100 Places in Italy Every Woman Should Go / Susan van Allen. 2009. Palo Alto, CA: Travelers’ Tales.
This cornucopia of Italian delights titillates the senses and entices the imagination. Occasionally fringing on the irreverent (who else but Susan van Allen would dream of calling the Blessed Virgin Mary the BMV, for instance – only kidding, grrll!), and bordering on the erotic (as in Susan’s description of The Capitoline Venus attempting to cover her “Cupid’s cloister”), Susan’s selective guide to Italian beauty and beauties scampers through both urban and rural landscape with exuberant glee.
Ranging from the divine to the decadent, Susan’s romp through the Italian past and present has one hankering for more. The Divine: Goddesses, Saints, and the Blessed Virgin Mary takes one from the Campidoglio, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill to the Temple of Segesta in Sicily, by way of the artistic splendors of Florence, Tuscany, Venice, Padua, Naples, Campania and Palermo. In each, she focuses on the female, the envisioned and the immortal, as portrayed in key works of art. Instructive and elucidating, she entices one with succulent morsels of information about the work and the artist involved. Suggesting the best times at which to visit all the museums and galleries that she recommends, Susan also gives handy tips on how to plan one’s jaunts for the day, including visits to nearby parks and restaurants. She even manages to sneak in extra tidbits of recommended reading, not to mention a novice’s guide to mythology and Mary’s rites of passage.
A little bit of history, a little bit of art… The second section of Susan’s 100 Places romps through the spacious ville, palazzo and an apartment, starting once more in Rome and ending in Sicily – an added bonus to her racy pace is the systematic way in which she unravels the labyrinthine. Her sense of enthrallment with her surroundings is intoxicating, as she seduces us into imagining the scenes of revelry and mayhem that permeated the past.
Susan van Allen appears not only to appreciate the intimacy of the boudoir, but also the graceful and cultivated structuring of the outdoors. Finding la dolce vita in the harmonious blend of greenery, sculpture, and fountains that typifies the finest in Italian landscape gardening, she explores gardens originating in the Renaissance and Baroque periods – not without a timely reminder that most gardens close down November to March, so best check ahead to avoid disappointment.
Susan then extends her delight in the outdoors to an overview of the finest of Italian beaches, while, on the way, introducing one to the niceties of beach etiquette regarding such key points (;)) as topless bathing and clubbing. Mmm, and after indulging in all those sun-drenched days, what next but to explore the most refreshing and soothing of beauty treatments offered by leading spas (contact details provided)…
The culinary delights of Italy await you next, as Susan encourages you to “pursue your passion for tasting by heading to the country and visiting a [woman-owned] winery” and to “indulge your tastebuds as you tune into delicious daily rhythms” of eating out at an urban caffè. Gelato, chocolate and wine are never too far from an Italian lover’s mind…
…and which woman does not love to shop…shoes, leather and paper ware, ceramics, jewelry, fragrances, lingerie, embroidery and lace…not to speak of shopping in Milan or at the antique markets, Susan explores them all.
Just in case you think that van Allen only indulges the feminine instinct of womankind, in her next section she counters by yielding to the wild buccaneering instinct that’s hidden deep within us all. In her section on active adventures, she introduces us to biking, hiking, skiing, boating, yoga and Pilates, Italian style.
Having worked up a sufficiently good appetite through adventuring abroad (pun intended), Susan brings us home with a flourish in her section on cooking classes. She equates taking a cooking class in Italy with “getting a backstage pass to the country’s soul”.
After cooking with Susan in Rome, Tuscany, Parma–Emilia-Romagna, Ravello, Campania and Calabria (don’t you just revel in rolling those names off your tongue?), you can learn any one of a vast range of Italian crafts and culture before being entertained at an array of cultural and sporting venues. Then, rounding it all off, she advocates reading about, and developing your own memories in, Italy.
100 Places in Italy Every Woman Should Go concludes with handy tips for Italian travel (though the entire work churns with such ideas…) and packing, a calendar (or should I say colander?) of holy days, and a detailed index. By this stage, if you are not fully replete and with your dates for your next Italian jaunt at least penciled in on your schedule, may the BVM come to your aid, sister…
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Opening the Way to the Woman in Us All: Ennobling Stories of Female Heroism
Tell Me a Story 3: Women of Wonder / stories by Amy Friedman; music by Laura Hall; directed by Lori Ada Jaroslaw; illustrated by Jillian Gilliland. $18.95.
