MOST TRUSTED & MOST RAD SOLDIER’S GREAT ESCAPE “We Nearly Came Undone” PAGE 108 How to Protect Your Vision for the Long Term PAGE 102 Everyday Mistakes 35 We All Make! PAGE 26 Smart Animals ..............................................14 The Savvy Scientists Exploring Mars ........... 56 World of Conceptual Museums .................... 82 % PLUS 40OFF + A SPECIAL FREE GIFT Every issue of Reader’s Digest ofers only the best original MOST writing on issues that TRUSTED& MOST READ matter to you. Real-life dramas and uplifting stories, amazing health discoveries and SOLDIER’S human adventure. GREAT Long reads mixed ESCAPE with short stories. “WeNearlyCameUndone” PLUS exclusive PAGE 108 book excerpts. HowtoProtectYourVision for the Long Term PAGE 102 + Only $48 for 12 issues. Everyday Mistakes That’s just $4.00 per issue, 35 We All Make! instead of $6.50 at retail PAGE 26 + DELIVERY included 14 .............................................. every month Smart Animals Mars ........... 56 The Savvy Scientists Exploring .................... 82 + PLUS a special free gift WorldofConceptualMuseums TO ORDER: ASIA: rdasia.com/subscribe AUSTRALIA: readersdigest.com.au/subscribe NEW ZEALAND: readersdigest.co.nz/subscribe APRIL 2018 Living Well 26 35 EVERYDAY MISTAKES Some daily habits could harm your health and happiness. Here’s what they are and how to fix them. BRANDON SPECKTOR Heart 34 THE RED TOOL BOX Art has the uncanny ability to bring people together. BEVERLY RHODES Inspire 40 THE PRISONER AND THE GUARD The respect prison inmate John McAvoy so craved as a criminal was earned instead as a sportsman. BRUCE GRIERSON Wisdom 46 FAMOUS QUOTES P. | Well-known clichés everyone gets wrong. 40 BRANDON SPECKTOR FROM RD.COM Drama in Real Life 48 CAN’T ANYONE HEAR ME? In a coma, Richard Marsh watched helplessly from his hospital bed as doctors asked his wife whether they should turn off his life support machine. TOM HALLMAN Science 56 THE MARS FRONTIER The space race to the red planet hots up as researchers test people and equipment in inhospitable terrain. DAVID LEVELL Life Lessons 64 SECRETS TO A SMARTER YOU Memory champions share techniques to improve memory and never forget anything. P. | COVER: NATIONAL LIBRARY OF AUSTRALIA LIBRARY NATIONAL COVER: ANDREA AU LEVITT AND BRANDON SPECKTOR 48 April•2018 | 1 Contents APRIL 2018 First Person 69 A SCARY SYMPATHY About to have an operation? Be warned. People won’t shy away from sharing medical misadventures. OLLY MANN Who Knew? 72 ANATOMY OF A SNEEZE A-choo! The distance those nasty germs can travel is nothing to sneeze at. BRANDON SPECKTOR Drama in Real Life 74 THE DRIVE OF HIS LIFE Kidnapped by three dangerous fugitives, a taxi driver found an unexpected ally. PAUL KIX FROM GQ Culture 82 STRANGE ATTRACTIONS From a fluffy toy rabbit to an axe, a quirky museum displays relics of failed romances. TIM HULSE P. | 64 Travel 92 FARAWAYFROMITALL Rugged Robinson Crusoe Island is the P. | 92 perfect place to disconnect from city life. SUSAN NERBERG FROM AIR CANADA’S ENROUTE Health 102 LONG-TERM VISION Eye diseases to watch out for as you age and when to seek medical help. LISA FIELDS Bonus Read 108 PARTISAN PROMISE Woven into a worn Second World War khaki cap is a story of survival and resilience, of bravery and friendship. MARC MCEVOY 2 | April•2018 THE DIGEST Health 16 Possible causes of hair loss, essential steps of CPR Travel 22 Smart hotel rooms are poised to change travel Home PP. | 24 Declutter your home 24 Pets 25 Warning signs of feline cancer RD Recommends 121 All that’s best in books, films, podcasts and DVDs News Worth Sharing 126 Positive stories that caught our eye P. | 25 REGULARS 6 Letters P. 8 My Story | 1261126 12 Kindness of Strangers 14 Smart Animals 55 Quotables Quotes 88 Look Twice 128 Puzzles, Trivia & Word Power CONTESTS 7 Caption and Letter Competition 8 Submit Your Jokes and Stories HUMOUR 38 Life’s Like That SEE 62 Laughter, the Best Medicine PAGE 11 100 All in a Day’s Work April•2018 | 3 Editor’s Note Bonds of Friendship WHEN WORLD WAR II BROKE OUT IN 1939, it stirred excitement and patriotism among many young men. he world wasn’t as easily explored back then, so a ticket to Africa, Europe or the Paciic must have seemed irresistible. In early 1940, Australian Ernest Brough had just turned 20 when he signed up. ‘he Partisan Promise’ (page 108) delves into the challenges Ern faced during the war, when he relied on the support of his mates to escape a Nazi POW camp. It also captures the hardship and isolation Ern felt after returning home, with the war’s impact remaining with him for many years. His story demonstrates that a war veteran’s journey is a life-long one, with many facing post-traumatic stress disorder after they return home to familiar faces and surroundings. he bonds of friendship are also apparent in ‘he Prisoner