The Attack of 1918

Out of all the reading that has been assigned, now is my opportunity to shine. Right? It is nonfiction and that is my favorite area. But I have been subdued by my choice, something I did not expect. I have been touched by this selection and if that wasn't enough, I read a second nonfiction book. That will be a separate blog.

Okay, so back to this entry. This book came into my life before I began this class. The Monday night of the first week of class, I parked myself in front of the TV at 9:00 pm to watch one of my favorite shows - "American Experience" on PBS. That night's episode was about the influenza epidemic of 1918. It was so well made I wanted to know more. So the next day, I went to the local library and found The Great Influenza by John M. Barry.


If you don't know anything about this time in our country's history, then you should read this book. If you do know, you should still read this book. Yes, it's thick - 546 pages. But if you subtract the 40 pages of notes, the 21-page bibliography, and an index of 18 pages, that makes it a little smaller. I cannot say how long it took me to read because 1) I'm a slow reader, 2) I had to reread some medical and scientific passages, and 3) there was fiction to be read. But I did manage to get back to it. I had to. It is compelling.

We start 30-35 years before the outbreak by taking a look at the medical training in America and Europe. Let's just say America is a little bit behind. To attend medical school, you don't need a college degree. You can fail a class numerous times and still earn your certificate. There are no hospital rounds, no live patients, no internships, no research, no lab work, no microscopes. Some training, don't you think? Europe required so much more. It was time for change. William Welch desired that through his efforts and a few friends, he was able to change the face of American medical schools. His efforts have given us John Hopkins Medical School and a new way of teaching the practice of medicine.

Then WWI broke out and we stayed out until April 1917. Men are drafted and sent to military camps, then sent overseas. All is well - for a while. Winter came and the so did the influenza, but it's the typical case. Some children die and some elders, but nothing that should worry anyone. The year goes by and there is talk that the war may be winding down. But we are still drafting, still training, still cramped. Parades, gatherings, shopping - all activity as usual - all feeding grounds for the flu. And then someone passes out on the street before your very eyes and is dead by nightfall.

While Barry's research is more than just thorough, it is the style that keeps calling, beckoning you. As in all historical nonfiction, the end is known. But it is how you get there that counts. A reviewer on Amazon stated that Barry includes unnecessary information, such as insight into the scientists' lives. I disagree. An epidemic affects people in many ways and it is this that Barry wants to show - at least that is my opinion. Scientists have given their lives to research - day in, day out - so we have a better life. Although they did not invent a vaccine then, their research has led to many other findings.

The pacing ebbed and flowed just like the flu epidemic. For a large part of the book, the pace kept moving rapidly accompanied with the writing style of panic and fear. I could feel every emotion, every pain, angst, fear. I was there on the streets, in the camps and hospitals, on the trains, in the labs. He plants the reader in the middle of it all. The characters? Ever heard the song "Getting to Know You" by Oscar Hammerstein from The King and I? Did I ever get to know them! It is almost like reading a biography at times. I became friends with a few of the scientists and doctors. And I learned so much about the flu, the main character, not only what it did in 1918, but how it has changed over and over. It is something that is still being studied today.

Anyone who loves American history should read this book. It reads like a horror book, a mystery, a biography, and a history book, all wrapped into one. It is good for those who want to learn what life was like for their ancestors, for those interested in science and medicine. The technical terms may make you look things up on the internet, and you may need to reread some passages, but it is well worth the time and effort. Just ask someone whose family member died from it. I have - two of them. Fascinating stuff. By the way, I am looking forward to reading another John M. Barry book very soon - Rising Tide: The Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 and How It Changed America.

For read alikes, I went with related reads and fiction books on this topic (teens and adults). Teens may not want to read a 546 page nonfiction book, but they may need to learn about the epidemic.

Related reads (Reader's Advisory): Polio: An American Story (David Oshinsky); The Great Mortality: An Intimate History (John Kelly); Plague and Fire: Battling Black Death and the 1900 Burning of Honolulu's Chinatown (James Mohr).

