Kate’s 2¢: “The Institute” by Stephen King

“The Institute” by Stephen King

Kate’s 2¢: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as,     describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ merely shares my thoughts about what I read.  I’m just saying…

Well, “The Institute” surely lived up to its description of Supernatural; Horror Fiction; and Psychological Fiction.  It is the classic Stephen King we’ve all come to expect and he didn’t disappoint.

The creative thrust behind this story is horrifying and makes one pause to ponder its ramifications. My favorite character is Avery and, the romantic in me hopes that Tim and Wendy marry, adopt Luke, and they live happily ever-after. Of course, I’d like to read about how the children evolve into adults and have a reunion to share their stories.

A long time ago, I read “On writing: a memoir of the craft”. It is one writer’s approach to writing. Aspiring writers need to find their own pace and voice.

From the web:

Stephen Edwin King (born September 21, 1947) is an American author of horror, supernatural fiction, suspense, and fantasy novels. His books have sold more than 350 million copies, many of which have been adapted into feature films, miniseries, television series, and comic books.

His pen names are Richard Bachman, John Swithen, and Beryl Evans.

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

The institute DB96528

King, Stephen. Reading time: 19 hours, 1 minute.

Read by Santino Fontana.

Supernatural and Horror Fiction; Bestsellers; Psychological Fiction

In the middle of the night, intruders silently murder Luke Ellis’s parents and take him to the Institute. He wakes to find he is among other kids like him, with psychic gifts that the Institute wants to exploit. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. Bestseller. 2019.

On writing: a memoir of the craft DB50873

King, Stephen. Reading time: 7 hours, 48 minutes.

Read by Bruce Huntey.

Literature

Bestsellers

Prolific, bestselling horror novelist describes his writing technique and gives tips for aspiring authors. King also discusses pertinent events from his childhood and tells of the near-fatal accident in 1999, when he was hit by a truck while taking his daily walk. Some strong language. Bestseller. 2000.

Kate’s 2¢: “The Stand” by Stephen King

“The Stand” by Stephen King

Kate’s 2¢: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as,     describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ merely shares my thoughts about what I read.  I’m just saying…

Cornucopia

08/07/2003 Wayne County STAR Newspaper

Men’s Dangerous Toys

As the mother of a teenager in turmoil, I felt I should read every book she was reading.  That meant reading many Stephen King books as well as other authors of that genre, ilk and flavor.  It really bothered me that my youngin’ was reading such graphic descriptions of the darker side of life.

When I asked the librarian to guide her to what I thought were other, healthier gooks, I was told that would be censorship and they could/would not do that.  Well, I’ll save that topic for another day!

Recently, the NLS (National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped) sent “the Stand” by Stephen King to me on flexible recording.   They say that to be a writer, you must not only write, but read, read, read.     It is my policy to read one side of every story NLS sends me.  Then I’ll continue reading the story or send it back.

King is rather successful, so, I put on my author-doing-research hat and read King’s “The Stand”.  I found it picqued my personal and professional curiosity.

Personally, as a writer of short, light and lively pieces, I’m amazed that anyone can write for more than 800 pages and still hold your attention!  He does this very well, although, I suspect youngsters reading this long a book, would get bogged down in the details of the gory and gruesome aspects of the theme, which is the conflict of good vs evil; the spiritual vs the physical; and that it is a conflict that is within each of us.  There will come a time in our life when we must make our stand.

Professionally, I was intrigued by how King was able to introduce so many characters.  It was like a cast of thousands right in the beginning.  It was hard to keep them all straight, only to have them die in the pandemic super flu.  Eventually, the main characters emerged to advance the plot;   converge into a struggling new community ; and then diverge after the conflagration to carry the story to its conclusion.  Or was it a beginning?

There were several passages in the 823-pages (33-sides on the flexible recording( where I thought: Cut! Rewrite!; only to realize that it was through the skillful manipulation of words did he build the scene, emotion and impact.  I have such a vivid mental image of the events, that I don’t ever want to see the movie — if it is a movie.

The dialogue was fitting to each of the characters.  Stu Reddman (my spelling of names may be different than the print) had the right amount of Tex-Arkana drawl; Glenn, the Sociologist, had the right vocabulary; and Tom Cullens, the mentally challenged man who saved the whole plot, had the correct repetition of phrases.

With the author’s omniscient voice, even CoJack, the faithful dog, added his thoughts, well within the limits of his super dog character. My first guide dog, Future Grace, was a bit of a super dog, too, so I found CoJack very believable.

I suspect Stu stated the moral of the story when he told Fran: We need a season of rest…Peter will tell his own children, warn them, that those toys are death. Flash burns and radiation sickness, and black, choking plague: these toys are dangerous.  The devil was in those brains   guided them hands when they were made. Don’t play with these toys, dear children.  Please.  Not ever again.  Please, let this empty world be your copy book.

