Six Degrees of Separation ~ Phosphorescence

Phosphorescence
Baird, Julia "Phosphorescence: On Awe, Wonder and Things That Sustain You When the World Goes Dark" - 2020

#6Degrees of Separation: from Phosphorescene (Goodreads) to Against Hate.

#6Degrees is a monthly link-up hosted by Kate at Books Are My Favourite and Best. I love the idea. See more about this challenge, its history, further books and how I found this here.

This month’s prompt starts with Phosphorescence by Julia Baird.

I haven't read this book or anything else by the author. So, I had to go with the description of the book. It's a sort of self-help/memoir book.

I'm not much into self-help books but the word "memoir" triggered a book by a woman I greatly admire. Michelle Obama is a woman who managed to get from nowhere to a highly professional position. Through her marriage to wonderful man, she became first lady of the USA but her own achievements are just as great.

Obama, Michelle "Becoming" - 2018

So, I can't think about Michelle Obama without thinking about her husband, Barack Obama, the 44th president of the United States. Even though I have read two of his books ("Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance" and "The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream") I have chosen a book that gathers his speeches because they are just fantastic. I am also looking forward to his newest book, "A Promised Land".

Dionne jr. E.J.; Reid, Joy-Ann "We are the Change We Seek" - 2017

Of course, speaking a bout Barack Obama, I have to think about his VP who has become the newest president of the United States. I admire him just as much. He has been through a lot and it has only made him stronger. He is a hope for the whole world.

Biden, Joe "Promise Me, Dad. A year of hope, hardship, and purpose" - 2017

And this brings me to his chosen Vice President, a wonderful woman who is strong, smart and overall a great choice for this post. I only read her book recently but it might be the best one I read this year.

Harris, Kamala "The Truths We Hold. An American Journey" - 2019

Speaking of a strong woman, another American lady comes to mind who has also achieved a lot and done much for her country. I have also read her recent one ("What Happened") but have chosen her biography because it links more to the other books in this chain.

Clinton, Hillary Rodham "Living History" - 2003

Talking about American politics, I have to think about a strong German woman, a journalist who received the Peace Prize of the German Book Trade. She wrote a brilliant anti-war book ("Echoes of Violence: Letters from a War Reporter") but this book here fits better. I think anyone should read that before making any kind of political comments, especially if it means putting down the opposite side.

Emcke, Carolin "Against Hate" (German: Gegen den Hass) - 2016

Yes, quite a political chain there but I felt these books went best with this month's challenge. I hope many of you will read at least one of those books because they are all brilliant. Happy Reading!

I'm looking forward to seeing what others came up with. 

Look for further monthly separation posts here.

Book Quotes of the Week

Word cloud made with WordItOut

"Write what should not be forgotten." Isabel Allende 

The more we write, the less we forget.

"Too little information and you're blind, too much and you're blinded." Stuart Turton

Depends on where you get your information from. People with too little information can be more dangerous than those with too much, especially if they think they know it all.

"Every book is a different hood, a different country, a different world. Reading is how I visit places and people and ideas. And when something rings true or if I still have a question, I outline it with a bright yellow highlighter so that it’s lit up in my mind, like a lightbulb or a torch leading the way to somewhere new. It’s usually enough to make me forget I’ve barely left Bushwick." Ibi Zoboi, Pride

I totally agree. Except for the yellow highlighter. I would never do that to a book!

Find more book quotes here.

Mann, Thomas "A Man and his Dog"

Mann, Thomas "A Man and his Dog" (aka Bashan and I) (German: Herr und Hund. Ein Idyll) - 1918

Anyone who knows me is aware of the fact that I love Thomas Mann. And that I'm not a fan of short stories. So, here is a short story by one of my favourite authors. 95 pages. In German! Which means it has probably fewer in English. (I could only find editions with extra writings, so I have no idea how many pages are left of the actual story.

Bashan is called "Bauschan" in the German original. Not a name I have ever come across anywhere. I am not an animal person, have never owned a single one and if I would want one, I'd rather have a cat than a dog, so I probably would not have touched this story if it hadn't been for the author.

The subtitle in German is "an idyll". Is it really that idyllic? Well, at least Thomas Mann manages to describe it like that. Long walks with his dog, beautiful landscape descriptions, a great tale of how a man and his dog grow together, the psychology of his dog. And of the owner. It's a feel good "story". Nothing much happens but you can follow them through their everyday life and imagine you are their on their walks.

The book was written and published in 1918, just when people had to get over WWI, maybe not a bad time to come up with a novella like this.

