Jean Harkin's Blog - Posts Tagged "albert-camus"
Community of Hostages
We have all been swept away from our normal lives, haven’t we? Like a boatload of victims, held hostage by a small, determined virus.
So, while reading the novel “Bel Canto” by Ann Patchett, I instantly felt a kinship with the birthday party celebrants overwhelmed by an incoming cadre of terrorists who intended to hold the group for ransom. First, there was the initial panic and confusion, followed by an ongoing undercurrent of fear, as the days and weeks drew into months.
Although the site of the kidnapping was luxurious and comfortable (a mansion owned by the vice president of a South American country), the lack of personal freedom and not knowing when the siege would end, challenged and disheartened the victims. I think most of us can relate, as we “stay home” in nice surroundings but need to follow Authority’s rules for socializing and moving about the community.
The situation in “Bel Canto” held some ironic humor. The target of the terrorists—the president of the country—had not even attended the party! He stayed home in his bedroom to watch an episode of his favorite TV drama serial. Sound familiar? We also have a president who watches a lot of television and is absent from reality—no help whatsoever in a crisis.
The “Bel Canto” hostages made the best of their miserable situation, providing aid and comfort to each other, and forging relationships (as we also are called to do). One man, fluent in many languages, who was employed by the birthday honoree, became a translator for other victims and guards alike. The most popular opera soprano in the world, who became a secondary bargaining chip in the absence of the nation’s president, entertained the troops and troupers with her bel cantos. Thus, all of the victims attained a certain level of joy and peace during the worst of times. And aren’t we all trying to do so during these strange, dark days?
Another time I might read and review Albert Camus’s 1947 classic, “The Plague” which also presents striking parallels to the current pandemic.
Meanwhile, I recommend Kim Stafford’s more encouraging seven “Poems for the Pandemic.” Kim is a past Oregon poet laureate and son of the late William Stafford, also a former Oregon poet laureate. Find Kim’s poems on Instagram at @kimstaffordpoetry. Hear him read his pandemic poems at https://projects.oregonlive.com/kim-s...
My favorite is “Shelter in Place.”
Be inspired! Stay well!
So, while reading the novel “Bel Canto” by Ann Patchett, I instantly felt a kinship with the birthday party celebrants overwhelmed by an incoming cadre of terrorists who intended to hold the group for ransom. First, there was the initial panic and confusion, followed by an ongoing undercurrent of fear, as the days and weeks drew into months.
Although the site of the kidnapping was luxurious and comfortable (a mansion owned by the vice president of a South American country), the lack of personal freedom and not knowing when the siege would end, challenged and disheartened the victims. I think most of us can relate, as we “stay home” in nice surroundings but need to follow Authority’s rules for socializing and moving about the community.
The situation in “Bel Canto” held some ironic humor. The target of the terrorists—the president of the country—had not even attended the party! He stayed home in his bedroom to watch an episode of his favorite TV drama serial. Sound familiar? We also have a president who watches a lot of television and is absent from reality—no help whatsoever in a crisis.
The “Bel Canto” hostages made the best of their miserable situation, providing aid and comfort to each other, and forging relationships (as we also are called to do). One man, fluent in many languages, who was employed by the birthday honoree, became a translator for other victims and guards alike. The most popular opera soprano in the world, who became a secondary bargaining chip in the absence of the nation’s president, entertained the troops and troupers with her bel cantos. Thus, all of the victims attained a certain level of joy and peace during the worst of times. And aren’t we all trying to do so during these strange, dark days?
Another time I might read and review Albert Camus’s 1947 classic, “The Plague” which also presents striking parallels to the current pandemic.
Meanwhile, I recommend Kim Stafford’s more encouraging seven “Poems for the Pandemic.” Kim is a past Oregon poet laureate and son of the late William Stafford, also a former Oregon poet laureate. Find Kim’s poems on Instagram at @kimstaffordpoetry. Hear him read his pandemic poems at https://projects.oregonlive.com/kim-s...
