Twenty-Five Years Since 9-11.

 

Photo credit: National Archives Catalog ID 5997250

Significant events always seem to be just moments ago and yet forever-ago. That can be true for the death of a loved one, the birth of a child, a moment in history. 

And that moment in history, twenty-five years ago today, was the 9-11 terrorist attacks on the Twin Towers, the Pentagon, and over a Pennsylvania field. 

A quarter century ago. Two full "generations" of this nation (and the world, since this was an event that had a global effect) have no living memory of the day itself. Or of the weeks that followed, filled with confusion, desperation, hyper-patriotism, and actions that resonate through to today. 

Since that time, some outstanding books have been published that help younger folks develop deeper understanding of the events and their repercussions. I've written about several of them HERE, HERE, HERE, and an MG novel  HERE.

Check out the official memorial site information about the anniversary HERE.

Anniversary Reflections: JFK and Daughter Caroline

As we near the fiftieth anniversary of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, several generations are viewing iconic images for the first time.  Mental images of the days surrounding that news and the subsequent memorial and burial ceremonies are burned in my memory. Anyone who lived through that time is likely to say the same. In the following years we witnessed a series of assassinations, never numbed to the horror but each time able to build on our prior experiences in coping and resolving the pain. To some extent we could at least anticipate the cycle of grief and acceptance.

Via Wikipedia

When Kennedy was shot we had no collective consciousness of coping on which to draw. For me, at least, that means every moment of the experience, including my nightmares about it, felt intensely personal. My empathy and engagement were magnified by the Kennedy family's youth and energy. The romantic idealism they projected was pitch perfect to the ear of my young teen self, steeped in an emerging commitment to civil rights, women's rights, freedom for all. The attack on Kennedy felt like a personal assault.

Images of Caroline and John-John Kennedy throughout those painful days were the most soul-piercing of all. To this day it feels like a fist clenching my heart just to mention John-John's salute and Caroline's grip on the edge of the flag draping her daddy's casket. Jacqueline Kennedy achieved a remarkable level of privacy and apparent normalcy for herself and her children in the years that followed, if reports are to be believed. They did recede from the public eye for the most part, despite the efforts of paparazzi and the relentless appetite for coverage by the public.

Caroline is the only survivor of that iconic family. Now she has accepted the post as Ambassador to Japan. I see her parents in her adult face, especially as she's reached the age range at which we most often picture her father; she mirrors both. Composed, committed, and competent. She's grown into this role in politics in her father's footsteps, just as she did in her mother's literary ones. 

Disney Press, 2013

In an earlier post on poetry I featured two of the anthologies she edited, both illustrated by Jon J. Muth: POEMS TO LEARN BY HEART and A FAMILY OF POEMS, My Favorite Poetry for Children. Reading was reportedly a lifelong comfort to each of her parents, as was sharing books, music, and conversation as a family. She reportedly shared poetry, including rote memorization, as a child and with her own children. 

Disney Hyperion,  2005

As this anniversary brings forward more and more images and commentary, memories flood back. Even after all these years there is pain and loss, on a surprisingly personal level. 

Poetry can comfort us still. 

Anyone else feeling especially affected by the anniversary?

Happy 200th Birthday, Charles Dickens!

A BOY CALLED DICKENS 
Deborah Hopkinson; illustrated by John Hendrix  
Random House Children's Books 
$17.99, 40 pages

Two hundred years ago today a boy was born in Old London. He was only one of countless boys and girls born in poverty, destined to a life of struggle, destitution, and eventual imprisonment for unpaid debts. And yet today his life and accomplishments are celebrated throughout the world. 

All because of his stories.

Whether you are a Dickens fan or not, I urge you to read and share this remarkable book about his early days in Old London. The compelling second person voice of Deborah Hopkins pairs perfectly with the intricate detail and shifting perspective of John Hendrix's illustrations. It's a book worth many repeated readings and explorations.

A Boy Called Dickens offers something for every age, including relevance to issues of our times: poverty, loneliness, child labor, and family relationships. In our media-driven world kids crave fame at any cost. In this case Dickens recognized the power of storytelling and harnessed that power. His writing not only brought him security and fame in his own time, but has made him a timeless literary icon. 

More extensive reviews can be found at Becky's Book Reviews  and Through the Looking Glass Review.

And NPR's Morning Edition has a segment today that offers persuasive arguments for adults giving the Dickens classics a current reading- despite any distasteful residue from being force fed in high school.

So, Dickens fan or not, check out this remarkable book- and feel free to comment on your own Dickens opinions!