Thewanderingjew

David Baldacci, author; Kyf Brewer and Orlagh Cassidy, narrators

I adore the Amos Decker series! The novels about him are easy to listen to and/or read. The big reveal never comes until the very end, but as the story builds, the mystery is always intriguing and absorbing.

Decker’s family was murdered. His failure to protect them at that time still haunts him, so every year he returns to the town where it happened and visits their graves. When a convicted murderer obtains a compassionate release from a life sentence, because he is terminally ill, and confronts him there, Decker is surprised. The man asked him and his former partner, Mary Lancaster, to prove his innocence, which was highly unusual, since they had been responsible for his conviction. When the man is murdered before he has a chance to be questioned further, Decker wonders, had they sent an innocent man to prison for a murder he didn’t commit? He becomes obsessed with finding out if he had made a mistake because he and his partner had been rookies at the time, and it was their first homicide investigation.
As Decker and Lancaster begin in earnest to re-investigate the case, reevaluating the evidence, a many legged spider is revealed. It veers in several directions with possible criminal activity. It is often hard to tell who is guilty and who is innocent, as the various characters emerge, but in the end, many of the threads are knitted together and the place of each character in the mix is explained.

What seemed to be obvious facts to Decker and Lancaster, had turned out to be easy assumptions instead. Had he and his partner as newly minted investigators, jumped to conclusions in order to have a quick, successful conclusion to their investigation? As bodies pile up and tensions build, occasionally the dialogue gets a bit trite, but most often, it is to reveal a clue or two to the reader. The other problem with the novel is that at the end, there are still pieces of the novel that are not resolved, and one wonders if there is going to be another Decker mystery which will take up the hanging threads, sometime in the future. If there is, I will be sure to read it!

Devotion, Adam Makos, author; Dominic Hoffman, narrator
This is a well written book that is read expertly by the narrator. It describes two men that became military heroes during the Korean War. One was white and came from privilege and one was black and came from poverty. Both men transcended the prejudice of the times to become close friends, in a time when racial injustice was front and center. It was a time when blacks were not accorded the same rights as whites. Even in the service, where they risked their lives alongside their white brothers, they was still a barrier in the places that excluded them.
Jesse Brown was the first black man to graduate from flight school and become a Navy pilot. He came from a humble background and was revered by all those who knew of his accomplishments. He gave others the hope that they, too, would overcome the injustices they faced. He had a quiet dignity that drew others to him and earned him the deep and abiding respect of his fellow soldiers. Jesse had a wife and daughter when he went off to fight in the Korean War. He was paired with Tom Hudner, a man from an upper class background who welcomed the opportunity to serve with him even though there were others who might not have been so honored. The two became fast friends as the months of training and fighting passed. Their relationship was uninhibited by either’s background or color. To insinuate that they were almost like brothers, devoted to each other’s safety, would not be an understatement.
In a war, with unfair rules of engagement that favored the enemy, their task was daunting. Subjected to freezing temperatures and a lack of manpower with which to face the Chinese fighters who entered the Korean war, even as China denied they were there, the American soldiers had a tough row to hoe, and history tells us that this war was not won by the United States. It indicts Douglas McArthur for his terrible judgement which caused the unnecessary deaths of many a soldier while he postured for the press and prompted President Truman to fire him. Although the military fought valiantly, the country remains today divided, neither free nor democratic.
As the story is revealed and the loyalty and love these two men had for each other grew, the author brings the war to the reader. The tension, the fears, the violence and the brutality are very palpable. The reader is at the graduation when they get their wings, at their first meeting when paired off, on the battlefield with them, on the battleship, at the Choisin Reservoir, witnessing the carnage and the celebrations, the rescues and the losses. It is a wonderful book about two wonderful and courageous men who fought side by side and had a fierce loyalty for each other’s welfare. Hudner was awarded the Medal of Honor for his bravery when he risked his own life to try and save Jesse’s. We could do with a few more men like them today. They were a true band of brothers, without color or class constraints.
Jesse was beloved by most for his achievements and quiet sense of courage and composure. Jesse was not about color, he was about character. Told through the eyes of Hudner and his friends, the pages are alive. We the readers are placed right into the thick of things as the war drags on and on. The unspeakable conditions these soldiers were exposed to were highlighted and the incredible patriotism and sense of nationalism is amazing and rewarding to behold.

Turbulence, David Szalay, author; Gabra Zackman, narrator

This tiny novel packs a big punch. It begins with the story of a woman who is visiting her son who has been suffering with, and is being treated for, Prostate Cancer. His prognosis is unknown, but he is not optimistic.

As the story reveals itself, using a brief anecdote in each of the lives of the 12 different characters, its purpose becomes known. Although they all, at first, seem to be from disparate and disconnected lives, connected by happenstance, in the end, the reader will see them knitted together, for the story comes full circle and returns to the place it began. The message in each character’s life is subtle and seems to make the point, not only that every life has uncertainty in it, but also that each life is fragile. However, it also intimates that life does go on, albeit in a different way for each of the characters. The main point is, that there is, indeed, turbulence in each life, and each of them must overcome their own crisis of character independently.

There were two negatives in the narrative for me. One was what appeared to be a contrived insertion of a current day phrase used by Progressives, "toxic masculinity". It was unexpectedly uttered from the mouth of a character whom I would not have thought had ever heard of the phrase, considering her life and background. The other was the ending, which left me hanging. In conclusion, however, after thinking about it, I realized that although no character’s part in the story was fully completed, the reader would probably be left with the feeling that their lives would continue to go on after the final page was turned. After all, isn’t that what we all hope for not matter what we face in life?