A love of animals and an appreciation of the many different cultures of the world permeate this audio collection of folktales and legends. Each story is encapsulated within a piece of folk music typical of the country in which the story originates. Both inspiring and comforting, this CD is a worthwhile investment both for younger children and for those who are just starting to learn English for the first time. Each story radiates enchantment, which can be even further enhanced by going online to the website of this women’s collective (www.MythsandTales.com) to check out the whimsically illustrated stories. All the stories can all be printed out and read while one listens to the soundtrack by the renowned gospel musician Laura Hall.
The quirky uniqueness of each tale, marked by a strong sense of humor and compassion, is supported by the strong cast of characters that fill these tales with an awareness of the remarkable endurance of the human spirit in the face of adversity. After an overture that sets the tone for the telling of these stories, each tale is dramatized in turn by a different raconteur of stage and screen – all women, for this CD is a celebration of the woman in us all. ‘The Cleverest Tune’, a British folktale read by Bryce Dallas Howard, describes the capacity of a young girl to fill her home with joy and music on the death of her much-loved father. ‘The Goddess and the Ogre’, a Cambodian legend read by Jessica DiCicco, tells of the enterprising Manimekhala, the goddess of water, who is able to outwit the fearsome ogre Ream Eyso with the help of a wise hermit, who longs for nothing more than “to spread knowledge to everyone who wished to learn”.
‘Whisker of the Lioness’, an Ethiopian tale read by Margot Rose, shows how a daughter’s longing for her mother’s love drives her to overcome her fear of the mother of all beasts of prey, allowing her to gain insight into how to start loving again. ‘The Lady and the Judge’, a Turkish folktale read by Wendy Hammers, reveals how crossing social and class boundaries empowers the wife of a pasha to help a distressed and exploited dustman. ‘Reindeer Maiden’, a Siberian legend read by Yvette Freeman, tells how, by transforming herself into a “shimmering oil lamp”, the Reindeer Maiden is able to elude her ardent suitor, the Moon, and retain her precious freedom. My favorite, ‘Sally Ann Thunder Ann Whirlwind’ (recall ‘Annie Get Your Gun’?), an American tall tale read by Paula Poundstone, ends off the collection – the tale of a true frontier gal who captures her man, Davy Crockett, no less!
This collection of legends and (tall) tales will keep you and your children riveted to the CD player! Don’t forget to make the most of their website too…
A love of animals and an appreciation of the many different cultures of the world permeate this audio collection of folktales and legends. Each story is encapsulated within a piece of folk music typical of the country in which the story originates. Both inspiring and comforting, this CD is a worthwhile investment both for younger children and for those who are just starting to learn English for the first time. Each story radiates enchantment, which can be even further enhanced by going online to the website of this women’s collective (www.MythsandTales.com) to check out the whimsically illustrated stories. All the stories can all be printed out and read while one listens to the soundtrack by the renowned gospel musician Laura Hall.
The quirky uniqueness of each tale, marked by a strong sense of humor and compassion, is supported by the strong cast of characters that fill these tales with an awareness of the remarkable endurance of the human spirit in the face of adversity. After an overture that sets the tone for the telling of these stories, each tale is dramatized in turn by a different raconteur of stage and screen – all women, for this CD is a celebration of the woman in us all. ‘The Cleverest Tune’, a British folktale read by Bryce Dallas Howard, describes the capacity of a young girl to fill her home with joy and music on the death of her much-loved father. ‘The Goddess and the Ogre’, a Cambodian legend read by Jessica DiCicco, tells of the enterprising Manimekhala, the goddess of water, who is able to outwit the fearsome ogre Ream Eyso with the help of a wise hermit, who longs for nothing more than “to spread knowledge to everyone who wished to learn”.
