Books for Christmas and a Happy New Year

I hope everyone had a great Christmas. Since I am always pleased to receive books as gifts - that is pretty much what I got. This year I mostly bought my own presents or told hubby what to buy. I received:

1. Touch of Power by Maria V. Snyder
2. Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins
3. Zombie Haiku by Ryan Mecum

Mini reviews

• Lola - I loved this book so much I spent all day after Christmas reading it. I loved Lola because she likes to costume herself. It's an art form. She goes for themes and goes all out including wigs and making her own clothing. I am so not like that, but if I had an alternate personality or a limitless shopping account I could imagine myself like that.

• Zombies - First off I have wanted to read this book since hearing about it some time ago. I even wrote my own zombie haiku  - Spam is Good Brain Food. I saw the book at B&N while Christmas shopping and bought it for myself. I must say it was exactly what I expected and beyond. Yes, I admit it grossed me out just a bit. A lot of it was quite humorous though. It's a quick, fun read, but maybe better if you're not eating something while reading. If you are squeamish I probably wouldn't pick it up. Lovely visuals (pictures of scary zombie people) and faux blood-splattered pages too. I am inspired. Maybe I should write a haiku book...only less gruesome.

I haven't read Touch of Power yet, but I can't wait. I haven't read a book by Maria Snyder that I didn't love. 

Which books did you receive for Christmas? 

Shudder by Jennie Hansen

Shudder by Jennie Hansen
My Goodreads rating 5 of 5

I have been meaning to review this book for a week now, but the planets didn't align. You know how things go when life gets crazy.

Shudder is about a girl named Darcy. Her best friend and roommate, Clare, is about to get married to a man named Blaine. Blaine is a prestigious lawyer, but Darcy just can't like him no matter how hard she tries. There is just something that is not right with Blaine. When Blaine tries to move into their apartment the relationship becomes strained with Clare, because Darcy cannot go against her beliefs. Darcy moves out, but tries to support Clare in her decision. At that moment, she doesn't know if she will ever be friends with Clare again, but she lets Clare know she will be there if Clare needs her.

Although there is a little bit of a love interest in this book, I wouldn't consider it a romance book. I was a little disappointed that there wasn't more on the romance end, but that is okay. I liked the suspense parts, and there were plenty of them. This book is a look into an abusive relationship, and seeing how someone can get trapped into one. Although, I am sure there are many differenct reasons and outcomes.

There were a couple different plot lines in this book. I've already mentioned the love interest and the abusive relationship. The other one revolves around an unsolved murder. I don't think it was too much to have all three of these plot lines in the book. It made for an interesting and suspenseful read.

I want to thank Jennie Hansen and Covenant Communications for sending me this book to read and review. I think I have said before that Jennie Hansen is one of my all time favorite authors. If you are looking for more adventure/suspenseful books you might try reading Jennie Hansen's The Bracelet series. They are really good. Also check Jennie Hansen's blog. She does giveaways twice monthly for books off her bookshelf. It is really easy to enter. All you have to do is leave meaningful comments on any of  her posts.

Also I don't know if I ever posted the picture of Jennie and I at Deseret Book's Ladies Night Event that happened last month. I went to see her and got some books signed. She was so sweet and wrote me a long message in my favorite book by her, When Tomorrow Comes.






My son went with me. I was a little flustered, because as soon as we walked into the store, he ran off and got lost. Thankfully I found him!






Reader Question: Any favorite authors you would like to share about? I know I have more than one.

The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Emmuska Orczy

Genre: Children's Classic
My Goodreads rating: 5 of 5 

I simply love The Scarlet Pimpernel. This was my first time reading the book, but I have been a long time lover of the movie version with Anthony Andrews, Jane Seymour, and Ian McKellen. I also very recently was able to see the musical version. It was put on by the local high school. They did a pretty good job with it.

