The Lifeboat by
Charlotte Rogan is a story about a life and death situation. A lifeboat adrift
at sea where plots and schemes are made. It leaves one women fighting for her
life and freedom as she is on trial for murder.
The year is 1914 and the ship Empress Alexandra has left
Europe with many of its passengers escaping the outbreak of World War I. A fire
soon breaks out board the ship. Newlywed Grace Winter makes it aboard Lifeboat
number 14 with crew member John Hardie and numerous other passengers. As each
day passes on the lifeboat, tensions build and tempers flare as the chance of
rescue get slimmer and slimmer. Mr. Hardie, who had taken charge, seems to have
lost his mind and the others mutiny resulting in his death. When they are rescued,
Grace and two other women are accused of first degree murder. What really happened
aboard the lifeboat? Will Grace go free or be convicted?
I checked this book out of the library but had to force
myself to sit down and read it because it was due to back soon. Once I started
reading, I could not put it down. I was able to finish it in a few hours. The story
was intriguing. I wanted to finish to see how Grace is recused and what events
led to her being accused of murder. I can’t really say anymore because it would
give away main points. I enjoyed this book and I recommend it to anyone who
enjoys a survival story with a twist.
The View, a TV
talk show, which claims to be a place five women from different points of view
together to discuss the headlines of the day since it began airing in 1997.
Recently, the show came under fire for criticizing and mocking a Miss America
contestant, Miss Colorado Kelley Johnson. Since everyone is familiar with the
segment and the ongoing outrage and backlash, I will not rehash it here.
However, I do want to extend my appreciation for the millions of nurses. To the
nurses who were a part of the happiest moment and the devastated moments of my
life. I don’t remember your names but you have left an impression on my heart
and memory.
To the nurse who sat by my side while I was in labor with my
daughter, Abby. The nurse who talked with us and helped pass the time as best
as possible. The nurse who guided my husband as we prepared for the stage to
bring our daughter into the world. And when the doctor was stitching me from
the episiotomy and didn’t listen when I said I could feel the needle, the nurse
who quietly gave me another dose of pain medication through my epidural. The
nurse who brought my newborn daughter to us and quietly shooed my mom out of
the room. The nurse who stood in the background as my husband and I marveled at
the new person in our lives and stayed with us until they took me to my recovery
room. It’s been almost four years since then and I still remember. Thank you
for the amazing job you did that day.
To the nurses who attended me while I was
in the hospital desperate to stay pregnant with Ziva and ultimately rushed into
an emergency C-section. To the nurse who held me as the anesthesiologist put in
the spinal block. The nurse who let me squeeze her arm even when I left nail
marks. The nurse who reassured me that she would not let me fall. To the nurse
who was at my bedside when I woke up in the surgical recovery room and made
sure I was as comfortable as possible. To the nurse who brought my daughter in
so I could hold her for the first and last time. To the nurse who would come in
and check my vitals. She always apologize for waking me up and she come in,
checked and was out as quickly as possible. To the nurse who I saw in my
aftercare. I was given an appointment I didn’t need but still took the time to
listen to my story, cried with me, prayed with me and even recommended a great
doctor.
To the nurse who sat with me in the ER exam room and made
sure I was comfortable. Many people don’t know this but on August 13th
of this year, I suffered a miscarriage which sent me to the ER. This nurse made
sure I was comfortable and warm because, of course, I had the exam room right
next to the ambulance door. The nurse who apologized for the wait and explained
what the doctor was waiting for before coming in with my results. The nurse who
turned down the lights so my husband and I could get as much sleep as we could
while we waited. The nurse who didn’t
hesitate when she saw that we were ready to go home, got my discharge papers
and sent us home with best wishes.
I’ve heard many good and bad stories about nurses. I’ve had
a few bad ones too. However, the great nurses are the ones which stand out in
my mind. I think I would have a hard time doing the job that they do. And for
the women on the The View to openly
mock a profession which they do not understand and will need throughout their
lives is just plain stupid. To the millions of nurses who work tirelessly every
day for patients and doctors who may or may not appreciate what you do, I say
thank you. I have seen what you do and I appreciate you. To me, you are the
hero of the medical field.
