My apologies for a later-in-the-morning post today. I just this moment left that chair after reading straight through from 7 a.m. until 10 a.m. in order to finish one of the most extraordinary books I’ve ever read, All The Light We Cannot See. I am shaken by its beauty, by the profound truths revealed on its pages, by the stunning way in which the author weaves together the lives of the main characters, all with the most beautiful use of language I have been privileged to witness in a long time.
I’m late getting to this book and I know a lot of you have read it already. Since it takes place during WWII, in France and Germany and Poland and Russia, a time when an insane dictator managed to brainwash millions, when his intolerance manifested itself in the death of millions – you can only imagine how much it resonated with me, on so many levels. Everything I read lately seems to be a reminder of what intolerance, egomania, paranoia and fear can bring about if not stopped in its tracks. I, like most everyone read 1984 years and years ago. I eventually acted in a ground-breaking multimedia production of that story at the Wilma Theater in Philadelphia and at The Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. Because of that, I know it like the back of my hand. It has been in my mind constantly, as I see George Orwell’s visions come to life. Even down to the use of ‘doublespeak.’
But, back to the book. If you haven’t read it, please consider doing so. For above all, it is a story about the goodness that lies in each of us, about redemption, about beauty, about light, about life, about love and devotion. And that, more than anything, is what I want to remember right now. It’s what will win in the end.
Oh my goodness, what a story! What an extraordinary writer Anthony Doerr is.
Books are saving my sanity right now. Are they doing the same for you? I am a fighter and am doing all I can. But there has to be a time during the day when I can lose myself in the words on the page of a compelling story. Where I allow myself to escape to somewhere else. Where I can feel refreshed, renewed and reenergized. And, in the case of this book, reminded.
This is what I believe we stand for:
Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name,
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
“Keep ancient lands, your storied pomp!” cries she
With silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door.”
The New Colossus by Emma Lazarus
Those elected representatives who do not speak out against this executive order on refugees will be nothing less than collaborators.
Resist.
Happy Saturday.
Still love that chair, Claudia!
Yes, and I, too, find some peace in my world of books.
Although our genre may not be the same, the effect is.
The effect is what is important, Nancy.
Books are a huge refuge for me as well. I finished the new one by Karin Slaughter, The Kept Woman, and now starting The Trespasser by Tana French. This year I have decided to go to the library every Monday….the way things are going I figure use it or lose it! (Love the chair)
I loved The Kept Woman – a real page turner!
Wonderful post, Claudia! I turn to reading as well. I need literature to help illuminate life’s truths and acknowledge its mysteries.
On that note, I read the most incredible book by Laurie Frankel entitled This Is How It Always Is.
It may be one of the best books I’ve ever read. The author’s insight into human nature is both accurate and hopeful. She gave form to my chaotic thoughts and provided a mental framework to move forward.
It is remarkable.
Thank you for that recommendation, Mary. I will make note of the title.
I can feel how energized and empowered you feel, Claudia! I’m looking forward to reading the book, as I inch my way to the top of the library’s reserve list!
I think you’ll really love it, Wendy.
This is not the first time our country has gone off the deep end. I think about WWI when the citizens of German descent were watched carefullly by the our government to the point of the government going into their churches. Also during WWII when those of Japanese descent were placed in camps so that our government can keep an eye on them after Pearl Harbor. I think of the wall that the USSR put up that separated Germany into the East and West. The wall was put up to keep people in and there were many who died escaping desiring freedom. I have read “1984”. I have seen firsthand when stationed in West Berlin and visiting East Berlin what a socialist country has done. I have seen the fear on peoples’ faces because of Big Brother watching. Do I think putting the wall up between Mexico and the US is the answer. No. I do think that we need better security because of having open borders though.
I have friends who had family members interned during WWII – they were Japanese Americans. Shameful. Not it’s not the first time, but for heaven’s sake, let it be the last!
