tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post3384019025130023885..comments2024-03-29T02:43:11.575-04:00Comments on Jungle Red Writers: Jeffrey Siger: Crisis in GreeceJungle Red Writershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16646429819267618412noreply@blogger.comBlogger35125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-81183527120605381042018-01-15T15:06:49.819-05:002018-01-15T15:06:49.819-05:00Thanks, Dennis. Yes, it’s best we never forget tha...Thanks, Dennis. Yes, it’s best we never forget that We the People is premised on inalienable individual rights...and that premise should not end at political borders. Jeffrey Sigerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00718317707555064653noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-56608565826300024202018-01-15T12:38:12.735-05:002018-01-15T12:38:12.735-05:00Thanks, Triss. Much appreciated. Go Brooklyn!Thanks, Triss. Much appreciated. Go Brooklyn!Jeffrey Sigerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00718317707555064653noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-14367743318812551612018-01-15T12:27:27.732-05:002018-01-15T12:27:27.732-05:00Very thoughtful and candid, Jeff. A good reminder ...Very thoughtful and candid, Jeff. A good reminder that unless we see the specific individual in the blurring crowd of refugees it's unlikely we'll act. Thanks for posting this. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16428646909325268329noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-33900384562544370582018-01-15T08:39:39.989-05:002018-01-15T08:39:39.989-05:00Excellent essay, Jeff. Looking forward to the read...Excellent essay, Jeff. Looking forward to the reading the book.Trisshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08058396345946250313noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-26836998971277653652018-01-14T20:45:16.018-05:002018-01-14T20:45:16.018-05:00I'll try clicking my heels together three time...I'll try clicking my heels together three times to see if that works, but the true trick to thinking you're living forever, is to read an utterly boring looooonnnggg book to the bitter end. An experience one never need confront when reading anything by the Jungle Reds Crew.Jeffrey Sigerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00718317707555064653noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-59208696057572609552018-01-14T20:40:55.192-05:002018-01-14T20:40:55.192-05:00Donis, that sounds like the sort of wisdom I'v...Donis, that sounds like the sort of wisdom I've come to expect from your characters. I even see a title in it: "The Old Starfish Didn't Have It Coming." :) Thanks my friend, and hope all's going well with Don.Jeffrey Sigerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00718317707555064653noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-28160777726208737592018-01-14T19:13:30.719-05:002018-01-14T19:13:30.719-05:00I love that story, Donis. It's so true. I al...I love that story, Donis. It's so true. I always have a similar thought when I watch prescription drug ads on TV: 10% of patients experienced some horrible side effect. Not good for that 10%!Ingrid Thofthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04063912686011336076noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-32029615825700549122018-01-14T19:11:27.207-05:002018-01-14T19:11:27.207-05:00You're not going to live forever?! Say it isn...You're not going to live forever?! Say it isn't so!Ingrid Thofthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04063912686011336076noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-75023193318950863292018-01-14T17:27:47.403-05:002018-01-14T17:27:47.403-05:00Aegean April is a wonderful book, Jeff, entertaini...Aegean April is a wonderful book, Jeff, entertaining and yet so thought-provoking. My husband and I discussed the difficulties of the refugee crisis for a long time after I finished reading it. It's easy to become paralyzed with frustration, but looking at each refugee as an individual is a way to hope. I thought of an old joke I heard about a boy and his dad walking along a beach when they came across hundreds of starfish stranded on the sand after the tide went out. They boy picked up one starfish and threw it back into the sea, and his dad said, "that's not going to make any difference, son, there are too many to save." The boy says, "It made a difference to that one."Donis Caseyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15207228706777377242noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-14903575766782686262018-01-14T15:39:22.681-05:002018-01-14T15:39:22.681-05:00Thanks, Kathy. As I've said on other occasions...Thanks, Kathy. As I've said on other occasions, once I accepted the principle that I would not live for ever, the decision to follow my passion for writing was simple. :) The trick is to find issues to incorporate into by books that truly matter and transcend parochial nationalistic issues. So far, so good. Or at least I think so. :)<br /><br />This book though, has struck a cord in me that rings true to every reason why I walked away