Southern Airways Flight 242 was a flight from Muscle Shoals, Alabama to Atlanta, Georgia. There was a brief stopover in Huntsville, Alabama in the middle. The flight crew had flown the same route earlier in the day, and experienced only mild turbulence and rain. The flight crew were told that the weather had deteriorated, with the possibility of tornadoes, however they were not told that the storm had produced a squall line. Air traffic controlled cleared the flight for takeoff, despite the weather conditions. The plane essentially wound up going through a terrible thunderstorm cell, which pelted the plane with massive amounts of water and large hail. The hail actually broke the windshield of the plane. (Honestly, that would have caused me to have a heart attack and die immediately before I could have ever crashed.) The flight crew experienced both engines failing, a broken windshield, and loss of power and communications. (Not that the communications were doing them any good, because the air traffic controller they were cursed with was absolutely useless.) The pilots wound up gliding down to a forced landing, resulting in massive damage and deaths. This book does go into the NTSB investigation, which was disgusting, and I will have comments on that at the end of this below a SPOILER WARNING. If you do not wish to read my rant about that and get any spoilers, stop reading when you see the warning, which will be after the next paragraph I am about to write.

I bought this book during the most recent 2 for 1 credit sale on Audible. The book is about a five hour listen, so if you are wanting a short disaster book, this one is good. It was well written, and full of details as well as quotes from people who experienced the crash. This book is part of the Air Disasters series, of which there are more books. This series is also featured on the Smithsonian Channel, which I loved having back when I had cable. I cannot wait to check out the other books in this series.

*****Spoilers Below***** Spoilers Below*****Spoilers Below*****Spoilers Below*****

I really do hate to spoil books for those who haven't read them, but I cannot keep myself from expressing how much I think this air traffic controller should have been ran out of town on a rail. If you are still reading, don't be mad at me for anything I spoil. I warned you twice.

To begin with, the airline should bear a massive amount of responsibility for this incident. The technology they were using for their radar and weather reporting was inefficient at best, and out of date at worst. They were using a dial-up/fax type thing to receive their information, but it didn't work if the line was tied up. (In the case of this plane, the air traffic controller called to get the weather report, discovered the line was busy, and then never called back to follow up with the current weather report. During the hearing, he apparently did not find this to be poor job performance.) The airline also did not properly train pilots about the radar systems onboard the aircraft and how they could be misread or interrupted due to weather, which is another issue this crew faced.

The air traffic controller repeatedly ignored the pilot's questions about where they could land, as well as the statements they made about the windshield being cracked and having both engines down. (One of his ridiculous statements during the hearing was that he was unaware that their was an airfield close by because it was four miles outside of his normal operating area, which I think is bull snot because he had been a controller for 17 years.) He put the crew on hold and was ten steps behind them every step of the way. He did not pass this plane to a supervisor, and when asked why, he stated he didn't think it was practical or necessary. He took absolutely no accountability for his poor job performance, and I never could find out if he was punished for his role in this. He certainly should have been. I doubt he ever showed up at any of the memorials, but he had no right to be there and they should have beat him down the road with a stick.

The pilots do bear some responsibility for this as well. They made the best decisions they could in the moment of crisis, but not all of the decisions were the right ones. Of course the NTSB was happy to cite this whole thing as pilot error and weather related, but forget that. Other people bear responsibility as well. I highly doubt with over 20,000 flight hours combined they would have flown into that. The real mistake they made was relying on people to do their part of the job properly. It just enraged me, but it goes to show you how one person dropping the ball on an average day can snowball into a calamity. 

 This book features a host of characters- businessmen, artists, scientists, etc.- who were current and former American citizens, living and working under Nazi Occupation. Some of them really got into shady business doings with Nazis, because money talks to people more than morals in a lot of instances. I am sure that two things can be simultaneously true- you can love your country and you can love your lifestyle and wallet. Especially if you are not a targeted group or person, you are more willing to overlook what other people are going through if it does not directly affect you. (We can see that right now in the United States.) It was really interesting to see how people continued to live their lives when they were faced with war, horrific treatment of people in their own cities, and rationing. I thought this book was very enlightening.

