Review: Night SparkNotes Literature Guide (Volume 48) (SparkNotes Literature Guide Series) by SparkNotes and Elie Wiesel

4 stars for Night SparkNotes Literature Guide (Volume 48) (SparkNotes Literature Guide Series) by SparkNotes and Elie Wiesel.

Having graduated from school, it never once crosses my mind that one day, I will of my own accord, read a literature study guide again. But after reading Night, I find myself wanting to learn more about this historical event that rock the world, one that resulted in the greatest act of genocide known to mankind. And so, instead of regarding Night as one among many that I read for pleasure and enjoyment, I want to approach Night as a work of literature. I hope Night SparkNotes will allow me to see more, to see beyond what I have managed to glean by myself in my reading of Night.

Just as Wikipedia is highly consulted for general information, SparkNotes is highly regarded as one of the most helpful study guides to Literature, Math, Science and more. Many students regard SparkNotes as a good resource to turn to because it not only offers clear and concise explanations, it also provides important information for writing papers and studying for tests. Since Night is now one of the most widely read and taught accounts of the Holocaust, it does not surprise me that Night SparkNotes is readily available. In fact, I will be taken aback if the reverse is true.

Night SparkNotes starts off by examining the various literary devices that Night's author uses to make his story effective. Two that stand out well enough for me to remember even after I finish reading SparkNotes is the explanations given for author Wiesel's use of a boy named Eliezer as his stand-in and representative throughout the book and his choice to change some of the minor details in the story as opposed to what had actually happened.

For those who have already read Night, you will have known that it is a story that is narrated from the limited first person perspective, with no account of events that take place outside the narrator's direct observation, thus giving readers a deeply personal impression of the horrors of the Holocaust. Understanding the why and the how by which the author makes his personal story effective in its intended delivery is paramount because the book was written not only to document historical truths but also emotional truth as experienced by Wiesel himself.

Though SparkNotes views Night as neither a record of facts nor an impartial document, it refers to Night as a memoir, as the writing is a mixture of testimony and emotional truth telling. Taking the stand that Night is the author's attempt to recreate thoughts, feelings and experiences as a teenage prisoner in the concentration camps, SparkNotes analyses the major characters and explores the major themes in the book.

SparkNotes gives a concise summary of Night, a good explanation of the important quotations in the book and teaches the reader the importance of breaking a work of literature down into smaller parts and examining how those parts - plot, characters, setting, tone, narrator, themes and imagery- work, both individually and collectively, for literary analysis. It also provides a step-by-step guide to writing a well-constructed literary essay and even offers a list of suggested essay topics. The study guide finally concludes with an example of a A+ student essay.

All in all, Night SparkNotes is a handy literature guide. Viewed simply, it acts as a supplement to existing text or even like a friend explaining a particular chapter of the book. Though I am reading it to further my interest and not for purpose of studying for test or examination, I have benefited greatly in my understanding of Night through the interpretation and analysis of SparkNotes. With that, I can understand how useful this study guide can be for students taking Night as part of their school curriculum.

Review: Night (Night Trilogy #1) by Elie Wiesel

5 stars for Night (Night Trilogy book 1) by Elie Wiesel.

I have always thought Night is a non fiction, a wartime memoir written by Elie Wiesel, that is until I search the genre for this book as confirmation for purpose of labelling my review. Some sites list it as a novel while Wikipedia says "it remains unclear how much of Night is memoir". It seems strange to me that there can be much controversy as to whether Night is fiction or non fiction. After all, the author himself said in interviews that the book is factual and is never portrayed as a novel. Yet some scholars who studied holocaust memoirs have raised questions about how much of the book can be verified.

Well, in any case, both Barnes & Noble.com and Amazon.com have made changes to certify Night as non fiction (way back in 2006). The former has removed the book from its fiction list, while the latter has changed the categorization of the new edition of Night and revised the editorial description of a previous text edition to make clear that it considers the book a memoir, not a novel.

