Meme me me me ... What?

I got a good laugh recently when one of my colleagues told me about the Ryan Gosling meme craze that seems to be sweeping through several professional communities via the internet. It's going through the geeks of Silicon Valley, the economists, the political science/campaign trail workers and, yes, even the library world.

I've never been much of a "joiner," but this one was just too good to pass up. So .... here's my contribution:

I wonder what Mr. Gosling thinks about all of this?

Fear and Fancy Cars

I know, I missed a couple of days of "Thanks" at the end of November! It's been a rather crazy week or two. Here's the end of the Thanks-giving list:


30th - Today I'm thankful that God enables me to live a life without fear. Not long ago I met someone who is undoubtedly the most fearful person I've ever met in my life. The more I got to know her, the more I discovered just how many fears she has. She is afraid of so many things that I wonder how she's able to function at all. I think it must be excruciating to be so bound by such a multitude of fears and to not know the freedom that Christ brings to those who put their trust in Him. Needless to say, I'm praying for this person!
29th - Today I'm thankful for automobiles that work. I drive a small SUV and, while it was most definitely an unexpected but necessary purchase last December, it's been a good car. It's not overly fancy, with all the "bells and whistles" extras, but it's stylish, a nice color, reliable and good on gas. I also like the fact that I don't have to bend down to get into it or feel like I'm on my knees when I get out of it! It's much easier on the muscles and joints than my former vehicle. I still need to think of an appropriate name for it, though... Any suggestions?

Blood, football and comfy couches

28th: Today I'm thankful for blood. That's it, blood -  the human kind. I spent several hours at my local Blood Connection donation center, doing aphoresis platelet donation. I had the time to think about how wonderful it is that God created us with this amazing fluid inside our bodies that is so incredibly complex and does so much to keep our bodies going and healthy. It also amazes me that there are doctors, nurses and other medical personnel who know how to take blood out of one person, separate it into its parts and put some parts back into the donor, but keep other parts to put into other people to help heal them. Awesome!

27th: Today I'm thankful for comfortable couches. It's Sunday afternoon and I'm at home relaxing with my two furry kitty boys! Need I say more?

26th: Today I'm thankful for my eyes and my sense of vision. There are many things in the world that can be experienced and enjoyed with the other senses, but I truly enjoyed being able to watch as both of my favorite college football teams trounced their arch-rivals today!

Saucy Wrens and Scrawny plants

I finally had the time yesterday to plant the Violas, Peppermint and Stevia plants that I purchased more than a week ago. I'm going to have to work extra hard to make sure that they survive, since it took me so long to get them in the soil. I think I'll have to put some extra effort (and fertilizer) into the Stevia - it's looking a bit scrawny and sickly right now. Guess it will put my green thumb to the test! We'll see.....

Wow! I knew I was a bit behind in my list, but didn't realize I was THAT behind! Here's the update:
25th: I'm thankful for all of the beautiful songbirds that visit my garden and porch. Thus far this week, I've seen Tufted Titmice, Blackcap Chickadees, several varieties of finches, Catbirds and some very adventurous and saucy Carolina Wrens!
24th: I'm thankful that I have a mother and two grandmothers who are/were excellent cooks and taught me and my sisters to cook, as well!
23rd: I'm thankful for God's financial provision. I may not have all that I want, but I DO have all that I need.
22nd: I'm thankful that God created such a wondrous array of vegetables, fruits, herbs and other plants and that He gave me the ability to plant and grow them.
21st: I'm thankful for my country, the USA, a nation that was founded on the principle of freedom OF religion - not freedom FROM religion.
20th: I'm thankful for the group of single adults at my church who are striving to know and serve God.
19th: I'm thankful for God's protection of all our college football players today. Big game, no injuries.
18th: I'm thankful for the generosity of family members in helping me get a more reliable vehicle.
17th: I'm thankful for my coworkers and their generosity with "pre-Thanksgiving" cooking.



 

 Today I have received a couple of very good reminders of how the Lord tends my life like a careful, patient gardener nurtures and nourishes the plants in her garden. Sometimes the care the gardener has to give is pleasant, such as giving a good, revitalizing watering, tilling in fertilizer or laying a thick layer of mulch to keep out the frost and chill of autumn or winter.

At other times, the care may come in the form of uprooting the plant and moving it to a new location or even giving it a painful pruning. Ok, I know that plants can't actually feel pain, but you get the picture.

