Category: books

Thoughts after reading Kristin Hannah’s ‘The Women’

On By Malcolm R. CampbellIn books

“God’s love for humankind is one of our present culture’s all-pervasive, invisible, unquestioned, and thus unconscious assumptions. When war shattered this assumption, American soldiers in Vietnam lost a sustaining idea.” ― Jonathan Shay, Achilles in Vietnam: Combat Trauma and the Undoing of Character

I’ve always thought Vietnam stole everything from my generation that really mattered, leaving us with a plague of PTSD. The plague worsened when veterans came home and discovered they were invisible. Somehow, the cynical comments from the introduction to Dalton Trumbo’s anti-war novel “Johnny  Got His Gun” became the national attitude:

So long, losers. God bless. Take care. We’ll be seeing you.

Frankie, an army nurse who serves in-country Vietnam in this gritty, well-written novel, experiences this attitude in spades.

“We were the last believers, my generation. We trusted what our parents taught us about right and wrong, good and evil, the American myth of equality and justice and honor. I wonder if any generation will ever believe again. People will say it was the war that shattered our lives and laid bare the beautiful lie we’d been taught. And they’d be right. And wrong. There was so much more. It’s hard to see clearly when the world is angry and divided and you’re being lied to.”

Hannah’s story sounds like it comes from a woman who was there. If you were there, this novel might stir up your case of the plague.

–Malcolm

‘Cowboy Artist Charlie Russell and Glacier National Park’ by David R. Butler

On By Malcolm R. CampbellIn books

“What’s the matter with packing your war bag and heading to my camp?
A robe is spread and the pipe lit for you always.” – Charles M. Russell – https://cmrussell.org/

From the Publisher

“Explores Charlie and Nancy Russell’s two-decade connection with Glacier National Park, showcasing his art, influential visitors, and landscape changes over time.

“Cowboy Artist Charlie Russell and Glacier National Park examines the intimate relationship artist Charlie Russell, and his wife, Nancy Russell, had with Glacier National Park for over twenty years in the early 1900s. At Bull Head Lodge, their Apgar summer home on Lake McDonald, Charlie Russell painted and sculpted, producing some of his most famous works, including major works illustrating Glacier National Park. The Russells also entertained numerous important figures in the art and literary worlds during their summers in the park, and these individuals and their relationships with the Russells are examined. The book also describes park excursions undertaken by Charlie and Nancy Russell designed to support tourism growth as well as to encourage sales of Charlie’s art.

“Numerous examples of Charlie’s art are presented in the book, and photographs of the Bull Head Lodge area as well as the park excursions are supplemented by modern photos. These modern photos, taken by the author, illustrate landscape changes that have occurred in the park over the 100-year period since the Russells were among the most significant celebrities to ever call Glacier National Park home.”

My Opinion

Russell’s original wood-frame home, in its new location in September 1976.

I have come to appreciate the work of Charlie Russell throughout my forty-year membership in the Montana Historical Society–with access to its books, collections, and scholarly articles in “Montana The Magazine of Western History.” From that background, I think that Butler has written a detailed, lavishly illustrated biography that covers Russell’s work, wife, associates, and influence on the Park from his home base in the Apgar community on Lake McDonald.

I highly recommend the book for those beginning their trek through Russell’s world.

Malcolm

 

 

‘The Women,’ by Kristin Hannah

On By Malcolm R. CampbellIn books

“Hannah’s tale, rich with period detail, is an impassioned tribute to the heroism of the many thousands who did serve, as well as a hymn to female solidarity in the darkest of settings. It’s a surprisingly original take on a well-trodden subject.” ―The Times (London)

From the Publisher

“Women can be heroes. When twenty-year-old nursing student Frances “Frankie” McGrath hears these words, it is a revelation. Raised in the sun-drenched, idyllic world of Southern California and sheltered by her conservative parents, she has always prided herself on doing the right thing. But in 1965, the world is changing, and she suddenly dares to imagine a different future for herself. When her brother ships out to serve in Vietnam, she joins the Army Nurse Corps and follows his path.