Fiction reads on this topic: Adults: Kathy (Linda Sole-Adult); The Last Town on Earth: a novel (Thomas Mullen); This Time of Dying (Reina James); The Paradox Syndrome (Ken Hodgson).
Teens: Winnie’s War (Jenny Moss); The Influenza Pandemic of 1918 (Claire O’Neal; Blessings Bead (Debby Dahl Edwardson); The Goodbye Season (Marian Hale); The Flu Epidemic (JoAnn A. Grote); Fever Season (Eric Ziveig); Marvin of the Great North Woods; Kathryn Lasky.

A Mystery Recommendation from My Mother

Well, normally I post the book cover, but I can't do that and Google can't show me a photo of the author so you will have to deal with a photo of where Dorothy Simpson resides, Kent, England. But it's a lovely picture.

Anyway, my mother has just finished reading Dead by Morning and loves it. Although it is a murder mystery, the plot unfolds the unspoken truth behind the marriage between Mona and Desmond. Mom enjoys the twists and turns of Ms. Simpson's books and highly recommends them.

So, in case you aren't acquainted with this author and need a mystery, just know that her books come highly recommended by my mother, an authority on mystery books that aren't too graphic, don't involve detailed sex, but is an all around good read.

Every once in a while my mom is good for something (just kidding!).

Bonanza (in more ways than one)

The Buckskin Line
by Elmer Kelton


If you read my Secret Shopper post, you know I ended up checking out an Elmer Kelton western, The Buckskin Line, which is the first book in his Texas Ranger series. Well, I finished it a few days ago. I have already read a western for this class and have blogged about it, but I just had to let you know how it went.

First of all, it doesn't fit all of the characteristics of a western as described in our text. It takes place beginning 1840 and ends in 1863. But it's the Texas Rangers and they're fighting Indians. There are ranches and cattle and farms - danger all around in the beautiful Texas country. Rusty is kind of a loner, but not one who is riding around, rights the wrong, and then leaves for another place. He is a loner but not by choice and he leaves his home to do perform the duty he was sworn to do. Just like his 'father'. And he wants to go back home. But I still think it's a western.

Kelton's story begins with the story with the Comanche Indians on a raid, killing the parents of a toddler. The boy is taken by one of the Indians to be his son only to lose him when the Texas Rangers find them. One of the Rangers and his wife 'adopt' the boy, whom they nicknamed Rusty (for his read hair). We then advance twenty some years and find Rusty a grown man living at home. His 'mom' dies of natural causes, but his father is murdered. Although wanting revenge, Rusty is called by the Texas Rangers for service and Texas votes to leave the Union. Now that most of the men have gone to war, the few remaining Texas Rangers, including Rusty, have to keep the Indians in line. But Rusty can't let go the revenge he wants for Mike.

Did I like it? Well, let's just say that I am waiting on the 2nd book in the series to be returned to the library. At least in this book, I didn't have to read about how Rusty and the daughter of a family he meets can't do without each other or get all sappy. I am hoping to pass this writer onto my grandson in a couple years. I think he might enjoy the books. It's well written, keeps you attached to it. Well paced. Nothing gruesome, no killing details. You're told the scalps were taken, but you can use your imagination. Kelton, who just passed away last year, does not use a lot of western jargon or lingo, at least not in this book.

Yes, it's head 'em up, move 'em out for me for a while anyway. Just as long as I don't stop reading nonfiction. I have to get my fix from time to time.

My Father Loved Zane Grey

TO THE LAST MAN

by Zane Grey



When I was growing up, my mother worked nights and so my dad was responsible for the four of us kids. We grew up on westerns. Yes, my dad loved westerns. John Wayne, Jeff Chandler, Jimmy Stewart, Clint Eastwood. Bonanza, Gunsmoke, Palatin, you name it, we watched it. And that was okay because we all survived them. They weren't my mom's choice on the nights she didn't work, but it was my father's house so westerns ruled the roost.

