Letters to the Church

by Francis Chan

Libby print & Libby audiobook 

Published: 2018

Genre: non-fiction, Christianity

 

I've struggled with this book. There's so much to it! I had the "print" version on Libby and bookmarked some passages. Then I had to return it because there was such a long waiting list.

I got the audio version and was at about 3:50 of 5:30 hours . . . and yesterday it was auto-returned because there's a waiting list for it. (It was read by someone other than the author. I like listening to Chan; he is so passionate!)

I'm trying to not buy stuff I don't need, but I'm tempted to buy this book and take my dear sweet time reading it!

His basic premise is how "church" in America today is a far cry from what we read about in the Bible. How can we be like the New Testament church, the way Jesus taught?

Chapter headings: The Departure, Sacred, The Order, The Gang, Servants, Good Shepherds, Crucified, Unleashed, Church Again, and Surviving Arrogance. He has a lot of really good teaching in here.

 

Curious? Check out his video talking about this book. (Scroll down to get to the Vimeo video.)

A World Below

 by Wesley King

Scott County Library paperback 258 pages

Published: 2018

Genre: YA fantasy . . . sort of

This is one of this year's Maud Hart Lovelace nominees. It's told from three main characters' POV - Eric, Carlos, and Silvia. In some ways, I really liked the individual characters' growth (especially Silvia). In other ways, it just wasn't a book that captivated me. 

I thought about Shusterman's Downsiders and DuPrau's The City of Ember as I was reading this. The idea of a group of people living underground is not new. How did they get there? Why do they live there now? How do they get the raw materials for life? There are lots of questions to answer.

King does a fine job; his story just didn't resonate for me personally. I liked how Eric's isolation was challenged and how he and Carlos became friends. The ending leaves the possibility open for a sequel.

Paper Son

by Julie Leung

Libby audiobook 13 minutes

Read by Julie Leung and Feodor Chin

Genre: children's biography

Published: 2021

 

I got this along with a bunch of other children's books for my grandson to listen to when we were in the car. This fascinated me! I learned about Tyrus Wong and his journey to America from China. He loved to draw and inspired the background paintings in Disney's Bambi. I listened to it a second time by myself and read about him online. I've requested the video Tyrus. I love when children's books open a new avenue of understanding for me! I was familiar with the concept of "paper sons," but this story made me so sad for our country's Chinese Exclusion Act . . . and other things we've done to try to keep America for only certain Americans. I'd love to get the print version of this book to actually see the illustrations in it.

<Wrote the above on 2.23.2022. Added below 3.12.2022.>

I just finished watching the video Tyrus. Incredible! I'm so glad his life and artwork are available to us today! The interview footage with him is fantastic - he was quite old when this movie was made. (It was published in 2017. He died in 2016 at age 106. I'm not sure when the interviews were done, but he was old!)

The Chinese Exclusion Act is something I'd heard of before, but history isn't my strength. The fact that he was able to enter America is something of a miracle to me. The last time he saw his mother was at age nine when he and his dad left China . . . that makes me so sad. Tyrus was such a prolific artist! I looked up some of the plates he had painted and they are really expensive . . . but would be amazing to own. He made kites toward the end of his life. Wow! This video is incredible. It was fun to see Peter Docter at an event honoring Tyrus Wong and his legacy. I knew him at Kennedy High School forty years ago!

Tyrus had three daughters with his wife Ruth. He calls his daughters his "greatest achievement." I couldn't read all the blurb on the back of the video (thanks, library barcode sticker) but pbs.org has even more info!