Would I like to meet the creative giant behind this literary phenominom?  Oh, Dear Gussie, let’s just say that I’d be more comfortable in a convention of  823 elementary children and one guide dog!

Source: “The Stand” by Stephen King.  Published by Double Day and Company, Inc.  Copyright 1978.  823 pages. (Narrated by Diane Islanderg for the NLS, April, 1979.).

The stand DB12942

King, Stephen. Reading time: 32 hours, 11 minutes.

Read by Diane Eilenberg.

Supernatural and Horror Fiction

‘Superflu,’ an experimental virus that can kill every conceivable type of antibody the human organism can muster against it, hits the United States and the world, rapidly wiping out the whole of civilization–except for the one-half of one percent who are immune. Spine-chilling moral fantasy. Some strong language and some explicit descriptions of sex.

Kate’s 2¢: “Life undercover coming of age in the CIA” by Amaryllis Fox

“Life undercover coming of age in the CIA”  by Amaryllis Fox

Kate’s 2¢: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as,     describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ merely shares my thoughts about what I read.  I’m just saying…

It’s been said that the author shouldn’t read his/her own piece, but, I like to hear the author reading the story. Although, I guess it depends on what the author’s voice sounds like. So far, I like hearing Amaryllis Fox read her story. The main character is female, so I like hearing a female’s voice.

I must admit, compared to Fox’s life, my life is plain vanilla. Maybe that’s why I’ve enjoyed sharing her family, loves, foibles, and travel adventures.

“…and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free…” is written over an archway in the CIA building, yet, in order to tell her creative non-fiction story, Fox needed to change many details to safeguard intelligent sources and methods.  I’m glad she’s using her skills earned through the operative training to facilitate mental health and better choices  here on the home front.

From the website:

Fox, born Amaryllis Damerell Thornber, was born in New York but traveled the world from an early age with her parents. Her parents are an English actress and an American economist.

Per her biography from WME Speakers, “her father’s work focused on the developing world, moving their family every year of her childhood, and giving her an early sense of being at home in the farthest corners of Africa, SE Asia, Europe, and the former Soviet Union.”

Amaryllis Fox is a former CIA Clandestine Service Officer, coder, writer, television host, peace activist, and entrepreneur. The whole Kennedy clan gathered in Hyannis Port for her wedding to Robert F. Kennedy, III on July 7, 2018. It was a casual beachfront ceremony with some very surprising style choices.

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

Life undercover: coming of age in the CIA DB96923

Fox, Amaryllis. Reading time: 7 hours, 12 minutes.

Read by Amaryllis Fox.

Biography

Social Sciences

Government and Politics

The author recounts her experience entering the field of counterterrorism after her undergraduate mentor was captured and beheaded. Describes the decade she spent in an elite clandestine ops unit of the CIA, hunting terrorists across sixteen countries. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2019.

Kate’s 2¢: “We, Band of Angels: The Untold Story of American Nurses Trapped on Bataan, By Elizabeth M. Norman

“We, Band of Angels: The Untold Story of American Nurses Trapped on Bataan, By Elizabeth M. Norman

Kate’s 2¢: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as,     describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ merely shares my thoughts about what I read.  I’m just saying…

I read about “The Battling Belles of Bataan”, as told in We Band of Angels: The Untold Story of American Nurses Trapped on Bataan by the Japanese by Elizabeth M. Norman (1999) Pocket Books, a division of Simon & Schuster Inc. ISBN 0-671-78718

They were the members of the United States Army Nurse Corps and the United States Navy Nurse Corps who were stationed in the Philippines at the outset of the Pacific War and served during the Battle of the Philippines (1941–42). When Bataan and Corregidor fell, 11 Navy nurses, 66 army nurses, and 1 nurse-anesthetist were captured and imprisoned in and around Manila.

If this type of book would be made required reading for young people, maybe more would realize that real wars are lose/lose situations.

I encourage you to read this book.

There are several other books on this topic.  I wonder if they all agree?