 

The Scarlet Pimpernel is set during the French Revolution. The French Aristocracy are all being executed by Madame Guillotine, but one Englishman and his band of followers are sneaking aristocrats out of the country to safety. That man is only known as the Scarlet Pimpernel, and his real identity is a mystery. The Committee of Public Safety, represented by a character named Chauvelin, would love nothing more than to see the Scarlet Pimpernel put to death by Madame Guillotine. Chauvelin uses all his wit, resources, and even blackmail to try to catch the Pimpernel. Here is a quote from the book that I found pretty well descriptive of Chauvelin's character:

He paused a moment, like a cat which sees a mouse running heedlessly by, ready to spring, yet waiting with that feline sense of enjoyment of mischief about to be done. Then he said quietly--
'Your brother, St Just, is in peril.'

This interaction takes place between Chauvelin and Marguerite Blakeney, whose brother Armand St Just is being used as a bargaining piece. Armand's safety is promised in return for the identity of the Scarlet Pimpernel. Marguerite is a Frenchwoman who married an English dandy, Sir Percy Blakeney, who is generally viewed as the richest fool in England. Though Marguerite swears she has no idea who the Pimpernel is let alone discovering his identity, Chauvelin believes with her popularity as the most fashionable in England, as well as her connections to the Prince of Wales that she can find the information he needs. Little does Marguerite know, the Scarlet Pimpernel may be closer to her than she thinks.

This is possibly the most recognizable quote in the book. I am so glad it was actually in the book, because it is in the movie, and absolutely the funniest thing when recited at a party by Percy Blakeney.

"We seek him here, we seek him there,
Those Frenchies seek him everywhere.
Is he in heaven? - Is he in hell?
That demmed, elusive Pimpernel."

Note that I didn't make a spelling error; that is really how they spell damned in the copy of the book I read.
I read this book as part of a Classics Challenge. It is the last book I am reading for the challenge. It won't be the last classic I read this year, however. So stay tuned for more Classic reviews.

Reader Questions: Are you a Pimpernel fan? If so which is your favorite adaption of the book: one of the multiple movie versions or the musical? Who is your favorite character. Without a doubt, my favorite character is Percy!

Looking for more information on the Scarlet Pimpernel? Check out the Scarlet Pimpernel website.

The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas

The Three Musketeers
by Alexandre Dumas
My Goodreads rating: 4 of 5Looking for adventure? This book is for you!

The Three Musketeers follows the adventures of a young Gascon named D'Artagnan who dreams of becoming a King's Musketeer. The road to this title is wrought with peril. D'Artagnan starts out rather headstrong and impetuous. Before he even makes it to Musketeer headquarters he finds himself in a duel with an infamous man dressed all in black. This mysterious man is later known to be one of the Cardinal's henchmen.

Not much later in the story, D'Artangnan gets himself into more trouble by contracting himself to three duels in one day: one with Athos, one with Porthos, and one with Aramis, or as they are known throughout the land, the three musketeers. This is our first introduction to this illustrious trio, but they very soon become a foursome as D'Artagnan joins them in a fight against the Cardinal's guards. From that moment on they are bonded together.

Many of the adventures in this book revolve around D'Artagnan's desire to help his mistress, Constance Bonacieux, who is somehow tangled up with the affairs of the Cardinal. Inadvertantly, the foursome serve the Queen, Anne of Austria, and the Duke of Buckingham. Through many of these trials, we come face to face with one of the Cardinal's most deadly mercenaries: Milady deWinter. She is pure venom with an angel's face. She easily attracts and ensnares men, and D'Artagnan is not altogether resistant to her charms. It is funny to me how D'Artagnan's journey is spurred on in pusuit of a woman's love.

I started out listening to this book on my iPod, but I had to finish by reading due to problems with retreiving the files from my computer. I have to say that I had a much better understanding of the end of the book than the beginning. I think while I'm listening my mind tends to focus on doing other things at the same time. Much of the time I listened while sewing, so that may have been a bit of a distraction. The nice thing about listening was that I had no problem pronouncing all the French names and words. So that was a major plus. The other nice thing was the narrator wasn't annoying to listen to. That always helps when listening to an audiobook. If you are looking to listen to the audio version of this book, then I would recommend it.

I read this book as part of a Classics Challenge. The challenge is almost over, but please feel free to visit the site and see what everyone else is reading. I'm sure once this challenge is over another one will quickly take it's place.

