Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand

398 pages

"On a May afternoon in 1943, an Army Air Forces bomber crashed into the Pacific Ocean and disappeared, leaving only a spray of debris and a slick of oil, gasoline, and blood. Then, on the ocean surface, a face appeared. It was that of a young lieutenant, the plane's bombardier, who was struggling to a life raft and pulling himself aboard. So began one of the most extraordinary odysseys of the Second World War.

The lieutenant's name was Louis Zamperini. In boyhood, he'd been a cunning and incorrigible delinquent, breaking into houses, brawling, and fleeing his home to ride the rails. As a teenager, he had channeled his defiance into running, discovering a prodigious talent that had carried him to the Berlin Olympics and within sight of the four-minute mile. But when war had come, the athlete had become an airman, embarking on a journey that led to his doomed flight, a tiny raft, and drifting into the unknown.

Ahead of Zamperini lay thousands of miles of open ocean, leaping sharks, a foundering raft, thirst and starvation, enemy aircraft, and, beyond, a trial even greater. Driven to the limits of endurance, Zamperini would answer desperation with ingenuity; suffering with hope, resolve and humor; brutality with rebellion. His fate, whether a triumph of tragedy, would be suspended on the fraying wire of his will." -Dust Jacket

Wow. I don't quite know what to write or how to do this book justice in a paragraph or two. This book is a hard read but a completely inspiring one. It had me in tears several times. It's almost unbelievable that one person could experience everything that Louis Zamperini did. Just drifting on a life raft for 40+ days would have been extraordinary enough but everything he endures after that makes the time on the raft look like child's play, sharks, typhoon and all. Zamperini had a will that could not be dominated or broken, although he came desperately close, and those soldiers that he was captured with are examples of why those men are called the greatest generation.

A few thoughts after reading this book:
1. It is hard for me to comprehend how people can be so horribly cruel to one another. The Japanese soldier nicknamed The Bird is the worst example. Why do people do such awful things to each other?
2. The human spirit is indomitable. These men were strong. The POWs found ways to bring some glimmer of humanity and dignity to their circumstances whenever possible. There were some amazing examples of compassion as soldiers shared the very little they had with those who were sicker or weaker than them. The small acts of rebellion brought them a sense of purpose.
3. Love and forgiveness conquer all. When Louie is at his darkest after coming home from the war, the Reverend Billy Graham's speeches help him see that God was with him even in the darkest of times and He provided miracles along the way. There's this amazing part where Louie recalls some of those times. Being able to forgive those who treated him so horribly is a life-changing lesson for all of us. If Louie could forgive The Bird, we can forgive anyone.
4. There were a few Japanese soldiers who showed kindness and compassion towards the POWs at great personal risk. I have great respect for these men as well.
5. The effects of war are devastating. There's one part where Louie goes out to dinner with some of his friends who were also POWs and a small ball of white rice sets one of them off with memories of being imprisoned. How these men were even able to function at all after coming home is a miracle. Not only were they ravaged physically, the emotional damage was at least as bad but probably worse. Freedom truly isn't free.

Milton Hershey Young Chocolatier by M.M. Eboch (8 O'Clock Club read)

213 pages

"Did you know that the man behind Hershey's chocolate used to work in an ice cream parlor? Or that he had to try over and over again to get his now-famous chocolate to taste as delicious as it does today? Milton Hershey's life wasn't always a bowl of chocolate Kisses. When he was in fourth grade, he even had to drop out of school and work to help his poor family make ends meet. Read all about how the man we know as the famous young chocolatier finally struck it rich--in money, love, and chocolate!" -Back Cover

Coming off of reading Fablehaven for our 8 O'Clock Club, my kids were not too gung-ho about reading a biography. They complained for the first several nights, but then pretty soon their comments turned into, "This book is sort of good," "Can we read a few more pages?" and "I can't wait to see what happens next." This is a fictionalized biography, the first in the series of Childhood of Famous Americans that we've read, but it won't be the last. I already have Walt Disney's, Dr. Seuss's, Elizabeth Barton's and Neil Armstrong's stories in my collection and I plan on getting more. I'm assuming they're historically accurate.

What made this book so fun is that we used to live an hour away from Lancaster. We've been to Hershey, toured the chocolate factory, and driven the streets named after chocolate with the Kiss-shaped streetlights. We learned several things that we didn't know before, which was the whole point of reading a biography: Milton's father was a dreamer, but an unsuccessful one; Milton's mother and aunt and uncles supported Milton's dreams financially for quite awhile; Milton never gave up even after he failed several times; he made caramels before entering the chocolate business; he was generous with his wealth, among others. There are illustrations throughout the book which is a bonus when reading to kids.

Ordinary Genius The Story of Albert Einstein by Stephanie Sammartino McPherson

91 pages

This is a very short overview of Albert Einstein's life. It's perfect for kids who need to do a book report on a real person. It starts with Albert's youth and schooling in Germany and the troubles he had getting along with his teachers. I thought it was a good case in point of how not all children learn the same. Albert was punished for being inquisitive. His school experience was so negative that he later renounced his German citizenship. It took a long time for Albert to embrace his homeland again.

