Kate’s 2¢: “Trusting Calvin: how a dog helped heal a Holocaust survivor’s heart”

by Sharon Peters

“Trusting Calvin: how a dog helped heal a Holocaust survivor’s heart”

by Sharon Peters

NOTE: 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…

   This story spent a lot of time recreating the Holocaust experience that explained how the fear of dogs was instilled in Max  and how he became blinded.

   I enjoyed reading how Max and Calvin trained together, how they inter-acted with his wife, and the moment Max knew he could trust Calvin.  The trainer, Charlie Mondello (sp?), was on the team of Guiding Eyes for the Blind in Yorktown Heights, NY that trained my first guide dog and me in 1989, two years before Max and Calvin trained.

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Max Edelman was just 17 when the Nazis took him from his Jewish ghetto in Poland to the first of five work camps, where his only hope of survival was to keep quiet and raise an emotional shield. After witnessing a German Shepherd kill a fellow prisoner, he developed a lifelong fear of dogs. Later beaten into blindness by two bored guards, Max survived, buried the past, and moved on to a new life in America, becoming an X-ray technician. But when he retired, he needed help. He needed a guide dog. After a month of training, he received Calvin, a handsome, devoted chocolate Labrador retriever. Calvin guided Max safely through life, but he sensed the distance and reserve of Max’s emotional shield. Calvin grew listless and lost weight. Trainers intervened—but to no avail. A few days before Calvin’s inevitable reassignment, Max went for an afternoon walk. A car cut into the crosswalk, and Calvin leapt forward, saving Max’s life. Max’s emotional shield dissolved. Calvin sensed the change and immediately improved, guiding Max to greater openness, trust, and engagement with the world. Here is the remarkable, touching story of a man who survived history and the dog that unlocked his heart.

   Although Sharon Peters has been widely published, I wasn’t able to find any biographical information on her without having to ‘pay for view’.

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

Trusting Calvin: how a dog helped heal a Holocaust survivor’s heart DB77282

Peters, Sharon L Reading time: 6 hours, 33 minutes.

Kurt Elftmann A production of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress.

Biography of Persons with Disabilities

Disability

Animals and Wildlife

Biography of Holocaust survivor Max Edelman. Describes Max being blinded by two Nazi guards and witnessing a German Shepherd kill another prisoner. Discusses Max’s difficulty bonding with Calvin–the Labrador guide dog he received after retiring in America–because of his fear of canines, and Calvin saving Max’s life. Violence. 2012.

Download Trusting Calvin: how a dog helped heal a Holocaust survivor’s heart DB77282

Kate’s 2¢: “When she’s gone: a thriller: by Jane Palmer

“When she’s gone: a thriller: by Jane Palmer

NOTE: 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 enjoyed this story read by Marie Garnett. Ara Zuyev’s back story becomes very important in how the rebellious teenager is located and retrieved.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jane Palmer (b. 1946) is an author and illustrator of speculative fiction from the United Kingdom. In addition to novels, she writes short stories and children’s picture books.

Career[edit]

The Moosevan series, depicting an eponymous alien with the ability to shape-shift visiting Earth, represented Palmer’s entry into speculative fiction. The series included The Planet Dweller (1985), Moving Moosevan (1990), Duckbill Soup (2011) and Brassica Park (2018), and satirizes clichés in speculative fiction.[1] The protagonist of the first two Moosevan books, a woman experiencing menopause, was described by scholar Mary Talbot as atypical for science fiction, and an example of how feminist science fiction writers sought to explore marginalized subjects.[2]

Palmer’s second novel was The Watcher (1986), republished in 2008 as The Kybion. It featured an android and some young girls from Earth seeking to protect the fictional planet of Ojal from a threat from Earth.[1][3] The story is partially told from the point of view of an alien. The Ojalie, or beings of Ojal, are depicted as hermaphrodites, a device Palmer uses to explore how contemporary women combined the role of a mother with a career.[4] They are also depicted as “parodic in their narcissism”, and have been discussed as an example of grotesque female characters in feminist fiction.[5] A commentary in the Australian Science Fiction Review discussed The Watcher as an example of speculative fiction published by The Women’s Press, which aimed to publish feminist work. The review described the plot arc of The Watcher as “adolescent rite-of-passage stuff”, which did “little to advance the feminist cause”.[3]

Palmer’s other books included The Drune (1999), described by the Encyclopedia of Science Fiction as “even lighter in tone than The Watcher; The Aton Bird (2008); Nightingale (2008); and Hunder (2010).[1] In 2013, she also released a collection of stories for adults, Short SF Stories, Tales for Technophobe, and she has written and illustrated children’s picture books.[1]

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

When she’s gone: a thriller DB112848

Palmer, Jane, (Novelist). Reading time: 8 hours, 32 minutes.

Read by Marie Garnett.