Born in Canton (now Guangzhou), China, right before the fall of the Chinese Empire, Wong and his father immigrated to America in 1919, never to see their family again. American Masters: Tyrus shows how he overcame a life of poverty and racism to become a celebrated painter who once exhibited with Picasso and Matisse, a Hollywood sketch artist, and ‘Disney Legend.’ Previously unseen art and interviews with Wong, movie clips and archival footage illustrate how his unique style – melding Chinese calligraphic and landscape influences with contemporary Western art – is found in everything from Disney animation (Bambi) and live-action Hollywood studio films (Rebel Without a Cause, The Wild Bunch, Sands of Iwo Jima, April in Paris) to Hallmark Christmas cards, kites and hand-painted California dinnerware to fine art and Depression-era WPA paintings. The film also features new interviews with his daughters and fellow artists/designers, including his Disney co-worker and friend Milton Quon, Andreas Deja (The Little Mermaid), Eric Goldberg (Aladdin) and Paul Felix (Lilo & Stitch), and curators and historians of Wong’s work.

“Tyrus Wong’s story is a prime example of one of the many gaping holes in our society’s narrative on art, cinema, and Western history,” said Pamela Tom. “By telling his story, I wanted to shine light on one of America’s unsung heroes, and raise awareness of the vital contributions he’s made to American culture.”

“When I met Tyrus, I knew very little about his astounding work, which I then saw displayed prominently at the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco,” said Michael Kantor, American Masters series executive producer. “This beautifully realized film is a reminder that there are many American Masters who are not immediately recognizable, but when you learn about their stories, you’ll never forget them.”

Those Who Save Us

by Jenna Blum

Libby 731 pages

Published: 2005

Genre: historical fiction, relationships

 

Libby said the book was 775 pages, so when I got to the acknowledgements on page 732, I thought, "Where's the rest of the story?!" The last forty pages were a preview of another book. I wanted more resolution! I wanted another conversation between Trudy and Anna!

 

This was a really, really hard book for me. It went between the 1990s in Minnesota (Trudy focus) and 1940s Germany (Anna focus). There were a lot of really graphic and difficult parts to read. There was a lot of sex, violence, cruelty, evil . . . not a surprise for Nazi Germany.  

"For fifty years, Anna Schlemmer has refused to talk about her life in Germany during World War II. Her daughter, Trudy, was only three when she and her mother were liberated by an American soldier and went to live with him in Minnesota. Trudy's sole evidence of the past is an old photograph: a family portrait showing Anna, Trudy, and a Nazi officer, the Obersturmfuhrer of Buchenwald.

Driven by the guilt of her heritage, Trudy, now a professor of German history, begins investigating the past and finally unearths the dramatic and heartbreaking truth of her mother's life."

 

I actually don't think that blurb really describes the essence of the book. Anna's choices have definitely impacted Trudy's life, but the photograph doesn't even come to Trudy until she puts Anna in a nursing home. There is so much pain in their relationship and Trudy's vague memories of her early life in Germany are like hauntings. Also, she barely starts to get at Anna's truth until the very end of the book! There's so much more about Max, Anna's father, the liberation of Buchenwald, Mathilde's death, . . .

 

This book was well-written, but hard to read at times. I checked it out because of how much I enjoyed her book Woodrow on the Bench. Blum is a talented writer.

The House

by Raelyn Drake

"Mason Falls Mysteries"

Libby audiobook 1.5 hours

read by "Intuitive"

Published: 2018

Genre: mystery

 

This was weird.  I wanted available audiobooks for while I was driving. This came up and I grabbed it. Short. Clean. Now that I know that the reader was "intuitive," that explains the weird vibe I got. Would I read others in the series? Maybe.

Grace, Cat, and Damien are ninth graders who were challenged by the seniors to spend an hour in the "haunted" house at the end of Grace's street. It's a long standing tradition and Grace and friends want to prove that the house isn't really haunted. They didn't seem to be freshmen to me . . . more like tweens. The details were interesting. The conclusion worked. Fluff.

The Benefits of Being an Octopus

 by Ann Braden

Libby audiobook 7 hours

read by Amy Melissa Bentley

Published: 2018

Genre: YA realistic fiction

"Seventh-grader Zoey has her hands full as she takes care of her much younger siblings after school every day while her mom works her shift at the pizza parlor. Not that her mom seems to appreciate it. At least there’s Lenny, her mom’s boyfriend—they all get to live in his nice, clean trailer.