This book gives a very basic, beginners explanation of Albert's scientific achievements. I thought they were described in a way that was easy to understand. It also talks about his personal life, his wives and children. Albert was sometimes so caught up in his thoughts and ideas that he neglected his family (as well as his hair and clothes) but it seemed that it was never done intentionally or meant to be hurtful. He was also very passionate about the causes he cared about. Being Jewish, he spoke out against the way the Jews were being treated in Germany and then ultimately had to flee Germany as it became more and more evident that his life was in danger. He renounced his German citizenship for a second time. He came to America where he settled in Princeton.

This is not a good choice if you're looking for a real in-depth look at the life of Albert Einstein but it's great if you want a really quick read and a brief look at his life.

Freedom in Exile, The Autobiography of the Dalai Lama

271 pages

This year one of my new year's resolutions was to branch out in my reading genres. I read a lot of books that my girls like but I felt it was important to learn some things this year in my reading rather than just be entertained.

The Dalai Lama is a remarkable person and I have wanted to read his autobiography for a long time. I knew about what had happened in Tibet but only had a surface knowledge. This book was a great education about the Dalai Lama's childhood, his training, the Chinese invasion, his exile, and his experiences through 1990. I wish he would write another book that covers the last 20 years. The Dalai Lama is a man who loves people and who is gentle and kind. The Chinese committed some Nazi-like atrocities against his people, yet he remains forgiving and hopeful for his people's future with the Chinese. One of the things that I really liked about him is his ability to learn from every experience he has.

The book presented a heartbreaking look at what communism does to a peace-loving country. Tibet sounded beautiful before the Chinese, with its people respecting life and nature. The Chinese have basically destroyed the country and its people. I learned a lot about Buddhism. Parts of it were very fascinating, in particular the belief that the Dalai Lama is the reincarnation of the previous Dalai Lamas and the evidence to support that. It was fun to read that he was a typical boy. At times he didn't take his training seriously. I loved reading about how the Tibetan monks debate with one another. I would love to see that. In contrast to the Chinese was the Indian people. They have done a lot for the Tibetan refugees despite the sweeping poverty in their country. This is such a good book.

I read - on a blog I think - that the author kept a journal of favorite quotes from the books she read. I wanted to start doing that. Here are some favorites from this book:

"All had gone well until the man turned to Lobsang Samten (the Dalai Lama's brother) (who spoke some Chinese) and asked him what was the Tibetan word for 'Kill him'...The idea of killing even an insect was so far from his mind that he was lost for words...This story is another illustration of the differences between Chinese and Tibetan attitudes. To one, the killing of human beings was a fact of life; to the other, it was unthinkable."

(Speaking of his first experiences with the Indian government) "This was in direct contrast to my experience in the People's Republic, where the received opinion was that you can change people's minds by bullying them. I could now make comparisons and see for myself that this was faulty thinking. Only through the development of mutual respect, and in a spirit of truth, can friendship come about. By these means it is possible to move human minds, but never by force."

(Speaking about the charitable Christian organizations) "This is one area where we can learn from our Christian brothers and sisters: it would be very useful if Buddhists could make a similar contribution to society. I feel that Buddhist monks and nuns tend to talk a great deal about compassion without doing much about it."

"So far, I have received only support for my belief that wherever you go, people everywhere are basically the same, despite certain superficial differences. They all, like myself, seek happiness: no one wants suffering."

"Another observation is that there are a lot of people in the West who live very comfortably in large cities, but virtually isolated from the broad mass of humanity. I find this very strange - that under the circumstances of such material well-being and with thousands of brothers and sisters for neighbors, so many people appear able to show their true feelings only to their cats and dogs. This indicates a lack of spiritual values, I feel. Part of the problem here is perhaps the intense competitiveness of life in these countries, which seems to breed fear and a deep sense of insecurity...For me, this sense of alienation is symbolized by something I once saw at the home of a very rich man whose guest I was on one of my trips abroad. It was a very large private house, obviously designed expressly for convenience and comfort, and fitted with every kind of appliance. However, when I went into the bathroom, I could not help noticing two large bottles of pills on the shelf above the hand basin. One contained tranquilizers, the other sleeping pills. This was proof, too, that material prosperity alone cannot bring about lasting happiness."

"It would be much more constructive if people tried to understand their supposed enemies. Learning to forgive is much more useful than merely picking up a stone and throwing it at the object of one's anger, the more so when the provocation is extreme. For it is under the greatest adversity that there exists the greatest potential for doing good, both for oneself and others."

"I believe that this suffering is caused by ignorance, and that people inflict pain on others in pursuit of their own happiness or satisfaction. Yet true happiness comes from a sense of inner peace and contentment, which in turn must be achieved through cultivation of altruism, of love, of compassion, and through the elimination of anger, selfishness and greed."

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer

270 pages

"William Kamkwamba was born in Malawi, a country where magic ruled and modern science was a mystery. It was also a land withered by drought and hunger, and a place where hope and opportunity were hard to find. But William had read about windmills in a book called Using Energy, and he dreamed of building one that would bring electricity and water to his village and change his life and the lives of those around him. His neighbors may have mocked him and called him misala--crazy--but William was determined to show them what a little grit and ingenuity could do.