Charles Glass is the former chief correspondent for the Middle East with ABC News, which, I believe, lends to his ability to tell these stories in a way that captivates the reader. His research was well done, but what I appreciated the most is the implementation of personal correspondence and journals of the people he was writing about. The specialization for my history degree was in World War II, and I have read (and written) a massive amount of things about this particular time period and subject. I can tell you that much of that concentrated on actual battles and Holocaust. There was essentially no mention of Americans living in Paris, other than the Kennedy's when Joseph Kennedy was ambassador. I found this book to be extremely valuable for giving a deep look into lives of people who were living and working there that were not born and raised in Europe. This book should be required reading, but, at the very least, should be suggested for supplemental reading for those (in the States, at least) seeking history degrees when they cover this period. 

Andy Hodges was excluded from military service due to an injury sustained playing sports. He was frustrated with that, because he wanted to contribute to the war effort like everyone else his age. He decided to join the Red Cross, where he volunteered for all kinds of dangerous missions that others did not want to undertake. Thanks to his determination and bravery, he was able to deliver desperately needed supplies to prisoners of war in occupied France. Eventually, he was able to negotiate the release of 149 prisoners of war, leaving none behind.

This was a deeply moving story for a lot of reasons. The fact that someone just simply cared about their countrymen enough to figure out a way to join the war effort and make a huge difference in the lives of men who were suffering and imprisoned by enemy forces was moving to me. I cannot imagine being a prisoner of war. I have read pretty extensively about the conditions for prisoners of war in the European and Pacific theatres, and I know that it was certainly no cake walk. I cannot imagine how grateful they were for food and medical supplies, and then to have their release obtained...it would have been overwhelming to me. Stories like this are great for reminding us that some of humankind are amazing individuals. I can see why the author of this book was proud of his father. It was a really good read.

 Sir Harold Gilles was born in New Zealand in 1882. He did very well in school, eventually obtaining a place as an ENT doctor at the medical practice of Sir Milsom Rees after graduating from medical school at Gonville and Caius College in Cambridge. During World War I, he attended a dentist who was developing techniques to repair damage to jaws due to poor dental health as well as war wounds. Gilles was very interested in pursing that himself, learning as much as he could from other surgeons. He wound up actually convincing the military to form a facial injury area at the military hospital. He really went to work on the soldiers who were severely disfigured from gas attacks and other injuries received during the war. He was knighted for his services, and continued a private practice as well as teaching and speaking engagements.

I looked up some pictures of his surgical work, and I am glad to say that plastic surgery has certainly evolved and new techniques and scientific advancements have made the surgeries even better. I cannot imagine how glad these patients must have felt to be able to eat again, or go out in the street without feeling overly self conscious that they were missing half a face. He worked really hard learning the best ways to help people, and his contributions to the field of plastic surgery are astounding. I also thought it was noteworthy that he also did one of the first gender reassignment surgeries and helped develop those techniques. Gender reassignment surgery is something that a lot of people have utilized throughout the years, and it is important to mention that in light of recent bills and laws against people seeking this surgery. It is nice to see that there are medical professionals, past and present, that genuinely do want to help people and give them the best care they can.

As far as this book goes, I loved it. I hate that it took me this long to get around to it, but I am glad that I finally did. I have been looking forward to reading it for a long time. I have this book on Audible, and I believe it was around 6 or 7 hours to listen to it. The author of this book, Lindsey Fitzharris, is a very kind person, with whom I have had several lovely interactions with on Twitter. She is always very kind to readers, and shares some really interesting historical things. I very much enjoyed her other book, The Butchering Art, and was hopeful that this one would be as good...it was! The research for this book was impeccably done. I learned a lot about the history of plastic surgery, and some things about World War I that I didn't know. Anytime a book furthers a readers' education on a topic, it is a success of some degree. I think this book was a resounding success all around. I hope that she publishes another medical history book soon, because I am certainly looking forward to it! 

 Genene Jones was born on July 13, 1950. She was adopted, and was provided a decent life by her parents. Even as a child, her capacity for dramatics and lies was unmatched. She attended cosmetology school, working as a stylist until she quit due to chemical allergies. (I am not convinced she had any chemical allergies.) She then attended nursing school, obtaining her LVN license. Very few coworkers had a good opinion of her, due to her dramatics, weird behavior, and lies. (I would not have tolerated her, nursing shortage or not, for her attitude. She wouldn't have had time to do crimes in my hospital.) A very high number of patients began to die under her care as opposed to everyone else, and she just simply got away with it for a long time. She is ultimately legally responsible for only two deaths, though it is believed she was directly responsible for upwards of sixty.

