A very young survivor

Survivors Club: The True Story of a Very Young Prisoner of Auschwitz ~ by Michael Bornstein and Debbie Bornstein Holinstat, 2017, memoir, xviii + 348 pages

In 1945, in a now-famous piece of World War II archival footage, four-year-old Michael Bornstein was filmed by Soviet soldiers as he was being carried out of Auschwitz in his grandmother’s arms.  This is the unforgettable story of how a father’s courageous wit, a mother’s fierce love, and one perfectly timed illness saved his life, and how others in his family from Zarki, Poland, dodged death at the hands of the Nazis time and again with incredible deftness.

In case you were wondering, Michael Bornstein survived for seven months inside Auschwitz, where the average lifespan of a child was just two weeks.  Six years after his liberation, he immigrated to the United States.  He graduated from Fordham University, earned his Ph.D. from the University of Iowa, and worked in pharmaceutical research and development for more than forty years.  Now retired, he lives with his wife in New York City and speaks frequently to schools and other groups about his experiences in the Holocaust.

Working from his own recollections as well as extensive interviews with relatives and survivors who knew the family, Michael relates his story with the help of his daughter, Debbie Bornstein Holinstat.  Shocking, heartbreaking, and ultimately uplifting and inspirational, this narrative nonfiction offers an indelible depiction of what happened to one Polish village in the wake of the German invasion in 1939.

Note from Bonnie:  Even though this is written for ages 10-14, reviewers say this memoir should be read by everybody.  As I was re-shelving library books here at the Crown Center for Senior Living, I noticed this book and checked it out to read myself.

The library's book bike returned to Crown Center

The University City Library's Book Bike came to the Crown Center again yesterday, so I searched online for an illustration.  Surprise!  The very first one that came up (above) is from an earlier visit, and I'm in the photo:  Kevin (left) rode the bike from the library, Bonnie is seated in the doorway, and Melvin is standing.  On one side of the book bike are free books for us that are no longer in circulation or donations not needed, and on the other side are books to check out using our library cards.  Yesterday, Kevin parked the Book Bike just inside our lobby door, rather than in that corner.  After people took the books they wanted yesterday, Kevin let me take four for the Crown Center library.

Thursday Thoughts

The Soul of a Woman ~ by Isabel Allende, 2021, memoir, 192 pages, 10/10

"When I say that I was a feminist in kindergarten, I am not exaggerating," Isabel Allende begins this book.  As a child, she watched her mother, abandoned by her husband, prvide for her three small children witout "resources or voice."  Isabel became a fierce and defiant little girl, determined to fight for the life her mother couldn't have.

As a young woman coming of age in the late 1960s, she rode the second wave of feminism.  Among a tribe of like-minded female journalists, Allende for the first time felt comfortable in her own skin, as they wrote "with a knife between our teeth" about women's issues.  She has seen what the movement has accomplished in the course of her lifetime.  And over the course of three passionate marriages, she has learned how to grow as a woman while having a partner, when to step away, and the rewards of embracing one's sexuality.

So what feeds the soul of feminists -- and all women -- today?  To be safe, to be valued, to live in peace, to have their own resources, to be connected, to have control over their bodies and lives, and above all, to be loved.  On all these fronts, there is much work yet to be done, and this book, Allende hopes, will "light the torches of our daughters and granddaughters with mine.  They will have to live for us, as we lived for our mothers, and carry on with the work still left to be finished."

A book recommended by Nancy, of Bookfoolery

A Well-Trained Wife: My Escape from Christian Patriarchy ~ by Tia Levings, 2026, memoir, 304 pages

Recruited into the fundamentalist Quiverfull movement as a young wife, Tia Levings learned that being a good Christian meant following a list of additional life principles –– a series of secret, special rules to obey.  Being a godly and submissive wife in Christian Patriarchy included strict discipline, isolation, and an alternative lifestyle that appeared wholesome to outsiders.  Women were to be silent, “keepers of the home.”

Tia knew that to their neighbors her family was strange, but she also couldn't risk exposing their secret lifestyle to police, doctors, teachers, or anyone outside of their church.  Christians were called in scripture to be "in the world, not of it."  So, she hid in plain sight as years of abuse and pain followed.  When Tia realized she was the only one who could protect her children from becoming the next generation of patriarchal men and submissive women, she began to resist and question how they lived.  But in the patriarchy, a woman with opinions is in danger, and eventually, Tia faced an urgent and extreme choice:  stay and face dire consequences, or flee with her children.

A Well-Trained Wife is an unforgettable and timely memoir about a woman's race to save herself and her family and details the ways that extreme views can manifest in a marriage.  Nancy wrote about this book on her blog, HERE.

Sir Percy of Marmalade is Bookfool's new kitten.

Oh, wait, now there are two:  Percy and Pippin.