and the Guard’ (page 40). his story looks at how a young aimless criminal found purpose through sport after a guard recognised his abilities. With time and efort, the young man now lives a life devoted to sporting excellence. I hope you enjoy reading this month’s stories as much as we enjoyed putting the selection together. LOUISE WATERSON Group Editor 4 | April•2018 Vol. 194 RD SHOP No. 1155 For quality products, book sales and April 2018 more, visit Readersdigest.com.au/ shop and Readersdigest.co.nz/shop EDITORIAL Group Editor Louise Waterson Chief Subeditor Melanie Egan Art Director CONTRIBUTE Hugh Hanson Digital Content Manager FOR DIGITAL EXTRAS AND SOCIAL Greg Barton Digital Editor Michael MEDIA INFO, SEE PAGE 21 Crawford Content Editor Marc McEvoy Associate Editor Victoria Polzot Senior Anecdotes and jokes Subeditor Samantha Kent Subeditor Send in your real-life laugh for Life’s Like That or All in a Day’s Margaret McPhee Contributing Editor Work. Got a joke? Send it in for Helen Signy Laughter Is the Best Medicine! ADVERTISING Group Advertising Smart Animals & Retail Sales Director Sheron White Share antics of unique pets Advertising Marketing Manager or wildlife in up to 300 words. Thomas Kim Kindness of Strangers/ REGIONAL ADVERTISING CONTACTS Reminisce Australia/Asia Sheron White, Share tales of generosity or an [email protected] event from your past that made New Zealand Debbie Bishop, a huge impact in 100–500 words. [email protected] My Story Do you have an inspiring PUBLISHED UNDER LICENCE or life-changing tale to tell? BY DIRECT PUBLISHING PTY LTD Submissions must be true, unpublished, original and 800– TRUSTED MEDIA BRANDS INC (USA) 1000 words – see website President and Chief Executive Officer for more information. Bonnie Kintzer Customer inquiries Letters to the editor, caption Online Checkyouraccount,payabill, competitions and other reader change your address and more at your submissions localRDwebsite. ONLINE Follow the “Contribute” link at the RD Moving? PLEASE NOTIFY US OF YOUR CHANGE OF ADDRESS SIX WEEKS BEFORE YOU MOVE. website in your region TOSERVEYOUBETTER–OURPRIVACYSTATEMENT EMAIL DIRECT PUBLISHING PTY LTD COLLECTS YOUR AU: [email protected] INFORMATION TO PROVIDE OUR PRODUCTS AND NZ: [email protected] SERVICES AND MAY ALSO USE YOUR INFORMATION FOR THE MARKETING PURPOSES OF RD AND/OR ASIA: [email protected] SELECTED CORPORATE PARTNERS. IF THE INFORMATION IS NOT PROVIDED YOU WILL BE UNABLE WEMAYEDITLETTERSANDUSETHEMINALLMEDIA. TO ACCESS OUR PRODUCTS OR SERVICES. OUR SEE WEBSITE FOR FULL TERMS AND CONDITIONS. PRIVACY POLICY THE READER’S DIGEST WEBSITE IN YOUR REGION CONTAINS FULL DETAILS ON HOW YOUR INFORMATION IS USED (INCLUDING HOW WE MAY PRINTED BY PMP LIMITED, 8 PRIDDLE ST, WARWICK FARM, NSW SHARE YOUR INFORMATION WITH OUR AFFILIATE 2170,FORTHEPROPRIETORS,DIRECTPUBLISHINGPTYLTD,431 COMPANIES IN THE US OR OTHER OVERSEAS ENTITIES), WARRINGAHROAD,FRENCHSFOREST,NSW2086.©2017DIRECT PUBLISHING PTY LTD (ABN 81000565471). ALL RIGHTS RESERVED HOW YOU MAY ACCESS OR CORRECT INFORMATION THROUGHOUTTHEWORLD.REPRODUCTIONINANYMANNERIN HELD AND OUR PRIVACY COMPLAINTS PROCESS. WHOLE OR PART IN ENGLISH OR OTHER LANGUAGES PROHIBITED Letters READERS’ COMMENTS AND OPINIONS Gadgets Galore The article ‘4 Ways to Stop Technology Addiction’ in your January issue was timely. Our gadget-craving society certainly needs this sober reminder. I love the suggestion to “set aside reading time” of 30 minutes a day. It’s a joy to see people reading a book on the bus or train, instead of a gadget. I have another suggestion: no gadgets at the dining table, whether at home or dining out. DOREEN ONG he Society of Trees not is debatable. If voluntarily, then As a child who grew up in the that constitutes will, and therefore, city, the trees I have known have a great attribute of life. If they do it always been ‘dead’ things in the automatically, then I would envy background of photos taken of plants in that they are duty-bound family picnics in the park. Reading to take care of each other. And ‘he Trees Are Talking’ (February) I would say that makes them even made me realise that they are more alive. DENISE BAUTISA actually more alive than humans in Making Time some ways. I was LET US KNOW for Miracles fascinated by the fact If you are moved – or ‘Now … While here’s that dying trees are provoked – by any item Time’ in the January in the magazine, share fed by surrounding Classic Reads issue your thoughts. See trees – “their forest page 5 for how to join reminded me of a friends”. Whether they the discussion. lovely memory. One do it voluntarily or day our third son, 6 | April•2018 thenalmosteightyearsold,cameto me and excitedly described seeing acicadaabouttoemergefromits shell.Iwasbusymakingthetea andfeltthatIdidn’thavetime. However, he pleaded with me to comeandlook,soIwentwithhim.