laika

i'm kind of obsessed with soviet things. now that's not to say that i think soviet things are "awesome" or that i'm a communist (though my husband thinks so...). i understand truly what people in eastern european countries went through during communism--having family that experienced this first-hand, but also having lived in hungary myself and getting to know what life was like there from friends. interestingly, things were still pretty similar even when i lived there in 2000.

that being said, you can't help but be in awe over some of the things that the soviets accomplished, and just the extreme timetables and task-mastering that occurred. personally, i am particularly interested in the space race! even on the web today was this story about about how soyuz is still going strong and will soon be the only way to get to the international space station. WOW!

in comes laika. i am in love with laika and have been for a long time. her story makes me so sad. if my dog had been white and brown, i would have named her laika. so when i went to the somerville public library the other day and saw a comic book about laika, i had to check it out.

what a great story! part fact, part fiction--so nicely illustrated and even though i know the story of laika and know what happens, i almost cried! i recommend it if you like graphic novels at all. it was such a quick read and so worth it. he was really able to infuse the story with humanity. and his bibliography at the back of the book was quite extensive. i think i'll check out some of those books as well (because of my obsession, of course!). i enjoyed it enough, too, to check out some more of nick abadzis's work--i'll keep you posted if i find something else of his to read at the library.

so here's my tribute to laika--to spread her story to those i know. especially if you are an animal lover, it will break your heart (but you should still read the book!). so laika, rest in peace among the stars...