Friendship Day ~ international or national? Hmm

In the United States, National Friendship Day is celebrated on the first Sunday of August, which is August 2nd this year.  So you may ask why I'm posting about it today, which is neither Sunday nor quite yet August.  Well, the official date for the International Day of Friendship is July 30 every year, as proclaimed by the United Nations in 2011.  However, different countries celebrate it on other dates, such as the first Sunday of August in places like India and the United States.

Okay, that's confusing.  Now what?  I suggest we celebrate it twice, if possible.  Call or get together with a friend (or two or three) today, and then do it again on Sunday.  What should you do when you get together?  Well, what would you like to do?  You could share memories or do something fun together.  If you live near me in St. Louis, text me and maybe we can meet in our Circle@Crown Café here.  (If you want a few other ideas, click to enlarge the illustration above.)

Thinking about rules, empathy, and decisions

I read a BuzzFeed article (dated July 15, 2026) about sentences that changed people's lives and found two that I want to share here for us to think about today:

12.  "Rules are meant to maintain order, but empathy is meant to maintain humanity." — chellebelle079

24.  "When you are born, you look like your parents.  When you die, you look like your decisions." — allegra918

Lunch with a friend

Today, my friend Jane drove over from a nearby town to have lunch with me in our Circle@Crown Café.  She's moving soon and won't live as far away.  Maybe it will be easier for her to visit with me.

Jodi Picoult recommends a big book that is not yet published

Bad Words ~ by Rioghnach Robinson, 2026 (October), literary fiction, 400 pages

Parker Navarro’s debut novel was meant to define his career — until critic Selina Chan’s blistering review made it the flop of the decade.  Four years later, his new book is his shot at redemption; for Selina, reviewing him again is a professional risk she can’t refuse.  When her second takedown ignites a viral feud, both their fortunes shift overnight.  But as the literary world feeds on their public sparring, a quieter dialogue begins — one that challenges everything they thought they knew about success, sincerity, and each other.

Both incisive and tender, Bad Words lays bare the costs of creation — the pull between ambition and integrity, the vulnerability of being seen, and the unexpected closeness that can grow in the space between critique and care.  When words can make or break us, how do you stay true to what matters most?

Bonnie's Note:  When my favorite author recommends a book, I leave myself a note to be sure to read it when it is published.  I have to wait until October, not quite half a year.

Today I'm pondering a short story

Today I attended a short story discussion about "The Doctor's Wife" by John Updike.  It involved reading that short story together and then talking about it.  There were only eight of us in the group with our two leaders.  Last month, we listened to those two leaders read "The Necklace" by Guy du Maupassant, but we had no copies to read along.  We couldn't retain details and discuss it very well, having no copies in hand that we could refer to and quote from.  This was better, but we had different font sizes on the copies for those who needed big print.  That meant we couldn't refer to what's on different pages because our copies didn't have the same number of pages.

"The Doctor's Wife" was first published in The New Yorker in 1961, according to Writing Atlas, HERE, where you can also read a plot summary of the 5,400-word story after this overview:

On the beaches of a remote British Caribbean Island, a mixed-race family enjoys a relaxing vacation.  However, a simple conversation with a local white woman about the island soon evolves into one of introspection and racial discrimination.

Eleanor Roosevelt (1884-1962)

Eleanor, Quiet No More: The Life of Eleanor Roosevelt (Book 4 of 12) ~ by Doreen Rappaport, illustrated by Gary Kelley, 2009, children's biography, 48 pages, 9/10

Eleanor Roosevelt was raised in a privileged but stern Victorian household, with an affectionate but mostly absent father and a critical mother who made fun of her daughter's looks.  Alone and lonely for much of her childhood, Eleanor found solace in books and in the life of her lively and independent mind.  Her intellectual gifts and compassionate heart won her the admiration of many friends — and the love of her future husband, Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

While other young women of her class were spending time at dances and parties, Eleanor devoted her energies to teaching children in New York City's poorest neighborhoods.  Later, she became the most socially and politically active — and controversial — First Lady America had ever seen.  Ambassador, activist, and champion of civil rights, Eleanor Roosevelt changed the soul of America forever.

I wrote about this book years ago, HERE, and got it from the library to read again.  Click the yellow link for a story that you may like.  Be sure to read the comments, too.

Being foolish

We're into April now.  Yesterday, the first day of the month, is widely known as April Fool's Day, when children play pranks on each other.  I remember doing it as a school girl.  One year, when I attended summer camp, a fun event was for each of us to dress up to represent something about the month we were born.  I no longer remember what anyone else did, but I do recall dressing as an April Fool.  What I remember is wearing my jeans and shirt turned wrong-side out, so that the tags were on the outside.  By acting "foolish," I won the contest.

A new bus for the Crown Center

When I first saw this bus today, Tim (who manages the property) was walking toward me with some people who don't live here or work here.  I saw him later with other employees and asked, "Do we have a new Crown Center bus?"  Yes, we do!  The old one was maroon and white (my high school colors), but this bus is blue and white.  Tim asked me, "Are you going to write about it?"  Hmm, that thought had not yet occured to me, but most people know I'm a blogger and it does sound like a good idea to tell the whole world about new stuff.  So here's our new blue-and-white Crown Center bus.

