Lone Wolf by Jodi Picoult

 

  Have you ever considered what you would prefer your loved ones to do if you were hooked to a ventilator, in a vegetative state, with less than one percent chance to recover your consciousness and get back to your normal life? Would you prefer to stay hooked to the machines, unconscious, letting your loved ones hope that one day you would wake up? Or would you prefer your loved ones to make the decision to disconnect everything and let you die?

   Luke Warren took many risks living in the wild with the wolves, and he thought about the possibility of ending up in such a dire situation. Ironically, the wolves had nothing to do with his outcome. It was a car accident what caused a severe traumatic brain injury from which he would never recover.

    Luke Warren’s family was stuck with a difficult decision: to disconnect the life support system and allow him to die or to let him hooked to that system indefinitely. Luke had expressed his desire to donate his organs; he did not like the idea of lying unconscious in a hospital bed. That was not the kind of life he would accept, but the decision to interrupt his life support was not an easy one to make.

  Luke’s daughter, Cara, knew how much her father valued life. She had witnessed how his dad had gone out of his way to save the life of a wolf puppy. She had seen how he had managed to save the lives of wolves in the most unexpected and hopeless situations, so how could she do that to her own father?  On the other hand, Edward, Luke’s only son, was ready to honor his father’s wishes… but was that his true motivation? Edward had left America to live in Thailand for six years after a serious argument he’d had with his father. The shocking secret of their conflict is revealed close to the end of the novel.

   The first chapter of the novel caught my attention in a way that felt magical and incredible. A guy released the animals of a circus… I knew I had to get to know that guy. The book was irresistible from the beginning. The suspense of the story never dwindles, and I appreciate the reading journey to get to know each character’s thoughts and actions.  Picoult crafts a gripping story with unexpected twists and turns.

    Luke Warren loved his family but the wolves pulled him in a direction that eventually led to the demise of his marriage. The relationship between Luke Warren and the wolves is based on the experiences of Shaun Ellis, author of The Man who lives with Wolves, a book that I am adding to my reading list.

   Lone Wolf by Jodi Picoult contains the points of view of all the characters involved. The chapters are “written” by the characters of the novel. This clever technique exposes the perspectives and perceptions of the same situations by the different characters, facilitating a deeper understanding of their emotions, behaviors and attitudes.

    Picoult's literary strategy helps to illuminate the complexity of the family relationships and the unique circumstances that shaped those relationships and behaviors. The interactions between the siblings--Cara and Edward-- is an example of this, and it gave me a lot to think about.

 I have mixed feelings toward this novel…

 One of the strengths of Lone Wolf is that it offers the readers a window into a situation that nobody wants to imagine, and, for this reason, it can spark conversations about what to do when the options to stay alive are limited to being in a vegetative state. I know there are different perspectives and views on the matter. It is necessary to acknowledge that the views and decisions taken will be influenced by culture and the details and knowledge about each individual case. This story can help to have serious conversations about difficult topics. (I can tell you I had some honest conversations with my own family after reading Picoult’s book). However, there are also several features about the novel that disappointed me deeply.

 Lone Wolf could have been a unique opportunity to foster a sense of empathy for wildlife, to offer a path of new perceptions and understandings in this field, but it did just the opposite in some ways. When I completed half of the book I was ready to award the book five stars, but as I continued reading I changed my mind. I will avoid spoilers here, but I will be clear about the flaws and caveats of this novel.

  

 The chapters that are written by Luke Warren are mostly about wolves. We don’t learn much about his personal life. Sometimes he provides snippets of incorrect information. For example, he states that wolves don’t grieve. Wolves do grieve, just like other non-human animals. Wolves are not the exception. I wrote about wolves before here, and I have read enough books about animals to know that non-human animals do grieve. If you don’t believe me, you can read the works of ethologists like Marc Bekoff, Jane Goodall and scientists who dedicate their lives to study animal behavior.