‘Whisker of the Lioness’, an Ethiopian tale read by Margot Rose, shows how a daughter’s longing for her mother’s love drives her to overcome her fear of the mother of all beasts of prey, allowing her to gain insight into how to start loving again. ‘The Lady and the Judge’, a Turkish folktale read by Wendy Hammers, reveals how crossing social and class boundaries empowers the wife of a pasha to help a distressed and exploited dustman. ‘Reindeer Maiden’, a Siberian legend read by Yvette Freeman, tells how, by transforming herself into a “shimmering oil lamp”, the Reindeer Maiden is able to elude her ardent suitor, the Moon, and retain her precious freedom. My favorite, ‘Sally Ann Thunder Ann Whirlwind’ (recall ‘Annie Get Your Gun’?), an American tall tale read by Paula Poundstone, ends off the collection – the tale of a true frontier gal who captures her man, Davy Crockett, no less!
This collection of legends and (tall) tales will keep you and your children riveted to the CD player! Don’t forget to make the most of their website too…
Contemplating the Contemplative: A Guide Book to Accommodation in the Religious Houses of Europe
Good Night & God Bless: A Guide to Convent and Monastery Accommodation in Europe. Volume One. Austria, Czech Republic, Italy / Trish Clark. Mahwah, NJ: Hidden Spring, 2009. ISBN 978-1587680533. $49.98.
The index to this guide to convents, monasteries, open houses and spiritual retreats of Austria, the Czech Republic and Italy gives one but the barest outline of the wealth of contents of Good Night & God Bless. Apart from answering the usual questions of where, what and how much, a sense of cultural and historical awareness permeates the text. Want to know where Empress Elizabeth was assassinated, where to seek out the most awe-inspiring classical music or liveliest disco, or where to buy locally grown organic fruit and herbal teas? Look no further than Good Night & God Bless: A Guide to Convent and Monastery Accommodation in Europe.
A neat pocket guide to the best alternative tourism routes through three major European countries, this logically structured work is a soothing panacea to the overwhelming plethora of travel books that pulsate off the shelves in ever increasing numbers. Presenting her work in pleasingly demarcated paragraphs, Trish Clark describes the accommodation, ranging from the relatively simple to the discretely luxurious, provided by religious houses that have found the need to become financially viable amid the increasing commercialism of the 21st century.
A brief introduction to each country and region, including a map and a few color photographs of the most distinctive sites, is followed by a few pages on each of the leading open houses. Trish describes exactly what a tourist is likely to experience while staying there. Venturing beyond a brief overview of the services and specialties provided, she explores the surroundings of each open house in turn, suggesting which places of interest, food and drink and sporting and cultural events the prospective traveler might most enjoy.
For those of a more contemplative frame of mind, Trish describes the spiritual retreats and pilgrimages that can be undertaken in Austria, Italy and the Czech Republic. She also provides the contact details for additional accommodation, so that the array of potentially spiritually uplifting accommodation is reasonably extensive.
Good Night & God Bless: A Guide to Convent and Monastery Accommodation in Europe is the ideal guide for those seeking more than the conventional tourist fare – make the most of your next trip to Europe by contemplating the contemplative and return home refreshed and spiritually restored. Volume Two of Good Night & God Bless, which covers the accommodation provided in the religious houses of France, Ireland and the United Kingdom, is due out in January 2010. Personally, I can’t wait!
The index to this guide to convents, monasteries, open houses and spiritual retreats of Austria, the Czech Republic and Italy gives one but the barest outline of the wealth of contents of Good Night & God Bless. Apart from answering the usual questions of where, what and how much, a sense of cultural and historical awareness permeates the text. Want to know where Empress Elizabeth was assassinated, where to seek out the most awe-inspiring classical music or liveliest disco, or where to buy locally grown organic fruit and herbal teas? Look no further than Good Night & God Bless: A Guide to Convent and Monastery Accommodation in Europe.
A neat pocket guide to the best alternative tourism routes through three major European countries, this logically structured work is a soothing panacea to the overwhelming plethora of travel books that pulsate off the shelves in ever increasing numbers. Presenting her work in pleasingly demarcated paragraphs, Trish Clark describes the accommodation, ranging from the relatively simple to the discretely luxurious, provided by religious houses that have found the need to become financially viable amid the increasing commercialism of the 21st century.
A brief introduction to each country and region, including a map and a few color photographs of the most distinctive sites, is followed by a few pages on each of the leading open houses. Trish describes exactly what a tourist is likely to experience while staying there. Venturing beyond a brief overview of the services and specialties provided, she explores the surroundings of each open house in turn, suggesting which places of interest, food and drink and sporting and cultural events the prospective traveler might most enjoy.