Othe books by this author: The Count of Monte Cristo; Twenty Years After (Three Musketeers Sequel); The Man in the Iron Mask (Three Musketeers Book 3)

Reader Question: Do you parlez vous francais, or do you find it difficult to pronounce French words or phrases?

Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson

Genre: Children's Classic/Adventure

My Goodreads Rating: 5 Stars

Argh me mateys! Make ready the sails, and swab the poop deck. The Hispaniola is about to set sail in search of the infamous treasure on Treasure Island. Join Jim Hawkins, Long John Silver, Captain Smollett and the rest of the crew in a tale of high adventure, piracy, danger, and coming of age. Whether you be a landlubber or a seafaring lad or lass, this story is sure to fill your lust for buried treasure.

This story begins in Bristol, England, where young Jim Hawkins lives and works in his parent's inn, The Admiral Benbow. There they lodge a pirate named Billy Bones who is continually on the look out for the feared one-legged man. When some former shipmates have a run in with Billy Bones, he receives a fatal wound. Upon searching  Billy Bones' chest, Jim finds a treasure map, but ends up running for his life when the aforementioned pirates ransack the inn looking for it. Jim takes the map to some respected men in town, Dr. Livesey and Squire Trelawney. The three form a secret pact to find the treasure. Squire Trelawney funds the trip, and so doing finds a ship and crew. Despite their pact to keep their knowledge about the treasure a secret, it seems the whole crew knows what the quest is about. They soon set sail for Treasure Island, but Jim Hawkins discovers that most of the crew, led by the ship's cook, Long John Silver, are planning a mutiny so they can keep the treasure for themselves. Jim now realizes that an adventurous trip for treasure has just turned deadly. Will he make it off Treasure Island alive?

Who doesn't like a story about pirates? I really enjoyed this book, even though I got a little bit lost with the nautical terms. I found myself comparing Jim Hawkins to William Turner, and Long John Silver to Captain Jack Sparrow. What can I say? I am a Pirates of the Caribbean fan.

Something I liked about this book was even though the pirates were despicable people, they still had that admirable quality of charisma. Long John Silver was such an intriguing man. As a reader, I really had no idea what his next play was going to be. Jim mentions towards the end of the book that Silver kept switching sides according to who might come out on top. It kind of reminds me of a quote from the Pirates of the Caribbean movie. Jack Sparrow says,

"Me, I'm dishonest, and you can always trust a dishonest man to be dishonest. Honestly, it's the honest ones you want to watch out for, 'cause you can never predict if they're going to do something incredibly stupid."

I think that quote perfectly describes the characters in this book. Jim Hawkins is the honest man who throughout the story keeps doing incredibly stupid things. Long John Silver is obviously the dishonest man, but amazingly still manages to fool some or all of them at various points of the story.

I thought this was a great read as part of my Classics Challenge. I am glad I picked it up and want to recommend it to those who love adventure and pirate stories. Which leads to this question: Do you side with the Pirates or the Honest Men?

A Circle of Souls by Preetham Grandhi

Genre: Psychological Thriller

I was so lucky to receive an ARC copy of A Circle of Souls from the author, Preetham Grandi. I have to admit that at first I was apprehensive. This kind of book isn't my usual read and I am always nervous to encounter content riddled with swearing, gruesome scenes, and sometimes sex. However, I was happily surprised to find that A Circle of Souls was not like that at all. So first and foremost I want to thank the author for that, because it just proves you can write a stunning book without the muck.

The Plot: A Circle of Souls is set in Newbury, Connecticut where a young girl has been murdered. Since it is such a strange murder, the police detective calls the FBI for their top agent. Nearby at the Newbury hospital, a psychiatrist is trying to help a new patient who is having disturbing dreams at night. The seven year old girl can draw her dreams with complete accuracy the next day, and somehow the sketches are giving clues to solving the murder.

What I liked: I think the title of this book is a perfect description of how literally all the characters are tied together. I really enjoyed that aspect. The chapters tend to alternate between the two main groups of characters, so that really helps the book in terms of leaving you wanting more. It is definitely a page turner.

