Thursday, December 27, 2018

Ready Player One

Book: Ready Player One
Basic Information : Synopsis : Characters : Expectations : Thoughts : Evaluation : Book Group : New Words : Book References : Good Quotes : References

Basic Information:
Author: Ernest Cline
Edition: ePub on Overdrive from the Fresno County Public Library
Publisher: Crown Publishers
ISBN: 030788743X (ISBN13: 9780307887436)
Start Date: December 23, 2018
Read Date: December 27, 2018
374 pages
Genre: Fantasy
Language Warning: Medium
Rated Overall: 3 out of 5


Synopsis (Caution: Spoiler Alert-Jump to Thoughts):
In the year 2045, the earth no longer supports all of the people at its high rate of energy, food and space consumption. So people are forced to live in the “stacks”-mobile homes stacked high-30-40 homes high. Cars are a high end luxury and people are rationed or scrounge for food.

The only outlet for pleasure is an online world called OASIS. But the creator of OASIS, the world's richest man, died 5 years ago. JD Halliday died leaving no heirs and only a game to be played within OASIS. But the winner of his game would inherit all of his wealth, over $240 billion dollars. The catch is that like in all good online games, there are certain things you need to accomplish. In this case, find the three keys to the three gates which lead to the tests to see if you are the worthy of the fortune.

But after five years, nobody has even found the first key. This leads to Wade Watts or as his online aviator is known: Parzival-a corruption of the Arthurian knight Percival, to figure out where the first key is.

Parzival finds the key and meets another aviator named Art3mis who is on the right track to find the key. By finding the key, he realizes that the gate is in a replica of Hallidays old boyhood home. He is able to open the gate and pass the test within. There he finds the clue to the second key.

But now things take a sinister turn. There is a commercial group called the IOI who wants to win the inheritance. Sorrento is the chief person and does not play by the rules. He tries to bribe Parzival. But he refuses, but IOI also revealed they knew who the real person behind Parzival was and threatened to kill him. Even then Parzival did not acquiesce, thinking it was a bluff. After the virtual meeting, Wade hears a big explosion and sees that the mobile home in his stack-and the whole stack-has been blown up, including his Aunt and the only friend he has, an old lady,

This causes Wade to run and go incognito. But he is now able to search for the second key. There are at least four other “gunters”-those who are dedicated people looking for the keys-who find the first key as well. Also the IOI people have a whole army of avatars working for them and they swarm the areas to find the key and gates.

IOI finds the second key and is able to go through the second gate. But this is the clue which the others need and they quickly figure out where the key is. So all of the avatars who are at all eligible come to the virtual planet where the key is. Parzival figures out a way in, finds the key and unlocks the second gate.

But as noted before, the IOI does not play by the rules. Daito real person is found out. Just as Shoto and Daito get the key, the IOI comes in and kills his real world person by throwing him out a window. This affects all four of the other avatars. While they do not work together, they become friendly.

The IOI has locked down the location of the third key and gate with an impenetrable shield and an army to back it up. Wade-at least is alias becomes an indentured servant to IOI. With his hacker skills he breaks into their system and gathers information. He also requisitions a droid to deliver and detonate a bomb within the shield. He then makes his escape and gathers the remaining four high scorers for a conference after warning them that their identities have been compromised.

The aviators get together and start planning what to do when Ogden Morrow shows up and offers a place of refuge. They take it. He, being very wealthy arranges for all of their transportation needs to his hide away in Oregon. Wade only meets Aesch, while his love interest remains isolated from him.

They fight the battle of all battles and Parzival gains entrance to the gate and wins the inheritance. He then finally meets his love interest and the book ends.


Cast of Characters:
  • Wade Owen Watts-main character. Teenage boy
  • Ogden Morrow-Partner with Halliday, but estranged through a falling out. Wants those who love to play, win the inheritance
  • Parzival-Wade's online moniker
  • Aech-Parzial’s best aviator friend
  • James Donovan Halliday-founder of the virtual world OASIS
  • Art3mis-game blogger, love interest of Wade, even though they have not scene each other
  • Kira Morrow-Wife of Ogden Morrow. Has died in a car crash. Ogden’s guiding light, and Halliday’s secret love interest.
  • Daito-Japanese partner in the virtual world with Shoto. Gets killed off by the IOI
  • Shoto-Japanese partner in the virtual world with Daito.
  • Nolan Sorrento-head of IOI. evil


Expectations:
Recommendation: Laura from book group
When: Fall 2018
Date Became Aware of Book: 2016
How come do I want to read this book: Seems like an easy quick read in a fantasy setting
What do I think I will get out of it? Something to read


Thoughts:
Reminds me of a book which was written with a movie in mind. Or some child’s fantasy. Also it is someone who who enjoys the 80’s and maybe some of the 70’s.

Indio Girls would be the perfect music to listen to while reading this book.

Prologue
The Hunt and its rules are laid out. You need to go through three gates, take a test to see if you are worthy. To unlock a gate, you need to find the key. Halliday gives you an initial riddle to solve about where the key is. The key will give you a riddle about where the gate is. Then the test will give a clue about where the next key is.