For me, having read Night, I regard it as a memoir, one with a trauma narrative that is true in its call to readers to remember the Holocaust and the millions of Jews who died, to learn from those who survived, and most importantly, never to allow such an event to happen again.

Elie Wiesel wrote the book because he believed it is "his duty to bear witness for the dead and for the living". And true enough, Night preserves the lives of the dead as a constant reminder to the living of what was suffered and lost and could go through again if the memories are not etched in ink and the past is allowed to be forgotten. Taken verbatim from the preface to the new translation, this is what Elie Wiesel wrote "For the survivor who chooses to testify, it is clear: his duty is to bear witness for the dead and for the living. He has no right to deprive future generations of a past that belongs to our collective memory. To forget would be not only dangerous but offensive; to forget the dead would be akin to killing them a second time."

In the opening of the very same preface, Elie Wiesel says it all, that Night is the foundation of all his literary works, without which the rest cannot be fully apprehended. To quote "If in my lifetime I was to write only one book, this would be the one. Just as the past lingers in the present, all my writings after Night, including those that deal with biblical, Talmudic, or Hasidic themes, profoundly bear its stamp, and cannot be understood if one has not read this very first of my works."

Indeed, Night is Wiesel's masterpiece, a sad, shocking and horrific account of his personal experiences with his father as prisoners in the Auschwitz, Buna, and Buchenwald concentration camps in 1944-1945, towards the end of the Second World War in Europe. Though haunting and appalling in its directness, humanity shines from every page of his book as Wiesel bears witness to the Jews taking solace in caring for one another in the face of atrocities in the Nazi German concentration camps. He was 15 years old then.

Ultimately, Night is a story about death and survival. To quote "Listen to me, kid. Don't forget that you are in a concentration camp. In this place, it is every man for himself, and you cannot think of others. Not even your father. In this place, there is no such thing as father, brother, friend. Each of us lives and dies alone." As prisoners of war, the Jews are subjected to horrific living conditions and the constant threat of death. To survive, they can only do what is best for themselves. Many eventually only concerned themselves with personal survival. Even so, many do not live through the concentration camps, the "selections" and the death marches. Though Wiesel withstood it all and lived to see liberation from Nazi occupation, he carried with him a corpse of memories that haunt him for the rest of his life. To quote "...I decided to look at myself in the mirror on the opposite wall. I had not seen myself since the ghetto. From the depths of the mirror, a corpse was contemplating me. The look in his eyes as he gazed at me has never left me."

Night is such a harrowing and engrossing read that before I know it, I have reached the end of the book. Truly, it is a book of great historical importance, albeit one with terrifying power. Night has since been translated into thirty languages and sold millions of copies since its first publication. I am glad to have joined the millions who have read this memoir.

Review: The House in the Cerulean Sea by T. J. Klune

4 stars for The House in the Cerulean Sea by T. J. Klune.

I tend to avoid books by authors who go by their initials. The anonymity put me off as I find it somewhat disconcerting reading a book without the author's full name on it. And yet, there are exceptions as you can tell from my List of Books that some do make it past my personal firewall. The House in the Cerulean Sea is one such. I have come across so many good words on this book that I decide to add it to my reading list, and not just that, move it up my reading list.

The story is about six magical children with the power to create mayhem and destroy the world, and two peculiar men - a Master who is determined to protect his wards at all costs and a caseworker sent to investigate them all. The caseworker is Linus Baker. The entire novel, in third person narrative, is told from the perspective of this 40-year old caseworker. His job is to visit the orphanage he is assigned to, talk to the master and children residing there, assess them and submit his report upon his return to the office. His work is important because his report will mostly decide the fate of the orphanage, whether it can remain open or if it needs to be shut down permanently.