The Guest Book, Sarah Blake, author; Orlagh Cassidy, narrator. This is a lengthy book which attempts to tackle some very serious historic societal problems. Using a healthy number of characters and a time line that travels back and forth over several decades, the author highlights the way people lived and treated each other, beginning in the late 1920’s, as it follows three generations of a family that lives through the Great Depression, the Holocaust and more. The Miltons were a wealthy WASP family in the investment business. After suffering the tragic loss of a child, Ogden Milton decided to purchase an island to help his wife move on emotionally, and to use as a family retreat, so as to leave their mark on the world, to make them part of history, to mark them as “facts” as a family that had lived and prospered on this earth. He and his wife Kitty, envisioned family outings there. It was a place that would give them their identity and earn them the respect of others in their class which would follow the family for generations to come. Crockett’s Island would be known as the Milton’s Island. Kitty saw a future with her family continuing to enjoy its place in society, in the hierarchy of those brought up properly, with manners and rules of behavior, those who believed they were a cut above most people and deserved the right to exist in their rarefied atmosphere, untouched by the hoi polloi. She saw a family that was content and thriving with dignity. Friends and family of their same social strata were welcomed to the island and yearly rituals and celebrations were observed. Those in the upper echelon of society prided themselves on being “good” and respectful to all, never overtly insulting anyone, but also never allowing anyone of a different class, color or background into their inner circle. They tolerated others, but they did not embrace them. Although the characters were diverse in color, religion, class, health, aspirations, and hints at, perhaps, sexual preference, they each knew their place in life and some struggled in the uphill battle against the tide of the acceptable norms of the day. Each had a different and unique view of the world which they pursued. Some were more forgiving and some were more judgmental, some had more freedom of choice and some were constricted by family expectations. Some were bitter and some were Pollyannaish. Anti-Semitism and racism were a particular focus in the novel, as well as the way certain illnesses were viewed by an unsophisticated public and medical establishment. White privilege and the class divide were front and center. Those who wished to remove some societal constraints were not fully able to make the changes necessary or even to embrace them wholly. In some ways, each character was molded into a shape and form that could be altered, but not redeemed. Many mistakes were made. There were misunderstanding and many secrets that were kept which reverberated down the generations for decades to influence the lives of the descendants. Change, if any, was slow in coming. Moss Milton marched to the beat of another drummer, but was not permitted to really pursue his dream of being a musician. He was expected to step into his father’s shoes and continue the financial dynasty. Len Levy, a Jew, was not truly welcomed by Kitty Milton into her world, although he worked for Ogden Milton and was well respected by him. Reg Pauling was black and was a good friend of Moss. Both Len and Reg had chips on their shoulders, perhaps justified, about the way they were treated by the world. Moss, Len and Reg, an unusual combination, were good friends, although the three lived in and hailed from vastly different worlds. Would their friendship survive? Evelyn and Joan Milton were sisters. Evelyn was very protective of her sister who suffered from occasional seizures which, although under controll, could occur without notice. Joan was ashamed of her affliction and vowed not to marry so as not to pass on the Epilepsy to any progeny. She considered it unfair to marry since it was her obligation to produce children for her husband who had the right to expect heirs. Although, in business, Ogden Milton respected effort and capability and did not fault anyone based on their religion or color, he did not expect to have to fraternize with them. He preferred those of his own ilk. While he was more open to embracing people of different backgrounds at work, and he even entertained them on the island retreat, it was where his idea of being inclusive and accepting all, ended. In his business dealings, he didn’t even mind dealing with the Germans during the Holocaust. Ogden simply believed that one did what one had to do, and he did what was expedient for his business to thrive, without questioning the rightness or wrongness of his transactions. In its way, Ogden’s own class also believed in racial superiority. Both Ogden and Kitty belonged to a higher echelon that chose to ignore the things that were upsetting, the things that they could not control, preferring to keep their lives uncluttered with problems that they couldn’t fix. They wished to try to be content with their lives, at all times. They had the power of their money and their stellar reputations to enhance their efforts. Things that were upsetting were simply swept under the rug, ignored and not discussed. Len Levy and Joan Milton fell in love, but it was a forbidden match, and as it plays out throughout the book, it illustrates the differences in the way people thought about and treated each other, in the way they accepted each other’s values. To Joan, although she loved Len, he was larger, louder (the stereotype and anti-Semitic trope about a Jew), than those White Anglo-Saxon Protestants who simply just knew how to behave. It was very difficult to envision his being accepted or finding a place in her world. Her brother’s relationship with Reg exposed the racial and civil rights issues of the day. Reg was often refused entry to places, and he sometimes felt that he was invited to make the person inviting him feel righteous. Eventually, as time passed, Joan and Evelyn married and had families of their own that married and had children. Following the deaths of Ogden and Kitty, the island passed to them, but as decades passed, the heirs began to run out of money to keep and maintain the island. Some had moved on, recognizing that the way of life on Crockett’s Island was passé and over the top. Some, like Evie Schlesinger, clung to their need to feel that it was something of great value as it represented who they were, the Miltons of Crockett Island, that it marked the very fact of their existence. There are so many secrets that pop up intermittently, that I found that their revelations often seemed unclear for both the reader and the characters in the way that they were played out. Sometimes, because past and present intermingled, it seemed not only confusing, but perhaps a bit tedious. Also, at times, rather than feeling authentic, it felt contrived, as if the author really just wanted to present a book to illustrate the progressive social issues of race, religion and class that have and continue to divide our country. Elitism and white privilege are front and center as the author presents the shallowness of business on a Wall Street preoccupied with greed. The horrors of racism and anti-Semitism were highlighted, and they seemed to be planted into the pages of the novel for that purpose alone. The author presented a story that illustrated the fact that although we might have the best of intentions, the results sometimes go awry because they are not fully or meaningfully executed. True change has not yet occurred and some, especially those who would truly benefit from the changes which would advance society, have lost hope that the vision of a more idealistic world would ever be realized. Does true love stands the test of time, although it is unrequited? Are we a class conscious, racist and anti-Semitic country that has still not become more inclusive and moved into the future? Are we stuck in the past, obsessed with our elitist views? Was the book about overcoming adversity or about a world that was at its heart a good place, a world that would overcome the evils of the past so that all could prosper in the future? Was the book about claiming a place in history? Some interesting facts in the book came to light, like the story about the stumble stones for the Jews of Berlin, Germany. A stumble stone marked a person’s place, to prove that they existed. Many of the characters also wanted to leave their mark, to have the world know that they had been there, so that they didn’t simply live, then die, as if they never had been there at all. There were examples of barriers being broken down by succeeding generations with interfaith relationships and marriages, with views about unnecessary, excessive materialism. There were examples of the redemption of those who had lived well, but not as kindly as they should have lived. There were interesting examples of racism which showed how Reg dealt with the hate and exclusion he had to deal with and which should be a lesson to all readers. Would his wounds ever heal? This is a good read, but it could have used further editing to make the flow of the narrative a bit smoother. It holds the reader’s interest as we are given a window into the lives of the upper crust that lived in all of their glory, through the ups and downs of society, never discussing or allowing troublesome issues to bother them, but rather just moving on in the exalted air of their world.

The Reckoning, John Grisham, author, Michael Beck, narrator

Read very well by a narrator who interpreted each character individually, with perfect tone and emotion so that each one was delineated and unique when they were presented, this is one of Grisham’s better novels. Happily, it does not feel as many of his novels lately have, as one written strictly for the screen, although it would certainly make an interesting and engaging movie. The history of the times, during the 1940’s, is presented accurately.

The main theme of the novel seems to be about family secrets. Pete Banning is a farmer and land owner in Clanton, Mississippi. The Banning farm has been handed down to his family from generation to generation, and the name Banning is well respected in town. They are well-to-do, they treat their farmhands well, and they attend church with a well-respected minister, the Reverend Bell. They have a lovely family with two well-behaved children who are on their way to successful lives.

Essentially, the novel is a murder mystery, but it is also partly the story of the romance between Pete and Liza Sweeney. It develops mightily, also, into a war story when Pete is called up to fight in World War II and sent to the Philippines. For a time he is presumed missing and killed in action. The brutal stories about WWII, are completely captivating and even shocking, in some cases.

When the presumed dead Pete returns unexpectedly, to the the shock and joy of his family and friends, his life has been forever changed by his experiences, war injuries and memories. Everyone else, family and friends, have already mourned his loss, and they have attempted to move on. Now they have to welcome the decorated war hero back, after a lengthy hospital stay, and they seem overjoyed.

When Pete suddenly murders the minister of the church, in cold blood, shock and disbelief is the first reaction. Why would Pete, suddenly, and without explanation, commit the murder and refuse to speak about it to anyone, not even his lawyer? The only glitch in the family picture of the Bannings is the fact that Liza had suffered an unexplained nervous breakdown and was recovering in a mental hospital. However, at the time of the murder, the children were being well educated, the farm had a good year, and they seemed to have hope for Liza’s eventual return.

As the story develops, the novel reveals the racism of the past. The jails do not treat white and black prisoners in the same way. They are not housed or fed in the same way. The black prisoners sentences for crimes are more severe and often unjust. Blacks and whites may not fraternize openly. The inequality and injustice is highlighted, not with malice, but with honesty.

The book then goes on to expose small town politics, the practices of some unethical lawyers and the level to which they will go in order to win. It exposes the politics that influence the ruling of some judges. It exposes the collateral damage of a crime to one’s family, even to those not directly involved. It reveals the greed and the vengeance that will overtake some people. It does not dwell on forgiveness or redemption, but rather, some times, on the letter of the law, when the letter of the law is without compassion. Mostly, however, it exposes the catastrophic harm that a lie, made up under intense circumstances, can eventually cause.

I thought that the best part of the novel was the war story in the Phillippines. It covered Pete’s experiences. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Pete Banning knew he would be called up, and he was eager to serve his country. His wife Liza and his children, Stella and Joel who were teens, hoped for his safe return. When he was missing and presumed dead, they had to pick up the pieces of their lives and continue. How they did that, is the crux of the story, but it is not revealed until the very end.

Unfortunately, it is that very ending, which the reader will wait patiently for, that is disappointing. For most of the story, it feels so authentic that the reader will wonder if it is based on a true story, but it is not. When the conclusion is revealed, the authenticity fades somewhat, and the story loses its greatness. Still, it is one of his better works, and I recommend it.

The Paris Diversion, Chris Pavone, author’ Mozhan Marno, narrator

There are so many tangents and characters introduced into this narrative, like a suicide bomber, his driver, terrorism, clandestine spying, a CIA agent, corruption, economic  investors, stock manipulation, CEO’s, big business, VIP’s, an engineered financial debacle, and more, that the book becomes more and more chaotic with the introduction of each new idea. The plot becomes more and more confusing, the reading more and more tedious.

After listening to more than a third of the book, I finally removed my ear buds and gave up. There seemed to be no cohesive message, no central theme, and no point that I could discern that made me want to look into it further. I listened to the book with my husband, and he came to the same conclusion. We simply could not summon the desire or interest to finish it. I am not sure where the excellent reviews are coming from, because this book is simply not Pavone’s best effort.

