Frank DeFord's Wednesday NPR remarks on the Olympics

This morning (7/27/11) on NPR, Frank Deford made the following statements about the Olympics, which really startled me, and I am sure that there are millions of folks out there who are not aware of these facts.


And I quote from Frank's Wednesday morning editorial:


Rather, the '36 Olympics were celebrated worldwide as a German triumph. Hitler, who had no interest in sport, originally had to be convinced not to give them up. But then the Nazis dolled up Berlin, tucking away much of the visible signs of hate, and made far more of a glorious spectacle of the Games than had ever been seen before. The torch relay, for best example, was no ancient Greek rite; the Nazis dreamed that up out of whole cloth.


The German team won the most medals. Visitors were charmed by Berlin and the Nazi achievements. The general consensus was, 'Well, those fellows can't be all that bad.'


And the closing ceremony –– the last memory sports fans took away –– was the culmination of the ripest Nazi symbolism, like some great pagan festival: flags and sabres; Beethoven; searchlights playing across the heavens; 52 tall blondes dressed all in white, representing the Olympic nations, marching like vestal virgins.


And then, at last, the '36 Olympics closed, the stadium silent until, spontaneously, the 120,000 people began to chant, "Sieg heil, sieg heil," their right arms outstretched.


It was, from all accounts, mesmerizing. The '36 Olympics had done their job. After that, it was the deluge.


And after that, too, the Games would never be the same. Like it or not, it was the Nazis, 75 years ago this summer, who bequeathed the glitzy modern Olympics to the world.



I only bring this up, as London is now in the count-down process towards the 2012 summer games, many of the venues are now being opened for the public to view, and once again there will be the competition to see if London can outdo the Beiing games..........

"New and Selected Poems, volume one", by Mary Oliver

Several years ago, I attended a dear friend's memorial service, poems by Mary Oliver were read at the service.

It had been years since I seriously read any poetry, however the "voice" of the poems read at the service haunted me for days afterward.

So, I purchased the above collection, have it sitting near my chair and skim through the book often to read a random poem. I do enjoy her writing - the only "current" American poet that speaks to me.

Hope you will consider reading her work.

"Home" a novel by Marilynne Robinson

"Home" a companion novel to "Gilead" by Marilynne Robinson.

In an earlier blog, I posted about Marilynne's book being discussed on "The Diane Rehm" show on NPR, this morning (7-20-11) Diane and her panel of three guests were discussing "Home" the companion novel. According to the discussion "Home" was the Orange award winner.

While I read this book, and found it very interesting, I will not review it here. I would encourage you to read this one.

As the panel noted this morning, "Gilead" and "Home" are simply companion books, about the same group of people from different perspectives - you do not need to read one to read the other, however, reading both provides the reader with the different perspectives of so many of the same issues. "Gilead" is written as a "letter", while "Home" is written as a narrative.

So, once again, I would encourage you to consider reading either one, the other, or both.

Happy Reading.

"Blue Butterfly" a movie

"The Blue Butterfly" a movie based on true story. Starring William Hurt as a renowned entomologist, Marc Donato as a terminally ill 10 year old, and Pascale Bussieres as the mother.

Filmed in Montreal and the rain forest of Costa Rica, the colors in the film are especially vivid.



As her terminally ill son's only wish is to be able to see the elusive blue butterfly, Blue Morpho, this mother convinces the renowned entomologist to accompany them on a trip to the rain forest of Costa Rica in hopes of finding the blue butterfly before her son dies. Nothing prepares the viewer for the steamy beauty of the rain forest, and when a blue butterfly appears, well, it is just incredible photography that gripes the mind and the heart.

Miracles do happen.


One of my co-workers kept seeing this DVD come in, she thought about checking it out, but was so afraid of being saddened by the end of the movie. Finally, I took it home and watched it. I was able to convince her to check it out and watch it.

Hope you will give it a try. It is only 97 minutes long.


Enjoy!

"Gilead" a novel by Marilynne Robinson

"Gilead" a novel by Marilynne Robinson.


This morning (6-29-11) on the Diane Rehm show, Marilynne's book was highlighted and discussed by a panel of three, one journalist and two clergymen.


This book was written in 2004, winner of the Pulitzer Prize.



A book well worth reading.


I am not going to write a review on this one, as I really want you to start out fresh with the story.
Pick it up at your local library, or bookstore.......
Enjoy.

"Ship Breaker", a book by Paolo Bacigalupi

"Ship Breaker", a novel by Paolo Bacigalupi.


A National Book Award finalist.


Winner of the Michael L. Printz award








There are, currently, in many areas of the world "ship breakers"


their work is gruesome, dirty, extremely dangerous.

Paolo takes the reader on a look into the future of the United States as well as the world's other societies.

Sometime in the future, a time when America is no longer powered by fossil fuels, when travel on water is by large clipper ships, when society is no longer hopeful or helpful, when everyone must watch out for themselves - a dismal, fatalistic time.

Nailer, a teenage boy, abused by his father, works the "light crew" along the Gulf Coast - possibly Florida - doing scavenge work of finding copper wire on the grounded oil tankers on the once pristine beaches. Colonies of crews compete for work and found goods.

One day, Nailer and his friend, Pima, come upon one of those magnificent clipper ships, that has wrecked, in a far off area from their normal haunts - intent on claiming the wreckage for themselves, they come across the only survivor from the ship, a beautiful, wealthy girl who might be able to offer Nailer a better life. Should they save her or salvage the ship?

Thus begins a quest to escape from Nailer's abusive father, and the path of never having enough of anything.

This is a "teen" novel, however, it is one that I would suggest to adults due to the subject. It certainly fits in with everything that one hears about regarding the coming end of fossil fuels and how future generations will find ways to move about. Also, when I was searching for a photo for this posting, I came across the one of the ship, and recalled that we had watched a DVD about this very subject - it was certainly something that I had never thought of, concerning the aftermath of wrecked tankers.

This is the author, Paolo Bacigalupi

"Suryia & Roscoe : the true story of an unlikely friendship" by Bhagavan Antle

If you want to read a delightfully, heartwarming story of love and friendship, you need to read Suryia & Roscoe by Bhagavan Antle.

Set in South Carolina, this is an animal preserve, that will win you over to wanting the "underdog" animals to make it.

What a smile!

Orangutans, generally, don't get in water willingly. However, you can observe that Suryia, with her life jacket on, is very calmly enjoying her time with Roscoe in the pool.

This book will be found in the children's section of your library, or in the children's dept in bookstores......... However, you look for it, make sure you pick it up and enjoy it!!!!!!