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Use this question to share your thoughts and reflections "along the way," while you read, or that don't fit into any other question.

I started it yesterday and have read 1/3. Very engrossing.

I have the volume that contains three of his books (the one pictured on the top of the discussion). I found it in a $5-bag book sale last spring, I think by then the book was already in the nominations list so I jumped at the opportunity.

Anybody else plans to read the other 2 books?

Mariangel wrote: "I started it yesterday and have read 1/3. Very engrossing... Anybody else plans to read the other 2 books?

I also started yesterday and have also read 1/3! It reads quite fast. This is my second reading.

The second book I have read 4 times in a translation. If you want to comment, I know it almost by heart, without the need to read it again. The third I don't have, nor have I ever read it.

I have also read Before I Sleep: The Last Days of Dr. Tom Dooley as a condensed Readers Digest book.

I had mixed feelings about the Vietnam War. I had strong anti-communist convictions but also pacifist leanings. One of my high school classmates died in Vietnam, a cousin in the Korean War. I drew a low number in the draft lottery and was at first deferred as a student then after graduation called twice before the medical draft board but first got a one-year postponement and later a IV-F classification.
In the sixties if I heard the name Tom Dooley it meant a folk song by the Kingston Trio. I had no idea then it referred to another Tom. I get the picture now after reading the first quarter.

I am taking my time, reading a chapter a day. It is well written and an enjoyable read, though the subject matter is quite difficult at times.

I just finished Chapter VIII, his description of Camp Pagoda. I found very touching his description of the church. But I also found it curious that he mentions several military and political dignitaries that visited the camp, but not the priests who served the people, providing daily mass, as well as, surely other sacraments and aide. Perhaps that is yet to come.

John wrote: "I just finished Chapter VIII, his description of Camp Pagoda. I found very touching his description of the church. But I also found it curious that he mentions... but not the priests who served the people, providing daily mass, as well as, surely other sacraments and aide. Perhaps that is yet to come."

Yes, in chapter 12.

Chapter IX. I wish he would have indicated what the medical discoveries were that were made from the samples collected during the evacuation effort.

I'm amazed by the casual way he writes about/treats the widespread incidence of various serious and contagious diseases.

I get the feeling that Dooley intended to keep the book short to reach a wider audience. He gives a sobering enough picture of the situation in the camp without getting too deep into medical details.

Jill wrote: "I'm amazed by the casual way he writes about/treats the widespread incidence of various serious and contagious diseases."

But it is a fact that he and his team prevented those diseases from becoming epidemics. He says it, and the Wikipedia confirms it.

Dr. Tom Dooley is still a hero at Notre Dame (near our home), with a memorial to him at the Grotto.
It's striking how important the Catholic Faith is to these refugees. I can't help wondering how it took such a firm root among them rather than being identified with their colonial oppressors and thrown off along with the French. Does anyone know how the Faith is faring in Communist Vietnam today?
Dr. Dooley has such profound respect for native culture, customs, foods...

Jill wrote: "Does anyone know how the Faith is faring in Communist Vietnam today?"

From the Wikipedia (
After 1975, the Communists began to prohibit religious practice, but particularly targeted Christians. Many Vietnamese boat people were Christians, and Christians formed 75% of Vietnamese refugees fleeing the country...
Since... reforms of 1986, Christianity has started to see revival, but the Communist government's policies toward Christians are difficult for many Christians and sometimes dangerous. Christians continue to be seen as a threat due to their previous support for the French and Americans. Terrorism against Christians in Vietnam has been a major issue, and oppressions of Christians is still commonly practiced by the Communist authorities.
On the other hand, the government has lifted some restrictions on religious practices. In particular, Christians can celebrate holidays like Easter, Thanksgiving and gathering in Churches are common among Christians.
Despite this ambivalent treatment of Christians, Vietnam was the first Asian Communist country to establish relations with the Vatican, a major breakthrough in contrast to China, Laos and North Korea. The Government of Vietnam reached an agreement with Vatican for a further normalization in 2018, which allowed Holy See to have a permanent representative in Vietnam in the future.

Chapter XIV - given current circumstances, I was a little amused at the reference to Bat Wing Soup.

John wrote: "Chapter XIV - given current circumstances, I was a little amused at the reference to Bat Wing Soup."

At least one troll about the COVID-19 virus that I heard was that it came from the Chinese eating bats.

Galicius wrote: "John wrote: "Chapter XIV - given current circumstances, I was a little amused at the reference to Bat Wing Soup."

At least one troll about the COVID-19 virus that I heard was that it came from the..."

Yes, that's what I was referring to. There are two theories about the source, neither of which can fairly be called "trolling" or conspiracy theories.

1) A wet market in Wuhan, Wet markets are markets where wildlife is kept, caged, to be slaughtered and served to customers. They are not uncommon in China. The one in Wuhan was noted for selling bats and this coronavirus is most similar to one found in bats and thus potentially the result of a mutation making the jump to humans from the bats. Different vectors, but this is similar to the source of SARS and MERS. The Chinese government claims this is the source. Given the lies and distortions they've engaged in on this, that makes it less likely in my book.

2) Very close to the wet market is a Chinese government biological warfare research lab. A unit in the lab is known to be studying bat coronaviruses and letters have been written to the lab in the recent past pointing out and complaining about lax safety precautions. The Chinese government behavior in the early days of the pandemic makes sense if they thought they themselves were responsible. Better the whole world should die than that they lose power.

The case for both of these theories is circumstantial. Both are feasible. I favor the lab theory myself, in large part because it is such a commie thing to do - see Chernobyl.

John wrote: "The case for both of these theories is circumstantial. Both are feasible. I favor the lab theory myself..."

Another theory, published yesterday evening:

Dogs having eaten bats are now blamed.

I was too cautious about the Chinese ways by calling it a “troll.�� Thank you for elaborating on this issue John and Manuel. Two points from my experience:

1. We visited San Francisco’s Chinatown several years ago, chanced on stepping into a meat market. The ghastly scene inside appalled us. The glass meat counter had barely recognizable meats through the dirty glass. An all-Oriental group of customers waited unmindful in front. The servers were chopping their orders and putting them into small plastic bags. The stench was appalling at six or eight feet. We scurried out of the store.

2. I audited a course “Epidemics in Western Society Since 1600�� from Yale. One of the lectures and a corresponding text to it “Chase, Marilyn. The Barbary Plague�� explains how the plague (Yersinia pestis) came to San Francisco in 1900 from Asia by ship rats and how it spread to wildlife in Western States where it still is present. Dr. Dooley’s associate who was combing rats for fleas was probably looking for this agent.

I hope we are not getting too far away from the subject if I reference Professor Snowden’s recent update on what we are now undergoing:

I started reading "The edge of tomorrow"

"The edge of tomorrow" continues where "Deliver us from evil" left off, with Dr. Dooley going off to Laos to continue helping, this time on his own, not sponsored by the Navy. His patients are no longer refugees, but Laotians who live in remote jungle areas and have never seen a doctor, and what he encounters is a people accustomed to living their everyday lives with all kinds of horrid but preventable diseases.