But the one thing I remember most is the set of books that sat on a bookcase in the family
room - a Zane Grey series. My dad loved Zane Grey so much so that he was nicknamed Zane in high school. My mother bought those for my dad. There were lots of times I thought about picking one out and reading it, but they were my dad's books. I never asked if I could read one of them.

So what have I chosen to read for the landscape genre? You guessed it - a Zane Grey book. There aren't that many of Grey's books to select from at my local library and the ones they have are not in the best of conditions. I don't know if that is because they have been around so long or if they have been read a great deal or a little of both.

To the Last Man, written in 1921, is a novel based on a true story - the Pleasant Valley War. In this version, Gaston Isbel summons his son Jean in Oregon to come to Arizona and help with the cattle and horse ranch. The sheep herders have moved into Grass Valley and bad times lie ahead. Isbel needs his son now and tells him to bring guns and lots of ammunition. Jean is also warned to only listen and not talk when he arrives. Cattle are missing, which always happens, but not to this extent. Cattlemen and sheepmen don't mix. Not until Jean arrives in the valley does he learn the whole story - that the enemy is a long time foe from Gaston's earlier years in Texas, that this fight has been brewing for years. The trouble began during the Civil War. After Gaston left to fight, Lee Jorth moved in on Gaston's girl, marrying her before the soldier returned home. Gaston proved Jorth was a cattle rustler and ruined him. Now Jorth has come to make him pay. But how will Jean handle the situation now that he has fallen in love with Jorth's daughter?

There is no doubt that Zane Grey, for the most part, falls into the Western genre. First, the location is in the American west. For this book, it occurs in Arizona. Contrary to what our text states, the reader knows exactly where the story occurs. Grey reveals this information in the Foreword as well as throughout the story. It does, however, take place about twenty-five years after the War Between the States. Our hero is a loner for several years since his family moved to Arizona, living in the forests and fishing in the waters of Oregon. Not tied to anyone. He has well developed hunting and tracking capabilities, but when it comes to disagreements with other men, his guns are the last thing he uses. But it does come down to survival of the fittest in the end. Grey's storyline strategy is a developing one, where the reader may believe the plot is unknown when in fact it is just a cover for the real issue at hand. It is a story of revenge and the law is nowhere in sight. But how do you create laws to deal with jealousy?

It was a book I found difficulty in putting down and for several reasons. I wanted to know more about this man named Jean (reminded me of Johnny Cash's song), this half-breed as some would call him. Though I knew how the story would end and that the hero would get the girl, I wanted to know how it played out. And then there was Ellen Jorth, the only daughter and child of a man she never knew or understood. The only woman among a gang of thieves and killers who pawed at her and claimed her for their own, whether she was or not. She was fighting for her freedom as well - trying to find her own identity. The pacing began steadily and, just like anyone headed for trouble, it sped up more and more until the final shoot out. Yep, it was action packed! And it was just like sitting in front of the television watching the Matt Dillon try to talk the bad guy into laying down his gun before something bad happened. Reading some of the dialogue took a little getting used to. It reminded me of Festus, the old western slang and lingo.

Yes, it was a struggle of good vs. evil, with the good not always being good. But there was the internal struggle that both Jean and Ellen fought within themselves. The struggle to do what was right and forgetting that 'right' had nothing to do with family names. The struggle to put the past behind and move on. The struggle to just laying down the gun and walk away.

By the way, I picked up another western during my secret shopper investigation. It's not another Zane Grey though. This one is by Elmer Kelton, a more contemporary western genre writer who passed away just last year. It doesn't fit the usual western in that it begins in 1840 and ends in 1863. It takes place in Texas and is more of a cowboy-Indian story. So far, there hasn't been any romance (which doesn't bother me), but about the Comanches trying to take back their land. So far, so good. It is the first book in Kelton's Texas Ranger series. Perhaps I am my father's daughter after all.