Shoo, Fly! You Can’t
Eat Here by Liller Hamilton is a story of how a common housefly becomes an
unwelcome guest at a school lunch table. Each children with a healthy item for
their lunch, shoos the fly away until the fly gives up and leaves. The book
offers the opportunity for discussion with children about healthy eating
habits.
When the book arrived, my 3 year old daughter immediately wanted
me to read it to her. As she knows how annoying and pesky flies can be, she
laughed and imitated the children as they shooed the fly from their delicious
food. Reading along and seeing the different healthy options, my daughter would
put out the ones she loved (which was all of them). I recommend Shoo, Fly! You Can’t Eat Here for any
family’s library or classroom library was another tool to introduce to children
healthy food options.
The Hobbit or There
and Back again by JRR Tolkien (1892-1973) was first published September 21,
1937. A fantasy novel which has gripped the imaginations of its readers since
its publication. It was nominated for the Carnegie Medal and was awarded a
prize from the New York Herald Tribune for best juvenile fiction. It is the
quest of home-loving Bilbo Baggins to win a share of a treasure guarded by the
dragon, Smaug. He is accompanied by 13 dwarves who seek to reclaim their home
under the Lonely Mountain. The book was such a success that a sequel was
requested by the publisher. The Lord of
the Rings was published in three parts: The Fellowship of the Ring (July 29, 1954), The Two Towers (November 11, 1954) and The Return of the King (October 20, 1955) to great success and
established Tolkien’s Middle Earth in the hearts and minds of generations.
The genre of The
Hobbit is the narrative models of children’s literature. It is one of a
handful of children’s books to be accepted into mainstream literature. Another
example would be J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series. Although Tolkien’s books
are now shelved with adult fiction while the Harry Potter series is still found
in the children’s sections of bookstores. The writing style of The Hobbit is unpretentious and
straightforward narrative which provides details in a down-to-earth and causal
style. This style draws in the reader into the reality of Middle Earth as
events of a past long ago rather than a mystical world of another place.
Tolkien was highly influenced by William Morris’ reconstructions
of early Germanic life in The House of
the Wolfings (1888) and The Roots of
the Mountains (1889). Character names such as "Gandolf" and the
horse Silverfax were used by Tolkien as tribute to Morris. Tolkien’s The
Necromancer was influenced by Samuel Rutherford Crockett’s The Black Douglas (1899), a tale about the fall of the great House
of Douglas is the focus of this romance set in 15th century Scotland. George
MacDonald’s The Princess and the Goblin
(1872) influenced Tolkien to create his goblins. MacDonald’s works also
influenced Tolkien’s thinking on the role of fantasy with his Christian faith.
Tolkien drew heavily from mythology. In particular, Norse mythology for the
Dwarfish runes. Also the Old English epic poem of Beowulf, the hero of the Geats who comes to the aid of the king of
the Danes to defeat the monster Grendel. Beowulf
is the oldest surviving poem (8th – early 11th
century) in Old English and is cited as one of the most important works of Old
English literature. Tolkien was among the first to present Beowulf as literature not just history in his lecture Beowulf: the
Monsters and the Critics (1936), a lecture which is still required reading in
some Old English courses.
There are many themes present in The Hobbit. Some scholars believe that the book is a parable for
Tolkien’s World War I experiences. The hero who is plucked from his home,
thrown into a far-off war with traditional types of heroism were futile and ingenuity
helps him survive. The classic quest
which tests the hero’s strength, resolve and abilities to see it though. The
quest also influences the maturity and personal growth of Bilbo by the novel’s
end is in contrast with the dwarves’ arrested development. Bilbo learns to survive
by his wits and stands up in the face of great danger. Bilbo learns to overcome
greed and selfishness in order to prevent war over greed for the treasure.
The Hobbit has
never been out of print and is considered a classic among other works like The Pilgrim’s Progress, Gone with the Wind,
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and many and many others. It was named the
most original and best fantasy ever written by the Schools Library Association.
It is geared toward boys between 11-14 years old; however, every one of all
ages can enjoy Tolkien’s books. Of course, the Peter Jackson’s films have
helped bring Middle Earth to broader audience. If you have never read The
Hobbit or The Lord of the Rings, I highly recommend it.
