conversations.from: human
conversations.value: a description for a book titled When the Elephants Dance about Verdi, York, Times with the genre: Literature & Fiction, Genre Fiction
conversations.from: assistant
conversations.value: "A formidable first novel, worthy of a Verdi opera."&#160;&#8212; The New York Times
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: the first five paragraphs for this book
conversations.from: assistant
conversations.value: When the Elephants Dance
  He shrugs. "The boy has taken to the killing. They think he is possessed. He smiles in his sleep. It is a strange sight."
  The Paghamons are a dangerous group of Filipino guerrillas, anti-Amerikano, Communist in their beliefs, extreme and deadly in their practices. We have fought with them many times. They are great enemies with the Amerikano guerrillas. Some of the guerrilla groups do not want the Amerikano support. They fear that the Amerikanos will only use us to defeat the Japanese and then turn and want to take control of our islands again.
  The reasons for the various Filipino groups fighting among themselves have become petty and disruptive to the true problem at hand. Some fight for personal vanity, to be known only as the strongest guerrilla force. Others fight for political positioning once the war is over. They envision themselves as heroes and therefore candidates for government positions. In the meantime they wish to have no rivals for those positions. The Paghamons are known troublemakers. Yet I will listen to anyone who offers peace among our guerrilla groups. There has been enough killing already. I try at every opportunity to convince them of the simplest matter: that we can be stronger together.
  I roll my eyes. Paper guerrillas are nothing better than bandits using the guerrilla name to oppress and rob our own people. They are tiresome and a great liability. We deal with them quickly.
  Tomas is in tears the moment he begins. This is the boy who refused a bottle of whiskey before we pulled out a bullet from his neck. He did not scream when the hot knife cut into his flesh or when the needle pierced his skin again and again. When half his foot was blown off by a mortar, he wrapped the stump in cloth and never said a word. He walked this way, carrying an injured comrade, until we were well into the Zambales Mountains.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: another paragraph
conversations.from: assistant
conversations.value: I grab for his throat and throw him sideways, away from me. We are heaving now, still walking upward. I brace myself, waiting for his next attack, glancing down to the Japanese still climbing the mountains. Palaka's eyes begin to well.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: the last four paragraphs
conversations.from: assistant
conversations.value: I am happy for my sister, but my heart turns. I hope they fix our schools soon. I have just found my big sister—I do not want to lose her again for a long time. Aling Anna's second announcement is that she wishes my family to live with her. She has six extra rooms and a smaller house down the street for Mang Selso and his family. She offers for Domingo to stay with us as well. Roderick and I are to share a room, and we all look to Papa, holding our breath.
  We are all quiet at his words, waiting. He excuses himself and leaves the table. We all look at one another. Isabelle says something softly, and it is Feliciano who follows after him. Papa stands, too. Roderick and I follow quietly. When we reach them, Feliciano has his hand on Domingo's shoulder and Domingo cries.
  He places a hand on my head. "I do not hide, Alejandro. Remember this day. Remember how everyone fought together. Keep it in your heart, and never let anyone divide us again. As for me, I will try to build something from what remains. My soul needs time to heal. I go now to see where this new peace shall lead us. Please, tell the others good-bye."
  Domingo chuckles at Roderick's words and kisses us both on the tops of our brows. "I have not heard those words in a long time. Thank you, Roddy." He shakes hands with Papa and Feliciano. He looks at us for a long time as if he is burning our image into his mind. Without a word he turns and walks away.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Swap the first and the last sentence.
conversations.from: assistant
conversations.value: Without a word he turns and walks away. I hope they fix our schools soon. I have just found my big sister—I do not want to lose her again for a long time. Aling Anna's second announcement is that she wishes my family to live with her. She has six extra rooms and a smaller house down the street for Mang Selso and his family. She offers for Domingo to stay with us as well. Roderick and I are to share a room, and we all look to Papa, holding our breath.
  We are all quiet at his words, waiting. He excuses himself and leaves the table. We all look at one another. Isabelle says something softly, and it is Feliciano who follows after him. Papa stands, too. Roderick and I follow quietly. When we reach them, Feliciano has his hand on Domingo's shoulder and Domingo cries.
  He places a hand on my head. "I do not hide, Alejandro. Remember this day. Remember how everyone fought together. Keep it in your heart, and never let anyone divide us again. As for me, I will try to build something from what remains. My soul needs time to heal. I go now to see where this new peace shall lead us. Please, tell the others good-bye."
  Domingo chuckles at Roderick's words and kisses us both on the tops of our brows. "I have not heard those words in a long time. Thank you, Roddy." He shakes hands with Papa and Feliciano. He looks at us for a long time as if he is burning our image into his mind.I am happy for my sister, but my heart turns.