Chapter 1
Wade describes how he escapes into his virtual reality from the ugliness of the real world. He says that inside of this world, his worries slip away.

To Wade, OASIS was the biggest library imaginable. He read everything he could and OASIS had it all. But with knowledge comes insight. He found out the truth about the world around him, not the knowledge the adults fed him to protect him. He found in the old books truths when people were not afraid to be honest. He found out that the world was going downhill and fast. He also learned to disbelieve in God. You sort of wonder about the adults. Did they also just not believe and understand the truth of their situation? Maybe they were refusing to face it? Wade decided to hide in OASIS. Maybe the adults were hiding in ignorance?

What happens to every human which has existed? They die. What happens after they die? Wade thinks there is nothing beyond that. A pretty pessimistic view.

Chapter 2
Interesting that Wade could be himself in a fake world, but had a hard time in the real world. This calls into question what is the real Wade?

Chapter 4
Explains how OASIS was started. Small, but was able to get going by licensing from its competitors. Then they let others design worlds within their universe.

The book was written in 2011. He makes mention that the Great Recession was in its third decade. So the author envisions that the 2008 recession would not stop, but would continue to decline. I think he got that wrong. Maybe not the lack of resources though.

Wade feels like a kid standing in the world’s greatest video arcade without any quarters. That is a great visual.


Chapter 5
Sometimes you just have to get in the right group. Halliday was an outcast until he was invited to a group which played Dungeons&Dragons. I think the same can be said for Wade.

Cline points out two things:
  1. Shopping is America’s pastime
  2. In a virtual world, you can buy things pretty cheaply, allowing you to shop. For the maker of the virtual stuff, there is negligible expense. Consequently, a virtual world is almost pure profit.
Chapter 6
Knowing is half the battle

You’d be amazed how much research you can get done when you have no life whatsoever.

Sometimes when you read one book, there are illusions to something which you read in another. Such as there is a reference to certain letters notched, in a certain book in Ready Player One. When laid out, they form a rhyme pointing to where one of the keys were. This sounds very similar to what Elizabeth Wells Gallup thought she saw in the writings of Shakespeare-a hidden message. In Gallup’s case, Elizebeth Friedman figured out that these where not a hidden message but just imperfections and that Gallup, however earnest and honest she was was seeing things. The book? The Woman Who Smashed Codes.

Chapter 12
To Halliday, creating games was a necessity. It is what made him tick. So when his partner was asked if there was any hints to be shared, Morrow said that Halliday wanted everyone to share his obsessions… this contest is his way of giving the entire world an incentive to do just that. As a coder, I can understand this obsession.

Chapter 18
Art3mis thinks that Wade does not love her, but only what she is showing of herself. But isn’t that true all the way around? Even in reality, we only show partial pieces of ourselves.

Chapter 19
Going incognito, Wade tries to cut himself off from all human contact. Even to the extent where he has his food delivered in a way where he does not make contact with anyone. He also paints his windows black so he cannot see out and others cannot spy on him.

Wade’s “rig” which he used to feel and “be in” the OASIS world. But in a moment of insight, he understands that this whole set up is designed to deceive his senses. It really was a barrier to him being in the real world. Isn’t that the way with anything of illusion?

Chapter 25
Sort of sad that your best friends hide behind an illusion and filter of an avatar.

Chapter 27
His plan to get behind the IOI shield and to get the crystal key, enter the third gate and win Halliday’s prize was outrageous and had to depend on both luck and his skill. Also the teamwork of his friends.

Chapter 29
Wade felt out of place in real life without his virtual reality gear.

Chapter 30
Sounds like IOI had bad security. Not that Wade could break in-he had bought credentials to certain administrative functions on the black market. But more because that admin could give more authority than what the original credential had. He was able to look at his own and others security dossiers.

To my eyes, [Wade] the birthmark did absolutely nothing to diminish her beauty. If anything the face I saw in the photo seemed even more beautiful to me than that of her avatar, because I knew this one was real. True enough. Sort of like seeing a touched up photo of Yosemite may be beautiful, but the real thing is just jaw dropping.

Chapter 32
Halliday was an atheist. So why was one of the cules: charity, fope, faith? He correlates that to The heart and the brain and the body from Schoolhouse Rock! Interesting how words of Faith gets incorporated into our lives and stick with us, even if we lose the Faith.

And even then, remember Jesus’ words about entering into the Kingdom of God as children? That was something which the IOI minions did not have-an understanding like a child. So they did not associate the final words of faith, hope, charity with something childlike. Remember the simple will confound the wise.

Chapter 37
Video games, a spectator sport?

I guess Monty Python’s Holy Grail is a geek movie. Never have been able to get into as some have.

Chapter 38
After Wade completes the final test, an image of Halliday appears. He walks Wade through things and ends it with the reason why he built OASIS-he was scared of reality. Halliday says that was when I realized, as terrifying and painful as reality can be, it’s also the only place where you can find true happiness. Because reality is real. A good reminder, but also not very deep.