This case has been featured on a lot of shows, including Deadly Medicine, Deadly Women, and Forensic Files. I was pretty familiar with this case prior to reading this book, as I had seen it on television and had also listened to a podcast about it before. The author did a fantastic job of relating all of the facts of the case, as well as aspects of Genene's life, without sensationalizing it. I appreciate true crime books that are written in that way. I am interested in true crime and the criminal justice process, as well as the psychology behind crimes, but I really hate when they are sensationalized for dramatic value. If you prefer true crime books like that, this one is a good one for you to check out. 

 Robert Nichols moved his family, including his wife who was pregnant with the author of this book, to Sellerstown, North Carolina in 1969. He was a minister, and ran the local church. Pretty much everyone took to the new minister and his family. Unfortunately, there was one man in town who had an elevated level of self importance, and did not like the fact that the new minister did not bend to his will. When Nichols fired his wife from the church office, he decided to act like a petulant child, calling the family in the middle of the night with harassing words. Horry Watts did a lot of bizarre and criminal things, up to and including drive by shootings, really trying to make life as miserable and as dangerous as possible for the family. Another parishioner tried to finish the job that Horry Watts had started when he shot Nichols and his wife for harboring his wife and child who had left him for his poor behavior.

This book has been on my want to read list for a long time. I am glad that I finally got around to reading it, and if you are interested and do not have a copy, it is currently available on Audible Plus. The story itself was a wild ride, and I cannot imagine living through that kind of uncertainty and torment as a child. I will say that this happened in the South and the fact that it involved church people and men in town who thought they were SOMEBODY does not shock me in the least. The author of this book told her story in a way that was moving while also being morbidly entertaining at the same time. If you are a fan of true crime, you would probably like this. (I will say, however, that the author and her experiences do have a lot to do with religion and such, and if that is something you want to steer clear of in this current Christofacist clime in the US, by all means, skip this book. We can all use a slight reprieve from such topics every now and then, because it is becoming mentally exhausting.) 

 This book takes a deep dive into the end of World War II in the European Theatre. Germany in the time of Nazi rule was a place of hatred, blind obedience, fear tactics, and cruelty that resulted in genocide and slave labor. People's rights were stripped away and wild laws were enacted, the likes of which society hoped to never see again (though it is playing out in real time in several places around the globe as we speak). The last few months of the war, anyone could see that it was very clearly a lost cause, but Germany simply refused to give up...pulling elderly people and children out to fight in various capacities. Looking back, that seems insane, but that is what happens with you have a megalomaniac in control, I guess. It was very interesting to look at the many reasons people attempted to keep this war going, against all odds. It includes some quotes and conversations with people who were living in and serving Germany in various military capacities, which I loved. I think personal accounts are so important to the historical narrative, as well as just for simply understanding eras and mindsets different than our own or what we live in.

Ian Kershaw is one of my favorite historians. Everything I have read from this author has been enlightening. I first came across this author when I was looking for something for a project I had to do in one of my World War II classes, which was my specialization at the time. I have used his work as a source in several papers in my historical education, and I find great value in his writing. This book is well researched, beautifully written, informative, and offers up a lot of really valid points. If you are interested in World War II or need source material, especially in regards to the end of the war and Germany's capitulation, I would strongly suggest checking out this book. I actually have the Audible version of this book, and it was wonderful to listen to, even if was quite long. 

This book discusses 150 years of immigration to the United States by Chinese citizens. There has been a steady stream of Chinese immigrants to the United States, but there were a couple of major waves in the early 19th Century that are very important and notable. Many Chinese immigrants came to work during the California Gold Rush and also worked for the Central Pacific Railroad. (I had never known that Chinese immigrants worked during the Gold Rush, but was aware that they worked on the railroad.) During this time, they faced a lot of racial discrimination. (And still do, because despite what people want to say, the United States is very full of racist people.) In fact, the United States Government passed the Chinese Exclusion Act in 1882, which banned Chinese immigrants for ten years, and was the only racially based ban every put forth. (I had never heard of this either.)  Because of the discrimination and exclusion from mainstream society, Chinese neighborhoods sprang up in many cities, often referred to as Chinatowns. (I never knew that was because of exclusion. I just thought that it was the same as Little Italy, where people congregated because of shared language and culture, which is probably also a factor in that.)