As for the cover pictures, I prefer the German one, it reminds me of Monet and other impressionists. Well, it's by Henry Moret, a French impressionist painter. I hadn't heard of him so could google more of his works and they are beautiful. Lots of seascapes which I always like.

This was our international online book club read in February 2021.

Some thoughts:

• It was again a completely different book than what we have read before, and the style of writing also totally different.
• Many thought the language was too long and difficult, with too much detail. Like a monologue you listen to, where you want to ask about what else is going on in life outside the picture, but you are unable to.
• Some really enjoyed some parts of the descriptions of scenery but felt very sad for the dog in much of the story.
• The contrast how we love and care for dogs nowadays compared to how Bashan was cared for back in those days felt enormous.
• The book made me curious about how it compares to Mann's other works, and what else was going on in life at the time.

I can understand these points. My favourite book by Thomas Mann is still is "Buddenbrooks" (Buddenbrooks).

I read this in the original German edition.

From the back cover:

"Bashan and I is the moving story of Thomas Mann's relationship with his spirited German short-haired pointer. From their first encounter at a local farm, Mann reveals how he slowly grows to love this energetic, loyal, and intelligent animal. Taking daily walks in the nearby parkland, Mann begins to understand and appreciate Bashan as a living being, witnessing his native delight in chasing rabbits, deer, and squirrels along with his careful investigations of stones, fallen branches, and clumps of wet leaves. As their bond deepens, Mann is led to contemplate Bashan's inner life, and marvels at the ease with which his dog trusts him, completely putting his life into his master's hands.

Over time, the two develop a deep mutual understanding, but for Mann, there is always a sense of loss at never being able to enter the private world of his dear friend, and he slowly becomes conscious of the eternal divide between mankind and the rest of nature. Nonetheless, the unique relationship quietly moves to the forefront of Mann's life, and when master and companion are briefly separated, Mann is taken aback by the depth of his loneliness without his dog. It is this deep affection for another living creature that helps the writer to reach a newfound understanding of the nature of love, in all its complexity.

First published in 1919 and translated into English in 1923, Bashan and I was heralded for its simple telling of how a dog became a priceless companion, an animal who brought meaning to the author's life."

Thomas Mann received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1929 "principally for his great novel, 'Buddenbrooks', which has won steadily increased recognition as one of the classic works of contemporary literature".

I contribute to this page: Read the Nobels and you can find all my blogs about Nobel Prize winning authors and their books here.

Top Ten Tuesday ~ Characters Whose Job I Wish I Had

"Top Ten Tuesday" is an original feature/weekly meme created on the blog "The Broke and the Bookish". This feature was created because they are particularly fond of lists at "The Broke and the Bookish".

It is now hosted by Jana from That Artsy Reader Girl.

Since I am just as fond of them as they are, I jump at the chance to share my lists with them! Have a look at their page, there are lots of other bloggers who share their lists here.

This week's topic is: Characters Whose Job I Wish I Had

(maybe not even because the job sounds fun, but maybe the co-workers are cool or the boss is hot?)

This is a topic quite close to my heart. I would have loved to be a teacher. Unfortunately, my parents didn't have the means to support me and they were too afraid to let me do it on my own since they didn't grow up in academic circles. That's one of the reason why I'm such an advocate for free education, makes it a little more equal and easier for kids growing up in families that can't help them.
However, I have helped out a lot in school when my boys were there and I even "taught" some support classes plus I taught religion at church, so I know a little bit about the job to know that it's not all fun and games.

A lot of the books I read have teachers in them. I have searched for some extraordinary stories surrounding those who chose the profession. Sometimes, they are put in a difficult position (e.g. Lamb, Nafisi, Shriver), sometimes they find great ways to teach their children something spectatular (esp. Rhue). If you are looking for more books with a teacher, go to my "Teacher" link here.

Agnes Grey
Brontë, Anne "Agnes Grey" - 1847
Lucy Snowe
Brontë, Charlotte"Villette" - 1853
Caelum Quirk
Lamb, Wally "The Hour I First Believed" - 2008
Frank McCourt
McCourt, Frank "Teacher Man. A Memoir 1949-1985" - 2005
Azar Nafisi
Nafisi, Azar "Reading Lolita in Tehran: A Memoir in Books" - 2003
Hannah Schneider, Gareth van Meer
Pessl, Marisha "Special Topics in Calamity Physics" - 2006
Ben Ross
Rhue, Morton "The Wave" - 1981
Dana Rocco
Shriver, Lionel "We need to talk about Kevin" - 2003
Viktor Schengeli
Ulitzkaya, Lyudmila "Imago" or "The Big Green Tent" (Russian: Zelenyi shater/Зеленый шатер) - 2010

Clara Callan
Wright, Richard B. "Clara Callan" - 2001

My hero of all these teachers is Ben Ross though some of the others have been pretty great, as well.

