Spell the Month in Books - June

Reviews From the Stacks

For 2025 I have decided to have a go at Spell the Month in Books which is hosted at Reviews From the Stacks. The link party opens on the first Saturday of the month, but I won't be posting until after that as I already have other things scheduled every Saturday and for the first two Sundays of the month. I will be sharing this post with Sunday Salon hosted at Readerbuzz.

The idea is that you use the title of books to spell the month name. The theme  for June is Books that you found or currently see at the library! Once again I am grateful to my past self who used to record where her books came from and so I was able to find my books for this prompt. These days I record it in a different place.

So here are my choices for June

Jasper Jones by Craig Silvey - This is a coming of age story set in Western Australia. I liked this one but I still haven't read anything more by him!

Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand - I remember being so moved by this book. 

Naked in Death by J.D. Robb - I read the first 18 books in this series, and then just kind of stopped without really meaning too. It does astonish me that there are currently 60 books in the series with at least another two to come. Given that J D Robb also writes as Nora Roberts, it's pretty astonishing really. (My review)

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell - Oh, this book! When I was doing this post I went back and found my review of this book. Sometimes, when I read old reviews I am surprised by them, and so it was with this review! The book clearly impacted me at the time.(My Review)

July's theme is Set in a fantasy world or fictional place.

Will you be joining us?

A POW Christmas

I was so excited when I saw who had signed up for today's Virtual Advent tour. I didn't however want to make a fuss over at the actual Virtual Advent blog because, you know, I didn't want to add any extra pressure or make anyone else who is contributing feel underappreciated! So I am going to have to make the fuss here.

Oh my goodness! Susanna Kearsley is participating in the Virtual Advent tour today!!!

Okay....can calm down again now!

Now that is out of the way, here is my quote for today, which follows on from yesterdays quote from Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand.



From pages 268-269 of Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand

On Christmas Eve, some Red Cross packages were finally handed out. Louie wrote triumphantly of it in his diary. His box, weighing some eleven pounds, contained corned beef, cheese, pate, salmon, butter, jam, chocolate, prunes, and four packs of Chesterfields. All evening long, the men of Omori traded goods, smoked and gorged themselves.

That night, there was another treat, and it came about as the result of a series of curious events. Among the POWs was a chronically unwahsed, ingeneous, and possibly insane kleptomaniac named Mansfield. Shortly beforeChristmas, Mansfield broke into the storehouse - slipping past seven guards - and made off with several Red Cross packages, which he buried under his barracks. Discovering his cache, guards locked him in a cell. Mansfield broke out, stole sixteen more parcels, and snuck them back into his cell. He hid the contents of the packages in a secret compartment he'd fashioned himself, marking the door with a message for other POWs: Food, help yourself, lift here. Caught again, he was tied to a tree in the snow without food or water, wearing only pajamas and beaten. By one account, he was left there for ten days. Late one night, when Louie was walking back from the benjo, he saw the camp interpreter, Yukichi Kano, kneeling beside Mansfiedl, draping a blanket over him. The next morning, the blanket was gone, retrieved before the Bird could see it. Eventually, Mansfield was untied and taken to a civilian prison, where he flourished.

The one good consequence of this event was that in the storehouse, Mansfield had discovered a Red Cross theatrical trunk. He told other POWs about it, and this gave the men the idea of boosting morale by staging a Christmas play. They secured the Bird's approval by stroking his ego, naming him "master of ceremonies" and giving him a throne at the front of the "theater" - the bathhouse - outfitted with planks perched on washtubs to serve as a stage. The men decided to put on a musical production of Cinderella, written, with creative liberties, by a British POW. Frank Tinker put his operatic gifts to work as Prince Leander of Pantoland. The Fairy Godmother was played by a mountainout cockney Brit dressed in a tutu and tights. Characters included Lady Dia Riere and Lady Gonna Riere. Louie thought it was the funniest thing he'd ever seen. Private Kano translated for the guards, who sat in the back, laughing and clapping. The Bird gloried in the limelight, and for that night, he let Louie and the others be.

At Zentsuji, Christmas came to Phil and Fred Garrett. Some POWs scrounged up musical instruments  and assembled in the camp. Before seven hundred starving men, they played rousing music as the men sang along. They ended with the national anthems of England, Holland, and the United States. The Zentsuji POWs stood together at attention in silence, thinking of home.

A war time Christmas

Today's quote comes from Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand. Her book tells of a young Olympian who is taken as a prisoner of war during World War II. Not only did I choose this passage because of the sentiment within the context of the the book, but also to take a moment to honour those who will be away from their families this Christmas because they are serving their countries.

It is not too late to join in the tour this year. You can still sign up at the sign up post.

From page 215 of Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand

In December 1943, the family prepared to celebrate their first Christmas without Louie. The mailman knocked at the door each day to deliver a harvest of cards and letters, most of them offering sympathy. The holiday tree was strung with popcorn and cranberries, and beneath it sat a collection of gifts for Louie. The gifts would be tucked away in the belief that one day, Louie would come home to open them himself.

Louise bought a little Christmas card depicting a cherub in a red dress blowing a horn as she stood surrounded by lambs. Inside she wrote a message:

Dear Louis. Where ever you are, I know you want us to think of you as well and safe. May God be with you + guide you.Love from all. Mother Dad Pete Sylvia and Virginia. Christmas 25-43

Check back tomorrow to hear about a POW Christmas from this same book.

Teaser Tuesday: Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand

I read very little non-fiction other than cookbooks. I had heard so many good things about this book before I started it, and I have to say that every good thing was deserved. It has been a fascinating read so far.

My teaser comes from page 182 to 183:

Men subjected to dehumanizing treatment experience profound wretchedness and loneliness and find that hope is almost impossible to retain. Without dignity, identity is erased. In its absence, men are defined not by themselves, but by their captors and the cirmcumstances in which they are forced to live.

Teaser Tuesday is hosted by Miz B at Should Be Reading. Head on over to find out all about it, and how to join in!