Memorial Day Blog 2014

The photo above is a monument in Fort Greene Park in Brooklyn, New York called 

The Prison Ship Martyrs Monument

Memorial Day in The United States is about honoring those who have died in the armed forces fighting wars in defense of our country.  Those of you that know me know that I am all about peace keeping and not at all about war.  Never the less,  while I do not like it when our young people are put in harms way, I am very much supportive of and appreciate their sacrifice.   This year I wanted to post a blog for  Memorial Day that keyed in with my interest in family history and honored an ancestor that was killed in the line of duty.  While there are a fair number of people in my family tree that served in various wars,  and more than one were disabled as a result, I could only think of one that died in  a war.   My fifth great grandfather,  David Morris 1736 - 1779,  died on a British Prison Ship named The Old Jersey.    During our Revolution,  England used disabled ships to house their war prisoners.   Conditions were very poor on these non sea worthy vessels as the men were not fed adequately and the quarters were rat infested with very poor sanitation.   Disease took the lives of many men including my ancestor.    Please click on the links through out the text above to learn more and enjoy the video that follows.  Although it is a long video,  there is a short part that mentions prison ships in the beginning,  then if you wish, proceed to minute 7:30 and view on to the end to watch the part about British Prison ships in the American Revolution.  

House Rules by Jodi Picoult

House Rules

by

Jodi Picoult

On my way home from work this evening I finished listening to House Rules by Jodi Picoult on audio.   As with all of Jodi Picoult's books that I have read,  this novel deals with an ethical issue.  It is about a young man named Jacob with Aspergers Syndrome who is on trial for murder.  I really liked how the book makes the reader understands what life is like for Jacob.   One of the reviews I read before selecting the book was written by a child psychologist who wrote that Aspergers is well represented in the novel.   It becomes obvious fairly early in the story what took place surrounding the death of Jacob's tutor because the various characters in the story take turns narrating their perspective.   What I found frustrating was none of the adults in Jacob's life took the time to talk to him and find out what happened.   I also had little patience for the mom in the story.  Her name is Emma.  The total devotion she acts like she has toward Jacob and working with his problems has cost   her marriage and caused her to neglect herself and her other son's needs.  For all the effort she has put into her "project"  of managing Jacob's issues she doesn't really connect with him.   Rather than communicating with him she betrays him to the authorities before even confronting him with her fears.   The police in the book are not doing a very good job and Jacob's attorney is very inept.   For all the frustrations I found in the story line this book is really wonderful for the message it shares to the world about Aspergers Syndrome.  Please click on the author's name and book title above to follow the links to more information.  And enjoy the video that follows.  

    

Royal Road To Fotheringhay by Jean Plaidy

Royal Road To Fotheringhay

by

Jean Plaidy

This historical novel about Mary Queen Of Scots is a very enjoyable book.   It is available on Kindle, Nook and in Google Books.  The 356 pages are an easy read and the novel is written in a manner  that holds one's attention.  It is a sad story of how Queen Mary is used and manipulated by those around her.  She experiences a happy first marriage,  although both bride and groom were very young.  But when her husband,  the King of France,  dies her life takes a turn for the worse.  She returns to rule Scotland but religious discord and political agendas suck her into a tragic end.  Both her second and third husbands put up a front to court her but only were after the power of being King of Scotland that  a marriage to the Queen of Scots could offer them.   Immediately following both marriages the men began to show their true colors.  Mary spent the last twenty years of her life in prison for suspicion of being involved in the death of her second husband and was beheaded in the end.   Be sure to click on the title and author's name above,  and the highlighted words with in the text to follow links to more information.  Also,  enjoy the video that follows.