"The Red Bandanna"

My mom and I recently finished reading the book The Red Bandanna. Here is a synopsis of the book:

One Sunday morning before church, when Welles Crowther was a young boy, his father gave him a red handkerchief for his back pocket. Welles kept it with him that day, and just about every day to come; it became a fixture and his signature.

A standout athlete growing up in Upper Nyack, NY, Welles was also a volunteer at the local fire department, along with his father. He cherished the necessity and the camaraderie, the meaning of the role. Fresh from college, he took a Wall Street job on the 104th floor of the South Tower of the World Trade Center, but the dream of becoming a firefighter with the FDNY remained.

When the Twin Towers fell, Welles's parents had no idea what happened to him. In the unbearable days that followed, they came to accept that he would never come home. But the mystery of his final hours persisted. Eight months after the attacks, however, Welles's mother read a news account from several survivors, badly hurt on the 78th floor of the South Tower, who said they and others had been led to safety by a stranger, carrying a woman on his back, down nearly twenty flights of stairs. After leading them down, the young man turned around. "I'm going back up," was all he said.

The survivors didn't know his name, but despite the smoke and panic, one of them remembered a single detail clearly: the man was wearing a red bandanna.

The Red Bandanna is about a fearless choice, about a crucible of terror and the indomitable spirit to answer it. Examining one decision in the gravest situation, it celebrates the difference one life can make.

I heard about this book at the end of last year, and I thought it sounded really good, so I asked my mom to get it for me for my birthday. I have been fascinated by September 11 ever since the awful terrorist attack in 2001, which turned the date from an ordinary calendar date into an infamous one. I felt so inspired as I learned about Welles' life. Not just because of his selfless heroism on September 11, but in the way he lived his entire life. He was truly a wonderful person, through and through. The world needs more people like Welles Crowther in it! This book was really good, and definitely worth reading.

"Life in a Jar"

My sister, Sharon, bought me the book Life in a Jar: The Irena Sendler Project by Jack Meyer this past Christmas, and my mom and I read it together. We finished it a couple days ago, and it was a great book! Here is a synopsis:

During World War II, Irena Sendler, a Polish Catholic social worker, organized a rescue network of fellow social workers to save 2,500 Jewish children from certain death in the Warsaw ghetto. Incredibly, after the war her heroism, like that of many others, was suppressed by communist Poland and remained virtually unknown for 60 years. Unknown, that is, until three high school girls from an economically depressed, rural school district in southeast Kansas stumbled upon a tantalizing reference to Sendler's rescues, which they fashioned into a history project, a play they called Life in a Jar. Their innocent drama was first seen in Kansas, then the Midwest, then New York, Los Angeles, Montreal, and finally Poland, where they elevated Irena Sendler to a national hero, championing her legacy of tolerance and respect for all people. Life in a Jar: The Irena Sendler Project is a Holocaust history and more. It is the inspirational story of Protestant students from Kansas, each carrying her own painful burden, each called in her own complex way to the history of a Catholic woman who knocked on Jewish doors in the Warsaw ghetto and, in Sendler's own words, "tried to talk the mothers out of their children." Inspired by Irena Sendler, they are living examples of the power of one person to change the world and models for young people everywhere.

I really liked this book, especially how it told Irena's story, as well as the story of the three Kansas students who uncovered Irena's heroic past. Irena convinced Jewish parents to give their children to her, and she smuggled approximately 2500 children out of the Warsaw ghetto in Poland. This was very dangerous work, of course, and Irena and the other members of Zegota (the codename of the secret organization that fought back against the Nazis) risked so much in order to help rescue others. As I read the book, I kept asking myself, "Would I have the courage to fight injustice and risk my life in order to help others?" I'd like to think I would, but I worry I would be too timid and scared.

This was a great book, and it definitely gets my recommendation!

"My Story"

My mom and I finished reading "My Story" by Elizabeth Smart a few weeks before Christmas. My friend Heather recommended this book to me, and I'm so glad she did! When this book came out several years ago, I didn't give much thought to reading it. I basically knew what had happened to Elizabeth (or so I thought) from things that I had heard on the news and watched on TV. What I knew only scratched the surface as to what all happened to Elizabeth. I started this book and was absolutely sucked in from the beginning. It was a real page-turner!