Reading Lolita in
Tehran by Azar Nafisi is the memoir of Nafisi and her life as a literature
professor during the changing times in Iran. She meets with a group of students
to read and discuss books which are quickly being banned under the new regime. Through
the world’s classics, she must teach against increasing oppression of thought,
ideas and overall freedom. In the twenty
years that the book covers, the streets of Tehran become a war zone under the
ayatollah as she calls him, “the self-proclaimed philosopher/king” who came to
restore a past that he claims was stolen and women became the “figment of
someone else’s dream.”
Nafisi describes life in the Islamic Republic as “capricious
as the month of April, when short periods of sunshine would suddenly give way
to showers and storms.” The cycles of changes and crackdown, arbitrary rules
which distracted her teaching. She would eventually teaching, in secret, a
group of students in order to escape the censor. They wanted to live, think and
exist freely as human beings which was being suppressed by the government. She
uses world classics as parallels to what is happening around them. For Lolita, she attributes Humbert as a dictator
who “was interested only in his own vision of other people” and when they didn’t
live up to the vision, he turns “vicious and violent.” Nafisi tells stories of
the horrors some of her students suffer at the whim of the guards for, what we
would call minor infractions, and received horrible treatment. “No matter how they may be broken, the victims
will not be forced into submission” she writes as it fuels their resolve to
resist and live according to who they are, not who the government says they should
be.
During the time when the Iranian government heated against
the United States. The debate between the regime’s dictates for their lives and
the outside world heats up when her class discusses The Great Gatsby. Her class discusses the novel as the government
begins to use the evil of American imperialism as reasons for their oppressive
rules. American become “the never-never land” a land of both Satan (to the
government) and the Promise Land (to the people). She decides to have a trial
to discuss the merits of the book. The student representing the prosecution uses
the novel as evidence that to “kill the American dream” is to kill the American
society. The defense uses the novel as an example of how people destroy themselves.
She ultimately ends the trial with “Dreams are perfect ideals, complete in
themselves. How can you impose them on a constantly changing, imperfect,
incomplete reality? You would become a Humbert, destroying the object of your
dream, or a Gatsby, destroying yourself.” Many would still be unable to see The Great Gatsby as a lesson in what not
to do rather than how to live.
After she leaves the university in the spring of 1981, for
refusing to teach wearing the veil, books because her own sanctuary as her
husband fails to see her turmoil about the new restrictions on women. She grows
increasing restless and insecure in her home that she wants to leave. She tells
her husband that “living in the Islamic Republic is like having sex with a man
you loathe.” She described it as making your mind bland and pretending to be
somewhere else. She would finally leave on June 24, 1997. She ends her memoir
with an epilogue which follows her student around the world. Some are still in
Iran and some are in other countries. Some she has lost contact with and some
she hears from on occasion.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I cheered with her as she
defended herself, her beloved books and her freedom. I love she writes a story
about resilience against tyranny and the liberating power of literature. Nafisi
writes that “the best fiction always forced us to question what we took for
granted. It questioned traditions and expectations when they seemed too
immutable.” While many criticism of the book say it’s one sided, I find that to
be the whole point. Throughout the book, she illustrates how we cannot be all
of one thought, of on belief. We all have different points of view. My description
of an event with different from someone who sat next to me and saw the same
event. I find that her point is that through literature, we can see lessons for
our lives. We can have different opinions about life, books and still live
together. While I disagreed with her assessment of Jane Austen, I found her
passion for literature and what it can bring to our lives as exhilarating. I
recommend Reading Lolita in Tehran.
It will open your eyes to new literature, a different way of life, and perhaps
appreciation for what you took for granted.
American history classes often skip over the War of 1812 but
it is an important part of our country’s history as it was the first real war
of a new nation. It would also give us our National Anthem. On this day in
1814, Fort McHenry began its defense of Baltimore Harbor from the British Navy
attack in the Chesapeake Bay. On the morning of September 14th, a
large garrison flag was raised to signal American victory. The sight inspired
Francis Scott Key, who was aboard his ship among the British fleet, to write
his poem “Defence of Fort M’Henry” which would late become “The Star-Spangled
Banner.”
Key was aboard the British ship in order to negotiate
prisoner release. He was not allowed to return his ship to Baltimore and was
forced to watch the bombardment, unable to do anything to help. At dawn, he saw
the flag and reported it to the prisoners below. When he returned to Baltimore,
he would write his famous poem. Many do not know or have never read the full
poem.