Enchanted by the workings of electricity as a boy, William had a goal to study science in Malawi's top boarding schools. But in 2002, his country was stricken with a famine that left his family's farm devastated and his parents destitute. Unable to pay the eighty-dollar-a-year tuition for his education, William was forced to drop out and help his family forage for food as thousands across the country starved and died.

Yet William refused to let go of his dreams. With nothing more than a fistful of cornmeal in his stomach, a small pile of once-forgotten science textbooks, and an armory of curiosity and determination, he embarked on a daring plan to bring his family a set of luxuries that only two percent of Malawians could afford and what the West considers a necessity--electricity and running water. Using scrap metal, tractor parts, and bicycle halves, William forged a crude yet operable windmill, an unlikely contraption and small miracle that eventually powered four lights, complete with homemade switches and a circuit breaker made from nails and wire. A second machine turned a water pump that could battle the drought and famine that loomed with every season.

Soon, news of William's magetsi a mphepo--his 'electric wind'--spread beyond the borders of his home, and the boy who was once called crazy became an inspiration to those around the world." -Dust Jacket

I've been watching this book for months on Amazon, waiting for someone to sell it used/like new for a steal. I'm so glad it finally happened. (Had I known how good it was I would have paid full price though.) This book is one of those gems that is completely inspiring and makes you really think and take an inventory of yourself.

For the past eight months my husband and I have been paying two mortgages and two sets of bills. My normal budget was slashed to where I basically just bought groceries and filled my car's tank every two weeks. There were a lot of times where we all had to go without things, but every month I would feel so grateful that at least we didn't have to go without food. There were times that I felt sorry for myself. This book reminded me of how fortunate I am and how I have absolutely no right to complain. I have no idea--NO IDEA!--what hard is.

I learned a lot about electricity reading this book. Something that most of us take for granted was a true miracle for William and his family...and talk about genius to be able to figure it all out. I learned about ingenuity and persistence. People called him crazy and yet he kept going. There's a moment at the end of the book where William gets to go to southern California and see the thousands of windmills there. For me, that moment felt bittersweet. William had worked so hard and sacrificed so much to build something that is mass-produced and so common in the modern world, yet to William and his family their windmill was freedom. It changed their lives.

William is truly an inspiration. His love of learning should make all of us recommit ourselves to the pursuit of knowledge and hold it in high regard. When William is unable to go to school because his parents can't afford it, he vows to keep his mind active. He talks about those boys who aren't able to go to school and how they would hang out at the trading center, drinking booze and coasting through life. He fears becoming one of them and says, "I started worrying that I would become like them, that one day the windmill project would lose its excitement or become too difficult to maintain, and all my ambitions would fade in the maize rows. Forgetting dreams is easy. To fight that kind of darkness, I kept returning to the library every week even though I had no idea if or when I'd ever return to school. I kept going so I could increase my general knowledge, and so I would remain inspired."

I have to admit, I got a little teary-eyed when William goes to New York and is so overwhelmed by all he sees and experiences that he calms himself by dreaming of home and climbing his windmill. I can't describe it, it just really touched me. I get the feeling that William knows things about life that the rest of us don't.

William meets a lot of wonderful people who help him realize his dreams and I have every confidence that he will go on and do even greater things for his country and people. I hope there's a sequel someday. The bottom line of this book is that one person can make a difference and it should be a must-read for everyone.

The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, 136 pages

"Blessed with enormous talent and the energy and ambition to go with them, Franklin was a statesman, author, inventor, printer, and scientist. He helped draft the Declaration of Independence and later was involved in negotiating the peace treaty with Britain that ended the Revolutionary War. He also invented bifocals, a stove that is still manufactured, a water-harmonica, and the lightning rod.

Franklin's extraordinary range of interests and accomplishments are brilliantly recorded in his Autobiography, considered one of the classics of the genre. Covering his life up to his prewar stay in London as representative of the Pennsylvania Assembly, this charming self-portrait recalls Franklin's boyhood, his determination to achieve high moral standards, his work as a printer, his experiments with electricity, his political career, his experiences during the French and Indian War, and more. Related in an honest, open, unaffected style, this highly readable account offers a wonderfully intimate glimpse of the Founding Father sometimes called 'the wisest American.'" -Back Cover

Though short, this book was not necessarily a quick read. There was a lot of information, names, and places to keep track of.

Here are the things that made an impression on me as I read:

• Benjamin Franklin put a great importance on books and reading. (I felt like we had a few things in common in this area.)
• He was very good at self-evaluation and seemed to work constantly at improving himself.
• If he saw a need either for himself or his fellow man, he tried to fill it - the Junto club, the Franklin stove, the first public library, even street sweeping.
• He was honest and hard-working and because of that he was well-respected.
• He understood people.
• He learned from experience.

I thought it was interesting that he makes no mention of his married life. There's no talk of having kids, nor anything said about his relationship with his wife.

I really enjoyed this book. I wish he would have written more.