WWII Reminscences: Peter Ertel
Peter Ertel was born in Keil Germany on March 5, 1917. He was 95 at the time of this recording. At the out break of WWI, he was forced into the German army. The key word is forced. His unit the Combat Engineering Battalion of the 7th Bavarian Division fought at the blitzkrieg in France and was then sent to take part in the attack on Russia. Peter will describe his experience on the Russian front as a living hell. Yet, he survived and from 1941 to the beginning of 1944, God’s plan for his survival saw him miraculously transferred to Normandy. There he became a prisoner of war by the Americans. He was sent to a POW camp in Aliceville, Alabama. He returned to the U.S. in 1953 with his wife and two sons (a third was added in 1962), received his U.S. citizenship.
“The only job to do in this war of insanity was to save the lives of others and of course, one’s own life…. The little unnamed and unremembered acts of kindness we do will fill the bottom of the ocean of our lives as a treasure that will never perish.” Peter Ertel
Book Review: The Age of Shiva by Manil Suri
I listened to the audio version of this book because I love hearing the foreign dialect in the story telling.
As a mother, I appreciate this story for it’s amazing depth in telling the tale of this Indian mother and her relationship with her son. The story is written from the mother, Meera’s, perspective to her son, Ashvin. Nothing is told outright from the beginning but you have a feeling that she is telling the story of her life to try to explain something away, something that you feel will happen later on the story.
She tells her son how she met his father, about their life together, about her in-laws, her parents and sister, etc. Basically this story is massively long because it is the story of this woman’s life — her entire life.
You finally realize why she is writing to her son, just when you feel like there might not be a point. Surprisingly, I didn’t feel jilted at the end – I felt like I knew this woman, could understand her. To make a character come to life like that is a real gift.
I enjoyed reading about the Indian holidays, like Holi, and their customs, religion, and even the background of the country and the time she grew up in — from Gandhi to Indira Gandhi. The only reason I didn’t give this 5 stars is because it could be a little long winded and the author would go into pain staking detail when it didn’t necessarily add to the story.
Listen to Mrs. Gold and her Story of Holocaust Survival
Filed under: Library Programs and Events, Twinsburg Library News
“The reason I speak to you and I dedicate myself to speaking out is, especially to young people, is for you to stand up and not to be silent. You can all make a difference. You stand up to make a difference. You stand up against bigotry, against discrimination, against anti-sematism, against hatred. Nobody is born to hate. It’s not in our genes. They learn it. It can be unlearned.
That is why I speak to you so you, younger people, so you can live in a more peaceful world than I did and prevent another holocaust.
There is not enough pen, ink, or paper or pencil to describe the holocaust. What I told you about my experiences is just a few things; it can’t compare to what really happened.”
Betty Gold,
Feta and Olive Lamb Meatballs (low carb)
1 lb ground lamb
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tbs chopped onion
1/2 cup feta cheese
1/2 cup pitted Kalimata olives, chopped
2 eggs
Mix all ingredients together and mix well. Form into 1 inch balls and broil 4 minutes on one side. Then, turn the meatballs, and broil another 4 minutes.
These taste great wrapped in a low carb tortilla with sour cream or taziki sauce.
Low Carb Pizza
Crust
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese
- 4 ounces cream cheese , softened
- 3 eggs
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon chives
- 1/2 tsp minced garlic
- 1 tbs red pepper flakes
Toppings
- ½ cup pizza sauce (low carb content. I use Cleveland’s Own Little Italy Pizza Sauce)
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese
- pizza toppings , of choice
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Beat together softened cream cheese and eggs until smooth. Add cream, parmesan, chives, red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning and garlic. Spray pizza pan with cooking spray or oil. Place 2 cups mozzarella cheese in bottom of pan. Bake for 5 minutes.
After the cheese is cool, pour egg mixture over cheese. Bake for 35 minutes. Remove from oven and spread sauce over baked mixture. Add toppings of choice. Cover with remaining mozzerella cheese. Bake until bubbly and brown. Let stand for 5 minutes.
Book Review: Scorpio Races by Maggie Steifvater
Without the knowledge of the Irish legend surrounding the uisce (pronounced ish-ka) or Water Horse, this story starts out a little hard to imagine. Instead of focusing on the story, I was focusing on the possibility of such creatures. You mean, there are horses that eat people? How is that even possible without canines? They live underwater? Do they have gills?
However, the minor details that surround the existence of the capaill usice (kap-al ish-ka), water horses that come out of the sea each November, are soon swept away in the romance and grip of the story.
Puck – Kate – Connolly is going to race her horse, Dove, among the viscous water horses in the Scorpio Races in order to save her home. She is the first woman to ever ride in the races. Competing against her is 4-time winner of the Scorpio Races, Sean Kendrik, whose prize for this race is his beloved capaill Cor, a fierce red stallion. Both of them ride for their most precious possession, but will their blossoming relationship be the end of them both?
This was a magnificent story. I was pleasantly surprised with the ending, which I thought could only end with the most dire consequences. It didn’t feel forced, and I was completely moved. Brilliant and original.
New ABC Podcast! Episode 94
Episode 94: TBR Challenge or “Blasphemers that don’t read Dickens”
Listen to what we’re reading for our TBR Challenges this year and what we thought about last year’s selections.
Creamy Caesar Crock Pot Chicken
Ingredients
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
8 oz caesar salad dressing
1 can cream of chicken soup
4 oz cream cheese, softened
8 oz shredded mozzarella
1 pkg frozen broccoli veggie mix (Next time, I will use unfrozen broccoli and mushrooms.)
Add ingredients to crockpot, saving the shredded cheese for last, and cook on low for 6-8 hours.
This Beautiful Life by Helen Schulman
The Bergamot family–golden boy and high achiever Richard, wife Liz, 15 year old Jake and six year old Coco, adopted from China–move to Manhattan for Richard’s new high-powered job at a major university. The kids are enrolled at elite Wildwood Academy, and they settle in for a beautiful life among the highly educated, moneyed set of New York City. Here children have every opportunity with no-limit educational enrichment and entertainment activities and parents who deny them nothing, except behavior guidelines and supervision. Though parents are well-meaning, their children are both “privileged and deprived.” Jake is a good student and trusted by his parents, yet his aimless wandering for weekend good times with his new school buddies is disturbing to read. When Jake receives an unsolicited erotic video from a preteen acquaintance, he is rendered senseless by his immature emotions and forwards it to a friend, thus beginning an irrevocable chain of events that threaten all members of the family. Author Schulman teaches at NYU’s New School and has clearly seen in her students the consequences of current liberal views of childraising. This is a real-life horror story for parents, and we would do well to pay attention.
E-Readers for the Holidays
Don’t miss this important technology update! Click here to register online or call us, (330) 425-4268 x2.
E-Readers for the Holidays – Monday, December 5 at 7pm
Want to buy an e-reader as a holiday gift? Learn the features of the gadgets on the market, how they interact with library resources, and how to choose the best one for your friend or family member.
