by Chip Gaines
Scott County Library audiobook 5 CDs
read by the author
genre: memoir
Although I'm not a fan of Fixer Upper (I've seen part of one episode in my life) and I wasn't aware of how big a phenomenon Magnolia Market was . . . I thought this would be an interesting story. It was, but it was also super irritating. I'm sure he's a great guy and he clearly has a LOT of fans. I had to evaluate the positives and sort them from the stuff that just irritated me.
I love his positive outlook! I could use more of that attitude in my life. I also love that he has a strong faith in God. I like that he is dedicated to his wife and children. I like that he is enjoying life so thoroughly. I think it is wonderful for Waco, Texas, that he is such a positive spokesperson for his community.
That said, I find him to be pretty irritating. His story about trusting people and seeing the best in them . . . your apartment was robbed twice (due to you and a roommate leaving it unlocked!) and you act as though that's somehow commendable? No, that's careless and stupid. Trusting people is great, but letting them walk over you is not amazing (like the two teens who emptied the cash register they were entrusted with).
Also, his teaching philosophy about letting people learn by doing . . . I understand his theory. But his story about Kristen and pulling permits just seems petty and mean. It would have been much better to give her some direction, rather than setting her up to waste time and make preventable mistakes. To me, he just comes across as a jerk. I wouldn't want to work for someone like this.
His cavalier attitude toward safety and his expressions - We could "literally work ourselves to death." Really? And his odd choice to include two possible obituaries for himself . . . I could do another blog entry just on those.
Anyhow, I highly recommend this for fans of Fixer Upper and the Gaines. I'm actually curious to watch an episode of it to see the appeal. Others may not enjoy this book as much.
Friday, December 21, 2018
Tuesday, December 11, 2018
The Beautiful Mystery
by Louise Penny
Scott County Library audiobook 11 CDs
read by Ralph Cosham
genre: murder mystery
This book was frustrating! Jean-Guy was *not* an enjoyable character in this tale. At one point I jotted, "Dude! Listen to Gamache!" The video, the painkillers, the regression, rising to Francour's bait . . . ugh!
"Honestly, they're worse than crackheads." This comment of Beauvoir's, early in the story, as a commentary on the monks' chanting, made me laugh. As the story went on, though, his attitude and psychology ruined the story.
I liked Frere Bernard! And some of the other monks, as well. Toward the end, my list of suspects went from the 23 possibilities to five names, to one of three. The killer was one of the three I expected. Although I love the Three Pines stories and characters, it was kind of nice to have a different setting and different characters.
I think I'll take a break before I get the next Inspector Gamache story, though. I like him tremendously, but I think there will be some Beauvoir / Francour drama recurring in the next book. Ugh.
Scott County Library audiobook 11 CDs
read by Ralph Cosham
genre: murder mystery
This book was frustrating! Jean-Guy was *not* an enjoyable character in this tale. At one point I jotted, "Dude! Listen to Gamache!" The video, the painkillers, the regression, rising to Francour's bait . . . ugh!
"Honestly, they're worse than crackheads." This comment of Beauvoir's, early in the story, as a commentary on the monks' chanting, made me laugh. As the story went on, though, his attitude and psychology ruined the story.
I liked Frere Bernard! And some of the other monks, as well. Toward the end, my list of suspects went from the 23 possibilities to five names, to one of three. The killer was one of the three I expected. Although I love the Three Pines stories and characters, it was kind of nice to have a different setting and different characters.
I think I'll take a break before I get the next Inspector Gamache story, though. I like him tremendously, but I think there will be some Beauvoir / Francour drama recurring in the next book. Ugh.
Monday, December 03, 2018
Thunderhead
by Neal Shusterman
Scott County Library hardcover 504 pages
genre: YA dystopian fiction
Oh my! This book was almost as good as Scythe, book one in this series (Arc of a Scythe). I already can't wait for the third one!
The story follows Scythe Anastasia, Rowan (aka Skythe Lucifer), Rowan's friend Tyger, and a new character named Greyson. Greyson loves the Thunderhead, who has acted more like a parent than his parents and more like a friend than any friend.
I don't want to write any spoilers here. If you haven't read Scythe, don't even think about opening this book! It won't make much sense without the incredible foundation laid in the first book. You may want to wait until the third book is out, though, so you're not in suspense for too long! (The Toll, at this writing, doesn't have an expected release date. See an interview with Shusterman here.)
Scott County Library hardcover 504 pages
genre: YA dystopian fiction
Oh my! This book was almost as good as Scythe, book one in this series (Arc of a Scythe). I already can't wait for the third one!
The story follows Scythe Anastasia, Rowan (aka Skythe Lucifer), Rowan's friend Tyger, and a new character named Greyson. Greyson loves the Thunderhead, who has acted more like a parent than his parents and more like a friend than any friend.
I don't want to write any spoilers here. If you haven't read Scythe, don't even think about opening this book! It won't make much sense without the incredible foundation laid in the first book. You may want to wait until the third book is out, though, so you're not in suspense for too long! (The Toll, at this writing, doesn't have an expected release date. See an interview with Shusterman here.)
Sunday, November 25, 2018
Pennyroyal Academy
by M.A. Larson
T. Helgerson's personal signed copy, hardcover 312 pages
genre: YA fantasy
I read this so I can share with a friend how to best recommend it to her sixth graders. Quite frankly, it's not an especially well-written book. (I have found that screenwriters are not necessarily good novelists . . . ) It was entertaining enough, but it may languish on the shelf. I also question whether there will be a book two, though the storytelling in this volume sets it up easily.
An unnamed girl is wandering through a haunted woods. Who she really is becomes the main source of conflict as she is "rescued" by a knight in training (Remington) and heads to Pennyroyal Academy to try to train as a princess. Princesses are expected to have courage, compassion, kindness, and discipline so that they can defeat the evil witches. Not much of the book is about what the knights in training are supposed to embody or learn. Princesses defeat witches and knights fight dragons.
The book had enough twists and turns to keep things interesting. It's a pretty quick read. I'll have fun sharing ideas with my colleague.
One thing I want to note here:
I love words! I have a fairly large vocabulary (but still can get kicked in the can at Scrabble and Words with Friends). This book, which is pretty much geared to sixth graders, had words I'd never seen before! It wasn't a problem, since the context clues were enough for me to know what the words meant without having to look them up. Still, it was a surprising choice and I'm not sure what the author's intent was . . .
I finally made a note for it on page 245 when he used the word "jennet" and even though I could tell it was a horse (or another creature that has hooves that one rides) I wondered why he picked that word. Now that I'm blogging about it, I have to actually find the definition. According to Dictionary.com, a jennet is "noun 1 a female donkey 2 a small Spanish horse."And on page 247, "berfrois" was obviously a building or structure that is part of the castle. But it is such a weird experience for me to come across words I've never heard of . . . and in a children's book, it almost never happens!
Besides the new vocab (kind of fun, actually), I don't think this guys hangs out with twelve-year-olds very much. When they're putting out a fire, they use "water butts." I am familiar with the term and understand its use in the context. But how many kids will read that and either have a giggle fit or just go "What?!?!" Anyhow, if he does write a book two, I can safely skip it.
T. Helgerson's personal signed copy, hardcover 312 pages
genre: YA fantasy
I read this so I can share with a friend how to best recommend it to her sixth graders. Quite frankly, it's not an especially well-written book. (I have found that screenwriters are not necessarily good novelists . . . ) It was entertaining enough, but it may languish on the shelf. I also question whether there will be a book two, though the storytelling in this volume sets it up easily.
An unnamed girl is wandering through a haunted woods. Who she really is becomes the main source of conflict as she is "rescued" by a knight in training (Remington) and heads to Pennyroyal Academy to try to train as a princess. Princesses are expected to have courage, compassion, kindness, and discipline so that they can defeat the evil witches. Not much of the book is about what the knights in training are supposed to embody or learn. Princesses defeat witches and knights fight dragons.
The book had enough twists and turns to keep things interesting. It's a pretty quick read. I'll have fun sharing ideas with my colleague.
One thing I want to note here:
I love words! I have a fairly large vocabulary (but still can get kicked in the can at Scrabble and Words with Friends). This book, which is pretty much geared to sixth graders, had words I'd never seen before! It wasn't a problem, since the context clues were enough for me to know what the words meant without having to look them up. Still, it was a surprising choice and I'm not sure what the author's intent was . . .
I finally made a note for it on page 245 when he used the word "jennet" and even though I could tell it was a horse (or another creature that has hooves that one rides) I wondered why he picked that word. Now that I'm blogging about it, I have to actually find the definition. According to Dictionary.com, a jennet is "noun 1 a female donkey 2 a small Spanish horse."And on page 247, "berfrois" was obviously a building or structure that is part of the castle. But it is such a weird experience for me to come across words I've never heard of . . . and in a children's book, it almost never happens!
Besides the new vocab (kind of fun, actually), I don't think this guys hangs out with twelve-year-olds very much. When they're putting out a fire, they use "water butts." I am familiar with the term and understand its use in the context. But how many kids will read that and either have a giggle fit or just go "What?!?!" Anyhow, if he does write a book two, I can safely skip it.
Becoming Mrs. Lewis
by Patti Callahan
Dakota County Library hardcover 392 pages
genre: Christian historical fiction
This book tells a fictionalized version of Joy Davidman, the woman who married C.S. Lewis. I had never heard of her before and found this book to be fascinating and somewhat challenging. We'll discuss it at book club tomorrow night, but I heard snippets of people's reactions this morning, so I'm glad I've read the book and am blogging it before we talk!
I (wrongly) assumed that the pieces of letters written between the two were from actual letters. In the author's note at the end, I found that their letters to one another were destroyed. I believe the author did plenty of research and captured the tone of each writer, but some of the things I noted might credit her more than either Lewis (whose writing I love) or Davidman.
Page 28 - in a letter from Lewis - "Along with Dante, Plato, and moorings in Classical Greek thought and of course many others. How can we know what has filtered into our work? This is precisely why we must be careful of what we read." It's interesting to think about our ideas and where they come from . . . but it's also important that we are cognizant of what we are feeding our minds.
Page 69 - Joy talking with her friend Phyllis - "What's fascinating is the way I see the world now. It's as if in believing in God I was given new eyes - the world is full of possibility and fascination. It's no longer just nature, or just beauty - it's revelation." I love the idea of seeing with new eyes. God changes us in so many ways!
Page 87 - Yes! She answered the question I'd been asking . . . "Why are you called Jack when your name is Clive?" C.S. stands for Clive Staples, but he was called Jack in this book. Apparently, he'd had a dog named Jacksie when he was a boy. He was devastated when the dog was hit and killed by a car. "I announced my name was Jack and vowed never to drive a car." Again, I'm assuming the author did her research diligently and included info like this accurately.
Page 94 - Ugh! I can relate to this bad habit . . . "We were in great trouble if we didn't finish our meals on time or finish at all. It led to this terrible habit of gobbling, which I've tried to no avail to break." Jack isn't the only one who eats too fast! I really need to work on slowing down.
Page 105 - Joy admits, "I stayed out of trouble mainly because my most pleasurable activity was reading, and you can't get in much hot water doing that." I love reading, too! Perhaps that habit kept me out of trouble as well.
Page 124 - This is a part that will be good to discuss. Jack says to Joy, "My false face. It can get in the way. I don't see God as magic; you know that. I wanted my conversion to escort some change into my life, but sadly I think I'm essentially the same. Only with God. My masks remain. Anger still bursts out before I can stop it. I built my masks readily and with such skill that I believe they lock into place when I'm unaware and nervous. It can be blisteringly difficult to show one's real face." Authenticity . . . being a new creation in Christ . . . struggling with one's old sins and weaknesses . . .
Page 177 - I love the part where Lewis talks about coming up with the idea for The Screwtape Letters! (Perhaps because I love the book itself . . . ) This is yet another place where I have hope and trust that the author did research to learn about this and isn't just making it up herself. "While the preacher spoke of temptation, my mind wandered. How would a head devil instruct his underlings on such things? Would he do it in the same but opposite manner as this preacher?"
Page 184 - Yay for moms who support their children's creativity! "No matter how long we were cooped up in the little end room of that attic, we had our paper, pencils, and paint boxes." This is from Lewis' brother Warnie. Delightful memories for old men who were boys during a difficult time.
Page 191 - Lewis talking to Joy - "If you're looking for a religion to make you happy, it wouldn't be Christianity. . . . Christianity is rightfully not here to make us comfortable or happy." This is another good section for discussion.
Page 208 - Joy connecting with her friend Belle - "When I'd first met her in college, her beauty had caused me to withdraw. Comparison was the devil of self-esteem." So true! It's discouraging to compare oneself to others who are more beautiful, talented, smarter, etc. . . . because there will always be others who are "better." I like the way the author words this.
Page 212 - Also during her time with Belle, who says she's "working on a novel about an English teacher in New York City. I've titled it Up the Down Staircase." There were SO many literary allusions in this book! This one just caught me by surprise; I know this book and have read it! Davidman sure hung out with a lot of writers. How have I never heard of her before?
Page 241 - When Joy is visiting with her friend Michal, she makes a comment about being a Christian. Michal responds, "Being a Christian isn't what most think it is - all rules and regulations. . . . It is all trust and surrender and transformation, at its best." It can be hard for unbelievers to understand the distinction, though.
Page 263 - I was a bit surprised when Joy chose to get lusty with Harry (especially as a friends with benefits, no commitment . . .) "This was a sin. I wasn't a fool; I knew the commandments of my religion. I wrote about them. Still I fell. And repented. And fell again. Maybe I always would, but somehow grace felt big enough, sturdy enough as I stood again, resolute to do better." This was disappointing, but says a lot about her.
Page 294 - "Discernment fell down on me with great weight: You must know when it's enough. I would not ask him about Ruth Pitter or his feelings for her or for anyone else. I must know when it is enough. And I must trust God - again and again I was learning and relearning to trust the Truth who had entered my sons' nursery. The rusty and decrepit habit of trusting in only myself, only abiding in my own ability to make things happen, died hard and slow." This paragraph has a lot of wisdom in it, and I sometimes have to remind myself to trust God.
Page 324 - "From that moment on, the love affair I would develop would be with my soul. He was already part of me; that much was clear. And now this would be where I would go for love - the the God in me. No more begging or pursuing or needing." I don't especially love the way she worded this, but I love the idea of looking to God almighty for the love and acceptance we need instead of looking to another human being.
I look forward to book club tomorrow, but may be the only one there who enjoyed the book! It was more scholarly than most of our recent books, but I'm okay with that!
Dakota County Library hardcover 392 pages
genre: Christian historical fiction
This book tells a fictionalized version of Joy Davidman, the woman who married C.S. Lewis. I had never heard of her before and found this book to be fascinating and somewhat challenging. We'll discuss it at book club tomorrow night, but I heard snippets of people's reactions this morning, so I'm glad I've read the book and am blogging it before we talk!
I (wrongly) assumed that the pieces of letters written between the two were from actual letters. In the author's note at the end, I found that their letters to one another were destroyed. I believe the author did plenty of research and captured the tone of each writer, but some of the things I noted might credit her more than either Lewis (whose writing I love) or Davidman.
Page 28 - in a letter from Lewis - "Along with Dante, Plato, and moorings in Classical Greek thought and of course many others. How can we know what has filtered into our work? This is precisely why we must be careful of what we read." It's interesting to think about our ideas and where they come from . . . but it's also important that we are cognizant of what we are feeding our minds.
Page 69 - Joy talking with her friend Phyllis - "What's fascinating is the way I see the world now. It's as if in believing in God I was given new eyes - the world is full of possibility and fascination. It's no longer just nature, or just beauty - it's revelation." I love the idea of seeing with new eyes. God changes us in so many ways!
Page 87 - Yes! She answered the question I'd been asking . . . "Why are you called Jack when your name is Clive?" C.S. stands for Clive Staples, but he was called Jack in this book. Apparently, he'd had a dog named Jacksie when he was a boy. He was devastated when the dog was hit and killed by a car. "I announced my name was Jack and vowed never to drive a car." Again, I'm assuming the author did her research diligently and included info like this accurately.
Page 94 - Ugh! I can relate to this bad habit . . . "We were in great trouble if we didn't finish our meals on time or finish at all. It led to this terrible habit of gobbling, which I've tried to no avail to break." Jack isn't the only one who eats too fast! I really need to work on slowing down.
Page 105 - Joy admits, "I stayed out of trouble mainly because my most pleasurable activity was reading, and you can't get in much hot water doing that." I love reading, too! Perhaps that habit kept me out of trouble as well.
Page 124 - This is a part that will be good to discuss. Jack says to Joy, "My false face. It can get in the way. I don't see God as magic; you know that. I wanted my conversion to escort some change into my life, but sadly I think I'm essentially the same. Only with God. My masks remain. Anger still bursts out before I can stop it. I built my masks readily and with such skill that I believe they lock into place when I'm unaware and nervous. It can be blisteringly difficult to show one's real face." Authenticity . . . being a new creation in Christ . . . struggling with one's old sins and weaknesses . . .
