The Immortals by Steven T. Collis

I was a little annoyed when Marsha Oshita, a friend in our ward, decided to start a new book club outside of Relief Society. It's not that she started a book club, but that she started one and promptly picked out all the books herself! I'm not sure that's what happened, and we haven''t met yet, but this is the first one picked. It's a military history and it was hard to read because of the cold, the desperateness of the men involved, and how it really only hinges on a half-hour at sea when the Dorchester gets torpedoed and sunk.

There were four chaplains aboard, and a cook on one of the accomanying ships who heroically helped save others and then succumbed themselves. It's a moving example of selflessness. But the author goes on and on and speculates so much about what the men were thinking and feeling that it felt like padding to make a book out of a short story. I thought the men's lives prior to the disaster were interesting to read about..but not particularly compelling. A lot of facts didn't lead anywhere.

I did bother to read the end notes, and this author did a lot of meticulous research from primary sources to tell this story. I learned a lot about how the chain of command works and doesn't work. There were other heroes besides these five that he writes about, and it's amazing to read of their selflessness.

The other thing I learned was that the military specifically sought out chaplains who could think larger than their own particular religion. They needed men who could minister to men with no faith and with a variety of faiths. This description of their qualifications as lovers of humanity was interesting. 

I guess one of the reasons to be in a book club is to read things I wouldn't normally read, and this one certainly qualifies. I would have put it down; no, I wouldn't have even picked it up because I like happier milieus, but I am glad I got rhrough it, and it will be interesting to hear what the other women in the group think about it next week. I fear it may veer into the political, so I hope I can stay appropriate, especially now that Trump is threatening to take over Greenland, and that connection may be brought out in a positive way at the discussion. Yikes, what will I say? We shall see! 

The Women by Kristin Hannah

 This book has been getting lots of attention and rave reviews, and it's about a period of time that I lived through, so I thought it would be worth a read. I "borrowed" the audio book from Libby, my library app, and enjoyed it immensely. 

It was approximately twelve hours long, and I got to listen to it on our way home from Rapid City for Christmas, on the plane, and on the drive home from Vegas, and most of today. It was fun doing an intensive immersion in that time and place.

The Viet Nam war was a tough one, and I think I knew there were nurses there, but apparently most people didn't realize they were. This sweeping novel covers the time from the late sixties, at the beginning of the war, through 1982 when the Viet Nam Memorial was dedicated. The author frequently gives dates and places that are historically accurate, and I found myself connecting with those dates and remembering where I was, and what I was doing. I was fairly unaware of the progress of the war...I was still in high school when it began, and it lasted all through my college years and into my time in West Berlin. I was an anti-war protester, but woefully ill-informed. I learned a lot from listening to this story.

The cultural references were right up my alley--lots of music was cited, some movies, some cars, and lots of fashion in clothes and hairstyles were described, and it was fun to re-live those memories. There was also the backdrop of other important cultural changes happening during this period--the civil rights strugggles and the women's movement. All of these contributed to the story and added to the richness of the time. 

The story kept my interest as nurse Frankie struggled as a novice nurse, as she returned home, and as she struggled with addiction and recovery. It was cool the way the people she met along the way often reappeared later in her story. It was well done. 

There were so many aspects of the war that I had forgotten. For example, the MIA's and the POWs, and their return... Walter Cronkite, and the gradual disillusionment of Americans with their government. It was like going back to that time. 

I think the author did a good job of describing the pain and heartbreak and horror of flashbacks. There were also horrible descriptions of the war and the wounded...which gave me a whole new understanding of the trauma of warr. She also described well the camaradie that can develop in such settings, and it helped me recall the times when I felt those feelings... 

Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear

My new friend Karla and I got to talking about books on a road trip we took one day to Minneapolis. This book is the first in a series that Karla said she really enjoyed. I was anxious to see what her taste was, so I ordered it used from Amazon.

On the plus side, it's a sweet book, with comfortable and interesting characters, set in an interesting time. Nothing too dangerous or uncomfortable here, and a romance grows between two of the characters in a predictable but satisfying way. It's a bit of a mystery, also, and I enjoyed that part. However, it's kind of a lightweight book, meaning I will probably drop it off at the corner library for someone else to read rather than keep....