Gemma Hentsch

Peak american exceptionalism and blindness

Revisado: 12-05-22

Hugo Chavez was not a good person, and I'm in no way defending him.

However given the over a century of attrocities committed in central and south america by US troops, its entirely justified that any South (or Central) american leader would object to a DEMAND that the US be allowed to deploy significant numbers of marines... as part of the conditions for getting aid in a disaster.

The fact that the author condemned Chavez for being wary of a documented history of US excuses for their colonial endevaours, showed she had no business warning about other people's fascism.

I did put up with her snide critique of progressive voices, because I was interested in her alternative perspective, but the Chavez blunder was too much.

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Still processing...but moved beyond words

Revisado: 06-17-20

The feeling of an abyss of horror is still there... but at the same time one of grace and power, to feel and see through Aster’s neurodivergent mind... and feel kinship at the strangeness of imprecision...

I can’t help but think of other generation ships...but none feel like this... none make me wonder about every action... about the clockwork of minds who can travel the stars, and yet still obsess over skin and bone...

The world is shaped so strangely... like it were created as a cruel joke... but maybe that’s the point... is our world any less cruel, or mismatched...

This is probably one of the most powerful books I’ve ever read... I want to sit down and muse about it... to hear others thoughts...

There’s moments of transcendent wonder that lifted my heart... because I knew words the characters did not and so I could see what was there and I wanted to shout through the page (or speaker in this case).

Sorry if this is a jumbled mess but I’m going to have to sit and think some more.

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I'm angry, I'm sad, and I'm inspired

Revisado: 03-30-16

What did you love best about Saving Alex?

I've not really read many autobiographies, and those that I have, have generally been fairly sappy inspirational ones, hardship on the scale described by Alex, is something a little bit alien to my reading/listening experience...

I'm still clenching my jaw after finishing the book, and I'm still feeling happier about the ending, but more than anything, I'm just glad I had the chance to read the story of someone so strong, and inspiring.

Which scene was your favorite?

When Alex started getting strong for the first time, there was a time I got sad she had been beaten down and stopped trying to escape, and I thought about what I would have done in her shoes, but I realised, I'm 33 years old reading this, and when I was 15 I didn't have a fraction of the strength, or creativity she had back then, but when she began getting stronger, it brought tears to my eyes...

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I've been half joking while reading, that it's a good thing I don't have a time machine, because if I did after reading this book, I'd be heading back to expose Joseph Smith as a fraud when he was inventing mormonism...

I'm still angry.... but I'm glad she is free.

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