A "meme" on books...

1) One book that changed your life?

"Changed your life" is big. Probably whatever primer my parents and school used to teach me to read. Period.

2) One book that you have read more than once?

That would be quite a list. "Pride and Prejudice" is a sure-bet for anytime I'm feeling sick or down, or jonesing for Mr. Darcy. I tend to re-read parts of books rather frequently, and also poetry. Poetry VERY frequently. I have a shelf plus full of my fave books which often get paged through.

3) One book that you would want on a desert island?

I like to make up a book for this question which is basically an anthology of all of my faves. But if I had to take a real book, I suppose I would be choosing between my Shakespeare collection (one volume, all his works) and my Norton Anthology of English Literature (which introduced me to quite a few poetic and literary faves.) I'd probably select the latter for variety. Although maybe it's time to buy an emergency medical book on the off-chance I get asked again, so that I can suggest a practical option, too. :)

4) One book that made you cry?

Primo Levi's "Survival from Auschwitz" just did it for me again last evening. Here's the excerpt, on the nature of moms and the night before the final transport of Jews from his camp of 650 to the death camps:

“And the night came, and it was such a night that one knew that human eyes would not witness it and survive. Everyone felt this: not one of the guards, neither Italian nor German, had the courage to come and see what men do when they know they have to die.

All took leave from life in the manner which most suited them. Some praying, some deliberately drunk, others lustfully intoxicated for the last time. But the mothers stayed up to prepare the food for the journey with tender care, and washed their children and packed the luggage; and at dawn the barbed wire was full of children’s washing hung out in the wind to dry. Nor did they forget the diapers, the toys, the cushions and the hundred other small things which mothers remember and which children always need. Would you not do the same? If you and your child were going to be killed tomorrow, would you not give him to eat today?”

5) One book that made you laugh?

"Bridget Jones on the Edge of Reason" and books 5 & 6 of the Harry Potter series. :)

6) One book that you wish had been written?

A biography by my mom's upstairs neighbor in Wroclaw, Poland. He knew my grandfather well, and my family... He lived through a lot. Just one afternoon with my poor Polish and my mom and aunt's translation gave one incredible story. *sigh* I really want to go back and interview him for hours, the poor old man. He seemed incredible. And boy was he a hottie when he was a young man!

7) One book that you wish had never been written?

Need I say? "Old Man and the Sea," of course. What a waste.

8) One book that you are currently reading?

I'm re-reading Primo Levi's "Survival in Auschwitz." I just finished "Nervous Conditions" by Tsitsi Dangarembga, and am on the one hand hankering to read something about Lebanon, something else by Dangarembga, something African, and also a book by a French holocaust survivor I met recently. I've ordered the latter so I should be on it soon.

9) One book that you have been meaning to read?

James Joyce's "Ulysses." But there's loads, of course. Including the Koran.

On Old Friends and Coincidences

One lovely day not many weeks past, I enjoyed a languid and fun lunch with Jody at our favoured French restaurant on Madison. Jody left after lunch to get back to work, but I lingered. I had just bought my digital camera, and was fondly going through the photos I'd taken, deleting those that didn't meet the cut.

Two charming and handsome older gentlemen were seated at the window table diagonal to mine. I longed to take their photos, but didn't want to intrude. After a few minutes, I overheard one ask the waitress for access to a phone since his beeper had ...beeped. With no phone available outside of the kitchen, he looked mildly concerned, and I offered him the use of my cell phone. He was sweet and friendly, and I helped him dial the number.

This happened a few times, and his friend invited me to join them. I asked him if I might take their photos, and they agreed. And we began to talk.

It turns out that these two men met one another in Auschwitz, where they were prisoners. One was from a small town in Poland, the other from France. The Frenchman's mom had been sent to the gas chamber on arrival; he had survived. I shared that I had gone to Auschwitz twice. He had never returned, but his Polish friend had. He had no desire to go. I could understand that. I told them about my mom's family (most of whom were killed in the Holocaust). They were wonderful and charming, and even took well to my somewhat dangerous sense of humour.

I asked for their addresses to send them their photos, although I worried about them coming out as I had yet to master high-resolution prints, and on top of that I had shot the photos against the light.

Weeks later, I'd figured out resolution, but had yet to send the photos. However, I had gone so far as to write a card and stick both the card and the photos into an envelope. Yesterday, I took the next step toward mailing them out: I put them in my purse.

***

Yesterday evening, I left work beat and bothered. Jody and I made plans to go to the same French restaurant; she would probably get there after me. I pounded the pavement a bit, and then started making some productive calls to family and friends. I stood under some tarp, protected from the drizzle on the evening street.

And then, suddenly, walking toward me, who should I see but one of the two elderly gentlemen! I gaped for a moment and then smiled happily. I felt he'd walked out of my photographs. I greeted him and began to reintroduce myself. He'd recognized me though, and I suddenly gladly remembered the photos in my purse. I handed them to him. He was so sweet and generous.

He looked at them and remarked that they were the most beautiful photos of him and his friend that he could recall. I noted that his memory was clearly beginning to fail. He insisted it had not and asked how he could repay me. Honestly. I said sharing his story had been payment enough and more, and I hoped he liked the photos. He took my written and e-mail address, and we parted with great words.

I walked into the French place and got a table, and was shortly joined by Jody. As we got into our salads, who should walk in but the same Polish gentleman! He didn't notice us, and I didn't want to disturb his meal. He was with another friend, or perhaps his wife. He called over the owner of the restaurant, an already typically exuberant Frenchman.

He took out my envelope with the photos and showed them to him. Among the photos of the two old friends, I'd included three of the restaurant, hoping to trigger their memory as to where we'd met, so many weeks having elapsed. The owner ooh'ed and ah'ed over them, I thought to be friendly. He was gifted with the photos, and at the end of dinner as I waited for Jody wrap up with a nervous client on the phone I approached the bar. The owner was looking at the photos, singing something to himself. I asked him if he liked the photos, and he proudly showed them off. "Oh," I said, "I've seen them before. I took them." He was adorable.

He asked me to have a bottle of his best champagne on the house. Sadly, I could not drink. He offered me a glass, but I could not accept that offer either.

Well, I had left the office upset and exhausted, but those coincidences and the sweet responses to the photos sure brightened my spirits and lightened my evening! :)

But I do now still owe the second gentleman his photos, and hope to have them in the mail on Friday...

Update on Wednesday Morning: A long workday under my belt, I met with Jody again last evening for dinner at the French place. I didn't remind the owner about the champagne, or mention the pictures, but, voila, at the end of the meal what should appear at our table but two complimentary glasses of champagne. :)

The Charming Polish Gentleman

The Charming French Gentleman


The Two Old Friends


The French Place


The French Place