Defence of Fort
M’Henry
The annexed song was composed under the following
circumstances--A gentleman had left Baltimore, in a flag of truce for the
purpose of getting released from the British fleet, a friend of his who had
been captured at Marlborough.--He went as far as the mouth of the Patuxent, and
was not permitted to return lest the intended attack on Baltimore should be
disclosed. He was therefore brought up the Bay to the mouth of the Patapsco,
where the flag vessel was kept under the guns of a frigate, and he was
compelled to witness the bombardment of Fort M'Henry [sic], which the Admiral
had boasted that he would carry in a few hours, and that the city must fall. He
watched the flag at the Fort through the whole day with an anxiety that can be
better felt than described, until the night prevented him from seeing it. In
the night he watched the Bomb Shells, and at early dawn his eye was again
greeted by the proudly waving flag of his country.
O! say can you see,
by the dawn's early light,
What so proudly we
hail'd at the twilight's last gleaming,
Whose broad stripes
and bright stars through the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we
watch'd, were so gallantly streaming?
And the rockets' red
glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through
the night that our flag was still there —
O! say, does that
star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the
free, and the home of the brave?
On the shore, dimly
seen through the mists of the deep,
Where the foe's
haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which
the breeze o'er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows,
half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the
gleam of the morning's first beam,
In full glory
reflected now shines on the stream —
'Tis the
star-spangled banner, O! long may it wave
O'er the land of the
free, and the home of the brave.
And where is that
band who so vauntingly swore
That the havock of
war and the battle's confusion
A home and a country
should leave us no more?
Their blood has
wash'd out their foul foot-steps' pollution,
No refuge could save
the hireling and slave,
From the terror of
flight or the gloom of the grave;
And the star-spangled
banner in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the
free, and the home of the brave.
O! thus be it ever
when freemen shall stand
Between their lov'd
home, and the war's desolation,
Blest with vict'ry
and peace, may the heav'n-rescued land
Praise the power that
hath made and preserv'd us a nation!
Then conquer we must,
when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto
— "In God is our trust!"
And the star-spangled
banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the
free, and the home of the brave.
The poem would be set to the tune “To Anacreon in Heaven”
aka the Drinking Song. It is the official song of the Anacreontic Society, an
18th century gentleman’s club of amateur musicians in London. The
society is dedicated to the Ancient Greek poet, Anacreon, who was renowned for
his drinking songs and odes to love. The song was composed in 1775 and Key used
the melody to compose his poem. When the poem was first published, a note cited
that the poem should be song to the tune of “To Anacreon in Heaven.” Since the
song was a popular British drinking song and amid anti-British sentiment at the
time, the use of the song was to such a patriotic poem was equivalent to
thumbing their noses at the British.
The Star-Spangled Banner became a popular song with the
Union Troops during the Civil War. However, it did not become the national
anthem until March 3, 1931 when Congress passed a measure to formally designate
the song as the national anthem of the United States.
The namesake by
Jhumpa Lahiri is the story of one family’s life in America and one man’s
journey to coming to understand his name. It is a story about family, tradition
and change. The book was named into a film in 2006 starring Kal Penn and Irrhan Khan.
Ashoke and Ashima Ganguli are immigrants from Calcutta in
1968. Ashoke is attending an American university pursuing his doctorate in
physics. The story opens as a very pregnant Ashima tries to recreate the
comforts of home in her new country. When she goes into labor, the experience
is shocking for her as American hospitals are very different than she expected.
After their baby boy is born, they are forced to give him a name for the birth
certificate. They are accustomed to giving a child an official name years
later. They name him Gogol, after a Russian author that Ashoke feels a close
kinship with. With the addition of a daughter, Sonia, in 1974, the family
settles in their new American life. Ashoke and Ashima are slow to assimilate
with in regards to foods and clothes while their children are very much
American teenagers in clothes, friends and eventually lovers. Problems begin
when Gogol is 18 and he wants to legally change his name. His father refuses to
tell Gogol the reason behind his name for many, many years. With his new name,
Gogol begins to lead a life very different from his parents’ dreams. As Gogol
seeks to become independent, his rebellion grows. It isn’t until tragedy
strikes the family that Gogol realizes that he is caught between two worlds. Two
worlds he didn’t know that he wanted to belong to. Remembering the story behind
his name, Gogol finally begins to father’s footsteps into the past.
