Ben Hur (1925) - a silent film review

 I watched the 1925 Ben Hur, a silent film that made me cry a bit. It was good. I'm putting the video link in this blog post. Keep in mind it is about 2.5 hours long. It doesn't feel long, though. 

Courtesy of San Francisco Silent Film Festival

Alright, let's get into plot. This is the story of Judah Ben Hur, paralleled with the story of Jesus. This was remade in 1960. Both chariot scenes were deadly.  1925's scene killed five horses with their trip mechanism (on accident). 1960's movie killed a stuntman in this same scene. Obviously, that scene is hard to film and hard to arrange without accidental death. All that being said, let's jump into Judah Ben Hur's storyline. 

Judah Ben Hur, a jew, gets betrayed by a friend who has become a Roman soldier, where he ends up in a ship's galley as a slave. After a scene where an officer takes notice of him and a fight between a Roman ship and a pirate ship, an officer frees him from his slavery. He then goes in search of his mother and sister (whom he can't find), finding his family's bondservant and daughter in the process. The Bondservant is damaged from Roman torture by now. The mother and sister are forgotten in a prison cell with lots of other prisoners. From here a man is looking for a chariot racer. He accepts this position because the man who betrayed him, Messala, is racing there. They race to the death, where Messala is badly damaged. Despite revenge being served, he's still desperate to find his mother and sister. He joins Jesus' followers and tries to get an army for Christ (because, you know, they think he's going to overthrow Rome right now). It turns out the mother and sister are lepers when they come out of prison. As the story of Jesus progresses, the bondservant's daughter (Esther) convinces the two women to catch Jesus for some healing. They are healed. The movie ends just after the crucifixion. 

Things to Note 

If you hate violence, be aware that Roman violence is displayed. Not only do you see a man tied to a ship figure head and rammed into the Roman ship (being returned in the pirate's "own way"), but you'll also notice something behind the guard in the galley. You see a man tied to a cross, nude but facing the cross itself. He's wiggling a bit at first, but as the galley scenes progress he stops moving. I noticed it. Now you will, too. Also, Simonides (bondservant of Hur family) is tortured for about 30 seconds in a scene, which explains his lack of health when you see him again. Then there is a man impaled on a spear in the ship battle. If you came for a light movie, maybe try again. 

Contrasting to the violence, we see the beauty of Jesus (who is represented by either a hand or what might be a dressed up extra). They had no actor for Jesus, clearly, so when you see him heal or offer Judah Ben Hur water (in a scene where he's marched by the Romans) Jesus is only a hand. Those scenes of healing and the scene with the water are beautiful. You might cry. I did. 

Again, this is also a longer movie. Short attention span? No, you need an attention span for this. I loved it and it didn't feel overly long. It's worth your time. You don't even have to pay to see it. I have the video below. 

Overall Thoughts

10 out of 10, and I would give it an 11 if the scale went that high. I think this might be my favorite version of Ben Hur. It doesn't go into melodrama. It is a real drama I can take seriously. It isn't under or over acted anywhere; it's perfect. Never remake this in 2024. We don't need more gore. This was the perfect balance of showing and telling, without grossing out the audience. It got the point across in ways that didn't have to be gorey. It was amazing. I don't think the other version is gorey (1960s), but I don't remember. 

Just know that there is violence in this, in case you thought "family movie night" and you have a five year old. At least now you know what's in it before you go "Oh my!" at the naked cross man behind the guard. Also, some women are less clothed. I'm telling you now, just in case you thought this was a children's movie - it is not that. It's good, though, and worth it. It's also free on YouTube. See the above video to find it right away. I found one version with no music and had to search for a different recording. I can promise the one in this blog has music, but can't promise others will. 

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I wrote a book! I am delighted to say that I have 5 five-star reviews up on Amazon now, which is amazing. I hope you like it, too. If you're interested in buying a paperback, hardcover, or ebook version go to my website link in this blog or click here to go straight to my Amazon page. 

Jack Thomas is running from a past case. He's hiding in Wrenville. Is his past case catching up with him? 