Page 177 - I love the part where Lewis talks about coming up with the idea for The Screwtape Letters! (Perhaps because I love the book itself . . . ) This is yet another place where I have hope and trust that the author did research to learn about this and isn't just making it up herself. "While the preacher spoke of temptation, my mind wandered. How would a head devil instruct his underlings on such things? Would he do it in the same but opposite manner as this preacher?"
Page 184 - Yay for moms who support their children's creativity! "No matter how long we were cooped up in the little end room of that attic, we had our paper, pencils, and paint boxes." This is from Lewis' brother Warnie. Delightful memories for old men who were boys during a difficult time.
Page 191 - Lewis talking to Joy - "If you're looking for a religion to make you happy, it wouldn't be Christianity. . . . Christianity is rightfully not here to make us comfortable or happy." This is another good section for discussion.
Page 208 - Joy connecting with her friend Belle - "When I'd first met her in college, her beauty had caused me to withdraw. Comparison was the devil of self-esteem." So true! It's discouraging to compare oneself to others who are more beautiful, talented, smarter, etc. . . . because there will always be others who are "better." I like the way the author words this.
Page 212 - Also during her time with Belle, who says she's "working on a novel about an English teacher in New York City. I've titled it Up the Down Staircase." There were SO many literary allusions in this book! This one just caught me by surprise; I know this book and have read it! Davidman sure hung out with a lot of writers. How have I never heard of her before?
Page 241 - When Joy is visiting with her friend Michal, she makes a comment about being a Christian. Michal responds, "Being a Christian isn't what most think it is - all rules and regulations. . . . It is all trust and surrender and transformation, at its best." It can be hard for unbelievers to understand the distinction, though.
Page 263 - I was a bit surprised when Joy chose to get lusty with Harry (especially as a friends with benefits, no commitment . . .) "This was a sin. I wasn't a fool; I knew the commandments of my religion. I wrote about them. Still I fell. And repented. And fell again. Maybe I always would, but somehow grace felt big enough, sturdy enough as I stood again, resolute to do better." This was disappointing, but says a lot about her.
Page 294 - "Discernment fell down on me with great weight: You must know when it's enough. I would not ask him about Ruth Pitter or his feelings for her or for anyone else. I must know when it is enough. And I must trust God - again and again I was learning and relearning to trust the Truth who had entered my sons' nursery. The rusty and decrepit habit of trusting in only myself, only abiding in my own ability to make things happen, died hard and slow." This paragraph has a lot of wisdom in it, and I sometimes have to remind myself to trust God.
Page 324 - "From that moment on, the love affair I would develop would be with my soul. He was already part of me; that much was clear. And now this would be where I would go for love - the the God in me. No more begging or pursuing or needing." I don't especially love the way she worded this, but I love the idea of looking to God almighty for the love and acceptance we need instead of looking to another human being.
I look forward to book club tomorrow, but may be the only one there who enjoyed the book! It was more scholarly than most of our recent books, but I'm okay with that!
Monday, November 19, 2018
Hidden Among the Stars
by Melanie Dobson
Dakota County Library hardcover 391 pages
genre: Christian historical fiction
This was our October book club title, but I didn't get it in time to read it before the discussion. It is pretty new and I spent a month on four different counties' waiting lists! Ah well, it's a very good book and I enjoyed reading it despite the fact that I had already heard the conversation about it.
I made a cheat sheet for the characters (based on other readers' recommendations), but I didn't think it was too confusing . . . Part of the book is set in 1930s Austria and part in modern day Mount Vernon, Ohio. The main characters in pre-WWII Austria are Max (wealthy German boy) and his parents, Annika and her dad (caretaker for their castle), Luzi (beautiful violinist, Jewish) and her family (mom, Dr. Weiss, Marta), Hermann (helper to Annika's drunken dad), Ernst (nasty piece of work . . . Hitler admirer), and various others . . . I guess that is kind of a lot! In the modern part of the story, Calisandra Randall (Callie) and her sister Brianna (Brie) run the book store given to them by Charlotte Trent. Callie was dumped the day before her wedding to Scott a few years earlier, and she's still in "hiding" from the emotional pain. She's happy for her younger sister's happy marriage to Ethan and she dotes on their twin sons Owen and Oscar. There are various shop customers who come to hear "Story Girl" (aka Callie) on Saturdays.
Without having any spoilers here, "StoryGirl" stumbles on a mystery when she sees handwriting between the lines of text in an old edition of Bambi. (Wow! Never realized that the book Disney turned into the movie was originally written by a Jewish man as a kind of allegory of Nazi Germany! Must find and read a copy.)
Page 81 - "My sister and Charlotte are the only adults who don't wear me out after an hour. And they are the only ones who understand that I still adore them, even when I need my space. Family, I guess, is supposed to be like that." I love the idea that family just knows and loves us, even with all our idiosyncrasies. It's so good to have people like that in your life!
Page 84 is where she explains to some visitors to the book store her philosophy of books for kids - "Books are a lot like food . . . First is the healthy stuff that most parents want their kids to read. Some of it tastes great, others perhaps not so much, but it's good for the body and mind. . . . Next there's brain candy, the sugary sweet stuff that tastes good going down, but turns into a bellyache if you binge. . . . And then there's the poison. . . . Kids need to eat real food for their bodies to grow, not the pieces of poison left out for, say, rodents." She goes on from there. People in book club really liked this analogy, but I'm not sure I agree. Different readers like different genres. And their are Christian authors who write horror stories (Peretti) and fantasy (C.S. Lewis). It's an interesting idea to discuss, that's for sure!
Page 126 - "I should be thrilled to see everyone. I suspect I'll be feeling guilty a lot tonight." Ugh. This resonated with me because I do a LOT of "shoulds" and feeling guilty . . . it's not a pleasant way to live.
Page 160 - on a section break, the author has a page with a quotation. This one is from the Talmud - "Anyone who saves a life is as if he saved an entire world." - Mishnah Sanhedrin, The Talmud. I'm curious why the author chose this. I wish we could have discussed it, but that's what happens when you don't read the book before book club!
Page 225 - "The evil that raged during that time . . . it still rages all over the world today. How can people be so cruel to others? This is one thing I don't want to ever understand." I worry sometimes that we're in danger of forgetting how awful Hitler's Germany was. I hope and pray that we do not return to a place of turning a blind eye to evil.
Page 269 - I should include the entire page here! (I added it later, below.) As Josh and Callie are talking about God, suffering, compassion, etc. there is so much wisdom and truth. "This purity, I think, often stings deep inside, but what freedom to know that God never forces anyone to love or serve Him. Even if it breaks His heart, He allows people to walk away."
Page 354 - "Whe'd prayed for his entire life that the only evil he and his siblings would ever have to fight was that which tried to infiltrate from the inside. And she'd prayed that each of them would fight with all their might." Praying moms make a difference!
Page 362 - "I think we can cling to the goodness we see in the world. To the beauty in these lakes and the laughter of those kids who come every Saturday to hear your stories." Yes! Cling to goodness! It's so important in the dark world to focus on the light!
Dakota County Library hardcover 391 pages
genre: Christian historical fiction
This was our October book club title, but I didn't get it in time to read it before the discussion. It is pretty new and I spent a month on four different counties' waiting lists! Ah well, it's a very good book and I enjoyed reading it despite the fact that I had already heard the conversation about it.
I made a cheat sheet for the characters (based on other readers' recommendations), but I didn't think it was too confusing . . . Part of the book is set in 1930s Austria and part in modern day Mount Vernon, Ohio. The main characters in pre-WWII Austria are Max (wealthy German boy) and his parents, Annika and her dad (caretaker for their castle), Luzi (beautiful violinist, Jewish) and her family (mom, Dr. Weiss, Marta), Hermann (helper to Annika's drunken dad), Ernst (nasty piece of work . . . Hitler admirer), and various others . . . I guess that is kind of a lot! In the modern part of the story, Calisandra Randall (Callie) and her sister Brianna (Brie) run the book store given to them by Charlotte Trent. Callie was dumped the day before her wedding to Scott a few years earlier, and she's still in "hiding" from the emotional pain. She's happy for her younger sister's happy marriage to Ethan and she dotes on their twin sons Owen and Oscar. There are various shop customers who come to hear "Story Girl" (aka Callie) on Saturdays.
Without having any spoilers here, "StoryGirl" stumbles on a mystery when she sees handwriting between the lines of text in an old edition of Bambi. (Wow! Never realized that the book Disney turned into the movie was originally written by a Jewish man as a kind of allegory of Nazi Germany! Must find and read a copy.)
Page 81 - "My sister and Charlotte are the only adults who don't wear me out after an hour. And they are the only ones who understand that I still adore them, even when I need my space. Family, I guess, is supposed to be like that." I love the idea that family just knows and loves us, even with all our idiosyncrasies. It's so good to have people like that in your life!
Page 84 is where she explains to some visitors to the book store her philosophy of books for kids - "Books are a lot like food . . . First is the healthy stuff that most parents want their kids to read. Some of it tastes great, others perhaps not so much, but it's good for the body and mind. . . . Next there's brain candy, the sugary sweet stuff that tastes good going down, but turns into a bellyache if you binge. . . . And then there's the poison. . . . Kids need to eat real food for their bodies to grow, not the pieces of poison left out for, say, rodents." She goes on from there. People in book club really liked this analogy, but I'm not sure I agree. Different readers like different genres. And their are Christian authors who write horror stories (Peretti) and fantasy (C.S. Lewis). It's an interesting idea to discuss, that's for sure!
Page 126 - "I should be thrilled to see everyone. I suspect I'll be feeling guilty a lot tonight." Ugh. This resonated with me because I do a LOT of "shoulds" and feeling guilty . . . it's not a pleasant way to live.
Page 160 - on a section break, the author has a page with a quotation. This one is from the Talmud - "Anyone who saves a life is as if he saved an entire world." - Mishnah Sanhedrin, The Talmud. I'm curious why the author chose this. I wish we could have discussed it, but that's what happens when you don't read the book before book club!
Page 225 - "The evil that raged during that time . . . it still rages all over the world today. How can people be so cruel to others? This is one thing I don't want to ever understand." I worry sometimes that we're in danger of forgetting how awful Hitler's Germany was. I hope and pray that we do not return to a place of turning a blind eye to evil.
Page 269 - I should include the entire page here! (I added it later, below.) As Josh and Callie are talking about God, suffering, compassion, etc. there is so much wisdom and truth. "This purity, I think, often stings deep inside, but what freedom to know that God never forces anyone to love or serve Him. Even if it breaks His heart, He allows people to walk away."
Page 354 - "Whe'd prayed for his entire life that the only evil he and his siblings would ever have to fight was that which tried to infiltrate from the inside. And she'd prayed that each of them would fight with all their might." Praying moms make a difference!
Page 362 - "I think we can cling to the goodness we see in the world. To the beauty in these lakes and the laughter of those kids who come every Saturday to hear your stories." Yes! Cling to goodness! It's so important in the dark world to focus on the light!
Saturday, November 10, 2018
King's Cage: All Will Burn
by Victoria Aveyard
(Red Queen #3 . . . out of 4)
Scott County Library audiobook 14 discs
read by Amanda Dolan, Adenrele Ojo, and Erin Spencer
genre: YA dystopian fiction
This was torturous! And when I got to the end and realized there's another book after this . . . I went online to read about it so I wouldn't have to actually go through the agony of reading it.
Clearly, Aveyard's writing resonates with enough people to make this series very popular. But some of the reviews I read online had the same reaction I did: too long, too much of Mare being Mare, disappointing (especially for those of us who loved the first book!).
My quick notes in the car: self-recriminations, self-talk, doubt, angst . . . ugh! Get over yourself!
Each time Mare drones on about how she "broke" Gisa's hand (um, pretty sure Gisa chose to try to steal, got caught, and the silver guards hurt her . . . exactly how was this Mare's fault?), I want to scream.
Then the whole part with Maven and love . . . really?!?! When did she ever seriously feel love toward him? The murder / hate dichotomy with love / a kiss . . . just messed up.
To have some sections narrated by Cameron, then Evangeline (aka "Eve") . . . interesting choice.
"Convoluted, angsty, gross, ugly, drawn-out . . . on and on and on . . . ugh."
Suffice it say, I will NOT waste my time with book four. Thank heavens for the online reviews! I only wish I'd read them for this book and saved myself the time. It's interesting that at least one reviewer thought that the books were each getting better and better . . . but at least one person shared my opinion that the first was best and they are getting longer and poorer in quality with each one. (#4 is over 600 pages!) Longer is NOT better!
(Red Queen #3 . . . out of 4)
Scott County Library audiobook 14 discs
read by Amanda Dolan, Adenrele Ojo, and Erin Spencer
genre: YA dystopian fiction
This was torturous! And when I got to the end and realized there's another book after this . . . I went online to read about it so I wouldn't have to actually go through the agony of reading it.
Clearly, Aveyard's writing resonates with enough people to make this series very popular. But some of the reviews I read online had the same reaction I did: too long, too much of Mare being Mare, disappointing (especially for those of us who loved the first book!).
My quick notes in the car: self-recriminations, self-talk, doubt, angst . . . ugh! Get over yourself!
Each time Mare drones on about how she "broke" Gisa's hand (um, pretty sure Gisa chose to try to steal, got caught, and the silver guards hurt her . . . exactly how was this Mare's fault?), I want to scream.
Then the whole part with Maven and love . . . really?!?! When did she ever seriously feel love toward him? The murder / hate dichotomy with love / a kiss . . . just messed up.
To have some sections narrated by Cameron, then Evangeline (aka "Eve") . . . interesting choice.
"Convoluted, angsty, gross, ugly, drawn-out . . . on and on and on . . . ugh."
Suffice it say, I will NOT waste my time with book four. Thank heavens for the online reviews! I only wish I'd read them for this book and saved myself the time. It's interesting that at least one reviewer thought that the books were each getting better and better . . . but at least one person shared my opinion that the first was best and they are getting longer and poorer in quality with each one. (#4 is over 600 pages!) Longer is NOT better!
Tuesday, November 06, 2018
Thomas Paine Writes Common Sense
by Gary Jeffrey, illustrated by Nick Spender
Graphic Heroes of the American Revolution
Blue Earth County Library hardcover 22 pages
genre: non-fiction history
What a disappointment! This book was 16 pages of comic book style storytelling and four pages of non-fiction kid-oriented textbook. Neither parts were that informational or inspiring. There's so much potential with a series like "Graphic Heroes of the American Revolution," but I think the publishers missed the mark. Too bad.
I was surprised that on my shelves of books, I don't have Paine's Common Sense. I got a collection of his writings along with this little gem to brush up on my history lessons. The volume I got is dense to say the least . . . and I confess I skim-read.
I love that his writing impacted so many people! Words have power.
I learned that the famous line "These are the times that try men's souls . . . " is from his work The American Crisis (volume 1) and not from Common Sense.
I find it interesting that the huge volume with many of his writings did not include The Age of Reason (which the graphic book had cited as an attack on organized religion).
I am curious to read more, but not at this point in time. I do lament the fact that my K-12 education mostly served to make me dislike social studies . . . history, geography, economics, . . . and playing catch-up as an adult is not very delightful. (Don't know what grade or class, but I do remember doing a project on South America and the different countries. That was a cool learning experience!)
Graphic Heroes of the American Revolution
Blue Earth County Library hardcover 22 pages
genre: non-fiction history
What a disappointment! This book was 16 pages of comic book style storytelling and four pages of non-fiction kid-oriented textbook. Neither parts were that informational or inspiring. There's so much potential with a series like "Graphic Heroes of the American Revolution," but I think the publishers missed the mark. Too bad.
I was surprised that on my shelves of books, I don't have Paine's Common Sense. I got a collection of his writings along with this little gem to brush up on my history lessons. The volume I got is dense to say the least . . . and I confess I skim-read.
I love that his writing impacted so many people! Words have power.
I learned that the famous line "These are the times that try men's souls . . . " is from his work The American Crisis (volume 1) and not from Common Sense.
I find it interesting that the huge volume with many of his writings did not include The Age of Reason (which the graphic book had cited as an attack on organized religion).
I am curious to read more, but not at this point in time. I do lament the fact that my K-12 education mostly served to make me dislike social studies . . . history, geography, economics, . . . and playing catch-up as an adult is not very delightful. (Don't know what grade or class, but I do remember doing a project on South America and the different countries. That was a cool learning experience!)
Monday, October 29, 2018
A Rumored Fortune
by Joanna Davidson Politano
Scott County Library paperback 390 pages
genre: Christian historical romance
Like her first book, there are things I truly enjoy and also things I dislike about Politano's writing.
