Ash Garden Blog

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Ash Garden Blog

“One morning toward the end of the summer they burned away my face.”

This is the opening sentence to this novel and it appeals to me because it grabbed my attention and made me want to continue to read the rest of the novel. It is an intentionally shocking introduction to a book that is even richer in shocking content. It does this book justice by describing the horror right from the start that is written throughout the rest of the novel. This quote appeals to me because the author does not try and trick or mislead the reader into believing this book may be fairytale with a happy ending. Additionally, this quote appeals to me because it describes the sheer horror of the situation at the time.

“He'd been sought out often enough to know he had to prepare in advance for whatever words came: war criminal, butcher, mass murder. He had learned to hold his tongue.”

This quote appeals to me because it shows how Anton is not actually the menace behind dropping the bomb, he was simply doing what he was told to do; his job. No matter what is said to him, he remains strong and “holds his tongue” he does not let their words faze him. His resilience shows that he can remain calm and focused and not succumb to defending his actions. In addition to this, his ability to listen to the opinion of others regardless of what he believes, appeals to me.

“In my imagination I witnessed a thousand times the terrible violence it brought down upon his wasted body. A thousand times I heard his small lungs struggling to call out through his last breaths.”

This quote appeals to me because this is a very dramatic scene. Emiko feels that she was helpless in Mitsuo’s death and Mitsuo’s death is continuously running through her mind. This quote brings a very dark and dramatic mood to the book. This quote also appeals to me due to the fact that it is very sad that a sister has to lose her brother in one of the worst ways possible and in addition to the loss she has to be haunted by the memory of it.

Questions

1. How to did you research Hiroshima and Nagasaki for this novel?
2. Did anyone in real life inspire you when you were making the characters for this novel?
3. Can you describe a particular story that you came across in your research that was particularly horrifying to you?

We are the Weather Makers

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Chapter 17: Danger Ahead

 Flannery opens this chapter by discussing what is known as "the commitment". This term is used to describe the fact that greenhouse gas emissions being released today will not be felt to their full extent until the year 2050. This term is used to show that what we release today must be an effective and efficient amount of CO2, because if it is not then we are committed to the effects of these harmful amounts in the future. Flannery goes on to say that most of the damage done to our environment occurred during the 1950s in the baby-boom era.

Flannery continues in the following paragraphs and explains examples of things that were used in the 1950s that were particularly inefficient. Products such as automobiles and electric vacuum cleaners made in the 1950s had and are still having immense repercussions on our environment.

According to Flannery there are four major factors relating to the climate change we can no longer prevent. These factors include the CO2 we have already released, the positive feedback loops that amplify climate change, global dimming and the speed at which human economies can decarbonize themselves.

Flannery continues to say that a leading scientist states that a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions of 70% (from 1990 levels) is required, to stabilize our Earth's climate. By doing this, the result would be an atmosphere with 450 parts per million CO2. An increase from what we currently have with an atmosphere with 380 parts per million. This would result in our Earth's climate stabilizing around the year 2100. Stabilizing at a temperature at least 1.1° Celsius higher to as much as 5 ° Celsius higher.

Though this goal seems achievable, Flannery believes a realistic scenario would be an environment with an atmosphere of 550 parts per million of atmospheric CO2. By doing this we would in effect double the pre-industrial levels of CO2 emitted and would therefore increase global temperature by 3° Celsius this century.

Flannery ends this chapter by telling us that our global temperature average is around 15° Celsius. If we allow this to rise by a single degree or 3° Celsius we will decide the fate of hundreds of thousands of species, and billions of people.

Questions for Tim Flannery:

 1. Do you believe we will reach your projected target of 3° Celsius?

2. Do you believe that our world is truly motivated to make the necessary changes that are needed to reduce CO2 emissions?

3. Do you agree with the increased usage of hybrid vehicles such as the Toyota Prius?