from the law to write. Thanks again.Jeffrey Sigerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00718317707555064653noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-17602346311596381032018-01-14T15:34:31.177-05:002018-01-14T15:34:31.177-05:00Thank you, Jenn. Those are most appreciated words,...Thank you, Jenn. Those are most appreciated words, and I hope to hear from you after you've read An Aegean April.Jeffrey Sigerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00718317707555064653noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-23710129522141925472018-01-14T15:33:17.375-05:002018-01-14T15:33:17.375-05:00Thanks, Kait. When I gave up my law practice to w...Thanks, Kait. When I gave up my law practice to write, I promised my self I would not write fluff. I'd tell it like I saw it, but not take cheap shots. I think that philosophy is why the Greeks accept what I have to say, and my publisher is wholly supportive.Jeffrey Sigerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00718317707555064653noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-35339502304824551992018-01-14T15:30:42.746-05:002018-01-14T15:30:42.746-05:00Right once again, Hank! Setting is a principal ch...Right once again, Hank! Setting is a principal character to my way of thinking, as it lends perspective to the story. So, whether a tale about today or a thousand years ago, it is setting that takes us there.Jeffrey Sigerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00718317707555064653noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-88475145427219005482018-01-14T15:25:58.530-05:002018-01-14T15:25:58.530-05:00Yesterday, as I was driving to Book Carnival for a...Yesterday, as I was driving to Book Carnival for a signing event, I caught a TED talk on NPR by David Milliband, head of the International Rescue Committee. I agree with the sad outlook implicit in what he said for the 65 million refugees world wide in dire need of aid. How could attitudes not be deteriorating on Lesvos both for the detained and those who live around them? Neither want the situation and both are frustrated at EU inaction. Dunkirk represents the rescue of a fleeing 338,000 in a matter of eight days. We're now into years for the 8,500 still penned up on Lesvos...and 50,000 across Greece.Jeffrey Sigerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00718317707555064653noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-62812511987312521182018-01-14T15:08:44.868-05:002018-01-14T15:08:44.868-05:00Thank you, Deborah (and Ingrid too), for mentionin...Thank you, Deborah (and Ingrid too), for mentioning my work in the same sentence as that of Mary Stuart and Gerald Durrell :). Yes, our American Drama (a true capital D) has pushed the rest of the world's events into the shadows, except where it directly affects US. In the long run, what we're missing now, will likely come back to haunt us--as we've seen happen oh so may times before.Jeffrey Sigerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00718317707555064653noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-424025304665908112018-01-14T14:58:59.062-05:002018-01-14T14:58:59.062-05:00That's an interesting point, Karen, one direct...That's an interesting point, Karen, one directly tied into refugees in a way many don't see. Drought and disease also make refugees, not just wars, because regardless of the cause, when death is likely for those who remain, the rational choice is to flee. In nations where there is official indifference to matters of over-population, there is sadly too often concomitant indifference to drought and disease by those who see them as "nature's" ways of controlling a booming population. Jeffrey Sigerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00718317707555064653noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-8734834343067412662018-01-14T14:37:12.640-05:002018-01-14T14:37:12.640-05:00Jeffrey, how brave of you to leave a career as a W...Jeffrey, how brave of you to leave a career as a Wall Street lawyer and follow your passion of writing. And, now you are having a much larger and important effect on the world as an author who addresses issues which affect us all, even though your books are centered on Greece and its problems. The issue of refugees is one that should concern even those of us sitting in our warm little houses amidst the snow. The tragic picture of that precious child shows us that a refugee is a person with hopes and dreams and needs and wants just like we are. They are flesh and blood, and they deserve compassion. Thank you for bringing the numbers to us that, while they may gobsmack us, inform us of just how large the number is of people in need. <br /><br />I am rather envious of you living in such a beautiful place, and I intend to start looking at it through your eyes by reading your series. The series has actually been whispering to me for some time. Now, to start stretching my days into more that 24 hours. Kathy Reelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17004247271452356577noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-77360046541249337862018-01-14T14:10:52.229-05:002018-01-14T14:10:52.229-05:00This