobbish. It's taking in the same information and text. It's also beneficial in learning the pronunciation of words that you're not familiar with.  

He also has a follow-up book called Carnival of Snackery that his diary continues from 2003-2021. I look forward to reading that too. 

Flags of our Fathers

September 11 has been a solemn day since 2001. It was my father's birthday since 1944, long before terrorists hijacked planes and killed thousands. He passed away in 2012 from cancer. My parents divorced when I was a kid. He eventually moved away, and I only saw him occasionally. He moved back into the area, and we'd connect every so often. We had similar personalities, and we both enjoyed reading. 

One book we shared was Flags of Our Fathers by James Bradley. The book tells the story of Bradley's father, who turns out to be one of the famous flag raisers on Iwo Jima during World War 2. Looking back now, it seems fitting that we were sharing a book about another father and son. I still have the very same book, and it has a special meaning for me, and I'll always keep it. 

Happy Birthday, Dad!

My Dad in 2002, holding my oldest son Joshua. 

To Be Read #5: Dark Tide by Stephen Puleo

 This is a story that my Dad told me about when I was a kid. Growing up in Massachusetts, I'm sure many youngsters were told by their elders of the flood of molasses in Boston. I'm sure they were told, as I was, that on hot days, you can smell molasses where it happened. It almost seems unreal, as your first reaction may be "You can't be serious?". Yes, it was serious. Deadly serious, unfortunately.

 

By BPL - https://www.flickr.com/photos/boston_public_library/4901555337/ Panorama of the Molasses Disaster site, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=236987

 

On January 15, 1919, just a few months after World War 1 ended, a large storage tank holding over 2.3 million gallons of molasses in Boston's North End exploded, killing 21 people and injuring 150 more.

  

By not specified - Boston Post, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=13435914

I do have a physical book, but I'll be listening to the Audible version because it features Grover Gardner as the narrator, and he's one of my favorite narrators. I will be following along in the book, as it includes photos and maps. 

Inside one of the country's oldest bookshops