Here is a synopsis of the book: "For the first time, ten years after her abduction from her Salt Lake City bedroom, Elizabeth Smart reveals how she survived and the secret to forging a new life in the wake of a brutal crime.

"On June 5, 2002, fourteen-year-old Elizabeth Smart, the daughter of a close-knit Mormon family, was taken from her home in the middle of the night by religious fanatic, Brian David Mitchell and his wife, Wanda Barzee. She was kept chained, dressed in disguise, repeatedly raped, and told she and her family would be killed if she tried to escape. After her rescue on March 12, 2003, she rejoined her family and worked to pick up the pieces of her life.

"Now for the first time, in her memoir, MY STORY, she tells of the constant fear she endured every hour, her courageous determination to maintain hope, and how she devised a plan to manipulate her captors and convinced them to return to Utah, where she was rescued minutes after arriving. Smart explains how her faith helped her stay sane in the midst of a nightmare and how she found the strength to confront her captors at their trial and see that justice was served.

"In the nine years after her rescue, Smart transformed from victim to advocate, traveling the country and working to educate, inspire and foster change. She has created a foundation to help prevent crimes against children and is a frequent public speaker. In 2012, she married Matthew Gilmour, whom she met doing mission work in Paris for her church, in a fairy tale wedding that made the cover of People magazine."

I was so impressed and inspired with the way Elizabeth was able to handle this horrific ordeal. Imagine being kidnapped in the middle of the night, sexually brutalized, having to go with very little food, being forced to get drunk, and being emotionally ravaged. What happened to Elizabeth was truly heinous. There were small miracles and tender mercies along the way, however, and Elizabeth never gave up or lost her faith. It was her faith in God and the atonement of Jesus Christ that enabled her to not only survive this trauma, but to be able to move on and still have a beautiful life where she has been able to advocate for others who have endured similar experiences. The atonement has so much power, because Jesus not only atoned for our sins, but He also suffered for all of the pains and atrocities that God's children would ever feel and experience.

I've recommended this book to several people, and think it's one that anyone who likes to feel uplifted and inspired would enjoy.

"Ugly"

I finished reading the book "Ugly" a couple weeks ago. This is a true story, written by Robert Hoge. My mom heard about this book a few months ago and was interested in reading it, so I bought it for her for her birthday, and we read it together. Here is a short synopsis of the book:

When Robert Hoge was born, he had a tumor the size of a tennis ball in the middle of his face and short, twisted legs. Surgeons removed the tumor and made him a new nose from one of his toes.  Amazingly, he survived—with a face that would never be the same.  

Strangers stared at him. Kids called him names, and adults could be cruel, too. Everybody seemed to agree that he was “ugly.” But Robert refused to let his face define him. He played pranks, got into trouble, had adventures with his big family, and finally found a sport that was perfect for him to play. And Robert came face to face with the biggest decision of his life, he followed his heart.

This poignant memoir about overcoming bullying and thriving with disabilities shows that what makes us “ugly” also makes us who we are. 

The book was really good! It was written for adults, but is simple enough for adolescents to understand. I think it would be a great book for middle schoolers to read, just to give them some perspective on what it's like to be different, and how much unkind words and bullying can hurt.

Below is a picture of Robert as an infant, and below that is a picture of Robert and his parents after one of his surgeries:

And this is Robert today. When the doctors wanted to give Robert another surgery to make his face look even more "normal," he said, "Thanks, but no thanks," and opted to not have the surgery. He basically said that if people can't accept him with the way he looks, then that is their problem. I have to give him respect; I'm pretty sure I'd get the surgery! I guess I'm just more vain, and would want to look as normal as I could.

My one disappointment with the book is that it didn't include how Robert met his wife (their little family is pictured above). I'm so glad that Robert could find someone that was able to accept him the way he is—not everyone would—so his wife sounds like a great woman.

This book definitely helps you realize that it's important to be kind to everyone, especially those who are different. They are still people and deserve respect, even if their exterior isn't quite normal.