The namesake is
more than just a story about an immigrant couple who has children who become
Americanized. As I read, I see many aspects of all times of families as the
younger generation questions or rejects the traditions and the parents desperate
to hold on. I also see how some of the older generation hold on to traditions
simply because it’s how it has always been done. Sometimes without trying, the
generations comes full circle. I highly recommend The namesake as look inside the life of a family during times of
changing values and traditions.
Today in history, nine month old Mary Stuart (also spelt
Stewart) would be crowned Queen of Scotland at Stirling Castle in 1543. She
would become known as Mary, Queen of Scots. She became queen at 6 days old when
her father, King James, died in December 1542. She was also the great-niece of
King Henry VIII of England, as her paternal grandmother of Margaret Tudor. This
made her cousin to Queen Elizabeth I and a claim to the English crown. The
House of Stuart gained the throne by marriage of Marjorie Bruce, daughter of
Robert the Bruce to Walter Stewart, 6th High Steward of Scotland. She would be
a tragic victim in the political games of the 16th century as many
would see her as the only legitimate claim to the English and Scottish crowns.
Mary was born on the 8th or 9th of
December at Linlithgow, Scotland. She was said to be born prematurely and was
the only legitimate child to survive King James. Scotland would be ruled by
regents until Mary became of age. She was first betrothed to King Henry VIII’s
son, Edward, in order to untie Scotland and England. This fell through as the
pro-Catholic, pro-France agenda rose to power in the Scottish regency. For her
safety, Mary would grow up in her mother’s native France in King Henry II’s
court. Marriage agreement would be made for Mary and King Henry II’s son,
Francis. Mary was said to be vivacious, beautiful and clever. She was the
favorite with everyone and was an accomplished student. She would be fluent in
French, Spanish, Italian, Latin and Greek. She was tall woman at 5 feet 11
inches. She and Francis II would be married in 1558 and would remain so until
his death in December 1560.
Mary would return to Scotland in 1561 where she married her
first cousin, Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley in 1565. They would have one son,
James, on June 19, 1566. The marriage was strained after Darnley demanded a
crown equal to Mary’s and he would rule in the event of her death. She refused.
Darnley would later be murdered in February 1567 when his residence was
destroyed by an explosion and he was would found in the garden. Mary was
rumored to have had a hand in Darnley’s murder but there was no proof. She
would marry James Hepburn, 4th Earl of Bothwell in 1567, who was
rumored to be the man to actually kill Darnley. Her marriage to Bothwell would
be unpopular and she would be forced to abdicate her crown in favor of her
one-year old son, James.
Mary would raise an army in order to fight James Stewart, 1st
Earl of Moray, for her throne. She had expected her cousin, Queen Elizabeth I
to support her. Instead, she would be taken to Bolton Castle where she begin a
series of house arrests. Evidence, known as the Casket Letters, would serve as
proof of Mary’s involvement in Darnley’s murder. Eight letters, love sonnets
and two marriage contracts portrayed the conspiracy. Many biographers and
historians believe the letters were complete forgeries or were pieces of other
letters to create incriminating passages. The letters, according to historians,
were poorly written for someone of Mary’s education. On August 11, 1586, she
would be arrested as her letters were confiscated and revealed a plot to
assassinate Elizabeth, Mary would be convicted on October 25 and sentenced to
death. However, Elizabeth would be hesitate to order her execution as killing a
queen would set a dangerous precedent and she feared retaliation from Mary’s
son, James. February 1, 1587, her death warrant would be signed and she would
be beheaded on February 8, 1587 at the age of 44.
Mary’s son would become King James VI of Scotland and James
I of England. He would inherit the throne in 1603 upon the death of Elizabeth
I. James had his mother reinterred in Westminster Abbey opposite Elizabeth’s
tomb. Mary would be the tragic figure who could not cope with the demands
placed on her. She would be a pawn in the hands of scheming men. There is no
concrete proof that she was guilty of anything she was accused of. One theory
is Bothwell killed Darnley in order to marry her and did so without Mary’s
knowledge. She remains a popular image of a heroic victim.