For those of a more contemplative frame of mind, Trish describes the spiritual retreats and pilgrimages that can be undertaken in Austria, Italy and the Czech Republic. She also provides the contact details for additional accommodation, so that the array of potentially spiritually uplifting accommodation is reasonably extensive.
Good Night & God Bless: A Guide to Convent and Monastery Accommodation in Europe is the ideal guide for those seeking more than the conventional tourist fare – make the most of your next trip to Europe by contemplating the contemplative and return home refreshed and spiritually restored. Volume Two of Good Night & God Bless, which covers the accommodation provided in the religious houses of France, Ireland and the United Kingdom, is due out in January 2010. Personally, I can’t wait!
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Fear Not the Feared
Rose, Donna Mae. The Way Back: Inside the Mind of a Multiple Personality Disorder. Denver, Col.: Outskirts Press, Inc., c2007. ISBN-10: 1-4327-0605-5.
ISBN-13: 978-1-4327-0605-0.
Urging her readers to believe that they, too, can overcome, Donna Mae Rose shows how she regathered her Wholeness, after experiencing a lifetime of deep trauma that shattered the core of her being. Opening with a counseling session between herself and Dr Boyd, the author, a psychiatric technician, tells us of the close and caring relationship that she had with her mother all her life, the great fear that she had of her violent-tempered, mentally and physically abusive father, and the generally loving relationships that she had with her six siblings from an early age. Her father used to take out his frustrations from his job, in which he felt trapped due to the Depression, on his small children and insecure, frightened wife. Donna’s graphic account of her father’s sexual abuse and rape, that Donna felt scarred her psychologically for life, is realistically portrayed.
The Way Back amounts to a verbatim account of Donna’s counseling sessions with Dr. Boyd. Told in direct speech, the sessions flow naturally and are easy to follow. Donna’s ostensible reason for her counseling sessions with Dr. Boyd was her marital problems with her husband, Bill. However, she later reveals that she had had a nervous breakdown eighteen years before, since when she had spent much time as an outpatient of a mental hospital, having been diagnosed as a schizophrenic. She describes how her loss of train of thought halfway through her second session with Dr. Boyd, and her awareness of an apparent six-month memory loss, leads Dr. Boyd to inform her that he believes that she has multiple personality disorder. He concludes that such trance-like episodes are moments of self-hypnosis, which help her to calm down.
By externalizing her innermost anxieties and fears in the form of black bugs and red ants, Donna was able to cope with and adapt to her situation while she was growing up. Donna’s interpretation of the image of the spider, which first appeared on the ceiling of the room while she was being raped, as her eight different personalities is core to an understanding of this text. Gradually, while undergoing therapy, her other personalities emerge: self-confident and caring Joyce Jordan, the only personality given a last name; promiscuous, enraged Wanda; courageous Carol, who provides a means by which she can protect her innocence; suicidal Mary; childlike Edith Rose, who is capable of expressing attachment; vivacious, outgoing Susie; sanctimonious Beth; Laura, protector of the place where all the other personalities stayed until Donna Mae started to receive counseling from Dr. Boyd; Mildred, who protects Donna when she enters consciousness; spiritually supportive Edgar, who protects Donna from the suicidal tendencies of Mary; and John, who was created to keep Edgar company. Through her acknowledgement and growing understanding of her different personalities, Donna Mae is able to reconcile herself to their existence and to integrate them gradually into her core personality.
This autobiographical account is of particular relevance to anyone who has had to endure childhood trauma and abuse, as well as to anyone who has been diagnosed as schizophrenic or who works with those suffering from dissociate hysteria. Her appreciative portrayal of Dr. Boyd as a compassionate listener might reassure a reader who feels intimidated by the possibility of consulting a psychiatrist that the best in this field are highly accessible and supportive. The Way Back: Inside the Mind of a Multiple Personality Disorder is a tribute to his healing skills.
ISBN-13: 978-1-4327-0605-0.