Find out in my first book, Wrenville, a stand-alone suspense novel.

The Last of the Second Chance Pile

 I finally, FINALLY, got to the last four books of the pile. If you haven't been following the second chance pile read-or-unhaul-it challenge, you won't know, but I've been trying to read something I call the Second Chance pile. This is the last stage of my bookshelf-cleaning journey for the year. Let's get into it. 

Courtesy of jooinn.com

As usual, here are the rules. 

1. I pick up a book at random from the pile. 

2. I read at least 5 chapters. 

3. I decide if I keep going or DNF (do not finish) it. 

4. I review it. 

The process above is what'll happen to these books. I'm trying to do at least three per blog, but today we have the last of the pile, so we're going for four books. If I'm not enjoying myself and I'm not compelled to keep reading I will put it down. Onward! 

First The Dead by Tim Downs

Courtesy of Ebay.com

It started well, with two men trying to get bodies out of the bayou, then transitioned to a bad blind date. It's a series of murders, according to the back, where the killer/killers are using the waters of Hurricane Katrina to cover up their crimes. Great concept, but we'll see if I continue. Our main character is a forensic expert who focuses his attention on bugs and forensics. Already, the conversation with his date is not my forte. Fortunately, he wanted the date to end, so him talking about death and bugs helped his case.

I DNFed it. Two chapters were good and the next two chapters were boring. I had no motivation to continue because I didn't connect to our main character. I'm pretty sure it was mostly just me disliking our main character. I didn't even get to why someone was taking a body out of the bayou into the flooding area. I was too bored. Either this starts super slow, or our main character is kind of strange. I also have no interest in hearing about the dead for as long as it talked about the dead. Forewarning, it is all about dead bodies. 

Broken Angel by Sigmund Brouwer

Courtesy of goodreads.com

I DNFed this by mid-chapter two, when someone started torturing someone with threats and thumbscrews on toes. I was done at that point. I also figured the violence would get worse if the second chapter included torture, so this wasn't the book for me. It was a bit like jumping into a fantasy novel and not knowing what was going on. Maybe you are meant to read the whole thing to figure that out. I didn't even get there. 

Plotwise, you are probably supposed to figure it out chapter by chapter. It centers around a young girl who grew wings in an apocalyptic world. It reminds me of Maximum Ride, but if you had three main characters (don't know the third main person, didn't get there) and it was a different apocalypse. Also, our oppressive group has some religious connotations and I kind of hate that. I guess the book is supposed to make you think, if reviews on the cover are to be believed. I decided torture was a deal-breaker and didn't continue. 

Are you Afraid of the dark? by Sidney Sheldon

I started this and was on the fence for the first chapter, but by the fifth chapter I was in - hook, line, and sinker. It got my attention within five chapters and had me caring about the main characters right away. I wanted to continue. I was even upset that I couldn't find the audiobook on my library app. It follows two women, both widows of murdered men, who find they are being chased with intent to kill. The plot follows them finding out why - all in the wake of a long list of missing and dead individuals in Europe. It kicks off with the cases of the dead, some of them related to scientists and mafia. You feel the widows' grief and hear the personal stories -with little details thrown in that make you wonder what this "Prima" issue is. 

I will spoil nothing. This was too good. Five stars and I can't recommend it enough. If I had just thrown this in the little library I'd have kicked myself. The main characters have a growth arc and bond over their grief, commonly going back to the days of their marriages in their head and being jerked back into reality (I think that's disassociation). It gives out bits of information at a time, telling you more and more as the stakes get higher and higher. Little clues are thrown out as dialogue and events pile up. Past events impact future events directly. You'll notice what connects when you pay attention to names and flashbacks. I would say this is for adults only, though, so don't read this to your young children. 

