Books

An Attack on Us

Is it possible the United States could face the same kind of danger here at home that many countries have experienced? What if Israel’s 10/7 happened here? Most importantly, is that plausible?

Kurt Schlichter thinks so. This author, attorney and commentator released a short novel on Jan. 8 that says yes, it could happen here, all too easily. “The Attack” takes the current national security weak points that everyone knows about and yet no one does anything about, the porous border and an ineffectual government response, and draws the tale out to a logical conclusion. If there is no real border, and thousands of undocumented, unverified, *unvetted* people are moving across each day, hundreds of jihadi could be slowly positioning themselves for an attack. With one phone call they could be activated to strike at once. As Kurt points out in his novel, it’s quite an enhancement when the leaders don’t have to do any command. Jihadis eager to kill as many and welcoming death will cause significant chaos without any fancy plans or leadership.

The novel suggests an event that spreads to touch nearly all Americans. During 9/11, most of the country was untouched physically. Imagine an attack designed to be so vast that no one section of the country could look on in horror, and reassure themselves, that kind of thing happens only in New York or Washington. I remember during 9/11 reassuring my roommate that terrorists weren’t coming to our small town – and being fairly certain I was right. In the novel, one statistician estimated that 84% of Americans knew someone personally who had been killed. Ninety-eight (98)% knew someone who knew someone who was killed. That impact is the kind which remakes country.

Kurt wrote “The Attack” in just three short months after the October 7 attack in Israel. The man is known for turning out a novel each year in his Kelly Turnbull series, on top of his regular day job, but this is impressive even for him. A publishing house approached him about doing a non-fiction work, but another friend persuaded him to turn it into fiction.

The story takes the form of an oral history, with “The Author” interviewing witnesses and participants in the attack five years later. Kurt structures the interviews into before, during each of the three days of the attack, and after. Each story is a short chapter. The “interviewees” range from those cartel members who facilitated the transfer of jihadis and weapons, housewives and mothers who survived attacks on their families, orphans who saw their families killed in front of them, to historians cataloguing the events. It is hard to read, but the story is so fascinating you are compelled to read on.

And it is all too possible. Pray that such an event never happens here.

Books · Christmas · Family · Gratitude

The beautiful books of Christmas 2023

Friends and family showered me with books

Every Christmas – what do you do after the last present has been unwrapped, ooohed and ahhhed over, and the ribbons and paper tossed aside? I don’t know about you, but I grab another cup of coffee and sit down with my new books. And this year was a doozy! Some came from my Amazon wish list, and some came from the stellar gift-giving skills of my friends and family. Here, let me show you:

The first one I read through in just an hour or two – it’s a speedy read at only 108 pages. How the *Bleep* Did You Find Me? is skiptracer Judi Sheek’s story of her 30 years in the skiptracing, or “bounty-hunting” business, as I call it. She actually had one subject ask her the question that became the book’s title point blank. It’s the perfect collection of stories about how we leave evidence of our lives EVERYWHERE. Of course, you think – we have digital footprints all over! But people were doing skiptracing long before the internet. She can find practically any document you’ve ever signed. If you have a utility bill, then you can be found. I loved this book. After reading it I immediately checked to make sure all my social media settings were “private.”

Next, I tore through a commemorative magazine on The Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. Mom knows I’m fascinated by the British royals – all those pretty gowns! The jewels! The tiaras and crowns! – so she made sure I had this copy. It even covered the 2023 coronation of King Charles III.

Art and Wisdom

Next were three beautiful books that arrived before Christmas, from my sweet friend Jill. First one I read was Rooms of Their Own: Where Great Writers Write. She knows I’m working on a story of my own, and I was thrilled to see the different spaces famous writers had created for themselves. Some were pristine, set with windows looking over beautiful views, and others were as messy as mine. Jane Austen made do with a tiny 12-sided table in the family parlor. The book is illustrated with glorious watercolors of the spaces, and some vintage photographs.

Next up is Bedside Companion for Book Lovers: An Anthology of Literary Delights for Every Night of the Year. I’ve read just one item in it, for the day I received the book. Then, I decided to keep it by my bedside for 2024. Each page is numbered by the day of the year – January 1, January 2, and so forth. The night’s selection might be a poem, single paragraph, or a full page. I can’t wait to delve into it each night before bed, last thing before I go to sleep. With this gift I moved the floor lamp behind my bed to function as a reading light.

Jill gave me also a new book from a favorite artist and author – Susan Branch. Her Distilled Genius – A Collection of Life-Changing Quotes is enough to fill three commonplace books. Each page is hand-painted – both text and illustrations – by this wonderful artist. Because of her work I’ve added Martha’s Vineyard, her island home, to my bucket list of places I must visit.

Romance, Thrills, and Horror

When I looked at my Christmas gift from “the Rust gang” – my brother Bill’s family – then I knew I was in for a treat. Sister-in-law Reisha wrapped everything in a bibliophile-friendly book tote, with the covers of famous classics on the front. In addition to many other gifts (stationery AND stamps! An embosser to put my seal on all my books!) I received three books I’ve moved to the top of my must-read pile.

I’ve already started Neal Shusterman’s Unwind and it is living up to the word ‘dystopian.’ A group of teenagers is on the run in a post-war America; an America that fought a civil war over abortion. The two sides signed a treaty that outlawed abortion; but made it possible for parents and the state to “unwind” teens from 13 to 17. It’s a basically organ donation of – everything! And society tells itself that the teen isn’t technically being killed – they keep living in a “divided” state. Now that I type that I realize how ridiculous it is. But I want to find out what happens to these three, so I’m gonna keep on reading!

The two that I haven’t started are When in Rome by Sarah Adams and The Guest List by Lucy Foley. I will probably read “When in Rome” first – it looks like a cheerful romance. Per the cover blurb: “This modern take on the Hepburn classic Roman Holiday is a quick, fun, slow-burn romance.” Sounds wonderful! And then I get to enjoy a Reese’s Book Club selection, “The Guest List.” From the back cover:

An exclusive wedding on a remote Irish island. The bride. The plus-one. The best man. The wedding planner. The bridesmaid. All have a secret. All have a motive. But only one is a murderer.

Yes, please! I’m so excited to have a few days off for the holiday. Lots of time to read!