     There is a chapter in which Luke Warren shares the experience of being saved by a wolf. Luke could have been killed by a lion mountain, but the wolf did something that prevented Luke from being caught. Yet Luke’s clumsy conclusion about the experience was that the only reason the wolf had protected him from the predator was that the wolf considered Luke a “useful” member of the pack. According to Luke’s warped view, the wolf’s action was not about love or empathy. It was only a matter of convenience.

 Again, I have read enough books about non-human animals to know that empathy and consideration for others is not something that only belongs to human beings. Through the words of this so-called "expert" who might have been projecting his own character traits on the situation, Jodi Picoult perpetuates biases against non-human animals, and I found it frustrating.

  Last but not least, I was disappointed to learn the dark secrets about Luke Warren’s past. If Jodi Picoult wanted to taint the character's reputation by shocking the reader, she accomplished that. I surmise this is done in an attempt to sell more books, but those unexpected revelations did not feel credible. I expected an enlightening read—not a shallow “American Beauty movie”. I sensed those dreadful secrets were there to upset and shock the readers—not to help to understand Luke Warren. Luke warren genuinely cared about the wolves, and while it is true that he somehow neglected his duties toward his family at some point, this could have been fleshed out to understand his actions from his own perspective.  At least she could have given Luke a voice that would have revealed more about this dark facet of his life to make his flaws more credible. Considering this aspect of the novel, I feel cheated.

  Picoult seems to imply that Luke Warren cared too much about wolves and not enough about human life, a contradiction that can be used by skeptics to ignore the consequences of human actions on the planet and the burden that we create for other living beings. All living beings are interconnected and everything plays a role in the web of life to which we all belong. Yet Picoult appears to create a sort of delusional false dichotomy in the minds of the readers. It is misleading and disturbing. I also got tired of people blaming wolves for Luke Warren’s messy personal life. Enough!

 The novel is riveting, but it contains biases and misconceptions, so keep an open mind and be prepared to challenge those mixed messages.

 Another outdated snippet of information is given by the neurosurgeon who said that nerve cells cannot regenerate. This has been debunked by science. I am not trying to say that this information has anything to do with the outcome of Luke Warren's situation, but it is still important to make it clear.

  Lone Wolf gave me a lot to think about. It led to meaningful discussions with my family, and I am happy I had the chance to read it. It highlights how wolves care deeply about their pack. An interesting quality that humans can learn from wolves is how they value the wisdom that may come with years of life experience. On the other hand, we human beings should examine and eradicate the ageist stereotypes and attitudes that contaminate our modern societies. Ageism has become an issue that needs to be addressed. It is horrifying to witness it these days. I can hardly believe the lack of respect and consideration for the treasure that experience and knowledge can afford.  

 A pack of wolves has the wisdom to value the experience of those who are older. How about that? And they do whatever it takes to protect all the members of their pack.

 Lone Wolf is also a reminder to live the present to its fullest potential because we don’t know what the future has in store for us. We only have the present.

 Carpe diem!

 

Supplementary reading material:

 

https://www.apa.org/monitor/2023/03/cover-new-concept-of-aging

The Wisdom of Wolves by Jim and Jamie Dutcher

https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/12/style/lyn-slater-accidental-icon-how-to-be-old/index.html

Women Heroes of World War II by Kathryn J. Atwood

 

 It is a pleasure to read how these brave, intelligent women fought and fooled the Nazis. Their endeavors were not easy. Some of them perished in the process, but many of them survived and shared their stories, setting alight a wellspring for inspiration and education for those who dare to learn the facts of history.  

   The experiences of these women are a testament to the resilience of the human spirit amid harrowing circumstances. Their guile and courage saved many lives. 

This edifying read also delves into the root causes of World War II. The introduction offers an insightful and thorough analysis of the ways Adolf Hitler became popular.

    Kathryn Atwood’s book is a unique read because the meticulous research on the experiences of these remarkable women follows an in-depth explanation of the political and social context of their countries of origin during World War II. Women Heroes of World War II is a valuable resource for schools and universities. It is also a reminder that countries that treat women as second-class citizens are in reality afraid of their power and intelligence. (Cowardice has many faces and treating women like property is one of those faces).