Ghosts In Baker Street by Various Authors

Courtesy of Goodreads.com

This was a short story collection. I read one story to judge whether I was keeping it. The theme of this collection is Sherlock Holmes finding supernatural events and having no explanation for the event. The first story was eventful, a man claiming to be Satan and getting shoved in the asylum as a direct result. Holmes talked to him and the man said he was leaving at midnight. At midnight the man who claimed to be Satan was suddenly not claiming to be Satan and very confused about where he was. It was interesting to say the least. It was entertaining enough to stay. 

The thing about short story collections is that they are not binge-able. I want to savor, not speed through, so I'm keeping it with only one story read. That being said, some might not be my jam, but the stories here probably aren't found anywhere else. I'm not throwing the whole book into a donation pile when good stories remain. 

Conclusion

This was the end of the second chance pile, for real. I am done with it. I have the rest of the year to chill with books I know I'll love. I'm happy. I no longer have to wade through the pile. The book cleaning process was completed before December hit and I have more time for other books. Not much else to do except celebrate a project completed. 

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I wrote a book! I am delighted to say that I have 5 five-star reviews up on Amazon now, which is amazing. I hope you like it, too. If you're interested in buying a paperback, hardcover, or ebook version go to my website link in this blog or click here to go straight to my Amazon page. 

Jack Thomas is running from a past case. He's hiding in Wrenville. Is his past case catching up with him? 

Find out in my first book, Wrenville, a stand-alone suspense novel.

Cleaning My Shelves

 I'm a book dragon. I need help. I am now going through all the bookshelves to get the unwanted out and make space for new books. I only have so much space. This was overdue. 

Courtesy of Lithub.com

Today you're reading what'll be a lot of work. I went through all the shelves one by one. I took out what I had doubts about and put it in two categories. One stack of books is the donate pile (which I did all at once). The other stack was what I gave a second chance to. 

The second chance pile will be addressed later in this post and given a star (1-5) review. Whatever stays will prove itself. The rest of it goes in the donation stack. Some shelves did not change and won't change because they are my Nancy Drew collection or didn't have any books leave the shelf. 

The Process

This took some time. I started with my bedroom bookshelves, then made my way into the living room bookshelves. Many of these shelves won't change much. I'm working from the most chaotic to the least chaotic shelves. I began by going to every shelf and picking out what I immediately knew was a donation pile book. This meant outdated reference books, textbooks I'd never use, duplicates, and anything else that just had to go. It was mostly outdated reference books and duplicates. I did this on all shelves to get the obvious "donate me" books out of the way. 

From there, I went shelf-by-shelf finding the "second chance" books. I tested them by the standards I set, then decided if they stayed or left. I got through with this process before December hit, which was something I was happy with. 

Courtesy of Pinterest

Second Chance Pile

The whole idea of the second chance pile is giving books that might be good a chance to prove they belong on the shelf. It sounds like I'm making them battle when I say that, but I don't want to miss a good book. Below I have listed the rules for the second chance pile. 

Rules for second chance pile:

1. It has to prove it is readable/worth reading in five chapters. 

2. If it is DNFed or less than three stars it goes into the donation pile.

3. Only books that I am on the fence about or have serious doubts about reading go in this pile. If I won't read it or reference it, it is donated. 

The Fate of The Second Chance Pile

Here we have the fate of the books on the second chance pile. I'll list the book and author with either a star rating or a DNF. I will put my reasons for the DNF beside those books. This process took the longest because life happened and I didn't have all the time in the world to read through. Fortunately, a lot of time was saved by going with my gut instinct to weed out what I clearly wouldn't like. 

-DNFs-

The works of Doyle by Authur Conan Doyle -  Grating writing style

On Thin Ice by Linda Hall -  Lost interest in the plot

Dangerous Secrets by Lyn Cote - It rubbed me the wrong way within one chapter

Reasonable Doubt by Tracey V. Bateman -  I was still not totally into it five chapters in

The Secret Marriage of Sherlock Holmes and Other Eccentric Readings -  It wasn't the actual Holmes stories

A Million Ways To Die In the West by Seth MacFlarlane -  The humor wasn't for me

Reader's Digest Condensed Books Vol 4 1996, Vol 4 1993, Vol 1 1997 - They are condensed, not full novels