"My Grandfather Would Have Shot Me"

I recently heard about a book that piqued my interest. It was called: My Grandfather Would Have Shot Me: A Black Woman Discovers Her Family's Nazi Past by Jennifer Teege, and it's a true story (my favorite!). Here is a synopsis of the book:

An international bestseller—the extraordinary memoir of a German-Nigerian woman who learns that her grandfather was the brutal Nazi commandant depicted in Schindler’s List.

“I am the granddaughter of Amon Goeth, who shot hundreds of people—and for being black, he would have shot me, too.” In an instant, Jennifer Teege’s life turns upside down; the shock of discovering her ancestry shatters her sense of self.

Teege is 38—married, with two small children—when by chance she finds a library book about her grandfather, Amon Goeth. Millions of people worldwide know of him through Ralph Fiennes’ chilling portrayal in Steven Spielberg’s film Schindler’s List. Goeth was the brutal commandant of the Plaszów concentration camp—Oskar Schindler’s drinking buddy, and yet his adversary. Responsible for the deaths of thousands, Amon Goeth was hanged in 1946.

Goeth’s partner Ruth, Teege’s much-loved grandmother, committed suicide in 1983. Teege is their daughter’s daughter; her father is Nigerian. Raised by foster parents, she grew up with no knowledge of the family secret. Now, it unsettles her profoundly. What can she say to her Jewish friends, or to her own children? Who is she—truly?

I really enjoyed this book. It was a quick read, since it wasn't very long. It was so interesting to read about how this woman inadvertently stumbled upon a book while at the library, and it changed everything she thought she knew about her family history. I definitely recommend this book if you like true stories and history.

"37 Seconds"

SYNOPSIS: Pregnant with her second child, Stephanie Arnold began receiving mysterious but strong premonitions that she would die during the delivery. Distressed, Stephanie did everything she could to inform the medical team and her family about what she knew was coming. No one believed her, but Stephanie knew they were wrong. When she gave birth to her son, Stephanie flatlined and died on the operating table for 37 seconds, during which time she had a spiritual experience she would never forget.

This book was incredibly fascinating! When the author, Stephanie, was pregnant with her second child, she started having premonitions that she would die during the delivery. These vivid premonitions kept happening, and when she'd mention them to her doctors, no one took her seriously. She kept researching and mentioning it to different doctors, and she finally found someone who took her seriously (it was the anesthesiologist that was with her during her C-section). This doctor put special measures into place in preparation for what Stephanie had been telling her was going to happen, just in case it actually did. Sure enough, Stephanie experienced a rare amniotic fluid embolism (AFE), which is almost always fatal. Stephanie flatlined for 37 seconds during her C-section, and had her anesthesiologist NOT believed her and NOT been prepared, Stephanie, undoubtedly, would have died.

This book was very interesting, especially as Stephanie described what she remembered and saw during those 37 seconds. This isn't your typical near-death experience where someone visits heaven and sees Jesus or dead loved ones. The book was fast-paced and a real page turner. I thought the end of the book was a little lackluster, after such an exciting beginning and middle of the book, but I still recommend it.

"Carly's Voice"

SYNOPSIS: At the age of two, Carly Fleischmann was diagnosed with severe autism and an oral motor condition that prevented her from speaking. Doctors predicted that she would never intellectually develop beyond the abilities of a small child. Although she made some progress after years of intensive behavioral and communication therapy, Carly remained largely unreachable. Then, at the age of ten, she had a breakthrough. 

While working with her devoted therapists Howie and Barb, Carly reached over to their laptop and typed in “HELP TEETH HURT,” much to everyone’s astonishment.

This was the beginning of Carly’s journey toward self-realization. Although Carly still struggles with all the symptoms of autism, which she describes with uncanny accuracy and detail, she now has regular, witty, and profound conversations on the computer with her family, her therapists, and the many thousands of people who follow her via her blog, Facebook, and Twitter. 

This book gave me a real, eye-opening picture into the world of autism. What a complicated disorder! I think it's interesting that of the twin girls in the book, Carly and Taryn, one of them had autism and the other did not. That would be tough for the girls, especially for Carly having to see all the things she wasn't able to do or participate in that Taryn could.

