Thoughts on Anne With An E

So, Anne With An E...where do I begin?

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier: Season 1

Combining politics and comic books may seem like a new concept. However, comic books have been used to bring awareness to political issues such as alcoholism, drug abuse, assault and many others for years. So, it's no surprise that The Falcon and the Winter Soldier hit upon several hot topic political problems. Racism, world borders and immigration are all explored within the context of the MCU. While there was a slight liberal and woke slant to Falcon and Winter Soldier, I felt that it dealt with political concerns in a fair and balanced way. 

Goodreads Reviews: Easy Company Soldier

 

Easy Company Soldier: The Legendary Battles of a Sergeant from World War II's "Band of Brothers" by Don Malarkey

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

 Donald Malarkey's life as a young boy from Astoria, Oregon was oftentimes marked with hardship. His alcoholic father abandoned his family, leaving Don responsible to help his mother and siblings. This had a profound effect on him, but Don's lively imagination of adventures and danger saw him through. In spite of his father's absence, Donald took great pride in his two uncles who died as war heroes in World War I and were inspirations for him to join the paratroopers. Marlarkeys never quit was the family motto and Don lived by that everyday.

In 1942, Don was drafted, even though he previously failed a Marine physical. After some persuasion from a friend, Don agreed to volunteer for the new army experiment, the paratroopers. As a child Don dreamt of adventure, a life far away from his quiet one in Oregon. When he arrived in Toccoa, Georgia, adventure into the unknown is exactly what he got.

Don Malarkey chronicles his military service through candid stories of the friendships he forged, the demanding physical training he endured and the horrors he witnessed. Donald was well liked and respected by all of the men in Easy Company and he had a wide circle of friends. Slowly, Don sees them killed, wounded and descend into madness. As the Battle of Bulge raged on, Don's own sanity begins to waver, but he always remains steadfast and devoted to his duty.

Of all the men in Easy Company, Donald saw more combat than anyone else. He was the definitive Taccoa veteran. Training under Sobel and running Currahee, Malarkey parachuted into Normandy and the Netherlands; staying for the duration of their liberations (about 40 days each). He fought in Bastogne, Foy and Hagganau. By the time the men were on their way to Germany to capture Hitler's Eagle's Nest, Don was almost mentally and emotionally unstable and was told to stay behind. All the fighting and suffering he endured and he never got to reap the rewards. However, Don was ready to go home.

Transitioning wasn't easy for Malarkey, but as always, he fought through the hard times, the painful memories and the PTSD. He married a wonderful woman he met in college and had a happy family life. Don's writing is so personal and by the end of the book I felt like I had gained a friend in him. He didn't shirk away from the mental pain he had experienced, but he had held it inside for many years as well. Easy Company Soldier is possibly the most personal and emotionally driven. Very few books have ever made me cry. This one did. If you only ever read one book about Easy Company, then this one should be it.

School Ties

 

One would think that after the atrocities that Hitler committed against the Jewish Race and evidence of the Holocaust, the world would have been more sympathetic, understanding and less hostile to the Jews. However, to the upper elite of Massachusetts, anti-Semitism runs as deep as their pockets and as strong as their bloodlines. It's a prejudice that runs from generation to generation. Children parrot off their parents, not fully understanding what they're going on about and too narrowminded to educate themselves about what they're criticizing. 

Truth can be one of the most wounding and hurtful virtues. To hide the truth is painful, to reveal the truth can be detrimental, but to understand the truth can be impossible. For a young man with all the potential in the world to be the absolute best, the truth of who he is will make or break him in a society that disregards any sense of difference.

A Knight's Tale

Loosely inspired by the works of Geoffrey Chaucer, A Knight's Tale is an exceptionally fun and riotous film about a young man who dared to defy social convention and do the impossible. Create an honorable knight from a penniless squire. A veritable array of comedy, drama, action and romance, I really didn't know what to expect when I first watched A Knight's Tale, but as soon as Queen's "We Will Rock You" started playing...I realized that this story was going to be anything but historically accurate. 

Good-bye Prince Philip

April 9, 2021

Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh died this morning.

He was 99 years old.

He leaves behind his wife of 73 years, Queen Elizabeth II.

4 children - Prince Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward

8 grandchildren - Peter Phillips, Zara Tindall, Prince William, Prince Harry, Princess Beatrice, Princess Eugenie, Lady Louise and James, Viscount Severn

10 great grandchildren - Savannah Phillips, Isla Phillips, Mia Tindall, Lena Tindall, Lucas Tindall, Prince George Cambridge, Princess Charlotte Cambridge, Prince Louis Cambridge, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor and August Brooksbank

Prince Philip is the longest reigning consort in history.

The Duke of Edinburgh was devoted to his Queen, his family and his country.

The man lived an extraordinary and exceptional life as a royal.

Good-bye wonderful, handsome prince.

The World is Watching (SPOILERS)

 I just finished episode 4 of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and while it tended to drag in some areas, it was exceptional in others. Especially with Bucky

Of High Stakes and Daring Deeds Epic Story Month//Tag and Giveaway

Bounce on over to Heidi's site to take part in her month long blog party! 

Read about her guidelines as to her description to an epic storyline H E R E.

The Narrative of a Christian Feminist

Can a woman be both a Christian and a feminist? Yes, I believe she can. Not rabid 3rd wave feminism, but rather the idea that men and women can be seen and treated as equals in the eyes of God, while still fulfilling the respective roles that God created for them.

After I wrote The Narrative of an Early Bloomer last year, I noticed that several of the comments talked about the Church and the double standards it has set between boys and girls, and men and women. Some of them really let their feelings and opinions out there in my comments section and I'm glad they did. Early Bloomer was about myself, however, this post will take what I read in the comments and address the Church and the damage it has done to generations of women.

Happy Easter!