While this has been a slower reading month for me, it has also been a rewarding one. There is no greater feeling than being challenged by a book, and I have been challenged by two books this month.
The Zookeeper’s Wife, by Diane Ackerman, was a book I listened to in my car on the way to school and back. Ackerman recounted the true story of Antonina and Jan Zabinski (the director of the Warsaw Zoo) and their risky act of kindness to save hundreds of Jews from the Warsaw Ghetto. I often ask myself what I would do in that situation. Would I risk my own life to save the lives of others? Of course, I would hope the answer would be yes, but one can never be sure. Even decades later, it is so inspiring to read the story of citizens who risked it all to save those who were being persecuted. Truly selfless acts of kindness sometimes require sacrificing ones’ own comfort or safety for the benefit of others.
9/11 is a transformative event that has so many different perspectives and stories that often get lost in the initial tragedy of human lives lost that poignant but very relevant and inspirational stories get lost in the moment. However, in The Day The World Came To Town, Jim Defede took steps to rectify that when he told the story of what happened to all the planes that had to be grounded on that day due to U.S. airspace being shut down. Gander, Newfoundland was one such town that had well over 100 planes land in their little town on that day due to the crisis in the United States. The little town of Gander and surrounding towns in Newfoundland were suddenly flooded by hundreds of passengers and crew members who were in need of food, shelter, clothing. Defede brought to life the incredible story of the Gander residents who truly put their own needs on the back burner to help the airline passengers who were separated from their families, sometimes by thousands of miles. It was just as inspiring how truly grateful the passengers were for the support from the residents of Gander. Read this article to learn a little more about the remarkable acts of generosity and kindness extended by the residents of these small towns in Newfoundland.
Books like these highlight the transformative stories that make reading worth the time and energy. I highly recommend both of these books and would love to discuss them with any of you who have read them or want to read them.
The zookeeper's wife seems like a really good book. I might look into it after I finish the boy in the striped pajamas. I would definitely risk my life to save the lives of others.
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