Thinking about books, as usual

I'm thinking about the million donated books that have piled up on my table in the kitchen.  Well, maybe not quite a million, but more than a thousand.  Why?  Because when people die, their relatives often donate their books to our little library.  Since I am currently the only librarian working here (for free, as in volunteering my time), it means people (even current residents) often ask me how they can donate books.  During our recent renovation of the library, no books were being processed.  And we (including me) had no access.  So I ended up collecting them on my table (make that plural, as in tables).  And on the floor around the table.  And in boxes under the table.  And taking up part of my desk top.  I can barely move, folks!

Pondering some proverbs today

Chinese Proverbs ~ by Ruthanne Lum McCunn, illustrated by You Shan Tang, 1991, sayings, 58 pages, 

From a culture rich in advice and thought, this little book is a collection  of centuries of traditional wisdom.  Each proverb is illustrated along with words in both English and Chinese.  This saying made me smile and nod in agreement:

"Do not wait until you're thirsty to dig a well" (p. 42).

Here's another:  "An old horse knows the way" (p. 36).  As you can see, it's short and the whole book can be read in a few minutes.  If you stop to ponder each saying that is included, it could take a bit longer.  Maybe that's the whole point.

A novel of friendship, food, and books

Kate & Frida: A Novel of Friendship, Food, and Books (Love & Saffron Series) ~ by Kim Fay, 2025, epistolary fiction, 288 pages (316 pages in LP)

Sometimes a book can change your life . . .  Frida Rodriguez arrives in Paris in 1991, relishing the city’s butter-soaked cuisine and seeking her future as a war correspondent.  But when she writes to a bookshop in Seattle, she receives more than just the book she requests.  A friendship begins that will redefine the person she thought she wanted to become.

Seattle bookseller Kate Fair is transformed by Frida’s free spirit, spurred to believe in herself as a writer, to kiss her handsome coworker, and to find beauty even in loss.  Through the most tumultuous years of their lives — personally and globally — Kate and Frida’s friendship sustains and nourishes them as they show each other how to overcome self-doubt and the necessity of embracing joy, especially through our darkest hours.

This novel is a love letter to bookshops and booksellers, to the way stories shape how we perceive ourselves, to the passion we bring to life in our twenties, and to the last precious years before the internet changed everything.

I like an online comment yhat says this is "a book about trying to find joy despite the heaviness of life."

You've got to have heart, as the tin man said

National Wear Red Day is on the first Friday of February (so on February 6th in 2026).  The day is to raise awareness that cardio-vascular disease is the #1 killer of women.  Wearing red encourages women to know their risks and prioritize heart health.  I had open-heart surgery on February 19, 2009, with four bypasses.  I blogged about it HERE, if you want to know details and what my blogging friends said.  So wear red tomorrow.

Thinking about my visits to Virginia

Big Stone Gap ~ by Adriana Trigiani, 2000, literary fiction, 272 pages

It's 1978, and Ave Maria Mulligan is the thirty-five-year-old self-proclaimed spinster of Big Stone Gap, a sleepy hamlet in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia.  She’s also the local pharmacist, the co-captain of the Rescue Squad, and the director of The Trail of the Lonesome Pine, the town’s long-running Outdoor Drama.  Ave Maria is content with her life — until, one fateful day, her past opens wide with the revelation of a long-buried secret that will alter the course of her life.  Before she knows it, Ave Maria is fielding marriage proposals, trying to claim her rightful inheritance, and planning the trip of a lifetime to Italy — one that will change her view of the world and her own place in it forever.

*Note:  I've been meaning to read this one for a decade or two.  Big Stone Gap, where the author was born, is a real place.  I've been in that area of southwest Virginia, and now I am ready to "travel" there in fiction.

Doing Action for Happiness again ~ Happier January

Click to enlarge the calendar so you can see each day's idea.  Today's says, "Find three things to look forward to this year."  Okay, I'm thinking and putting them here for my Thursday Thoughts.  What do I look forward to?

    1.  I look forward to warm weather again.

    2.  I look forward to making new friends.

    3.  I look forward to making life better for someone.

Thoughts for the New Year

Well, this is the day I start reading a page a day of quotes selected by Andy Cohen that I told you about recently, HERE.  Glitter Every Day is filled with quotes that inspired the author.

On the very first day, he quotes his own mother!  I think she was probably happy her son actually paid attention to what she said, and now I wonder if my own children remember things I said to them when they were young.

A thought that I first posted in 2014 in answer to a question

If you were to write under a pseudonym, what might that be, and is there a story behind that name?

Maybe Lillian Rose.  Lillian actually IS one of my names, and in the 1990s I used Lillian Rose just to see if I could "be" someone else in an online discussion with a group of my friends.  I "signed" my chat room name something like this:

Lillian @>-->---