Cold Warriors: Writers Who Waged the Literary Cold Wary by Duncan White

Duncan White's Cold Warriors is an engrossing history of the writers who wielded their pen for political ends and how their governments promoted or silenced them during the Cold War. 

The war was a conflict of ideas and books were used as weapons to attack political ideologies by writers on both sides of the Iron Curtain. Some authors were spies while others unknowingly worked for CIA-funded publications. Writers resistant to government policy and programs were silenced, punished, imprisoned or killed. 

Dense with information, the book has the impetus of a thriller filled with shocking twists and multilayered characters. The story begins with the Spanish Civil War and the disenchantment of George Orwell, spurring him to write his greatest novels. White follows the Cold Was to the end of the Berlin Wall, Glasnost, and the Prague Spring with stories like that of the Czech playwright Vaclav Havel who was found guilty of subversion and imprisoned yet became president.

I grew up seeing these writer's names on the bookshelves at the stores where I spent my allowance on paperbacks. I had no idea of their political stance or that some were spies!

• George Orwell, whose Animal Farm I bought and read as a teen 
• Arthur Koestler, whose Darkness at Noon I had erringly thought was a science fiction book 
• Boris Pasternak, whose Dr. Zhivago I read after seeing the movie
•  Alexander Solzhenitsyn's books were published when I was a young adult and at one time I owned all his books in hardcover 
• Graham Greene I thought was a Catholic Writer.
• Mary McCarthy's The Group was a best seller
•  Stephen Spender, who signed my copy of his book of selected poems at a poetry reading
• John le Carre, pen name of David Cornwall, an M16 spy whose fictionalized spy-talk became adopted in real life

Plus

• Andrei Sinyavsky
• Richard Wright
• Ernest Hemingway 
• Gioconda Belli
• Vaclav Havel,
• Joan Didion
• Isaac Babel
• Howard Fast
• Lillian Hellman 
• Mikhail Sholokhov

Duncan concludes that the battle between Communism and Capitalism has morphed into a war between forms of democracy and authoritarianism and populist nationalism. 

Today's writers still resist and condemn and create bring visions of the kind of country and world we must become to flourish and, very possibly, to survive. One lesson I learned from this book is that regardless of how I personally feel about a writer's ideas, the rights of freedom of speech and a free press is precious and integral to the preservation of a free society.

quilt by Nancy A. Bekofske

I was given access to a free egalley by the publisher through Edelweiss in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.

Cold Warriors
by Duncan White
Custom House
On Sale: 08/27/2019
List Price: 32.50 USD
ISBN: 9780062449818
ISBN 10: 0062449818

Educated by Tara Westover

My library book club's August read was Tara Westover's best-selling, critically acclaimed memoir Educated.

Westover's life makes for page-turning reading, but the abuses she suffered in the hands of her family actually gave me nightmares. Her mentally ill father's paranoid beliefs ruled the family. As Mormons, her mother submitted to her husband's authority. The parents would not send their children to public school and were inept at homeschooling, so the kids educated themselves. It was lucky they even survived as the father also feared the medical establishment and even the most horrendous of accidents were self-treated.

Westover can write and she gave her life story a narrative arc, but I was not glad to have read this book. I was upset by what most of us would consider the mistreatment of the children. I wondered if Westover's story would be held as an example of how anyone can pull themselves up from ignorance and poverty to become a best-selling novelist with a Ph.D.,  justifying blame on those who are mired in poverty and dead-end lives. As a mother who homeschooled our son from seventh grade through high school graduation, with a rigorous and thoughtful education plan, I didn't care for the Westover's dad using his daughter's success as a vindication of his non-schooling homeschooling.

What I did admire was Westover's honest portrayal of her struggle to grow and find her own life without losing her family and how the family dynamics kept her tethered to her past. It is hard enough to leave one's faith community and family in our self-actualization journey. Westover's constricted, narrow, world and her father's radical Mormonism was all she knew and it was hard to assimilate into mainstream Mormonism. Friends, boyfriends, professors, and finally mental health counseling supported Westover on her journey. Her success was rooted in her native intelligence and desire to learn, but she was helped by many along the way.

Our book club had a terrific discussion that could have gone on past our designated hour. The book engaged us on an emotional level, some repulsed, some found it reflected experiences in their own lives, and some thought Westover's story was one of hope and success.

Helen Korngold Diary, August 18-24, 1919

Helen Korngold, Dec. 1919, New York City

This year I am sharing the 1919 dairy of Helen Korngold of St. Louis. Helen is relaxing in her last weeks before beginning her teaching career.

August
Monday 18
Worked

Tuesday 19
Worked. Picture show with family.

Wednesday 20
Worked. Fashion show with Spiro’s Sam Pasternak & Karol & Lorine

Thursday 21
Cleaned. Highlands Swimming Party.

Friday 22
Cleaned up. Temple. Florence’s birthday

Saturday 23
Downtown. Riding with Al Fitterman – he’s quite nice.

Sunday 24
Dinner for Irl & Rebecca

Notes:

Aug 19
Which movie did Helen see?


Aug 20

Sam Pasternak born Sept 21, 1898, to Ida (1876 – 1961) and Henry Pasternak (1873 to 1946). He died in 1998. Sam and his family are buried at B’nai Amoona in University City, St. Louis, MO. A Henry Pasternak appears in the St. Louis City Directory as a traveling salesman in 1916 and 1917.

Lorine Korngold, Helen’s sister

Aug 22

Birthday of Florence Korngold

Aug 23

Several possible people appear in the census. Al Fitterman appears in the 1920 St. Louis City Directory working as a press feeder. Another Albert Fitterman shows up on the 1917 St. Louis City Directory as “Pres. 1917 O’Fallon.” An O’Fallon estate shows as the place of work for Clarence O’Fallon, president of O’Fallon Estate. An O’Fallon Real Estate exists today.

Aug 24

Helen’s cousin Irl Rosenblum was the son of Jennie Frey, daughter of David and Sophia Frey. Irl was a music teacher. He married Rebecca Hochman and they had a daughter Rita and son Irl (1895-1956) who became an attorney. Irl Jr.’s WWI Draft Registration shows he was born March 25, 1895, and was tall with a medium build, and had brown eyes and light brown hair.

In the news:

August 17, 1919, St. Louis Post-Dispatch

August 19, 1919 ad St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Mini-reviews: By the Book and The Man Who Planted Trees

For my birthday my brother gifted me two wonderful Charlie Harper coloring books and The Man Who Planted Trees by Jean Giono and illustrated with wood engravings by Michael McCurdy.

The Man Who Planted Trees is a short story about a man walking through a parched and barren land who finds refuge with a shepherd. Every day the shepherd took a hundred acorns and planted them during the day.

The valley without trees was barren

Over the years, the wanderer returned to this valley and observed the changes.

Giono's fable of how one man changed the face of the countryside is especially relevant today when articles tell us that by planting trees we can help alleviate the consequences of climate change.

The thriving valley reforested

I read By the Book by Julia Sonneborn just for fun. My husband read it through Bookish First and I read his copy.

Sonneborn's novel is a pastiche of Jane Austen themes and scenes and it was fun recognizing the sources. The main character Anne is a college professor struggling to get her book published in time to retain her job. Her college flame Adam Martinez shows up as the new college president. Is there any heat left? Meantime, renowned writer Rick becomes Anne's boyfriend, but he has a past she is unaware of. When he disses Austen as writing "old-fashioned chick lit" you know he is a loser!

By the Book is a romantic comedy that is a fast and fun read. There is a nod to contemporary issues with Adam's mother being an undocumented immigrant. A crisis revolves around plagiarism. Anne's best friend Larry falls for Jack, an actor suddenly propelled into fame from his role in a blockbuster film, Jane Vampire, based on Jane Eyre. Jack is in a sham marriage for appearances; will he break Larry's heart?

It's a great summer read for 19th c fiction fans.

Late Summer in Michigan, Quilts, and Books

My 1857 Album quilt is finally complete! In 2016 Gay Bomers of Sentimental Stitches shared her patterns based on a historical quilt. I finished the top in 2017. A few months ago I took the top to a local machine quilter, Maggie Smith. She did a wonderful job!

I bought the green, red, and orange fabrics online. I found they frayed too easily for applique. That will teach me to buy online! Applique requires a tight weave.

The one things I would recommend is to wait until the top is done before adding the corner petal units. Mine came out wonky. I should have removed them and restitched them. But I didn't. Because I am complacent and lazy, lol.

 I substituted some of the original patterns and made up my own, like adding the printed portraits of 1957 presidents.

I made a Halloween table runner. I created the applique in the center based on the print. 

After a long stretch of 90+ degree heat it cooled down a bit and two weeks ago we went to the Stage Nature Center in Troy, MI for our walk. 

The Rouge River flows through the park.

The meadow flowers were blooming.

 The last time we visited we saw close to 20 deer, but this day we only saw one.

Our Rutgers tomatoes and apple trees are coming into peak season!

After my brother returned from backpack hiking into the Porcupine Mountains in the Upper Penninsula of Michigan he invited us to his place for a corn roast and for my birthday presents--Charlie Harper coloring books and The Man Who Planted Trees with woodcut illustrations.

Two weeks ago on my Sunday walk I came across a neighbor's garage sale and picked up a book by Pat Cox.

 I am quite charmed by Millie's Quilt.

 What a great scrap quilt this would be!

 Also pictured is this Single Wedding Ring quilt circa 1915.

I caught my interest because I have an heirloom quilt from my husband's great-great-grandmother that is a Turkey red and white Single Wedding Ring and I had thought it dated about 1915.

Harriet is pictured below on the left with her mother Margaret Scovil Nelson and holding her daughter Grace.

We went on a trip to Port Huron, Michigan. We donated Harriet's New Testament to the Port Huron Historical Museum for a long-term loan. The book is said to have belonged to John Riley, an Objibway chief, and son of an early Michigan trader. Riley was a translator for The Treaty of Saginaw. He and his brothers James and Philip are mentioned in history books with Louis Cass, fighting for the Americans.

