Far to go by Alison Pick

It is all about survival

Discrimination and attacks reach Jews in Czechoslovakia. Bauers, an affluent Jewish family, realize that the only way to survive is to flee the country. Unfortunately, it is too late for Pavel and Anneliese to escape. Still, their six year-old son Pepik has a chance to get on Kindertransport to go to the United Kingdom, where he can find shelter until the danger is over. There is also Martha, Pepik’s governess, who has nobody in this world and treats Bauers like her own family.

Pavel, Anneliese and Martha are very well written characters. Pavel is a self- confident businessman who learned his entrepreneurship from his father. He worked hard for what he achieved and for long time is unable to believe that Jews really would be held inside the country against their will... like animals in the cage. Anneliese lives in her luxury world; she never experienced hardship of real life. She does not even take care of her son, who is closer to his governess rather than his own mother. However, this was her idea to put Pepik on Kindertransport; she wanted to protect him at any cost. You will be surprise what other choice she made to survive. The most interesting protagonist is Martha though. She comes from pathological family, never had anybody that she could rely on. That is why she makes bad choices regarding men. She attaches to Bauers like to her own family, but when they escape and leave her on her own she does terrible thing, which changes their lives forever…

And little Pepik, sweet and innocent boy…symbolizes every child put on Kindertransport. His future was determined by that terrifying experience. He was the only War survivor of Bauers family.

Many people would ask why Jews did not escape when they had a chance, why some of them were so stubborn to stay although danger was so huge. In fact, many of them had exit visa but they did not use it. Firstly, they did not expect that Hitler would put them to death camps… nobody would anticipate it. In Czechoslovakia Jews enjoyed decades of prosperity and peace and could not believe in Nazi’s extermination plans. Secondly, they were Germans, Czechs or Poles and why should they give up on their homelands and homes they built for many years. The last but not the least, for centuries Jews got used to living through various hardships and they always survived. When War started they thought that time would be the same. 

The connection between narrator and the story is so astonishing and makes this book so special.

Cover of the book is amazing! Humble and meaningful, at the same time.

Far To Go seems innocent at first, but in fact it is very powerful book. There are two kinds of books: those that only entertain and those that teach. Far To Go teaches about history and human nature. I am so grateful that I had a chance to read it.

Measuring the World by Daniel Kehlmann

“He did not believe in nothing, said Humboldt tickly. He believed in the abundance and richness of nature”

                                                                                           

I simply fell in love with Measuring the World! A book about science but written like a fairy tale. This historical novel made me wreathed in smiles. Who would imagine that a book can give so much joy?  

                                                                                      

Towards the end of the eighteenth century, two scientists set out to measure the world. Alexander von Humboldt was a naturalist and a geographer. He spent his life on travelling and measuring everything on the planet. Every mountain, hill, cave, volcano, even leaves on the trees were of the most importance for him. He would sacrifice his own body for the sake of science. That is why he drank poison to determine its toxicity.  On the other hand, Carl Friedrich Gauss was a mathematician and a physicist focusing on number theory, geometry and magnetism. Working at home was his way of exploring the world. He preferred to use his imagination over experiment to prove theories.

The approach to "the measuring the world" was not the only thing contrasted those two geniuses of Enlightenment. Humboldt was an aristocrat, who received the best education. Gauss was son of an illiterate parents and his village teacher was not a highly intelligent man. Further, they could not be more different in terms of relations with women. There was nothing more important than science for Humboldt; women could not distract his attention from measuring another piece of the Earth. In other words, he preferred romance with science rather than romance with women.  On the contrary, Gauss could not imagine life without women; he had a lover and he married twice. Nevertheless, science was the biggest love of his life. He postponed his wedding night to write down the idea that just came to his mind.

So what Humboldt and Gauss had in common besides love for science? Both of them were extremely lonely. There was no one in their lives to share their passions with. Simply, nobody was smart enough to become their companion. When Gauss proposed to Johanna for the first time, he was refused. She said that it was not personal, but “she doubt anyone could exist side by side with him”.  In fact, home “meant nothing to him”. He was deeply disappointed with his six children who were nothing like him. Another thing connecting two scientists was terrifying vision that they would not go any further; the limits were sources of their unhappiness. There is nothing worse for scientists than the inability to do more research.

Measuring the World is comic and ironic. When Gauss realized that barber pulled wrong tooth he thought “he would have given his soul to live a hundred years when there would be medications for pain and doctors who deserved the name”.  When Humboldt was in intimate situation with a woman he was asking himself “how she could fail to understand he was in hell”…the only thing he was concerned with “was a tree he had never inspected until now”. Since their lives were all about science they had to question the existence of God: “God created you the way you were, but then you were supposed to spend your life perpetually apologizing to Him. It wasn’t logical”.

I am deeply impressed with Kehlmann’s writing skills. His humor steals your heart and the only thing you can do is to smile. It is worth noting that he published Measuring the World when he was only 32.

There is something magical and sweet about this novel. Wouldn’t the world be better place to live, if we could read more books like this?

In the Garden of Beasts by Erik Larson

“The nation must know that its existence cannot be menaced with impunity by anyone, and that whoever lifts his hand against the State shall die of it”

Hitler

Erik Larson’s In the Garden of Beasts is an exceptional body of research. Meticulously studied and documented, fascinating historical nonfiction. Must read book!    

                                                                                                       

In 1993 William E. Dodd, a professor at the University of Chicago, became America’s ambassador to Hitler’s Germany. This scholarly and humble man could not fit into an extravagant social life of the Nazi elite. Moreover, his modesty and frugality did not win support of American diplomatic officers and State Department. Many people, especially his enemies, called him ‘diplomat by accident’ because he was not the first choice of President Roosevelt. 

Actually, In the Garden of Beasts is a story of very unhappy man. A scholar, an erudite, who accepted a job that he was too good for. Through whole book I could feel how miserable he was. His passion was teaching and writing, not attending and organizing parties that cost fortune! It seems, diplomacy does not need decent and intelligent people. Diplomacy needs those who like to socialize and spend as much money as possible. Diplomatic officers should represent their countries and interests of their citizens rather than looking for any opportunity to indulge themselves. I guess many of us experienced poor consulate services, for example, lack of response to the inquiries.

While Dodd’s experience in Nazi Germany was negative, his daughter Martha was fascinated with new environment, enjoyed never- ending parties and companionship of Nazi men. It took a while for her to finally open her eyes and realize what was going on. One might argue that Martha was confident and liberated woman, but in my opinion, she did everything to disgrace her family’s good name. Everybody around Dodd knew what Martha was doing but not him. He was always blind to his daughter’s behavior. In my opinion, Larson unnecessarily focused so much on Martha’s affairs; details of her sex life denigrate this read.

There are many people who blindly believe that only Germans were responsible for the Holocaust. This book proves that every Western country was guilty of atrocities against Jews. Neither USA nor any of European states did anything to prevent genocide. Without a doubt, Nazis were inhumane but those who were silent about massacres of Jews should be regarded as inhumane too. Everybody was silent…Americans, British, or French. Nowadays, there are various minorities around the world that are subjected to ethnic cleansing and international community allows it to happen.

What I really like about this book are short chapters. What I like even more is that author surprises with a few mini chapters (one and a half page), which are harbingers of the following chapters.

I have read many opinions that Larson made Dodd’s story boring.  In my view, the extensive research and message of this book are more important than highly entertaining language.

In overall, valuable and ambitious book.