Chapter 39
Is the only reason why Wade realizes that Art3mis did the right thing in breaking off the relationship is because they won? If they had lost, would it still have been the right thing?


Evaluation:
This was a good and fun read. But not a life changing book. As I was reading the book, I had two thoughts: 1) I thought Ender’s Game was similar in tone and better written. 2) Annie Dillard in A Writing Life notes that she cannot image a sorrier pursuit than struggling for yearrs to write a book that attempts to appeal to people who do not read in the first place. I think that is what Cline did here. This later thought is where I thought it was going. He was writing a book to have a movie made-which it was in 2018.

It takes place in a world racked by limited resources and where about the only source of pleasure to the common person is a virtual reality universe called OASIS. The person who has the major share of ownership in OASIS has died leaving no heir. But he leaves a challenge: be the first to find the three keys, going through the three gates and pass the three tests and you will inherit his $240 billion fortune.

For five years, no one has been able to solve where the first key is located until Wade Watts stumbles into it. Then the action picks up. He acquires four other friends who are trying to be the first, but a major corporation with no morality wants the money and will not stop at doing only the ethical. The book rides us through Wade’s adventures in gaining the inheritance.

But is that it for the book? Essentially yes. Be prepared for a lot of 80’s culture references-I do not know if Cline was trying to bring in this audience or not, there is just a lot of it-maybe ⅔’s of the book. The one conclusion it makes is that real reality is better than virtual. Other than that, enjoy the read, but do not look for depth.

 
Notes from my book group:

This was not read for any of my book groups.

Many of these questions are either from or adapted from LitLovers.
  • Why the title of Ready Player One?
  • Does this story work as a fantasy or dystopian?
  • Did the ending seem fitting? Satisfying? Predictable?
  • Which character was the most convincing? Least?
    • Which character did you identify with?
    • Which one did you dislike?
  • Every story has a world view. Were you able to identify this story’s world view? What was it? How did it affect the story?
  • Do you think the world is heading towards a dystopia as Cline envisioned?
  • In what context was religion talked about in this book?
  • Was there anybody you would consider religious?
    • Was the book overtly religious?
    • How did it affect the books story?
  • Why do you think the author wrote this book?
  • What would you ask the author if you had a chance?
  • What “take aways” did you have from this book?
  • What central ideas does the author present?
    • Are they personal, sociological, global, political, economic, spiritual, medical, or scientific
  • Describe the culture talked about in the book.
    • How is the culture described in this book different than where we live?
    • What economic or political situations are described?
    • Does the author examine economics and politics, family traditions, the arts, religious beliefs, language or food?
  • Talk about specific passages that struck you as significant—or interesting, profound, amusing, illuminating, disturbing, sad...?
    • What was memorable?
Questions and Topics for Discussion from Publisher
1. The OASIS becomes a part of daily life for users around the globe. What virtual realms (Google, Facebook, iCloud) do you depend on? What is at stake in the war against IOI, the internet service provider that wants to overturn Halliday’s affordable, open-source approach? Is it dangerous to mix profit and dependence on technology?
2. Explore the question of identity raised in the novel. What do the characters’ avatars tell us about their desires and their insecurities? In reality, does our physical appearance give false clues about who we really are? How does Parzival, transformed into a celebrity gunter, become Wade’s true self?
3. With a narrator who vividly captures the human experience, Ready Player One delivers a world that is easy for us to imagine. In the novel, what was at the root of the grim downturn for Earth’s inhabitants? Could your community start looking like the stacks by the year 2044?
4. How does love affect Wade’s rational mind? Would you have given Art3mis the tip about playing on the left side to defeat the lich (page 99, chapter ten)? Did you predict that she would turn out to be a friend or a foe?
5. How does public school in the OASIS compare to your experience in school? Has author Ernest Cline created a solution to classroom overcrowding, student apathy, and school violence?
6. In his Columbus bunker, Wade puts on so many pounds that he can no longer fit comfortably in his haptic chair. How would you fare in his weight-loss program, described in chapter nineteen, featuring a simulation gym, coaching from Max, and a lockout system that restricts his diet and forces him to exercise?
7. Wade’s OASIS pass phrase is revealed on page 199, at the end of chapter nineteen: “No one in the world ever gets what they want and that is beautiful.” What does this philosophy mean to him at that point in his life?
8. How is the novel shaped by the 1980s backdrop, featuring John Hughes films, suburban shows like Family Ties, a techno-beat soundtrack, and of course, a slew of early video games? Did Halliday grow up in a utopia?
9. Discuss Bryce Lynch’s financial situation, rigged so that Wade could infiltrate IOI. When does Wade become willing to “die trying”? How did you react to the image of debtors being forced into indentured servitude?
10. Wade doesn’t depend on religion to make moral decisions or overcome life-threatening challenges. What does the novel say about humanity’s relationship to religion? What sort of god is Halliday, creator of the OASIS universe?
11. Despite their introverted nature, the book’s characters thrive on friendship. Discuss the level of trust enjoyed by Halliday and Og, and among Wade, Aech, Art3mis, Daito, and Shoto. How is true power achieved in Ready Player One?
12. In the closing scenes, Halliday’s reward proves to be greater than mere wealth. What is Halliday’s ultimate prize? How did the rules of Halliday’s game help him determine the type of player who would likely win?
13. In his quest for the three keys, Wade is required to inhabit many imaginary worlds, including movies, video games, and a simulation of Halliday’s childhood home. Which of these virtual realities appealed to you the most? What sort of virtual reality is provided by a novel?