At school, Zoey tries to stay under the radar. Her only friend Fuchsia has her own issues, and since they’re in an entirely different world than the rich kids, it’s best if no one notices them.

Zoey thinks how much easier everything would be if she were an octopus: eight arms to do eight things at once. Incredible camouflage ability and steady, unblinking vision. Powerful protective defenses.

Unfortunately, she’s not totally invisible, and one of her teachers forces her to join the debate club. Even though Zoey resists participating, debate ultimately leads her to see things in a new way: her mom’s relationship with Lenny, Fuchsia’s situation, and her own place in this town of people who think they’re better than her. Can Zoey find the courage to speak up, even if it means risking the most stable home she’s ever had?

This moving debut novel explores the cultural divides around class and the gun debate through the eyes of one girl, living on the edges of society, trying to find her way forward."

This book was heart breaking in its realism. Zoey's growth as a person is shown through her relationship with her friend Fuschia, with her communication with her mom, and with her dawning understanding of different perspectives as she sees the impact of people's assumptions about fellow trailer kid Silas. The characters are well-written and the vocal work was excellent. Zoey's care for younger siblings Bryce and Aurora made me think of other teens who are essentially raising their younger siblings. Just so sad. But the story has redemption, too! Braden is skilled and this was a very worthwhile book. It makes me want to do more for people who have less.

The Gallery of Regrettable Food: Highlights from Classic American Recipe Books

by James Lileks

Dakota County Library hardcover 192 pages

Published: 2001

Genre: humor, cookbooks

Lileks has a sense of humor that appeals to me, but not my husband. When our friend Steve recommended this book, I was eager to get it and be entertained. Lileks credits the Welcome Wagon in Fargo for giving his mother a cookbook in 1962 that he unearthed (untouched) in the 1990s. He found several more cookbooks from the 1960s and preceding decades to poke fun at.

The pictures are hilarious, as is his commentary on them. "Liberties Taken with Peas," "Random Meats," and "Salty Salts" are some of the cover's enticements to see what's in store. 

This is actually kind of like a sociology book . . . it certainly highlights an era in America!

Running for My LIfe: My Journey in the Game of Football and Beyond

by Warrick Dunn and Don Yaeger

with foreward by Tony Dungy

Hennepin County Library hardcover 272 pages with color photos

Published: 2008

Genre: non-fiction, biography

 

I don't remember where I heard about this book. I'm not a football fan so "Warrick Dunn" didn't mean anything to me. I think I read a reference to his philanthropic work and was curious.  The personal aspects of the book were more interesting to me than the football stuff (no surprise). It was interesting but not captivating. I'm glad I read it, but it's not one I would highly recommend to others.

Dunn's mother was murdered when he was 18 years old. She was a single mother with six children, a police officer who worked side jobs as security. She and a store manager were ambushed and shot when they were making a bank deposit. The manager survived. The robbers didn't get the money. It's a tragic, tragic story.

This was a huge defining moment in Dunn's life. His success in football (to me) is overpowered by his success at setting up a charitable foundation that helps single moms attain home ownership. I looked him up online after reading this, but there isn't much information about him after his football career ended.

Page 35 - "... there were many people locally who believed I should have stayed home and signed with LSU, too. I was criticized by those who said I owed the community for the help and appreciation it showed following my mom's murder. Mom gave her life to our community; wasn't that enough?"

Wow. People are entitled to their opinions, but to insinuate that an 18 year old should make his college decision based on what others think he "should" do? To imply that because the community helped him and his siblings after their mother's horrific murder that he somehow "owes" them? What is wrong with people?!?!?!

Page 49 - Ugh. This was the only page I marked, but I found so many typos that I felt like crying. Why is proofreading a lost art? Why are books published with so many errors? Here's the gem on this page:

"The last house we lived in with my mother was on in the corner of Bradley Street and Addison Street in East Baton Rouge."

