Interdisciplinary Book and Film Reviews

The American St Nick      The Men Who Restored Christmas A great Christmas story combines warmth, kindness, generosity, traditions, and a memorable event—especially one that brings hope against the backdrop of an evil empire. A true story describing how a few soldiers from the 28th Infantry Division restored Christmas for the children of   Wiltz, Luxembourg   ranks with the best. In late 1944, the allies had the German soldiers on the run. By December, some men were sent to Wiltz, Luxembourg for a much needed break. The townsfolk were grateful for the liberation from five years of Nazi rule including the ban on their Christmas tradition. This year they planned to restore the celebration of  Saint Nicolas  (Klees’chen) on 6 December but they were at a loss for gifts and treats. Jewish Corporal Harry Stutz  meets with the local priest, Father Wolffe, and other town leaders to see what could be done. He then plans a party with help from fellow soldiers who cook doughnuts and gather donati

WHITE FRAGILITY:  Why It’s So Hard for White People  to Talk About Racism      By Robin DiAngelo     Reviewed by        Geoffrey W. Sutton   White Fragility is a best seller with a surge in interest during this 2020 springtime of protests against racism. The concept, white fragility , is now a part of everyday discourse—at least among those who endorse the concept. Even if you disagree with most or all of DiAngelo’s ideas, I think it worth reading or listening to if you live in, or are part of, the world where white people are, or were, oppressive in their actions toward black people. I listened to the AUDIBLE version on a trial.   The path to white fragility in America begins a few centuries ago. DiAngelo does not dwell on the past but draws back the curtain on the historic wasteland so we have a context.   “Claiming that the past was socially better than the present is also a hallmark of white supremacy. Consider any period in the past from the perspective of people

The Color of Compromise The Truth about the American Church’s Complicity in Racism by Jemar Tisby Reviewed by    Geoffrey W. Sutton “On July 4, 2016, as my social media feeds filled with images of American flags and friends’ backyard barbecues celebrating America’s independence, I took to Twitter and posted a picture [sic] seven African Americans picking cotton in a field with the following caption: “My family on July 4th 1776.” (From the forward by Lecrae, p. 9) Few would disagree that American slavery was immoral. As I examine The Color of Compromise in July 2020, I am keenly aware that my lessons in American history were whitewashed. And worse, I was never exposed to the degree to which the American Christian church failed to address slavery and its legacy of racism. Tisby tells the story of American anti-black racism in 11 chapters arranged in chronological order. However, The Color of Compromise is not just the story of racism; it is the stor

A Woman of No     Importance By     Sonia Purnell Reviewed by     Geoffrey W. Sutton A Woman of No Importance: The Untold Story of the American Spy Who Helped Win World War II A woman of no importance is more than just another spy story. Virginia Hall was a true hero who battled men’s prejudice against female warriors  as she simultaneously took on the Nazi occupiers of France by organizing resistance fighters and sending vital intelligence to British and Amer ican intelligence planners in London during World a War II. Her contributions were  recognized much later than were her male peers as cultures in the UK and USA gradually changed to appreciate women.  Fortunately the book not only gives Virginia a voice but it educates us about the horrors of war and the importance of small hidden  acts of courage that support the more visible efforts of armed forces.   Virginia Hall's contribution to America does not end with World War II. She joined t

WHITE TRASH The 400-Year Untold History    of Class in America Author: Nancy Isenberg 2016 Viking Isenberg states her purpose on page 2 of White Trash : “…by reevaluating the American historical experience in class terms, I expose what is too often ignored about American identity.” She adds a second aim. “I also want to make it possible to better appreciate the gnawing contradictions still present in modern American society.” Her major theme appears to be a persistent lack of equality since the early English settlements gained a foothold in America: “How does a culture that prizes equality of opportunity explain, or indeed accommodate, its persistently marginalized people?” She encourages Americans to “recognize the existence of our underclass.” And offers us a question to answer: “The puzzle of how white trash embodied this tension is one of the key questions the book presumes to answer.” As we might expect of from a history professor ( LSU ), Is