The point is, God takes care of those of us who are His children just like a master gardener cares for their plants. Someone who is truly a committed gardener will spend a tremendous amount of time, attention and energy in the entire process of planning, planting and tending their garden. They do what is necessary to improve the health of the garden overall and the individual plants, so that the plants will be healthy, beautiful and able to produce a wonderful harvest.

In my Bible study for this week, the question was posed, "what season are you in right now?" I feel like I've been in a season of pruning for a while now. It seems to me that the Lord is working to prune out things from my personality and my life that He has deemed unnecessary or harmful. I can't say that it's a pleasant experience, but I'm holding on to the promise that, when it's done, I'll be a healthier and more productive person.

My Thanksgiving List, continued

16 November: I'm thankful for rain - especially good, soaking rainstorms that give the plants in my garden much-needed nourishment!
15 November: Today I'm thankful to God for bringing my best friend through another year of life and giving her the strength to persevere through difficult family relationships, the death of her father and cleaning out the family home.

Weekend Thanks and Thin Mondays

This was a weekend with many thinks for which to be thankful, but I'll limit myself to three:
12 November: I'm thankful for the opportunity to spend time with my parents today and have a wonderful "girls-only" lunch with my mom at a terrific local restaurant.
13 November: I'm thankful that I live in a country and state in which I have the freedom to study the Bible openly and to gather with other believers each Lord's Day to study and to worship God.
14 November: I'm thankful for the strength to make it through another day, even when my body feels like it's a piece of bubblegum that's been chewed so long and stretched so thin that it's lost all flavor and chewiness.

Autumn, glorious Autumn and Stalwart Soldiers!

I've taken today off of work to work at home and get some business matters resolved. I'm praying for the Lord to grant me strength, grace and perseverance to get all that I need to do accomplished.

The weather is outstanding and the colors of the leaves outside my window are unbelievably gorgeous. When I consider all the works of the Lord's hands, His creativity never ceases to amaze me. This puts me in mind of an old song from the "Jesus People" era of the '70's, "Master Designer," by Kurt Kaiser. If you're not familiar with it, you should look it up. It's a beautiful message of finding evidence of God in His creation.

Autumn is my favorite season of the year. Why? The reason is simple. It's a time of death, beauty and bounty. I know that some of my friends will think I'm a bit odd for saying this, but let me explain. Each year millions of people around the world marvel at and admire the beauty of the changing leaves and other vegetation. In fact, people make special trips to certain parts of their country solely for the purpose of admiring the colors of the autumn foliage. I would venture to say that the majority of them do not stop to think about the fact that the leaves are changing colors because they're dying.

Our society teaches us that death (and by this I mean physical death, which is the only kind in which most people believe) is a sad, ugly and even gruesome thing - something to be avoided at all costs. As a follower of Yeshua, however, I view death a bit differently. God's word teaches us that death was brought into the world through mankind's sin, but that it isn't the end. It's a doorway. For those who follow Yeshua, it's a doorway into eternal life with Him. For the believer, it's a moment of beauty, peace, joy and glory in which they shed the chains of our earthly existence in our frail, sick human bodies and move into new life with Him in heaven. Just as the trees shed their old, dead leaves in order to bring out fresh, new leaves in the spring, we shed our old bodies in order to move into a fresh, new life in eternity.

So what does this discourse on autumn leaves and death have to do with stalwart soldiers? It's simple. Here in the United States, today is Veterans Day. It's a day when we pause to remember, honor and give thanks to all of the men and women, both past and present, who have worked so hard and sacrificed so much to defend our country, to give much-needed aide in times of disaster and to champion the cause of freedom and peace both here and around the world. Many of these brave people have given their lives so that we may live in peace and freedom. To all who have served, those who continue to serve and the families who love them and let them go, I extend a profound and heartfelt "THANK YOU!"

11 November: Today I am thankful for all of our veterans, especially Gunnery Sgt. Louis A.B. Venable, Sr., and for all of our soldiers in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, Marines and National Guard. May God bless, guide and protect them all.

And the Thanks goes on ....

Today I'm thankful for central heat and air conditioning. Whatever the temperature outside, I'm able to stay comfortable in my home. Thank you, Lord!

Thankfulness and the garden

One of the best things about the month of November is that here in the United States we have a wonderful holiday called Thanksgiving. This is a day that we set aside to give thanks to God for all of the blessings in our lives. It's a time to reflect and to remind ourselves of all the good that exists in this world that can often seem so bleak.