Urging her readers to believe that they, too, can overcome, Donna Mae Rose shows how she regathered her Wholeness, after experiencing a lifetime of deep trauma that shattered the core of her being. Opening with a counseling session between herself and Dr Boyd, the author, a psychiatric technician, tells us of the close and caring relationship that she had with her mother all her life, the great fear that she had of her violent-tempered, mentally and physically abusive father, and the generally loving relationships that she had with her six siblings from an early age. Her father used to take out his frustrations from his job, in which he felt trapped due to the Depression, on his small children and insecure, frightened wife. Donna’s graphic account of her father’s sexual abuse and rape, that Donna felt scarred her psychologically for life, is realistically portrayed.
The Way Back amounts to a verbatim account of Donna’s counseling sessions with Dr. Boyd. Told in direct speech, the sessions flow naturally and are easy to follow. Donna’s ostensible reason for her counseling sessions with Dr. Boyd was her marital problems with her husband, Bill. However, she later reveals that she had had a nervous breakdown eighteen years before, since when she had spent much time as an outpatient of a mental hospital, having been diagnosed as a schizophrenic. She describes how her loss of train of thought halfway through her second session with Dr. Boyd, and her awareness of an apparent six-month memory loss, leads Dr. Boyd to inform her that he believes that she has multiple personality disorder. He concludes that such trance-like episodes are moments of self-hypnosis, which help her to calm down.
By externalizing her innermost anxieties and fears in the form of black bugs and red ants, Donna was able to cope with and adapt to her situation while she was growing up. Donna’s interpretation of the image of the spider, which first appeared on the ceiling of the room while she was being raped, as her eight different personalities is core to an understanding of this text. Gradually, while undergoing therapy, her other personalities emerge: self-confident and caring Joyce Jordan, the only personality given a last name; promiscuous, enraged Wanda; courageous Carol, who provides a means by which she can protect her innocence; suicidal Mary; childlike Edith Rose, who is capable of expressing attachment; vivacious, outgoing Susie; sanctimonious Beth; Laura, protector of the place where all the other personalities stayed until Donna Mae started to receive counseling from Dr. Boyd; Mildred, who protects Donna when she enters consciousness; spiritually supportive Edgar, who protects Donna from the suicidal tendencies of Mary; and John, who was created to keep Edgar company. Through her acknowledgement and growing understanding of her different personalities, Donna Mae is able to reconcile herself to their existence and to integrate them gradually into her core personality.
This autobiographical account is of particular relevance to anyone who has had to endure childhood trauma and abuse, as well as to anyone who has been diagnosed as schizophrenic or who works with those suffering from dissociate hysteria. Her appreciative portrayal of Dr. Boyd as a compassionate listener might reassure a reader who feels intimidated by the possibility of consulting a psychiatrist that the best in this field are highly accessible and supportive. The Way Back: Inside the Mind of a Multiple Personality Disorder is a tribute to his healing skills.
Pawmarked with Meaning
Link, Tim. Wagging Tales: Every Animal Has a Tale. Austin, TX: Emerald Book Company, c2009. ISBN: 978-1-934572-14-6. $16.95.
Starting with the title page, we know exactly what this collection of tales is about: ‘Conversations with Our Animal Friends’. And conversations are what these tales are, as Tim Link, a renowned animal behaviorist, actually talks with animals, finding out exactly what is troubling them. They also talk back – not quite in the same way as does Dr. Dolittle’s menagerie, as these are all true tales, but in a way that is laced (pawmarked?) with meaning.
Each of the more than thirty tales in Wagging Tales relates Tim’s encounter with one or more animals, ranging from the more usual cats and dogs to a far from conventional praying mantis. Developed over the space of forty years, Tim’s telepathic insights into the different animals that people this work are based on his keen and careful observation of the way in which they behave.
Although we are told that the pictures of animals that precede all of the tales are not necessarily of the actual animals with which the author worked, illustrating the book in this way brings the collection alive. Wagging Tales is filled with the essence of the animals with which Tim has heartfelt discussions about images, smells, tastes, words or feelings that bother them – his role as mediator between owner and pet is pivotal to the text.
Wagging Tales should appeal to all caring youngsters, as well as make relaxing reading for all animal lovers. Tim punctuates the tales with some sage advice on how to look after animals as well. His kindness towards animals radiates throughout the tales, warming the spirit of the text. Written to elicit a generous and loving approach towards all animals, this book should find a welcome home on every child’s nightstand.