was a very heartrending and insightful read t...This was a very heartrending and insightful read today. Thank you, Jeff, for being on the frontline of the crisis and not flinching from the truth of the situation. I am looking forward to reading An Aegean April. Jenn McKinlayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03214926031147370862noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-54829866801495597692018-01-14T13:19:58.049-05:002018-01-14T13:19:58.049-05:00Thank you for writing this blog, Jeff, and for hav...Thank you for writing this blog, Jeff, and for having the courage to continue to address hard issues in your books. As Hank writes, they are a part of the setting and should be included. Many writers opt to ignore current events, especially hard ones, in the backdrop of their stories. The omission justified with a concern that the book will appear dated or that the author writes to entertain. I suspect part of the reluctance is due to editorial pressure on the writer. Happy that PPP does not subscribe to the formula.<br /><br />Looking forward to An Aegean April.<br />Kaithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07758348842858993203noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-35243160394690018062018-01-14T12:29:21.701-05:002018-01-14T12:29:21.701-05:00Yes, exactly, we all did. But still...what can be ...Yes, exactly, we all did. But still...what can be enough? It's so--well. You know. Thank you for this, dear Jeff! <br />And yes, timeliness works because a book is "real" for itself..so how can you ignore what's really happening? It's all part of--and I don't mean to make this anything put paramount--"setting." And a way of taking us, authentically, to a new place.Hank Phillippi Ryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07630366214207785339noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-44593695582486179792018-01-14T12:05:52.601-05:002018-01-14T12:05:52.601-05:00I was completely blown away by the numbers that Je...I was completely blown away by the numbers that Jeff provided in this piece. Including the comparisons to NYC and LA gave me insight into the refugee crisis that I haven't had. <br /><br />I imagine that the residents of Lesvos and similar communities must feel resentful of and exhausted by this deluge, even though they have been welcoming and supportive. What are the locals' attitudes at this point, Jeff?Ingrid Thofthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04063912686011336076noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-8802141695935791192018-01-14T12:02:15.607-05:002018-01-14T12:02:15.607-05:00Jeff's books will transport you to the Greek I...Jeff's books will transport you to the Greek Islands, Debs, but the islands of the locals, not just the beach-goers. The series is a delight!Ingrid Thofthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04063912686011336076noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-20071439704007050072018-01-14T11:57:52.963-05:002018-01-14T11:57:52.963-05:00I second Jeff's comment about the revelation o...I second Jeff's comment about the revelation or social commentary being secondary. If a book is too preachy, I feel like it distracts from the main story. The best social commentary is the one that you don't even really notice until you close the book and realize how much you've learned.Ingrid Thofthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04063912686011336076noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-44899406512140680522018-01-14T11:48:31.591-05:002018-01-14T11:48:31.591-05:00Jeff, thank you so much for this illuminating piec...Jeff, thank you so much for this illuminating piece. I think that particularly in America, we're so caught up in our own drama these days that we've put on blinders to the rest of the world. But fiction, like photographs, reaches people in ways that no news story can.<br /><br />I'm very much looking forward to your book. I've had long fascination with Greece, especially the islands, starting with reading Mary Stuart's wonderful novels set there when I was a teen, then discovering Gerald Durrell's books. Don't know how I've missed your series, but am going to remedy that!Deborah Crombiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16988750789088153601noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-8736813449785292782018-01-14T11:31:39.762-05:002018-01-14T11:31:39.762-05:00It's heartbreaking, the worldwide diaspora fro...It's heartbreaking, the worldwide diaspora from one horrible situation to hopeful safety elsewhere. <br /><br />However, there's an elephant in the room that no one wants to address: exploding overpopulation. World resources are beginning to get scarce, and the effect we humans have on them is worsening, via earthquakes, fires, disease, and other climate change factors. I fear these human tragedies will only get worse unless we very quickly reverse the trend of a doubling population every couple of decades. Karen in Ohiohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13846039203123720312noreply@blogger.com