Enjoyed: the male protagonist Donegan Vance! What a wonderful leading man. (That's not really a spoiler . . . if you can't tell from the get-go that he'll be the hero . . . you don't read much.) I liked Tressa's painting and praying. What a great way for her to draw near to the Lord. I liked the clever retorts between the two - '"At your service, one scrawny little bird.' I lifted my hand gracefully to meet his. 'With airs.'" Nice! And at the very end when she echoes his line: "I don't listen well either."
I also liked that it was a light, pleasant romance. Delightful.
Didn't like: It was way too predictable! At least her first book had me wondering. This was much too obvious. I don't want to put spoilers here for other readers, but the "questions" are too clearly answered in advance. It also kind of bothered me that the daddy issues and money theme are so much like the first book. If her third one reads the same way, I may be done with Politano's books.
Overall, a light, pleasant book to read. Donegan was a worthy hero!
Oh! I also liked on page 347 when Tressa is talking with the lamplighter about Donegan.
"Why would he do all this in secret?"
"It's what the Good Book says, isn't it? Don't let the right hand see what the left is doing. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit."
"Donegan isn't the sort of man I would imagine knowing much Scripture."
He studied me with a knowing smile. "No, miss. He simply lives it out."
Yes! Living out God's Word is much more powerful than just knowing it!
Scott County Library paperback 390 pages
genre: Christian historical romance
Like her first book, there are things I truly enjoy and also things I dislike about Politano's writing.
Enjoyed: the male protagonist Donegan Vance! What a wonderful leading man. (That's not really a spoiler . . . if you can't tell from the get-go that he'll be the hero . . . you don't read much.) I liked Tressa's painting and praying. What a great way for her to draw near to the Lord. I liked the clever retorts between the two - '"At your service, one scrawny little bird.' I lifted my hand gracefully to meet his. 'With airs.'" Nice! And at the very end when she echoes his line: "I don't listen well either."
I also liked that it was a light, pleasant romance. Delightful.
Didn't like: It was way too predictable! At least her first book had me wondering. This was much too obvious. I don't want to put spoilers here for other readers, but the "questions" are too clearly answered in advance. It also kind of bothered me that the daddy issues and money theme are so much like the first book. If her third one reads the same way, I may be done with Politano's books.
Overall, a light, pleasant book to read. Donegan was a worthy hero!
Oh! I also liked on page 347 when Tressa is talking with the lamplighter about Donegan.
"Why would he do all this in secret?"
"It's what the Good Book says, isn't it? Don't let the right hand see what the left is doing. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit."
"Donegan isn't the sort of man I would imagine knowing much Scripture."
He studied me with a knowing smile. "No, miss. He simply lives it out."
Yes! Living out God's Word is much more powerful than just knowing it!
Friday, October 26, 2018
What to Do When You Don't Know What to Do
by Dr. David Jeremiah
Scott County Library hardcover 292 pages plus reader's guide
genre: non-fiction Scripture study
I tell my students often about the "right book at the right time" and in this case, it isn't my right time. I was interested in doing an in-depth study of the book of James. There are so many Scriptures that hold so much meaning! This book is highly reviewed, but I find myself not really immersing into it.
The one passage that really struck me (I've only read to page 71 . . . and plan to return it to the library today) was on page 23. I've scanned it to include below.
It's not the greatest scan, but the message is so powerful! I cannot imagine the grief and pain in losing a child. Even trusting that their daughter was safe in Heaven with the Lord . . .
And I love how the sadness and brokenness was not ignored by our loving and faithful God!
I don't think people who are not yet believers / followers of the Lord can understand this. His love, mercy, and grace are so incredibly powerful!
There was another passage a bit later that I read about the destructive power of anger . . . but all the verses reminded me of the current president of the United States.
This is a book I will come back to, but it is clearly not the book that I need right now.
I can just open my Bible and read James!
Scott County Library hardcover 292 pages plus reader's guide
genre: non-fiction Scripture study
I tell my students often about the "right book at the right time" and in this case, it isn't my right time. I was interested in doing an in-depth study of the book of James. There are so many Scriptures that hold so much meaning! This book is highly reviewed, but I find myself not really immersing into it.
The one passage that really struck me (I've only read to page 71 . . . and plan to return it to the library today) was on page 23. I've scanned it to include below.
And I love how the sadness and brokenness was not ignored by our loving and faithful God!
I don't think people who are not yet believers / followers of the Lord can understand this. His love, mercy, and grace are so incredibly powerful!
There was another passage a bit later that I read about the destructive power of anger . . . but all the verses reminded me of the current president of the United States.
This is a book I will come back to, but it is clearly not the book that I need right now.
I can just open my Bible and read James!
Saturday, October 20, 2018
All the Light We Cannot See
by Anthony Doerr
Scott County Library - audiobook (3 of 13 CDs) read by Zach Appelman,
hardcover 530 pages
genre: historical fiction, WWII
There was a waiting list for the audiobook and I wasn't "reading" it fast enough (not enough commuting these days) so I got the print edition. I'm glad, because the foreign phrases and the time period jumps were clearer when I could use my eyes and not just my ears.
This book is stunning and won a Pulitzer Prize. I can't adequately blog about it except to say I would definitely re-read it. What an amazing book! My favorite blurb on the back cover describes it the way I feel:
"Doerr sees the world as a scientist, but feels it as a poet. He knows about everything - radios, diamonds, mollusks, birds, flowers, locks, guns - but he also writes a line so beautiful, creates an image or scene so haunting, it makes you think forever differently about the big things - love, fear, cruelty, kindness, the countless facets of the human heart. Wildly suspenseful, structurally daring, rich in detail and soul, Doerr's new novel is that novel, the one you savor, and ponder, and happily lose sleep over, then go around urging all your friends to read - now." - J.R. Moehringer
I did make note of the sections and their timing in the novel:
0 - 7 August 1944
1 - 1934
2 - 8 August 1944
3 - June 1940
4 - 8 August 1944
5 - January 1941
6 - 8 August 1944 (short!)
7 - August 1942 (telegram)
8 - 9 August 1944
9 - May 1944
10 - 12 August 1944 (Werner! gasp)
11 - 1945
12 - 1974
13 - 2014
One quote I captured from listening to the audiobook: "History is what the victors say it is." I find this to be pretty profound. It makes me think, once again, how it would be to read history texts (in English, since I cannot read other languages) from the WWII perspectives of the French, German, Italian, Japanese, and other historians.
There were so many characters and they are still with me . . . Marie-Laure, Werner, Jutta ("Yota"), Frederick, Sister Elena, Etienne, . . . this book is definitely worth a re-read.
Scott County Library - audiobook (3 of 13 CDs) read by Zach Appelman,
hardcover 530 pages
genre: historical fiction, WWII
There was a waiting list for the audiobook and I wasn't "reading" it fast enough (not enough commuting these days) so I got the print edition. I'm glad, because the foreign phrases and the time period jumps were clearer when I could use my eyes and not just my ears.
This book is stunning and won a Pulitzer Prize. I can't adequately blog about it except to say I would definitely re-read it. What an amazing book! My favorite blurb on the back cover describes it the way I feel:
"Doerr sees the world as a scientist, but feels it as a poet. He knows about everything - radios, diamonds, mollusks, birds, flowers, locks, guns - but he also writes a line so beautiful, creates an image or scene so haunting, it makes you think forever differently about the big things - love, fear, cruelty, kindness, the countless facets of the human heart. Wildly suspenseful, structurally daring, rich in detail and soul, Doerr's new novel is that novel, the one you savor, and ponder, and happily lose sleep over, then go around urging all your friends to read - now." - J.R. Moehringer
I did make note of the sections and their timing in the novel:
0 - 7 August 1944
1 - 1934
2 - 8 August 1944
3 - June 1940
4 - 8 August 1944
5 - January 1941
6 - 8 August 1944 (short!)
7 - August 1942 (telegram)
8 - 9 August 1944
9 - May 1944
10 - 12 August 1944 (Werner! gasp)
11 - 1945
12 - 1974
13 - 2014
One quote I captured from listening to the audiobook: "History is what the victors say it is." I find this to be pretty profound. It makes me think, once again, how it would be to read history texts (in English, since I cannot read other languages) from the WWII perspectives of the French, German, Italian, Japanese, and other historians.
There were so many characters and they are still with me . . . Marie-Laure, Werner, Jutta ("Yota"), Frederick, Sister Elena, Etienne, . . . this book is definitely worth a re-read.
Saturday, October 13, 2018
12 Years a Slave
by Solomon Northup
Scott County Library paperback 230 pages
genre: memoir, history
I started listening to this on audiobook. Richard Allen's vocal work was exceptional. Toward the end of disc 1, there was a large scratch which made the rest of the disc unlistenable. I decided to just get the print book. But then I could only read a few chapters at a time. This man's experience (and eloquence) just made it so difficult to read. Slavery was so horrible . . . and for a free black man to be kidnapped and sold into slavery . . . ugh.
I've been substitute teaching in some social studies classrooms. It's hard to communicate the horrors of an era that's prior to these kids' lives by so many years. (They think the 1980s are ancient history . . . ) I remember as a kid watching Roots - our entire household stopped everything and were glued to the tv each night. It is the first "miniseries" I ever remember encountering. It was harrowing and horrible and so incredibly riveting. I felt such compassion for Kunta Kinte and wanted him to be free!
I tagged Henry Louis Gates, Jr.'s opening "What Is An African American Classic?" but don't feel like reading it now. He is the editor for this book (originally written in 1853) and it is probably worth reading, but I'm tired and ready to bring this back to the library. Likewise, I'm skipping Ira Berlin's long introduction.
Northup's story can stand on it's own. His experiences are powerfully told. I don't think I want to see the movie . . . cruelty and the evils of slavery are real enough that depictions of them are just depressing.
I liked that Bass (the man who eventually helped him achieve his freedom again) was Canadian. It made me think of my dad saying "everything in Canada is better." I liked best of all that Solomon Northup's wife and children were still alive and he got to go home to them.
Scott County Library paperback 230 pages
genre: memoir, history
I started listening to this on audiobook. Richard Allen's vocal work was exceptional. Toward the end of disc 1, there was a large scratch which made the rest of the disc unlistenable. I decided to just get the print book. But then I could only read a few chapters at a time. This man's experience (and eloquence) just made it so difficult to read. Slavery was so horrible . . . and for a free black man to be kidnapped and sold into slavery . . . ugh.
I've been substitute teaching in some social studies classrooms. It's hard to communicate the horrors of an era that's prior to these kids' lives by so many years. (They think the 1980s are ancient history . . . ) I remember as a kid watching Roots - our entire household stopped everything and were glued to the tv each night. It is the first "miniseries" I ever remember encountering. It was harrowing and horrible and so incredibly riveting. I felt such compassion for Kunta Kinte and wanted him to be free!
I tagged Henry Louis Gates, Jr.'s opening "What Is An African American Classic?" but don't feel like reading it now. He is the editor for this book (originally written in 1853) and it is probably worth reading, but I'm tired and ready to bring this back to the library. Likewise, I'm skipping Ira Berlin's long introduction.
Northup's story can stand on it's own. His experiences are powerfully told. I don't think I want to see the movie . . . cruelty and the evils of slavery are real enough that depictions of them are just depressing.
I liked that Bass (the man who eventually helped him achieve his freedom again) was Canadian. It made me think of my dad saying "everything in Canada is better." I liked best of all that Solomon Northup's wife and children were still alive and he got to go home to them.
Thursday, October 04, 2018
In This Moment
by Karen Kingsbury
Scott County Library audiobook 8 discs
read by January Lavoy and Kirby Heyborne
genre: Christian fiction
I wasn't going to blog this book because I only listened to the first part of the first CD . . . but I want to make a note here. I usually love Karen Kingsbury's writing! The vocal work by the two performers was fine.
In the opening scene, the principal wants to start a Bible study in his public high school. None of the Christian students or teachers want to run it. He has a proposal that he's going to present, but he is seriously worried and his girlfriend is terrified.
What?! I was the advisor for a Bible study in a public school. It was amazing! An after-school, optional / choice program is just that - an option. I subbed yesterday (10.3.18) and there was a poster for a Christian group open to all students. Minnesota is a fairly liberal state, but I don't think it's that unusual for Bible studies to exist in public schools. (And what about Fellowship of Christian Athletes? There are many high schools that have a branch!)
Beyond the Christian perspective that public schools are evil (dramatic, I know, but there are people I know who definitely have that perspective) . . . where is your faith?! Believing in Jesus Christ means that you will be persecuted. It's part of the deal. So, this book might be excellent. I don't know. The opening scene was much too melodramatic for me! And I have friends who home school (I respect that choice) but talk about sending children to public schools as something akin to child abuse. I have worked with so many Christian teachers who live out their faith in their classrooms! The two are not antithetical!
Blurb from Amazon:
Hamilton High Principal Wendell Quinn is tired of the violence, drug abuse, teen pregnancies, and low expectations at his Indianapolis school. A single father of four, Quinn is a Christian and a family man. He wants to see change in his community, so he starts a voluntary after-school Bible Study and prayer program. He knows he is risking his job by leading the program, but the high turnout at every meeting encourages him.
A year later, violence and gang activity are down, test scores are up, and drug use and teen pregnancy have plummeted. The program is clearly working—until one parent calls the press. Now Quinn faces a lawsuit that could ruin everything.
With a storm of national attention and criticism, Quinn is at a crossroads—he must choose whether to cave in and shut down the program or stand up for himself and his students. The battle comes with a high cost, and Quinn wants just one attorney on his side for this fight: Luke Baxter. In This Moment is an inspiring, relevant story about the nuances of religious freedom and how a group of determined people just might restore the meaning of faith in today’s culture.
Scott County Library audiobook 8 discs
read by January Lavoy and Kirby Heyborne
genre: Christian fiction
I wasn't going to blog this book because I only listened to the first part of the first CD . . . but I want to make a note here. I usually love Karen Kingsbury's writing! The vocal work by the two performers was fine.
In the opening scene, the principal wants to start a Bible study in his public high school. None of the Christian students or teachers want to run it. He has a proposal that he's going to present, but he is seriously worried and his girlfriend is terrified.
What?! I was the advisor for a Bible study in a public school. It was amazing! An after-school, optional / choice program is just that - an option. I subbed yesterday (10.3.18) and there was a poster for a Christian group open to all students. Minnesota is a fairly liberal state, but I don't think it's that unusual for Bible studies to exist in public schools. (And what about Fellowship of Christian Athletes? There are many high schools that have a branch!)
Beyond the Christian perspective that public schools are evil (dramatic, I know, but there are people I know who definitely have that perspective) . . . where is your faith?! Believing in Jesus Christ means that you will be persecuted. It's part of the deal. So, this book might be excellent. I don't know. The opening scene was much too melodramatic for me! And I have friends who home school (I respect that choice) but talk about sending children to public schools as something akin to child abuse. I have worked with so many Christian teachers who live out their faith in their classrooms! The two are not antithetical!
Blurb from Amazon:
Hamilton High Principal Wendell Quinn is tired of the violence, drug abuse, teen pregnancies, and low expectations at his Indianapolis school. A single father of four, Quinn is a Christian and a family man. He wants to see change in his community, so he starts a voluntary after-school Bible Study and prayer program. He knows he is risking his job by leading the program, but the high turnout at every meeting encourages him.
A year later, violence and gang activity are down, test scores are up, and drug use and teen pregnancy have plummeted. The program is clearly working—until one parent calls the press. Now Quinn faces a lawsuit that could ruin everything.
With a storm of national attention and criticism, Quinn is at a crossroads—he must choose whether to cave in and shut down the program or stand up for himself and his students. The battle comes with a high cost, and Quinn wants just one attorney on his side for this fight: Luke Baxter. In This Moment is an inspiring, relevant story about the nuances of religious freedom and how a group of determined people just might restore the meaning of faith in today’s culture.
Sunday, September 30, 2018
The Summer Before the War
by Helen Simonson
Mari's copy loaned to me, paperback, 473 pages
Published: 2016
genre: historical fiction, WWI
My daughter-in-law loaned me this book she had recently read for a book club. I really enjoyed it (and set aside two other books I was reading to read this instead!) It makes me want to read Simonson's first title, Major Pettigrew's Last Stand.
The characters are what really made this book work for me. Agatha Kent was the most nuanced and developed. Beatrice and Hugh are clearly the protagonists to watch. My favorite, though, was Snout. Bettina Fothergill was abhorent and Lord North was a piece of work.
The author weaves so many themes into this story. It would be a wonderful book club title indeed! Lots of topics for discussion. . . . but I am time-crunched and do not wish to include spoilers or teasers here. A wonderful work of historical fiction!
Page 291 - "It sometimes seemed as if the first two weeks were a thousand days long." This made me laugh! Yes, teaching is all-consuming and exhausting. Too true.