I've decided to take a page out of someone else's book (or a post from another blogger's blog) and write a post each day giving thanks for one thing. Since I'm starting off behind, here's the catchup list:

1st November: I'm thankful for acorns and oak trees. The trees provide beautiful shade for me and the acorns give me exercise (raking) and food for the squirrels and chipmunks in my yard!
2nd: I'm thankful for friends who use their artistic talents to glorify God.
3rd: I'm thankful for the glorious, radiant colors of the autumn leaves where I live.
4th: I'm thankful that there's a God who loves me enough to die for me so that I could be saved.
5th: I'm thankful for school teachers who give of themselves to educate our future leaders.
6th: I'm thankful for talented musicians who love the Lord and share their talents freely so that I'm able to worship better.
7th: I'm thankful for my best friend, who has stuck with me through storm and calm, thick and thin, for more than 20 years.
8th: I'm thankful for the ability to get up each day and walk, even though it's painful. There are multitudes of people in the world who don't have that ability.
9th: I'm thankful for my wonderful "sisters" in my weekly Bible study who encourage me, pray for me and exhort me to become more like Jesus.

Back in the Garden Again

Finally! After what seems like forever (actually, only about 4 months), I've been able to get back in the garden again.

My poor herb garden was overgrown with weeds and the lamb's ear had mounted an aggressive invasion campaign against the vegetable garden. I'm glad that it propagates itself so easily, but it's proving to be a challenge to keep it from taking over where it doesn't belong!

The good news is, the herb garden's now at least half cleared of weeds and the vegetable plot is now home to two squash and two bell pepper plants, as well as the tomato and strawberry that were already there. I've also got at least a half-dozen snap peas, as many radishes and a mystery plant of the pumpkin variety ready to move in tomorrow!

Hurrah! Perhaps I'll once again be able to hold my head up and not be ashamed to call myself a gardener!

I've also had the joy of spotting several previously-unnoticed residents of the insect variety, including several beautiful skippers, carpenter bees and a couple of gorgeous dragonflies. I hope to get photos of these soon, to upload.

Things My Mother Would Never Believe, Pt 1+

Yes, the collards were pretty decent. Ok, I know that's not a rave review but, given the fact that I haven't willingly eaten collards since I was about five, it's a good start.

The peach cobbler, however, was outstanding, delicious, melt-in-your-mouth tantalizing and just downright yummy!!!

Things My Mother Would Never Believe About Me: Pt 1

Actually, the title is a bit vague. This category could be subdivided into things she'd never believe about me and things she'd never believe I've done. If you know me, you know that such a list could be quite extensive! You also know that there are a number of items in the "things I've done" category that both of my parents would be better off not knowing (so please don't tell them)!

I'd planned to spend the morning of this wonderful Memorial Day hiking the Swamp Rabbit Trail(all or part of it), then visit The Café @ Williams' Hardware in Travelers' Rest for dinner (what the yankees call "lunch"). Well, God apparently decided that our little part of His great garden needed watering today, so He took care of that and sent a gullywasher of a rainstorm, complete with fireworks and sound effects. That took care of the hiking!

After considering how much I'd been wanting to visit the cafe, along with the fact that I needed food, I decided to go there for dinner. As I was walking in the door, the "Special" signboard outside caught my attention: rosemary roasted chicken, mac and cheese and collard greens. The first two items elicited an immediate "Yes!!!" response from my stomach and my brain's reply of "But I don't like collard greens" was swept away like the chirp of a cricket in a hurricane.

After I'd ordered and had a moment to consider my decision further, I decided that perhaps it wouldn't hurt me to sample at least a forkful. That first one became another, then another and ....

Yes, my mother will never believe it, but I ATE an ENTIRE PORTION (about an even 1/3 of a dinner plate) OF COLLARD GREENS!

If you're in the area, be sure to check out the cafe. It's at 13 South Main Street, Travelers' Rest. You can also check them out online at: http://www.cafeatwilliamshardware.com/

Back on Track

Yeah, I know. It's been a YEAR since I posted anything; and what a year it's been! There's been sickness, work, gardening, sickness, deaths (friends, not family), doctor visits, sickness, vet visits, work, travel, ministry, sickness, well ... you get the idea. All of this translates to not much time for blogging!

I hope to make this year different. Not that I think this little blog is such an outstanding example of literary excellence that readers are waiting with bated breath for every entry, but it IS a good method of chronicling things that are going on in my garden, my life and (sometimes) my community.