Divine Love Song by Elizabeth Mulloy - I wasn't interested enough to keep going 

Crazy Love by Francis Chan -  Not interested enough to continue

White Dessert by Loren D. Estleman - No interest within the first chapter

Spring Fever by Mary Kay Andrews - got bored within two chapters

Raven Threads by K. D. McCrite - Not compelled to read further than five chapters

Sundays In Fredericksburg by Various authors -  Not Compelled to read further than five chapters

Why her? by Nicki Koziarz - Lost interest by chapter four

At Home In Mitford by Jan Karon - On CD, can't play on laptop

An Island At War by Deborah Carr - Genre was too dark for me, not sure I wanted to continue 

The White Rose Resists by Amanda Barratt - Genre was too dark for me, couldn't sit with distressing emotions

The Last Bookshop In London by Madeline Martin - I was not invested in the story or the main character

Sherlock Holmes and the Egyptian Hall Adventure by Val Andrews - Not invested in the story or compelled to keep reading

Murder Among us by Ann Granger - Not compelling enough, didn't care even after the murder plot was revealed

The Defense Never Rests by F. Lee Bailey - Not my genre, a biography and not a mystery novel

First The Dead by Tim Downs - Not my thing, didn't connect to the main character

Broken Angel by Sigmund Brouwer - Torture by chapter two, too much

-Star Ratings-

Freckles by Gene Stratton-Porter- 4 stars, but had to throw out because it was missing pages

Mountain Peril by Sandra Robbins - 4 stars

The Good Neighbor by Sharon Mignerey - 4.5 stars (would definitely recommend) 

The Elementary Cases of Sherlock Holmes by Ian Charnock - 4 stars (not light reading)

Soul Tattoo by Samuel Kee - 4 stars (excellent faith book)

Storm Front by John Sandford - 3.75 stars 

In the company of sherlock holmes by various authors - keeping it, no star rating due to amount of actual short stories in it

Donna Parker Special Agent by Marcia Martin - 4 stars, excellent light reading

Hearts of Fire - 5 Stars, not light reading

Ghosts in Baker Street by multiple authors - 5 stars, a fun collection

Are you Afraid of the dark? by Sidney Sheldon - 5 stars, an amazing thriller with perfect pace

Courtesy of LiveAbout

Conclusion

Well, I'm done, and I still have a problem. I still lack space on my bookshelves. I found space, yes, but that filled back up before I even finished the second chance pile. I'll always have this problem. It's a luxury to have this problem, really. Let's be real. But it does make me consider an e-reader. 

For all those in small apartments, you understand. It might be a good idea for all of us to go through every few years and pick out a second chance pile. Your second chance pile could be what you never feel like picking up or something you heard bad reviews of, but regardless many book dragons should consider trying it. You'll find books you love in the process. You might even learn your taste in books is not what you expected. 

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I wrote a book! I am delighted to say that I have 5 five-star reviews up on Amazon now, which is amazing. I hope you like it, too. If you're interested in buying a paperback, hardcover, or ebook version go to my website link in this blog or click here to go straight to my Amazon page. 

Jack Thomas is running from a past case. He's hiding in Wrenville. Is his past case catching up with him? 

Find out in my first book, Wrenville, a stand-alone suspense novel.

Silent Film Review - The Navigator (1924)

I watched The Navigator, starring Buster Keaton. I've got my review of it and I loved it. It's mostly just physical comedy and silly action. 

Courtesy of IMDB.com

The Navigator, starring Buster Keaton, is about a guy (Rollo) who gets on a boat, after being rejected by a woman. Then someone cuts the boat loose while the other main character (the same woman the guy had asked to marry) jumps on the boat just before a group of spies leave the ship adrift. It's mostly just comic antics with very few dialogue boxes. First, the two on the boat run around looking for help and the source of their voices, each time missing each other narrowly. Next, we have them trying to cook in the kitchen. They use salt water for coffee and can't open cans. The pair even get spooked by "ghosts" which are just the ship rocking and weird accidents. Before long they get used to all this and get the system down pat. They find safe places to sleep, end up working out how to use the kitchen, and even fend off cannibals. They stumble upon a submarine in all the cannibal ruckus and that's where it ends. Rollo gets a kiss and then we have "The End" in a dialogue box. 

