Sarah Sundin's Blog, page 521

Book Beat - A Great Catch by Lorna Seilstad

What a privilege to get to read this novel in advance for endorsement. This is what I said about A Great Catch by Lorna Seilstad..."A grand slam! In a story as refreshing and invigorating as lemonade, Seilstad raises deep questions about a woman's relationship with God, her dreams, and the people in her life - while making me laugh so hard my kids came running to get in on the joke."

Set in 1901 at the lakeside resort of Lake Manawa, Iowa, A Great Catch follows ambitious suffragist Emily Graham and baseball player Carter Stockton. Emily's meddlesome aunts want to make a suitable match for her - and Carter Stockton would be the last man on their list. Fine with Emily because her work leaves little time for men. However, Emily's dream of having the women's "Bloomer Girls" baseball team play an exhibition game against the Manawa Owls comes with the provision that uncoordinated Emily play for the Owls - under Carter's tutelage. Emily and Carter fall for each other, but their dreams leave little room for each other.

On the surface, this is a fun summer read. Seilstad has a light, breezy writing style shot through with humor. The episode with the little pills from her aunties - I almost busted a gasket laughing. But this novel also looks at issues modern women frequently face. What do you do when your goals don't align with the goals of the man you love? Does your work interfere with the relationship? Does your work squeeze out time for the Lord? And how do you deal with these issues?

Any novel that encourages you to examine your heart while making you laugh is a grand slam. Enjoy!

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—May 10, 1941: Last major Luftwaffe attack on London. 700 acres burnt; Tower of London, House of Commons, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, & British Museum hit. Germany's Deputy Führer, Rudolf Hess flies Me 110 to Prestwick, Scotland in misguided attempt to broker peace with Britain. German Messerschmitt Me 163 jet plane is first plane to exceed 1000 km/h (625 mph).

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—May 9, 1941: HMS Bulldog takes German Navy Enigma machine & codes from abandoned sub U-110.

Flying in a Fortress

On Monday, May 2, I had the privilege of flying in a B-17 Flying Fortress. The Experimental Aircraft Association (http://www.b17.org/) visited Buchanan Field in Concord, California with their beautifully restored B-17G, Aluminum Overcast. I've enjoyed walking through this plane every year and always dreamed of taking a flight. This year one of my readers, who volunteers with EAA, arranged for me to participate in the media flight.
What an experience!

The video below includes footage on the ground, takeoff, my rollicking tour of the plane in flight, and the landing. I hope you enjoy!



My flight included journalists from local newspapers and news blogs, two B-17 veterans, and me. After we were briefed on safety, we were strapped into military-style jump seats. I was seated in the waist compartment, toward the rear of the plane.

They started the engines, which set the plane to bumping and rocking. After the pilot taxied into position, he ran up the engines. I couldn't hear my own voice, so I'm stunned that the camcorder continued to pick up my narration. It didn't take long to get us airborne, and as soon as the landing gear was raised, the volunteers gave us the thumbs-up to move around - while the plane was still climbing and banking. I didn't waste any time getting up!

Moving around the plane was challenging and not for the faint-hearted. At five foot six, I had a bit of room over my head, but not much. Climbing around the ball turret apparatus and through the doors requires some maneuvering, watching what you hold onto, and giving yourself plenty of clearance so a sudden dip or turn won't make you bonk your head. I gained even more appreciation for our airmen moving through the plane wearing full high-altitude flight gear.

I made my way from the waist compartment through the radio room and bomb bay, and into the cockpit. This particular restoration does not include the apparatus for the top turret in the back of the cockpit, leaving more room for spectators. I spectated.

Then I stepped down into the passageway between the pilots' seats and crawled - yes, on hands and knees - into the nose compartment. The clear conical nose allowed great visibility for World War II bombardiers - and now gives the same great visibility to aviation buffs. I turned around and enjoyed watching the engines and whirling propellers from the front. As I did so, Mount Diablo came into view. Oh my goodness. For once I had the presence of mind to take a still picture.

Not wanting to hog the best seat in the house, I made my way back to the waist compartment. Only a few minutes later it was time to sit down for the descent and landing. That was one of the smoothest landings I've ever experienced. The veteran pilot was extremely impressed and remarked that it was a crosswind landing, which is more difficult.

I am so thankful for groups like the EAA which make history come alive and commemorate the outstanding things our airmen did. The combat airmen flew long missions in unpressurized, unheated aircraft at over 25,000 feet, where the temperature often falls to forty degrees below zero. They endured antiaircraft fire and fighter attacks over enemy territory. They watched too many of their friends, promising young men, come to early deaths. One of the veterans on our flight admitted, "We were scared." They didn't consider themselves heroes, but they were. Despite their fear, they acted. And because of their actions, we live in freedom today.

Happy V-E Day Anniversary!

Sixty-six years ago today, the Allies celebrated Victory in Europe. People went to church and prayed. Bells rang. Parades rejoiced through small towns and cities.

The cost of victory was high. Tens of millions were killed in battle. More tens of millions were murdered and starved in concentration camps. And more millions perished as civilian casualties of bombing. Many of Europe's great cities lay in heaps of rubble. The infrastructure of factories, railways, bridges, and roads lay in tangled ruins.

But the cost of defeat would have been even higher. The fascist dictators had conquered most of Europe and ruled with totalitarian brutality. They trampled the freedoms of the occupied lands, freedoms we take for granted - to speak our mind, to worship as we please, to associate with the people of our choice, to keep the fruits of our labor, and even to listen to the radio. They ruled through fear, and it was legitimate fear. Entire villages were emptied and massacred. Dissenters were tortured and executed. Anyone who didn't fit in the fascist regime due to ethnicity, religion, or mental or physical incapacity, was eliminated with horrid efficiency.

We reap the benefits of that victory today. Despite today's economic woes and terrorist threats, we live in relative prosperity and peace - and we have freedom. We must never forget what a blessing freedom is - or how much it costs. Use it wisely. Use it well.

Thank you to all those veterans who set aside their individual rights to ensure freedom for the future. God bless you.

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—May 8, 1941: Study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association shows chewing tobacco causes oral cancer.

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—May 7, 1941: First B-17 arrives in Britain for use by RAF. HMS Somali captures German weather ship München, Enigma machine & code books.

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—May 6, 1941: Stalin replaces Molotov as Chairman, and becomes actual head of Soviet government, not just of Communist Party. Experimental flight of Republic XP-47 Thunderbolt fighter plane.

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—May 5, 1941: Emperor Haile Selassie returns to Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa after 5-year exile. News of penicillin announced to public for first time. Pulitzer Prize in literature awarded to Robert Sherwood for There Shall Be No Night.

B-17 Flight Video Coming Soon...

 View of Mount Diablo from the nose compartment of B-17G Aluminum OvercastI know, I know. I promised to have the video of my B-17 flight posted today. Due to technical difficulties - the difficulty being that I'm not technical - it won't be up today. But soon. Very soon.

 Me standing under the chin turret. B-17G Aluminum Overcast, owned by the Experimental Aircraft Association Here are some photos of the B-17 Flying Fortress bomber I had the privilege of riding in.

To see if Aluminum Overcast will be visiting an airfield near you, check out the Experimental Aircraft Association's website at http://www.b17.org/.