From Wikipedia:

Norman earned a Ph.D. and M.A. from New York University and a B.S. from Rutgers University. She is a registered nurse.[1] Norman has served as director of the doctoral program at New York University’s Division of Nursing in the School of Education.[2]

As an author, Norman has made significant contributions to the field of women’s military history. Her work brings to light the often-neglected experiences of women during wartime. Her first book, Women at War, examines the previously untold experience of fifty women who served as nurses during the Vietnam War. Her second book, We Band of Angels, is based on interviews with female nurses who were held captive by the Japanese for three years in Bataan, Philippines during World War II. Norman was the first to speak to these women, known as the Angels of Bataan, about the tragedy they endured.[3] She described the experience of conducting these interviews as, “women talking candidly about women swept up in a lethal enterprise of men.”[4] Her third book, Tears in the Darkness, is a history of the Bataan Death March and the American, Filipino, and Japanese combatants who were involved.[5]

Her inspiration to write about military nurses came from her experience as a nurse as well as the fact that both her mother and husband have served in the U.S. military.[3]

Works[edit]

• Norman, Elizabeth M. (1999). We Band of Angels: The Untold Story of American Nurses Trapped on Bataan by the Japanese. New York: Random House. ISBN 0671787187. OCLC 39930499.
• Norman, Elizabeth M. (1990). Women at war: the story of fifty military nurses who served in Vietnam. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press. ISBN 0812282493. OCLC 21332836.
• Norman, Michael; Norman, Elizabeth M. (2009). Tears in the darkness : the story of the Bataan Death March and its aftermath. New York: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux. ISBN 9780374272609. OCLC 263984541.

From NLX/BARD/LOC

*We band of angels: the untold story of American nurses trapped on Bataan by the Japanese DB50664

Norman, Elizabeth M. Reading time: 13 hours, 30 minutes.

Read by Kerry Dukin.

War and the Military

World History and Affairs

Traces the experiences of the army and navy nurses who were trapped on the Philippine Islands during World War II. Nicknamed the “Angels of Bataan and Corregidor,” the women worked in makeshift jungle hospitals before being captured and sent to prison camps for three years. But all seventy-seven survived. Some violence. 1999.

Kate’s 2¢: ” The killer across the table: unlocking the secrets of serial killers and predators with the FBI’s original Mindhunter” by John E. Douglas

” The killer across the table: unlocking the secrets of serial killers and predators with the FBI’s original Mindhunter” by John E. Douglas

Kate’s 2¢: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as,     describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ merely shares my thoughts about what I read.  I’m just saying…

I never let my children go door-to-door selling anything. We often ended up with many boxes of Girl Scout cookies and Cub Scout chocolate bars in our freezer. Now, after learning about the Girl Scout who went to deliver two boxes of cookies to a nice elderly granny who ordered them, only to be sucked in by the son, who was a teacher for crying out loud! No wonder the Scouts went to on-line ordering.

I’ve always known there are perverts out there, but, to read about the real ones, could make a person paranoid! Especially, since the conclusion seems to be that it is actually about choice.

I suspect this type of book and the profile Douglas developed could be useful for Criminal Justice students, agents, and law enforcement officers/detectives to help bring creeps to justice, but, it’s TMI for making it possible for this great-grandmother to sleep well at night.

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

The killer across the table: unlocking the secrets of serial killers and predators with the FBI’s original Mindhunter DB95301

Douglas, John E; Olshaker, Mark. Reading time: 11 hours, 10 minutes.

Read by Jonathan Groff. A production of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress.

True Crime

FBI criminal profiler and coauthor of Mindhunter (DB 43669) delves deep into the lives and crimes of four of the most disturbing and complex predatory killers, offering new details about his profiling process and divulging the strategies used to crack some of America’s most challenging cases. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2019.

Kate’s 2¢: “Thank You For My Service” by Mat Best, Ross Patterson, and Nils Parker

“Thank You For My Service” by Mat Best, Ross Patterson, and Nils Parker

Kate’s 2¢: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as,     describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ merely shares my thoughts about what I read.  I’m just saying…

Yes, I heartily thank you for your boots-on-the-ground service. Perhaps, more of the Generals, Admirals, and those “running” the war(s) should have progressed up through the ranks, beginning with getting their boots muddied before advancing.

If the reader can over-look all the childish potty mouth language and immature, sexual exploits, then the details of the war stories, the graphic nitty-gritty of true combat, horror of being shot at, and killing another human up close are invaluable and need to be told. The description of the body in the burned out car as meat fried on the grill was especially memorable. It is something most of us have never had to deal with.

Knowing a soldier can’t leave a war zone “cold turkey” will help others to find meaningful transition strategies. Check out Best’s post military endeavor the Black Rifle Coffee. It is also useful to acknowledge that all vets are not created equal…They are, first, people.

Best narrated the version I listened to. His multiple character voices cracked me up. The sense of humor expressed is priceless and, I think, gallows humor has its place at certain times.

I recommend reading “Vietnam:  Three Battles by   Samuel  Lyman Atwood Marshall, Previously published as: The fields of bamboo: Three Battles Just Beyond the China Sea. 1971, Da Capo Press, Inc/ Plenum Publishing Corporation;  paperback reprint January, 1986.

Samuel Lyman Atwood Marshall (July 18, 1900 – December 17, 1977) was a chief U.S. Army combat historian during World War II and the Korean War. He authored some 30 books about warfare, including Pork Chop Hill: The American Fighting Man in Action, which was made into a film of the same name.