Right from the beginning, this fantasy novel comes across as mysterious and strangely magical. It is well paced and well executed to keep me in suspense. Though it does get a bit slow along the way subsequently, the theme underlying the story keeps me moving and warms my heart. The message is plain - see people for who they are, not for what they are capable of, to stop and think before we let our emotions get the better of us, and to always make time for the things we like (if not, we may forget how to be happy).

And in this magical world with its magical beings, I come across one of the most profound beautiful passages I have ever read. I adore it so much that I go over that same passage countless times and I never get tired of it. I shall quote it in its entirety below. I hope it speaks to you the same way as it speaks to me.

I am but paper.
Brittle and thin.

I am held up to the sun,
and it shines right through me.

I get written on,
and I can never be used again.

These scratches are a history.
They’re a story.
They tell things for others to read,
but they only see the words,
and not what the words are written upon.

I am but paper,
and though there are many like me,
none are exactly the same.

I am parched parchment.
I have lines.
I have holes.

Get me wet, and I melt.
Light me on fire, and I burn.
Take me in hardened hands, and I crumple.
I tear.

I am but paper.
Brittle and thin.

Simple words strung into beautiful sentences. Besides being deeply moving on the inside, this book is also wondrous on the outside. It has one of the most beautiful covers I have ever come across in my reading. It is breathtaking. It is ART. It is not often we get to see a book cover that follows the descriptions in the book so exquisitely. In fact, it delivers more than what is depicted in the book, from the seemingly mundane account to a magical cover of wonders and possibilities.

To quote "It was set up a hill on a cliff overlooking the ocean. It looked as if it were at least a hundred years old. It was made of brick and had a large turret, of all things, set right in the middle of the roof. The side of the house facing Linus was covered in green ivy, growing around multiple white window frames. He thought he could see the outline of a gazebo set off next to the house and wondered if there was a garden..... The driveway widened near the top of the hill. There was another vehicle parked next to an empty fountain, overgrown by the same vines that latched on to the orphanage. It was a red van."

In the world of fantasy, The House in the Cerulean Sea is one of a kind. It is original. It is unusual. It may not sit well though with everyone as the story features LGBTQ+ characters. Some may even be put off and to that, I shall quote this from the book "We are who we are not because of our birthright, but because of what we choose to do in this life. It cannot be boiled down to black and white. Not when there is so much in between. You cannot say something is moral or immoral without understanding the nuances behind it."

A final note to this post.. something I simply have to get it checked, call it my quirk if you will. With a few taps on my keyboard and the help of Google, I manage to appease my curiosity. The author's full name is Travis John Klune aka TJ Klune.

Review: Moods, Emotions, and Aging: Hormones and the Mind-Body Connection by Phyllis J. Bronson and Rebecca Bronson

4 stars for Moods, Emotions, and Aging: Hormones and the Mind-Body Connection by Phyllis J. Bronson and Rebecca Bronson.

This book reads very much like a Science textbook. It reminds me of the days where Biology was part of my school curriculum. I have always enjoy my Biology lessons but without a doubt, where exams are concerned, it takes the reading enjoyment level down a notch or two. Well, I am glad that exams are a thing of the past now and I can read this book without the anxiety of having to sit for the paper at the end of it.

This paperback is a wealth of information on the impact of hormones and nutrients on mood and emotion. It is very much based on the study that brain chemistry and hormones play a major role in mood problems. Readers get to learn about the differences between synthetic and bioidentical (natural) hormones.

The research conducted by the author herself showed that there are significant chemical differences between synthetic hormones and natural ones made by the human body or compounding pharmacies. From her research findings, it is obvious that the author is an advocate of natural hormones as she repeatedly stressed the importance of using bioidentical hormones to support women, both emotionally and physically. She also shares some case studies that illustrate how balancing hormones can help individual women deal with traumatic issues in their lives.

There are two things I like much in this book.

