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For your Leisure-Five Days in November

I was working at the Pierre Berton Branch a few evening back and came across the newly published audio book titled “Five days in November”. This title, written by the ex-secret service agent Clint Hill grabbed my attention immediately because we just commemorated the 50th anniversary to the day when President John F. Kennedy was assassinated.

It was midday November 22nd 1963 a day that would change the course of history and bewilder generations to come. In a short few seconds, the 35th President of the United States and leader of the free world was silenced forever some 50 years ago. This book will give you a moment by moment account of this terrible time from the arrival of JFK in Air Force One to Texas to the shooting on Elm Street in Dallas, and finally the funeral. Clint Hill – the brave secret service agent who we all seen jump on the Limo of the fallen President just seconds after the fatal shooting to protect the 1st Lady and shield the passengers from further danger – has broken his silence with this tell all book.

A story that has taken Clint Hill fifty years to tell, this is a work of personal and historical scope. Besides the unbearable grief of a nation and the monumental consequences of the event, the death of JFK was a personal blow to a man sworn to protect the first family, and who knew, from the moment the shots rang out in Dallas, that nothing would ever be the same.

It is rare indeed for such a dramatic and important historical event to be described fifty years later in such exquisite detail by a witness to the event. The writing is tight, crisp, straightforward and unflinching without an agenda. So many minute details are revealed for the first time such that the reader seems to be carried along on the fateful trip. The emotions that we felt then seem to come back in full force. The story is highly readable even though we know the ending and wish it could be different.

You will read about his struggle to jump on the accelerating vehicle, the frantic drive to Parkland Hospital, the comments made by Jackie Kennedy, his phone conversion with the President’s brother Attorney General Robert Kennedy , and all the behind the scene details of this historic and troubling time.

Clint Hill aided the 1st Lady throughout the entire ordeal and funeral. He is one of very few who bore witness of the assassination, and will give a unique perspective of the events of this tragedy unlike many of the books written to date. He offers his opinion on who the shooter was. The book is very readable and paces along making it difficult to put down. I read a few books about this fateful day, and I believe this one will be my last. I think Clint Hill has told the final story of this sad day, and I’m satisfied to put closure to this event in history. Mr. Hill has finalized it for me. A great book written by an honorable man, and I pray he will find closure and peace as well.

Ai Wei Wei Exhibition at the AGO

It has been years since I last stepped into the Art Gallery of Ontario, so when my friend invites me to see the exhibition of Ai wei Wei: According to What? (August 17-October 27, 2013) on rainy Saturday, I agreed. My attendance was not so much about the exhibition itself but to see the newly renovated building of the AGO.
It turns out though; it was the last day of the exhibition. There were many people, so much that everywhere I go, I would almost-bump into others. Indeed, this was a pleasant surprise as I was not expecting such great turnout. If this is any indicator of the status of the Toronto Arts scene, then the Arts community in Toronto is doing much better than I would have thought.
Since I know almost nothing about Ai Wei Wei the artist, I paid extra attention to the biographical information from the exhibition pamphlet. Ai Wei Wei, was described as of the most influential contemporary artist of our time. He is a Chinese artist, active in creating sculptures and art using all types of medium,using  both traditional and daily objects. One can sense the emotional tension expressed in his art throughout this exhibition. Right away, one can sense the artist discontent with the Chinese Government in human rights; the lack of transparency of government policies and cover-ups of the supposed corruption with officials. All these could be seen through the artist’s creation and explanation in the exhibit.
Perhaps the most interesting for me is the piece called “ Zi Zen” or “scattered”, a piece involving the splattered of a thousand or so plastic crabs. As a Chinese myself, I can understand the meaning behind such a creation. To me it was the artist’s nod to the indestructible reality that the Chinese race has been scattered around the world in the past 50 years because of political insecurities. Chinese people are unable to trust its own government to provide stability to their living and their cries for survival could be sensed and felt in this piece. Of course, my 4 years old son is unable to detect any of these messages, he just wants to know why some crabs are red and other are grey. I told him because the artist wants to show that the crabs are transforming, without knowingly at time, for the sake of survival, from one species to another.

At current, VPL does not have any books by the artist but we might be able to request books by the artist through our ILLO services
You can take a look at a few highlights of the exhibition right from the AGO website through this link