One of the excellent developments of this year was my discovery of a fascinating small nursery in the Greater Greenville/Upstate area. This is Mountainview Farm, located in Pickens, SC. If you're interested in perusing massive numbers of plants in airconditioned indoor splendour, you won't find it there. Conversely, if you like to browse through a nice variety of local plants and a decent selection of "famous" species in a beautiful gorgeous mountain setting and to talk with two fascinating ladies who enjoy what they're doing, Mountainview is the place for you!

On my last visit, I picked up some lovely coneflowers (echinacea purpureea) at a very reasonable price, as well as a gracious plenty of stevia seeds (stevia rebaudiana). Speaking of seeds, I've got a few that need to be started and a mild, rainy day such as this is perfect for sitting on the porch and potting plants!

Freedom is not Free

"Freedom is Not Free." I heard this saying months ago when my mother gave me a blanket that she'd gotten from somewhere (mayber the Vietnam Veterans group?) that she thought my cat Tobias might like to use as a bed.

Despite the manner in which the idea came to me, it has continued to be extremely thought-provoking, especially in this time of the war in Iraq and the various smaller conflicts that are raging around the world.

I think it's also appropriate that I recently completed reading "No Atheists in Foxholes: Reflections and Prayers from the Front," by Patrick McLaughlin. The author is a Navy chaplain who served for three years as the pastor at Camp David and then did two tours of duty in Iraq. His book - which consists of short stories recounting experiences and things that God taught him, as well as prayers that he wrote while in Iraq - really made me think.

While I do recognize that my freedom here in America was earned by the blood, sweat, tears and sacrifices of our ancestors, how often do I really stop to think about the sacrifices still being made by our men and women in the armed forces today?

As we approach Independence Day, I am reminded of the need for me to not only thank our soldiers for the many sacrifices they make, but also to consistently pray for their mental and physical health, courage, wisdom and safe return home to their families.

On Hornets, Spiders and Other Things That Crawl or Fly in the Dark

In my last post I was waxing eloquent (or trying to) on the theme of protecting the creatures in our neighborhoods. I want to mention here that there are a couple of exceptions that I make to that protection policy. Namely, these are critters that have a direct possibility/probability of causing physical harm to me or my cat companions.

This past weekend a couple of wonderful friends from my lifegroup at church came over to help me convert a border of cinder blocks around my well housing and herb garden into a much nicer looking wall. The unknown individual who originally placed the blocks had laid them on their sides so that the holes were on top and made convenient depositories for leaves, dirt and debris, as well as homes for a host of small, creepy-crawly critters.

Our first task in creating the wall was to clean out all of the accumulated debris and critters in the holes, before we could fill them with cement and lay the paving stones on top. Now, I had previously seen a variety of creatures in that spot and was especially concerned about the 4-5 black widow spiders I had found. I didn't want to be working in the herb garden and have an unpleasant surprise meeting with one of those!

Well, as we began to clean out holes and move stones we began to find more and more spiders. We found at least four helpful wolf spiders and let them go their way (after all, they eat unpleasant critters like cockroaches). We got a nasty shock, though when we started finding the black widows. All totalled, by the time the project was finished, we had found and killed at least 20 black widows in a 4' x 15' space! The largest we found had a thorax nearly as big as a dime!

While I DO believe in taking care of all of God's creatures and I'm sure that He had a reason for creating black widows, I must say that I had absolutely NO problem with dispatching those in my herb garden!

All of God's Creatures in the Garden

One of the greatest blessings and challenges that God gives us is, I believe, the animals who share our lives and our world. This includes every creature from the dolphins and octopi that live our oceans to the snakes and raccoons in the forest to the cats, dogs, hamsters and fish that live in our homes. Sometimes I think that we spend too much time thinking about ourselves and not enough time thanking God for the creatures He gave us as companions in our world.

When we do think about the animals, it's usually on a global "Save the Whales" scale, rather than a local "save the turtles in our woods" scale. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for the large-scale campaigns to protect the various species of the world. I also think, however, that we need to remember to be thankful for and protect the creatures that live in our own communities, near and in our homes.