Another thing that I liked is the author's knowledge of child psychiatry. Where he actually is a psychiatrist, it makes the situations much more real for me. It really reminds me of another author I like, Robin Cook.

Since this book is about a murder, it is inevitable that we would have to hear some specifics about how it happened. I would call those parts a little bit shocking, but overall I didn't mind it. The author did a slendid job of keeping it from getting too disgusting to handle.


What I didn't like: There was just a little part at the end that kind of felt weird to me. I don't want to say what it is, because it is just a bit of a spoiler. I don't think it is a bad thing, I just think it is a different philosophy that is more difficult for me to embrace. That won't hold true for everyone and it didn't in any way change my view of the book or my enjoyment of it.

I was very pleased with this book. I thought it was a great read, and I want to thank the author, Preetham Grandhi, for sendimg me this book. I would highly recommend it to anyone. If you want to contact the author or see more about this book visit the website: A Circle of Souls.

Bright Blue Miracle by Becca Wilhite

Genre: Young Adult

Synopsis:
Bright Blue Miracle, by Becca Wilhite, is about a seventeen year old girl named Leigh Mason. Leigh's mom get's remarried, and Leigh is not ready to share her room, her family, or her best friend, Jeremy, with her new step-sister, Betsy.

Leigh's younger twin sisters don't seem to have any problems adjusting to the mixed family. In fact, they seem to think Leigh should be excited to have a sister her own age so she can see what it's like to be a twin. Maybe Leigh could be friends with Betsy, if she wasn't completely gorgeous, tall, athletic, and practically perfect in every way. It doesn't help that Jeremy wants to date Betsy either.

Unfortunately, this isn't the only struggle that Leigh is facing. They all seem to lead up to one big crisis that will either bond the family or tear them apart.

Review:
This was a short, fun, and easy to read book. It wasn't without it's emotional roller coaster. The author really lets you sympathize for both step-sisters, even though the story is from Leigh's point of view. I still caught a few glimpses of what Betsy was feeling. The book doesn't involve the parents as much, especially the step-dad. The story is really mainly about the two girls learning to accept each other. There are some tender learning moments from Leigh's Grammy that really touched me.

"Sometimes terrible things happen. Sometimes they happen because someone makes a choice that affects lots of people. Sometimes awful stuff just happens because things go wrong. People die, and that always hurts our hearts. But there's always something to learn from a tragedy." (pg 77)

Overall I liked this book alot. I don't think it is one I will re-read, but I would definitely recommend it to others.

Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder

Rating: 5 of 5
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder was a book that I had been wanting to read for awhile. I had read many great reviews for this book and it's sequels. I must say I was not disappointed. At first I was slightly taken aback, because the book started out being completely different than I expected. What I thought it would be like was a girl in school studying poisons or something like that. What it actually ended up being about was a girl named Yelena who was going to be executed for committing murder. On the day of her execution she was given a choice to become the Commander's food taster or to be executed. She of course chose to be the food taster, which meant she then had to learn all about poisons. As if the chance of death by poison wasn't enough, she also had to deal with some unwanted death threats from other sources - one being the father of the man she killed. Fortunately for Yelena, she has some allies on her side.

This book was very intense with plenty of intrigue and surprises. I highly recommend it!!

Jo's Boys by Louisa May Alcott

Rating: 5 of 5 stars

Jo's Boys is the final story of the March family that began with Little Women. I don't know why it took me so long to read this book, but I renewed it three times, took it back to the library, checked it out again a few weeks later, and renewed it again before finally finishing. I am ashamed.

I did enjoy the book. It was fun to see how all the orginal students from Plumfield School ended up. This book also had some very apparent themes. A big one was women's rights. In her time, Louisa May Alcott was a big supporter of women's right to vote, and was the first woman in her county to register to vote. One can tell from her writing that she viewed women as capable as men and supported the idea that women become educated and do something meaningful with their lives. In our day that is the standard, but in her day it was pretty forward thinking. There are many parts throughout this book that exemplefies this thought. There is one part in particular where Nan, a girl aspiring to become a doctor, is trying to get the boys onto her side for woman's suffrage. One boy replies,

"I should be the most ungrateful fellow alive if I did not love, honor, and serve women with all my heart and might, for to them I owe everything I am or ever shall be."