Page 325 - "'My point, dear girl, is that it is pointless to ask,' said Eleanor. 'Gossip is only corrosive to the spirit if one entertains it. Do as I do and let it roll off you like water off a duck's back.'" The idea that gossip is corrosive only if one thinks about it . . . I like her wisdom in talking to Beatrice over the distressing gossiping of the neighbors.
Page 450 - "He was happy to let go of the dream of . . . for he had no interest now in what seemed like the shallow trappings of fame and society." Sometimes life's most awful circumstances help us to get our priorities straight.
I wrote the above on 9.30.2018. I just finished listening to the audiobook, read by Fiona Hardingham. My comments above still fit. I'm glad I read the print book first! The war scene and North's treatment of Snout were so awful!
Other car notes:
Bettina Fothergill / Celeste - what a contrast in women!
Beatrice's humiliations . . . trying to get the money her dad left her, having her manuscript given to someone else to publish, Mr. Poot's proposal . . . cringe! (Imagine people calling you a spinster at age 23!)
So very sad when Harry had to shoot Wolfie . . . I actually cried.
Tuesday, September 18, 2018
The Essential Family Guide to Borderline Personality Disorder: New Tools and Techniques to Stop Walking on Eggshells
by Randi Kreger
Hennepin County Library paperback 242 pages plus resources, notes, and index
genre: non-fiction, mental health
Someone relatively close to me was diagnosed as "borderline." My question was, "borderline what?" My curiosity and desire to understand brought me to request this book from the public library. There is a fairly long waiting list for books on Borderline Personality Disorder . . . and there are a remarkable number of books written on this topic! I can't believe I'd never heard of it before.
Officially recognized as a mental illness in 1980, BPD is apparently much more common than I could have possibly realized. As much as I struggled to be compassionate, I still feel as though this disorder is basically comprised of a lot of immaturity and selfishness. That said, I think that if I had to deal with a close loved one (spouse, child, etc.) with it, this book would be a lifeline! The author has done a fine job of talking about BPD and how to manage it.
Page 10 - "Over time, people who are close to someone with BPD become so accustomed to living with abusive behavior they start to think it's normal. Family members frequently experience feelings of guilt, shame, depression, exhaustion, isolation, and helplessness." This makes me worry about those people I care about who DO deal with this person on a regular basis.
Page 16 - The whole section on siblings . . . I just had to post the entire thing here.
Page 19 - "People spend years trying to please their borderline family member by twisting themselves into a pretzel to avoid conflict." Yep. That sounds familiar. Yuk!
Page 38 - "Higher-functioning Invisible BPs have the following characteristics: 1. They strongly disavow having any problems, even tiny ones. Relationship difficulties, they say, are everyone else's fault. If family members suggest they may have BPD, they almost always accuse the other person of having it instead. 2. They refuse to seek help unless someone threatens to end the relationship. If they do go to counseling, they usually don't intend to work on their own issues. . . . 3. They cope with their pain by raging outward, blaming and accusing family members for real or imagined problems. 4. They hide their low self-esteem behind a brash, confident pose that masks their inner turmoil. They usually function quite well at work and only display aggressive behavior toward those close to them. Family members say these people bring to mind Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. 5. If they have other mental disorders, they're ones that also allow for high functioning, such as narcissistic personality disorder. 6. Family members' greatest challenges include coping with verbal, emotional, and sometimes physical abuse; trying to convince the BP to get treatment; worrying about the effects of BPD behaviors on their other children; quietly losing their confidence and self-esteem; and trying - and failing - to set limits."
Page 98 - Under "why it's so hard to find a therapist," the author includes a cocktail party conversation basically about therapists doing everything possible to avoid taking on any BPD patients. "Therapists develop this negative mind-set for two general reasons. First, BPs are one of the most challenging types of patients to treat - if not the most challenging. Second, treating borderline patients can be emotionally draining for the therapist." Wow. That's discouraging.
Part 2 included a lot about "Power Tools." I skim-read this for two reasons. 1. I don't have to deal with this as directly as other loved ones do. 2. The book needs to get back to the library for the next person on the waiting list!
Page 125 - The tools are:
1. Take good care of yourself.
2. Uncover what keeps you feeling stuck.
3. Communicate to be heard.
4. Set limits with love.
5. Reinforce the right behavior.
Page 153 - "If you feel guilty, ask yourself, 'What am I feeling guilty for?' Be specific. If you think you should have known something, what is it, and how would you have known? If there is something you regret, learn from it. Make amends if necessary, put a plan together to prevent it from happening again, and try to turn any aspect of what happened into something positive." Part of the reason this jumped out at me is because I (and my siblings) grew up feeling guilty (or shame-ful?) about almost anything. We joked about it, but it's not funny.
Page 165 - "Of all the limitations imposed by borderline personality disorder, those involving communication are the most brutal because they can lead to impulsive aggression that can harm - even destroy - the close relationships people with BPD crave. Discord is inevitable; the way we manage it determines, in large part, the health of the relationship." The section on communication was very interesting and applicable to most relationships, with or without BPD issues.
Page 166 - "Shame crafts insults from general remarks, whips negative intent out of thin air, and twists innocent phrases into daggers." This author really impresses me with her writing at times!
Page 187 - I like some of the "noncombative statements" in the section on defuse . . . "It's critical that your tone of voice and body language be calm, reassuring, and open without being patronizing.
Page 197 - "I learned you have to take care of yourself, because BPD is like an incredibly powerful vacuum that will just suck you in, whoever you are." The section on setting boundaries was fascinating. We did this with our children as parents . . . and I suppose there are times in other relationships when it makes sense.
Page 209 - "The word selfish is loathsome for most non-BPs. They gain self-worth from being needed and making sacrifices, and being called 'selfish' is the worst crime imaginable." I found this very interesting, since that is exactly the word I have been using! Besides working on my compassion (or lack thereof), I probably need to consider other conditions that I have empathy for in people who struggle. Mental illness is serious and life-altering (or sometimes life-ending).
I highly recommend this book for anyone who is dealing with a BPD person in their life. It would make sense, though, to purchase a copy and highlight the most relevant parts. There are a lot of good ideas in it.
Hennepin County Library paperback 242 pages plus resources, notes, and index
genre: non-fiction, mental health
Someone relatively close to me was diagnosed as "borderline." My question was, "borderline what?" My curiosity and desire to understand brought me to request this book from the public library. There is a fairly long waiting list for books on Borderline Personality Disorder . . . and there are a remarkable number of books written on this topic! I can't believe I'd never heard of it before.
Officially recognized as a mental illness in 1980, BPD is apparently much more common than I could have possibly realized. As much as I struggled to be compassionate, I still feel as though this disorder is basically comprised of a lot of immaturity and selfishness. That said, I think that if I had to deal with a close loved one (spouse, child, etc.) with it, this book would be a lifeline! The author has done a fine job of talking about BPD and how to manage it.
Page 10 - "Over time, people who are close to someone with BPD become so accustomed to living with abusive behavior they start to think it's normal. Family members frequently experience feelings of guilt, shame, depression, exhaustion, isolation, and helplessness." This makes me worry about those people I care about who DO deal with this person on a regular basis.
Page 16 - The whole section on siblings . . . I just had to post the entire thing here.
Page 19 - "People spend years trying to please their borderline family member by twisting themselves into a pretzel to avoid conflict." Yep. That sounds familiar. Yuk!
Page 38 - "Higher-functioning Invisible BPs have the following characteristics: 1. They strongly disavow having any problems, even tiny ones. Relationship difficulties, they say, are everyone else's fault. If family members suggest they may have BPD, they almost always accuse the other person of having it instead. 2. They refuse to seek help unless someone threatens to end the relationship. If they do go to counseling, they usually don't intend to work on their own issues. . . . 3. They cope with their pain by raging outward, blaming and accusing family members for real or imagined problems. 4. They hide their low self-esteem behind a brash, confident pose that masks their inner turmoil. They usually function quite well at work and only display aggressive behavior toward those close to them. Family members say these people bring to mind Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. 5. If they have other mental disorders, they're ones that also allow for high functioning, such as narcissistic personality disorder. 6. Family members' greatest challenges include coping with verbal, emotional, and sometimes physical abuse; trying to convince the BP to get treatment; worrying about the effects of BPD behaviors on their other children; quietly losing their confidence and self-esteem; and trying - and failing - to set limits."
Page 98 - Under "why it's so hard to find a therapist," the author includes a cocktail party conversation basically about therapists doing everything possible to avoid taking on any BPD patients. "Therapists develop this negative mind-set for two general reasons. First, BPs are one of the most challenging types of patients to treat - if not the most challenging. Second, treating borderline patients can be emotionally draining for the therapist." Wow. That's discouraging.
Part 2 included a lot about "Power Tools." I skim-read this for two reasons. 1. I don't have to deal with this as directly as other loved ones do. 2. The book needs to get back to the library for the next person on the waiting list!
Page 125 - The tools are:
1. Take good care of yourself.
2. Uncover what keeps you feeling stuck.
3. Communicate to be heard.
4. Set limits with love.
5. Reinforce the right behavior.
Page 153 - "If you feel guilty, ask yourself, 'What am I feeling guilty for?' Be specific. If you think you should have known something, what is it, and how would you have known? If there is something you regret, learn from it. Make amends if necessary, put a plan together to prevent it from happening again, and try to turn any aspect of what happened into something positive." Part of the reason this jumped out at me is because I (and my siblings) grew up feeling guilty (or shame-ful?) about almost anything. We joked about it, but it's not funny.
Page 165 - "Of all the limitations imposed by borderline personality disorder, those involving communication are the most brutal because they can lead to impulsive aggression that can harm - even destroy - the close relationships people with BPD crave. Discord is inevitable; the way we manage it determines, in large part, the health of the relationship." The section on communication was very interesting and applicable to most relationships, with or without BPD issues.
Page 166 - "Shame crafts insults from general remarks, whips negative intent out of thin air, and twists innocent phrases into daggers." This author really impresses me with her writing at times!
Page 187 - I like some of the "noncombative statements" in the section on defuse . . . "It's critical that your tone of voice and body language be calm, reassuring, and open without being patronizing.
- "I appreciate what you said, but what I mean is . . . "
- "At the time my motivation was . . . "
- "Actually, what I really feel / think is . . . "
- "Maybe I'm not making myself clear. What I'm saying is . . . "
- "Perhaps you misunderstood me . . . "
- "Could we get back on subject?"
- "So-and-so doesn't really have anything to do with this. Let's talk about you and me."
Page 197 - "I learned you have to take care of yourself, because BPD is like an incredibly powerful vacuum that will just suck you in, whoever you are." The section on setting boundaries was fascinating. We did this with our children as parents . . . and I suppose there are times in other relationships when it makes sense.
Page 209 - "The word selfish is loathsome for most non-BPs. They gain self-worth from being needed and making sacrifices, and being called 'selfish' is the worst crime imaginable." I found this very interesting, since that is exactly the word I have been using! Besides working on my compassion (or lack thereof), I probably need to consider other conditions that I have empathy for in people who struggle. Mental illness is serious and life-altering (or sometimes life-ending).
I highly recommend this book for anyone who is dealing with a BPD person in their life. It would make sense, though, to purchase a copy and highlight the most relevant parts. There are a lot of good ideas in it.
Friday, September 14, 2018
River to Redemption
by Ann Gabhart
Hennepin County Library paperback 318 pages
genre: Christian historical fiction
Where has this author been all my life?! This book was wonderful, with a compelling story and lots of faith-challenging and faith-building content. It will be great to have book club discussion in a few weeks. (Week and a half . . . )
"Orphaned in the cholera epidemic of 1833, Adria Starr was cared for by a slave named Louis, a man who passed up the opportunity to escape his bondage and instead tended to the sick and buried the dead. A man who, twelve years later, is being sold by his owners despite his heroic actions."
I don't have much of substance in my brain for blogging right now, but want to make note of some passages I tagged with post-its:
Page 29 - "The man's words were a mishmash of Scripture strung together, but somehow the words sounded right when he spoke them. A man who loved the Lord." This is about Louis. I feel that way sometimes when I have a heart overflowing with love for the Lord, but can't seem to quote Scripture exactly. God's words have an abundance of blessing, even when we can't recite them exactly!
Page 56 - "Or when he put extra money they didn't have to spare in the offering plate if the preacher spoke of a need in the church. The Christian thing to do. A person couldn't sit on a church pew claiming the title Christian if that person didn't allow Christ to work through him." Amen! Ruth's observation about Peter living his faith encourages me.
Page 94 ' "'Sometimes it's best to depend on nobody but the Lord. You can be sure he won't never do you wrong.'" Louis is wise! Such truth.
Page 119 - "A prayer rose in his heart that he would find his way through this dry-bone valley with doubts rising like tares all around him. Not doubts of God's existence. He could have no doubts there, but what of his own calling to preach?" I realize that faith and doubt are different for different people, but I also don't doubt God. I doubt myself and my role in His kingdom.
Page 137 - "She hadn't liked him. On sight. Not exactly a Christian attitude for someone who just came from church, but no use pretending. The Lord could see right through any kind of smoke screen straight into a person's heart." Thank you, Lord, for loving me even in my sinfulness!
Page 140 - "'We're all on the way to the cemetery, Miss Starr. Some of us are taking a longer road there than others, but long or short, a person might as well enjoy the trip.'" This is probably my favorite line from Logan Farrell. He was just too clearly a scoundrel . . .
Page 144 - "One plus the Lord can do mighty things now and again." This is such a good reminder and Adria's answer to prayer.
Page 155 - This bugged me! Philippians 4:6-7 is one of my absolute favorite verses, but instead of the more common "Be anxious about nothing . . . " the author used "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known unto God." I don't know why that bothered me so much. Perhaps the words "be careful for nothing" seem like "be careless" to me . . .
Page 209 - "Who am I to say the Lord don't have the best plan?" Will pondering Louis' words of faithfulness struck him, and me. When things don't go the way I hoped / planned, why do I experience such disappointment? Why don't I trust in God that His will is best?
Page 253 - "There was no need to think about what might have been. Better to consider what was and decide on her tomorrow with a clear eye." I love this! Too often, I get lost in the "would have, should have, could have" mode instead of deciding on tomorrow with a clear eye. This may be my favorite quotation from the book.
Page 264 - "The worshipers didn't come out on Wednesday the way they did on Sundays. But Will liked gathering with those serious about the need for prayer." This made me think about Wednesday night prayer at my church!
Page 313 - "'He has a knack for doin' that. Makin' a way outa no way.'" Once again, Louis' deep abiding faith is in play as he talks with Adria about the night's activities. I loved finding out in the author's note that she based this work of fiction on a slave named Louis who actually did save many people and bury 55 dead during the cholera epidemic in Springfield, Kentucky in the 1830s. Very cool.
Hennepin County Library paperback 318 pages
genre: Christian historical fiction
Where has this author been all my life?! This book was wonderful, with a compelling story and lots of faith-challenging and faith-building content. It will be great to have book club discussion in a few weeks. (Week and a half . . . )
"Orphaned in the cholera epidemic of 1833, Adria Starr was cared for by a slave named Louis, a man who passed up the opportunity to escape his bondage and instead tended to the sick and buried the dead. A man who, twelve years later, is being sold by his owners despite his heroic actions."
I don't have much of substance in my brain for blogging right now, but want to make note of some passages I tagged with post-its:
Page 29 - "The man's words were a mishmash of Scripture strung together, but somehow the words sounded right when he spoke them. A man who loved the Lord." This is about Louis. I feel that way sometimes when I have a heart overflowing with love for the Lord, but can't seem to quote Scripture exactly. God's words have an abundance of blessing, even when we can't recite them exactly!
Page 56 - "Or when he put extra money they didn't have to spare in the offering plate if the preacher spoke of a need in the church. The Christian thing to do. A person couldn't sit on a church pew claiming the title Christian if that person didn't allow Christ to work through him." Amen! Ruth's observation about Peter living his faith encourages me.
Page 94 ' "'Sometimes it's best to depend on nobody but the Lord. You can be sure he won't never do you wrong.'" Louis is wise! Such truth.
Page 119 - "A prayer rose in his heart that he would find his way through this dry-bone valley with doubts rising like tares all around him. Not doubts of God's existence. He could have no doubts there, but what of his own calling to preach?" I realize that faith and doubt are different for different people, but I also don't doubt God. I doubt myself and my role in His kingdom.
Page 137 - "She hadn't liked him. On sight. Not exactly a Christian attitude for someone who just came from church, but no use pretending. The Lord could see right through any kind of smoke screen straight into a person's heart." Thank you, Lord, for loving me even in my sinfulness!
Page 140 - "'We're all on the way to the cemetery, Miss Starr. Some of us are taking a longer road there than others, but long or short, a person might as well enjoy the trip.'" This is probably my favorite line from Logan Farrell. He was just too clearly a scoundrel . . .
Page 144 - "One plus the Lord can do mighty things now and again." This is such a good reminder and Adria's answer to prayer.