The 7 ½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, Stuart Turton, author; James Cameron Stewart, narrator This is one of the cleverest, imaginative stories that I have ever read. I had difficulty keeping up with the number of characters and their lives, and I am amazed that the author was eventually able to sort them all out, solve all of their mysteries and knit everything seamlessly together. Basically, the story is about Aiden Bishop who found himself trapped in a place called Black Heath, although he had no idea why he was there. He had eight days in which to solve a murder in order to be freed. If he failed, the scenario would begin again, and he would start from scratch, reliving the same eight days, albeit a bit differently each time. He would have to keep attempting to either prevent a murder or to find the killer. These are the rules of the game. Each day he would awaken inside the body of a new host. There were 8 hosts. Each had a different personality and a different reason for being in this place and attending the masked ball to celebrate Evelyn Hardcastle’s return home after having lived for almost two decades in Paris. Evelyn was to be married to a man she didn’t love in order to rescue her family from financial ruin. Evelyn was also to be the murder victim. Aiden had to get to know each host in order to find the murderer, but he was not the only person trying to solve this crime. Only one of them would be able to win this contest and earn release. Therefore, he would be in danger from the other guests. When Aiden awoke in his first host, he had no memory of his own identity or of his reason for being on the floor of a forest, covered with what he thought at first was wine, but was actually his blood. He was dressed in a tuxedo so he knew he must have been at some kind of an event, but he had no further memories in his head. He heard a woman cry for help and he somehow recalled a name. As she fled her pursuer, he unexpectedly called out the name Anna, and gave chase, but he was unsuccessful in his rescue attempt. Lost and confused, he found his way to a mansion with the help of a compass thrown into his pocket by the very person chasing the woman he believed was someone named Anna. When the door of the house opens, he is recognized by the people inside who lead him up to his room and call a doctor to attend to his wounds. Although they call him Sebastian Bell, he has no idea why. He doesn’t know who Bell is, nor does he know who he is, at this time. When he discovers that he is Aiden Bishop, known as the Laudanum Doctor, he is not very proud of himself, but he has no time to think about it. For the next eight days, when he awakens from sleep, he will be in the body of a different host trying to discover his secrets. In each host he lives out the same story, albeit with subtle changes and sometimes, even, he awakes on the day before, rather than the next day. Every time he falls asleep, he awakens in another host, and if he falls asleep more than once in a day, he sometimes finds he awakes in several hosts, and he even awakes in some of the hosts more than once. Although he has only 8 days to solve the murder of Evelyn Hardcastle, the task is made even more difficult by the fact that he actually believes that he saw her commit suicide and was not murdered. He must solve this “murder/suicide” by learning the secrets of each of his 8 hosts. He must learn what they know in order to piece together all of the clues and gain his freedom. None of the others are exactly who they pretend to be, and some are actually his enemies, intent on killing him. He will be forced to suffer the pain from the injuries his hosts are subjected to, and he will also inflict injuries upon others that his hosts wish to harm. Although he knows that only one person will be allowed to solve the murder and escape Black Heath, he is determined to find a way to take Anna with him. He refuses to leave without her and will return again and again, he insists, if necessary, until he can determine an escape for her, as well. Aiden learns that the people in Black Heath are there because they did something really horrible. Only the worst offenders, the worst people are kept there. They are supposed to be in Black Heath for rehabilitation, but few ever leave. He learns that he is the only one there voluntarily, and for that reason, one of the characters, “the Plague Doctor” who seems to be calling the shots and making the rules, is helping him with little hints. That is why he is allowed to keep the memories of the things he learns over the eight days. The others begin each day with their minds wiped clean. This makes it almost impossible for them to solve the murder without forcing others to help, because they can’t hold onto the facts that they learn. Black Heath is like a prison, a personal hell for most of the people he meets. He cannot trust any of them who offer to help him because they all have secrets. They will use each other to get information, but only Aiden will retain it. Although the tale has its grotesque moments, there are also several moments of subtle humor, in the occasional comment inserted into the dialogue. As each day begins and Aiden lives in another host, it is sometimes repetitious, but the same events are offered to Aiden, ever so slightly different, in order to reveal another clue. He learns many secrets and has to put them all together to solve the crime. His efforts are hampered by the condition of the host he occupies. He suffers from their afflictions, physical, mental and emotional, and must make a determined effort to remain Aiden and not give himself over completely to the mind and body he is occupying. Aiden discovers that it is revenge that drove him to Black Heath. However, as Aiden learns to forgive and show compassion, to trust and love again, he finds his way back and helps himself and others earn redemption. This was an interesting read, delving into a world of fantasy which was a living hell for some. It was sometimes tedious because of the necessary repetition each day. Also, there were so many different characters, personalities and secrets to keep track of, that it was often hard to remember them. It was necessary to pay careful attention to the narrative, and perhaps I should have taken notes, as well. It would have made it easier to follow the storyline. Each time he awoke in a different character, I struggled to remind myself who it was and what part he played. The narrator did very well describing the personalities of the different characters, speaking softly or gruffly, as a woman or a man, old or young, very effectively. The characters were all multidimensional, but none were very likeable. The author deserves an award just for keeping track of them all and for weaving together an impossibly complicated story with so many tangents. I thought he would never be able to merge them, but merge them he did!

When the book begins, a woman named Lily is speaking about Blanche Auzello and is mourning her death. Blanche was loved by this woman, Lily, and she refers to her with deep respect. What follows after is a description of the Nazi occupation of Paris and a tale attempting to describe the effort of Lily and Blanche to fight them. The Germans marched into Paris with hardly a whimper. The Vichy government had instructed the soldiers to stand down, and now, Paris is occupied by German soldiers who are taking over homes and hotels to house them. Although, at first, they are very polite and courteous to the French, fear lurks behind the windows of every citizen. They have no idea what is in store for them. Some will resist and some will collaborate, some will simply try to survive.

Claude, the manager of the Ritz, and his wife, Blanche Auzello, have been out of town. They return to a very different Paris than the one they left. They, too, are not their usual well dressed personas, but rather, they are bedraggled and filthy from their harrowing journey home. As the Auzellos resume their life in the Ritz, they watch as the Nazis take more and more liberties with the French, and they are helpless to stop the increasing crackdowns on those of the Jewish faith. As the Nazis take over the Ritz, and become more and more brutal, Claude makes a decision to serve them, against his better judgment, because in that way, perhaps, he can do his part. It is almost impossible, anyway, to resist without fearing for one’s life. Claude can, however, protect his wife and his staff, providing for their needs through his contacts. He will do what he must, no matter how it may humiliate him in the eyes of the Germans, to keep them all safe. This will be his small effort to stand up to the Nazis, to be what he thinks of as a “Frenchman”. He is ashamed of the way the French have allowed Hitler to march in with so little opposition, and this is his personal attempt at resistance. He won’t allow them to own the Ritz. He will remain in charge.

According to the story written by Benjamin, the Auzellos married after a brief courtship and really did not know each other well. As the years passed, they discovered they were disappointed in each other in little ways, but they truly loved each other, regardless. There was tension between them, however, because of her drinking and his infidelity. He believed it was the right of a Frenchman to have a mistress and that she was expected to be the obedient wife. She wanted to experience the world and had been an aspiring actress. She had no intention of remaining at home as the good little wife. Their trains were not going to meet! Because his work was so demanding, and Blanche wanted to be more involved in his life, they maintained an apartment at the Ritz.

Both had secrets from each other, secrets from the world, and many secrets from the Nazis. Blanche Auzello cavorts with her friend Lily, a young resistance fighter, drinking and engaging in activities to oppose the Germans while fraternizing with them. Claude maintains his relationship with a mistress on the side and also discovers a way to do his part as he purchases food and produce for the hotel. Each keeps their resistance activities from the other in order to protect each from getting hurt in case of capture. The political situation is fraught with apprehension, but unfortunately, the story is not. It often becomes tedious and repetitious as the time frame moves back and forth between Claude and Blanche’s initial relationship in the 1920’s, and the time years later, in the 1940’s, during World War II.

It wasn’t until the last quarter of the book that the story gained momentum, and I truly became engaged. I believe that the author wanted the reader to feel like the story could have happened the way she wrote it, but it never fully reached that point, and instead, it felt like it was simply conjured up out of her imagination. Based on a time and place that was real, the author created most of the story out of whole cloth. Although there is little known about the Auzellos, their lives or their resistance efforts during the war, the names of many of the characters mentioned are real people; the Auzellos, Hemingway, Coco Chanel and Marlene Dietrich, among others, really existed, and because they were very much involved in Paris and the Ritz in the time frame of the novel, the book does grows interesting. When the book reveals the personalities of these real characters, including the Germans housed in the Ritz, coupled with the arrests, the torture, the inhumane treatment of other humans, and the attempt to annihilate an entire religious group, the tale becomes more authentic. However, most of it does not have the depth needed, perhaps because of the lack of facts. It is told from the perspective of those living under the thumb of the Germans as well as those who joined the varied resistance groups or simply resisted in any way they could; it often seemed to lose that focus and descend simply into a romance novel making it lack reality.  Many of the secrets revealed at the end are easy to guess, but the final ending may be a surprise to many. It was to me, having never heard of the Auzellos prior to reading this book. For that reason alone, the book is worth the read.

