Well readers, this is a big week. It’s HALLOWEEN!  Now, I know I’m over the age of twelve and therefore have little excuse to celebrate the holiday outside of wearing a “sexy” kitten, angel, devil etc costume, but this year I’m feeling nostalgic for my youth. I want to go trick or treating, gorge on candy corn, and dr
ess up like a good ole fashion ghost.  Don’t worry, there's a good chance I won't end up on your doorstep. Anyway, lets go ahead and discuss what we have going on this week. Paris, Space, and Vietnam…Oh My!

October 27, 2008: Riots in Paris begin after the deaths of two Muslim teens.

French-Algerian teen Samira Bellil was raped when she was fourteen, and years later after she was raped again, she fought back through the French legal system that had all but ignored her up till then. Then she won. You can read her story in To Hell and Back: The Life of Samira Bellil by Samira Bellil.

October 28, 1965: Nostra Aetate, the “Declaration on the Relation of the church with Non-Christian Religions” of the second Vatican council is promulgated by Pope Paul VI absolving the Jews of killing Christ.

The relationship between the Catholic Church and the Jewish Community has traditionally been fraught with tension. The complexities of this relationship are especially evident in The Catholic Church and the Jews: Argentina, 1933-1945 by Graciela Ben-Dror.

October 29, 1991: The American Galileo spacecraft makes it closest approach to 951 Gaspra, becoming the first probe to visit an asteroid.

Homesteading Space by David Hitt, Owen Gariott, and Joe Kerwin chronicles the journey of America’s first space station by two of Skylab’s astronauts and a NASA journalist.

October 30, 1970: In Vietnam, the worst monsoon to hit the area in 6 years causing large floods, killing 293 people, and leaving 200,000 homeless, virtually halting the Vietnam War.

I have no doubt this catastrophe led to thousands of personal stories. In a war of this magnitude, everyone is affected. You can check out Bruce O Solheim’s tale in his book Vietnam War Era: A personal journey.

October 31, EVERY YEAR!  Halloween originates from over 2,000 years ago. In Ireland, the Celtic New Year started on November 1. On October 31 they would celebrate Samhan when it was believed that the line between the living and the dead was blurred. This would allow the ghosts of those dead to return back to earth, and their presence made it easier for Druid priests to make predictions for the coming year. Who knew?

Well readers, I hope you enjoyed this week in history. You can find all of these titles, and more,  at the University of Nebraska Press website.  Join us next week for a little Tuesday Trivia. Have a great weekend!