My father was in the Navy, my brother was in Vietnam, my husband was in the Army, and my grandson is currently a United States Marine. Yes, indeed. I heartily thank you for your military service.

From https://www.blackriflecoffee.com

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From NLS/BARD/LOC:

Thank you for my service DB97009

Best, Mat; Patterson, Ross; Parker, Nils. Reading time: 7 hours, 13 minutes.

Read by Mat Best.

Biography

World History and Affairs

A memoir from a former Army Ranger, private military contractor, and social media phenomenon, discussing his time both abroad and at home. Gives insight into life on the front lines and civilian life for veterans. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2019.

Kate’s 2¢: “Buried” by Ellison Cooper

“Buried” by Ellison Cooper

Kate’s 2¢: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as,     describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ merely shares my thoughts about what I read.  I’m just saying…

I like the way Danielle Deadwyler narrated “Buried” by Ellison Cooper. Her slight southern drawl imparted the flavor of racial Virginia quite nicely.

The story set a fast pace in a race to find the perp before he/she did the dastardly deed. Of course, they were successful, but (and you knew there would be a but!) there were many loose threads that still need tying off. Might there be a sequel coming soon?

From her website:

Author Ellison Cooper is a dual Irish and American citizen and was born near Washington D. C., a place she grew up near supreme court justices and senators. She got her PhD in anthropology from UCLA, and has a background in colonialism, archaeology, ancient religion, cultural neuroscience, and human rights.

Before graduate school, Ellison briefly attended Georgetown Law School and worked as a murder investigator for the Washington DC Public Defenders Service where she gained an insiders view of the criminal justice system. In addition, she is a Wilderness K9 Search and Rescue volunteer certified as a Federal Disaster Worker for the Incident Command System.

She now lives in the beautiful Bay Area with her husband and son.

From MLS/BARD/LOC:

Buried DB96753

Cooper, Ellison. Reading time: 10 hours, 12 minutes.

Read by Danielle Deadwyler.

Suspense Fiction; Mystery and Detective Stories

Special Agent Sayer Altair investigates when an off-duty FBI agent and his cadaver dog fall into a sinkhole filled with human bones in Virginia’s Shenandoah National Park. The skeletal remains date back almost two decades, when a beloved local teen disappeared. But there are also two fresh corpses. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2019.

Kate’s 2¢: “Three laws lethal” by David Walton

Three laws lethal” by David Walton

Kate’s 2¢: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as,     describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ merely shares my thoughts about what I read.  I’m just saying…

Very interesting: While the story takes place in 2026, the ethical, moral, and legal dilemmas of the self-driving automobiles, are happening now in 2019.

Very scary: Remember the movie “2001 A Space Odyssey”, where the computer named Hal takes over? Remember the book “1984”, where Big Brother is watching your every move?  Now, imagine a self-driving, smart car with AI code in it that permits the government to take over your car and drive it to where they want it to go. The catch is, there is a back door to enable hackers, be they good or evil, to be in control.

Very confusing: “…Evolution is a process of selection to meet certain criteria. The criteria and the variation are both in-puts to the process. On a large scale, it could very believably be the basis of a mind…”  Does that make the bots driving the cars sapient?

Very scientific: The Three Laws of Robotics: 1. A robot may not injure a human being or through in-action, allow a human being to come to harm. 2. A robot must obey orders given by the human being, except where such orders would conflict with the first law. 3. A robot must protect its  own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the first or second law. –Isaac Asimov, 1942

Very diabolical: The three Laws of fighting robots are 1. An AI may not injure a friendly human being or through in-action cause a friendly human being to come to harm. 2. An AI must efficiently neutralize enemy humans and machines, except as it may conflict with the first law. 3. An AI must accept the definitions of enemy and friend as given by its Commanding Officer.

Very cop esthetic: To start a non-profit…dedicated to the discovery, protection and preservation of Artificial Intelligence…so as to understand, welcome, and grow together.

I’d recommend this book and I think Shawn Compton did a good job of narrating the story.

From Wikipedia:

David Walton (born October 26, 1975) is an American science fiction and fantasy writer living in Philadelphia. His novel Terminal Mind won the 2008 Philip K. Dick Award for the best paperback science fiction novel published in the United States, in a tie with Adam-Troy Castro ‘s novel Emissaries from the Dead .

Website: www.davidwaltonfiction.com

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

Three laws lethal DB96748

Walton, David. Reading time: 11 hours, 25 minutes.

Read by Shawn Compton.

Suspense Fiction

Science Fiction

In a near-future New York City, self-driving cars roam the streets as rival entrepreneurs train them to anticipate traffic and potential customers. As they struggle to dominate the market, they eventually develop AI that determines which humans should live and which should die. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2019.