“As green and inexperienced as the men sent to Vietnam to fight, Frankie is over-whelmed by the chaos and destruction of war. Each day is a gamble of life and death, hope and betrayal; friendships run deep and can be shattered in an instant. In war, she meets―and becomes one of―the lucky, the brave, the broken, and the lost.

“But war is just the beginning for Frankie and her veteran friends. The real battle lies in coming home to a changed and divided America, to angry protesters, and to a country that wants to forget Vietnam.

“The Women is the story of one woman gone to war, but it shines a light on all women who put themselves in harm’s way and whose sacrifice and commitment to their country has too often been forgotten. A novel about deep friendships and bold patriotism, The Women is a richly drawn story with a memorable heroine whose idealism and courage under fire will come to define an era.”

–

“One of the greatest storytellers of our time, Kristin Hannah, tackles one of the most cruel and despicable wars of the last century, the Vietnam War. The Women reveals the powerful contributions and horrific sacrifices of the American military nurses who served in a war whose agencies refused to acknowledge that they were even there. Perhaps no words can bring closure to a nation still ashamed of booing our returning heroes, but the heroine, Frances McGrath, stirs a deep, overdue compassion and tears for every single soldier―and especially the forgotten women who sacrificed so much. Never has a novel of war metamorphosed so profoundly into a story of the human heart.” ―Delia Owens, author of Where the Crawdads Sing

-Malcolm

 

 

 

Why is Picoult’s 2008 Novel the Most Banned Book in the Country?

On By Malcolm R. CampbellIn books, writing3 Comments

“Having the most banned book in the country is not a badge of honor – it’s a call for alarm,” Picoult said. “Nineteen Minutes is banned not because it’s about a school shooting, but because of a single page that depicts a date rape and uses anatomically correct words for the human body.” – PEN America

According to PEN, the novel about a shooting in a small New Hampshire town is among the most frequently banned books in the U.S. It has been banned in thirty-five states.

In a BBC article, “She said the reason Nineteen Minutes, which is about a US school shooting, was banned, was not because of the shooting scenes: “They have no problem with that. The problem is that on page 313, I use the term ‘erection’.”

From the Amazon listing.

Jodi Picoult, bestselling author of My Sister’s Keeper and Small Great Things pens her most riveting book yet, with a startling and poignant story about the devastating aftermath of a small-town tragedy.

Sterling is an ordinary New Hampshire town where nothing ever happens–until the day its complacency is shattered by a school shooting. Josie Cormier, the daughter of the judge sitting on the case, should be the state’s best witness, but she can’t remember what happened before her very own eyes–or can she? As the trial progresses, fault lines between the high school and the adult community begin to show–destroying the closest of friendships and families. Nineteen Minutes asks what it means to be different in our society, who has the right to judge someone else, and whether anyone is ever really who they seem to be.
 

From Publishers Weekly

“Bestseller Picoult (My Sister’s Keeper ) takes on another contemporary hot-button issue in her brilliantly told new thriller, about a high school shooting. . .The author’s insights into her characters’ deep-seated emotions brings this ripped-from-the-headlines read chillingly alive.”

According to a November Associated Press story, NEW YORK (AP) — “Jodi Picoult remembers when everyone seemed to praise her novel “Nineteen Minutes,” a 2007 bestseller about a school shooting that now tops a list compiled by PEN America of the books most banned in schools. ‘Not only was it recommended for young adults to read, but it was on the curriculum in schools where it’s now banned,’ the author said during a recent telephone interview.”

–Malcolm

Malcolm R. Campbell is the author of magical realism novels and stories.

New Fiction from the author of ‘Special Topics in Calamity Physics’

On By Malcolm R. CampbellIn books, writing

Marisha Pessl made quite a splash in 2006 with the release of Special Topics on Calamity Physics, a novel of which Publishers Weekly said, ” Pessl’s stunning debut is an elaborate construction modeled after the syllabus of a college literature course—36 chapters are named after everything from Othello to Paradise Lost to The Big Sleep—that culminates with a final exam. ” I’ve read it multiple times, followed by Neverworld Wake and Night Film.