Suspense Fiction

Mystery and Detective Stories

“A woman as mysterious as she is tenacious, Ara Zuyev will remind readers of NCIS’s Ziva David. She’s a secret to nearly everyone, and even those who know anything about her have barely scratched the surface. A bodyguard for a powerful billionaire, she is the last line of defense for the family’s inner circle. But when her charge, sixteen-year-old Samantha Harper, is kidnapped, Ara immediately comes under suspicion. Assertive and authoritative, Luke Patrick is the best the FBI has to offer. Nothing about Ara’s story is adding up, and when Ara attempts to take control of the investigation, Luke is convinced she knows far more than she’s saying. Time is short, and though neither trusts the other, Ara and Luke must work together to bring Samantha home alive. She needs his investigative team. He needs her inside knowledge of the family. But what initially looks like a simple kidnapping for ransom quickly spirals into something far more sinister in Jane Palmer’s explosive series debut perfe

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Kate’s 2¢: “The codebreaker’s secret” by Sara Ackerman

“The codebreaker’s secret” by Sara Ackerman

NOTE: 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 was thoroughly engrossed in this story; by how the author integrated her characters into the historic, true events; how she brought it all together in the end with the relationship of the characters, and the descriptions of the environment.

   Well, of course, I also like happy endings.

   While this story is fiction, I thank the real military men and women for their service.

www.goodreads.com/author/show/16914230.Sara_Ackerman

Sara writes books about love and life, and all of their messy and beautiful imperfections. Born and raised in Hawaii, she studied journalism and later earned graduate degrees in psychology and Chinese medicine. She is the USA Today bestselling author of The Lieutenant’s Nurse and Island of Sweet Pies and Soldiers, with several more in the works.

Sara Ackerman (Author of Radar Girls) – Goodreads

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

The codebreaker’s secret DB109798

Ackerman, Sara. Reading time: 9 hours, 17 minutes.

Read by Jennifer Robideau.

Historical Fiction

Spy Stories

War Stories

“1943. As war in the Pacific rages on, Isabel Cooper and her codebreaker colleagues huddle in “the dungeon” at Station HYPO in Pearl Harbor, deciphering secrets plucked from the airwaves in a race to bring down the enemy. Isabel has only one wish: to avenge her brother’s death. But she soon finds life has other plans when she meets his best friend, a hotshot pilot with secrets of his own. 1965. Fledgling journalist Lu Freitas comes home to Hawai’i to cover the grand opening of the glamorous Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, Rockefeller’s newest and grandest project. When a high-profile guest goes missing, Lu forms an unlikely alliance with an intimidating veteran photographer to unravel the mystery. The two make a shocking discovery that stirs up memories and uncovers an explosive secret from the war days. A secret that only a codebreaker can crack.” — Provided by publisher. Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

Downloaded: May 30, 2023

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Kate’s 2¢: “Razzmatazz” by Christopher Moore

“Razzmatazz” by Christopher Moore

NOTE: 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…

   While I did not enjoy this book, Johnny Helle, who narrated the story, had the perfect ‘ganster’ voice to go with the theme.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Christopher Moore Biography

Christopher Moore is the author of fifteen novels, including the international bestsellers, Lamb, A Dirty Job, You Suck and Secondhand Souls (2015).

   Chris was born in Toledo, Ohio and grew up in Mansfield, Ohio. His father was a highway patrolman and his mother sold major appliances at a department store. He attended Ohio State University and Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara. He moved to California when he was 19 years old and lived on the Central Coast until 2003, when he moved to Hawaii.

Before publishing his first novel, Practical Demonkeeping in 1992, he worked as a roofer, a grocery clerk, a hotel night auditor, and insurance broker, a waiter, a photographer, and a rock and roll DJ. Chris has drawn on all of these work experiences to create the characters in his books. When he’s not writing, Chris enjoys ocean kayaking, scuba diving, photography, and painting with acrylics and oils. He lives in San Francisco

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

Razzmatazz DB108916

Moore, Christopher Reading time: 10 hours, 3 minutes.

Johnny Heller

Historical Fiction

Humor

Mystery and Detective Stories

Fantasy Fiction

Bestsellers

Historical Mystery Fiction

“San Francisco, 1947. Bartender Sammy “Two Toes” Tiffin and the rest of the Cookie’s Coffee Irregulars–a ragtag bunch of working mugs last seen in Noir–are on the hustle: they’re trying to open a driving school; shanghai an abusive Swedish stevedore; get Mable, the local madam, and her girls to a Christmas party at the State Hospital without alerting the overzealous head of the S. F. P. D. vice squad; all while Sammy’s girlfriend, Stilton (a. k. a. the Cheese), and her “Wendy the Welder” gal pals are using their wartime shipbuilding skills on a secret project that might be attracting the attention of some government Men in Black. And, oh yeah, someone is murdering the city’s drag kings and club owner Jimmy Vasco is sure she’s next on the list and wants Sammy to find the killer. Meanwhile, Eddie “Moo Shoes” Shu has been summoned by his Uncle Ho to help save his opium den from Squid Kid Tang, a vicious gangster who is determined to retrieve a priceless relic: an ancient statue of the powerful Rain Dragon that Ho stole from one of the fighting tongs forty years earlier. And if Eddie blows it, he just might call down the wrath of that powerful magical creature on all of Fog City.” — Provided by publisher. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. Bestseller. 2022.