I was so glad when Carly, who is nonverbal, was finally able to develop her "voice" through a computer (and later iPad). Technology is amazing! I must say, though, that communicating for Carly isn't as easy as it would be for a normal person without Carly's issues. It's a painstakingly slow process for her and takes a lot of focus and concentration as she tries to refrain from all of the flapping, flailing and hand slapping that she feels compelled to do because of her autism, sensory issues, anxiety, and OCD.

Below is a picture of Carly and her father, Arthur. He wrote the majority of the book, and Carly wrote the last chapter and answered some FAQs.

Carly and her long-time therapist, Howard:

What I've Been Reading

Here are three books I've read this year that I recommend:

SYNOPSIS: Four days before Christmas 1943, a badly damaged American bomber struggled to fly over wartime Germany. At its controls was a 21-year-old pilot. Half his crew lay wounded or dead. It was their first mission. Suddenly, a sleek, dark shape pulled up on the bomber’s tail—a German Messerschmitt fighter. Worse, the German pilot was an ace, a man able to destroy the American bomber in the squeeze of a trigger. What happened next would defy imagination and later be called "the most incredible encounter between enemies in World War II."

This is the true story of the two pilots whose lives collided in the skies that day—the American—2nd Lieutenant Charlie Brown, a former farm boy from West Virginia who came to captain a B-17—and the German—2nd Lieutenant Franz Stigler, a former airline pilot from Bavaria who sought to avoid fighting in World War II. 

"A Higher Call" follows both Charlie's and Franz’s harrowing missions. Charlie would face takeoffs in English fog over the flaming wreckage of his buddies’ planes, flak bursts so close they would light his cockpit, and packs of enemy fighters that would circle his plane like sharks. Franz would face sandstorms in the desert, a crash alone at sea, and the spectacle of 1,000 bombers each with eleven guns, waiting for his attack. Ultimately, Charlie and Franz would stare across the frozen skies at one another. What happened between them, the American 8th Air Force would later classify as “top secret.” It was an act that Franz could never mention or else face a firing squad. It was the encounter that would haunt both Charlie and Franz for forty years until, as old men, they would search for one another, a last mission that could change their lives forever.

This was a great book! My mom read it aloud to me, so I found some of the "action sequences" in the book a little hard to follow since it was so detailed (especially since I couldn't see the words since I wasn't reading it to myself), but it was an exciting read. It's a true story, too, which is my favorite kind of book to read. I bought this book for my grandpa—a World War II veteran, himself—for his 94th birthday this past March, and he and my grandma both enjoyed it, too.

SYNOPSIS: Marie-Laure lives with her father in Paris near the Museum of Natural History, where he works as the master of its thousands of locks. When she is six, Marie-Laure goes blind and her father builds a perfect miniature of their neighborhood so she can memorize it by touch and navigate her way home. When she is twelve, the Nazis occupy Paris and father and daughter flee to the walled citadel of Saint-Malo, where Marie-Laure’s reclusive great-uncle lives in a tall house by the sea. With them they carry what might be the museum’s most valuable and dangerous jewel.

In a mining town in Germany, the orphan Werner grows up with his younger sister, enchanted by a crude radio they find. Werner becomes an expert at building and fixing these crucial new instruments, a talent that wins him a place at a brutal academy for Hitler Youth, then a special assignment to track the resistance. More and more aware of the human cost of his intelligence, Werner travels through the heart of the war and, finally, into Saint-Malo, where his story and Marie-Laure’s converge.

I haven't read a fiction novel in a long time, so it was a nice change from the usual books I read. I liked it and wouldn't mind listening to the audio book again.

SYNOPSIS: Though Anderson Cooper has always considered himself close to his mother, his intensely busy career as a journalist for CNN and CBS affords him little time to spend with her. After she suffers a brief but serious illness at the age of ninety-one, they resolve to change their relationship by beginning a year-long conversation unlike any they had ever had before. The result is a correspondence of surprising honesty and depth in which they discuss their lives, the things that matter to them, and what they still want to learn about each other.

Both a son’s love letter to his mother and an unconventional mom’s life lessons for her grown son, "The Rainbow Comes and Goes" offers a rare window into their close relationship and fascinating life stories, including their tragedies and triumphs. In these often humorous and moving exchanges, they share their most private thoughts and the hard-earned truths they’ve learned along the way. In their words their distinctive personalities shine through—Anderson’s journalistic outlook on the world is a sharp contrast to his mother’s idealism and unwavering optimism.