New Words:
  • Gunter: Combination of [Easter] egg hunters
  • Noob: a person who is inexperienced in a particular sphere or activity, especially computing or the use of the Internet
  • Oologist: the branch of ornithology concerned with the study of birds' eggs
  • Cojones: courage or testes
  • Impecunious: having little or no money; penniless; poor.
  • Dilettantes: a person who takes up an art, activity, or subject merely for amusement, especially in a desultory or superficial way; dabbler.
Book References:

Good Quotes:
    • First Line: Everyone my age remembers where they were and what they were doing when they first heard about the contest.
    • Last Line: It occurred to me then that for the first time in as long as I could remember, I had absolutely no desire to log back into the OASIS.
    • Knowing is half the battle. Chp 6
    • You’d be amazed how much research you can get done when you have no life whatsoever. Chp 6

      References:

          Thursday, December 13, 2018

          A Higher Calling

          Book: A Higher Calling: An Incredible True Story of Combat and Chivalry in the War-Torn Skies of World War II
          Basic Information : Synopsis : Characters : Expectations : Thoughts : Evaluation : Book Group : Book References : Good Quotes : Table of Contents : References

          Basic Information:
          Author: Adam Makos
          Edition: eBook on Overdrive from the Fresno County Library
          Publisher: Berkeley
          ISBN: 0425252868 (ISBN13: 9780425252864)
          Start Date: December 6, 2018
          Read Date: December 13, 2018
          392 pages
          Genre: History, Biography
          Language Warning: Low
          Rated Overall: 3½ out of 5

          History: 4 out of 5
          Religion: Christianity (not a religious book)

          Synopsis (Caution: Spoiler Alert-Jump to Thoughts):
          A crippled bomber with one of its four engine dead and another barely functioning starts its run back to England. A squadron of German fighters comes up and attacks the bomber, almost fatally crippling it. . Afterwards the bomber only has marginal ability to steer and is losing altitude. The squadron turns back. But a German fighter pilot from a different squadron happens on the bomber. With the bomber crippled, the fighter has an easy target. But he does not fire. Why? That is the story of this book.

          The author is interested in American, or sometime Allied, World War II combat pilots. He definitely is not going to write about a hated German fighter pilot. But he hears the story above and wants to interview the American pilot, Charlie Brown. But Brown says that first Makos need to talk with the German pilot to get the real story.

          Makos, though initially reluctant to interview Franz Stigler, he is taken by his story. The book traces Franz’ first love of flying to being a commercial pilot and then as a trainer for the German Air Force. Franz then is brought into the Air Force and sent to Northern Africa in support of Rommel. Here he learns the basic lessons of what it means to be a fighter pilot. This will extend throughout the war, from the battles the German Air Force won to its long and slow demise as a fighting force. Franz was in the midst of it all.

          Charlie Brown and his crew bounded strongly together during training. Then they had their first combat mission. It is on that mission is where they met up with Franz’ fighter. They are able to land in England. All surviving except for one who was shot to death. But the bomber did not. They are able to get obtain another plane. But it took them several tries to get back up into the air. They were successful and went on several other runs.

          After the war, Franz, like many other Germans, lived a very meager existence. But at one point, Franz had the opportunity to come to America and did. Over the years, both Brown and Franz wondered about each other. Finally, they started making inquiries. When Brown put an ad in a German fighter pilot magazine, this found Franz and they were able to make contact. To the surprise of both of them, they found that they really liked and respected each other. Other the years they spoke together at various meeting about their experience with the basic message of enemies are better off as friends.



          Cast of Characters:
          • Franz Stigler-German ace
          • Charlie Brown-American bomber pilot
          • August Stigler-Franz’ brother who died in a bomber launch
          • Gustav Roedel-rose from being in charge of Franz’s squad to being over the whole group. Taught Franz some of the morals of being a fighter pilot.
          • Colonel Eduard Neumann-Leader of the JG-27. Compared to Rommel.
          • Adolf Josef Ferdinand Galland-Friend of Neumann and second in command
          • Marjorie Ketcham-WAVE transport pilot who met Charlie and had an interest in him. But after the flight, he could not face her.
          • Gerhard Barkhorn-Franz’ trainee who was pretty incompetent as a pilot. Become the pilot with most planes shot downu
          • Hannes Trautloft-Inspector general. His inspection of a camp lead to the the moving of POW’s from the Gestapo control to the Air Force.
          • Erich Hohagen-Right person to Galland
          • Walter “the Count” Krupinski-a highly decorate flyer. Earned the Knight’s Cross
          • Hans Marseille-Best fighter pilot which Franz knew. Shot down 17 fighters in one day. Died when shot down.
          • Erich Hartmann-Known as the Black Devil. Had 352 victories.
          • Johannes Steinhoff-Highly decorated. Suffered a crash which burnt him severely. Was part of the Fighter Pilot Revolt
          • Col. “Mighty Mo” Preston-Flight wing leader. Crashed and died
          • Al “Doc” Sadok-Part of the crew, navigator, of the Quiet Ones
          • Sam Blackford-Turret gunner as part of the Quiet Ones


