When We Had Wings by Ariel Lawhon , Kristina McMorris , and Susan Meissner

 

I thoroughly enjoyed this beautiful and tragic story of three nurses working with the U.S. military at the start of WW2. Assigned to the beautiful and tropical Philippines, three nurses become fast friends and in an instant everything changes. Japan invades Pearl Harbor and the very next day, the Japanese begin to bomb the Philippines changing their once paradise into a war zone. So many of the World War 2 era books explorer the European theatre of fighting, this was a unique look at the experience of nurses who find themselves in enemy territory of the Pacific theatre. The horrors of war and the unfathomable hardships endured by the POW's are the back drop of each of their stories as these three women deal with love, loss and the unimaginable horrors of war, all while their friendship helps to sustain them. 

This is a must read for all fans of historical fiction.

Stolen Focus: Why You Can't Pay Attention - And How to Think Deeply Again by Johann Hari

 

Stolen Focus: Why You Can't Pay Attention - And How to Think Deeply Again by Johann Hari
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I saw this book on a recommendation list and I am so glad I decided to read it. The author lays out an impeccably researched discussion of the myriad of ways our attention is being manipulated and affected by everything from social media algorithms to improper diet and lack of sleep. At times it can feel overwhelming because the problem is so vast, but knowledge is the key to solving anything and this book is full of knowledge to help understand the breadth and depth of the problem. I feel like this should be required reading for everyone, but especially parents.