And now we have Darkly about a game-making empire.

From the Publisher

Arcadia “Dia” Gannon has been obsessed with Louisiana Veda, the game designer whose obsessive creations and company, Darkly, have gained a cultlike following. Dia is shocked when she’s chosen for a highly-coveted internship, along with six other teenagers from around the world. Why her? Dia has never won anything in her life.

Darkly, once a game-making empire renowned for its ingenious and utterly terrifying toys and games, now lies dormant after Veda’s mysterious death. The remaining games are priced like rare works of art, with some fetching millions of dollars at auction.

As Dia and her fellow interns delve into the heart of Darkly, they discover hidden symbols, buried clues, and a web of intrigue. Who are these other teens, and what secrets do they keep? Why were any of them really chosen? The answers lie within the twisted labyrinth of Darkly–a chilling and addictive read by Marisha Pessl.

This summer will be the most twisted Darkly game of all.

From Publishers Weekly

“Fearless and whip-smart Dia, as well as the rest of the intersectionally diverse cast, will have readers cheering them on from page one. Assorted letters, news stories, and other ephemera depicting the events add visual interest throughout.”

–Malcolm R. Campbell

Malcolm R. Campbell is the author of the four-novel Florida Folk Magic Series.

Book Giveaway – ‘At Sea,’ a Vietnam War novel by Malcolm R. Campbell

On By Malcolm R. CampbellIn books, writing

My Vietnam War novel At Sea will be free on Kindle from October 25 through October 29 in advance of an upcoming price increase.  This giveaway is my thank you to all of you who have supported my work.  The novel is inspired by my service aboard the aircraft carrier USS Ranger (CVA-61) off the coast of Vietnam.

Long-time readers of this blog may remember that I was part of a group that campaigned to get the ship donated to a museum that would have been on the Columbia River. Our effort did not succeed; the ship was scrapped and its history (including being the first carrier with an angled deck and services through Operation Desert Storm) was lost.

Synopsis

Even though he wanted to dodge the draft in Canada or Sweden, David Ward joined the Navy during the Vietnam War. He ended up on an aircraft carrier. Unlike the pilots, he couldn’t say he went in harm’s way unless he counted the baggage he carried with him. As it turned out, those back home were more dangerous than enemy fire.

While aboard, he discovers that an aircraft carrier truly is a floating city, though a dangerous one from the flight deck to engineering spaces and especially for the pilots of the A-4, the F-4 Phantom, the A-7 Corsair, and the A-6 Intruder.

–

The cover photo is one of my pictures of the ship.

–Malcolm

‘We Do Not Part,’ an upcoming novel by Han Kang

On By Malcolm R. CampbellIn books

Kang – AP Photo, Lee Jin-man

“South Korean author Han Kang has won the Nobel Prize in Literature. She is the first Korean writer and the eighteenth woman to win the award. In 2016, she won the International Booker Prize for her novel The Vegetarian. She was the first Korean writer to win that award as well.” – NPR

From the Publisher

Han Kang’s most revelatory book since The Vegetarian, We Do Not Part tells the story of a friendship between two women while powerfully reckoning with a hidden chapter of Korean history.

One winter morning, Kyungha receives an urgent message from her friend Inseon to visit her at a hospital in Seoul. Inseon has injured herself in an accident, and she begs Kyungha to return to Jeju Island, where she lives, to save her beloved pet—a white bird called Ama.

A snowstorm hits the island when Kyungha arrives. She must reach Inseon’s house at all costs, but the icy wind and squalls slow her down as night begins to fall. She wonders if she will arrive in time to save the animal—or even survive the terrible cold that envelops her with every step. Lost in a world of snow, she doesn’t yet suspect the vertiginous plunge into the darkness that awaits her at her friend’s house.