It was cute, silly, and physical comedy. I loved it. Nothing bad can be said for any of it. Realistic? No, but who cares. This is intended to be laughed at by all ages. Buster Keaton did not disappoint. 10 out of 10. I'm putting the video in the post so you can laugh at it, too. Most of the jokes are longer than we see in our media today (unless you've pulled up Pink Panther or something). I'm pretty sure the long, extended jokes work because of the physical comedic talent behind them. I'm never tired of it. I'm always engaged in the story. Both main characters are fantastic. The woman is always as smart or smarter than the man in Buster Keaton films. I love that. They worked together to do these wonderful scenes. She, too, is doing the physical comedy. 

If you want more of these films, please sound off in the comments. This is the last research film I have for Buster Keaton and I would be glad to watch more for easy content. What do you want me to review next?

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I wrote a book! I am delighted to say that I have 5 five-star reviews up on Amazon now, which is amazing. I hope you like it, too. If you're interested in buying a paperback, hardcover, or ebook version go to my website link in this blog or click here to go straight to my Amazon page. 

Jack Thomas is running from a past case. He's hiding in Wrenville. Is his past case catching up with him? 

Find out in my first book, Wrenville, a stand-alone suspense novel.

Silent Film Review - The General (1926)

 Again, we are back to more film reviews. I have two more left from the 1920s. Stay tuned for those. Today we have The General from 1926, a Buster Keaton film. 

moviehousememories.com

I know that many of my reviews are already overwhelmingly positive toward Buster Keaton. This is no exception. The main plot of our film is Johnnie Gray and his love for his train (named General) and his love interest, who only had eyes for a soldier at the beginning of the film. This is set in the south, so the south army is actually the side we root for in this film. If you hate that, pass on the film, but it isn't really the point of the film. The train gets taken by the north, along with the love interest who went into her trunk while it was on the train. Johnnie was told no by recruiters and the love interest was lied to. Her family told her he never got in line, but that was a lie. When the train is taken he goes after it, naturally, and ends up saving the love interest from the northern soldiers. Not only that, but the two of them thwart the plans of the northern army by delaying their train and taking Johnnie's train back.  They warn of the oncoming attack and the northern army is defeated. Johnnie gets admitted into the army as a lieutenant for his heroics. 

It's cute, it's dramatic, it's a long train chase scene you'll never be bored of. I would say the only thing that was missing was the other guy showing up and looking shocked while Johnnie kissed his love interest. Literally all of it was gold. It was the perfect blend of drama and comedy. I rate this 10 out of 10 stars. 

Why You Should Watch It

There are so many reasons to watch it that I have no reason why you shouldn't. It's free on YouTube and I can drop the video here for easy access. It showcases Keaton's stuntwork and how he literally chilled out on a cowcatcher of a train while it was moving. His stunts are illegal to do in Hollywood theses days because insurance won't sign off on them - because all these stunts he did could kill you. He's amazing and knowing he did his own stunts makes his films more wonderful. 

Our characters are adorable, though the beginning of the film is a little less comedic than the end and middle. Keaton wrote this with someone else and I think the drama might have come from the other writer. All the same, it blended together well. You cared about Johnnie Gray and his train from the start and never stopped caring. I never lost interest in our main characters and no one was portrayed badly, except the northern army. That's just because the setting was the south. Both our main man and the main woman were shown to be intelligent, which makes me very happy. 

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I wrote a book! I am delighted to say that I have 5 five-star reviews up on Amazon now, which is amazing. I hope you like it, too. If you're interested in buying a paperback, hardcover, or ebook version go to my website link in this blog or click here to go straight to my Amazon page. 

Jack Thomas is running from a past case. He's hiding in Wrenville. Is his past case catching up with him? 