          Expectations:
          Recommendation: A book nominated in the OSHER book club
          When: November 26, 2018
          Date Became Aware of Book: November 26, 2018
          How come do I want to read this book: Sounded interesting
          What do I think I will get out of it? A story about a German who was trying to shoot down an American plane during World War II, but held back.


          Thoughts:

          Early on Franz learned the importance of being human. From his father he learned that it was not ago to sacrifice himself because nobody would ever see the results of hidden work. On the battlefield, he learned from his squadron commander that you treat your enemy humanly. Not only for that person’s benefit but because others will benefit as well. Not only because others benefit, but because it says something about yourself. And most importantly, because it verifies yourself.

          Also he was taught that when you shot down a fighter, it is considered a victory, not a kill. That to stand against wrong, is the right thing to do.

          Is war impersonal?

          Basic premise which honorable soldiers fight by: There is something worse than death, and one of those things is to completely lose your humanity.


          Introduction: A stranger in my own land
          The author is giving us his background where he talks about his fascination with flying and the military Several people from his hometown was on flight 800 and died. Markos understood from that moment that life is fragile. As he contemplated this, he understood more and more that life is not all fun and games. So he started a magazine about military airplanes, particularly about World War II. At his young age he had the image that all Americans were the good guys and the Germans all were the bad ones. He then meets Charlie Brown who brought a damaged bomber home. But the story was unusual-a German by the name of Franz Stigler could have gunned him down, but did not. That is the story of this book. Which raised the question in Markos’ mind, Can good men be found on both sides of a bad war?


          Follow the eagles
          Franz Stigler describes how he loved to fly. He is a young member of a glider club in post World War I. On his first flight, he crashes the plane. But his father, who is an adult overseeing the club, realizes that Franz was too light and that is why the glider went nose straight up and then Franz crashed it. His mother would like him to be a priest, so he is OK with going to a Catholic school. But it does not fit his personality. His friend, a Catholic Father understands this and gives him choices about what he wants to do.

          Franz learns to take responsibility from his father.


          A feather in the wind
          Franz has become a flight training instructor. He advances and is pretty good. He even trains his own older brother. August did not have the killer instinct which a fighter pilot has to have, so he became a bomber pilot. On a mission, he crashed upon takeoff, killing himself and his crew. Franz wants to enlist and so he is made an enlisted man and assigned to become a fighter pilot.

          In 1937 the Pope issues an encyclida which condemned the Nazi’s. This set Hitler against the church as well as everything else religious. Franz’s brother was marrying the niece of a cardinal and had a copy of the letter. This would have caused big trouble if found out.

          The air war escalated. Since Hitler was bombing London and British cities, The British started bombing Berlin. The bombs were not terrible accurate and this cause wholesale bombing of civilians on both sides. In war, there will be victims all the way around.


          Fire free
          Fire Free-meant that a meal was over and it was OK to smoke

          Roedel noted that chances are that in any fight, his squadron would probably be outnumbered and there was the temptation to fight dirty. (What does dirty mean in a war?) Roedel says that Honor is everything here. Example, if your enemy pilot has bailed out and is in a parachute, you do not fire on him. Roedel says that You fight by rules to keep your humanity,


          The desert amusement park
          Franz now is in North Africa and is experiencing the discomfort of sand and heat and all which comes with that, including pests. He now is in combat, forming comradeships with others like him as fighter pilots.

          Neumann noted that no person can survive without the other… [he was speaking about the desert]. In other words, the Germans Air Force was all in this together.

          Another very high ranking German ace, Marseille said to Franz, There is no reason to apologize for never having killed a man. Another place where the German’s rank and file placed a high value on life, much more than their leadership did. This influenced Franz later on.

          While there was competition for the most aerial victories, there was also a premium for playing fair. Two of their pilots felt that they could let things slide and take credit when it was questionable.


          The stars of Africa
          Lale Andersen singing Lili Marlene. Not only did the Germans listen in on a nightly broadcast at 9:55 coming out of Radio Belgrade, so did the British and any other soldiers in the area. Speaks to the universal longing to be home, surrounded by comfort.

          Voegel and Bendert had been playing lose with the victories. Franz finally talked with Roedel about it. Roedel’s response was he would check into it. But he also told Franz this: You could have saved us a lot of trouble if you had just taken a stand. Good words of advice, something which I need to take to heart.