It was very interesting to read this book, after having read one about American's rushing to adopt Chinese babies because they thought they were cute and would be genius level in academics. I learned so much from this book about the history of Chinese immigrants in the United States and what all they went through. I really have a difficult time grasping why people think that they are better than someone else because of ethnicity or origin of birth. It makes zero sense to me. It is really abhorrent the way that Chinese (and literally everyone else who immigrates here, as well as indigenous people) were treated upon arrival and for generations afterwards. I have read other work by this author, Iris Chang, and have thoroughly enjoyed it and learned a lot. It is such a shame that her life ended so soon, because she had such a voice for the Chinese community. At least her written words can carry throughout other generations and teach people like me who are essentially ignorant on Chinese history a few things. I highly recommend this book if you are wanting to learn more about this topic. It was worth the read.

The USS Thresher was a nuclear submarine that was designed to seek and destroy Soviet submarines. The submarine had the most sophisticated weapons systems available at the time, as well as highly sensitive sonar that was capable of detecting ships at great distances. The ship was ordered in 1958, and was built at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. It was launched in 1960, and commissioned in 1961. The ship unfortunately met with disaster during deep diving tests, resulting in the deaths of 129 crew members and officers.

I have a few thoughts on this book. I thought that naming the ship Thresher after the shark was pretty neat. I also had no idea that that many people operated a submarine. I am not very knowledgeable about ships, and certainly not submarines, and I have no idea why I assumed there were probably just ten or twenty people on board maximum. Submarines are horrifying to me, simply because you are under all that water and you can't just eject or something when things go wrong. The pressure of the water is scary! Not to mention living in such cramped conditions with that many people. It also really always slips my mind that President Kennedy was actually doing presidential things and dealing with issues like this while in office. 

As far as the writing of this book, I found it to be very informative about submarines in general and especially this particular disaster. I had not previously heard of this, and I do love a disaster book. It was entertaining, and it isn't terribly long either. This book is actually currently available on Audible Plus, but if you are interested in reading the physical copy, it is just over 200 pages. I thought it was a really decent book. 

 The United Daughters of the Confederacy was founded on September 10, 1894 by Caroline Merriweather Goodlett and Anna Davenport Raines. The first chapter was formed in Nashville, Tennessee. (As a native Tennessean, that tracks.) The purpose of this was to offer support for other female descendants of Confederate veterans and support the construction of Confederate monuments throughout the United States. They also stuck their nose into the curriculum to ensure that "truthful history" was taught, which ultimately boils down to a whitewashed version that says the Union was simply wanting to suppress state's rights.

As a historian, I do feel that Civil War history is not properly taught, especially in the South. I think it is important to learn about key figures on both sides, because the military strategy and how logistics and other things affected the outcome of the war is valuable information. As a matter of fact, this very week I am going to be visiting Shiloh Battlefield, and I am looking forward to learning new information there. The main issue was, of course, slavery, but there were other issues that resulted in war as well. I do feel that there is a place for Confederate monuments, such as battlefields and museums, because they are great educational tools.

This book is currently available on Audible Plus if you have the subscription, which I was happy to see. This was a book that I had in my wish list for a while, and that saved me from using a credit on it. The Daughters of the Confederacy are still active, and they have a website if you are interested in seeing what they currently have to say about the removal of Confederate monuments. They are also still handing out license plates, at least in this state, for both the Sons and Daughters of Confederate Veterans. It is important to look at all aspects of an issue or historical event and learn as much as one can about it. I do not believe in the glorification of "Southern Values" or the "Confederacy" and I am sure I would feel that way even if I didn't live in Tennessee. This book was well written, and offered a lot of information about this organization. I didn't know very much about it, other than it was a thing that existed, so it was valuable to me for that alone. If you are interested in this topic, or the Civil War in general, I would recommend picking this up to learn about the post war period.