The Last Year of the War, Susan Meissner, author; Kimberly Farr, narrator Two young teenaged girls meet in an internment camp called Crystal City, in Texas, after the United States enters World War II. Although they are residents there, with their needs provided for, they are really prisoners. One, Elise Sontag (now Elise Dove), is from Germany and the other, Mariko Inoue Hayashi, is from Japan. Over a period of about a year, the friends become as close as family. They share their innermost thoughts and dreams with each other which is what helps them to survive this trying time. They make a pact to meet after the war. Together, they will find jobs in New York and face their future. They are, after all, Americans! This time frame in American history will remain a stain on America because of the grave injustices perpetrated upon many innocent victims of circumstance. In 2010, Elise Sontag Dove is 81 years old and suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease. She refers to the disease almost as an alter ego named Agnes and notes that Agnes is always trying to take over her mind. Sometimes, she can resist, sometimes she cannot. She has no idea for how much longer her brain will work. When her young housekeeper introduces her to Google and shows her how to do a search, she searches for and finds a possible match to her old friend Mariko. There is someone with the same name living in Los Angeles. If it is Mariko, she too is 81. Elise would really like to reunite with her, and she makes arrangements to travel there, hoping that Mariko is still alive and that “Agnes” will not interfere to prevent their reunion. As the novel develops, Elise tells the story of her friendship with Mariko which began in 1943 when they were both interned with their families. She relates what has happened in her life since they were separated in 1944. Mariko’s family was sent to Crystal City after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. The government feared that the Japanese Americans might have dual loyalties with a conflict about their devotion to their country of origin or their country of choice. They were easily identified so they were rounded up and their bank accounts were frozen, communication to others was limited to them, and their belongings were sacrificed since they could only take a limited amount with them to the camp. Basically, their lives were stolen. Elise’s family was interned based on circumstantial evidence, a copy of a book, a careless remark by her father, his career as a chemist, and simple gossip. It was enough to condemn her father as a security risk. He was arrested leaving her mother to fend for herself without enough money or resources to do so effectively. They, too, had their bank accounts frozen and were limited in communicating with outsiders. Her father petitioned to be transferred to a family “camp”, even though it might mean that they would eventually be sent back to Germany and not allowed to remain in the United States. He knew that his wife was unable to deal with the situation alone. She was frail emotionally. When his request was granted, they were sent to Crystal City. For both families, their former lives were erased. Eventually, the children’s education was interrupted and their dreams were placed on hold. Both families had lived in America for years and the children were American, but the parents were now immigrants from countries at war with America. They were possibly enemy aliens and as such had to be monitored. Before the war ended, Elise’s family was repatriated to Germany, traded for Americans as her father had feared. To keep his family together, he had risked that outcome for them and now they were sent to a war torn country. After the war ended, Mariko’s Family was sent back to Japan. Her father wished to return to Japan and had requested it. Mariko spoke Japanese, but she had never been to Japan. Elise neither spoke German nor had she ever been to Germany. Both came from different cultures and family values which affected their futures and separated the friends for decades. Mariko’s father remained Japanese, above all, and he insisted on the same for his family. He followed the old ways and culture of total obeisance and obedience. Soon after their return to Japan, he arranged a marriage for Mariko, now 17. She was forbidden to contact Elise who was considered a dangerous influence by her father. Elise’s father was far more open-minded, compassionate and rational. He showed his daughter tremendous respect and was grateful for her maturity in the face of so much evil. Now, at 17, living and working in Germany, she fortuitously meets a very wealthy American soldier who offers her an escape route back to America. Her father gives his permission for her to marry. Soon she is back in America where she eventually lives the good life, not without further trials, however. Still, David Dove proves to be her knight in shining armor. He lived in a “castle”, a mansion in Los Angeles. He had a trust fund, and she would never want for anything again. As the story is told, there is almost too much detail making it play out very slowly. Also, the story tends to get too syrupy, at times, which tended to diminish its impact. Elise is portrayed as a perfect specimen of a human being, always understanding and compassionate, always adjusting to the situation and accepting it, although she is merely a child for most of the book. Her father insists he is an American, and he always offers rational, compassionate advice. He always quietly deals with what has befallen them. The brief friendship between the two teens also seemed to hold too much power over Elise’s life. Its influence caused her great sadness and, perhaps, it was used by the author to show that although she was placed in a situation as an adult, she was merely a young girl robbed of her childhood, forced to deal with an untenable situation. She and Mariko both seemed to be able to make very adult decisions. Therefore, the story often feels contrived as if its purpose is to lecture the reader about right and wrong, good and evil. At times, the novel seemed more like a fairy tale with a happy ending for all. Elise finds her prince, Mariko falls in love with her prince, everyone winds up with a satisfactory life. Even Elise’s married name seems to be contrived. The dove is a symbol of peace and love, innocence and purity, all of the conflicts faced in the book. Elise, at the end, as Mrs. Dove, discovers her calling in life, the calling she had searched for since childhood. She was born to provide love in the world. There was a subtle condemnation of Communism, in the character of a naïve David Dove, a budding Communist, and its opposite in the character of his brother, Hugh Dove, who was more realistic, but kind as a capitalist. Overall, though, the Doves were symbols of the decadence and selfishness of the rich and Elise was the symbol of the charity and compassion of those less fortunate who were not greedy. She was portrayed nun-like in her thoughts, as much more humane than most, always willing to sacrifice her own needs for the needs of others. Sometimes poor choices were made, but they were described as the only possible choice to be made under the circumstances. The consequences ultimately led back to redemption and reward. Everyone was a victim, in some way, and most were redeemed in some way in the end. The narrator read the book a little too slowly, over-enunciated and over-emoted making herself too much a part of the story. At times, I wasn’t even sure I would finish the book because the author seemed to be trying to find good in all evil, even when there was no good to be found, and the narrative seemed to be directed to a younger audience. Every character seemed to be using someone for something and rationalizing that behavior. At other times, everything seemed whitewashed rather than authentic, as if the author would provide a happy ending, no matter where the story led. I thought the book would have been better titled “Pollyanna Redux”, since it dripped with idealism and a progressive message of “absolute kindness” in the face of “absolute power” which corrupts. The author seemed to want the reader to understand that the Germans suffered as well as the other victims of the war. She overlooked or didn’t concern herself with the fact that they were possibly complicit. Fear was no excuse. Greed, jealousy and nationalism drove most of them. They could not have remained as ignorant as they professed to be about the heinous behavior of their government. After all, Hitler did not keep his dreams of Aryan dominance a secret! Where did they think the Jews and other victims were? Why did they move into their homes and take their belongings? Ultimately, however, FDR’s administration should not have interned these Americans. It was the leaders of their country of origin that were evil. The book does shine a light on this American injustice. in the end, the book was well researched and covered a lot of territory regarding facts, but it was presented as a fairy tale. It philosophized and lectured me as I read, regarding political views and lifestyles, class division and economic inequality, being a native of a country or a “foreigner”. It appeared to be trying to reinforce the idea that we are all the same, with the same desires and love of life and family, regardless of how we look, where we come from, how much money we have, or what type of employment, which is a noble thought and goal. Perhaps, also, as Hitler brainwashed the German people, and the Emperor of Japan ruled the minds of the Japanese, the author used Alzheimers to reinforce the idea that we sometimes cannot have dominion over our own thoughts and actions. I believe that many of the glowing reviews were given because of its progressive message in this current political climate.