          The homecoming
          Fanz returns home on leave and finds that his father has been drafted. His mother has aged beyond her years. He also finds that there is not much relief from the war.


          Welcome to Olympus
          Franz is now moved to defend Italy against a suspect Allied invasion. He get shot down, but recovers. Goering thinks that nobody is fighting hard, which just riles up those who are fighting as unappreciated.


          The unseen hand
          A lot of this chapter is Franz’ dealings with higher up-General Adolf Galland and the Gestapo.

          Franz gets questioned by the Gestapo about his connection with the White Hand movement. This was a group of students who were resisting Hitler and the Nazi’s. They all had been rounded up and shot. Now the Gestapo was questioning those who knew people who knew people. It was connected to the With Burning Concern writings which von Faulhaber had a hand in writing (see chapter A Feather in the Wind). Franz’s brother was associated with the daughter of a cardinal who distributed this paper. But Franz did not let on. Von Galen said None of us is safe--and may be know that he who is the most loyal and conscientious of citizens cannot be sure that he will not some day be deported from his home, deprived of his freedom and locked up in the cellars and concentration camps of the Gestapo.

          Opponent vs enemy. Roedel made that distinction. An enemy you try to kill. An opponent is someone whom you try to beat.


          The Berlin bear
          Somehow, Franz acquires a bear from the Berlin zoo.

          Franz and his mother about his brother. Franz’ mother says about his brother, They made your brother fight...but he was master of his own decisions. Another factor in Franz’ decision to let the damaged B-17 go, rather than downing it.


          The farm boy
          The chapter talks about Charlie and his background-farm boy in West Virginia going into the Army. Buzzing his own home town and ending up commanding a bomber. He also met Marjorie.

          Charlie related a story where an old man knocked him out during a boxing match. The old man told Charlie that he was too nice of a man to be in the Army-go to the Air Force. That is what Charlie did.


          The quiet ones
          While in Texas, Charlie’s crew got known as the Quiet Ones. It talks about how they bounded as a crew, going on to England.


          The lives of nine
          The preparation for the first mission of the Quiet Ones.

          A leader sometimes acts. They understand that they need to seem like what others think they should be like. By acting, they show that others can do what they fear.

          Those whom you respect, you do not call names. The German fighters were called bandits, not Krauts or Jerries.

          It was noted that the American’s aimed at military targets-even thought a little less than half the time it missed the target. While the British having experienced the Blitz, felt no compulsion to limit their targets to the military. Both I think point to that in war nothing will remain off-limits for long. Also later on Markos notes that American pilots would strafe Germans who had bailed from their planes. While at least early on the Germans did not.

          Charlie’s prayers-short briefing with my Third Pilot. Charlie was a Methodist.

          The bombers getting assembled for a mission evokes the following thought: It’s a sky full of terror. That is war.

          Preston, who was the leader of Charlie’s group felt he was good at what he did. He noted that One always enjoys what he is successful at.


          The boxer
          Charlie’s and the Quiet One’s first bombing raid. Success. But then they got shot up pretty badly. Enough so they would probably be left behind and finished off. Franz had just finished up with a mission when he heard the bomber overhead.

          Franz wanted the Knight’s Cross as a means to show his devotion to his country. He also realized that if he stopped this bomber, it would be one less crew which could bomb his country


          A higher call
          The Pub, Charlie’s bomber had completed its bombing run, when an engine started to conk out, slowing them down. The rules of the pack was that the rest of the herd of bombers do not slow down, which causes the slower bomber to start to straggle. Their fighters had to return home because of being low on fuel. This left Charlie and his crew to be targets for German fighters. The fighters tore into The Pub, practically destroying it, except it continue to fly. Charlie instead of being docile, charged the fighters which gave it a certain amount of leeway. The fighters backed off. But Franz was refueling and getting his plane fixed so the bomber go overhead and gave chase. That is when he saw how damaged the bomber was. Instead of finishing it off, he escorted it out into the North Sea. Charlie was able to just make it back in to England, crash landing at the closest base.

          Franz hesitated in pulling the trigger. He remembered his lessons from those before him like Roedel, whom he considered Europe’s last Knight. Their code said to fight with fearlessness and restraint, to celebrate victories, not death, and to know when it was time to answer a higher call. There comes a time in each person’s life which defines them. This was Franz’. Would he be a merchant of death and destruction? Or live according to a creed which called for higher morality-not necessarily giving up killing, but killing for killing sake. This is the point of the book.

          Franz decided to spare the bomber and crew. But there was an additional issue. To be safe the bomber was heading to the coast where flak guns would bring them down. In the “what would my brother do?” mode, Franz decided to risk his life and escort the bomber out of Germany. He was successful. But Charlie Brown, the American pilot did not know why the fighter was escorting him. It would take another 40 years to figure that out.


          The third pilot
          The aftermath of the flight. Charlie gets questioned about what happened-which is not unusual. But when it came to being escorted by the enemy fighter, that raises all kinds of issues. On the other hand, Franz now has to lay low about what happened to the bomber he was chasing.

