The People You Meet

The previous post showed photos from one of my book signing events in Aruba. During the course of a previous event that week, I met a fellow from Poland, John T. He had the most fascinating life story I’ve heard to date. First, here is a photo of John and I, on his 84th birthday.

polandJohn was in the Polish Underground during the Second World War. He fought the Nazis and the Russian Communists. His brother was involved with another resistance group which was sometimes at odds with John’s. As the war came to an end, John escaped from Poland (to avoid the Soviets) and ended up in Germany of all places before making his way to America. He was very successful in business and now visits Aruba, Poland, and other places every year. What a guy!

You never know what a person has accomplished until you take the time to speak with them for a few minutes. I have the good fortune to be able to engage people from all over the world and all walks of life at my book events and in my travels. This is one of life’s great pleasures that I can not say enough about. It’s better than anything on TV; that’s for sure. So get out there and talk to somebody!

John, it was an honor to meet you and shake your hand. I wish you another 84 years and the best of everything. You earned it!

Published in: on January 25, 2009 at 11:02 am  Leave a Comment  
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Book Signing Fun

The story told in An Island Away, takes place in Aruba, Dutch Caribbean. I have the good fortune to live on the island six months of the year, and thus, meet many people interested in the book. Here are some photos from a book signing event at the Tamarijn Resort.

tamarijn3It’s a true pleasure to meet people who have read the book or heard about it and want to know more. I’m surprised at the questions asked, which actually serve as inspiration to keep writing. After all, if a reader wants to know more or found something particularly interesting, it is a cue to include it in the next story.

tamarijn2Of course, hearing people’s stories about Aruba is also fascinating. There are many visitors who have been going to the island for 20 or 30 consecutive years. That’s quite a few frequent flier miles. Aruba is a wonderful island full of nice people, good restaurants, and fringed by beautiful beach. However, I don’t write much about that part of Aruba.

tamarijn1I write mostly about the refinery boomtown of San Nicolaas. It was here that I came in 1994, when I first visited the island. It’s a strange place, full of characters and stories, all of which are incredible when understood in the context of the Caribbean.

My thanks go out to all the people who have bought and read An Island Away. Similarly, I would like to express my gratitude to the staff of the Tamarijn Resort as well as all the retailers on the island who have helped make it the best selling book in Aruba for 2008.

Published in: on January 24, 2009 at 10:59 am  Leave a Comment  
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Short History of Aruba

Aruba Short History by Dr. J Hartog is a handy reference guide for those curious about Aruba’s past. It provides information on the native indians who first inhabited the island all the way through the time when the Esso refinery was the largest in the world.

auahist1

You can find the book at the Samsom Bookstore on L.G. Smith Boulevard as well as at the DeWit-VanDorp main store in Dakota, not far from the airport. Among the many amazing fact in the book is that the population of Aruba in the mid-1920’s was 6,500 and in the mid-1970’s was more than 60,000. That’s quite an increase.

There’s much more in the book including a brief overview of the Esso Refinery days, some details about the Second World War, and bits of insight into local culture. This little book is worth the 14.50 florins you’ll pay.

Published in: on January 20, 2009 at 9:42 am  Leave a Comment  
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City of Thieves

In City of Thieves, David Benioff gives us many great characters including Lev, a boy of the city and Kolya, a flamboyant writer and reluctant soldier. He gives these two an impossible task, secure a dozen eggs for a colonel’s daughter’s wedding cake. Sound implausible? Guess again. This is Leningrad and these two were caught on the streets where and when they weren’t supposed to be. To earn their freedom they have to get the eggs. What follows is an often brutal, shocking, but sometimes amusing tale of these two as they go behind German lines to get the eggs.

While the plot follows a familiar path, it is so well drawn, the characters so believable and enthralling, that the reader can count on great satisfaction throughout. Benioff’s screenwriting talent shines through to a high degree and this is one of the things that makes the book great. You are right there, all the way to the irony laden ending.

This book is not for squeamish readers. Nothing is over the top, but there are a few scenes that will make your gut flip and flop. It is testament to Benioff’s writing skill that they do not detract from the story but rather are salted in, lending credibility and realism to what is certainly beyond the absurdities of war.

Worth every penny!

Published in: on January 10, 2009 at 11:08 am  Leave a Comment  
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