Starting with the title page, we know exactly what this collection of tales is about: ‘Conversations with Our Animal Friends’. And conversations are what these tales are, as Tim Link, a renowned animal behaviorist, actually talks with animals, finding out exactly what is troubling them. They also talk back – not quite in the same way as does Dr. Dolittle’s menagerie, as these are all true tales, but in a way that is laced (pawmarked?) with meaning.
Each of the more than thirty tales in Wagging Tales relates Tim’s encounter with one or more animals, ranging from the more usual cats and dogs to a far from conventional praying mantis. Developed over the space of forty years, Tim’s telepathic insights into the different animals that people this work are based on his keen and careful observation of the way in which they behave.
Although we are told that the pictures of animals that precede all of the tales are not necessarily of the actual animals with which the author worked, illustrating the book in this way brings the collection alive. Wagging Tales is filled with the essence of the animals with which Tim has heartfelt discussions about images, smells, tastes, words or feelings that bother them – his role as mediator between owner and pet is pivotal to the text.
Wagging Tales should appeal to all caring youngsters, as well as make relaxing reading for all animal lovers. Tim punctuates the tales with some sage advice on how to look after animals as well. His kindness towards animals radiates throughout the tales, warming the spirit of the text. Written to elicit a generous and loving approach towards all animals, this book should find a welcome home on every child’s nightstand.
Not All Quiet on the Western Front
Elvin, Jan. The Box from Braunau: In Search of My Father’s War. New York: AMACOM, 2009. ISBN: 978-0-8144-1049-3. $24.95.
In her preface, Jan Elvin writes how, by writing The Box from Braunau, she got back the father she had lost years ago. As the sole custodian of her family history, she recognizes herself as one of the children of the “Greatest Generation”, who have shared an inheritance of silence and hidden wounds for far too long. This war memoir gives access to the front-line experiences of Americans who fought in what might be regarded as the most soul-destroying conflict of the twentieth century.
Jan’s father, as she came to know him, was William John Elvin, Jr., more familiarly known as Bill, a newspaperman for the Washington Evening Star, and a decorated combat veteran of General George S. Patton’s Third Army, 80th Infantry Division. When Jan was ten years old, he bought the McLean Providence Journal, a weekly newspaper with which he was associated for the rest of his life.
Jan tells how her father’s passionate ambition to write for a newspaper was first given voice in his associate editorship of the University of Michigan’s highly regarded Michigan Daily. While working in the personnel office of the local Celanese plant, however, World War II broke out, leading to him volunteering for the Officer Candidate School. Jan includes excerpts from her father’s journal that he wrote up in 1945 from notes that he had kept during his first three months in combat during the previous year.
Even when enmeshed in the trials of life at the front, Bill retained a sharp sense of humor and sound outlook on life, as when he recalls fellow infantrymen getting soaked from sleeping under the stars, having neglected to pitch a tent. However, thoughts of his family were never far from his mind, leading him to write a letter, the text of which is included in The Box from Braunau, to his son, Jay, to be read only if he died in battle. Well referenced newspaper clippings from the time help to contextualize the journal entries, which are couched in a lively, credible style, marked by its immediacy. Often poetic and ennobling in tone (such as where he describes the dawn arriving “with a gentleness and assurance that changed every man from a fearsome, groveling worm to a warm, self-respecting human being”), the power of Bill’s writing presages his later prowess as a news reporter.
Returning from the ever-present dangers of the front line to a secure life in suburbia was not easy for Bill, who never fully recovered from his wartime experiences. Jan cites his war journal description of avoidance of incoming artillery, “Tight, tight, tight, and down, down, down”, as being equally applicable to his emotions. Over vigilant regarding the safety of his family, he distanced himself emotionally from them, preferring to bury himself in his work than to busy himself with their concerns. Eventually the strain on his marriage became so dire that Jan’s mother, Jane, moved out.
The aluminum box, referred to in the title, was given to Jan’s father by a prisoner interned in the German-run forced labor camp in Braunau, when his Division freed its inmates near the end of World War II. When first brought home, he used it merely for personal notes and phone bills. However, when Jane moved out, he replaced its original contents with his army medals and the Bible his parents had given him as a boy.
