Slumdog Millionaire

Here’s my announcement to the Fam: I’m heading to India and Nepal next month! I CANNOT wait! It’s definitely a dream come true for me and I’m in awe at the opportunity.  Before I felt like it was even a possibility I ran to the library and checked out the first thing I saw that looked related.  It happened to be “Slumdog Millionaire.” I heard the movie was pretty incredible and that it created quite the stir among India’s government.  I haven’t seen the movie but my curiosity peaked enough that I decided to check out the book.  I’ve been listening to it in my car on the way to and from school.  To me, it has felt very graphic and difficult to stomach.  As a result I’ve listened to it in snippets, (rotating it with “Outliers” by Malcom Gladwell) but I can’t seem to put it aside completely.  I keep thinking it's going to get better as hopefully the result of a happy ending.  At this point though, it needs to be really happy.  On the bright side, the narrator does a phenomenal job.  It is read in an Indian accent, which makes the storyline all the more compelling. 

It begins with a young orphan boy in Mumbai who happens to win India’s version of “Who wants to be a Millionaire?” He wins a billion rupees, but before the money is handed over to him he is arrested and accused of cheating.  A detective asks him some very basic questions that someone with average intelligence should be able to answer.  Ram Mohammad Thomas is unable to answer any of these questions.  The detective and game show host are further convinced of his guilt.  They begin to torture him with the intention of forcing him to sign a paper admitting that he cheated.  Before the torture becomes too unbearable, Thomas is rescued by a lawyer.  She says she came just as soon as she had heard of the arrest.  He shares with her that he has won the game show based on luck.  The 12 questions that he was asked happened to be directly related to experiences that were central to his life.  Each chapter is broken down based on the question he was asked and the story he has to tell. 

Again the stories are unsettling to say that least, but I think many of his experiences are reality for the impoverished.  I've looked up various articles related to some of the subjects and the only thing I can think of is how grateful I am for our country. Somehow the author has managed to twist every dark theme into the book, and for that reason I really don't recommend it. I just want to absorb as much as I can about India before my trip! This included watching part of  “Gandhi” last week. I may change my mind about the book based on how the whole thing wraps up, if I make it that far. Next on the list for me is Kim, by Rudyard Kipling.  Dad says it’s awesome.  Other, happier, suggestions are also welcome. 

This is a picture of the slums in Mumbai where much of the story takes place.  

The Continuous Atonement

I finished reading “The Continuous Atonement” about 5 minutes ago.  In honor of Sunday, I figured I could write a little post about it.  I’ve been reading a little bit every Sunday for the last couple of months and always feel like I walk away with a new insight.  In his last couple of pages he talks about forgiving and remembering.   He says that when it comes to the wrong doings of others it is important to forgive and forget, but with our own issues we learn because we remember.  These opportunities for growth are part of what make each of us so special. He compares our lives to a polished marble.  The imperfections, once polished, are a piece of what makes that marble so beautiful.  Our imperfections also provide us with opportunities to draw closer to our Savior.  When we remember our mistakes, we can learn from them, and turn those weaknesses into strengths.

There really is a peace that comes from letting the atonement work through us.  Brother Wilcox includes a quote from President Hinckley where he says, “I know it isn’t easy. It’s discouraging at times, sure.  Aren’t you glad it isn’t just fun all the time? Those valleys of discouragement make more beautiful the peaks of achievement.”  That’s easier said when we aren’t in the valleys, but I have loved the many reassuring thoughts in this book.  There’s another story about Brad discussing the ups and downs of life, wishing things could just level out.  His wife, who also happens to be a nurse, interrupts him stating, “When you get hooked up to a heart monitor, you don’t want to see a straight line.  That’s the bad news.  It’s the ups and downs that let you know you’re alive.”  I’m pretty sure I’m one of the last people on the bandwagon with this one, but I’m so glad I took the time to read it J

