Postcards From No Man's Land

Postcards from No Man's Land by Aidan Chambers
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

When I grabbed this book to read I was frantically packing for a trip to Boston. I needed some reading material for the flight and, since I had recently moved, I couldn't find the charger to my Kindle. There were several titles already loaded on it that I was excited to read. Disappointed and frustrated, I snatched Postcards From No Man's Land by Aidan Chambers from my bookshelf, slightly glancing at the description on the back cover. It seemed like it would suffice.

Not paying attention while packing, I realized on the plane that the book was Young Adult Literature and the winner of the Carnegie Medal and the Michael Prinz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature. Somehow this book made its way from the books I had purchased for my classroom that are now boxed up and in the basement to my "to read" shelf (yes I have one of those) in my halfway organized new office.

I admit, I don't mind Young Adult Literature from time to time, and in my former English teacher life I quite enjoyed using Young Adult titles in class. So I opened the book, and plunged into the story with hope that this would be a worthwhile backup to my non-charged and useless Kindle.

Immediately, I was blown away and captivated by the storyline. Jacob, the main character, travels to Amsterdam to track down family roots in a quest to honor the grandfather he never knew who died fighting World War II. Not only does Jacob learn about a surprising family secret, but he also falls in love with Amsterdam through a series of unplanned experiences, starting with an encounter with a pick-pocket which leaves him desperate and vulnerable in an unknown place. This vulnerability propels Jacob forward on an unexpected discovery of self.

Without spoiling the surprises of the novel, it is rich with complex characters and some mature situations. At moments the book kept me turning the pages, yet there were a few areas that were predictable. There are certainly some parallels to the novel The Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford where the main character discovers a rich family history from a war-time past. In both titles, through the family discovery, the character learns much about love, loss, and living.

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Out Stealing Horses

Out Stealing Horses by Per Petterson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Out Stealing Horses is a novel with rich, beautiful descriptions that carry the reader through the memories of Trond Sander, an elderly man who leaves the city to live in a remote area. For some odd reason, I immediately connected with Trond, the narrator. His need for loneliness, reflection, nature, and the loyalty of his dog struck a chord with me. Maybe it was the fabulous flowing language and the precise time that was spent dwelling on just the right moments that carried me through his story. Or maybe it was the fact that growing old is both exciting and frightening. What kind of an old man will I be?

Trond tries to bury his lived life out in the wilderness, but he finds that his memories are a part of him, something he can never escape.

Moments of Trond's life are slowly revealed throughout the book. Out Stealing Horses sat on my bookshelf for years after I picked it up for the first time. I should have read it sooner.

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The Complete Persepolis

Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Occasionally, I enjoy reading a good graphic novel and The Complete Persepolis is exactly that--a good graphic novel. Marjane Satrapi's memoir about growing up and coming of age in Iran is compelling at times, mainly because of the historical context. The slow and systemic radicalization and oppression of the Iranian people is presented in a realistic but heart-breaking way. The glimmers of hope throughout the novel are how people continue to find joy with others and in life, secretly, behind closed curtains in private places. The flip-side is a weighing sadness that people must hide freedom, joy, happiness, thought, and expression because government actors can always be right around the corner.

The journey the reader goes on with Satrapi is an exploration of this polarity between public and private space, and how she (and those around her) constantly negotiate this way of living. The true contradiction or conflict is how one's love for family and country is overcome with exploring a need to leave home and flee from it in order to truly understand oneself. In a lot of ways, that is a theme most wrestle with at some point during life.

Like most graphic novels, this is a quick read. At times, it is also a compelling one. The greatest value in reading The Complete Persepolis is gaining insight into the real oppression some around the world live with every day, and what appears from the collective outside may not at all reflect what is inside the individual hearts and minds of good people. I think our world needs more of that kind of understanding, which would make us all a little more "complete."

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Area 51: An Uncensored History of America's Top Secret Military Base

Area 51: An Uncensored History of America's Top Secret Military Base by Annie Jacobsen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

One of the things that fascinates me about history are the stories of people and the decisions they make based upon their world-view at the time. Area 51 is compelling for that very reason: the stories of the people who were involved with the beginning (and continuation) of America's military complex. Our current military presence in the world is due, in large part, to the technology, experimentation, and ingenuity of the people situated at the military base.

The only reason this book exists is because quantities of once top-secret, classified documents were finally released due to the passage of time and the Freedom of Information Act. What took place at Area 51 is fascinating, years ahead of its time, and (some of it) quite frightening.

The first-hand accounts of the people in this book are what weave together the timeline of events and bind together the trajectory of where we are today with our military weapons systems in the United States. Additionally, the book provides perspective on some behind the scenes decisions and power-plays to serious events such as the fear of communism, The Cuban Missile Crisis, and World War II.

I would recommend this book to anyone who wants perspective and a unique view in understanding our United States spy programs and military: the extreme endless government spending, our role in escalating and deescalating international situations, and our leadership in cutting edge military technology.


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