          This was the first mission of this crew.

          Franz realized the trouble he could be in-probably death if the SS figured out what happened. Franz tried to get as far away as possible before anybody figured out.

          On the other hand, Franz was able to get an observation plane and try to figure out if a bomber he had shot down earlier, if the crew was dead or captured. If captured was it the SS or the Air Force which held them. The SS would probably end the crew with death; the Air Force would treat them as POW’s.

          The question Franz asked himself, Was it worth it? That is not shooting down the bomber that the risk of his own life.

          Charlie on the other hand was asked, why didn’t they parachute out of harm’s way? He answered, he had an injured man who could not jump. This is the group thing where they were stronger together than individually. This is in contrast to the other bombers leaving him behind.


          Pride
          Charlie was having a hard time returning to the fight. There things which held him back. A couple of the bombers on his flight crashed with the crews dieing. Then his bomber got stuck in the mud. An engine conked out. Franz started having doubts about killing people in this war.

          When Franz let the bomber go, it provided him with new insight into what he was doing. Seeing the people who he was going to kill up close opened some eyes. The Knight’s Cross stood for bravery. He also realized that it stood for the amount of killing one person could do. He went from celebrating his prowlisness to contemplating why he was shooting down others. It is interesting that nothing like this was reported on the Allied side. There was no contemplation about why are we dropping bombs on people, destroying their towns and killing women and children.

          Mastering one's fears allows you to keep going.

          When Charlie landed, he was not sure about going back up again. But when another pilot died, he knew what to do. He got a hold of his gunner and had him paint his jacket with his crew’s logo. This was his signal that he was returning.

          Marjorie had written him.. But he could not return the letters as he felt like he did not have anything proven yet.

          The question kept coming back to Charlie-who was that guy in the fighter and why did he let them go?


          Stick close to me
          By now Germany was on the losing end of the war. Franz started seeing pilots with the bare minimum of training. There was a lot of unprepared pilots and lots of death because of that. Also the Air Force started encountering overwhelming odds against them.

          As the German pilots were getting shot down, more and more fresh pilots were coming on board, without experience. Franz called this Germany’s great tragedy. Those becoming canon fodder without knowing why.

          Franz started giving rookie pilots his victories.


          The downfall
          One dislikes to be spied upon-this is in reaction to Goering sending political officers to make sure everyone had the correct spirit. On the other hand, how do you know that people are going in the right way?

          Franz had only known the men of the JG-27 wing for 31 months. When he was sent away for some rest, there was a sense of depression. On the way to his rest place, he got waylaid and ended up in trying to get help for his mother. A Mr. Geisse was the person in charge of the veteran’s benefits, but the rules would not let him help. All which he could do was offer Franz a place to stay at his own house that night. There is meets Geisse’s daughter, a little girl who is afraid of the bombing. Franz realizes that he no longer is fighting to keep Germany safe for Hitler or Goering, but for this little girl. He would later marry her.

          Makos goes into the Fighter Pilot’s Mutiny. While Franz is not involved, several of the people who Franz was connected with was. Later on almost all of them would be associated with Franz as well. All which the Mutiny had was the appearance of strength, but no real political or military strength. So goering saw past that and got most of them downgraded into lower positions.


          The flying sanatorium
          After the Mutiny, a new group was formed with the new jet planes-the 262’s. They could be faster than anything else in the air at the time. But they were not being used effectively. Goering gave to Galland the dregs and told him to form a squadron. Galland was able to get the best pilots in Germany, including Franz, to be on this new squadron. But by this time, they were fighting a losing battle.

          Franz’ bear (see the chapter The Berlin Bear) was shot when the squadron had to move to a new location. They could not move him.

          Hitler and Goering did not know what they had going for them. They called him “the actor”. But in reality, he was a mover of men. Sort of reminds you of the way our current President resorts to name calling than understanding the strengths of the people around him.


          We are the air force
          By this time there was few planes in the German Air Force, except for JV-44.

          Eventually the squadron gets itself stationed in Bavaria where Franz thinks that an ugly war has never been fought in a more beautiful place.


          The squadron of experts
          There was a basic difference between how the Gestapo treated downed flyers and the German Air Force. Gestapo used tactics which would eventually lead to death. The Air Force treated them as prisoners of war. Trautloft found out that the Gestapo was holding some pilots prisoner. He visited the camp, pulled rank and had them transferred. But what he saw lead him and others to fear what might be going on in other camps. Before that it was difficult to believe there might be death camps. One of the American pilots looked at the Luftwaffe as rescuers and felt honored that there was still a brotherhood of fellow aviators.

          Marseille’s rule: We must only answer to God and our comrades.

          The death camps were kept hidden and secret from ordinary Germans. They were unprecedented and irrational. … the Nazis often acted contrary to German economic and military interests.


          The last of the German fighter pilots
          Franz and the other pilots had moved into the path of the American forces. The decision was they would rather be captured by the Americans than the Russians. Franz decided to leave and go to the Americans rather than let the fighting come to them. He runs into a squadron of SS troops, who let him pass by-probably because they do not want to alert the Americans that they are there.