Read Alikes - Authors (Fantastic Fiction): Zane's sons - Romer Zane Grey and Loren Zane Grey; Elmer Kelton; Louis L'Amour; Max Brand (outside of the Dr. Kildare series); Ralph Compton; William W. Johnstone; J. T. Edson; Ralph Cotton; Lewis B. Patten; Terry C. Johnston; Alan LeMay (Indianapolis native); Fred Grove.

Read Alikes - Books (NoveList): Dreams to Dust: a Tale of the Oklahoma Land Rush by Sheldon Russell; Last Child by Michael Spooner; Redeye: a Western by Clyde Edgerton; Not Between Brothers by D. Marion Wilkinson.

Playing I Spy

The day had finally come for me to spy on a local librarian. I knew the importance of this assignment, but ratting out a librarian? I didn't want to do that! I had already experienced librarians who couldn't help me find nonfiction readings. I had already heard some bad stories from others about their experiences. Oh, I didn't want to do this. But I did, like a good little student.

So I went out of town - not far - just up the road from my house. It wasn't one I have visited before. Well not for library services. I attended a program them several years ago so I was comfortable that no one knew me. It took me a couple minutes to figure out who I should ask. The circulation desk was right in front of me upon entering the library, and there were three librarians behind the desk. I don't think I could have looked any more like I didn't know where I wanted to go. There was one customer at the desk and even after that person left, no one asked me if I needed any help. Hmmm, wasn't going very well so far. Was this a warning sign?

I finally got my bearings - finally figured out that the adult side was to my right. On my way, I noticed the reference desk and that it was staffed by one librarian who was busy helping a patron on the phone. So I walked around until he hung up. He began walking away when he noticed me approaching the desk. He looked right at me and then asked if he could help me with anything. I conveyed that a friend said I needed to step out of the nonfiction world, that I needed to read the 'real' stuff. He chuckled, introduced himself, and shook my hand. "Well", he said, "Do you want to dip your big toe in the water or dive in?" "Good question", I replied. "I don't know yet."

At this point, Bill asked me what I like to read. So I told him I am a real David McCullough, John M. Barry, and Shelby Foote fan; that I like American history, but that I don't normally read anything after WWII. Bill's first recommendation was historical fiction. I told him perhaps, but I didn't want anything overly wrought with sex or 'I can't do without you' verbage. It tends to nauseate me. He looked in the library's catalogue and did a search under 'historical fiction'. He also looked in NoveList and Dear Reader. Finally, Bill admitted that he did not know most of the authors, but we went over the lists and we finally settled on Laura Kinsale. So we walked over to the shelves and we found two books by this author. He sensed my hesitation and because he saw another patron at the desk, Bill told me to look around and be sure to come back to the desk if I had more questions or needed more assistance. I kept looking around on those shelves and noticed a western by Elmer Kelton. So I pulled it out, leafed through it and saw that it was the 7th book in Kelton's Texas Ranger series. Starting in the middle of a series is like watching a sequel of a movie before seeing the first one. I can't stand it. Because I couldn't find a list in the book of the others in the series, I returned to Bill and asked him if he could determine the first book in the series. So he researched the internet and found the list. Then he looked it up in the library's catalogue and saw that it was available. So we walked to the shelves to get it, but it was in a different area than where I located the other one. This time, we were in the Western genre shelves. I mentioned this to Bill. So we went back to where I found the other books - in the general fiction. We found three other Kelton books - all part of the Texas Ranger series - in the general fiction and not in the western genre. We were both a little confused. So I took the western, The Buckskin Line. By this time, there was another patron waiting at the counter so Bill went left to help her. As I began to leave, Bill told me that he hoped I would enjoy my big toe dip in the water, to let him know if I enjoy it and that he would look into the cataloging as general fiction.

All in all, I was pretty happy with the experience. Bill was very friendly, helpful, resourceful, and yet cognizant of other patrons in the area. It would have been better if he had some idea of the authors as I didn't recognize them. I knew he would recommend historical fiction - the dip similar to the dip I took in selecting Poyer's book. But he made me feel important and went to some length to find me a book. I will read it; I went to the trouble of checking it out so why not? I will just have to fit it in with all my other reading.