Warburg in Rome, James Carroll, author; David Doersch, narrator This book captured my attention and held it from the beginning to the end, however, there were times when rather than being historical fiction, it felt like it verged on becoming a romance novel. There were sexual escapades and innuendo included that perhaps seemed necessary to the author to show the lengths to which someone would go, to further the cause they believed in, above all else. The history was truly fascinating and enlightening about a period of time and a subject that little has been written about, Rome after the war, possibly because of the stigma that would be associated with someone criticizing the behavior of the Church, the Israeli Freedom fighters or even that of the American government and the American military during and after World War II. The book which begins in Rome, Italy, after the war there has ended, concentrates on four major characters. David Warburg (not related to the wealthy Warburg’s but who used his name to his advantage anyway), is a lapsed Jew who is in Rome to accomplish the task of aiding and enabling the resettlement of Jewish refugees. He knows his heritage is Jewish, but he neither practices nor believes in the dogma. His efforts are hindered by the politics of the day, the needs of the Church and the secret actions of the American actors often preventing his success. Marguerite “d”Erasmo is a Catholic. She believes her parents were murdered. She converts to Judaism because of the horrors and atrocities she witnessed being committed by members of the Church while she worked with the Red Cross in Croatia. She becomes a freedom fighter for the Jewish cause. Father Kevin Deane is a Catholic priest from the Bronx. He is upwardly mobile and on track to become a Bishop, if he plays his cards right. He is in charge of protecting the Catholic faith, working to preserve the influence of the Catholic Church in Europe. He reports to Cardinal Spellman who is not highly praised in the book, and he believes, from information he is given, that the Church is doing everything it can to aid the Jews, including offering them shelter and visas to leave for safer havens. Sister Thomas is a conflicted num who turned to the church because her love for a British soldier was doomed. She and Deane are friends. There is the suggestion that they both harbor some forbidden thoughts. Will they remain true to their faith? Sister Thomas aids Deane in his efforts to assist Warburg. All think they are working toward a common goal. However, what it seems to be, is often not what it actually is, in reality. Sometimes there are cross purposes that others are unaware of, and so they are duped. Additionally, there is Lionni, an Israeli freedom fighter, extraordinaire, totally devoted to the cause of fighting his enemies, even when he and some other freedom fighters choose to behave like the enemy. The American, Colonel Mates, pretends to be working to help all of the above, however, he is a secret agent of the OSS, and he is actually aiding the Nazis. America believes they will help prevent the spread of Communism. He works with Father Lehhman, a German priest whose mother was Argentinian, to establish “ratlines” which are the escape routes for ex-Nazis. The church provides the false passports to get them out of Europe. Father Vukas is a corrupt Franciscan priest who brutally mistreated the children under his control. These characters are made up out of whole cloth, but are related to real counterparts that existed. The author does not mince words or sugar coat the players. The book shines a light on all the questionable behavior of the time and also shines a light on the anti-Semitism throughout the world, the United States, Europe and South America. Croatian priests were corrupt. There were compromised priests in the Vatican who worked for the Nazis. Some of the priests participated in heinous acts against the Jewish population. America colluded with the Nazis as well, in their effort to prevent the spread of Communism. Some in the American administration thwarted efforts to save the Jews. The Haganah and the Irgun became the Israeli Defense Force after the state of Israel was established, but before that, they carried out violent acts against the British and were also called terrorists. The political interests of each superseded the lives of the victims everywhere. While the main characters are not real, the characters surrounding them, Cardinal Spellman, General Ante Pavelić, Pope Pius XII, FDR, President Truman, Clare Booth Luce, Raoul Wallenberg, Cardinal Domenico Tardini, Henry Morganthau, and others were very real and recognizable personages. I learned things I never knew about, although I have read extensively on the period surrounding the Holocaust. I researched many questions the book raised and discovered, for instance, that there was a concentration camp specifically for children in Croatia, the “Sisak children's concentration camp” which according to Wikipedia is “officially called "Shelter for Children Refugees". It “was a concentration camp during World War II located in Sisak, set up by the Ustaše government of the Nazi-puppet state, the Independent State of Croatia, for Serbian, Jewish and Romani children.” I learned how Pope Pius XII, was completely protected from information from the outside world so that he could continue to appear neutral, not supporting the Nazis while he was actively not rescuing the Jews. His ultimate purpose was to preserve the Church and the aura of purity around the Vatican, at all costs. The situation exists today for many heads of state. They are protected from the knowledge their governments perform so they can claim ignorance and remain above the fray. In the end, by using characters made up out of whole cloth, Carroll, a former priest, has opened up the eyes of his readers to the corruption of many during the time of World War II. What were they all working for or seeking? Was it revenge or justice? Using conflicted characters, he shows that there is the capacity for some kind of good and evil in everyone. That interpretation is in the eye of the beholder

Wunderland, Jennifer Cody Epstein, author; Lisa Flanagan, narrator

The author of this novel has woven a tale, that begins in 1933 and travels to 1989. It is difficult, but necessary for all to read. She has deftly placed the reader in the middle of the maelstrom known as the Holocaust. As she details the lives of Ilse von Fischer, Ava Fischer and Renate von Bauer, that infamous period of history is captured completely. As the knowledge of Hitler’s plan grows broader, the rising tension and fear of that time period forces the reader to face it viscerally, to face it in much the same way it surely forced the victims of that time. In Germany, and in the world, when the facts were discovered, and the extent of the horrors described, there was incredible disbelief and shock. For as Hitler rose to power, how could anyone really even imagine the rules he would enforce or the brutality he would carry out? The idea that such cruelty, such hysterical hatred, such heinous behavior could actually exist in the normal world, defied all reason. The reader will experience the same feelings of incredulity, never quite able to fully accept the horror of the situation as it plays out, for it truly confounds the imagination. Yet, although it seems unspeakable, this novel is based on a very harsh reality.

When the story begins, it is 1989. Ava Fischer, Ilse’s daughter, is living in New York City with her daughter Sophie. She is distraught after receiving a letter from a lawyer advising her of her estranged mother’s death, in Germany. With this letter, she also received a packet of letters that her mother, Ilse, had written, but had never mailed to someone Ava had never heard of, someone named Renate Bauer. The letters revealed myriad secrets from her mother’s past.

When the book continues, it goes back to 1933 and details the friendship between Ilse and Renate when they were children in Berlin. As the author describes the closeness of these two young girls who had been the best of friends, she slowly illustrates and brings to life, Adolf Hitler and his heinous regime’s rise to power. As he began to gain notoriety, most believed his infamy would not last. As he became more and more powerful, those he turned on still believed he would fade away, that people would never follow his despicable example or support his hate and brutality. The depths of depravity had not yet been reached, however, and the scar on history would soon become an unpardonable reality.

When Ilse became enamored with the girl’s youth movement that unconditionally supported Hitler and his dream of bringing Germany back to the world stage, thus eliminating the shame of their loss in World War I, she begged Renate to join the group with her. However, Renate’s parents would not allow her to join the Hitler Youth. Soon, however, as the young are wont to do, she disobeyed them and secretly attempted to join. She was rejected, with catastrophic results, as she had to be investigated before she could be approved and that investigation revealed family secrets that had been hidden from her. What seemed like an innocent mischievous act could soon put her family in great danger.
All of the characters seemed authentic, so much so, that there were times I could barely continue to read, so angry did their behavior make me. I wanted to shut the book and scream out loud, deny the history that I knew was true. I have read largely on the Holocaust, and still I find that every new book seems to highlight new atrocities, new sadistic behavior, new lows that humans beings can sink to, and incredibly, justify that behavior for themselves.

This author has so carefully laid out the strategy used by Hitler and his minions, as she develops her characters, that the Nazi’s insidious progress truly hits the reader with real force and highlights how Hitler used his methods to gradually and subtly assume more power. He increased his use of accusations to falsely blame his victims and rouse his supporters. He used his thugs and followers to enforce his violence using methods that ultimately raised the atmosphere of fear for all. He made barbaric behavior the accepted norm. People turned on each other; no friend or family member was immune to the brutality, and soon, the terrifying atmosphere he designed made many that would not have joined his effort, eventually enter the ranks of the heinous Nazis. Some did it to save themselves, but many joined to serve their own greed and to foster the hate and jealousy they had always held within them, the anger they had always harbored toward those more successful than they. To those who recognized the hate being spewed by Hitler, the reasons for joining the party, coupled with the reprehensible behavior it encouraged, seemed to simply defy logic, yet still, more and more followed him.

Hitler captured the devotion and loyalty of the young, those whose minds were not fully formed, the vulnerable who needed to feel wanted and secure, the old who were beleaguered by life, and those who truly enjoyed preying on others, those willing to turn against their families and former friends. For these followers, supporting Germany and Hitler superseded all else. Hitler became a god. Restoring Germany’s reputation depended not on their hard work and success, but on their ability to destroy their perceived enemies by any means necessary, on their ability to blame the victims for what they were actually doing. As thugs and haters became more and more powerful, as they set their sights on certain elements of society, a great number among them, of course, as history has told us, were the Jews. As they became the targets, they were in greater and greater danger with little or no chance of escaping the wrath of the Nazis. However, soon, even some of those who supported the Nazis, lived in fear. Their safety was not guaranteed either, as those in power, the pack of animals passing for humans, could turn on a dime against them for any perceived infraction. Fear was what governed the people and kept them in line.

The book unleashed a well of emotion in me since anti-Semitism seems to be on the rise again. Jews then, and now, are being blamed for the anger that was, and is, directed toward them; they are told that it is their own behavior that has brought down this wrath upon them, that by virtue of their own behavior, they have become the enemy.

