Moloka'i by Alan Brennert

This book is beautifully written. Brennert brings the reader into the life of Rachel, a Hawaiian who gets leprosy when a child. The book centers on Rachel and her life at the leper colony. It is also written at the time of Hawaii's annexation and World War II. It is heartbreaking how families are torn apart and the stigma that gets put on the ones that remain with the population. The colony is behind in the times. It is difficult to imagine how isolated they were from the rest of the world. Technology and inventions came late to the island. The way it is written the people of the colony really helped to make it a livable place.

Rachel is a strong woman; partly because she has to be to survive and also because of the supportive foundation of people (her new family) she meets on Moloka'i. There are questions in the back of the book that are worth thinking about. One of them is if the treatment and isolation of the patients was justified. This is a difficult question. At the time I think they were still trying to figure everything out. By being in their own group I think they were able to live better lives. They didn't have to be ostracized by the general public. However, I do think that there could have been more given to them. In the beginning it seems as though they are shipped off to this island to basically die. But through Rachel's life you realize that they started living again when they got to the island. Another question is if Rachel's mother Dorothy handled the situation well. I wasn't a fan of Dorothy. In the end I get a better understanding of her. But the church at the time put such an emphasis on why people got leprosy and I feel Dorothy believed in it too much. The stance of the church on the main islands and the stance of the nuns (sisters) on Moloka'i were starkly different to me. The sisters really gave depth and meaning to the story. Their heartache at watching these young children come to the island and live or die is hard to take. They have such strength that it helps Rachel and the others.

There are so many more great talking points with this book. It is a great read to learn about the colony on Moloka'i and the feelings of those that had to live there. Brennert brings in the different treatments that were tested on the patients. He also shows the growth of the people while in this isolation. It is well researched. Worth a read.

Rest of Caspak series by Burroughs

The last two books (The People That Time Forgot and Out of Time's Abyss) were just as engrossing as The Land That Time Forgot. Edgar Rice Burroughs continues the story of the land of Caprona through two more narrators. In the second, Tom Billings (secretary of the Tyler's family business) begins an expedition to rescue Bowen Tyler. Billings becomes separated from his crew and the novel goes on to narrate his trek through Caprona. He is paired with a Galu girl right off and they work their way north to the Galu country. The reader already has an understanding of the trials one undertakes while in Caprona. However, you learn more about the evolution of species; plant, human, and animal. It is very interesting how Burroughs has created this land at the bottom of the Earth and almost puts the entire evolutionary cycle in it. There are six stages the 'humans' take in their lifetime (I'm not counting the Wieroo). You can find a list of them if you search on Wikipedia. I don't want to talk to much about the plot of the book. The second book takes you into more of the layout and cycle of Caprona life. However, it is in the third book that more of an understanding of the 'beginning' of life is told. The third book tells the narrative of Bradley, one of Tyler's men from the first book. In this book the reader learns more about the Wieroo; the race that has evolved into flying men and which the others fear. Once again I won't get too much into the plot.
Just like the first novel Burroughs male narrator is very sure and egotistical. I wonder though if this helps him to survive in this land that is foreign and filled with super-sized dangers. The idea of there being this land that has been kept apart from the rest of the world's evolutionary cycle is intriguing. I read some reviews and I agree that if you are to read these books then they should be read as one. There is a continuity in them and the characters keep you turning pages. You have to find out if they survive Caprona and make it back to America.
These books are what really have peaked my interest in Edgar Rice Burroughs. I know that my reading interests have become much more centered on Science Fiction and Fantasy these past few years. This is interesting to me because I'm not sure what really changed my reading habits. I always enjoyed Bradbury and Tolkien; now I am trying to read all the classics that were before or around these two readers. Plus there are still so many of these two authors works I have yet to read. It would be interesting to see what Burroughs' influences were and I may just do that!

January Books

I continued reading Map of Time and Shadow of Night. Still working on those. However, I did finish two books. The first is for the February book club: Moloka'i by Alan Brennert. It is sad and so heart wrenching but a very good read. It was recommended to my sister and I by one of my friends. I will write more on it after we meet for book club. The second book is One for the Money by Janet Evanovich. A couple friends of mine have been reading the series and love it. So I decided to see what it was all about. Stephanie Plum, the main character, cracks me up! I flew through the book in a matter of days and am getting the second book soon. It was just non stop laughter and goofs. It amazes me that Stephanie is still alive after everything. I would have died of mortification right away. I did start One Thousand White Women: the journals of May Dodd by Jim Fergus. There is humor in the story; but May Dodd is beginning to annoy me a little with how 'cocky' she is. But I am liking the book and will hopefully finish it soon.

December Books

It looks like I haven't read anything since November. But that isn't true; I just haven't been faithful in blogging about them. In December I started up my book club again. Right now there are only three other people in it. It works though. We met right before Christmas and then are meeting again this month and going forward will hopefully be a monthly meeting.

For the book club book we read Sutton by J.R. Moehringer. It is a fictional biography of a notorious American bank robber. I don't usually read this genre so it was difficult for me to get into. But once I made myself sit and read it for a good while I started to get pulled into Sutton's life. There is a twist at the end that caught me by surprise. Honestly I almost missed it. But one of the book club members pointed it out to me.

In December I also got an application on my iPad titled 'Free Books'. I have uploaded quite a few books ranging from Abraham Lincoln's writings to Little Women to Dream Psychology by Sigmund Freud. Most of the books though are science fiction and fantasy books though. I read The Land That Time Forgot by Edgar Rice Burroughs. I loved it! The book was a quick read written in journal format. The journalist is very descriptive and slightly full of himself but that makes it better. I have uploaded the second in the trilogy: The People That Time Forgot. I don't have this app linked to my phone so the downfall is that I have to read it only on my iPad. But that's all right. I enjoy Burroughs so far and have also uploaded Tarzan of the Apes. Eventually I would like to get these in print format. But I don't want a new edition of them so I will be checking Half Price Books and Thrift Books to find the editions I want.

During December I also continued reading The Map of Time and started the sequel to A Discovery of Witches. The Map of Time is taking me a while to get through. I should finish it soon. The story is good but doesn't keep my attention like others. Sadly Shadow of Night the sequel to Discovery isn't pulling me in like the first did. It just seems like it is dragging out and there is a lot of information centering around Matthew that I think could be left out. We'll see though as I continue reading.

A Christmas Blizzard

Since listening to Lake Wobegon Days on tape I have been looking into more of Garrison Keillor's works. I picked up A Christmas Blizzard last week and am reading it on my lunches. Every page has me laughing. It isn't a very long book and is supposed to be similar to A Christmas Carol by Dickens. I shall keep reading and will let you know what I think about the book when I finish.