I love Anderson Cooper, so when I found out that he and his mom had written a book together, I knew I had to read it. A little over a year ago, Anderson and his mother started corresponding over email just to make sure there was nothing left unsaid between them, since his mom is is now in her 90's, and realistically nearing the end of her life. I listened to the audio book, which was read by Anderson and his mother. It was great to be able to hear the inflections in their voices and the emphasis that they put on words, because I think that gave an even better look into their relationship. Anderson's mother has had such an interesting life, that's for sure, but it was also filled with a lot of tragedy and loss. She seems to have overcome most of it, though, and seems like a very strong woman.

"Miracles from Heaven"

I recently read the book Miracles from Heaven by Christy Beam. I love reading true stories about people who have gone through difficult things, but manage to make it through by relying on their faith in God. Here is a brief synopsis of the book:

In a remarkable true story of faith and blessings, a mother tells of her sickly young daughter, how she survived a dangerous accident, her visit to Heaven and the inexplicable disappearance of the symptoms of her chronic disease.

Annabel Beam spent most of her childhood in and out of hospitals with a rare and incurable digestive disorder that prevented her from ever living a normal, healthy life. One sunny day when she was able to go outside and play with her sisters, she fell three stories headfirst inside an old, hollowed-out tree, a fall that may well have caused death or paralysis. Implausibly, she survived without a scratch. While unconscious inside the tree, with rescue workers struggling to get to her, she visited heaven. After being released from the hospital, she defied science and was inexplicably cured of her chronic ailment.

I enjoyed the book, but I thought it was just "okay" overall. I didn't care for how the time kept switching back and forth between different events in the story. I also didn't like the way certain words or phrases were repeated over and over. It was enjoyable enough, though, and I would still recommend it to others.

This is the Beam family standing by the cottonwood tree Annabel fell into. (For some reason, the gigantic tree was/is hollow inside. It's amazing that it could still grow, despite the fact that it is hollow.)

A couple months ago, I heard that this book was being made into a movie starring Jennifer Garner and Queen Latifah, so I'm looking forward to seeing it, to see what it's like.

The first picture below is a pic of Christy Beam and Jennifer Garner at the movie premiere (Jennifer played Christy in the movie). Below that is a picture of the Beam family, along with Jennifer Garner, TD Jakes, and two other men responsible for making this movie).

"My Name Used to Be Muhammad"

My mom and I recently finished reading a great book together called My Name Used to Be Muhammad: The True Story of a Muslim Who Became a Christian. It's the true story of Tito Momen (whose birth name was Muhammad Momen). He was born in Nigeria, and raised to observe the strict teachings of Islam. His father woke him up before 5 AM each morning so that he could go to the mosque with the other men in the village for morning prayers.

At age 5, Tito started his training to memorize the Qur'an, and had to copy it word for word. His father had the dream for him to be an imam in their village, so groomed him for the role and was very hard on him. He was extremely strict and physically abusive, and wouldn't let Tito do activities that he enjoyed, like play soccer or do artwork.

When Tito went away to college, he started doing things that were not in line the Muslim religion, like smoking, drinking, going to clubs and womanizing. His father wasn't too happy when he found out. Things got worse when Tito began learning more about, and ultimately converted to, Christianity. (He was baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.) Tito's father disowned him after finding out about his conversion to Christianity. Tito was arrested for his decision to convert, as well. (The officials lied and made a false report that Tito was trafficking drugs.) Tito was sentenced to life in prison, and spent the next 15 years in an uncivilized Egyptian prison.

Tito petitioned Hosni Mubarak, the president of Egypt, for clemency several times and wrote letters explaining his situation and how he had been charged with a crime he didn't commit, but it was no use, and his petitions were always denied. Tito tried to remain positive and upbeat, despite his less than favorable circumstances. Thankfully, he was finally released from prison after 15 years. When Tito stood before a judge afterwards, the judge asked him if his decision to convert had been worth it. Tito knew that it may have been a trick question, but he answered honestly and said that if he had to do it all over again, he would still convert to Christianity.