Borders will always be a problem, no matter where. There are problems in Europe, in Asia, in South America – all over the world. Very few people come across the border who are ‘dangerous’ out of the vast numbers who cross everyday. Much of the hype about this is fear-based. That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be vigilant, however.
Thanks, Trina.
Thank you for sharing that poem. My LWV chapter met this morning for 1.5 hours many of us stayed after and met for an additional hour talking about the past week and how we can respond to the ever-changing developments. We talked about the predicament of refugees and the undocumented. A big deal has been made of the fact that many who come to this country send money back home for their families. Most of us knew of this practice within our own families back in the late 19th and early 20th centuries! Now this is being made a big f. . .ing deal. Is it maybe because the new refugees and immigrants are people of color? Sorry for the vent; I am beyond upset.
Who cares if they’re sending back money? Of course they are, right? They have family they’re supporting and helping by securing work in this country.
Don’t apologize. I am livid about what’s happened this week and especially yesterday. It’s all Don and I can talk about today.
Exactly. My great-aunt and great-uncle came over from the Netherlands as young 20-year-olds, sister and brother…bravely, I should add…to get a foothold in the new country of America, get work, earn money and be able to send that money home to Holland so that the rest of the family (their parents and younger siblings, including my grandpa) could get passage (in steerage) on the next ships bound for the U.S. They did this at the end of the 19th century, with no help from anyone, trying to be self-sufficient and self-supporting…and simply take advantage of America’s ‘welcome’ to populate the country and become citizens. They assimilated, ditched their native language, Americanized their names, worked at jobs that were more like slave labor (I don’t use that word lightly or with any kind of bias, and it’s not really the right word…but, what I mean is that without certain skills and having, at first, a language deficit, the frighteningly-hard jobs/employment they were able to secure barely paid for the hardship of that labor, and they nearly starved to death…but they made it and, of course, they had free will/freedom with, eventually, opportunity [and therein lies the diff]). Today, hundreds of their descendants live, mostly, in Michigan, their eventual destination after first living for many years in New York off the boat. They are mostly not known to me, because I’m out West, but among them are teachers, lawyers, heads of companies, restaurant workers, moms, dads, plumbers and mechanics, artists, seamstresses; ‘white collar’ workers, ‘blue collar’ workers (I don’t know how else to coin those descriptions, but people of all sorts of trades and professions and livelihoods). They’ve done nothing over all the many years but be good citizens, good parents; taxpayers. Point being, my grandpa would never have gotten over here…I wouldn’t be here…if his older brother and sister hadn’t come first…and sent money home. My story is one of thousands, of course. We are almost entirely a nation of immigrants; we came to the U.S. from someplace else. We were never, the majority of us, an indigenous people.
Of course. We are all descended from immigrants – unless we are Native Americans. My family members came here from England, from Germany, from Scotland, from Ireland. How we can turn our backs on those who are seeking safety and refuge is beyond me.
Just thought you want to know this. While Mr Obama was a senator, he and his fellow democrats were wanting to put up a wall along the border. Just saw a video on CSpan of Mr Obama giving a speech.
Rethought my initial reply: No one has wanted the type of border security/wall that Trump is advocating. Fences? Yes. Double fences? Yes. I think everyone, including Mexico, has supported that. Let’s also remember that Obama was a senator how many years ago? More than eight. Have my feelings evolved in that time? Absolutely. So, I’m sure, have his.
In the end, I don’t much care what he said 8 years ago when he was a very young Senator. I care what he says now, after he’s been the President. I look back on some of the things I said 8 years ago on this blog and shake my head!
Just my two cents, but it should probably be noted that Trump has backtracked on MULTIPLE issues throughout his own campaign. Even within his first week as President, unbelievably enough. A period a lot shorter than 8-12 years. He’s contradicted himself within a single paragraph, or within a single reply to a reporter’s question. Something is BLACK when Trump starts talking, and by the time he finishes, it’s WHITE.