The Reign of Terror of the French Revolution ran September
5, 1793 to July 28, 1794. It was a period of violence and was incited between
two rival political factions. The Girondins, a group who campaigned to end the
monarchy but resisted the spiraling momentum of the revolution, and the
Jacobins, who were popular with the working class, grew to be a very powerful
group within government. The mass executions of “enemies of the revolution”
would be done by the guillotine throughout France. The most famous victims was
Queen Marie Antoinette (October 16, 1793). Her husband, King Louis XVI was
executed earlier in the year on January 21, 1793.
There is some debate about the origins and cause of the
radical turn during Reign of Terror. One theory is that the public was growing
increasingly frustrated that the social equality and anti-poverty measures that
were promised by the revolution had not yet materialized. Four years into the
revolution and goals were largely unattained. A second theory is the two groups,
Girondins and Jacobins, were growing apart in ideology and the idea arose to
execute inciters against the revolution and provide examples for those who were
considering rebellion. The idea was that terror was a response to the
circumstances and was a necessary evil and natural defense. Lastly, the change
in ideology played a large role. The idea was to instill free will and an
enlighten government. But as ideology became more and more pervasive, violence
became a significant method to deal with counter-revolutionists and any other
opposition.
The mastermind behind the Reign of Terror would be
Maximillien Robespierre. He would be called “The Incorruptible” because he’s
ascetic dedication to his ideals. Robespierre made his entrance on the
Committee of Public Safety, the de facto executive government created by the
National Convention, on July 27, 1793. He would quickly become the most
influential member of the Committee as it moved to more and more radical
measures. Robespierre would claim in order to defend the revolution from those
who destroy it, the shedding of blood was justified; therefore the ends
justified the means. He would fall as quickly as he rose as public support for
the executions began to turn after the execution of the Carmelite Nuns of Compiegne
on July 17, 1794 when the nuns refused to give up their monastic vows.
Robespierre begin to speak against the Reign that he started. He would be the
Reign’s last victim as he was executed on July 28, 1794.
Everyone is familiar was the guillotine, the symbol of the
Reign of Terror. Although beheading machines, like the guillotine, had been in
use for centuries, the guillotine was designed by Antoine Louis and German
engineer Tobias Schmidt after an October 10, 1789 proposal from French physician
Joseph-Ignace Guillotin to reform capital punishment. The apparatus was a tall,
upright frame with a weighted and angled blade which was raised to the top and
suspended until the moment of release. The machine would be influenced by the
Italian Mannaia (or Mannaja), the Scottish Maiden and the Halifax Gibbet. The
guillotine would be called the National Razor and become the symbol of the
cause. Approximately 16,594 people would be executed (2,629 in Paris).
The Reign of Terror quickly got out of hand as it executed
anyone was suspected of an enemy to the revolution. People who were condemned
by tribunals: 8% were aristocrats, 6% were clergy, 14% were working class and
72% were workers or peasants accused of hoarding, evading the draft, desertion
or rebellion against the revolution. After Robespierre’s execution, the terror
was officially ended as a new Committee of Public Safety was elected and its
powers were reduced piece by piece.
The Reign of Terror is an example of
extreme measures to handle those who may be in opposition or even rebel. It is
ironic that the revolutionaries fought against the status quo would turn and
terrorize those who fought against the new status quo. As historian Lord Acton said, "Power tends to corrupt and absolutely power corrupts absolutely." The power that the Committee of Safety had corrupted their ability to govern as they were elected to do. The Reign of Terror is a lesson in power of government.
Pokergiest by
Michael Phillip Cash is story of a man who is down and out and gets help from
the ghost of a poker legend. A story of life with unfinished business and a
life trying to get back on its feet in the bright lights of Las Vegas.
Telly Martin is a former IT consultant who lost his job when
the economy turned sour. He and his girlfriend, Gretchen, are living a hotel
while they both get back on their feet. Telly is trying to make enough money by
playing poker. The problem is he isn’t very good. Until he is visited by the ghost
of Clutch Henderson, a poker legend who died the year before after losing in an
international poker tournament. Near his breaking point and despite his doubts,
Telly reluctantly agrees to ty poker one more time. With Clutch’s help, Telly
is able to earn enough money to enter in the International Series of Poker
(Cash’s version of the World Series of Poker which is held in Las Vegas every
year). Will Telly be able to win? Will anyone believe that he sees the ghost of
a poker legend?