This was a great book about one man following his mind and heart when it came to what he believes. I definitely recommend it!

Tito (on the right) and Jeff Benedict (on the left). They worked together on the book.

"Measure of a Man"

My mom bought me the book Measure of a Man for Christmas, and we read it last month. It's the true story of Martin Greenfield, one of the greatest and well-known tailors of our time. He's dressed everyone from A-list celebrities to famous sports figures to presidents. He is one of the busiest suit makers around, and his company has even made the wardrobes for the characters in many recent movies like, The Great Gatsby, Argo, The Wolf of Wall Street and the television series, Boardwalk Empire.

But before Martin was a successful tailor to the rich and famous, he was Maximilian Grunfeld. He was born on August 9, 1928, in Pavlovo, Czechoslovakia. In 1944, when Martin was just 15, Nazi soldiers surrounded the tiny village where Martin and his family lived. The Jews were given one hour to pack up their belongings before being loaded onto cattle cars and shipped to Auschwitz. Upon arriving at the concentration camp, Martin was separated from his family. His parents, grandparents and siblings (two older sisters and a younger brother) were all taken away, and Martin never saw them again. He later found out that they were all put to death.

Grunfeld family (minus the baby brother)

Martin told a story in the book about one day when he was sent from camp (he'd been reassigned from Auschwitz to Buchenwald) to do some repairs on one of the bombed out mansions in the nearby city of Weimar. After arriving at the damaged house (which belonged to the mayor of Weimar), he walked around to the back of the estate to survey the damage to see what all needed to be repaired. He saw the cellar door ajar, so he walked inside and saw a crate with two rabbits in it. He saw a nub of carrot and some rotten lettuce in the crate; the remains of the rabbits' dinner from the night before. He wolfed down the lettuce and reached for the piece of carrot. Just then, the mayor's wife caught him in the act. Martin tried to hide the fact that he was eating the rabbits' food because he knew he would be in serious trouble. He pleaded with the mayor's wife to have mercy on him, but she scolded him and ordered one of the Nazi soldiers to beat him. As Martin walked back to Buchenwald, he replayed the scenario in his head. He was so incensed at the cruelty of the woman that he vowed to return and kill her if he made it out of Buchenwald alive.

On April 11, 1945, Buchenwald was liberated by the Allied forces. Martin talked about the thrill of seeing the Allied soldiers (specifically General Dwight D. Eisenhower) march through the camp announcing that the Jews were free. Martin had made a promise to himself, so he found a deserted machine gun and went back to the mayor of Weimar's house. When he crept inside the house, the woman called out, "Hello?" When the woman came into view, Martin raised the machine gun, aimed it at the woman's chest and said, “You had me beaten because of the rabbits. I’m here to shoot you!” The woman froze in her tracks and started protesting. Just then, the woman's baby (which was in her arms) wailed. Martin's finger hovered above the trigger, but he just couldn’t go through with it. He said that that was the moment he became human again. All of the teachings from his youth came rushing back to him. He'd been raised to believe that life was a precious gift from God, and that women and children must be protected. He lowered the machine gun and left.

When Martin was in one of the concentration camps, he was assigned to work in the laundry. One day he was washing of one of the Nazi uniforms when he scrubbed the collar too hard and it tore. Martin was beaten for this, of course, but when the Nazi soldier left, one of the other Jews working in the laundry taught him how to mend the shirt. This was Martin's first experience with sewing. Martin emigrated to America two years after the war ended, and he lived with some long-lost relatives. This was when he anglicized his name from Maximilian Grunfeld to Martin Greenfield in an attempt to give himself a fresh start. He started working for GGG Clothing, one of the largest clothing manufacturers of its day. Martin started working as a floor boy, and worked his way from the ground floor up. He worked hard over the years, climbing the ranks and doing whatever he could to be the best hand made tailor he could. 30 years later, Martin bought the GGG factory. He's still running it to this day, with his sons, Jay and Tod. Incredible!

One thing I loved most about Martin is his love of family. He talked about his absolute disdain for people who take their family for granted and cut them off with almost no thought for the precious gift they are discarding. Martin would have given ANYthing to have even one of his family members back, after all of them had been murdered. It made him so angry to think of people choosing to disown their own family members. When Martin moved to America he couldn't wait to get married and have children, and he truly longed for the day when he would get his second chance to have a family. That's why I think it's so special that Martin and his sons work together.