He contradicts himself all the time. That’s because he’s lying 98% of the time. He simply makes things up.
I am so glad you read that book. I know when I read it a year ago it touched me profoundly. Reading is my refuge and I don’t think there has been a time in my life when I needed it more. The vile things that are being said and the ugly things coming from ‘that’ man are beyond me. I am so sad that the wonderful though flawed United States I know might no longer be.
Oh a happy note, I saw the Grands today and they always make me smile. Scout is saying more words all the time and will be a chatter box soon just like her brother. Home with Annie now and about to put my head back into a book! Hugs!
Both Don and I said that today was the first time we thought seriously about leaving the country. We won’t, of course. We can’t afford to either financially or morally. We have to fight that man. But this is not the country I know and love. This is a country taken over by a fascist dictator. And he has proven that throughout the week. It’s all Don and I can talk about today. Our hearts are breaking for all those in need of refuge, for all those who deserve our love and our compassion.
I’m about to start a new book. I need to escape! Glad you got to see the Grands today.
How many times in my life had I heard my mother recite sections of that poem, Claudia. Her father was a Dutch immigrant in the 1800s; he taught it to HER, as she taught it to ME. Yes, a beautiful reminder.
Interesting. I don’t know what’s quite going on with a long-time neighbor of my family, except that he was retiring to Mexico, well into his 60s, at the end of 2016; ready to leave, been planning it for a couple of years; had a trailer packed. Now, I don’t see him going anywhere. The trailer has not moved. He hasn’t left. He was born in Mexico and was returning to care for his elderly parents there; move in with them as of January-2017 to care hands-on for them. What happened from November to now? Well, I’m betting that he’s rethinking his plans. He’s probably afraid to leave the U.S., for fear he can’t come back if he gets caught on the other side once a wall goes up. A wall is an intimidating thing; I guess that’s the goal. He has sons, a daughter and grandchildren here, all born in the U.S., who he’d want to be able to come back over the border to visit and see. He can’t risk losing that, so I’m thinking he’s probably getting pulled at both ends, risking forsaking one part of his family for another. I can’t imagine the unease of such unknowns; being in that situation, visualizing all kinds of terrifying scenarios. Again, proud people/good people who I’m sure are suffering in silence right now.
It was chilling to read in my local paper this week, of the stance the schools are taking to protect the schoolchildren; did I ever think I’d be witness to such a thing in my lifetime? “School district adopts resolution restating student immigrant protections” is the headline. Again, we have a large immigrant population. “The resolution, adopted by the board, notes…tougher policy shift…in the wake of the inauguration of Donald Trump as president…’has created a climate of heightened concern and anxiety for many district students and their families’…the resolution notes there is not written state or federal law that mandates local school districts assist Immigration and Customs Enforcement that can lead to deportation…the board formally resolves to ‘provide schools which are safe places for its students, ensuring healthy learning environments where students may learn without far or disruption’…” Horrible vision, to see in one’s mind, uniformed ‘police’ coming into a classroom and ripping a kid out of their seat? I can’t go there. ARE we there? To think we need a resolution about it? This is us; this is America? No wonder I can’t sleep at night.
Yes, I live in a predominantly Mexican-American city in Southern California. I’m not Mexican, but this is my life…my whole life, with school friends, co-workers, neighbors, police officers, firefighters, even some of my relatives…all of whom are Mexican but also American; they may not talk about it, but how can they not be feeling prejudice, and fear? What do I say to them? They are me, I am them. But they’re facing possible persecution in a way that I am not. It’s divisive. Unwanted.