Blurring the boundaries between dream and reality, We Do Not Part powerfully illuminates a forgotten chapter in Korean history, buried for decades—bringing to light the lost voices of the past to save them from oblivion. Both a hymn to an enduring friendship and an argument for remembering, it is the story of profound love in the face of unspeakable violence—and a celebration of life, however fragile it might be.

From Publisher’s Weekly

“A meticulously rendered portrait of friendship, mother-daughter love, and hope in the face of profound loss. Han is at the top of her game. ” (see review here)

—Malcolm

Malcolm R. Campbell is the author of magical realism novels and stories.

‘The Greatest Westerns Ever Made and the People Who Made Them’ by Henry C. Parke 

On By Malcolm R. CampbellIn books, writing

I’ve been a member of the Montana Historical Society for fifty years and appreciate the scholarship of the books released by the society’s press. Nice to see this book out in paperback.

From the Publisher

“The Greatest Westerns Ever Made and the People Who Made Them provides an eclectic review of the Western film and television genre, from John Ford’s classic, black and white films, to Deadwood and indie darlings. Screenwriter Henry C. Parke presents a nuanced look at Hollywood’s dramatization of historic events, the common themes and archetypes of Western movies, and the characters we love (and sometimes love to hate). This book also features essays and interviews with influential Western filmmakers, character actors, the women of Western films (in front of and behind the cameras), and the Native American perspective on Western films and Hollywood’s portrayal of Native American people.”

“Film and TV critic for True West, Parke presents a collection of his essays that will be a treat for western film fans… There’s plenty of behind-the-scenes detail and also sharp examination of the cultural impact of western films and of the social changes that affected their content… Parke’s enthusiasm is infectious.” ― Booklist

About the Author

Brooklyn-born, L.A.-based screenwriter and wanna-be cowboy Henry C. Parke graduated from New York University’s School of Film and Television. He has been Film & TV Editor for True West since 2015, has written Henry’s Western Round-up, the on-line report on Western film production, since 2010, and writes twice-monthly articles for the INSP Channel’s blog. His screenwriting credits include Speedtrap (1977) and Double Cross (1994). He’s the first writer welcomed into The Western Writers of America for his work in electronic media.

Henry has done audio commentary on about twenty Western Blu-rays and was interviewed in the Turner Classic Movies documentary short TCM Movie Fanatics: Westerns.

True West Magazine has been bringing the history of the American frontier to readers since 1953. For over 65 years True West has been telling the stories of the American West. Whether it’s Wyatt Earp and the cowboys behind the OK Corral or Wild Bill Hickok’s final “dead-man’s” hand, True West brings the unvarnished truth of the American West to readers around the world.

–Malcolm

Malcolm R. Campbell is the author of “Conjure Woman’s Cat”

Remembering Marge Piercy’s ‘Gone to Soldiers’

On By Malcolm R. CampbellIn books, writing

At 88, Marge Piercy, author of 17 volumes of poetry and fifteen novels, just sent a new manuscript to her agent. Time spent on the book had to be juggled with work spent on her prolific vegetable garden and the vicissitudes of life for people in the eighth decade of life.

When I think of Piercy’s work, I’m always drawn back to Gone to Soldiers, the long, multi-character novel released in 1987. Its impact on me is still large and hunting.

Erin Madison, writing in “Off the Shelf” 2016, said that Gone to Soldiers” is the most complete, complex, and stunning piece of World War II literature I’ve ever encountered.” I have the same viewpoint. The book has nine major characters, and Piercy supplies each with a distinctive voice while weaving their stories through a powerful story.

As we remember 9/11 today, the trials of earlier conflicts are specially poignant.

From the Publisher

The New York Times bestselling novel of humans in conflict with inhuman events, Gone to Soldiers is “a landmark piece of literary prose…the most thorough and most captivating, most engrossing novel ever written about World War II” (Los Angeles Times).

In this “sweeping epic” (The Philadelphia Inquirer) of World War II, Marge Piercy moves from the United States to Europe, from the North African campaign to New Zealand, from Japan to Palestine, brilliantly recreating the atmosphere of the wartime capitals: the sexual abandon, the luxury and deprivation, the terror and excitement.