Measure of a Man was such a great book. I had to leave out SO many details, but just know that this book is definitely worth the read. Martin is one fascinating, talented and hard-working man!

Picture of Martin, shortly before emigrating to America (front, left in suit). Below that is a picture of Martin and his wife, Arlene, who Martin married in 1956.

Martin has dressed at least three presidents. Here is with President Clinton, and then Martin and his two sons with President Obama:

"After the Fire"

I recently read After the Fire: A True Story of Friendship and Survival by Robin Gaby Fisher. At Seton Hall University there was a terrible fire in the early morning hours of January 19, 2000. Three students died in the fire and 58 others were injured, including two freshman roommates, Shawn Simons and Alvaro Llanos. They had only known each other for a few months but had become fast friends. When they awoke to the sound of the fire alarm on that freezing cold morning they wondered if it was just another prank since there had been lots of false alarms from students pulling the alarm, but they decided they better get up, get dressed and check things out. When Shawn opened the door he was overwhelmed with thick, black smoke. This was NOT a false alarm.

Shawn got down on his hands and knees and turned to the right out of his and Alvaro's dorm room and headed in the direction of the elevator. This was a mistake since turning left would've taken Shawn and Alvaro (Al) to the stairs, and ultimately to freedom, but Shawn, overcome by smoke and fear, was disoriented. He would be plagued with guilt for this decision for a long time since this mistake had lifelong consequences for himself and Alvaro. Shawn and Alvaro miraculously survived, but both were burned very badly. Shawn sustained burns on his hands and face and Alvaro was burned beyond recognition. In fact, Alvaro's girlfriend Angie was screaming his name at the outside entrance of the dormitory just hoping he would make it out alive. Yet, when she saw a man clumsily staggering down the stairs with oozing, bubbling skin that had been charred in the fire, the remnants of his clothing still flaming, she didn't even recognize that it was Alvaro, the young man she'd come to know so well.

Shawn and Alvaro were both rushed to Saint Barnabas Hospital, which was known for having the best burn unit around. Both young men spent quite a while in the burn unit, especially Alvaro, who spent the first 90 days post fire in a coma while his body healed. He underwent daily "tankings" where his burned skin was debrided and his dressings were changed in a room called "the tank." (Debridement is the removal of damaged tissue from a wound.) Imagine having that raw, tender skin rubbed to get the dead tissue off. It's an excruciating but necessary part of the healing process. Even though Alvaro was in a drug-induced coma and was giving a big dose of morphine before going to the tank, the pain still registered (something I found astonishing). Tears would escape from his eyelids, which had been stitched shut, and would rundown his face. The nurses would sing to Alvaro to try to sooth him or would cry right along with him. Others got sick to their stomach. Then they would get him bandaged up, only to do it all over again 24 hours later. This continued for weeks.

Shawn didn't have to stay in the burn unit nearly as long as Alvaro since he wasn't burned as severely (only on 16% of his body compared to Al's 58%). When Shawn was well enough to leave Saint Barnabas he hadn't been allowed to see Alvaro, despite repeatedly asking, so on the day Shawn left he said, "I have to see Alvaro." He was finally allowed to see Al, who was still comatose. When Alvaro regained consciousness and was lucid, Shawn was one of the first people to visit. Shawn and Alvaro already had a strong friendship before the fire, but the tragedy they went through made their bond even stronger. They were able to help each other get through things in a way no one else could since they had been through the same thing and were experiencing many of the same emotions and feelings.

Here are some pictures documenting Shawn's and Alvaro's recoveries after the fire. These Pulitzer Prize-winning photos were taken by Matt Rainey. Thank you, Matt, for your permission to use your amazing photos in my post. And thank you to The Star-Ledger, too. The first picture shows Shawn and his mother embracing, and the second picture shows Shawn's hands, which were burned severely as he crawled along the ground in the blazing fire.

This is Alvero. Al was on a ventilator to breathe for him while he was comatose. In the next picture Shawn is visiting Al, who was still bandaged from head to toe.