I cannot go for a wall, ever. I say that, ever ‘suspecting’ I live among some illegals who do abuse our largesse here in the U.S. The majority though, I have to believe, DO NOT abuse, are here legally even if not permanently, who are in fact grateful to be here and work hard to get ahead…frankly, we have a very troubling homeless problem in my city; I encounter the homeless most every day; there is hardly a Mexican among them; I have rarely seen a Mexican begging on the street but I have seen them, since earliest memory, nearly breaking their backs laboring in the fields; they WORK for money. Not afraid of the hardest work. No different than my immigrant grandfather from The Netherlands, 120 years ago. Who stood 12 hrs a day in a lung-choking factory in a New York mill town , 6 days a week, from the time he was 9 years old. How on earth THAT was a better life than the one he had back in Europe, I can’t know; but American beckoned, just as it does now.
I grew up with the Berlin Wall. I always said, from the time I was young, that I hoped, in my lifetime, I could see the Berlin Wall torn down…and Cuba freed. Well, hope floats. I’ve lived to see the Berlin Wall go down. When I was a little girl, my father had a client who couldn’t go to the East of Germany to visit her relatives; families cut off when the Berlin Wall was erected. She gave up and moved from West Germany to the U.S. At least that’s how I remember the story from my childhood, and that it was awful. I remember her sitting in my dad’s office, heavily-accented English; sobbing.
No walls; I can’t abide it; too indelible in my memory. I’ve tried to understand all sides; my conclusion is that a wall is never the answer. Not here; not in America. No.
Sorry I got on such a soapbox but I’m filled with a lot of negative stuff right now. I think it’s trying to kill me. So, doing a lot of praying.
And, a typo, fingers flying…meant to say above, “the board formally resolves to ‘provide schools which are safe places for its students, ensuring healthy learning environments where students may learn without FEAR or disruption’…”
No, I feel the same way. No apologies needed. As I said earlier, it’s all Don and I can talk about today. We are heartsick.
Rest assured, the negative stuff will NOT kill me. Like everybody else, I’ll find my way to fight for and toward what is RIGHT. And, in the meantime, we still have snow on the mountains, and it’s heavenly. Restoration of faith when times are bad is a blissful, blessed thing. Just go out there, breathe that clean-cold air; get centered; get God. I recommend it!
xo
You’ve said it all beautifully. This goes against everything I was taught as a child. Taught in classrooms. Taught in Government classes, taught in church. This is wrong. There are no half-measures. It’s wrong. This man must be impeached as soon as possible. And Senators and Congressmen/women need to step up and denounce it. The silence, save for a few, is deafening.
I’ve watched enough TV news shows lately…when some of these people are interviewed as you mentioned above…and they’re practically speechless. But, you’re right; they need to find their voice, posthaste. It’s a lot of unknown territory…but find a way to navigate it; do your job, elected officials! And I keep thinking, if we ever needed the much-maligned press, wow, do we need them now…and they’re defiant; they won’t be shut down. Finger on the pulse. Alert. We lose our free press, and we’re gonners.
They are defiant. I don’t know if he actually realizes that the more he goads them, the more defiant they will be. I will continue to support them with subscriptions and retweets and anything else I can do.
I read from a friend about a family from Syria headed to upstate New York. Gone through a 2-year vetting process; sponsored by 2 local churches. Dad is an engineer; mom is a nurse. Their one son was killed in bombing; other son still young. They were supposed to arrive here today/tomorrow. Now on hold. They are heartbroken and beyond afraid. I think reading of actual families, not just statistics/news reports, makes this whole thing even sadder, if that is possible.
Families like this one have literally had their lives turned upside-down, and Trump is tweeting today about how bad the NY Times and Washington Post treat him. I just can’t believe this is real.
I tweet back at that man several times a day. And one of them was on the anti-NY Times post. I couldn’t believe that petulant child was tweeting about that when he had just changed the lives of so many innocent people.
I heard about that family, too. Many families being put on planes and being sent back home. I detest that man and everything he stands for.
Couldn’t have said it better myself, Claudia. But then you always say it better than I could anyway. I’m actually glad that Trump, in his infinitely-cocky stupidity, has ticked off the intel community because I believe it’s making them work overtime to take his blubbergut ass DOWN! He’ll never be carted off quickly enough for me though. I’ve disliked the smug blowhard the first time I saw him on TV in the 80s, and now I thoroughly DESPISE every cell in his being. But even I can’t believe things would get THIS whacked THIS soon.