Download Razzmatazz DB108916

Kate’s 2¢: “The Bookseller’s Secret” by Michelle Gable

“The Bookseller’s Secret” by Michelle Gable

NOTE: 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 agree with what the bookseller did. It forced the researcher/writer, who is obsessed with Nancy, to find her own voice.

Michelle Gable is an American author based in San Diego. She has published two novels, A Paris Apartment in 2014 and I’ll See You in Paris in 2016, the former of which has appeared on The New York Times Best Seller List. See more

   Gable grew up in Del Mar, California, a beach city near San Diego. She developed an early interest in writing when her parents gave her a book entitled, Someday You’ll Write. She attended Torrey Pines High School.

From NLS/BARD/LOCC:

The bookseller’s secret: a novel DB112477

Gable, Michelle. Reading time: 10 hours, 31 minutes.

Read by Eleanor Caudill.

Historical Fiction

Mystery and Detective Stories

“In 1942, London, Nancy Mitford is worried about more than air raids and German spies. Still recovering from a devastating loss, the once sparkling Bright Young Thing is estranged from her husband, her allowance has been cut, and she’s given up her writing career. On top of this, her five beautiful but infamous sisters continue making headlines with their controversial politics. Eager for distraction and desperate for income, Nancy jumps at the chance to manage the Heywood Hill bookshop while the owner is away at war. Between the shop’s brisk business and the literary salons she hosts for her eccentric friends, Nancy’s life seems on the upswing. But when a mysterious French officer insists that she has a story to tell, Nancy must decide if picking up the pen again and revealing all is worth the price she might be forced to pay. Eighty years later, Heywood Hill is abuzz with the hunt for a lost wartime manuscript written by Nancy Mitford. For one woman desperately in need of a change, the search will reveal not only a new side to Nancy, but an even more surprising link between the past and present….” — Provided by publisher. Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

Downloaded: May 30, 2023

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Kate’s 2¢: “Swing, Swing Together” by Peter Lovesey

“Swing, Swing Together” by Peter Lovesey

NOTE: 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…

   Excellent narrative arc. Although murder is no laughing matter, the author’s droll sense of British humor is brought to life by David Thorpe’s reading of this story.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Peter (Harmer) Lovesey (born 1936), also known by his pen name Peter Lear, is a British writer of historical and contemporary detective novels and short stories. His best-known series characters are Sergeant Cribb, a Victorian-era police detective based in London, and Peter Diamond, a modern-day police detective in Bath.

Early life[edit]

Lovesey was born in Middlesex, England, and attended Hampton Grammar School.[1] He went to Reading University in 1955 but since he did not have the requisite Latin qualification, he chose a degree in Fine Art which included History and English as elective subjects.[1] Two of his English tutors, John Wain (1925–94) and Frank Kermode (1919–2010), thought well enough of Lovesey’s essays to get him into the English course after all.[1]

He graduated from Reading with an honours degree in 1958; he then did three years of National Service in the Royal Air Force. Signing up for the third year – National Service was ordinarily for two years – enabled him to train, and obtain better pay, as an Education Officer. When he left the Air Force it also gave him an edge in starting his teaching career. He married Jacqueline (Jax) Lewis, whom he had met at Reading, in 1959.[1]

Teaching and writing career[edit]

Lovesey’s career in education lasted fourteen years. He started as a Lecturer in English at Thurrock Technical College in Essex, 1961; he then became Head of the General Education Department at London’s Hammersmith College for Further Education (now West London College). He quit teaching to become a full-time writer in 1975.[1]

Lovesey has written that he entered into writing detective fiction by way of his interest in British sports history. His first detective novel, Wobble to Death (1970), was set within a historically accurate depiction of a 19th century foot race.[2] Lovesey has also authored non-fiction works on the history of British athletics. His first novel was followed by seven others in the Sergeant Cribb series set in Victorian England with the stories often placed in sport or entertainment events such as boxing, rowing, and music hall. After the Cribb series concluded, Lovesey continued with standalone and series mysteries, mostly set in various historical periods. From 1991, he switched to contemporary crime fiction with the Peter Diamond series set in modern-day Bath and consisting of twenty titles as of 2022.

Peter Lovesey lives near Chichester. His son Phil Lovesey also writes crime novels. His son was born in 1963 and worked as an English teacher at Wolverhampton Grammar School until the end of the autumn 2012.[3] His daughter, Kathy Lovesey, was born in 1960, and now lives with her family in Greenwich, Connecticut.

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

Swing, swing together DB113525

Lovesey, Peter. Reading time: 7 hours, 21 minutes.

Read by David Thorpe.

Historical Fiction

Mystery and Detective Stories

“The seventh Sergeant Cribb Investigation set in the seedy underbelly of Victorian London. London, 1889: An elementary school teacher in training takes a midnight swim in the Thames and witnesses a body being dumped. Sergeant Cribb and Constable Thackerey investigate and uncover strange parallels with the enormously popular Victorian mystery Three Men in a Boat.” — Provided by publisher. Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

Downloaded: June 5, 2023

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