          Where bombs had fallen
          Roedel and other aces wanted to form a new German unit under the auspices of the Americans and British. But by this time he decided it was time to no longer be in a place where he was following orders. He wanted to be a civilian and not have blood on his hands.

          One German fighter pilot said: The atrocities committed under the sign of the Swastika deserve the most severe punishment. The Allies ought to leave the criminals to the German fighting soldiers to bring justice.


          Was it worth it?
          The question wandering through Frantz’ mind was, was it worth not shooting down the B-17 when he had the chance to? Especially with the risk which he faced.

          Frantz migrated to America. He worked in the lumber mills and forests. Some people heard he was a German fighter pilot and invited him to the B-17 conventions. He was expecting hatred. Instead he found fellow pilots who understood that each side was fighting for their own reasons. But he could not locate the crew or even hearing about a B-17 which was not shot down.

          On the other side of things, Charlie Brown was wondering what ever happened to the German pilot which did not shot him down. He started advertising in various places. Finally in a German fighter magazine. Franz took that magazine and responded to his advertisement. From there Frantz got his answer-it was worth it.


          Afterwards
          Franz and Charlie traveled around, speaking at places which wanted to hear their story. Their message was enemies are better off as friends.


          Evaluation:
           I was not expecting much from this book. It sounded interesting because of the main story line-disabled American bomber which is spared by a German fighter plane. You figure how long does the author need to tell of the incident-about a chapter and a half-and why the German did not shoot it down. The part before the incident is the books strongest part. How the fighter and bomber pilots find each other is a bit weak.

          But Makos takes this story and gives us a full sketch about who the fighter pilot was and the ethics which made him. This in itself is worth the read-not every German fighter was a Nazi or even supported the Nazi’s. How Makos portrays the pilot as a man who loves his country and is fighting the war because his country is in the war. It is only late in the war does he understand the extent which the Nazi’s-SS and the Gestapo-has taken his country from his ideas. What he does understand is that honor comes before death.

          In this way, Makos has done a service-those who are fighting against your country, America is mine, may not hate you and may be honorable people. This is worthwhile understanding and is well worth the read.

           
          Notes from my book group:
          An OSHER recommended book, but not read in the group.

          Many of these questions are either from or adapted from LitLovers.
          • Why the title of A Higher Call?
          • Does this story work as a true war story? Or is it something higher?
          • Did the ending seem fitting? Satisfying? Predictable?
          • Which character was the most convincing? Least?
            • Which character did you identify with?
            • Which one did you dislike?
          • Every story has a world view. Were you able to identify this story’s world view? What was it? How did it affect the story?
          • In what context was religion talked about in this book?
          • Was there anybody you would consider religious?
            • How did they show it?
            • Was the book overtly religious?
            • How did it affect the books story?
          • Why do you think the author wrote this book?
          • What would you ask the author if you had a chance?
          • What “take aways” did you have from this book?
          • What central ideas does the author present?
            • Are they personal, sociological, global, political, economic, or spiritual?
            • What implications for you, our nation or the world do these ideas have?
            • Are these idea’s controversial?
              • To whom and why?
          • Are there solutions which the author presents?
            • Do they seem workable? Practicable?
            • How would you implement them?
          • Describe the culture talked about in the book.
            • How is the culture described in this book different than where we live?
            • What economic or political situations are described?
            • Does the author examine economics and politics, family traditions, the arts, religious beliefs, language or food?
          • How did this book affect your view of the world?
            • Of how God is viewed?
            • What questions did you ask yourself after reading this book?
          • Talk about specific passages that struck you as significant—or interesting, profound, amusing, illuminating, disturbing, sad...?
            • What was memorable?


          Book References:
          Good Quotes:
          • First Line: ON December 20, 1943, in the midst of World War II, an era of pain, death and sadness, an act of peace and nobility unfolded in the skies over Northern Germany.
          • Last Line: Franz Stigler never got the Knight’s Cross, but as he always said, he got something better.
          • The eagles know where the good air is-follow them. CVhp Follow the eagles Said by August Stigler
          • One always enjoys what he is successful at. Chp The Lives of Nine. Said by Maurice Preston
          • You fight by rules to keep your humanity by Roedel
          • There is something worse than death, and one of those things is to completely lose your humanity. By Shannon E. French
          Table of Contents:
          • A stranger in my own land
          • Follow the eagles
          • A feather in the wind
          • Fire free
          • The desert amusement park
          • The stars of Africa
          • The homecoming
          • Welcome to Olympus
          • The unseen hand
          • The Berlin bear
          • The farm boy
          • The quiet ones
          • The lives of nine
          • The boxer
          • A higher call
          • The third pilot
          • Pride
          • Stick close to me
          • The downfall
          • The flying sanatorium
          • We are the air force
          • The squadron of experts
          • The last of the German fighter pilots
          • Where bombs had fallen
          • Was it worth it?


          References: