Whispering in the Giant’s Ear – A Frontline Chronicle
from Bolivia’s War on Globalization

by William Powers

The rainforests of Bolivia teem with the beauty of nature, even as tensions run deep among its native people. They are fighting for their way of life and fighting to protect the natural beauty of their country, while trying to balance economic equality with the rest of the world with environmental conservation.

Salvador, a Chiquitano Indian who lives here, is fighting against several large energy companies who must restructure their presence in Bolivia to work toward curbing global warming. The fight is centered on a particular portion of the jungle, untouched and calling out to be protected.

Mr. Powers, as an aid worker, spent four years among the Bolivian people. He saw their struggles. He met impoverished families and men who were wealthy by Bolivia’s standards. He saw a proud country stand up to protect their birthright. Along, the way, he made friends and lived the way they lived.

This book was enlightening for me. Of course, I know that global warming is a global fight, but this book brought me directly into the lives and homes of a people who are fighting to protect their birthright on a daily basis.

If you want to learn about the personal and real day-to-day lives of these special people,
I recommend you read Mr. Power’s book.

Mr. Powers lives in Middle Village (one of our own!). Here’s a link to Mr. Power’s website if you’re interested in learning more about him
and his work: www.williampowersbooks.com

The Middle Place
By Kelly Corrigan

This is a memoir written by Kelly Corrigan, a wife and mother of two, a newspaper columnist, and a daughter to her loveable father, George and pragmatic mother, Mary.

Kelly sees herself in the middle place – the place we (read: women) find ourselves at the point in our lives when we are taking care of our children and our parents simultaneously. Until she finds a lump in her breast.

Then she finds out that her beloved father has late-stage cancer.

Now Kelly must “grow up” while her life and her world are falling down around her.

Kelly takes us along on her journey to discovering her strengths and weaknesses, and shows us how she juggles her two small children, her husband, job, friends, mother, brothers and father through her cancer treatments.

Ms. Corrigan takes a funny, almost lighthearted approach to her life in this memoir. It’s a good read and I recommend it.