I just hung this handkerchief quilt wall hanging which I made some years back. The Japanese contemporary handkerchief is beautiful! I added three borders extending the motifs.

I was recently contacted by a man who saw my review of Simply Austen. He noted I had studied with Prof. Toby Olshin at Temple and was excited to find someone else who remembered and revered her.

As if I didn't have enough books to read...I jumped on the bandwagon to join The Goldfinch readathon sponsored by Little, Brown on social media. It was on my TBR shelf and it was a good excuse to pick it up. I am so glad, too--it's wonderful!

The Goldfinch 

Our local library is having a book sale. I picked up some vintage books.

 The Sunbonnet Babies are adorable.

 I can't resist this pattern with the baby reading a book.

 A cat lover has joined our family. Perhaps these patterns will be of interest to her.

I love Rumor Godden's fiction and memoirs about living in India. She also wrote books for children, like The Mousewife.

What have you been doing this summer?

We Love Anderson Cooper by R. L. Maizes

What a fantastic title! We Love Anderson Cooper is the title and a line in R. L. Maizes first short story in her collection, a parental response to their thirteen-year-old son's inability to be frank about his sexual orientation until he chooses the absolute wrong moment to out himself. He imagined it all going down differently. It is hilarious and heartbreaking.

"We love Anderson Cooper" therefore you should know I would accept you. Does it really follow? 'I'm not prejudiced' --fill in the blank for any person or idea. Isn't that what we do? I have black friends/gay friends/lesbian buddies/Muslim or Jewish or Christian or Hindu friends. How can you think I am prejudiced?

Geez, guys, just tell your son you love him!

Oh, we do love to feel superior to people who struggle and fail when we know what they should do. And these stories are filled with folk whose actions don't make sense to us.

And yet it is the best they can do.

We are all doing our best, and the even most wise and centered and rich and sane of us can find ourselves veering off into the gray and cloudy areas, just like the people in these stories where animals hold special places in people's lives and magical abilities and influences sway lives and jealousy and change brings division. We laugh, we feel empathetic pain, we recognize social and cultural truths.

Maya spent fourteen years caring for her employer-turned-lover and at his death found herself unprovided for. His kids dismissed her without a thought. Now she has to find her own way.

A talented artist whose art isn't selling becomes a tattoo artist and finds not only success but perhaps the ability to not only alter but to change lives.

A mid-life Jewish man is jealous when his cat prefers his lover. Worse yet, she is suddenly introducing Christmas into his life--cookies and trees and carols--and the cat likes it. "This is how assimilation begins--with baked goods," he thinks.

After her father's early death, Charlotte's mother gets a bird and transfers her affection to it. The sin of omission is strong in Charlotte's life.

At the last minute, a bride stops her wedding.

A couple are adopted by a sometimes vicious feral cat which their daughter adores and imitates. The parents are at loggerheads over the cat's place in the family.

A man is relieved when he losses his high-pressure, lucrative job. His wife can't believe he is happy delivering pizza. He can't convince her to downsize their life.

A therapist's heirloom couch breaks and seems irreplaceable. She finds the 'right' one, which affects her clients in a positive way.

A girl adores her aunt but is jealous of her aunt's adoration of her son. She gets even in a very dark way.

After nursing her ill husband, the loss of their dogs causes him to leave her.

These are memorable characters.

I read a copy purchased by my local library at my request.

We Love Anderson Cooper
by R. L. Maizes
Celadon Books
On Sale: 07/23/2019
ISBN: 9781250304094
hardcover $11.99

from the publisher:In this quirky, humorous, and deeply human short story collection, Pushcart Prize-nominated author R.L. Maizes reminds us that even in our most isolated moments, we are never truly alone. 

In We Love Anderson Cooper, characters are treated as outsiders because of their sexual orientation, racial or religious identity, or simply because they look different. A young man courts the publicity that comes from outing himself at his bar mitzvah. When a painter is shunned because of his appearance, he learns to ink tattoos that come to life. A paranoid Jewish actuary suspects his cat of cheating on him—with his Protestant girlfriend. 

In this debut collection, humor complements pathos. Readers will recognize themselves in these stories and in these protagonists, whose backgrounds are vastly different from their own—we’ve all been outsiders at some point.

about the author R.L. Maizes was born and raised in Queens, New York, and now lives in Boulder County, Colorado. Maizes's short stories have aired on National Public Radio and have appeared in the literary magazines Electric Literature, Witness, Bellevue Literary Review, Slice, and Blackbird, among others. Her essays have been published in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Lilith, and elsewhere.  

Maizes is an alumna of the Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference, the Sewanee Writers’ Conference, and the Tin House Summer Writer’s Workshop. Her work has received Honorable Mention in Glimmer Train’s Fiction Open contest, has been a finalist in numerous other national contests, and has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize. We Love Anderson Cooper: Short Stories is her first book.