One is the revelation of Western's medicine dark side. I have always been skeptical of the drugs promoted by the profit-driven pharmaceutical industry, so in a way, it is reassuring to see the reproval on print. The author says that the drugs produced by the pharmaceutical companies are not the same as those hormones produced naturally in the female body. But because the hormones produced by these companies are not natural, they are patentable. So there it is. The potential for huge financial gains for these pharmaceutical companies is way too tempting to ignore. Therefore, women need to be aware that their best interests may not be the same as that of the company making the product that they are taking.

The other thing I like has less to do with hormones but more to do with the belief that calcium in milk is good for our bones. Once again, I have always challenge the belief that cow's milk is good for us. Why should humans go about drinking cow's milk? Shouldn't cow's milk be for their calf, just as breast milk is for the human baby? Well, humans are the only known species on Earth that drink the milk of another species. The way I see it, it always boils down to the same thing which is the money making business. However, it is not the pharmaceutical but the dairy industry this time. Here I will quote a passage from the book as below:

"One of the biggest myths about osteoporosis has to do with calcium. While the dairy industry would have people believe that dietary calcium is critical to bone formation and that the best way to get that calcium is milk products, there is mounting evidence that this is not so. Yes, calcium is an important component of healthy bone, but diary products may not be the best way to get that calcium. Calcium from milk is in the form of calcium lactate, which is not as easily absorbed as other forms that can be found in green, leafy vegetables."

The author proceeds to back her statement with statistics.

To quote "Milk consumption in Greece doubled from 1961 to 1977 (and was even higher in 1985), and from 1977 to 1985 the age-adjusted osteoporosis incidence almost doubled, too. In Hong Kong, twice as much dairy products were consumed in 1989 as compared to 1966, and incidence of osteoporosis tripled in the same period. Americans consume large amounts of dairy products, and thus take in extremely high levels of calcium, but they also sustain high rates of osteoporosis and osteoporosis-related fractures."

The author also states that there is not enough data currently to support claims by the dairy industry that the more milk women drink, the stronger their bone will be.

To quote "While calcium is surely an essential part of bone formation, there is currently no substantial data showing that increased consumption of dairy products prevents or slows down the development of osteoporosis. In fact, according to a 1985 study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the more milk women drank, the more bone loss they experienced. Current recommendations from the Harvard School of Public Health are that women should get calcium as much as possible from green, leafy vegetables rather than from dairy products."

And then, there is also the question of profit-driven motives leading to conflict of interest.

To quote "The Osteoporosis Foundation and American Dietetic Association both receive money from the dairy industry. According to the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM), there is a lack of credible research showing a deficiency in calcium is to blame for current osteoporosis epidemic!"

Once again, the author substantiates her statement with numbers.

To quote "In fact, one study tracked eight-one girls ages twelve to eighteen for six years. Their calcium intake was controlled by supplementation (using calcium supplements rather foods), and the conclusion was that increased calcium supplementation was not associated with hip bone density at age eighteen or with total body bone mineral gain at ages twelve through eighteen."

It is stunning indeed to read about the ugly side of Western's medicine as well as the conflict of interest that so often lead to misleading information to end consumers.

Perhaps then, this book holds the secret to aging with grace, health and happiness? After all, the author believes in finding balance for women as they age and her aim is to help girls and women with orthomolecular medicine and nutrient biochemistry. From a few taps on my keyboard, Google tells me that orthomolecular medicine is a form of alternative medicine, with a purpose to maintain human health through nutritional supplementation. And nutritional biochemistry is an integrative form of science that incorporates sciences such as physiology, medicine, microbiology, endocrinology, chemistry and biology, and applies these specifically to the study of health, diet, nutrition, disease, and the connections that exist among them. All of these seem complicated to me, but from what the author shares in her book, she sounds confident and comes across as one knowing what she is doing.

Personally, I feel that a woman's health is not just about hormones. It is a whole lot more. And that includes sleep, food and nutrition, and social connection. This book may not have gone (deep) into these topics but nevertheless, it provides useful information and insight to the overall well-being of women where hormones such as estrogen (estrone, estradiol and estriol) and progesterone are concerned.