Page 155 - This bugged me! Philippians 4:6-7 is one of my absolute favorite verses, but instead of the more common "Be anxious about nothing . . . " the author used "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known unto God." I don't know why that bothered me so much. Perhaps the words "be careful for nothing" seem like "be careless" to me . . .
Page 209 - "Who am I to say the Lord don't have the best plan?" Will pondering Louis' words of faithfulness struck him, and me. When things don't go the way I hoped / planned, why do I experience such disappointment? Why don't I trust in God that His will is best?
Page 253 - "There was no need to think about what might have been. Better to consider what was and decide on her tomorrow with a clear eye." I love this! Too often, I get lost in the "would have, should have, could have" mode instead of deciding on tomorrow with a clear eye. This may be my favorite quotation from the book.
Page 264 - "The worshipers didn't come out on Wednesday the way they did on Sundays. But Will liked gathering with those serious about the need for prayer." This made me think about Wednesday night prayer at my church!
Page 313 - "'He has a knack for doin' that. Makin' a way outa no way.'" Once again, Louis' deep abiding faith is in play as he talks with Adria about the night's activities. I loved finding out in the author's note that she based this work of fiction on a slave named Louis who actually did save many people and bury 55 dead during the cholera epidemic in Springfield, Kentucky in the 1830s. Very cool.
Hound of the Baskervilles
by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Hennepin County Library audiobook 5 CDs
read by Michael Page
genre: mystery, detective fiction
Although I've read this before, I've most recently seen a fun stage version (with only four actors and women in the roles of Holmes and Watson!) and a film version (a newer one than the old Basil Rathbone one that I've also seen before). It was fun to experience the full text again. I like old-style detective stories. There were some little details that I didn't recall, even though I remembered the characters and plot well.
One detail that jumped out to me was the mention of the "Anderson murders in North Carolina" when Sherlock Holmes was talking with Watson about tricky cases. So of course, I had to Google it. I'm not sure why Doyle used those words in his story, but they brought up a fellow named Tom Dula. Another site helped me figure out how the murder of a woman named Laura Foster was connected to my search: Stanford. Yep, I'm a nerd.
<Above posted 9.14.18. Below added 5.28.22>
I got the audiobook to listen to while I drive (Libby). It was read by Patrick Tull and was about 7 hours long. I enjoyed listening to it, and now I have only the fourth full-length Holmes novel that Doyle wrote left to read. Fun!
Saturday, September 08, 2018
The Gift
by Richard Paul Evans
Hennepin County Library hardcover 332 pages
genre: inspirational fiction
I read this after reading Evans' book Five Lessons a Millionaire Taught Me About Life and Wealth. I was curious. Doing a little reading online, I think I meant to request the book The Christmas Box. I also learned (as I had suspected) that he is a Mormon. Now I'm trying to decide if I'm curious enough to get the first book I had intended to get . . .
The Gift was engaging enough that I read it in one sitting. Nathan Hurst has had a difficult life with tragedies and rejection early on. When he encounters Addison Park and her two children in an airport, his life is changed. Collin Park is weak from chemo for his leukemia, but his special gift becomes the focus for the story.
I enjoyed the story and even cried at the sad parts (predictable though they were). My favorite character was Nathan's assistant, Miche.
Hennepin County Library hardcover 332 pages
genre: inspirational fiction
I read this after reading Evans' book Five Lessons a Millionaire Taught Me About Life and Wealth. I was curious. Doing a little reading online, I think I meant to request the book The Christmas Box. I also learned (as I had suspected) that he is a Mormon. Now I'm trying to decide if I'm curious enough to get the first book I had intended to get . . .
The Gift was engaging enough that I read it in one sitting. Nathan Hurst has had a difficult life with tragedies and rejection early on. When he encounters Addison Park and her two children in an airport, his life is changed. Collin Park is weak from chemo for his leukemia, but his special gift becomes the focus for the story.
I enjoyed the story and even cried at the sad parts (predictable though they were). My favorite character was Nathan's assistant, Miche.
Friday, September 07, 2018
A Man of His Own
by Susan Wilson
Scott County Library hardcover 356 pages
genre: historical fiction, awesome dog story
I saw someone reading this and snapped a picture of the cover. Here's the blurb off Amazon (and the cover for the paperback is a German Shepherd pup sitting below a man's legs):
Rick Stanton was a promising professional baseball player with dreams of playing in the major leagues and starting a family with his young wife, Francesca, when World War II changed everything. Rick returns from the war with his body broken and his dreams shattered. But it was not just body and spirit he sacrificed for the war. He and Francesca volunteered their beloved dog, Pax, for the Army's K-9 Corp, not knowing if they'd ever see him again.
Keller Nicholson is the soldier who fought the war with Pax by his side, and the two have the kind of profound bond that can only be forged in war. Pax is the closest Keller has to a sense of family, and he can't bear the thought of returning him to the Stantons. But Rick and Francesca refuse to give him up. Instead, an arrangement is made: Keller will work as Rick's live-in aide. And thus an unlikely family is formed, with steadfast Pax at the center. As they try to build a new life out of the ashes, Keller and Francesca struggle to ignore their growing attraction to each other, and Rick, believing that he can no longer give Francesca what she needs and wants, quietly plans a way out.
All three of them need healing. All three of them are lost. And in Susan Wilson's A Man of His Own, Pax, with his unconditional love and unwavering loyalty, may be the only one who can guide them home.
What I loved:
Scott County Library hardcover 356 pages
genre: historical fiction, awesome dog story
I saw someone reading this and snapped a picture of the cover. Here's the blurb off Amazon (and the cover for the paperback is a German Shepherd pup sitting below a man's legs):
Rick Stanton was a promising professional baseball player with dreams of playing in the major leagues and starting a family with his young wife, Francesca, when World War II changed everything. Rick returns from the war with his body broken and his dreams shattered. But it was not just body and spirit he sacrificed for the war. He and Francesca volunteered their beloved dog, Pax, for the Army's K-9 Corp, not knowing if they'd ever see him again.
Keller Nicholson is the soldier who fought the war with Pax by his side, and the two have the kind of profound bond that can only be forged in war. Pax is the closest Keller has to a sense of family, and he can't bear the thought of returning him to the Stantons. But Rick and Francesca refuse to give him up. Instead, an arrangement is made: Keller will work as Rick's live-in aide. And thus an unlikely family is formed, with steadfast Pax at the center. As they try to build a new life out of the ashes, Keller and Francesca struggle to ignore their growing attraction to each other, and Rick, believing that he can no longer give Francesca what she needs and wants, quietly plans a way out.
All three of them need healing. All three of them are lost. And in Susan Wilson's A Man of His Own, Pax, with his unconditional love and unwavering loyalty, may be the only one who can guide them home.
What I loved:
- Pax, of course! Dogs are awesome and I'm quite partial to GSDs . . . my favorite breed.
- Not being sure where the story was going. I don't want to put any spoilers here, so I'll just say that I wasn't sure of how it would end. That said, I'm not at all shocked at the ending. You'll just have to read it yourself!
- The author skips over so much of the characters' storylines. It was a bit disconcerting to go from the flirting of Rick and Francesca to him shipping out for war. There were many places where a storyline of several months or years were compressed into a few sentences . . .
- The way Rick treated Francesca after his war injury. I'm a bit surprised she put up with it, but then I'm not that sweet and patient.
Wednesday, August 29, 2018
The Bookshop on the Corner
by Jenny Colgan
Hennepin County Library
(1/2 on audiobook - 4 of 8 CDs - and half hardcover - ch. 14 to page 332)
audio read by Lucy Price-Lewis
genre: romance fiction
I loved Colgan's The Cafe by the Sea, but then barely got through two chapters of Christmas at Little Beach Street Bakery (book 3 in a series, so perhaps I should start at book 1). This one was delightful but different than what I expected. Price-Lewis' vocal work was excellent, but I had to return the audiobook because someone was waiting for it and I had already renewed it enough . . . so glad the print edition was on the shelf when I did return it!
Liked:
Not much, really. It's a delightful little romance with an actual story and wonderful characters.
Hennepin County Library
(1/2 on audiobook - 4 of 8 CDs - and half hardcover - ch. 14 to page 332)
audio read by Lucy Price-Lewis
genre: romance fiction
I loved Colgan's The Cafe by the Sea, but then barely got through two chapters of Christmas at Little Beach Street Bakery (book 3 in a series, so perhaps I should start at book 1). This one was delightful but different than what I expected. Price-Lewis' vocal work was excellent, but I had to return the audiobook because someone was waiting for it and I had already renewed it enough . . . so glad the print edition was on the shelf when I did return it!
Liked:
- the love of books, reading, and libraries
- Nina's growth as a character
- the literary allusions (many of which went over my head! Clearly, I don't read enough.)
- the joy of the Scottish people in their celebrations and in their love of the land
- not being sure who Nina would connect with . . . I initially assumed Alasdair, the innkeeper . . .
Not much, really. It's a delightful little romance with an actual story and wonderful characters.
Tuesday, August 28, 2018
Britt-Marie Was Here
by Fredrick Backman
Hennepin County Library hardcover 324
genre: realistic fiction, relationships
Another gem by Backman! Britt-Marie was one of my least-favorite characters in My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry. So naturally, this book starts with Britt-Marie being her usual pain-in-the-behind self. Newly divorced from Kent, she goes to the unemployment office. She ends up in Borg, cleaning the unused recreation center obsessively . . . and connecting with the sad residents of the recession-ravaged small town. It was a delightful book! There was a part that made me cringe, but I won't put any spoilers here. Backman is a master in character study!
Hennepin County Library hardcover 324
genre: realistic fiction, relationships
Another gem by Backman! Britt-Marie was one of my least-favorite characters in My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry. So naturally, this book starts with Britt-Marie being her usual pain-in-the-behind self. Newly divorced from Kent, she goes to the unemployment office. She ends up in Borg, cleaning the unused recreation center obsessively . . . and connecting with the sad residents of the recession-ravaged small town. It was a delightful book! There was a part that made me cringe, but I won't put any spoilers here. Backman is a master in character study!
Wednesday, August 22, 2018
The Beekeeper's Ball
by Susan Wiggs
Hennepin County Library audiobook 10 CDs
read by Christina Traister
genre: good question . . . read below
Clearly, this book was "good" enough (so subjective!) for me to "read" the entire thing start to finish. It is a bit bizarre, though, in its identity. I see it as an odd three-part story: bee science (and recipes including honey), traditional romance ("bodice ripper"), and historical fiction (WWII, Nazis, and resistance).
There was some very serious content woven throughout the book - women abused by boyfriends (in one case, causing a miscarriage), war and PTSD, infidelity and unwanted pregnancies, . . . and of course, Nazi Germany and all the atrocities of pogroms, concentration camps, etc.
To have that content alongside the cliched attraction between Isabel and Cormac was odd. Of course, they're finally going to give in to their mutual attraction and have sex. Duh.
The reader did an excellent job with the huge cast of characters - male and female, Danish accents, young and old - it was very good.
Bella Vista sounds heavenly, and I liked the themes of community, family, and acceptance.
I liked learning that "Helsingor" became "Elsinore" and was what Shakespeare referenced in Macbeth.
There are too many characters to even go into it here! I'm not sure how I feel about this author's choice to weave such serious historical content into a romance story . . . or even which I liked better! On the other hand, if I liked the taste of honey, I'd be getting a print copy of the book to try some recipes. The bee information was fascinating.
Hennepin County Library audiobook 10 CDs
read by Christina Traister
genre: good question . . . read below
Clearly, this book was "good" enough (so subjective!) for me to "read" the entire thing start to finish. It is a bit bizarre, though, in its identity. I see it as an odd three-part story: bee science (and recipes including honey), traditional romance ("bodice ripper"), and historical fiction (WWII, Nazis, and resistance).
There was some very serious content woven throughout the book - women abused by boyfriends (in one case, causing a miscarriage), war and PTSD, infidelity and unwanted pregnancies, . . . and of course, Nazi Germany and all the atrocities of pogroms, concentration camps, etc.
To have that content alongside the cliched attraction between Isabel and Cormac was odd. Of course, they're finally going to give in to their mutual attraction and have sex. Duh.
The reader did an excellent job with the huge cast of characters - male and female, Danish accents, young and old - it was very good.
Bella Vista sounds heavenly, and I liked the themes of community, family, and acceptance.
I liked learning that "Helsingor" became "Elsinore" and was what Shakespeare referenced in Macbeth.
There are too many characters to even go into it here! I'm not sure how I feel about this author's choice to weave such serious historical content into a romance story . . . or even which I liked better! On the other hand, if I liked the taste of honey, I'd be getting a print copy of the book to try some recipes. The bee information was fascinating.
Send Down the Rain
by Charles Martin
Hennepin County Library hardcover 331 pages
genre: Christian fiction, relationships
Martin is a gripping storyteller! That said, he is very subtle about the faith aspect of his communication. I'm not sure if that's intentional to draw in readers who are not Christians, or if he doesn't see his writing as a platform for sharing his faith.
The blurb on the back would have helped me better understand the opening of this story! (I read it after I read the book.) Main characters are Joseph (Jo-Jo) and Allie, with Bobby, Jake, Suzy, Catalina, and others playing supporting roles.
We'll have a lively discussion on Monday, I'm sure! There are a lot of topics going on in this book - the Vietnam War, broken families, abuse, human trafficking, double lives, illegal immigrants, secrets, . . . he definitely wrote a powerful story.
Page 233 - "Long time ago, a friend gave me a gift I can never repay. The longer I live out the reality of that gift, the more I come to understand the enormity of what I owe and what is required to wipe the slate." (The message of grace . . . )
Page 258 - "Anger, rage . . . they're as real as you and me. They don't have bodies like us, but they live . . . live in us. Take up residence in our soul."
Page 270 - At the start of Chapter 39, the first overt mention of any "God-thing" is from Psalm 84:7 "They go from strength to strength; each one appears before God in Zion." Frankly, I didn't see how this was particularly fitting for this part of the story . . . but I'll probably be enlightened in our discussion.
Page 299 - The title reference! "'Watch over my boy . . . all the days of his life . . . and let him live to see the rain.' She closed her eyes. 'Send down the rain.'" Again, I'm eager for our discussion of the book. Joseph's mother prayed this for him after their conversation before he left for the war.
Page 312 - "I'd seen what evil could do. Evil never gave itself for anyone. It takes what it doesn't own. Holds your head under the water. Rips your head off your neck and dangles it from the city wall. Evil dominates. Controls. Eradicates. Evil is a sniveling punk, and if you let it inside you then you spew hatred, which is just another name for the poison we drink hoping it'll hurt someone else."
Page 320 - sweet passage. "The place where the tears come from is full again."
Page 325 - Epilogue "As they pass through the Valley of Baca, they make it a spring; the rain also covers it with pools."
Page 329 - "'Thank . . . you.' The words were separated by pain and they were long and hard in coming. The empty tequila bottle bobbed in the distance. Glass reflecting sunlight. A diamond floating on the surface of the world. 'For giving me what I needed.' He swallowed and dug his hand into the package. 'And not what I deserved.'" Yes! This is how God loves us, by giving us what we need instead of what we deserve.
To be honest, a lot of this book was predictable. But it was very well-written and intense in parts. My favorite was Catalina and her children and how Jo-Jo interacted with them.
Hennepin County Library hardcover 331 pages
genre: Christian fiction, relationships
Martin is a gripping storyteller! That said, he is very subtle about the faith aspect of his communication. I'm not sure if that's intentional to draw in readers who are not Christians, or if he doesn't see his writing as a platform for sharing his faith.
The blurb on the back would have helped me better understand the opening of this story! (I read it after I read the book.) Main characters are Joseph (Jo-Jo) and Allie, with Bobby, Jake, Suzy, Catalina, and others playing supporting roles.
We'll have a lively discussion on Monday, I'm sure! There are a lot of topics going on in this book - the Vietnam War, broken families, abuse, human trafficking, double lives, illegal immigrants, secrets, . . . he definitely wrote a powerful story.
Page 233 - "Long time ago, a friend gave me a gift I can never repay. The longer I live out the reality of that gift, the more I come to understand the enormity of what I owe and what is required to wipe the slate." (The message of grace . . . )
Page 258 - "Anger, rage . . . they're as real as you and me. They don't have bodies like us, but they live . . . live in us. Take up residence in our soul."
Page 270 - At the start of Chapter 39, the first overt mention of any "God-thing" is from Psalm 84:7 "They go from strength to strength; each one appears before God in Zion." Frankly, I didn't see how this was particularly fitting for this part of the story . . . but I'll probably be enlightened in our discussion.
Page 299 - The title reference! "'Watch over my boy . . . all the days of his life . . . and let him live to see the rain.' She closed her eyes. 'Send down the rain.'" Again, I'm eager for our discussion of the book. Joseph's mother prayed this for him after their conversation before he left for the war.