The narrator of this book was marvelous. She portrayed each character appropriately, with accent and tone of voice. Her expression captured every moment of history realistically, arousing the appropriate emotional response from the reader. She never interfered with the story, but rather enhanced it.

When a writer’s dear friend of several decades, her former teacher and mentor, a well known author, attempts to commit suicide, the results are devastating for her. Her grief seems unrelenting. When offered the opportunity to care for his rather large dog, she refuses at first, but then she relents, even though her lease specifically states no dogs allowed! The dog’s presence will make her feel her friend is still with her, and his absence will be less complete.
Although we never learn the names of the characters, except for Apollo, the Harlequin Dane, we know many of them are actively involved in the world of words. The story is told in the first person as the author relates her feelings regarding writing, teaching, suicide, sex slaves, abusive male behavior, animal relationships and human relationships.
From the beginning, it feels like a treatise on several progressive principles, on the right to take one’s own life, on women’s rights and women’s needs, on women’s behavior and women’s struggles and on men’s toxicity regarding their thoughts on and treatment of women. It is a perfect presentation of the current political themes being publicized and stressed in today’s environment. Like so many books today, liberal principles were out front. The men are portrayed practically as serial abusers, and the women are the unwilling, or sometimes, willingly, abused participants.
The book, in great detail, lays out how the author deals with her loss through her relationship with her friend’s dog, now in need of an owner, and this relationship is also compared to the devoted and sometimes loyal relationship of human to human, as well. Can a dog be a kind of substitute spouse!
Although the language felt unnecessarily crude, at times, the book is thoughtful and decisive in its clear presentation of relationships and the reactions to the loss of same. It is told well, and at times, the reader may feel it is more like a memoir than a novel. In essence, this book is about loss, the immediate and delayed reactions to it, the grieving process, the eventual adjustment to it, and the recovery.
The main character, the grieving author, teaches journaling. Essentially, this book is her story, her journal. She is relating it to the reader. The journey she relates will take the reader into her most personal moments. Her fairly relaxed, cavalier attitude towards life and its rules may appear in contradiction to her overwhelming feelings of loss, at times. The surprising similarities and coincidences concerning our relationship with humans and animals will make the reader think or raise an eyebrow in wonder, at times.
What is the main purpose of the novel? Is it about friendship, loss, grief, relationships, love, devotion, fidelity, abuse? Is it about changing times, politics? What is the main character’s ultimate purpose? We do not discover much until the end. There are a dozen parts to this story, and they all come together in the end, in a surprising reveal.
Can an animal take the place of a human in someone’s life? Is it a positive or negative quality if a book seems more real than the fiction it was meant to be? Is the issue of support animals being abused for the right reasons, or is it wrong no matter what? Can a dog have human thoughts and feelings? Are writers privileged, and therefore, are they sometimes white supremacists? Should taking one’s life be considered a bad thing or a choice? Do we have a right to make that choice over living or dying?
In the end, does the author conclude that some writers, largely the young, new students, have become intolerant to new ideas; are they too politically correct and/too political? Are students unwilling to hear thoughts they disagree with so they can come to terms with them? Have novels become politicized? Are they no longer about anything but social issues?
There is added interest in this novel as quotes from renowned authors and philosophers, perhaps not always well known or popular, are provided to illustrate the author’s feelings. The narrator of the audio reads it in what feels like a somewhat flat, dead-pan manner which is perfect for this novel because it neither gives the reveal away nor does it even hint at it until the final moment when the truth is told. Is the author writing a kind of memoir or a novel about her friend? The reader will wonder, what is real, what is not?

The Wolf and the Watchman, Niklas Natt och Dag, author; Caspar Rundegren, Clara Andersson, narrators
I understand, after completing this book, why it won awards and acclaim. It was well researched and the use of the English language was exceptional. However, the extensive descriptions of excessive brutality made it really hard to keep reading, at times. Actually, at the half way point, I almost gave up. The gruesome depictions of torture and vicious human behavior, when pushed to the edge of sanity, were becoming too graphic; they made my stomach turn. However, I made a decision to stick with it and just after that point, the illustrations of violence actually did diminish for awhile, and that made it easier to continue. I generally enjoy the writings of Scandinavian authors, and this book was so widely praised, I wanted to find out why.
The author describes situations that exist beyond the edges of most imaginations. The book is not for the faint of heart. I truly found it hard to understand how someone, from a noble heritage, who used the language so beautifully, could write something so grotesque about the past. The sadism was beyond the beyond and yet, if it is based on history it makes the subject matter even more difficult to absorb or comprehend. Throughout the book, there are many characters introduced with seeming little importance to the novel, but, by the end, they are all tied in so well, that there are no questions left unanswered and the reader is fully satisfied.
When a body is discovered that has been viciously mutilated, the wolf, a dying Inspector, Carl Winge, and the watchman, Mickel Cardell, an injured former soldier, team up to solve the murder. Both men have secret reasons for wanting to solve this crime. Both men need to do it to obtain their own closure because of the private ghosts they carry within their thoughts and dreams.
The book is truly gruesome because the torture described is excessively violent and must be the result of what has to be an incredibly depraved mind. The narrative reveals the decadence and corruption of the times, (the time is 1793), as well as the extent of the poverty and the bizarre and cruel punishments of the times. The people seemed to be filled with a blood lust and the inequality of the class divide was a catalyst for revolution and death. During this time, Marie Antoinette was beheaded.
The extensive misery suffered by the citizenry seems to have reached a boiling point and the capacity for compassion was often lost while the capacity for barbaric behavior increased. The anti-Semitism of the day was introduced with characters that portray the stereotype of the cold-hearted, moneylending Jew. If you were not part of the royal scene, you lived from hand to mouth and often were practically forced to behave unethically and amorally. Human life was devalued. Women, especially, were powerless and often subjected to unfair punishments for behavior forced upon them. Desperation grew and with it, the atmosphere in society grew darker and more dangerous.
The double entendre in the meaning of the words watchman and wolf is subtly introduced throughout the pages and the impact of the varied definitions effects the reader’s understanding and appreciation of the book, even with its painfully, monstrous descriptions of the times and the people. What is a wolf? What is a watchman? What purpose do they serve? As the characters lives are developed slowly, and yet, in great detail, the reader is tantalized with questions of who they are and what purpose they serve in the novel. In the end, it is all revealed.
So even though it was a difficult read, the value of the book for me, was in its creativity, its structure and its language. There really was not even one wasted word or phrase, so I am glad I stuck with the novel. It sure held my interest once I was able to tolerate the brutality.
The audio book was read exceptionally well by the narrators as they did not get in the way of the book, but rather read it with appropriate tone and emphasis, presenting each character appropriately.
So, in conclusion, it took me a long time to finally finish this book. I found it to be a powerful novel, which was difficult to read because of the violence and excessive brutality described in such graphic detail. I wondered what kind of a person could imagine such sadistic behavior. Yet, it was one of the most creatively crafted books I have read in ages, and it didn't seem to be designed to brainwash the reader as so many books are designed to do today, in the current political climate. The author used words so effectively, that I was placed in the setting, experiencing the moment with the characters, and that perhaps is why it was so difficult to read. Still, it captured my complete attention and encouraged me to do some research on the times to see if the history was true to form, and that, to me, is a great and important reason for reading a book.
If it encourages learning, it is more meaningful to me.