Gone to Soldiers interweaves the stories of ten remarkable characters: The New York divorcee and writer of romances-turned-war correspondent… her ex-husband, involved in intelligence for the OSS… Daniel Balaban, whose mission is to crack the Japanese codes… Bernice Coates, who escapes life to fly fighters as a Woman’s Airforce Service Pilot… a painter who parachutes into Nazi-occupied France to fight with the Resistance… Zachary Barrington Taylor, for whom war is the most exciting game… Jacqueline Levy-Monot, who leads Jewish children over the Pyrenees to safety… her sister, Naomi, a troubled adolescent… their cousin, Ruthie Siegal, a touching young woman who tries to keep alive her love for her boyfriend, while working on an assembly line in Detroit… These characters wage memorable and passionate public and private battles, as war casts them into their ultimate dreams and nightmares, daring them to act out their brightest and darkest fantasies.

Written with unmatched authority about the cataclysmic events and passions of war, Gone to Soldiers “is a literary triumph for Marge Piercy and a landmark volume in the literature of war” (USA TODAY).

Here’s an apt blurb from the Boston Globe on Piercy’s website that sums up the author’s work well: “Marge Piercy is not just an author, she’s a cultural touchstone. Few writers in modern memory have sustained her passion, and skill, for creating stories of consequence.”

–Malcolm

Malcolm R. Campbell is the author of the anti-war Vietnam novel, “At Sea.”

 

‘When We Flew Away’ by Alice Hoffman

On By Malcolm R. CampbellIn books

I’ve read all, or mostly all, of Allice Hoffman’s novels. I like the subjects she tackles, her research, and her approach. This novel will increase readers’ understanding of a long-ago girl, an iconic name to most people. I read her diary ages ago, though I saw the Millie Perkins movie in 1959 first.

From the Publisher

“Bestselling author Alice Hoffman delivers a stunning novel about one of contemporary history’s most acclaimed figures, exploring the little-known details of Anne Frank’s life before she went into hiding.

“Anne Frank’s The Diary of a Young Girl has captivated and inspired readers for decades. Published posthumously by her bereaved father, Anne’s journal, written while she and her family were in hiding during World War II, has become one of the central texts of the Jewish experience during the Holocaust, as well as a work of literary genius.

“With the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands, the Frank family’s life is turned inside out, blow by blow, restriction by restriction. Prejudice, loss, and terror run rampant, and Anne is forced to bear witness as ordinary people become monsters, and children and families are caught up in the inescapable tide of violence.

“In the midst of impossible danger, Anne, audacious and creative and fearless, discovers who she truly is. With a wisdom far beyond her years, she will become a writer who will go on to change the world as we know it.

“Critically acclaimed author Alice Hoffman weaves a lyrical and heart-wrenching story of the way the world closes in on the Frank family from the moment the Nazis invade the Netherlands until they are forced into hiding, bringing Anne to bold, vivid life.

“Based on extensive research and published in cooperation with the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam, When We Flew Away is an extraordinary and moving tour de force.

“Perfect for Alice Hoffman fans and readers of every age.

“‘Adding new poignance to a story whose ending we already knew, Alice Hoffman has deftly recreated the child Anne Frank with all her wit, mischief, and uncertainties. This fictionalized account of the increasingly desperate years that preceded the famous diary breaks readers’ hearts one more time. But it reminds us of how important it is to remember and honor all that was lost.'” — Lois Lowry, Newbery Award-winning author of Number the Stars

“’We can highly recommend Alice Hoffman’s novel of Anne Frank’s life, set in the dramatic and terrible circumstances of those first war years. We hope it will persuade young readers that contributing to a better world is both necessary and possible.’” –Ronald Leopold, Executive Director, Anne Frank House

—Malcolm

Malcolm R. Campbell is the author of contemporary fantasy novels and short stories, including “Widely Scattered Ghosts.”