Find out in my first book, Wrenville, a stand-alone suspense novel.

Second Chance Pile - Read it or Unhaul it #4

 Round four has begun. I'm nearly through the pile and I'm tempted to finish it off in this blog. We'll see if I can. Here's to cleaning my shelves and finding the diamonds in the rough!

Courtesy of Casper

As usual, here are the rules. 

1. I pick up a book at random from the pile. 

2. I read at least 5 chapters. 

3. I decide if I keep going or DNF (do not finish) it. 

4. I review it. 

The process above is what'll happen to these books. I'm trying to do at least three per blog. If I DNF two in a row, I pick five. If I'm not enjoying myself and I'm not compelled to keep reading I will put it down. Onward! 

Murder Among Us by Ann Granger

Courtesy of amazon.fr

It started out pretty good, but not overly compelling. I'm trying to make sure I don't waste time on books I don't love. If that previous sentence sounds harsh, well, welcome to bookshelf cleaning. I have a whole pile to get through. Let's not waste time reading books I'm not compelled to read. In that way, I tried to get to chapter five, only to not be overly compelled by chapter three (the reveal of the murder). I don't know why - it wasn't badly written - but I didn't care to keep reading past that point. I scanned a little past into the next chapter, to give it a chance, yet I didn't feel any urge to keep reading. I DNFed the book. 

The mystery itself is about a newly renovated home that is trying to be a high-end business. The first few chapters introduce the community and their thoughts on this high-end business. You come to find the grand opening is not being celebrated because it is kicking a donkey shelter off the property and not including local business goods in its supplies. You already know things are going to hit the fan. Not only does someone streak with a sign, but a body is found in the wine cellar when they trap the streaker in the wine cellar. I stopped reading after that. If you're interested in this book, you can keep going. 

Hearts of Fire

This is the story collection of eight women in the underground church. I'm treating this like I did the short story collection. In other words, one section and I decide to keep or DNF it. I'm expecting to love this, since I am a Christian, but I put this book on the pile because I wasn't sure of it. One story and I'm keeping it. I honestly think this one is a must-have. It's stories of faith in impossible circumstances, where women have gone through horrors and trauma, but have survived to tell the tale because of Jesus. 

Courtesy of Pinterest.com

It's a collection of stories from eight women, all who survived horror, trauma, and just plain wrong treatment - for their faith. Christian or not, pick it up and read it. I'd suggest reading it slowly, as they are not cake-walk stories or light reading. They include many horrible deaths and many horrible trauma experiences, all of which would scar anyone for life. Some of them have names replaced with other names, for personal protection. The power of Christ and the protection of God saved these women so they could tell their story of faith to others, even if we don't know their real names. 

The Defense Never Rests by F. Lee Bailey

Courtesy of ebay.com

I picked this up not at all sure what it was. It seems to be a lawyer's cases of murder. I don't know what to expect. I could hate it or love it, or something in between. I'm giving it five chapters and if I start to hate it, you know I'll stop. It's a cool cover and a unique book. It had to be from an antique shop or somewhere I'd find old books. At any rate, someone gave this to their mother January 31st of 1972. If that's you, I have it, or rather, had it. 

It is the biography of a lawyer who moonlights as an investigator. He's basically talking about his experiences with his cases, which is engaging in the beginning if you are interested in such things. I counted the intro as chapter one. He's also a pilot, so that's also interesting. Around the middle of chapter two I started to realize the writing style gets less engaging for me. It's not that the information isn't interesting, but I don't know that I want to read past it. If you like courtroom lawyer mechanics explained this is great. If you don't care to hear about polygraphs, defense tactics, and how to defend someone in a trial you're going to get bored. While I wasn't bored out of my mind, I also don't see myself continuing this. I'm DNFing it. 

Conclusion

I am keeping one of the three books. I didn't DNF two in a row, but I did DNF two. This pile has one more blog post in it. These blogs spur me onward, onward to finishing the whole pile for good. I'd love to do this before Christmas mayhem begins. I already have a lot to do for Christmas and it isn't even December. With that said you'll see one more post, this time with any remaining books in the pile.