Twitter has a lot of good things to read today and one is a WPO article from a Venezuelan economist who offers very good advice on how to resist an authoritarian regime. They tried everything we’re doing now in Venezuela to drive out Chavez without success, but this person is saying something now that I haven’t seen ANYONE else say – and I think it’s key. That we must stop denigrating and demonizing Trump supporters. That we need to interact with them – helpfully, generously, peacefully & respectfully – to show that we really DO all have the same ultimate goals. Because MOST of them are honorable, reasonable, decent Americans. I’m not saying we need to invite the deplorables to Sunday lunch – not at all. No one will ever change the minds of people like them. But we do need to win the average Trump voter back, basically. Because most do feel like they’ve been neglected. Even if they may not truly be correct, they do believe this. They feel it. In this person’s view, treating Trump as the enemy is helpful, but treating his supporters the same way is guaranteed failure. And this just sounds so very right to me. I highly recommend everyone read it:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2017/01/27/in-venezuela-we-couldnt-stop-chavez-dont-make-the-same-mistakes-we-did/?utm_term=.767243b7a8a2&wpisrc=nl_wemost&wpmm=1
Also, people are bombing Paul Ryan’s office with faxes because apparently his office has taken the main phone line off the proverbial hook. So here’s the Speaker’s fax number: 202-225-3393.
People can also send a FREE fax online at faxzero.com [you don’t need a fax machine to do this]. I’m adding BOTH to my Contacts list.
Peace/Shalom. #Resist 🇺🇸
I have a feeling the ‘average Trump voter’ will start to come back as they see their health care in jeopardy, as well as Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. At least, I hope they will see the light. But I’ve been wrong before.
Janet – if you leave a comment with a link, you will indeed get the ‘moderation’ response, as I have to moderate any comment with a link. Too many spammers add dangerous links to comments and so I review them to make sure my readers are protected from that.
I have never, in my 67 years upon this earth, felt this way about my country (and I, of course, lived through the Bush II years with Chaney and Rumsfeld ~ and Nixon with ALL of THAT, etc etc). But there was not the horrid hatred permeating every moment as there is now. I go back again to the fact that I had no idea there was this wide spread paranoia and hate throughout the country. And lack of intelligence. That piece is striking. And I don’t mean college-smarts. I mean the lack of enough intelligence to question things and to simply be taken in by the tales that instill fear and then to follow someone so blindly. It is beyond my wildest imagination.
I am so glad you read “All the Light we Cannot See”. It was one of the most amazing books I have read. I still believe “The Book Thief” is my favorite. I read them both last summer, and every description and encounter with Hitler was like reading a newspaper today. After reading them both, I simply couldn’t believe we could ever be “taken in” all over again as what happened in Germany in the late 1930’s. How wrong I was.
I haven’t either. I’ve lived through those same years and I have never seen anything like this. The need that so many voters have to hate, to ignore facts, to repeat lies that have been proven to be lies. I don’t get it. It’s like a cult, isn’t it? L. Ron Hubbard says a lot of absurd things and people, for some reason, follow him blindly. The same thing holds true with the Fascist-in-Chief.
I am seeing, however, many people on Twitter who voted for him and now regret it. That gives me hope.
I haven’t read The Book Thief yet and I need to put that on my list.
Do read The Book Thief Claudia…I read it a couple of years ago and it is still very alive in my memory..and my heart…
It’s on my list, Nancy!
Claudia-
It’s interesting but I am currently having a hard time concentrating and reading.
Right after the election, I went on a post-apocalyptic literature craze- Station 11, The Last Policeman Trilogy, Age of Miracles, etc. These books are based on world ending catastrophes but individual resilience and connection help some survive and cope and start again.