I thought that quote very touching.

Another theme in the book is redemption. The book (and trilogy) as a whole is very Christian in nature. This book dealt a lot with coming of age, and learning through trials how to be a better person. There were stories of three boys in particular that each went through different struggles, but eventually redeemed themselves to become better men. Each of them stated that their education and times at Plumfield was their saving grace.

I believe a third theme was the importance of a good education, especially for females. I think that is pretty apparent, since the main setting of the book is the Laurence College (previously Plumfield school).

If you have read Little Women, I would fully encourage you to finish the trilogy and read Little Men and Jo's Boys. I daresay you won't be disappointed. I wanted to share the last line of Jo's Boys, because it does a nice job of ending the trilogy.

"And now, having endeavored to suit every one by many weddings, few deaths, and as much prosperity as the eternal fitness of things will permit, let the music stop, the lights die out, and the curtain fall forever on the March family."

I read this book as part of a Classic's Challenge.

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

Genre: Children's
Rating: 4 of 5

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman is the winner of the Newbery Medal Award for 2009. It is a children's book, but I would say don't let your younger children read it. I would say no younger than 10 or 11. The reason for this is it is a little bit darker. It starts out with an assassin named Jack who is sent to murder an entire family, except the baby boy escapes death by walking out of his house and into a graveyard. The ghosts of the family beg the graveyard ghosts to protect him. So the ghosts of Mr. and Mrs. Owens claim his as their son. Since they don't know his name, they call him Nobody Owens. Silas becomes his guardian, as he is more living than dead. Bod, as he is called, is given the Freedom of the Graveyard. It gives him the power to see in the dark, walk through things, and even become invisible while he is in the graveyard. Of course, he can also see and talk to all the inhabitants of the Graveyard.

Bod grows up in the graveyard, but he has very little contact with anyone but ghosts. He wants to have living friends and go to school. Many things he wants to do, but can't because the man Jack is still out there trying to find him. You might think there is not much to do in a graveyard, but believe me, Bod still manages to get into plenty of trouble.

I listened to the audio version of this book. I liked it well enough. In the beginning I thought the plot was rather odd, but soon things started getting more interesting. Neil Gaiman did the narration, and I think it added a lot. He did such a wonderful job, and it made the book better for me. Many times I shy away from audio books, because I can't stand the narration. However, I would highly recommend the audio version on this one. I did happen to see the illustrations as well. To me they were different than most illustrations. Something about them stuck out to me in a good way. However, I didn't much care for the facial features. Everyone looked very skeletal. I decided it must have been in theme with the graveyard setting.

Since this book has some darker themes it made me think about how it might affect a younger child. Do you think assassins and death themes are too scary for children around ages 8-10? Were there any books that scared you when you were younger? I can't think of any I was particularly frightened of at that age, but then I mostly read books like The Babysitter's Club.

Little Men by Louisa May Alcott

Genre: Children's Classic
Rating: 5 of 5

Little Men by Louisa May Alcott is the sequel to Little Women. It follows the story of Jo Bhaer and the adventures of the boys and girls she teaches at Plumfield. Other than a few appearances from Amy and Teddy, we don't really see anymore of the March family. The story, however, is really focused on the children, and the lessons learned throughout the book.

One lesson in particular, reminded me of the Atonement of Christ in taking the world's sins upon himself. When one little boy, Ned, was prone to lying, Father Bhaer found a way to cure him of this. Whenever Ned was caught in a lie, Ned would have to give the whip to Father Bhaer. Essentially, Father Bhaer was taking the punishment for Ned's sin. Ned was particularly good at not lying, but eventually he slipped. The scene where he had to deliver the whips was pretty heart-wrenching to me. Most likely because of what it alluded too.

I rather enjoyed this book, and even more so than Little Women. Each of the children had their own foibles and triumphs. Even though some of them were little stinkers, it was good to see them overcome their weaknesses. I especially loved the way Jo and Father Bhaer cared about each and every one of their pupils and tried all they could to teach them. They always did so in as loving manner as possible. It was a good reminder to me of how I should be teaching my own boy.