The next picture shows Alvaro and Angie, his girlfriend at the time. Poor Al – he had lost so much weight after being in a coma for so long. He was still very weak at this point and his scarred skin was still healing. In the next picture you can see how scarred Shawn's hands were after being burned – something he was very self-conscious of.

Shawn turned 19 and is pictured with his mother and Alvaro. In the next picture Shawn and Al are at a Mets game. They share a love of baseball, but cheer for different teams. Shawn for the Yankees and Al for the Mets.

The fire was nearly 15 years ago. Where are they now? They are still close friends. Both graduated from college. It took a little longer than the four years they expected it to take when they started college, but they both did it. Shawn and Al are both married with kids. Alvaro was afraid he would never find anyone to love him with his scarred appearance, but he found a wonderful young woman named Paula who was able to see past his scars. Shawn and Al have gone on the speaking circuit and have visited lots of colleges since After the Fire was published in 2008. I would love to hear them speak because I'm sure it would be very inspiring.

Shawn, Alvaro and their wives with the director of the documentary film that was made about the fire, and then Shawn and Al with Robin Gaby Fisher, author of After the Fire:

Shawn and Al at two of their speaking engagements. For as badly as they were burned they both look amazing, especially Alvaro:

You might be wondering what caused the fire. It was an act of arson. A banner in the student's lounge was intentionally lit on fire as a prank, which ignited a couch and rapidly spread. In less than five minutes the dormitory was in a blaze with temperatures reaching 1500°F. The two students who started the fire, Sean Ryan and Joseph LePore, lived across the hall from Shawn and Alvaro. After Sean and Joseph started the fire, they fled the building, even though they knew the dormitory was full of sleeping students. There was a big cover-up with two other students who knew of Sean and Joseph's culpability, and a pact was formed between the four of them to never tell anyone who started the fire.

The arson investigation went on for three years before Sean and Joseph were indicted. Police even bugged Sean Ryan's house and his parents and sister were aware that Sean started the fire, but they lied to the police when questioned about Sean's involvement. Sean and Joseph never showed any remorse, and did nothing to help evacuate the dorm. I can understand making a mistake, but their cocky smugness and cowardice was inexcusable. On November 15, 2006, Sean and Joseph admitted that they had set the fire that led to three deaths and injuries to dozens more and pleaded guilty to third-degree arson. In January 2007 they were sentenced to five years in a youth correctional facility. Both are now on parole. I really hope Sean and Joseph learned something valuable from their time in the correctional facility and will live better lives.

This was an excellent book that really hit home. I could relate to Shawn's and Alvaro's experiences in many ways since I've been through my own life-changing transformation after going through a very traumatic situation. I also have secondhand experience with burns and all that they entail since both of my younger sisters are burn survivors and have had lots of surgeries to repair and maintain their scarred skin. There were so many things about this book that I didn't go into, so if it sounds interesting to you I highly recommend getting the book and reading the entire thing.

"Oliver Twist"

I finished listening to Oliver Twist this past weekend. How I love Charles Dickens! I was always too intimidated to give long classics a chance, until a few years ago. I'm so glad I changed my mind because I've discovered some real gems. I was familiar with the story of Oliver Twist since I've seen movie versions of it before, but it's always nice to read the real thing. I also read Spark Notes' synopsis of each chapter and analysis of each section which is always illuminating. I'm pretty dense and there's a lot I don't pick up on until it's pointed out to me.

I liked Oliver Twist very much, although I didn't enjoy it as much as Great Expectations. In Dickens' stories there are always characters that are really good and pure (like Oliver and Rose), some that are downright vile (like Sikes and Fagin) and others and that fall somewhere in between. It was a great story with a happy ending. I suppose it's unrealistic to have everyone get what they deserve, but it's kind of nice. There's enough sadness and unfairness in the world. I kind of like unrealistically happy endings. :)

I've seen several different adaptations of Oliver Twist, but the one below is my favorite. It was made in 2007 and it's really well done. It's about three hours long, so it's a little more detailed and true to the book than some of the other ones I've seen. I think the different actors that portray the characters do a really good job, too. I'm excited to watch this again now that I've finished listening to the book.