Page 312 - "I'd seen what evil could do. Evil never gave itself for anyone. It takes what it doesn't own. Holds your head under the water. Rips your head off your neck and dangles it from the city wall. Evil dominates. Controls. Eradicates. Evil is a sniveling punk, and if you let it inside you then you spew hatred, which is just another name for the poison we drink hoping it'll hurt someone else."
Page 320 - sweet passage. "The place where the tears come from is full again."
Page 325 - Epilogue "As they pass through the Valley of Baca, they make it a spring; the rain also covers it with pools."
Page 329 - "'Thank . . . you.' The words were separated by pain and they were long and hard in coming. The empty tequila bottle bobbed in the distance. Glass reflecting sunlight. A diamond floating on the surface of the world. 'For giving me what I needed.' He swallowed and dug his hand into the package. 'And not what I deserved.'" Yes! This is how God loves us, by giving us what we need instead of what we deserve.
To be honest, a lot of this book was predictable. But it was very well-written and intense in parts. My favorite was Catalina and her children and how Jo-Jo interacted with them.
Saturday, August 18, 2018
Wild Rover No More
Bloody Jack #? . . . the last one
by L.A. Meyer
Scott County Library hardcover 355 pages
genre: YA historical fiction, adventure
Meyer spent a lot of this final book in the series recounting adventures from other titles in the series. I liked the governess portion and how Jacky dealt with Edgar and Cathy. I would have liked even more follow-up from this part. The circus section was less engaging, but still some new ground. The life or death parts toward the end . . . just helped bring the bigger story arc to a close. Done!
by L.A. Meyer
Scott County Library hardcover 355 pages
genre: YA historical fiction, adventure
Meyer spent a lot of this final book in the series recounting adventures from other titles in the series. I liked the governess portion and how Jacky dealt with Edgar and Cathy. I would have liked even more follow-up from this part. The circus section was less engaging, but still some new ground. The life or death parts toward the end . . . just helped bring the bigger story arc to a close. Done!
Tuesday, August 14, 2018
The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism
by Timothy Keller
Hennepin County Library hardcover 241 pages plus end notes, etc.
genre: non-fiction, Christian apologetics
(At least, I think it's called "apologetics.")
Timothy Keller is amazing to me - calm, rational, firmly fixed on God's Word. This book was not a quick and easy read, but very, very worthwhile. I may buy my own copy. It's one I would definitely recommend for intellectual people who have issues with faith.
Page xii - "The people most passionate about social justice were moral relativists, while the morally upright didn't seem to care about the oppression going on all over the world." Ouch! Keller is writing about his own spiritual journey in the 1960s, but it's a fair criticism. Having grown up in a non-believing but social justice passionate household, I see too many believers who are indifferent to the suffering of others throughout the world.
Page 79 - "The people on the bus from hell in Lewis's parable would rather have their 'freedom,' as they define it, than salvation. Their delusion is that, if they glorified God, they would somehow lose power and freedom, but in a supreme and tragic irony, their choice has ruined their own potential for greatness. Hell is, as Lewis says, 'the greatest monument to human freedom.' As Romans 1:24 says, God 'gave them up to . . . their desires.' All God does in the end with people is give them what they most want, including freedom from himself. What could be more fair than that?" This is from the chapter "How Can a Loving God Send People to Hell?" It reminds me of people who say they would prefer to go to Hell, because it will be a big party of sinners having fun. This "logic" makes me so sad . . . I like how Keller puts forth the answer to this commonly asked question.
Page 94 - "Since Christian believers occupy different positions on both the meaning of Genesis I and on the nature of evolution, those who are considering Christianity as a whole should not allow themselves to be distracted by this intramural debate. The skeptical inquirer does not need to accept any one of these positions in order to embrace the Christian faith." Keller goes on to give a great perspective on keeping focused on the central claims of Christianity.
Page 95 - "Jesus's miracles in particular were never magic tricks, designed only to impress and coerce. You never see him say something like: 'See that tree over there? Watch me make it burst into flames!' Instead, he used miraculous power to heal the sick, feed the hungry, and raise the dead." I love how he talks about Jesus wanting to restore the world to the condition of wholeness and wellness that God intended.
Page 103 - The who section on The Da Vinci Code bugged me . . . how did a work of fiction come to have so much influence on people's beliefs? This whole section shows the depth of scholarship about what we can know about Scripture and its reliability. Powerful!
Page 122 - In the section Keller calls "The Intermission," I love this observation! "Which account of the world has the most 'explanatory power' to make sense of what we see in the world and in ourselves? We have a sense that the world is not the way it ought to be. We have a sense that we are very flawed and yet very great. We have a longing for love and beauty that nothing in this world can fulfill. We have a deep need to know meaning and purpose. Which worldview best accounts for these things?"
Page 168-9 In "The Problem of Sin," Keller writes about something that sneaks in to my attitude sometimes! Ouch again! "If we get our identity from our ethnicity or socioeconomic status, then we have to feel superior to those of other classes and races. If you are profoundly proud of being an open-minded, tolerant soul, you will be extremely indignant toward people you think are bigots. If you are a very moral person, you will feel very superior to people you think are licentious. And so on." Wow! Help me to keep my eyes on You, Jesus! Humble my heart.
Page 170 - "The Hebrew word for this perfect, harmonious interdependence among all parts of creation is called shalom. We translate it as 'peace,' but the English word is basically negative, referring to the absence of trouble or hostility. The Hebrew word means much more than that. It means absolute wholeness - full, harmonious, joyful, flourishing life." I love this! I've always thought of "shalom" as just meaning "peace." This definition is so much richer!
Page 188 - In the section about forgiveness, Keller writes a powerful observation. "But when you try to get payment through revenge the evil does not disappear. Instead it spreads, and it spreads most tragically of all into you and your own character." Wow! So very true.
Page 236 - Another ouch! Examine your heart . . . "I will grant that, on the whole, churchgoers may be weaker psychologically and morally than non-churchgoers. That should be no more surprising than the fact that people sitting in a doctor's office are on the whole sicker than those who are not there. Churches rightly draw a higher proportion of needy people. They also have a great number of people whose lives have been completely turned around and filled by the joy of Christ." I like the analogy to the doctor's office, but still . . . that's a tough statement!
So much good in this book! Keller is incredible. I'm so glad he loves the Lord and strives to get people into relationship with Him!
Hennepin County Library hardcover 241 pages plus end notes, etc.
genre: non-fiction, Christian apologetics
(At least, I think it's called "apologetics.")
Timothy Keller is amazing to me - calm, rational, firmly fixed on God's Word. This book was not a quick and easy read, but very, very worthwhile. I may buy my own copy. It's one I would definitely recommend for intellectual people who have issues with faith.
Page xii - "The people most passionate about social justice were moral relativists, while the morally upright didn't seem to care about the oppression going on all over the world." Ouch! Keller is writing about his own spiritual journey in the 1960s, but it's a fair criticism. Having grown up in a non-believing but social justice passionate household, I see too many believers who are indifferent to the suffering of others throughout the world.
Page 79 - "The people on the bus from hell in Lewis's parable would rather have their 'freedom,' as they define it, than salvation. Their delusion is that, if they glorified God, they would somehow lose power and freedom, but in a supreme and tragic irony, their choice has ruined their own potential for greatness. Hell is, as Lewis says, 'the greatest monument to human freedom.' As Romans 1:24 says, God 'gave them up to . . . their desires.' All God does in the end with people is give them what they most want, including freedom from himself. What could be more fair than that?" This is from the chapter "How Can a Loving God Send People to Hell?" It reminds me of people who say they would prefer to go to Hell, because it will be a big party of sinners having fun. This "logic" makes me so sad . . . I like how Keller puts forth the answer to this commonly asked question.
Page 94 - "Since Christian believers occupy different positions on both the meaning of Genesis I and on the nature of evolution, those who are considering Christianity as a whole should not allow themselves to be distracted by this intramural debate. The skeptical inquirer does not need to accept any one of these positions in order to embrace the Christian faith." Keller goes on to give a great perspective on keeping focused on the central claims of Christianity.
Page 95 - "Jesus's miracles in particular were never magic tricks, designed only to impress and coerce. You never see him say something like: 'See that tree over there? Watch me make it burst into flames!' Instead, he used miraculous power to heal the sick, feed the hungry, and raise the dead." I love how he talks about Jesus wanting to restore the world to the condition of wholeness and wellness that God intended.
Page 103 - The who section on The Da Vinci Code bugged me . . . how did a work of fiction come to have so much influence on people's beliefs? This whole section shows the depth of scholarship about what we can know about Scripture and its reliability. Powerful!
Page 122 - In the section Keller calls "The Intermission," I love this observation! "Which account of the world has the most 'explanatory power' to make sense of what we see in the world and in ourselves? We have a sense that the world is not the way it ought to be. We have a sense that we are very flawed and yet very great. We have a longing for love and beauty that nothing in this world can fulfill. We have a deep need to know meaning and purpose. Which worldview best accounts for these things?"
Page 168-9 In "The Problem of Sin," Keller writes about something that sneaks in to my attitude sometimes! Ouch again! "If we get our identity from our ethnicity or socioeconomic status, then we have to feel superior to those of other classes and races. If you are profoundly proud of being an open-minded, tolerant soul, you will be extremely indignant toward people you think are bigots. If you are a very moral person, you will feel very superior to people you think are licentious. And so on." Wow! Help me to keep my eyes on You, Jesus! Humble my heart.
Page 170 - "The Hebrew word for this perfect, harmonious interdependence among all parts of creation is called shalom. We translate it as 'peace,' but the English word is basically negative, referring to the absence of trouble or hostility. The Hebrew word means much more than that. It means absolute wholeness - full, harmonious, joyful, flourishing life." I love this! I've always thought of "shalom" as just meaning "peace." This definition is so much richer!
Page 188 - In the section about forgiveness, Keller writes a powerful observation. "But when you try to get payment through revenge the evil does not disappear. Instead it spreads, and it spreads most tragically of all into you and your own character." Wow! So very true.
Page 236 - Another ouch! Examine your heart . . . "I will grant that, on the whole, churchgoers may be weaker psychologically and morally than non-churchgoers. That should be no more surprising than the fact that people sitting in a doctor's office are on the whole sicker than those who are not there. Churches rightly draw a higher proportion of needy people. They also have a great number of people whose lives have been completely turned around and filled by the joy of Christ." I like the analogy to the doctor's office, but still . . . that's a tough statement!
So much good in this book! Keller is incredible. I'm so glad he loves the Lord and strives to get people into relationship with Him!
Folds in the Map: Stories of Life's Unlikely Intersections
by Jeff Bauer
Ann's book paperback 147 pages
genre: memoir, essays
Ann loaned this to me ages ago! Bauer was someone she worked with at The Family Partnership. I wasn't super excited about reading it, but I'm so glad I did. Some of the essays didn't connect for me, but others were thought-provoking and powerful. My favorites were "Secret Wars" and "Beauty and Bread."
In "Living in the Middle," there was a passage I marked. "Children, with all of their curiosity and vulnerability, learning to become themselves while, at the same time, absorbing everything from the world around them. Scared, joyful, insecure, needing of unconditional love and protection. Just children." He is writing about seeing the fear and need in people's faces that reflects a child's need. He writes about the powerful impact of having his consciousness altered . . . but then notes that the intense awareness faded with time and returning home.
This is a lovely book. Kudos to Bauer for writing it and getting it published!
Ann's book paperback 147 pages
genre: memoir, essays
Ann loaned this to me ages ago! Bauer was someone she worked with at The Family Partnership. I wasn't super excited about reading it, but I'm so glad I did. Some of the essays didn't connect for me, but others were thought-provoking and powerful. My favorites were "Secret Wars" and "Beauty and Bread."
In "Living in the Middle," there was a passage I marked. "Children, with all of their curiosity and vulnerability, learning to become themselves while, at the same time, absorbing everything from the world around them. Scared, joyful, insecure, needing of unconditional love and protection. Just children." He is writing about seeing the fear and need in people's faces that reflects a child's need. He writes about the powerful impact of having his consciousness altered . . . but then notes that the intense awareness faded with time and returning home.
This is a lovely book. Kudos to Bauer for writing it and getting it published!
The Five Lessons a Millionaire Taught Me About Life and Wealth
by Richard Paul Evans
Hennepin County Library audiobook 2 CDs
read by the author
genre: non-fiction, self-help, finance
I took lots of notes on this, but won't include them all here. Louie and I listened to this together on our way to and from Leech Lake a few weeks ago. The first notes I wrote were, "Live frugally" and "Decide to be wealthy."
Briefly, the five things are
1. The Power of Commitment (choose)
2. Take Responsibility for Your Money
3. Keep a Portion of Everything You Earn
4. Win in the Margins
5. Give Back
Like I said, I have a LOT of detailed notes. I still struggle with some of the financial "stuff" I've been reading about . . . because I don't really care that much about money. But I want to be a responsible spouse and citizen . . . and I want to bless others. That's part of why I keep reading stuff like this.
Evans makes some great points, and I believe he's a Christian. Even though wealth is not my goal, he has some very helpful points.
Link to my GoogleDoc with my detailed notes is here. There are lots of other people who have posted info online (that is better organized and/or more concise than my jabbering).
Hennepin County Library audiobook 2 CDs
read by the author
genre: non-fiction, self-help, finance
I took lots of notes on this, but won't include them all here. Louie and I listened to this together on our way to and from Leech Lake a few weeks ago. The first notes I wrote were, "Live frugally" and "Decide to be wealthy."
Briefly, the five things are
1. The Power of Commitment (choose)
2. Take Responsibility for Your Money
3. Keep a Portion of Everything You Earn
4. Win in the Margins
5. Give Back
Like I said, I have a LOT of detailed notes. I still struggle with some of the financial "stuff" I've been reading about . . . because I don't really care that much about money. But I want to be a responsible spouse and citizen . . . and I want to bless others. That's part of why I keep reading stuff like this.
Evans makes some great points, and I believe he's a Christian. Even though wealth is not my goal, he has some very helpful points.
Link to my GoogleDoc with my detailed notes is here. There are lots of other people who have posted info online (that is better organized and/or more concise than my jabbering).
Time Is Too Precious
This isn't the title of a book I read . . . rather it's acknowledgement of the fact that I do not need to complete a book just because I start it!
I can be rather compulsive. I am also curious and I love reading. That said, sometimes I need to recognize the fact that if I'm not enjoying a book or learning from it, I can just be done with it. I started to listen to an audiobook that I had already renewed at least once . . . I had even made notes about it to blog. But then I realized that the book was just bugging me. It was like a trashy romance book that aspired to something higher and better. Back to the library.
Then I started to listen to another audiobook that seemed like a higher-quality type of book. Again, I made some notes. A 75-year-old with a brain tumor, contemplating her life. But whether it was the text or the reader's strident voice, I just wasn't getting into it. Back to the library. Two in a row! That's almost unheard of for me.
I can be rather compulsive. I am also curious and I love reading. That said, sometimes I need to recognize the fact that if I'm not enjoying a book or learning from it, I can just be done with it. I started to listen to an audiobook that I had already renewed at least once . . . I had even made notes about it to blog. But then I realized that the book was just bugging me. It was like a trashy romance book that aspired to something higher and better. Back to the library.
Then I started to listen to another audiobook that seemed like a higher-quality type of book. Again, I made some notes. A 75-year-old with a brain tumor, contemplating her life. But whether it was the text or the reader's strident voice, I just wasn't getting into it. Back to the library. Two in a row! That's almost unheard of for me.
Friday, August 03, 2018
The Veritas Conflict
by Shunti Feldhahn
loaned to me by Julie Abbott, paperback, 446 pages
genre: Christian fiction, spiritual warfare
This is going to be another very long post! Julie loaned this to me in March 2013. It sat for a long time on my book shelf! (Partly because 2013 was a rough time in my life and partly because I kept procrastinating on reading it. Spiritual warfare - like in Peretti's This Present Darkness - is not my favorite topic.) This book blew me away! I almost want to buy my own copy to re-read it. My overwhelming take-away is that believers absolutely must be in prayer. We cannot slack off on bringing our own lives and our loved ones' lives (and our neighbors, co-workers, etc.) before the Lord!