The next book in the trilogy is Jo's Boys. I am looking forward to reading that one.
I read this book as part of a Classics Challenge.

Do you Haiku Twilight?

Not too long ago I had a Twilight Haiku challenge. Um, yeah, I didn't have a prize to giveaway. However, here is a Twilight Haiku contest that does! Yippee, the peasants (and Twilighters) rejoiced! Go to the Twilight Lexicon Blog for details on this awesome contest. The winner gets a Twilight poster signed by members of the cast. That is some cool stuff. I know I will enter.

On a completely separate note, I finally got a book review up on Wuthering Heights. Go to The Joy of Reading blog to read it.

Classics Update

Just an update on my Classics Challenge.

I have now finished Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. The review is up over at The Joy of Reading book blog.

I have started Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte. I am on page 143 of 403 pages (Barnes and Noble books New York). I have until May 5th to finish this book, as it is due back a the library. I better get reading.

Oh shoot, unfortunately no haiku this time. I am needed elsewhere at the moment. Thanks for playing, thanks for staying. I don't know what that really means, but it rhymed.

P.S. Go watch the movie, 17 Again with Zac Efron and Matthew Perry. It is flippin' hilarious.

Book Review - The Host by Stephenie Meyer

The Host: A Novel by Stephenie Meyer

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
The Host starts out when a soul named Wanderer is inserted into human Melanie Stryder's body. At this point the Souls have taken over planet Earth and eradicated most of the humans - their minds that is. The Souls need a host body to exist. Before they could completely take over, however, the humans had started to figure out what was happening. There are still groups of humans hidden and trying to survive.



When Melanie is caught she isn't giving up without a fight. Her mind is still alive and refuses to go away. Wanderer struggles constantly with trying to gain control. Wanderer also struggles with Melanie's memories and human emotions. Wanderer's mind is flooded with thoughts of Melanie's boyfriend, Jared, and finds herself falling in love with him too. Melanie is desperate to keep Wanderer from finding the other humans. Wanderer's job is to inform to the Seekers (the ones charged with seeking out the remaining humans) if she has any memories of other humans in hiding. The problem is, Melanie is also worried about her younger brother Jaime and wants to find him to make sure he is alright. Melanie lets Wanderer in on some of her memories to help find Jaime. Together they start hunting for the other humans with the Seeker hot on their trails.



They find the humans, but Melanie's hopes are crushed when Jared and most of the other humans want to kill her. They know she has an alien soul in her body, but don't know that her mind is still intact.



Most of this book shows Wanderer's and Melanie's struggles with gaining acceptance with the humans and getting used to each other. There is also the struggle with Wanderer thinking she is in love with Jared. Although, the love story occupies little of the main plot. Also, you can't forget that the Seeker is still looking for them. It is mostly a story about survival, acceptance, and what it means to be human.



I really liked this book. At first it was hard to get into, and maybe a little confusing until you figure everything out. I loved a lot of the characters. My favorites are Jeb, Jaime, and Ian. I have to admit I spent most of this book hating Jared and being annoyed with Melanie and Wanderer in parts, but I think by the end of the book I started to like them more. I really enjoyed the ending of the book as well.




View all my reviews.

"Snowmen at Night" and "Snowmen at Christmas" by Carlayn and Mark Buehner

Did you ever wonder what Snowmen do at night? Now you can find out in this fun Children's book Snowmen at Night by Caralyn Buehner, illustrated by Mark Buehner. If your snowman looks a little misshapen in the morning, it is probably because he was out all night having fun with the other snowmen and snow women in town. The illustrations are so fun and beautiful. Another fun bonus is there are hidden items in the illustrations to look for on every page.

If this isn't enough, find out what Snowmen do for Christmas in Snowmen at Christmas . I didn't think there could be anymore fun to be had, but there is! These two books have simply become some of my new favorite Children's books.

