V is for Victory

Recently the whole world seems to be celebrating together as we mark the 70th anniversary of the defeat of the German  forces during World War II. 
May 8 was the official surrender of the German forces after signing the act of military surrender in Berlin.  Many countries in Europe and Asia have commemorative holidays know as Liberation Day, V-E Day or in Russia (and countries of the former Soviet Union) May 9 is celebrated as Victory Day (which is apparently a big deal over there)

In the United States this holiday is often over looked until yesterday when a landmark anniversary was celebrated. This is understandable considering the US Military was still engaged in a campaign against Japan and would not celebrate their surrender until months later.

While discussing this events yesterday with my husband, I had to reflect on my own short time in history. In 1995, at the 50th anniversary of the end of World War II my parents gave me a book for Christmas. V is for Victory: American Remembers World War II.
It was one of my favorite books and as I reflect on it now, probably the book that really sparked my interest in history. How I would love a chance to read it again....

But then I snapped back to reality! It's the 70th anniversary and that was back during the 50th anniversary. This book is now 20 years old! It's probably withdrawn from library shelves. How did I get so old?

Thankfully, some libraries in our system did have copies without me having to do an ILL for it. Sure there are plenty of new books on the shelves about World War II, but I think I'll prefer to re-visit  this book instead;)

Book Review: The Man Who Laughs by Victor Hugo

This has been on my bucket list for a while. Seen the silent film so I had to read the book. I would say it falls in the middle of my scale of Victor Hugo. "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" is one of my all-time favorite books; the story of "Les Miz" has no appeal to me what so ever no matter how hard I try (sorry fangirls). The story of "The Man Who Laughs" had great appeal to me as a fan of Hunchback, but it fell flat at times.

One, there isn't much action or events that transpire during the book. We have lengthily introductions to our main characters before a long break, when we are introduced to them again now 15 years later. Other characters are described (at length!) a big secret is revealed, a day passes and then we are reunited with our characters once again. Had Hugo not filled the bulk of his text with excess descriptive passages commenting on almost everything but the plot at some times, this would have been a very short book.

Two, Hugo is not for everyone. I work at a library and when “Les Miz” came into town I had kids left and right wanting to get their hands on the original book. While I applauded their effort to tackle such literature, I did for warn them as a reader that it was a long and difficult book. Their response "That's okay I read Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and that was over 800 pages!" And I tried not to burst out laughing in their face. By comparison, let say Hugo wrote the story of Harry Potter instead. When young Harry walks into the great hall of Hogwarts for the first time and he remarks on the architecture of the roof. You would then be treated to 20 pages of history and genealogy about anyone who every passed under that roof before Harry all the way back to the founders, probably then followed by another chapter then a lengthy list of events and people not essential to the current plot. 50 pages later, you would find yourself back to poor Harry…maybe.

Okay maybe this sounds cool in the wizarding world, but in merry olde England? Not so much. Hugo just can’t tell you “The nobility of England are rich, like sick rich. They have more money than God.” Nope he has to spend the first preliminary chapter detailing the lineage of lords and how impressive their houses and estates look. Do we meet these lords in the book? Of course not! Description is much appreciated in literature, but Hugo is over kill.

Which makes this a frustrating read. Hugo sets up such suspense and fantastic prose it makes me weep at times. Then he rambles on about the rocks in the sea and I want to take this book and throw it into the sea!

He writes heartbreaking passages about a little boy abandoned in the snow storm, then goes and writes about the cruel people who deserted him on the shore and their ship and whoa that was a big rock we almost hit, and uh oh here comes another big rock and hey did you know what happens on a snow storm at sea…..

When it’s good, it’s really good. There were passages in this book that broke my heart. But you have to work hard as a reader to get there.

(Also just don’t read the last chapter. Stop at section 103, close the book and say out loud “And they all lived Happily Ever after!” Seriously Hugo that was a cop out!)