Well illustrated with black and white photographs, and supplemented by a comprehensive index, bibliography and glossary, this part history part memoir is of importance to scholar and general reader alike. In addition to helpful guidelines on how to search for wartime personal histories, information sources and address details of support organizations relating to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among veterans are listed. The Box from Braunau: In Search of My Father’s War provides accessible and informative reading for all those interested in journalism and the social dynamics of warfare.
In her preface, Jan Elvin writes how, by writing The Box from Braunau, she got back the father she had lost years ago. As the sole custodian of her family history, she recognizes herself as one of the children of the “Greatest Generation”, who have shared an inheritance of silence and hidden wounds for far too long. This war memoir gives access to the front-line experiences of Americans who fought in what might be regarded as the most soul-destroying conflict of the twentieth century.
Jan’s father, as she came to know him, was William John Elvin, Jr., more familiarly known as Bill, a newspaperman for the Washington Evening Star, and a decorated combat veteran of General George S. Patton’s Third Army, 80th Infantry Division. When Jan was ten years old, he bought the McLean Providence Journal, a weekly newspaper with which he was associated for the rest of his life.
Jan tells how her father’s passionate ambition to write for a newspaper was first given voice in his associate editorship of the University of Michigan’s highly regarded Michigan Daily. While working in the personnel office of the local Celanese plant, however, World War II broke out, leading to him volunteering for the Officer Candidate School. Jan includes excerpts from her father’s journal that he wrote up in 1945 from notes that he had kept during his first three months in combat during the previous year.
Even when enmeshed in the trials of life at the front, Bill retained a sharp sense of humor and sound outlook on life, as when he recalls fellow infantrymen getting soaked from sleeping under the stars, having neglected to pitch a tent. However, thoughts of his family were never far from his mind, leading him to write a letter, the text of which is included in The Box from Braunau, to his son, Jay, to be read only if he died in battle. Well referenced newspaper clippings from the time help to contextualize the journal entries, which are couched in a lively, credible style, marked by its immediacy. Often poetic and ennobling in tone (such as where he describes the dawn arriving “with a gentleness and assurance that changed every man from a fearsome, groveling worm to a warm, self-respecting human being”), the power of Bill’s writing presages his later prowess as a news reporter.
Returning from the ever-present dangers of the front line to a secure life in suburbia was not easy for Bill, who never fully recovered from his wartime experiences. Jan cites his war journal description of avoidance of incoming artillery, “Tight, tight, tight, and down, down, down”, as being equally applicable to his emotions. Over vigilant regarding the safety of his family, he distanced himself emotionally from them, preferring to bury himself in his work than to busy himself with their concerns. Eventually the strain on his marriage became so dire that Jan’s mother, Jane, moved out.
The aluminum box, referred to in the title, was given to Jan’s father by a prisoner interned in the German-run forced labor camp in Braunau, when his Division freed its inmates near the end of World War II. When first brought home, he used it merely for personal notes and phone bills. However, when Jane moved out, he replaced its original contents with his army medals and the Bible his parents had given him as a boy.
Well illustrated with black and white photographs, and supplemented by a comprehensive index, bibliography and glossary, this part history part memoir is of importance to scholar and general reader alike. In addition to helpful guidelines on how to search for wartime personal histories, information sources and address details of support organizations relating to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among veterans are listed. The Box from Braunau: In Search of My Father’s War provides accessible and informative reading for all those interested in journalism and the social dynamics of warfare.
Tried and Tested Comes out Tops
Towers, J. Collin. Stop Growing Older... Grow Younger: A Resource Guide on Reverse Aging Techniques, Nutrition and Therapies. c2009. ISBN 978-1-60145-816-2.
Collin Towers starts his information-rich text by focusing on answering the key question: “How will we all manage to stay healthy and maintain a higher quality of life as we age, and can we slow down or stop the aging process?” After describing eight excellent food sources of the most common antioxidants, Collin stresses the need to supplement one’s diet with nutritional supplements, including especially Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) and DHEA. Collin argues that the “key to becoming younger and healthier is simply avoiding the accelerating aging program everybody else is on.” He finds that the “clincher” lies in the fact that “growing old is not due to aging, it is due to all the toxic chemicals that people consume, combined with their chronic nutritional deficiencies, lack of physical and mental exercise, and unhealthy life styles.” The build-up of toxic materials resulting from lack of cellular efficiency in getting rid of damaged protein can be counteracted by the correct diet. Collin argues that you can start your own reverse-aging program by making just a couple of simple changes.