"Not On Our Watch" by Don Cheadle and John Prendergast

This book gives a lot of information on how to become more active in the fight against Darfur. The beginning of the book sets the stage on how Don Cheadle became an activist for Darfur after the filming of Hotel Rwanda, which is the movie about the Rwandan Holocaust. Somewhere in his journey, Don is introduced to John Prendergast, who is as long time activist for Africa. Together they travelled to Sudan, met with refugees, talked with U.N. members, joined ralleys, and fought genocide in Darfur.

This book gives a very detailed history on the wars in Sudan and how it became genocide. In fact, there was so much information in this book, it was almost too many facts to take in. Aside from that, there is a big push for people to do their part.
Here are some of the reasons the government isn't doing anything about Darfur.

1. The "Law of the Tool." We have most of our resources dedicated to the war in Iraq. After that, there is not much left to attack other issues.
2. "New Cold War." Counterterrorism is America's most important foreign policy framework, where it used to be the Cold War. Since Sudan has become a supporter of anti-terrorism, which means they provide information they have on terrorist activity an don't harbor terrorists in their country, the USA is looking the other way on these same government officials that are responsible for genocide. Cleary stated, the USA chooses counterterrorism over genocide when it comes to foreign policy.
3. "The Samantha Power Principle." Samantha Power is an activist and author of A Problem from Hell. Basically, the government will do nothing unless the citizens demand something be done.
   

So what it all comes down to is that the citizens of America (that's us) need to make our voices be heard. The book lists 6 ways we can become activists.

1. Raise Awarness - write letters to your local news stations letting them know you want more coverage on Darfur. Hand out flyers, postcards, blog about it, put up posters--spread the word.
2. Raise Funds - Basic fundraisers, bake sales, t-shirts, charity concerts, anything you can think of or pull together to raise funds to help Darfuri refugees.
3. Write a Letter - Let your congressman know that you want the government to act. You can encourage other people to write letters as well, or have a petition signed.
4. Call for Divestment - try to get your school or company to divest funds and assetts connected to the Sudanese government.
5. Join an Organization - there are many organizations out there fighting for Darfur. The ENOUGH organization is one of the most referenced in the book. www.enoughproject.org.
6. Lobby the Government - Beyond writing letters and signing petitions, make an apointment and have a personal meeting with elected officials.
   

Other websites to view are www.savedarfur.org or www.standnow.org
Overall, this book is a really good view of what is happening in Sudan, and what we can do to help.

"The Translator" by Daoud Hari

The Translator: A Tribesman's Memoir of Darfur by Daoud Hari

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
The Translator is written by Daoud Hari, who is a man from Darfur whose village was attacked by the Sudanese government. He escaped into Chad, and worked with various reporters as a translator and a guide. He took them into Sudan to interview the people. Many times he almost lost his life, and miraculously was spared. A few of those times he was actually saved by the reporter who he was translating for.

A big part of the book goes into detail about the last time he was taken as a prisoner. Many times throughout this one experience he thought he would die. With each day, or transfer or change in personnel, he thought it was the end. Fortunately for him, he had a good gift of befriending people, and ultimately help from the American government. Now he lives in America, as it is too dangerous for him to remain in Africa.

What I learned from this book is that the Sudanese government has pitted the Arab people against the non-Arab people. Basically by supplying the Arabs with weapons, and demanding the removal of weapons from the non-Arabs. The Arabs were formerly the minority, but with the genocide going on, it is obvious they are trying to create and Arab majority. Here is a simple statement from the book, "The non-Arab traditional Africans of Darfur are being systematically murdered and displaced by Bashir's government of Sudan as a part of a program to remove political dissent, remove challenges to power, make way for unobstructed resource development, and turn an Arab minority into and Arab majority."

The political dissent is talking about resistant groups and rebel uprisings of non-Arabs. The resource development is talking about oil, and apparently there is an abundant water source under Darfur, but the non-Arabs are not allowed to pump it. The government wants control of all the land and its resources and peoples.

Daoud wants people to know that Darfur is not a simple genocide, it is a complicated genocide. His message is we have to stop genocide. If it continues to work, more people will believe they can solve all their problems by killing everyone in their way.


View all my reviews.