Sarah Sundin's Blog, page 90

The Weight of Air by Kimberly Duffy

Mabel MacGinnis and her father have always performed as a team with their little circus – as Europe’s strongest man and woman. After her father dies, Mabel finds herself unable to perform. She also finds out that the mother she’d assumed dead is very much alive in America. When Mabel decides to search for her mother, acrobat Jake Cunningham offers to accompany her, and a marriage of convenience allows them to travel without compromising Mabel’s reputation.

In New York, Isabella Moreau is a famous aerialist, but her age is catching up to her, and she becomes desperate to save her career. Plagued by guilt over her past, things come to a head when her long-lost daughter arrives – married to a man who blames Isabella for the death of his beloved first wife.

Set in the days when circus stars were major celebrities, The Weight of Air explores the meaning of strength and love and family, with characters richly drawn and deeply felt. Kimberly Duffy is willing to touch on tough subjects, and she does so with compassion and honesty. The Weight of Air is a beautiful story, and I enjoyed it immensely!

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Today in World War II History—June 13, 1943

80 Years Ago—June 13, 1943: Japanese end campaign in central China after heavy losses.

Brig. Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest III (great-grandson of Confederate general) is killed in US Eighth Air Force raid on Kiel, Germany, the first US general killed in the war in Europe.

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Today in World War II History—June 12, 1943

Map showing Pantelleria and the Pelagie Islands, including Lampedusa, in the Mediterranean (US Army Air Forces map)

80 Years Ago—June 12, 1943: The island of Lampedusa near Sicily surrenders and British troops occupy the island, opening safe shipping from Gibraltar to Alexandria, Egypt, plus new airbases.

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Today in World War II History—June 11, 1943

Troops of Britain’s Duke of Wellington’s Regiment advancing on Pantelleria, 17 Jun 1943 (Imperial War Museum: NA 3668)

80 Years Ago—June 11, 1943: British land unopposed on the island of Pantelleria between Tunisia and Sicily; Italian forces formally surrender the island six hours later without a shot fired.

Chinese regain all territory in Hunan and Hubei Provinces, driving out the Japanese.

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Today in World War II History—June 10, 1943

B-17F Flying Fortress bomber of the US 94th Bombardment Group bombing Focke-Wulf aircraft factory, Marienburg, Germany, 9 October 1943 (US National Archives: 208-YE-7)

80 Years Ago—June 10, 1943: US and Britain begin Combined Bomber Offensive (“Pointblank”) against Germany; priorities for bombing targets are submarine yards, aircraft factories, ball bearings factories, and oil targets.

President Roosevelt signs bill allowing taxes to be deducted from paychecks.

Laszlo Biro, a Hungarian-Jewish refugee living in Argentina, files a US patent for the first commercial ballpoint pen.

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Today in World War II History—June 9, 1943

US Navy pilot Lt. George H.W. Bush, WWII (US Navy photo)

80 Years Ago—June 9, 1943: US 11th Naval District declares Los Angeles off-limits to servicemen, ending the Zoot Suit Riots (attacks by servicemen on Mexican-Americans).

Future president George H.W. Bush is commissioned as an ensign in the US Naval Reserves, age 18; he’ll become the youngest US naval aviator in history.

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Today in World War II History—June 8, 1943

US poster for the Victory Home campaign, WWII (US Office of War Information poster No.41)

80 Years Ago—June 8, 1943: US begins the “Victory Home” campaign to encourage conservation, scrap collection, war bond purchases, and other patriotic wartime activities.

Los Angeles City Council bans wearing of zoot suits favored by Mexican-Americans in effort to stop Zoot Suit Riots (attacks by servicemen on Latinos).

Japanese battleship Mutsu is sunk in an explosion at Hiroshima, Japan, possibly caused by sabotage by a disgruntled crewman, 1121 killed.

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Today in World War II History—June 7, 1943

US poster urging more P-38 Lightning production, WWII (US National Archives: 514398)

80 Years Ago—June 7, 1943: Australia begins butter rationing (1 pound every 2 weeks).

Off Guadalcanal, US Thirteenth Air Force, US Navy, US Marine Corps, and Royal New Zealand Air Force fighter aircraft shoot down 24 Japanese A6M Zeros.

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Today in World War II History—June 6, 1943

US pilots training to fly the North American A-36A Apache, Louisiana, 1943 (US Army Air Force photo)

80 Years Ago—June 6, 1943: North American A-36 Apache (fighter-bomber version of the P-51 Mustang) flies first combat mission in a US Twelfth Air Force mission to Pantelleria in the Mediterranean.

US Naval Combat Demolition Unit (NCDU) training school is established at Fort Pierce, FL.

Future actor Paul Newman enlists in the US Navy, age 18.

Paul Newman in the US Navy, 1944-45 (US Navy photo)

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Today in World War II History—June 5, 1943

Cpl. Irwin Goldstein sets switches on one of the ENIAC’s function tables at the Moore School of Electrical Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, 1946 (US Army photo)

80 Years Ago—June 5, 1943: Aircraft from escort carrier USS Bogue sink German U-boat U-217 in the mid-Atlantic.

US Army signs contract with the University of Pennsylvania to develop the first all-electronic computer, ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer).

Racehorse Count Fleet wins the Belmont Stakes and the Triple Crown.

Auxiliary carrier USS Bogue (ACV-9) underway near Norfolk, VA, 20 June 1943 (US Navy photo: 80-G-71314)

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