Happy March

Happy March to all my friends and readers

New Calendar picture with this
beautiful watercolour painting by Hanka Koebsch

"Danke für die Blumen"
"Thank you for the flowers"

I can't believe two months of the year have passed already. There were no big Covid-related changes. Germany is still in a lockdown and we are eagerly awaiting that it will be our turn to be vaccinated soon. 

 

* * *

The official name for March in Low German is " Lenzmaond". "Lenz" is an Old High German name for spring.

Of course, spring begins this month, so that's a perfectly sensible word for it. Whilst the meteorologic start of spring is on the 1^st of March, the astronomic one is only on the 20^th.

But we've already had the beginning of spring in February. After about three days of snow, it started to get warm. People were wearing summer clothes see leftover snow while taking their walks. A town in German (Göttingen) experienced the the largest temperature difference within a week since the weather records began. It moved from -23.8° (Celsius) to 18.1°, so 41.9° in total. Mind you, our thermometers didn't show a huge difference to that.

So, we have the first flowers in the garden and can take nice walks in the sun as long as it doesn't get too hot.

* * *

Weather lore (or farmers' rule) for March: "Snow in March hurts the seeds." (Märzen-Schnee tut den Saaten weh.) The English say "When March blows its horn, your barn will be filled with hay and corn." So we need a lot of thunderstorms but no snow. After all, we all want to eat.

* * *

Have a happy, safe and healthy March with this beautiful watercolour painting by Hanka Koebsch. Aren't the flowers ever so pretty?


You can find many more wonderful pictures on their website here.

You can also have a look under my labels Artist: Frank Koebsch and Artist: Hanka Koebsch where you can find all my posts about them.

Book Quotes of the Week

Word cloud made with WordItOut

"Children know perfectly well that unicorns aren't real, but they also know that books about unicorns, if they are good books, are true books." Ursula K. LeGuin

I think children know quite well what is real and what isn't, they are often smarter than adults.

"A library is infinity under a roof." Gail Carson Levine

Wow, I never thought of it that way but yes, the whole world can be under our roof.

"Reading has always been my home, my sustenance, my great invisible companion. ... I did not read from a sense of superiority, or advancement, or even learning, I read because I loved it more than any activity on earth." Anna Quindlen

I think every reader understands this so well. I don't understand people who think differently.

"Each time you open a book and open it, a tree smiles knowing there's life after death." N.N. *

That is a lovely perspective.

[If anyone can tell me the originator of this quote, I'd be very thankful and would happily include the name.]


Find more book quotes here.

Ford, Ford Madox "Parade's End"

Ford, Ford Madox "Parade's End" (Tetralogy: Some Do Not - 1924, No More Parades, 1925, A Man Could Stand Up 1926, Last Post 1928) - 1924-28

I have read a lot of books about WWI and WWII and most of them were great reads. I never know what to say when I read a book about a war and "enjoyed" it. Because, obviously, I don't enjoy reading about cruelty and death but I do prefer these kind of books to rose-tinted stories about love and similar stuff. I'm definitely not a chick-lit girl.

As this is a highly acclaimed book by "one of Britain's finest novelists", I was really looking forward to it. Also, it's huge, almost 1,000 pages, I usually love that.

But you can already guess from my introduction that this was not my book. Not at all. The book was not just confusing by jumping from one setting to the next without any further explanation, it wasn't much about the war (could have been about any war or even any time), it wasn't much about the military but it also wasn't much about interesting characters. None of them was even remotely likeable but also too boring to get upset about them.

I hardly ever skim through pages but I was very tempted to do it here. But I was afraid I would "get" the story even less if I did that. However, not skimming didn't help, either.

The only question I have now, there is a BBC miniseries. Should I try it or leave that, as well? I do like Benedict Cumberbatch (I mean, who doesn't?) but the story ...

From the back cover:

"The Great War changes everything. In this epic tale, spanning over a decade, war turns the world of privileged, English aristocrat Christopher Tietjens upside down. It forces him to question everything he holds dear - social order, morality, marriage and loyalty. And it rocks the very foundations of English society.

This is a powerful story about love, betrayal and disillusionment in a time of horror and confusion by one of Britain’s finest novelists."

If you want to read good books about how the soldiers in WWI fared, check out
Faulks, Sebastian "Birdsong" 
Malouf, David "Fly Away Peter"
Remarque, Erich Maria "All Quiet on the Western Front" (GE: Im Westen nichts Neues)

or any of the other books I reviewed in War: WWI.