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I wrote a book! I am delighted to say that I have 5 five-star reviews up on Amazon now, which is amazing. I hope you like it, too. If you're interested in buying a paperback, hardcover, or ebook version go to my website link in this blog or click here to go straight to my Amazon page. 

Jack Thomas is running from a past case. He's hiding in Wrenville. Is his past case catching up with him? 

Find out in my first book, Wrenville, a stand-alone suspense novel.

A Brief History of Molly Stark Sanatorium

 Molly Stark Sanatorium is a historical landmark in Louisville, Ohio. It may not be around for as long as you think, so I figured a nice history on the place would be worth posting. I'm not dwelling on whether it is haunted or not, because I know it is - from people who went in and from law enforcement who used to have offices in the building. Let's dive into the history. 

Courtesy of architecturalafterlife.com

What I know of Molly Stark is not good. Let me dump it all here, just so you know my starting point. My Great Grandfather came here for Tuberculosis and never discussed his experiences. One of my extended family (according to my mother) worked there briefly, noting that the vibe was not positive and that several people had been in comas for years in the building. On top of all that, I worked with and made friends with many people who went in (well, snuck in) and can prove it is haunted. Even law enforcement, who briefly had offices there, can confirm it is haunted. I won't tell you it's not. It is also dangerous to be in the building, as asbestos is not good for anyone's lungs and the building is not in good shape. I ran into people who used to work in Molly Stark at my evening job - literally down the road from Molly Stark. 

With all that bad energy I just word-vomited, I also want to say that it is a beloved landmark. Strange as it is, the place and its history are part of Louisville and Stark County. Many are not happy that it will be demolished. In 2023, it was announced that it would be demolished, despite promises that it'd be restored. It's just too expensive and the place has become a liability and a danger to the public, who's curiousity has led to breaking into the dangerous building. 

The History

It began in 1929 as one of the 25 Tuberculosis hospitals in Ohio. 1956 was the year it became Molly Stark Hospital after admitting other medical illnesses. In 1975, multiple people resigned at once, and its finances were not good. Fewer patients and bad infrastructure led to its end in 1995. That's the timeline for you. What's left is part of Stark Parks and won't be around forever. They closed the park when an incident occurred, an incident where someone's child was lost in the abandoned structure and had to be found. 

It was constructed because many thought that sunlight and fresh air are good for patient recovery. In the end, while some recovered (my great grandfather included), it became "a waiting room for death". The building was named after General John Stark's wife. The complex also included a children's hospital, nurses' home,  a superintendent's residence, and a power plant. There is a tunnel system connecting all of it. 

Because medical advances made the hospital's original intention less needed, they accepted different ailments into the complex. Eventually, the staff leaving and the money problems ended the whole place. The removal of asbestos has discouraged any restoration processes - because it would cost too much. The estimated renovation cost came to 10 million dollars. 

According to the Stark Parks website that park is closed until further notice. I think the building may come down sooner rather than later. They used to do tours of the exterior buildings, but I've heard they are tearing it down very soon. 

A Word of Caution

I do not want to encourage people to break in, just to get a better view. Honestly, so many people have videos posted online that you don't have to. You can look at it from your couch. Now you can't even walk the grounds because someone lost their child in the building they broke into. Also, the neighbors and rangers are hypervigilant. Please don't break in. Just look up the videos of the people who already did. This has been my firm warning. 

Sources:

Molly Stark Sanatorium – Louisville, Ohio - Atlas Obscura

Molly Stark Sanatorium - Abandoned

MSP-Short-History.pdf

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I wrote a book! I am delighted to say that I have 5 five-star reviews up on Amazon now, which is amazing. I hope you like it, too. If you're interested in buying a paperback, hardcover, or ebook version go to my website link in this blog or click here to go straight to my Amazon page. 

Jack Thomas is running from a past case. He's hiding in Wrenville. Is his past case catching up with him? 

Find out in my first book, Wrenville, a stand-alone suspense novel.