I read "on in the corner" about five times, assuming I had misread it before I realized it actually said that. And there were more . . . but I refused to spend any more time on typos. Grrr!

Page 68 - "But Charlie respected people. I kept thinking, Wow, you can still be a superstar and a class act, too? You didn't have to be an A-hole. That taught me a valuable lesson."

I think sometimes we forget the impact we can have on people when we live out a good example. I'm so glad his coach suggested they room together and that Charlie (a senior) was willing to be a mentor to young Warrick.

Page 183 - "And she knew right away what she would be doing with her old furniture. In the spirit of Homes for the Holidays, 'I gave it away. I knew a family that was in need and I gave all of our stuff to them.' She was determined to share the blessings."

Throughout the latter half of the book, personal stories of the families that were blessed by Dunn's foundation are featured. This part came in chapter 12 and was "Sonja's Story." These were honestly my favorite parts of the entire book.

Page 211 - "I think it is essential that we teach children early on that there is a responsible way to handle money, and that is to take care of paying bills, making ends meet, and saving for the future rather than spending every check as soon as it comes - or even going into debt - for luxury items."

Amen! I love that he joked about having the oldest car of all NFL players, but it's easy for young athletes to splurge when they have the money for expensive cars. Dunn grew up with good lessons. 

Page 228 - "It was something I had been terrified of doing for so long, but once I realized not only that I could do it but that I was going it, it was incredibly freeing."

He's referring to when he was able to talk publicly about seeking help and getting therapy to deal with the trauma in his past. It makes me think of the Scripture about truth setting you free. I'm so glad that he was able to get help for his hurt and his burdens. I'm glad he knows the Lord.

The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise

by Dan Gemeinhart

Scott County Library paperback 341 pages

Published: 2019

Genre: YA realistic fiction

One of this year's Maud Hart Lovelace nominees, this book was delightful and the main character an absolute sweetheart.

Coyote and her dad (but don't call him that!) Rodeo have traveled the United States for the past five years since Coyote's mom and two sisters were killed in a car accident. Rodeo wants to look forward and forget the past, but their wandering lifestyle means Coyote doesn't have friends or a place to call home other than their converted school bus "Yager." (So named because it was a Voyager bus and some letters were removed. . . )

From the back cover:

"Coyote hasn't been home in all that time. But when she learns that the park in her old neighborhood is being demolished - the very same park where she, her mom, and her sisters buried a treasured memory box - she devises an elaborate plan to get her dad to get her dad to drive 3,600 miles back to Washington State . . . without him realizing it."

"Along the way, they'll pick up a strange crew of misfit travelers. Lester has a lady love to meet. Salvador and his mom are looking to start over. Val needs a safe place to be herself. And then there's Gladys . . . "

I really enjoyed this story, but was sad for Coyote and how long it took for her to get her dad to realize what she needed.

page 123 - "I am not a mess. I am not a joke. I am not fragile. I am not broken."

This scene between Coyote and Salvador (and their conversation the next morning) was absolutely heart-wrenching.

page 160 - "Sometimes trusting someone is about the scariest thing you can do. But you know what? It's a lot less scary than being all alone."

When she confides in Lester and Salvador about her true goal, their support and encouragement are transformative for Coyote.

Page 179 - "Salvador sat with Ivan in his lap and scratched his head, and Ivan leaned into it and started purring and I saw Salvador's shoulders relax just a tad. Cat therapy works."

This made me think of all the cat lovers in my life!

Page 246 - "I loved that man, watching him talking for me by the side of the road. And I knew he loved me, too. Because that's what love is. Caring about what the other person cares about because you care about them. And want them to be happy. Right?"

When Lester is trying to help Coyote by getting the parts for the bus (its brakes went out!) so that she can get to the park before the demolition starts, it's such a sweet scene.

Page 316-7 - oh my! Gladys made me laugh out loud! That goat was a great bit of comic relief. 

This book was sweet and I only have two more MHL nominees to read before I "pick" my favorite. (Only kids get to actually vote.)