 The forces that empowered a dictator like Hitler should not be ignored. The economic constraints of the 1930s are often cited to explain the origin of the horrifying Nazi regime, but there are social issues that are conveniently overlooked. Atwood’s book integrates every aspect of this period with sensibility and knowledge.

 Hatred was the engine that drove the irrational behaviors of this regime.

 “Schools became places of indoctrination, where history classes taught that Hitler was descended from great German heroes, math classes discussed how much money the state lost while supporting mentally challenged individuals, and biology classes taught the superiority of the Aryan race and the inferiority of the Jewish race.”

 Many people were blinded to the cruelty of the Nazis. Certain countries chose to ignore it, claiming that their own interests had to take precedence over the abuses of the Nazi regime. Hitler established a system that incited hatred and violence toward those who were different.

 “He instituted the Hitler-Jugend (Hitler Youth), a state- run program for all children ages 10-18. The Hitler Youth program was geared to make Germany’s children proud, military Nazis. They engaged in warlike games, killed small animals (to become insensitive to suffering and death), sang songs about German streets running with Jewish blood, and were encouraged toward fanatical, personal devotion to Hitler, a devotion that was to take precedence over their relationships with their parents. (Children were encouraged to turn in their own parents to the Gestapo if they heard them say anything against the Fuhrer).”

 I am rereading some of the parts that explore the situation of various countries during World War II: Germany, Poland, France, The Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Great Britain and the United States of America.

 The invasion of Poland was of special interest to me.

“World War II officially began on September 1, 1939, when German tanks and planes stormed into Poland with a new type of warfare called blitzkrieg, or ‘lightning war,’ in which an enemy was quickly overwhelmed by the simultaneous use of aircraft, tanks, and armed soldiers.”

  Poland military leaders were not prepared because their allies—France and Great Britain—had urged them to refrain from preparing for a defensive war to avoid aggravating Germany. The allies promised they would help them if German forces invaded them, but they did not keep their promise. Poland waited in vain for assistance. Poland eventually had to surrender to the German forces. To make matters worse, the eastern side of Poland was also invaded by the Soviet Union under Stalin’s power, so Poland ended up being divided by Germany and the Soviet Union. Millions of Poles were slaughtered or deported by the German Nazis. Thousands were also killed by Stalin’s soldiers.

 The Nazis separated Polish children from their families by force and ran tests on them to evaluate how Aryan they were. Based on their conclusions, they decided what to do with them.

  “As badly as these non-Jewish Poles were treated, Poland’s Jews were treated even worse. They were squeezed into tiny ghettos where living conditions were horrible and where many died quickly from disease, exposure, and starvation. But the worst was yet to come. Toward the end of 1941, the Nazi occupiers began to build camps that could kill large numbers of Jews very quickly. Jews from Poland, and, later, Jews from all over occupied Europe, were shoved onto cattle cars destined for these camps, where they were starved and worked to death, or immediately killed.”

 

 Who were the people who went against this extermination and helped to save lives during World War II? Atwood’s book highlights the stories of women who had the courage to defy the Nazis by fooling them and going against their “norms”. These women saved many lives amid the chaos. How did they do it? Kathryn Atwood explores their experiences and shares astounding details. I hope their names and stories will not be forgotten. I hope they will offer a beacon of hope wherever there is despair. May their strength persist in the desire of those who have the confidence to stand up against the oppression of fascist dictators, theocracies and other totalitarian regimes that force-feed their citizens with  factoids in order to destroy the essence of democracies across the world.

  May we all stand up for democracy with the voice of truth, and may the inspiration of these women live on in our aspirations and goals.

 Names of all the women included in the book: Sophie Scholl; Irene Gut; Irena Sendler, Stefania Podgorska; Marie-Madeleine Fourcade; Andree Virot; Josephine Baker; Magda Trocme; Diet Eman; Hannie Schaft; Johtje Vos; Corrie ten Boom; Andree de Jongh; Hortense Daman; Fernande Keufgens; Monica Wichfeld; Ebba Lund; Noor Inayat Khan; Nancy Wake; Pearl Witherington; Virginia Hall; Muriel Phillips; Marlene Dietrich; Maria Gulovich; Martha Gellhorn.