Book Review- "The Century of The Surgeon" by Jurgen Thorwald

Medical surgery has become so routine that it's easy to forget that modern surgery is only about 150 years old.

In earlier times, even the most minor surgery was exceptionally hazardous and usually performed by non-doctors. The author's descriptions of pre-modern surgeries are painful to read. One can only imagine of the agony of the patient being operated on.

We all owe so much to the pioneer surgeons who often went against the conventional knowledge of the time in order to save their patients.

"Voice From the Pit" a short story by Craig Zimmerman

After school, Michael almost always went for a short hike on a nature trail not far from his home. The main feature of the trail were two volcanic craters where lava flowed millions of years before.

As Michael looked into the largest crater, he tried to imagine what it must have been like when molten flowed over the land. The evidence from the eruption in the form of lava rocks still covered most of eastern Washington.

Suddenly another thought entered his mind. Someone was calling for help. Michael looked around, but saw nothing besides the desert.  Eventually, Michael realized that the voice was coming from the crater. Carefully, Michael climbed to the bottom of the pit.There was nothing but trash. The voice told him to start digging in a particular spot near the wall of the crater.

With his hands, Michael began digging. About six inches down, he found a metallic cube about four inches square. Incredibly, the cube was the source of the voice. Michael climbed back out of the crater and put the cube on the ground. 

"What the hell are you?" he said to the cube.  "I am one of the last relics of a civilization that once flourished here" The  cube answered in an almost human voice. Michael looked around.  "We better have this conversation somewhere private" he told the cube as he put it in his pocket.

When he got home, Michael ran up to his room. His parents wouldn't be back for a few hours. After placing the cube on his desk, Michael stared at it. The cube must be some kind of advanced computer he reasoned."When was this civilization?" Michael asked. 

"Before the lava flowed" the cube answered. "That's impossible." Michael said. The cube continued: "Our greatest city was a masterpiece of architecture and science, but even with all of our knowledge we could not stop the lava."

"So what is your purpose?" Michael asked the cube. "I was created to preserve all of our achievements in the hope that they  wouldn't be lost. Our scientists programmed me to lie dormant until a particular time when it would be safe. For thousands of years, I was deep underground. At the proper time, I used a burrowing mechanism to move toward the surface." The cube replied.

Michael considered that the cube may be a practical joke, but he had never seen anything as advanced as the it was. "How is it you learned English? Michael asked. "By monitoring your radio and television signals." The cube answered.  "What is your power source.?" Michael inquired of the cube. "I used very little power when I was dormant. Now I run off a battery that is charged by static electricity in the air." The cube answered.

The next day, Michael went to school as usual. The cube remained on his desk. Something about the cube bothered him. If an ancient civilization had the technology to construct a machine as advanced as the cube, couldn't they have saved themselves somehow?

When Michael got home, the cube had moved to his bookcase. "How did you move?" Michael asked the device. "I have a simple propulsion mechanism" the cube answered. Michael nodded. This thing was full of surprises he thought.

In the morning, Michael decided to take the cube to the university. As he grasped the cube, he received a powerful shock. "What the hell was that?" he shouted. " My self-defense system" I have an important task to do and I cannot be disturbed." the cube answered calmly. "What important task?" Michael demanded.

"I was not entirely truthful with you." The device began. "My actual purpose is to revive the thousands of men and women who lie deep underground. I am sending a signal to the preservation chambers as we speak. So that we can  begin our civilization once again." "You didn't need to lie to me about that. "We would welcome your people." Michael said.

"You would not welcome those who would make you into slaves." The machine said. "Slaves? what are you talking about?" Michael asked.  "My people are rulers. We do not share, we take." The cube said coldly.

Michael had to stop the cube from reviving the others, but how? The cube said it was powered by static electricity from the air. Maybe too much electricity would disable it. Michael raced to his closet and grabbed his battery charger. After plugging it in, he touched one of the electrodes to the cube. The cube was so intent on its task, that it failed to stop him.

After a moment, the cube began to smoke and sputter and appeared to be disabled. The question was: did the device have time to revive the others before he destroyed it?

"Personal Ad" a short story by Craig Zimmerman

David had posted  his first ever personal ad a week before and so far his results had been disappointing. One respondent wanted to get married right away. The next one was on the run from the police.

Just as he was about to give up, he received a message. The response was from a woman called "Vega". David looked up her profile and was stunned by the photo. Vega was one of the most beautiful women he had ever seen. 

David immediately answered and waited anxiously for the reply. The reply came the next day. Vega said she didn't like the endless back and forth on dating sites and wanted to meet David right away. David told Vega that he would be happy her at the Herfy's in Enumclaw on Saturday at noon.

David was so excited that he got to the fast food restaurant an hour early and had two chocolate milkshakes. At 12:00 sharp. Vega walked in. She was even more stunning in person. Vega was at least six feet tall and had shining blond hair down to her shoulders.

David rose to meet her and was dazzled by her smile as she greeted him. The couple spent hours talking. David learned that Vega was a flight attendant, but was looking into settling down in one place.

After a few months into the relationship, Vega asked David to marry her. David readily agreed even though he was hoping to be the one to pop the question. Vega wanted to get married as soon as possible and so the wedding was a week later.

David's family were more than a little surprised that David had landed such an uncommonly attractive woman. For the Honeymoon, Vega wanted to go camping in the Cascade Foothills. David would have preferred an old-fashioned trip to Hawaii, but again he went along with the idea.

After a long hike, David was tired, but Vega insisted they keep going. Finally, they arrived at a large clearing that Vega considered perfect. After making love with Vega, David fell asleep, but was awakened an hour later by a strange sound. David put on some clothes and went outside the tent. 

Vega was standing in the middle of the clearing holding some kind of instrument. In the sky above a large glowing disk was descending to the clearing. Vega moved away and the disk landed in the clearing. David couldn't believe what he was seeing.

Suddenly, Vega appeared next to him. "What in the world is going on?" David shouted over the noise. "I was exactly truthful on my dating profile." Vega answered. " I am actually from a world hundreds of light years from Earth called "Klaj". On my planet, a woman's status is determined by how many husbands she has. I now have more than anyone else on Klaj which makes me the ruler."

David tried to run away, but Vega held him in a grip of steel and took him into the ship. David was placed in a cage that contained dozens of Vega's new "husbands."  The ship ascended rapidly and David was off to his new life on Klaj.

Book Review- "The Plague and the Fire" by James Leasor

The Plague and the Fire by James Leasor is one of the best short histories that I have read.

 In the years 1665 and 1666, the city of London, England was struck first by a terrible outbreak of Bubonic Plague followed by a horrific fire which leveled most of the city.

Using old diaries and other writings from the period, Mr. Leasor communicates effectively the conditions that led to the twin disasters and their effects on the  residents of the city.