Ursina's Shelf - Inspired by True Events
Issue 10
Dear Readers,
Welcome and welcome back!
In this issue, I’d like to explore three books that fascinated me because the stories are (at least partially) inspired by true stories, even though only one is classified as non-fiction. In all three the authors extensively researched their subjects, especially the emotions, language, and psychological impact of the events to produce these chilling stories.
Inspired by True Events
Room by Emma Donoghue (2010)
Description: This book tells the story of a mother and her young son, who are held captive in a small room, which is the only place Jack knows. He was born there as a result of the repeated rapes of his mother by their captor. The book starts with his mother plotting to escape from their prison.
My take: This book is often heartbreaking, but also endearing with a beautifully strong bond between mother and son, their survival instincts and his “world” view. Jack believes carrots are real, but not the bunnies on TV, because he has never seen them, having never been outside the room. And while his mother teaches him as much as she can, he struggles to communicate, making the dialogue and his confusion about the world beyond the room even more fascinating. While the subject is tough, the book is written in a way that makes it easy to read and quick to finish.
On the author: The author decided on this subject after learning about the Fritzel case in 2008, where an Austrian father held his daughter and their offspring captive for almost 30 years.
Brain on Fire: My Month of Maddness by Susannah Cahalan (2012)
Description: This autobiography by a young journalist from New York recounts how she fell mysteriously ill and ends up in a hospital with limited memory and repeated psychotic episodes while the doctors and medical staff cannot figure out what is wrong and her family struggles to understand what is happening to her.
My take: Reading this as a young ambitious professional living in New York, this story immediately drew me in. The easy prose and suspense of what was causing a series of surreal experiences kept me drawn in throughout the pages. The book is highly personal and revealing, making it easy to identify with the author, even if her experiences are hard to imagine.
On the author: The author continuous to work as a journalist and actively stands up for improper diagnosis of mental illness.
We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver (2003)
My Description: This fictive tale told through the letters of Kevin’s mother to her husband explains the life of Kevin from his birth to the day he commits a mass shooting at his school.
My take: The subject of mass murders and school shootings has remained prevalent, especially in the US, ever since the events at Columbine High School in 1999. The examination of this issue from within the family of such a perpetrator is chilling and Shriver explores layers of psychological complexities between mother and son, husband and wife, between siblings, and much more. While this book might make you feel uncomfortable at times, it also keeps you engaged as you try to comprehend how Kevin ended up being a mass murderer.
On the author: Apparently Shriver’s latest book is set in a 2029 America that has defaulted on her loans and become a destitute and backward country. She certainly doesn’t stick to easy topics.
A little break from books: James Bond
As many of you know, I am a long-time James Bond fan. Sean Connery created this character and catapulted his character and himself to everlasting fame. Of course, Connery went on to do many more movies, but to many of us he will be best remembered as the first Bond.
Now James Bond can be a bit hard to watch these days, especially the portrayal of cultures and characters from diverse backgrounds through a very European-centric lens as well as the fragrant machoism and inappropriate treatment of women in the workplace. But Bond often treated our biggest worries from the cold war to nuclear holocaust, from water shortage to fake news with action-packed sequences, humorous dialogue, and repeated easter eggs.
Here my top 5 favorite bond movies:
· Goldfinger (1964) with Sean Connery – the Aston Martin DB5 in the Swiss alps, a female pilot names Pussy Galore, and a villain trying to storm Fort Knox
· The Spy Who Loved Me (1977) with Roger Moore – a classic cold war plot, a strong and stunning female lead and Russian spy, pyramids, Jaws, and best of all the classic underwater scene with the Lotus and the fish
· The Living Daylights (1987) with Timothy Dalton – phenomenal theme song by A-ha, classical music, and one of the most iconic chase scenes with Bond and his Bond girl escaping the Iron Curtain across the Austrian alps with a cello case as a sled
· Tomorrow Never Dies (1997) with Pierce Brosnan – I know almost all the lines from this movie by heart from Moneypenny’s jab at Bond as a “cunning linguist” to Judi Dench’s M's feminist retort to not having the balls for the job, and of course the German accents. The car scene with the remote-controlled BMW is also one of the most entertaining (and somewhat ridiculous) car scenes of all time.
· Skyfall (2012) with Daniel Craig – Sam Mendes definitely brings out the dark side of Bond, but also goes deeper into Bond’s psyche and history (and that of the villain) than any other film before, even the more entertaining Casino Royal. We also learn more about and say goodbye to Judi Dench as M in the Home-Alone like climax, while getting a great new Moneypenny and Q.
Currently reading: Crossing the Chasm by Geoffrey Moore.
As always thank you for reading. If you are new to the newsletter and would like some more recommendations, the most read issues so far were about Book Stores and Feel Good Reads. As always I’d love to hear your book recommendations and feedback. I will be back in two weeks with some gift ideas for the holidays.