I then moved to
Cold War spy novels like Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy and the like, seeing their relevance to our
current day struggles with Putin.
Yet I have realized that the barbarians are not just at the gate but are in power, and we have no bipartisan governance to save us this time, like during the Watergate Constitutional Crisis. Who in the Republican Party in Congress will have the moral courage to stand up and say we will not allow this- this illegal, unconstitutional sadism.
I went to the walk, am trying to stay strong and resist in every way I can think of each day, but
this is the first time in my life that I can not read to escape or cope.
Another consequence of the horror this Administration is creating!
I’ve become so anxious that I’m actually breathing hard/shallow; have been catching myself at it, so am currently trying to adopt some breathing exercises to get more calm (slow it down). The problem with so much anxiety is that it can lead to depression and it’s a path I don’t want to walk on. We do need to pull out the stops right now, for everything that can give us moments of relief. I’d vowed to stay away from news of the world, but I also now think that is irresponsible. As some of us talked here on Claudia’s blog over the past months, it’s really important…as in any stressful time…to work hard for some kind of healthy balance…because the headlines every day are not getting better, just worse. Topsy-turvy; I’m just trying to stand on my feet, when my beloved country, where I’ve always felt safe, is completely out of sync. My attention span is short, too, right now ; I’m having to make myself read a little each night; something more than a magazine; something I can sink myself into. You just have to keep at it and, pretty soon, a good story will grip you, as what Claudia is saying here in the post about All The Light We Cannot See. It’s so much overload; it seems for most people, our personal lives aren’t without some kind of big/small drama. And then you add into it, the larger picture of what’s happening with the greater world we live in…what else, but overwhelming.
I completely understand having trouble concentrating, Maralyn. It’s been hard for me, as well. Sometimes I have to force myself to and then, hopefully, something will grab my attention and help me to escape, however briefly.
What a good point you’ve made about having no bipartisan governance now. And, yesterday, as I waited and waited for Republicans to denounce the ban on refugees? Only 6 had the courage to say something. Six. There is a lack of moral fiber – everything is calculated on their endgame and their reelection campaigns. They are complicit.
Books have always been my sanity and escape from the world – ever since I was a little girl. Have a good weekend, Claudia.
I constantly had my head buried in a book as a child. I don’t know what I would have done without them, Melanie.
Nice post Claudia. I’m reading and crafting and listening to Greenday sing. Keeps me somewhat sane. I have this book on my read list as well. This is a good push for me to get to it sooner rather than later. Thank you. I notice those Christopher Fowler books hiding in the top corner of the bookshelf. Reminds me I believe he has a new book out. I adore his quirky characters. Love that new chair!
Hugs, verna
You know, I haven’t read any of those Christopher Fowler books yet! I have to get going and start in on them.
When they meet, I wonder what Prime Minister Trudeau will find to talk about with Trump. For starters, Trudeau is a self-proclaimed feminist. Clearly, they have different positions on refugees. Interestingly, Trudeau appointed Ahmed Hussen as Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship; Hussen -who has a bucketful of accomplishments to his credit- originally came to Canada as a 16-year-old refugee from Somalia in the early 90s. Hang in there, Claudia.
Karen
One can only wonder. I admire Trudeau so very much and have done so since he was first elected. He is a true leader and I’m glad he’s there for all of you in Canada. Never have I wanted to move to my mother’s country of birth quite as much as I do now.
I am so greatful to be able to come here and find that I am not the only one having mental and physical problems over this nightmare our country and people are going through…Thank you Claudia for allowing us to speak through your blog!
You are welcome. It helps me as well!
Living under severe anxiety seems to be the order of the day; for me it means not being able to concentrate, overwhelming helplessness and nervous desperation. I was so very angry and disgusted with PM May I wanted to scream…… a nightmare I am desperate to wake up from…..thank heavens for kindred spirits……….Dianne
It certainly is taking its toll on so many of us. I keep thinking about Hillary and Obama – what must they be thinking?