One of my feline companions, Tobias, reminds me of this on a daily basis. One of his favorite activities to do upon first waking up in the morning is to sit on the head of my bed and watch the animals in our backyard and garden. He is the one that first alerted me to the fact that we have not only songbirds and squirrels that visit, but also a family of rabbits, chipmunks and even some mice. We don't often see the chipmunks or mice, but he and I enjoy sitting on the bed and watching the rabbits have their breakfast or supper. More than one friend has asked me why I don't try to kill the rabbits or at least chase them away.

My answer is twofold: First, I have too much fun watching them, marvelling at their beauty and laughing at their antics. Two, why should I chase them away when God put plenty of grass and other plants in my yard for all of us to share?

On Motherhood

The day has finally arrived. Another graduation. It's hard to believe that in a few short hours I will be saying "goodbye" to some fine young people, possibly for the last time. As much as I might like to think otherwise, I realize that I will probably never see some of them again.

It's a strange, bittersweet feeling. Strange, because these are not actually my children and yet I feel almost as if they were. For anyone who is an older single person in the field of education, you will probably understand this feeling.

Yesterday I was in a local store looking at greeting cards and was confronted with the "Mother's Day" selection. I realized, with some sense of regret, that I will probably never receive a Mother's Day card nor hear someone call me Mom. Of course, God may change that and allow me to be a mother some day, but I'm choosing not to dwell or count on it.

One of the greatest things about being an educator in an academic setting is that I have many wonderful opportunities to impact the lives of other people's children. I have come to care tremendously for the students that the Lord brings into my world and I'm thankful that I have the chance to teach them and help mold and prepare them for the larger world. I get to teach them how to do research for their projects and papers, rejoice with them when they do well and exhort them to greater effort and higher goals. I get to listen to their struggles and lend them a sympathetic ear and to cheer for them when they excel.

Not long ago, I was startled when one young international lady said to me, "You remind me of my mom." At first I was a bit put off, because I was feeling "old", then I realized what a compliment that was! Motherhood is, in many ways, a state of mind; one that involves encouragment, exhortation, sacrifice, love, commitment and imparting strong moral and biblical values. It is also a choice

Yes, I may not ever have biological children of my own. When I look around me, though, and see all the wonderful young people who are in my life, in my library and often in my house, I realize that I have been given the blessing of being, in many ways, a surrogate "mother" to many children. I am among women truly blessed.

The Light at the End of the Tunnel

As we approach the end of the semester, I have been talking with a number of students about their plans for the summer and the future. A number of my "regulars" in the library are graduating this week. Over the past few days many of them have made comments about seeing the "light at the end of the tunnel." They are glad to be finished with their studies and excited about their future. Although I must admit that I will miss them very much, I can't help but feel excited for them.

How well I remember the excitement I felt when I was at the same point in life! It's a complex feeling of accomplishment, nostalgia, excitement, relief and a little trepidation all rolled into a glowing ball that seems to fill every atom of your being and ooze out your pores! At the time, I believed that I'd never really feel that way again.

I was right. There truly is nothing exactly like the feeling that I experienced upon graduating from college with my B.A. and preparing to face the world for the first time, in many respects, as that wonderous and empowered being -- an adult.

I was also wrong. Over the years since that day I have experienced a number of major milestones in the journey of my life, including: starting graduate school, finishing graduate school, moving to another country, working in another country, moving back to the U.S. after an absence of several years, starting grad school again and graduating for a third time. Through all of these, God has blessed me with His presence and with new and equally exciting experiences.

Each milestone had its own "ups" and "downs" and its own blessings. Each one has served to remind me that the longer I follow God and the more I trust in Him, the better life will be. Just like the foothills and mountains in which I now love, every mountain and valley, every twist in the road of life brings new beautiful scenery. All I have to do is look up from the road and enjoy it.

It reminds me of the first stanza of a poem by Robert Browning:
"Grow old along with me!
The best is yet to be,
the last of life for which the first was made.

Our times are in his hand
who saith, 'A whole I planned,
youth shows but half;
Trust God: See all, nor be afraid!'"

"Rabbi Ben Ezra" http://rpo.library.utoronto.ca/poem/295.html

Unexpected Blessings

You know how you can be going along in life with everything proceeding smoothly and then, suddenly, you have one of those days of "unexpecteds"? Well, Monday was a day of "unexpecteds" for me. Or, more precisely, Monday evening was. I went in to work at the normal time and was planning to attend a meeting at a local church over my supper break.

This was a meeting of a mission team that is going to Romania in May. One of my colleagues is the leader of the team and had previously invited me to attend another meeting to teach the group a bit about Romanian culture and language. When he asked me to come to the second meeting I was quite pleased to do so and promptly wrote it on my calendar.