The Confessions of Frannie Langton: A Novel, Sara Collins, author, Sara Collins and Roy McMillan, and narrators This was a very well read, by both narrators, and well written book. The author knew her characters well and expressed their personalities with the tone and timbre of her voice, using accents when necessary to also identify particular characters. Her prose was lyrical and really enjoyable to read, although the subject matter was violent and heinous at times. Frances Langton, a mulatto house slave, was educated in her master’s home by his wife Bella. She was the bastard child of a white master and his slave. Both are unknown to her. She lived on the Langton sugar plantation called Paradise, which is an oxymoron, in Jamaica, in the West Indies. It was a place of brutality and experimentation. Langton was a cruel and sadistic man who engaged in the research of race and the lack of its positive attributes in his slaves, a project he learned about and was encouraged to pursue by his mentor. In regard to this pursuit, he used his own daughter as his scribe, including her in his illegal pursuits, like grave robbing and experimentation on the slaves and their offspring in order to further his endeavor to prove that they were a largely uneducable, inferior race. He also used Frances for sex. She was resented by Bella, the reasons for which would be learned later on in the novel. Bella could be as manipulative and aggressive as her husband. They both manipulated others with their power and with threats and intimidation, often with catastrophic results. A fire at the plantation and the death of Bella’s father voided whatever agreement had been originally arranged between them. Bella turned her husband and Frannie out. In failing health, he escaped to London with her and gifted her to a new master, George Benhem, who had been his inspiration for the research, experiments, and the book to be called “Crania”, which he hoped to publish. Both men were engaged in experimentation, and were exploiting the law. Both were writing books. Frannie soon became the secret consort of Benhem’s fickle and laudanum addicted wife, Marguerite, an unhappy woman who was bored and very disappointed with her life, although she wanted for little. Frannie was powerless, and although educated, she was naïve and victimized by many as the years passed. For a little more than a decade, the reader follows Frannie’s development with her trials and tribulations. These revelations explore the racism and abuse that the slaves were subjected to, the lack of women’s rights, the omniscient power of the male, and the corruption in the legal system and halls of Old Bailey. Barely 21 or so, Frannie’s life was one of mistreatment and frustration. When Frannie was accused of killing her master and mistress, she was arrested. Her lawyer asked her to write down her story and this novel is based on the result. Facts were misrepresented, lies were told, and the reader will wonder if justice was done. Although it is promoted as a book about racial injustice and murder, it is also about the lesbian affair between her master’s wife and herself. The meaning of love is explored. The book, using historic facts, exposes the betrayals that were so prevalent at the time, the lack of trust that existed and the overtly accepted and widely tolerated racist behavior. It exposes the treatment of slaves as beasts of burden and illustrates the efforts of the early anti-slavery movement across the pond. The whites were depicted as malevolent, and the blacks, regardless of the demand, were required to be obedient. What will ultimately happen to Frances Langton? Will it be a fair verdict? Will anyone come forward to tell another story other than the one presented at the trial by some who lie with abandon, condemning her for a crime she may or may not have committed, because they believe she is a lesser human being who is of little value and therefore may be sacrificed to protect the reputation of someone of the upper class. The book exposes injustice, cruelty and the abuse of a people based simply on skin color, but it also abuses the reader by not putting the lesbian relationship front and center in the blurbs and reviews so that the reader may decide whether or not to read the book with its descriptive sexual behavior. Perhaps as the slaves were manipulated so are the readers by a publishing industry that seeks to promote certain issues for political purposes.

Although, as the title suggests, it is somewhat more positive in its approach to the description of Donald Trump, Hanson has meticulously analyzed the man and his behavior, warts and all. Unlike the plethora of “hit” books that have been published on Trump by his enemies, the press, the entertainment world, the tech sector, the never-Trumpers, the Democrats, extreme Progressives and Republicans who dislike him, this one also exposes the cruelty, contempt and violence associated with these extremists, since before and after his election, and couples it with an analysis of Obama’s errors and the animus that is directed towards him by those that yearn for a return to the politics of the Left, or better still, another election or nullification of the previous one so they can install Hillary to her rightful place on the throne.

Hanson cites specific examples and quotes to support his arguments. He explains why the left wants to stack the Supreme Court if elected, why they want to nullify Trump’s appointments to the courts and other posts, why the left wants to abolish the Electoral College giving a vast amount of unfair advantage to just a few, huge, liberal states, but most important, he exposes the method to their madness. There are no anonymous sources in the book, as there are in most of the negative books about Trump. There is little innuendo and few opinions. Everything is fact based, backed up with evidence and supported by documents or statements that can be checked out for accuracy and veracity by the reader with a little effort.

The elite liberals are still angry about the loss of the election by Hillary Clinton. Her minions in the entertainment world and media are actively making statements that are out of character when compared to what used to be the typical political scene. These angry partisans have multiplied their efforts so that it is a tsunami of hate directed toward the man, in far greater proportion to his own foolish remarks, and they are also far more violent and far less humorous. The left has not gone higher, as they said, but rather far lower, in the show of contempt and in the exhibition of fury and poor sportsmanship. In some cases some on the left are advocating for the White House to be blown up, the President to be assassinated and his family to be dragged through the mud, and his supporters to be annihilated. Unable to accept the loss, some will do anything to overturn this President, use any means and say anything, regardless of its lawfulness, its lack of decency, or its relationship to the truth. They accuse him and his followers of acts never committed. They simply want to turn the clock back and defeat him, at any cost, even their own honor and dignity.

Hanson analyzes both the behavior of those on the right and those on the left with regard to racism, equality, honesty, socialism and capitalism, among many other topics. The left has bullied the public and spread information that is only one-sided which helped skew the 2018 elections in their favor. A lie told often enough is eventually viewed as the truth by those who don’t check further. They engage in obstruction while accusing Trump of just that. They fight the immigration policy, although it is a security risk for the country and unsustainable at the numbers today. They lie to the public even as they accuse him of the same. They know this, but they have only one interest, defeat Trump, allow no success, smear his supporters as in the case of Brett Kavanaugh, and shame his followers. They have taken Trump’s immature name calling and turned it into an art form of their very own.

The better course of action would be to accept the successes of this President, the one that they did not vote for, the one they did not think could win. He is a man who is unskilled in the ways of politics. Would it not be better to work with him to make the country successful? Would it not be better to help him learn how to behave more diplomatically? It makes no sense to call him names, to lower themselves to using unacceptable behavior, under any circumstances, just because they want to retaliate against him for his insults. If we learn by the example, they are setting a poor one, as is evidenced by the rash of hateful behavior toward the right.

Trump’s insults pale, in the light of theirs on the left. In a less chaotic, oppositional environment, perhaps Trump’s twitter and crude behavior would ebb. Perhaps Americans would see some real reforms and progress in our government; perhaps our elected officials would govern and not behave like spoiled brats.

With the cards of hatred stacked so high against him and his administration, Trump has no choice but to use whatever avenue is open to him, to send his message, to reach those who support his policies, and even to reach some who do not support him, but who recognize that the alternative with their policies, is far worse. It is becoming more and more of a possibility that we will lurch to the left and take a violent turn towards socialism as our young people believe that government should provide for them, not that they should assist their government. They are inclined to throw away their freedom in support of “greed and weed”.

While the left idolized Obama, often unrealistically, and demanded little from him regarding information on his background, while the left hardly judged and largely excused his past behavior with the likes of Bill Ayers and Reverend Wright, they despise Trump with such venom that they want to destroy him without reason or cause and seek to find out information they have no legal right to have, simply to search for a reason to trap or smear him. They even tried to make up accusations in order to secretly investigate him, ad nauseum, in order to hopefully find a crime where none existed. They insist that he prove his innocence under an opaque cloud of guilt, although a guiding American principle had always been before, that a man was innocent until he was proven guilty.

Although the left disliked Mitch McConnell for wanting Obama to be a one-term President, they don’t even want to allow Trump to complete his first term. They predicted horrific outcomes if he was in charge, yet none have come to fruition. The opposite has often been achieved with successes in the economy and in foreign policy. Still, they have tried to thwart his every effort, even going so far as attempting to sabotage it, as with Kerry’s interference in Iran. With McConnell and Obama, it was one person largely leading the opposition. With the left, Pelosi, Schumer, Waters, Perez, Castro, Jackson, Hirono, Warren, Harris, Biden, and so many more, have doubled down with hateful remarks, even advocating violence against Trump and his family, down to his grandchildren; insisting that the opposition get in their faces to show they are unwanted. When will they realize that they are provoking an atmosphere encouraging the violence we are experiencing far to often, with their vicious rhetoric, even as they unfairly accuse the other side of doing it?

The left has attacked those in the administration without reason and used tactics against the right that would never have been accepted had they been used against the left, nor would they have been tolerated had they even been directed toward Obama, his family or his minions, as is evidenced in the extreme with what happened to Roseanne Barr. The charge of racism would have been loud and clear, among others, and it would have silenced any opposition to the left and their policies. Appealing to the angry emotions of supporters, regardless of the validity of the complaint, has become their norm. The right would have been described as heartless, at the very least, and yet this despicable behavior, largely by the left, is now lauded by them, when it is directed toward the right, whom they denigrate and despise. With a complicit press and the liberal towers of learning on their side, they are gaining ground..

Social media algorithms unfairly targeted the right as politics was turned on its head during Obama’s administration; now it continues to be abused by both sides! The hypocrisy exposed in this book, is exposed logically and gently, without the anger or hatred largely exhibited by the left, in their books, but with a clear-eyed look at the evidence that has been presented over the last two years, like the outrageous preponderance of negative news, in the 90th percentile. Hanson offers an eye-opening view of the political stage today as he completely disarms the argument that Obama’s reign was scandal free by citing specific instances that prove otherwise. Who can forget the mechanization of the IRS against the conservatives or the pretense that it was a video that caused riots in Benghazi and the death of the Ambassador and others or the middle of the night, secret flight of a plane filled with cash for Iran?