Into Thin Air

A girl I use to work with, told me awhile back that “Into Thin Air” was her favorite book, and a must read.  She is an amazing climber and it made sense why she was so crazy about the whole thing.  It’s written by Jon Krakauer, and it’s his description of the 1996 Mount Everest disaster.  I don’t know anything about climbing but I literally couldn’t put it down.  I found myself pacing across my living room for who knows how long until I was all finished reading it.  It’s basically about an expedition that should have gone right, but Everest is unpredictable, even for the most seasoned climbers.  Spoiler alert:  a lot of people die. I guess that’s expected from the “deadliest season in history.” I won’t say who, but I made the mistake of looking at the maps they put at the front of the book which label exactly who dies and where their bodies are later located.  Don’t look at the maps if you want to be surprised.  Also, don’t read the acknowledgments on the first few pages. 

Anyway, it’s pretty heartbreaking, and graphic.  There is definitely language, just to be warned.  I want to say I even had a couple of vivid dreams after I finished.  But even knowing essentially how the story ends, it’s a gripping account and it is based on 100% true events.  Jon Krakauer received a serious amount of heat after he published his first article about his take on the expedition.  As both a reporter and mountaineer, he was commissioned to do a story for Outside magazine which was why he climbed Everest in the first place. There was quite a bit of controversy surrounding his descriptions from some of the family members who lost their loved ones.  This is just one person’s account, but he took scrupulous notes on their climb to the peak.  It also includes many interviews with the people who were involved.  I highly recommend it.  I’m pretty sure they made a movie about the experience, but I can’t imagine that it compares to the book.  It’s a story about putting everything on the line for passion, but the men and women in this story are much more than adrenaline junkies.  Again, I couldn’t put it down, and I think a handful of people in the family would really enjoy it! 

This is Rob Hall's team, and the people that Krakauer climbed up with (this picture is also featured on the back cover of the actual book). 

Unbroken

I'll be honest, I forced myself to write about the last book before I could write about this one because I had been meaning to for awhile, but I REALLY wanted to write about this one. Has anyone read this? If you haven't, read it now. It is definitely my favorite book that I've read this year.  

"Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption" is about a man named Louis Zamperini, who was an Olympic runner and then was drafted into the air force. After multiple close calls, his luck finally ran out when his plane crashed into the ocean. What follows is a gripping story as Louis and two crew mates drift on a raft in the middle of the ocean, hoping for rescue, all the while battling off sharks and practically starving to death. And that isn't even the whole book, but I don't want to write too much and give anything away.

I could not put this book down, and the whole time I was reading I had to keep reminding myself that it is a true story. I also couldn't stop myself from talking to Ben about it, probably spoiling everything for him so he will never want to read it. 

Anyway, I really think everyone would like this book. I laughed, I cried, I learned a lot, and I came away from it loving Louis Zamperini and wishing that I could ask my dad if he remembers hearing about him. So go read it.

*Since it is a book about war, there is definitely violence, but I didn't feel like it was anything too descriptive or gratuitous. 

***Update*** I just found out my dad's first wife's brother was on the plane that crashed. CRAZY.

Jefferson's Sons

Last week I read a historical fiction book called "Jefferson's Sons." It is about Thomas Jefferson's alleged slave children and it was really interesting. When I told Ben I was reading historical fiction he said that he doesn't like that genre because he mixes up what really happened, and I as I write this I can see where he is coming from. The book talks about the kids as though they are for sure Jefferson's children, and though many people believe that they really were, it isn't proven. However, they were definitely treated differently than the other slaves, in that they were taught to read and write, and we're given violin lessons. Some or all of them ( I can't remember now) also took the last name of Jefferson later in life.

Slavery has always been something that has been fascinating to me, so I enjoyed this book.  It points out some interesting paradoxes, like that the man who wrote "all men are created equal " owned hundreds of slaves, and how he lived his life in such a way that hundreds of slaves had to be sold when he died, in order to pay off his debt. I'm probably making it sound like the book tries to get the reader to dislike Jefferson, but I didn't really feel that was the case. 

Anyway, it was pretty good. It is a middle-grade book, so it is a pretty easy read, but won't appeal to everyone. I would recommend it, though.