Monday afternoon I made sure to print enough copies of a handout that I'd prepared and, when the time came, I hurried out of the building towards my car. It was then that I encountered the first "unexpected." A scattering of raindrops spangled the exterior of my car and, almost before my brain could process the fact that it had rained, my breath was taken away by the sight of an enormous, brilliant and absolutely gorgeous rainbow spanning the sky over the foothills in front of me! To the left, it stood out against a backdrop of dark clouds and to the right it shone out against a bright blue sky with a couple of fluffy-looking cumulus clouds. Wow!

Naturally, I paused to snap a couple of pix with my phone camera, then hopped in my car and zoomed off to my meeting. Upon arriving at the church I experienced the next "unexpected" when there was nobody there! I waited for a few minutes and then, deciding that I must have made a mistake in the date or time (I discovered later that they'd changed the location and forgot to tell me), I headed back to campus. I must admit that I was a bit frustrated, but I wasn't sure whether to direct that at myself or my colleague.

It was on the way back to campus that I received the third "unexpected." I remembered that our men's football (soccer) team was playing a scrimmage match and realized that I would pass right by the stadium. I decided to turn in and stop there for a few minutes. So... in one evening I experienced:

* the unexpected blessing of a beautiful rainbow
* the unexpected disappointment of a missed meeting
* the unexpected blessing of a few minutes to watch a football match

Ain't God great?!? That evening was a good reminder to me of how often the Lord blesses me in unexpected ways .... Now if I can just keep remembering that!

Excellent Reading

One of the cardinal philosophies by which I try to live my life is the idea that you'll never get anywhere or achieve anything worthwhile in life if you don't set goals for yourself.

I try to begin each year by setting at least a few goals for myself and then work to achieve them throughout the seasons. I also sometimes set other goals as I go along. I mean, we all know that life doesn't always go the way we planned, right? That's one of the things I like about life in general and life as a Christian, in particular. God doesn't let us get bored! Sometimes He makes it very clear to us that there are things we need to work on or things we need to accomplish.

I must admit that I don't always like those goals, nor do I always find the striving towards them to be a pleasant experience. Nevertheless, I know that I can trust Him that they are good and necessary goals.

There are other times when I set goals for myself and trust that the Lord will let me know if it's ok to proceed with them or if I need to redirect.

Okaaay, you say, "So what are these goals of yours for 2009?" Well, some of them are pretty personal and things I don't need to share, but some are fair game.

One of my goals for 2009 is to read at least 120 books. They can be of any genre and my "To be Read" list continues to grow (I think the last total is 132), but I am making progress.

Book number 37 for the year was an excellent one titled "The Cellist of Sarajevo," by Steven Galloway. I would highly recommend this to anyone who has any interest in world history, current events, international politics or any other related topic. Galloway has written an outstanding historical fiction account based on events during the siege of Sarajevo in 1991-92.

This book made me want to read more about Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the war and all of the various people groups involved. I feel like it gave me a small glimpse into the lives of several individuals living under those horrible conditions and the sacrifices they made.

I was saddened to learn this morning that Vedran Smailovic, the Sarajevan cellist whose actions were part of the inspiration for the novel, is apparently very angry about the book. From what I read on TimesOnline, I'm not certain whether he's angry because of the attention that the book is getting and bringing to him in his quiet home/life in Ireland, because Galloway didn't seek him out and consult him before writing the book or because the author hasn't offered him a share in the royalties.

Galloway has responded that, while Smailovic and his actions were obviously the inspiration for the character of the cellist (who has no name in the book), the story of his actions was common knowledge arround the world. He also says that he merely used the story that he had heard as a starting inspiration and that he also interviewed more than 25 other people and utilized a wide variety of resources in his research for the book.

While I can understand that the seige, the war and the trials that Mr. Smailovic experienced must have been very painful and that it would be very unpleasant to be reminded of them, I have to say that I think Mr. Galloway's book is doing a good job of waking some people up and educating them about those same experiences. Does it really convey the horror and turmoil of that time? No. No words on a page can ever accurately describe man's inhumanity to man or the horror of many things that we experience. What those words can do, however, is awaken more of us from our apathy and make us aware that things like that have happened and are happening and, hopefully, inspire us to take action to keep them from happening in the future.

TimesOnline story: http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/books/article4083037.ece