My favorite is “Shelter in Place.”
Be inspired! Stay well!
Breathing in Bad Times
From George Floyd’s heart-wrenching plea, “I can’t breathe,” to self-righteous people disputing the wearing of masks, to covid-19 patients on ventilators, to Black Lives Matter protesters, these are the days and nights of “I can’t breathe.”
In this vein I will discuss a few books:
George Floyd’s murder ignited a storm of justified protests against racism and police brutality targeting Blacks. A book that questions present-day policing is “Rise of the Warrior Cop: The Militarization of America’s Police Forces” by Radley Balko. The book discusses factors that have allowed changes in America’s policing from colonial days to the present. Readers will see how ‘Officer Friendly’ has become a ground trooper.
“Born a Crime” by comedian Trevor Noah is a coming-of-age memoir of growing up in South Africa under the cloud of apartheid and chaos afterward. Noah reveals the emotions and struggles racism forces on people of color. Stories run the gamut from hilarious to tragic.
Regarding the covid-19 pandemic and the spread of virus by people who disbelieve science, I re-mention two books:
“Fever” by Mary Beth Keane. The author brings a personality and life experience to ‘Typhoid Mary’ Mallon. Having no symptoms, Mary spread typhoid fever to families as she ignored the guidelines of health experts. Despite her flaunting of medical advice, she is a sympathetic character as an Irish immigrant bravely fighting for her livelihood.
“The Plague,” the 1947 classic by Albert Camus. I’ve read parts of this parable and was astonished by similarities between the bubonic plague described in 1940s French Algeria and today’s pandemic realities. The surprise arrival and the unaccepted truth of both plagues is a common factor. There was hesitation by the medical establishment, bowing to optimism that the disease would disappear. People hold to normal activities and travel plans as numbers of sick and dying escalate past imagining. Enforced quarantine ensues. But the novel has a redemptive ending, as we await the return of normalcy.
Our libraries are gradually returning to book lending by curbside pickup. Check locally. I also recommend AbeBooks.com for purchasing good-quality used books at decent prices.
And please don’t try to sanitize your books by putting them in the microwave! Books catch fire!
In this vein I will discuss a few books:
George Floyd’s murder ignited a storm of justified protests against racism and police brutality targeting Blacks. A book that questions present-day policing is “Rise of the Warrior Cop: The Militarization of America’s Police Forces” by Radley Balko. The book discusses factors that have allowed changes in America’s policing from colonial days to the present. Readers will see how ‘Officer Friendly’ has become a ground trooper.
“Born a Crime” by comedian Trevor Noah is a coming-of-age memoir of growing up in South Africa under the cloud of apartheid and chaos afterward. Noah reveals the emotions and struggles racism forces on people of color. Stories run the gamut from hilarious to tragic.
Regarding the covid-19 pandemic and the spread of virus by people who disbelieve science, I re-mention two books:
“Fever” by Mary Beth Keane. The author brings a personality and life experience to ‘Typhoid Mary’ Mallon. Having no symptoms, Mary spread typhoid fever to families as she ignored the guidelines of health experts. Despite her flaunting of medical advice, she is a sympathetic character as an Irish immigrant bravely fighting for her livelihood.
“The Plague,” the 1947 classic by Albert Camus. I’ve read parts of this parable and was astonished by similarities between the bubonic plague described in 1940s French Algeria and today’s pandemic realities. The surprise arrival and the unaccepted truth of both plagues is a common factor. There was hesitation by the medical establishment, bowing to optimism that the disease would disappear. People hold to normal activities and travel plans as numbers of sick and dying escalate past imagining. Enforced quarantine ensues. But the novel has a redemptive ending, as we await the return of normalcy.
Our libraries are gradually returning to book lending by curbside pickup. Check locally. I also recommend AbeBooks.com for purchasing good-quality used books at decent prices.
And please don’t try to sanitize your books by putting them in the microwave! Books catch fire!