"A heavenly battle is raging for the heart and mind of a young co-ed, a college, and a nation. In this work of fiction, Harvard University is a centuries-old battleground in the struggle between good and evil, and one student has no idea she's about to be thrust onto the front lines. Claire Rivers arrives at Harvard an enthusiastic freshman but is ill prepared for the challenges she encounters to her Christian faith. Students and professors who proclaim 'tolerance' and revel in alternative lifestyles greet her beliefs with disdain - even hostility." (from the cover blurb)
This book was not at all what I expected and I loved the nuance and love that flowed throughout the story. Feldhahn went to Harvard and dealt with some of the challenges she gave to Claire in her story. Here are some of the many passages I post-it noted:
Page 23 - From a letter written by Cleon Grindley in the olden days after the school shield was changed to just "Veritas" (truth) from "Veritas pro Christo et Ecclesiae" (Truth for Christ and Church) - "We can already see a change - subtle, but real. Those who do not know Christ feel much more comfortable with the university now, and those who are devout are beginning to feel as if they are somehow keeping their fingers in the hole of a dam." This sense of how confident, strong, or comfortable we are interests me. I completely understand the Bible's command that we GO and SHARE the Good News (as opposed to just hanging out in our churches with other believers), but there are times it is so very nice to share and celebrate with people who also love the Lord! The idea that when we dis-invite God from our lives, He obliges . . . and then we are bereft of His power, presence, and love as we try to make progress without Him . . . this passage just really caught my attention.
Page 51 - Claire's dad talking to friends - "We've always said that we were raising the kids to be salt and light in a decaying world, right? Well, at some point we have to let them go out into the darkness and trust God to care for them. After all, He's had the harder job trusting us with them all these years. Us trusting Him should be a piece of cake." This makes me laugh at myself! As I deal with the challenges of parenting adult children (who don't necessarily want any parenting from me), I realize that I need to trust God to guide them. I can't go back in the past and give them a more firm foundation of faith. I need to trust God, love my kids, and pray for them.
Page 62 - I like how Mansfield communicates with Sharon, even when she's hostile. "Sharon took a big swig of her coffee and set the cup down. 'I have a hard time being friends with people like you.' 'Well, at least you're honest about it.' Mansfield raised his glass to her." There were so many really challenging concepts in this book. I love how Feldhahn handled them all!
Page 81 - "Harvard makes such a thing about tolerance and the freedom to express all viewpoints. Gays, communists, humanists, Buddhists - all are invited to participate in the 'marketplace of ideas.' But get some conservative Christian in here, and the marketplace of ideas is curiously closed." This is another truism in the current age and push for diversity. Too often, a Christian worldview is rejected as "hateful" or "narrow-minded" and not even listened to or respected.
Page 125 -"She has become wrapped in confusion and fear. But she must gain the knowledge to win the fight for her mind. She must develop the courage to take a public stand. God has not given His people a spirit of timidity or fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind! God has given her all those things, but she must learn how to walk in them and how to stand on them." One of the angels watching over Claire . . . and 2 Timothy 1:7 is one of my absolute favorite verses! Even though this is in reference to a young woman (less than half my current age), I too feel as though I need to learn how to "walk in" the things God has given me in the spirit.
Page 157 - "Let every student be plainly instructed and earnestly pressed to consider well the main end of his life and studies is to know God and Jesus Christ which is eternal life, John 17:3, and therefore to lay Christ in the bottom, as the only foundation of all sound knowledge and learning." - from Harvard's College Laws dated six years after the founding in 1636! I didn't know that Harvard was founded as a Christian college!
Page 200 - This passage made me think of Financial Peace University and Dave Ramsey! "See, my dad had gotten hooked on credit cards. It sounds stupid, but it seems a lot like Teresa's mom and her gambling addiction. These credit card companies were throwing themselves at him, sending preapproved cards with limits of thousands of dollars. He started using the cards for convenience but ended up spending way more than we made. I don't know all the details, you know, but it became a stretch just to pay the minimums each month, and eventually we couldn't even afford those. And the more he got himself in debt, the more the card companies seemed to like him." Claire is confiding in Brad. The friendship and trust between these two characters was another part of the book I really liked.
Page 247 - '"How do you react when you're busy with your daily life and come across someone's urgent, now-or-never sort of need? Do you tell the oppressed prisoner of the dark world that you're busy now but you'll come back to your underground espionage job at two o'clock next Tuesday? Or do you prayerfully rearrange your daily life to fit the calling of your true job? I have news for you, dear saints." He leaned forward on the podium. "Ministry is always inconvenient."' The pastor in a church Claire was visiting . . . so very true! I loved the sermon he gave.
Page 253 - " . . . have the courage to speak the truth in love. It takes guts, Claire. Guts to publicly defend an unpopular position, especially when you're defending yourself to a professor. But 'always be prepared to give an answer for the hope that is within you.' And when you speak for the Truth, pray for those you're talking with and trust the Holy Spirit to give you the words to say. But always, always speak in love. If they're abusive - and trust me, Claire, they sometimes will be - -respond with the grace that Christ showed, and you will be blameless before God and man." Ian giving advice to Claire. There were so many passages that resonated for me in this book.
Page 282-3 - This letter to Claire from Miss Gana from Nigeria who had been her camp counselor. What a powerful impact godly believers can have on the people in their lives!
Page 325 - A conversation between Claire and Bethany:
"You know how you thought Christianity was so exclusive and intolerant? Well, I just realized . . . it's actually the most inclusive religion in the world!"
"How's that?" Bethany's voice was flat.
"Every other belief system requires you to meet some standard in order to go to heaven, or achieve nirvana, or whatever their equivalent is. But with Christ --" she leaned toward Bethany, her eyes intent -- "anyone can go to heaven. Not just the good people! Every other faith is so much more exclusive that it is actually mean. They say you have to be good to go to heaven, but who knows how good you really have to be? What they're saying is that you might die and find out, 'Oh, sorry! You're only allowed two hundred lies in a lifetime, and you told two hundred and one. Too bad.'" She jerked her thumb downward.
"Do you see? In Christianity there is one -- only one -- step, and everyone knows what it is: Give your life to Jesus. The good, the bad, the rich, the poor -- they're all God's children. He knows that none of us is going to be as good as He requires -- which is perfect -- so He made a way for anyone to be saved!"
I loved the interactions between Claire and Bethany and the love of Christ that Claire was able to share, even when Bethany was hostile.
Page 448 - I found the author's notes very interesting and worth reading. "One reason I wrote this book is that when I was at Harvard, I had no idea how to defend what I believed, and I got hammered in my classes, as did many of my friends. My prayer is that the 'relationship apologetics' in this book will help others learn how to defend their faith in a welcome and effective manner, while still building relationships with those they actively disagree with."
Wow! It has taken me about two weeks to get this entry done! What an amazing book. I love how Feldhahn has written an interesting story filled with spiritual lessons.
loaned to me by Julie Abbott, paperback, 446 pages
genre: Christian fiction, spiritual warfare
This is going to be another very long post! Julie loaned this to me in March 2013. It sat for a long time on my book shelf! (Partly because 2013 was a rough time in my life and partly because I kept procrastinating on reading it. Spiritual warfare - like in Peretti's This Present Darkness - is not my favorite topic.) This book blew me away! I almost want to buy my own copy to re-read it. My overwhelming take-away is that believers absolutely must be in prayer. We cannot slack off on bringing our own lives and our loved ones' lives (and our neighbors, co-workers, etc.) before the Lord!
"A heavenly battle is raging for the heart and mind of a young co-ed, a college, and a nation. In this work of fiction, Harvard University is a centuries-old battleground in the struggle between good and evil, and one student has no idea she's about to be thrust onto the front lines. Claire Rivers arrives at Harvard an enthusiastic freshman but is ill prepared for the challenges she encounters to her Christian faith. Students and professors who proclaim 'tolerance' and revel in alternative lifestyles greet her beliefs with disdain - even hostility." (from the cover blurb)
This book was not at all what I expected and I loved the nuance and love that flowed throughout the story. Feldhahn went to Harvard and dealt with some of the challenges she gave to Claire in her story. Here are some of the many passages I post-it noted:
Page 23 - From a letter written by Cleon Grindley in the olden days after the school shield was changed to just "Veritas" (truth) from "Veritas pro Christo et Ecclesiae" (Truth for Christ and Church) - "We can already see a change - subtle, but real. Those who do not know Christ feel much more comfortable with the university now, and those who are devout are beginning to feel as if they are somehow keeping their fingers in the hole of a dam." This sense of how confident, strong, or comfortable we are interests me. I completely understand the Bible's command that we GO and SHARE the Good News (as opposed to just hanging out in our churches with other believers), but there are times it is so very nice to share and celebrate with people who also love the Lord! The idea that when we dis-invite God from our lives, He obliges . . . and then we are bereft of His power, presence, and love as we try to make progress without Him . . . this passage just really caught my attention.
Page 51 - Claire's dad talking to friends - "We've always said that we were raising the kids to be salt and light in a decaying world, right? Well, at some point we have to let them go out into the darkness and trust God to care for them. After all, He's had the harder job trusting us with them all these years. Us trusting Him should be a piece of cake." This makes me laugh at myself! As I deal with the challenges of parenting adult children (who don't necessarily want any parenting from me), I realize that I need to trust God to guide them. I can't go back in the past and give them a more firm foundation of faith. I need to trust God, love my kids, and pray for them.
Page 62 - I like how Mansfield communicates with Sharon, even when she's hostile. "Sharon took a big swig of her coffee and set the cup down. 'I have a hard time being friends with people like you.' 'Well, at least you're honest about it.' Mansfield raised his glass to her." There were so many really challenging concepts in this book. I love how Feldhahn handled them all!
Page 81 - "Harvard makes such a thing about tolerance and the freedom to express all viewpoints. Gays, communists, humanists, Buddhists - all are invited to participate in the 'marketplace of ideas.' But get some conservative Christian in here, and the marketplace of ideas is curiously closed." This is another truism in the current age and push for diversity. Too often, a Christian worldview is rejected as "hateful" or "narrow-minded" and not even listened to or respected.
Page 125 -"She has become wrapped in confusion and fear. But she must gain the knowledge to win the fight for her mind. She must develop the courage to take a public stand. God has not given His people a spirit of timidity or fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind! God has given her all those things, but she must learn how to walk in them and how to stand on them." One of the angels watching over Claire . . . and 2 Timothy 1:7 is one of my absolute favorite verses! Even though this is in reference to a young woman (less than half my current age), I too feel as though I need to learn how to "walk in" the things God has given me in the spirit.
Page 157 - "Let every student be plainly instructed and earnestly pressed to consider well the main end of his life and studies is to know God and Jesus Christ which is eternal life, John 17:3, and therefore to lay Christ in the bottom, as the only foundation of all sound knowledge and learning." - from Harvard's College Laws dated six years after the founding in 1636! I didn't know that Harvard was founded as a Christian college!
Page 200 - This passage made me think of Financial Peace University and Dave Ramsey! "See, my dad had gotten hooked on credit cards. It sounds stupid, but it seems a lot like Teresa's mom and her gambling addiction. These credit card companies were throwing themselves at him, sending preapproved cards with limits of thousands of dollars. He started using the cards for convenience but ended up spending way more than we made. I don't know all the details, you know, but it became a stretch just to pay the minimums each month, and eventually we couldn't even afford those. And the more he got himself in debt, the more the card companies seemed to like him." Claire is confiding in Brad. The friendship and trust between these two characters was another part of the book I really liked.
Page 247 - '"How do you react when you're busy with your daily life and come across someone's urgent, now-or-never sort of need? Do you tell the oppressed prisoner of the dark world that you're busy now but you'll come back to your underground espionage job at two o'clock next Tuesday? Or do you prayerfully rearrange your daily life to fit the calling of your true job? I have news for you, dear saints." He leaned forward on the podium. "Ministry is always inconvenient."' The pastor in a church Claire was visiting . . . so very true! I loved the sermon he gave.
Page 253 - " . . . have the courage to speak the truth in love. It takes guts, Claire. Guts to publicly defend an unpopular position, especially when you're defending yourself to a professor. But 'always be prepared to give an answer for the hope that is within you.' And when you speak for the Truth, pray for those you're talking with and trust the Holy Spirit to give you the words to say. But always, always speak in love. If they're abusive - and trust me, Claire, they sometimes will be - -respond with the grace that Christ showed, and you will be blameless before God and man." Ian giving advice to Claire. There were so many passages that resonated for me in this book.
Page 282-3 - This letter to Claire from Miss Gana from Nigeria who had been her camp counselor. What a powerful impact godly believers can have on the people in their lives!
I especially like where she wrote "You must cling to Him. If in your future there is a fight against what GOd has for you, you must cling even more strongly to Him. Psalm 91 says that He will send His angels to protect you, but it also says that protection is for 'he who dwells in the shadow of the Most High.' So dwell there."
Page 325 - A conversation between Claire and Bethany:
"You know how you thought Christianity was so exclusive and intolerant? Well, I just realized . . . it's actually the most inclusive religion in the world!"
"How's that?" Bethany's voice was flat.
"Every other belief system requires you to meet some standard in order to go to heaven, or achieve nirvana, or whatever their equivalent is. But with Christ --" she leaned toward Bethany, her eyes intent -- "anyone can go to heaven. Not just the good people! Every other faith is so much more exclusive that it is actually mean. They say you have to be good to go to heaven, but who knows how good you really have to be? What they're saying is that you might die and find out, 'Oh, sorry! You're only allowed two hundred lies in a lifetime, and you told two hundred and one. Too bad.'" She jerked her thumb downward.
"Do you see? In Christianity there is one -- only one -- step, and everyone knows what it is: Give your life to Jesus. The good, the bad, the rich, the poor -- they're all God's children. He knows that none of us is going to be as good as He requires -- which is perfect -- so He made a way for anyone to be saved!"
I loved the interactions between Claire and Bethany and the love of Christ that Claire was able to share, even when Bethany was hostile.
Page 448 - I found the author's notes very interesting and worth reading. "One reason I wrote this book is that when I was at Harvard, I had no idea how to defend what I believed, and I got hammered in my classes, as did many of my friends. My prayer is that the 'relationship apologetics' in this book will help others learn how to defend their faith in a welcome and effective manner, while still building relationships with those they actively disagree with."
Wow! It has taken me about two weeks to get this entry done! What an amazing book. I love how Feldhahn has written an interesting story filled with spiritual lessons.
Friday, July 27, 2018
Robert B. Parker's Kickback: A Spenser novel
by Ace Atkins
Hennepin County Library audiobook 6 CDs
read by Joe Mantegna
genre: mystery
I got this (as well as several other titles) in preparation for my road trip with my sister Louise. I'm not sure how many (if any) Robert Parker books I've ever read, but I recognized the name as one she likes. Since Parker is dead and this was written by a different person (Atkins), I figured she hadn't read it yet. I was right! She knew the characters and some of the "in" jokes that I didn't get.
Spenser takes on a case for a distraught mom whose son was sent to a juvenile facility for a minor offense. As he looks into the case, there are two "dirty" judges and connections to the underworld.
Some of it was interesting and some of Spenser's attitude was funny. I see why this character resonates for Louise.
Hennepin County Library audiobook 6 CDs
read by Joe Mantegna
genre: mystery
I got this (as well as several other titles) in preparation for my road trip with my sister Louise. I'm not sure how many (if any) Robert Parker books I've ever read, but I recognized the name as one she likes. Since Parker is dead and this was written by a different person (Atkins), I figured she hadn't read it yet. I was right! She knew the characters and some of the "in" jokes that I didn't get.
Spenser takes on a case for a distraught mom whose son was sent to a juvenile facility for a minor offense. As he looks into the case, there are two "dirty" judges and connections to the underworld.
Some of it was interesting and some of Spenser's attitude was funny. I see why this character resonates for Louise.
Hope: A Memoir of Survival in Cleveland
by Amanda Berry and Gina DeJesus,
with Mary Jordan and Kevin Sullivan
Hennepin County Library audiobook, 10 CDs
read by Jorjeana Marie, Marisol Ramirez and Arthur Morey
genre: non-fiction, memoir
This was horrible. The title first caught my attention. Hope is such a powerful entity.
As I was listening to disc one, I thought about stopping. It's just too horrible and depressing. Then I realized that these women survived a terrible ordeal . . . and I couldn't handle "listening" to their story?! That didn't seem right. They deserve to have their story heard. (This made me think of how awful it was to watch the first 20 minutes of Saving Private Ryan. I had to pause the video and think, "My stomach is in knots watching this on a screen while I'm safe in my living room. What on earth was it like for the young men who were actually there, seeing the carnage, on those beaches in the 1940s????")
The Sylvia Brown psychic story when she told Amanda's mom on Montel Williams' show that Amanda was dead . . . that loss of hope was so awful.
It's horrific that Arlene Castro and Gina were best friends. Amanda knew another of his daughters. Michelle was friends with Castro's daughter Emily. Yuk. What a hideous man! And Arlene had "behavioral issues" after Gina went missing? Wow. If she'd only known . . .
Timeline. As I was listening, I tried to think of what I was doing and how old my kids were on the dates of these women's stories.
August 22, 2002 - Michelle Knight taken
April 21, 2003 - Amanda Berry abducted the day before her seventeenth birthday
April 2, 2004 - Gina DeJesus was taken (only 14 years old!!! And he knew her parents!)