I enjoyed Pokergeist
as I have enjoyed other Michael Phillip Cash’s books. When I received the book,
it came with a parental advisory note. It stated that the book is intended for
mature audience because it includes strong language. I was shocked. I have
never read a book before which came with an advisory. Keeping this in mind, I
read the book and I didn’t see anything which would require an advisory. There
was some strong audience but nothing I haven’t heard on TV. I really enjoyed
the relationship between Telly and Gretchen. I also enjoyed the scenes at the
poker tables. Mr. Cash really captures the tension and psychological mind games
which occurs during poker games. I recommend Pokergeist to anyone who enjoys a good ghost story and the game of
poker.
September 1, 1985 Dr. Robert Ballard, along with American
and French researchers, discovered the wreckage of The RMS Titanic, 73 years
after it sank. Of course, today everyone is familiar with the tragic events of
the Titanic due, in large part, to James Cameron’s 1997 film, Titanic. More than 12,000 below the
surface of the Atlantic Ocean lies the remains of the glamourous and reportedly
“unsinkable” ship. One of the greatest tragedies of the 20th
century, it remains in our hearts and our memories. The RMS Titanic hit an iceberg
at 11:40 pm on April 14, 1912, 2 hours and 40 minutes later on April 15, 1912,
she would lie at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean.
The name, Titanic, is derived from Greek mythology and with
her sister ships, Britannic and Olympic, were billed as the future of ships.
Conceived by the White Star line with its chairman, J. Bruce Ismay and American
financier J.P. Morgan, Harland and Wolff were contracted to build the three
ships. With design by naval architect, Thomas Andrews. Titanic would have the
designation as a Royal Mail Ship and would be 882 ft. 9 in in length and 104 ft.
in height. Building began in Belfast on March 31, 1909 and launched on May 31,
1911 and finished on April 2, 1912. Her maiden voyage began on April 10, 1912
when she left Southampton. Titanic was designed with modern amenities and
technological advances which boasted her as the fastest and luxurious ship on
the sea. White Star Line, so proud of their new creation, called her the
unsinkable ship.
Titanic boasted some of the wealthiest and famous people of
the early 20th century. Among them were millionaire John Jacob Astor
IV and his wife Madeline, businessman Benjamin Guggenheim, Isidor and Ida
Straus, owner of Macy’s, and Margaret “Molly” Brown, who would earn the nickname,
the Unsinkable Molly Brown. The official passenger and crew count claims 2,224
people on board the Titanic. 710 would survive including Millvina Dean, who was
nine weeks ago at the time and the last living survivor. She died at the age of
97 on May 31, 2009. 1,514 people would lose their life in the sinking. 333
bodies would be recovered. Only about two-thirds would be positively identified
and approximately 150 would be laid to rest in one of three Halifax, Nova
Scotia cemeteries. While many were affected by this tragedy, none more than the
resident of Southampton, England in which 4 out of 5 crew members were
residents.
Almost immediately after the sinking, proposals were made to
find the wreckage but were abandoned as the depths were too great for divers at
the time. Many expeditions have been proposed and attempted without success
since the sinking. Until 1985, the location of the wreckage was unknown due to
conflicting coordinates reported. After a failed attempt, Dr. Robert Ballard
devised new technology and search strategies in to order to find the wreckage. Using
cameras instead of sonar, September 1, 1985 at 12:48 am, pieces of debris began
to appear on the cameras screens, one piece being identified as a boiler. The
following day, the main part of the ship was found. Titanic was discovered to
be in two main pieces 370 miles (600 km) south east of Mistaken Point,
Newfoundland. The discovery of two main pieces confirms some of the survivors
accounts that the ship had broken in two, despite the official report claiming
in sank intact.
Titanic has the legacy of man’s hubris and pride. To think
that man can design anything to which nature cannot destroy. So full of
confidence in their design and counting the fortune they would make, they
failed to see the flaws in their design. The memory of the 1,514 lives lost is
a testament that we cannot take anything for granted. We may try to build
everything to last and withstand all the nature can throw at us but eventually
the forces of nature will win. We must expect the unexpected. There are still
many unanswered questions about Titanic but today in 1985, the one big question
was answered.