By taking steps to stop the damage that homocysteine and free radicals cause, you can not only protect yourself from dangerous age-related health conditions, but also slow down the aging process. Collin advocates adopting 17 habits, as well as calorie restriction (CR), as an effective means of increasing longevity and prolonging good health. He then discusses the possible downside of different methods of detoxification.
Collin explains why all exercise programs must include flexibility training, aerobic, endurance workouts, and strength and interval training. He then reveals the secrets of his own personal exercise routine and regimen.
Listing the top ten foods that help with weight loss, Collin urges his readers to stick to a diet consisting of 50 to 75 percent raw foods—a diet consisting of raw fruits, vegetables, seeds and grains. After describing the top ten foods for improving your sex drive and keeping you younger, he then lists the top 21 functional foods – those foods that promote health and reduce the risk of chronic disease – explaining the beneficial effects to be gained from the consumption of each.
After introducing sun gazing as an option for spiritual growth and health benefits, Collin shares the secrets of his own sunshine routine and regimen. Insisting on dietary supplementation to prevent chronic disease, he argues in favour of liquid, rather than pill, multivitamins. Collin holds that high quality supplements can improve your health, increase your energy, prevent illnesses, improve your sexual performance, and slow the aging process. He lists supplements, nutrients, super-foods, and health products that he has used, or is using daily and/or weekly for his reverse-aging regimen and protocol. His brief description of the efficacy of each ends with a URL where you can go to get more detailed information, or purchase, them.
In brief, this is an informative book that serves as both a directory and a singularly persuasive reference guide, well worth keeping at your bedside!
Collin Towers starts his information-rich text by focusing on answering the key question: “How will we all manage to stay healthy and maintain a higher quality of life as we age, and can we slow down or stop the aging process?” After describing eight excellent food sources of the most common antioxidants, Collin stresses the need to supplement one’s diet with nutritional supplements, including especially Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) and DHEA. Collin argues that the “key to becoming younger and healthier is simply avoiding the accelerating aging program everybody else is on.” He finds that the “clincher” lies in the fact that “growing old is not due to aging, it is due to all the toxic chemicals that people consume, combined with their chronic nutritional deficiencies, lack of physical and mental exercise, and unhealthy life styles.” The build-up of toxic materials resulting from lack of cellular efficiency in getting rid of damaged protein can be counteracted by the correct diet. Collin argues that you can start your own reverse-aging program by making just a couple of simple changes.
By taking steps to stop the damage that homocysteine and free radicals cause, you can not only protect yourself from dangerous age-related health conditions, but also slow down the aging process. Collin advocates adopting 17 habits, as well as calorie restriction (CR), as an effective means of increasing longevity and prolonging good health. He then discusses the possible downside of different methods of detoxification.
Collin explains why all exercise programs must include flexibility training, aerobic, endurance workouts, and strength and interval training. He then reveals the secrets of his own personal exercise routine and regimen.
Listing the top ten foods that help with weight loss, Collin urges his readers to stick to a diet consisting of 50 to 75 percent raw foods—a diet consisting of raw fruits, vegetables, seeds and grains. After describing the top ten foods for improving your sex drive and keeping you younger, he then lists the top 21 functional foods – those foods that promote health and reduce the risk of chronic disease – explaining the beneficial effects to be gained from the consumption of each.
After introducing sun gazing as an option for spiritual growth and health benefits, Collin shares the secrets of his own sunshine routine and regimen. Insisting on dietary supplementation to prevent chronic disease, he argues in favour of liquid, rather than pill, multivitamins. Collin holds that high quality supplements can improve your health, increase your energy, prevent illnesses, improve your sexual performance, and slow the aging process. He lists supplements, nutrients, super-foods, and health products that he has used, or is using daily and/or weekly for his reverse-aging regimen and protocol. His brief description of the efficacy of each ends with a URL where you can go to get more detailed information, or purchase, them.
In brief, this is an informative book that serves as both a directory and a singularly persuasive reference guide, well worth keeping at your bedside!
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