March 2, 2006 - Amanda's mother, Luanne Miller, died age 43
December 25, 2006 - Amanda gave birth to Jocelyn Jade
May 6, 2013 - they rescued themselves. Ariel Castro was arrested.
September 3, 2013 - Castro killed himself by hanging. (9:18 pm - less than a half hour after the last check on him . . . I can't believe they tried CPR and called for an ambulance. I suppose they had to. Thirty-three days after he was sentenced.)
There's a more thorough timeline at www.cbsnews.com/news/timeline-of-events-the-cleveland-kidnapping-case/ . . . but it's still all horrific.
The part on April 10, 2013 when Castro was visiting with his daughter Angie . . . chilling. How on earth did his four children from his first marriage reconcile his actions with the dad they knew (once they found out, of course)? Angie's last visit to the house on Seymour Avenue . . . how awful.
When Gina started cutting, it just added to the sadness of what she experienced. How did these women survive?!?! Yes, hope. Hope to see their families again, to be free. I'm so glad their families never gave up on finding them.
I'm sad to not know more of Michelle's story, but I don't think I can handle reading her book. The fact that Castro had beaten her to make her miscarry (multiple times) is just another layer of horror.
"I have no choice." That phrase came up a lot from both Amanda and Gina. Castro was an icky creepy nasty man!
Jocelyn Jade - Amanda Berry's daughter. The key to their escape!
As I'm listening to the part immediately after they're rescued and she is meeting with lawyers at her sister's house, I am in tears hearing the reader say (as Amanda) - "I'm not sure what lawyers can do, but I want a headstone for my mother's grave and I want a birth certificate for Jocelyn."
All the times that Castro insisted that he was a victim, or that the girls had had consensual sex with him, or that his "faith" kept him from being a danger to himself . . . makes me want to puke. What a horrible, twisted human being!
I'm so glad that there was an outpouring of support (and money) for these women once they were free. I cannot begin to imagine how challenging it was for them to rebuild lives after a decade of imprisonment and torture. I remember when they were found - it was all over the news. But to hear their stories and their focus on hope and the future - that's inspiring.
with Mary Jordan and Kevin Sullivan
Hennepin County Library audiobook, 10 CDs
read by Jorjeana Marie, Marisol Ramirez and Arthur Morey
genre: non-fiction, memoir
This was horrible. The title first caught my attention. Hope is such a powerful entity.
As I was listening to disc one, I thought about stopping. It's just too horrible and depressing. Then I realized that these women survived a terrible ordeal . . . and I couldn't handle "listening" to their story?! That didn't seem right. They deserve to have their story heard. (This made me think of how awful it was to watch the first 20 minutes of Saving Private Ryan. I had to pause the video and think, "My stomach is in knots watching this on a screen while I'm safe in my living room. What on earth was it like for the young men who were actually there, seeing the carnage, on those beaches in the 1940s????")
The Sylvia Brown psychic story when she told Amanda's mom on Montel Williams' show that Amanda was dead . . . that loss of hope was so awful.
It's horrific that Arlene Castro and Gina were best friends. Amanda knew another of his daughters. Michelle was friends with Castro's daughter Emily. Yuk. What a hideous man! And Arlene had "behavioral issues" after Gina went missing? Wow. If she'd only known . . .
Timeline. As I was listening, I tried to think of what I was doing and how old my kids were on the dates of these women's stories.
August 22, 2002 - Michelle Knight taken
April 21, 2003 - Amanda Berry abducted the day before her seventeenth birthday
April 2, 2004 - Gina DeJesus was taken (only 14 years old!!! And he knew her parents!)
March 2, 2006 - Amanda's mother, Luanne Miller, died age 43
December 25, 2006 - Amanda gave birth to Jocelyn Jade
May 6, 2013 - they rescued themselves. Ariel Castro was arrested.
September 3, 2013 - Castro killed himself by hanging. (9:18 pm - less than a half hour after the last check on him . . . I can't believe they tried CPR and called for an ambulance. I suppose they had to. Thirty-three days after he was sentenced.)
There's a more thorough timeline at www.cbsnews.com/news/timeline-of-events-the-cleveland-kidnapping-case/ . . . but it's still all horrific.
The part on April 10, 2013 when Castro was visiting with his daughter Angie . . . chilling. How on earth did his four children from his first marriage reconcile his actions with the dad they knew (once they found out, of course)? Angie's last visit to the house on Seymour Avenue . . . how awful.
When Gina started cutting, it just added to the sadness of what she experienced. How did these women survive?!?! Yes, hope. Hope to see their families again, to be free. I'm so glad their families never gave up on finding them.
I'm sad to not know more of Michelle's story, but I don't think I can handle reading her book. The fact that Castro had beaten her to make her miscarry (multiple times) is just another layer of horror.
"I have no choice." That phrase came up a lot from both Amanda and Gina. Castro was an icky creepy nasty man!
Jocelyn Jade - Amanda Berry's daughter. The key to their escape!
As I'm listening to the part immediately after they're rescued and she is meeting with lawyers at her sister's house, I am in tears hearing the reader say (as Amanda) - "I'm not sure what lawyers can do, but I want a headstone for my mother's grave and I want a birth certificate for Jocelyn."
All the times that Castro insisted that he was a victim, or that the girls had had consensual sex with him, or that his "faith" kept him from being a danger to himself . . . makes me want to puke. What a horrible, twisted human being!
I'm so glad that there was an outpouring of support (and money) for these women once they were free. I cannot begin to imagine how challenging it was for them to rebuild lives after a decade of imprisonment and torture. I remember when they were found - it was all over the news. But to hear their stories and their focus on hope and the future - that's inspiring.
Monday, July 23, 2018
Then Sings My Soul
by Amy K Sorrells
Hennepin County Library paperback 298 pages
genre: Christian historical fiction
"When Nel Stewart returns home after the sudden death of her mother, she realizes her beloved father, Jakob, is struggling with dementia."
That's the first part of the back cover blurb. Nel as a character never really resonated for me. I was much more interested in the story of Jakob's childhood escaping the atrocities in Ukraine. "Told partially through Jakob's flashbacks of fleeing genocide-ridden eastern Europe at the turn of the twentieth century . . . " Jakob's life and story were what really spoke to me in this book.
For not having an "I LOVE this book" reaction, I sure put a lot of post-it notes in the pages . . .
I started noting the vocabulary words that were new for me. That was an odd sensation, reading a book and thinking, "what does that mean?" I was not familiar with "lapidary" but quickly used context clues to know that it had to do with gemstones, jewelry, etc. (M-W.com: lapidary - 1:
* Still Alice by Lisa Genova
Hennepin County Library paperback 298 pages
genre: Christian historical fiction
"When Nel Stewart returns home after the sudden death of her mother, she realizes her beloved father, Jakob, is struggling with dementia."
That's the first part of the back cover blurb. Nel as a character never really resonated for me. I was much more interested in the story of Jakob's childhood escaping the atrocities in Ukraine. "Told partially through Jakob's flashbacks of fleeing genocide-ridden eastern Europe at the turn of the twentieth century . . . " Jakob's life and story were what really spoke to me in this book.
For not having an "I LOVE this book" reaction, I sure put a lot of post-it notes in the pages . . .
I started noting the vocabulary words that were new for me. That was an odd sensation, reading a book and thinking, "what does that mean?" I was not familiar with "lapidary" but quickly used context clues to know that it had to do with gemstones, jewelry, etc. (M-W.com: lapidary - 1:
a cutter, polisher, or engraver of precious stones usually other than diamonds 2
: the art of cutting gems). This further bugged me because I kept thinking of butterflies (Lepidoptera) for some reason. Then "cabochons" came up numerous times! I understood that it was a certain piece of jewelry, but I didn't know what. The author finally defined it on page 168, after using it a half dozen times. Urg! (M-W.com: cabochon -1: a gem or bead cut in convex form and highly polished but not faceted; also 2: this style of cutting).
Then on page 86, "plangent" vibrations . . . what?! (M-W.com: plangent - 1
: having a loud reverberating sound 2
: having an expressive and especially plaintive quality). I should probably have known that, but I didn't! So I guess you could say this book was educational.
Page 45 - "Over the past year or so, it was Catherine who had been covering for him. The lines between past and present, real and not real blurred more and more frequently in his mind." This reminds me so much of my mom's struggles toward the end of her life. It's so sad to see someone you love become confused.
Page 47 - "He eventually realized the hole in the heart of a woman who longs for children is not something he - nor any man - could fill." Oh, this makes me think of someone I care about very much who is struggling with infertility. All I can do is pray and try to be supportive.
Page 85 - "God seemed to be everywhere around the dead, but Jakob had yet to find much evidence of Him around the living, besides on the countenance of his wife and a few other exceptions like Mattie." The truth of this overwhelms me! For so many people who do not yet know or love the Lord, they don't see the love and life and joy of Jesus! Believers need to shine the Light of the world!
Page 92 - "It's only because I say the prayers every morning and every night, whether I feel like it or not, that my heart has not hardened like granite." I love Peter and his attempts to get through to Jakob! I love this idea that you pray whether you feel like it or not. God is so good!
Page 94 - Jakob tells Peter about Faigy and what happened and how guilty he has felt. Oh this made me so sad!
Page 97 - "'It's easy when something bad happens, especially when someone you love very much dies, to become bitter and angry at God. . . . Because God does not cause the bad. Man causes the bad. God is always good. And so we are always to praise Him.'" This time, the wisdom comes from Mama before the evil hits home. (This is where Peter gets his faith!)
Page 151 - "'Do not let the evil harden your heart, my son. You must believe God is bigger than all this.'" Luda was another amazing character as the boys fled the Ukraine.
Page 181 - "Men, he knew, could do far more harm to humans than any machine." For Jakob to learn this at such a young age . . . how do children recover from seeing evil?
Page 190 - "She learned about missionaries like Stuart Hine from Britain . . . Andrey Sheptytsky . . . " This whole section made me want to do some research! These allusions to people I've never heard of who made an impact for God makes me want to know more.
Page 217 - "'Say it always. The words in your head will help the truth return to your heart. . . '" Peter again. I was crying by this point. The theme of forgiveness is so strong on this page!
Page 295-6 - "It's a grand shame most of us don't know the impact of what we're doing with a person until it's too long past or too painful to revisit, Jakob thought. Then again, maybe it's better not knowing and having done the thing anyway." I want to be intentional in loving people and sharing God's love to the best of my ability!
In her afterwords, Sorrells writes about her inspirations in writing this story. One of them references her grandfather. "The metaphor of a rough and unsightly rock or mineral being faceted and polished into something beautiful, and how Yahweh does the same thing with us is one that never grows old or cliche' to me." I'm so thankful to God for shaping and polishing me!
Also in the afterword, she listed books on different topics that came up in the story. Here are her recommendations on dementia:
* Still Alice by Lisa Genova
* No Act of Love Is Ever Wasted: The Spirituality of Caring for Persons with Dementia by Jane Marie Thibault and Richard L. Morgan
* Not Alone: Encouragement for Caregivers by Nell E. Noonan
Sunday, July 22, 2018
Boston Jacky: Being an Account of the Further Adventures of Jacky Faber, Taking Care of Business
by L.A. Meyer
Scott County Library hardcover 364 pages
genre: YA historic fiction, adventure
This was #11 in the series and one of my least favorites. Jacky is back in Boston, but the ladies of the Women's Temperance Union are on the move against her. The "protection" groups / gangs are also causing trouble for her and her newly purchased Pig and Whistle.
While I appreciate how Meyer includes relevant historical information in these entertaining tales, I was a bit surprised this time around. From page 178: "'Ah well, yes, there are several jewel merchants, all of a Hebraic persuasion here in Boston, and they were most avid in examining the collection, a loupe to every eye. I perceived them to be honest brokers, and since their business was global in nature, very few questions were asked.'" I can't imagine too many teen readers are aware of the historical punch that this observation packs.
I have never liked the nasty Constable Wiggins and the meanness of some of the characters in Boston. When Joanie and Ravi are taken from Jacky and put in horrible institutions, I expected Jacky to rescue them immediately. But the fight for their liberty took much longer and became quite convoluted. On page 225, "I stand there totally perplexed and wounded, too. I have been called many things in this life, but this is new to me and it cuts me to my core . . . unfit mother . . . " I felt a bit sad for Jacky here.
Clarissa's double-cross, yet another misunderstanding between Jacky and Jaimy, the destruction of her hard work, the arsonist, . . . there were so many more unpleasant parts to this story than there were fun, funny, or heroic parts.
Theoretically, the next book (#12) is the last one. Hooray! May it all end on a high note.
Scott County Library hardcover 364 pages
genre: YA historic fiction, adventure
This was #11 in the series and one of my least favorites. Jacky is back in Boston, but the ladies of the Women's Temperance Union are on the move against her. The "protection" groups / gangs are also causing trouble for her and her newly purchased Pig and Whistle.
While I appreciate how Meyer includes relevant historical information in these entertaining tales, I was a bit surprised this time around. From page 178: "'Ah well, yes, there are several jewel merchants, all of a Hebraic persuasion here in Boston, and they were most avid in examining the collection, a loupe to every eye. I perceived them to be honest brokers, and since their business was global in nature, very few questions were asked.'" I can't imagine too many teen readers are aware of the historical punch that this observation packs.
I have never liked the nasty Constable Wiggins and the meanness of some of the characters in Boston. When Joanie and Ravi are taken from Jacky and put in horrible institutions, I expected Jacky to rescue them immediately. But the fight for their liberty took much longer and became quite convoluted. On page 225, "I stand there totally perplexed and wounded, too. I have been called many things in this life, but this is new to me and it cuts me to my core . . . unfit mother . . . " I felt a bit sad for Jacky here.
Clarissa's double-cross, yet another misunderstanding between Jacky and Jaimy, the destruction of her hard work, the arsonist, . . . there were so many more unpleasant parts to this story than there were fun, funny, or heroic parts.
Theoretically, the next book (#12) is the last one. Hooray! May it all end on a high note.
Monday, July 16, 2018
The Cafe' by the Sea
by Jenny Colgan
Hennepin County Library audiobook 8 CDs
read by the author
genre: realistic fiction, romance
What a fun book! I think my favorite part may have been listening to the lovely accents. I didn't realize that the author was also the vocal talent until I started this blog entry. Beautiful!
Flora is a paralegal in London when her boss (whom she has a huge crush on) asks her to go to the small Scottish island of Mure to help a wealthy client. Flora does NOT want to go back to the island she grew up on and has not been back to since her mother's funeral. Once she goes, though, old and new collide in her life.
I loved this book!
Lorna is such a wise and wonderful friend.
"You're in a different world when you lose a parent." Yes! And grief is an odd thing.
I *love* the Scottish tongue! I could listen to this book over and over just to hear her voice!
Wow. Flora is grumpier than me!
Joel is such a jerk! I liked learning more about him as the story went on.
Agate - cool name! Flora, Fenton, Innis, Hammish, and Eck? (I couldn't find a list of the characters online . . . not that I looked super hard. That's one of the challenges of audiobooks and not seeing the words in print!)
I didn't realize she had written so many books! I'll have to find some more. Reading this one made me want to make scones!
(Above written 7.16.18. Below added 9.18.18.)
Some notes from listening a second time:
Hennepin County Library audiobook 8 CDs
read by the author
genre: realistic fiction, romance
What a fun book! I think my favorite part may have been listening to the lovely accents. I didn't realize that the author was also the vocal talent until I started this blog entry. Beautiful!
Flora is a paralegal in London when her boss (whom she has a huge crush on) asks her to go to the small Scottish island of Mure to help a wealthy client. Flora does NOT want to go back to the island she grew up on and has not been back to since her mother's funeral. Once she goes, though, old and new collide in her life.
I loved this book!
Lorna is such a wise and wonderful friend.
"You're in a different world when you lose a parent." Yes! And grief is an odd thing.
I *love* the Scottish tongue! I could listen to this book over and over just to hear her voice!
Wow. Flora is grumpier than me!
Joel is such a jerk! I liked learning more about him as the story went on.
Agate - cool name! Flora, Fenton, Innis, Hammish, and Eck? (I couldn't find a list of the characters online . . . not that I looked super hard. That's one of the challenges of audiobooks and not seeing the words in print!)
I didn't realize she had written so many books! I'll have to find some more. Reading this one made me want to make scones!
(Above written 7.16.18. Below added 9.18.18.)
Some notes from listening a second time:
- I looked on a map of Scotland for an island called Muir or Mure or anything like that. Nope. But very interesting to learn more about Scotland!
- I dislike how much the characters used the Lord's name in vain! Not a lot of other swearing, but it's hard to hear His name used as an expletive.
- Benefits of fresh air, outdoors, etc.! Loved this! Made me want to go outside for a hike.
- Title . . . it takes quite a while to get to the cafe' part of the story.
- "Nobody could conceivably fancy someone who didn't like dogs." - I love when Flora makes this comment. I too am a dog lover!
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