Although, at times, it is a bit repetitious, because a topic is sometimes mentioned early on and not fully explored until further on in the narrative, it is for the most part, a book that should be widely read, not because it supports Trump, but because it exposes his failures with the failures of the left and society. We have raised a future generation, not of mature adults, but of adults with arrested development, adults who cannot lose gracefully, who have forgotten the meaning of good sportsmanship, compromise and compassion. The ability to regroup and learn from one’s mistakes is what made America so resourceful, successful and strong. Rational rather than irrational responses were the norm. Instead, today, we have people needing safe spaces for ridiculous reasons and adults screaming inside closets because they can’t cope with the realities of life. We have an opposition party that is engaging in a horrific amount of unfair and unnecessary bias expressed toward those on the right, toward those who won. They are advocating violent behavior toward those they call “deplorables”. While all this is going on, the left is turning a blind eye to its own disgraceful behavior and is projecting it on innocent people who have done nothing to offend them, except to have won. How will this end?

Although, as the title suggests, it is somewhat more positive in its approach to the description of Donald Trump, Hanson has meticulously analyzed the man and his behavior, warts and all. Unlike the plethora of “hit” books that have been published on Trump by his enemies, the press, the entertainment world, the tech sector, the never-Trumpers, the Democrats, extreme Progressives and Republicans who dislike him, this one also exposes the cruelty, contempt and violence associated with these extremists, since before and after his election, and couples it with an analysis of Obama’s errors and the animus that is directed towards him by those that yearn for a return to the politics of the Left, or better still, another election or nullification of the previous one so they can install Hillary to her rightful place on the throne.

Hanson cites specific examples and quotes to support his arguments. He explains why the left wants to stack the Supreme Court if elected, why they want to nullify Trump’s appointments to the courts and other posts, why the left wants to abolish the Electoral College giving a vast amount of unfair advantage to just a few, huge, liberal states, but most important, he exposes the method to their madness. There are no anonymous sources in the book, as there are in most of the negative books about Trump. There is little innuendo and few opinions. Everything is fact based, backed up with evidence and supported by documents or statements that can be checked out for accuracy and veracity by the reader with a little effort.

The elite liberals are still angry about the loss of the election by Hillary Clinton. Her minions in the entertainment world and media are actively making statements that are out of character when compared to what used to be the typical political scene. These angry partisans have multiplied their efforts so that it is a tsunami of hate directed toward the man, in far greater proportion to his own foolish remarks, and they are also far more violent and far less humorous. The left has not gone higher, as they said, but rather far lower, in the show of contempt and in the exhibition of fury and poor sportsmanship. In some cases some on the left are advocating for the White House to be blown up, the President to be assassinated and his family to be dragged through the mud, and his supporters to be annihilated. Unable to accept the loss, some will do anything to overturn this President, use any means and say anything, regardless of its lawfulness, its lack of decency, or its relationship to the truth. They accuse him and his followers of acts never committed. They simply want to turn the clock back and defeat him, at any cost, even their own honor and dignity.

Hanson analyzes both the behavior of those on the right and those on the left with regard to racism, equality, honesty, socialism and capitalism, among many other topics. The left has bullied the public and spread information that is only one-sided which helped skew the 2018 elections in their favor. A lie told often enough is eventually viewed as the truth by those who don’t check further. They engage in obstruction while accusing Trump of just that. They fight the immigration policy, although it is a security risk for the country and unsustainable at the numbers today. They lie to the public even as they accuse him of the same. They know this, but they have only one interest, defeat Trump, allow no success, smear his supporters as in the case of Brett Kavanaugh, and shame his followers. They have taken Trump’s immature name calling and turned it into an art form of their very own.

The better course of action would be to accept the successes of this President, the one that they did not vote for, the one they did not think could win. He is a man who is unskilled in the ways of politics. Would it not be better to work with him to make the country successful? Would it not be better to help him learn how to behave more diplomatically? It makes no sense to call him names, to lower themselves to using unacceptable behavior, under any circumstances, just because they want to retaliate against him for his insults. If we learn by the example, they are setting a poor one, as is evidenced by the rash of hateful behavior toward the right.

Trump’s insults pale, in the light of theirs on the left. In a less chaotic, oppositional environment, perhaps Trump’s twitter and crude behavior would ebb. Perhaps Americans would see some real reforms and progress in our government; perhaps our elected officials would govern and not behave like spoiled brats.

With the cards of hatred stacked so high against him and his administration, Trump has no choice but to use whatever avenue is open to him, to send his message, to reach those who support his policies, and even to reach some who do not support him, but who recognize that the alternative with their policies, is far worse. It is becoming more and more of a possibility that we will lurch to the left and take a violent turn towards socialism as our young people believe that government should provide for them, not that they should assist their government. They are inclined to throw away their freedom in support of “greed and weed”.

While the left idolized Obama, often unrealistically, and demanded little from him regarding information on his background, while the left hardly judged and largely excused his past behavior with the likes of Bill Ayers and Reverend Wright, they despise Trump with such venom that they want to destroy him without reason or cause and seek to find out information they have no legal right to have, simply to search for a reason to trap or smear him. They even tried to make up accusations in order to secretly investigate him, ad nauseum, in order to hopefully find a crime where none existed. They insist that he prove his innocence under an opaque cloud of guilt, although a guiding American principle had always been before, that a man was innocent until he was proven guilty.

Although the left disliked Mitch McConnell for wanting Obama to be a one-term President, they don’t even want to allow Trump to complete his first term. They predicted horrific outcomes if he was in charge, yet none have come to fruition. The opposite has often been achieved with successes in the economy and in foreign policy. Still, they have tried to thwart his every effort, even going so far as attempting to sabotage it, as with Kerry’s interference in Iran. With McConnell and Obama, it was one person largely leading the opposition. With the left, Pelosi, Schumer, Waters, Perez, Castro, Jackson, Hirono, Warren, Harris, Biden, and so many more, have doubled down with hateful remarks, even advocating violence against Trump and his family, down to his grandchildren; insisting that the opposition get in their faces to show they are unwanted. When will they realize that they are provoking an atmosphere encouraging the violence we are experiencing far to often, with their vicious rhetoric, even as they unfairly accuse the other side of doing it?

The left has attacked those in the administration without reason and used tactics against the right that would never have been accepted had they been used against the left, nor would they have been tolerated had they even been directed toward Obama, his family or his minions, as is evidenced in the extreme with what happened to Roseanne Barr. The charge of racism would have been loud and clear, among others, and it would have silenced any opposition to the left and their policies. Appealing to the angry emotions of supporters, regardless of the validity of the complaint, has become their norm. The right would have been described as heartless, at the very least, and yet this despicable behavior, largely by the left, is now lauded by them, when it is directed toward the right, whom they denigrate and despise. With a complicit press and the liberal towers of learning on their side, they are gaining ground..

Social media algorithms unfairly targeted the right as politics was turned on its head during Obama’s administration; now it continues to be abused by both sides! The hypocrisy exposed in this book, is exposed logically and gently, without the anger or hatred largely exhibited by the left, in their books, but with a clear-eyed look at the evidence that has been presented over the last two years, like the outrageous preponderance of negative news, in the 90th percentile. Hanson offers an eye-opening view of the political stage today as he completely disarms the argument that Obama’s reign was scandal free by citing specific instances that prove otherwise. Who can forget the mechanization of the IRS against the conservatives or the pretense that it was a video that caused riots in Benghazi and the death of the Ambassador and others or the middle of the night, secret flight of a plane filled with cash for Iran?

Although, at times, it is a bit repetitious, because a topic is sometimes mentioned early on and not fully explored until further on in the narrative, it is for the most part, a book that should be widely read, not because it supports Trump, but because it exposes his failures with the failures of the left and society. We have raised a future generation, not of mature adults, but of adults with arrested development, adults who cannot lose gracefully, who have forgotten the meaning of good sportsmanship, compromise and compassion. The ability to regroup and learn from one’s mistakes is what made America so resourceful, successful and strong. Rational rather than irrational responses were the norm. Instead, today, we have people needing safe spaces for ridiculous reasons and adults screaming inside closets because they can’t cope with the realities of life. We have an opposition party that is engaging in a horrific amount of unfair and unnecessary bias expressed toward those on the right, toward those who won. They are advocating violent behavior toward those they call “deplorables”. While all this is going on, the left is turning a blind eye to its own disgraceful behavior and is projecting it on innocent people who have done nothing to offend them, except to have won. How will this end?